After giving orders to the various units, the brigade commanders immediately went into action.
　First, an attack by a unit of dwarven engineers. They are given cannons to carry.
　The cannons brought by horses and trolls, 20 of them. That's quite a number.

　The dwarven engineers, all of whom had learned arithmetic, tipped their cannons to the right angle and fired them without pause.

　The giant dragon let out a scream as it ate the iron bullets that were equal to or greater than the catapult's projectiles, and the giant dragon turned the object of its anger towards the Eighth Legion. He turned his hatred towards us.

''Alright, that's enough. Let the enemy army buy them time to escape.''

Just to let them know how strong we are!

　Giron said with great skill, but the Demon King-sama, who was lining up his horses together and inspecting the battlefield, twisted his mouth. I didn't miss it.

''What is funny?　Demon King.

　The dainty Demon Lord-sama hesitated for a moment and then opened her lips.

'....No, you know. I just figured that's the way things are said.

What do you mean?

'Unu is still incapable of being ruthless. That's just what I thought.

No, as I said before, this is a long-term mission to promote the strength of the Eighth Army to the enemy...

　That's my defense, but it doesn't seem to work for the Demon King-sama. He could see through it completely.

''Then we should have let the Earth Dragon overrun the alliance of the various kings more before attacking. But Unu chose this timing. It's a good idea to give the humans more time to escape. I can't think of anything else.

''If the enemy army and the Earth Dragon continue to fight against each other, the enemy army might defeat the Earth Dragon. That's just what I thought.

　The demon king let out a bitter smile at my lame excuse.
Let's put it that way.
　He concluded.

　She regained her composure and continued.

'Well, so far you seem to be relying on cannon fire, plus sorcerer attacks and long range attacks, what are you going to do about it Unu?　Are you going to keep going?

I'd be grateful if you could keep him down...

But...

　The Demon Lord let out a fearless smile.

　She's an outstanding observer. She must be well aware that earth dragons cannot be defeated by half-hearted gunfire or long-range magic.

　In fact, the ground dragon seen from afar seems to have been pierced by ballista arrows, scaled off by the blast and magic, but not fatally wounded.

''I guess we'll just have to get closer in the end...''

　I will talk to myself.
　His Majesty agrees with me.

"Look at that thing," he said. Unless I delivered a direct blow to the vital point, it wouldn't stop its activities. On the contrary, they've damaged it halfway through. If left unchecked, not only the village of Azuchi, but all the villages in its vicinity. Or by extension, the free city of Arsenum might be destroyed as well. It's a payback.

That's going to be a big deal.

You don't sound like a lot of work for it.

　The Demon King smiles sarcastically.

''Isn't it?''

I can see that.

I suppose it might look that way.

'What is the source of your confidence?　What have you done so far?

"Achievements?　Is it?

Unu once slayed a giant sea serpent in Xenovia by himself.

You are not alone. I enlisted the help of the Zenobian people, and the Zenobian soldiers as well.
Oh, so you need help this time, too?

　I shake my head, "No.
　The collar of my immortal robe shakes.

'I learned that last time I fought a giant creature. That taking on a giant creature with a large army is a fool's errand.

Why?

'Of course, attacking at long range with ballista, artillery and magic is useful, but it's not the only deciding factor. That said, it's even more foolish to let your troops get close enough to challenge them with a close-range attack.

Yeah. Just look at the League of Lords and Kings. They required close to ten thousand men, yet they were unable to inflict fatal damage on the giant dragon.

''Yes. Hundreds of lives are lost just by tumbling around, and a huge hole in the earth is created just by the swishing of their tails. I think we're going to be a select few here.

''Wise. Dwarven artillery, let the demonic sorcerers unleash their long-range magic while keeping their distance and jumping into the bosom of the ground dragon with a small number of elites would be the right thing to do.

I was just about to do that.

　I grudgingly thanked her and paid my respects to the Demon Lord.

　She is one of the greatest generals in Japanese history. I was honestly glad that she had come to the same conclusion as me.

　With renewed confidence, I ordered Jiron.

'Go get Lilith, Anemone, and Shigan the dragoness.

　Giron asks back.

'Are you sure it's alright with Alistair's daughter and Lord Günther?

'You know Miss Alistair's personal armed forces. I'm not going to force a beautiful woman to go on a suicide mission.

Yes.

　Giron smiles bitterly.
　Alistair's personal valor would rank at the bottom of the general class.　

''Lord Günther's battle-axe powers are valuable. But more than that, I value him as an engineer.''

That means you'll be in charge of the artillery.

''Right. The artillery unit of the Demon King's army is still in its infancy, we need a good commander by our side.

　Having said that, he ordered Jiron to bring the circular snake staff.

''Could your husband be able to go to the front line too?''

　Giron flicked his big cock.

'Because he's the strongest magician in the Demon King's army. Just in case.

　I said jokingly, but Giron disagreed with that.

'No, you can't. What would you do if something happened to your husband?

What if I was?

It's just a matter of when.

So you think I'm going to fall behind the dragons of the Earth?
No, no, it's never like that...

　Jiron muttered faintly, but "........." he was silent for a while and then opened his mouth as if he had made up his mind.

　You can't be weak here. With such an expression on your face.

You will be able to find out the best way to get the most out of this. I think it is my job to say a few words if I think my husband is wrong.

..........

　Now it was my turn to be silent.
　Giron was right.

"An army commander does not go to the front without permission. If anything were to happen to your husband, this Eighth Legion would be. No, the Demon King's Army is finished.

　The Demon King affirmed those words.

''It's true, the Demon King's army will feel terrible about losing Ike here.

Of course, of course, the Demon King must punish Master Ike.

　Giron agrees, but I still defend myself.

But I can't bear to let Lilith, Anemone and Shigan take on the giant dragon alone. It's a good idea to have a good idea of what to do with it. As I thought, I'll be the one to do it.

　I was going to assert that, but the Demon King interrupted me as if he saw it coming.

''If you are going to use that argument, then that means that the defeat of the giant dragon, I can also participate in it.

On what grounds?

　She says in a dumbfounded way, but she continues while ignoring him.

''If anything happens to the strongest sorcerer in the Demon King's army, it will be a great loss for the Demon King's army. We can't afford to lose him now.

　She straddled her beloved horse, not intending to argue any further when she assured him so.

'What's the matter?　Looking as if a pigeon had been hit by a peashooter?　Doesn't the unu ride a horse?

　Once I was told that, I had no choice but to get on my horse.

　I left the command of the 8th Legion to Lilith and headed for the Earth Dragon with the Demon King.

　My beloved horse is a huge black horse, and the Demon King's reedy hair and two black shadows headed straight for the giant dragon.

　In the end, the defeat of the Earth Dragon was to be carried out by the strongest magician in the Demon King's army and the Demon King of the Demon King's army.