Luciana's report was not something to be taken lightly.
It belonged to the category of most undesirable possibilities one could envision.
The ominous premonition had indeed struck true.
"Is that true?"
"Without a doubt. It seems they are heading straight for it."
Luciana stated this flatly.
A trace of tension could be discerned.
Compared to her usual demeanor, she was clearly serious.
I understood her feelings.
For a human army to target the Valley of the Dead was something that had seldom occurred before.
Moreover, the arrival of a Hero would likely be unprecedented.
In the first place, its location right next to the Royal Capital made it difficult to invade.
In most cases, reaching it would require passing through numerous villages and towns.
Furthermore, the meaning of an invasion was slim.
Currently, the miasma concentration in the Valley of the Dead was immense.
It had become a demonic realm where half-hearted purification was ineffective, and ordinary people risked having their life force drained just by approaching.
I had accelerated the pollution by continuously offering corpses.
However, the army of the warrior maidens was indeed heading for the Valley of the Dead.
Their purpose needed no contemplation.
They intended to interfere with the Valley of the Dead and weaken me.
Proceeding through the demon territory to reach the Valley of the Dead would require considerable effort.
Above all, mobility is essential.
The Valkyrie’s army must be operating as a small, elite force.
They might even be moving on a scale that could hardly be called an army.
That isn’t a bad idea.
Ten years ago, we did the same thing.
It allows for maneuvers impossible for a full-sized army.
Depending on the situation, it can be the optimal solution.
Naturally, it demands high individual skill.
Operating in small numbers always carries risk.
A moment of carelessness could lead to annihilation.
However, for this particular situation, it is likely the correct decision.
If they moved as an army, they would clash repeatedly with the demon forces long before reaching the Valley of the Dead.
The casualties would only mount, and their movement speed would drop dramatically.
A small, elite force can circumvent these problems.
They can move rapidly before being detected and reach their objective swiftly.
They’ve probably planned the route meticulously.
It’s just after the Steel Knight was killed, so perhaps they intended to exploit the opening on our side.
In reality, we detected them early, but it was still well-thought-out.
“What should we do? We really can’t just ignore this, can we?”
Luciana said, sounding anxious.
For her, she was unusually unsettled.
It was a truly rare state for her.
"I'll handle it. I can't afford to let this slide."
I declared in a flat, businesslike tone, devoid of emotion.
When it came to an assault on the source of one's power, there was simply no room for restraint.
It would have to be thoroughly crushed.
I would also need to lay down further defenses.
"Are you sure you'll be fine on your own, Lord Demon King? The Valkyrie has that ability of hers..."
"No problem. I have countermeasures in mind."
I had a reasonable amount of prior information about the opponent.
One who had been forcibly made a hero through ritual magic, and I had a general grasp of their abilities.
Honestly, the matchup was close to the worst possible.
That said, it would only truly be a problem if I were forced to fight without any prior information.
I was intimately familiar with how the Valkyrie fought.
She was likely hiding one or two trump cards, so I simply needed to keep a close watch on those.
The actual situation was not as dire as Luciana believed.
"I think you'll be fine... but that doesn't mean you should push yourself."
"I know."
I nodded at Luciana's reminder.
The battle against the demi-gods was also drawing near.
I had no intention of expending energy here.
"Well then, I'll be waiting for the report."
"It shouldn't take long. I'll contact you right away."
"Okaaay."
I ended the telepathic communication with Luciana.
Logan, who had been silent, immediately questioned me.
"What's wrong? What happened?"
I explained the contents of my conversation with Luciana.
Hearing this, Logan's expression grew solemn.
He groaned, sounding troubled.
"The Valley of the Dead... is it known as the source of your power?"
"I don't recall stating it outright, but I haven't kept it hidden either. If someone connected the dots, it wouldn't be unnatural at all."
Originally an execution ground for the kingdom, the Valley of the Dead was fairly well-known. It had long been known as a place where criminals were thrown down. It had also been used to dispose of the corpses of Imperial soldiers during wartime. In any era, it was deeply tied to death.
As the undead Demon Lord, I commanded the undead. One could call it the power to manipulate death. It wasn't strange at all to be suspected of having some connection to that valley.
"I'm sorry, but the investigation is over. I'm heading to intercept the Valkyrie."
"What should I do?"
"I need you to stay at the castle and set up a barrier of spirit magic. With Yura's help, it should be possible to cover the entire Royal Capital."
"Leave it to me."
Logan gives a reliable reply and nods.
With this, the capital's defenses are nearly perfect.
Now, all that's left is to persistently apply transfer-disruption magic to prepare against the demigod.
We returned from the workshop via transfer magic.
Logan headed for the castle, while I cast the transfer-disruption spell before making my way to the research facility.
As soon as I passed through the entrance, the director hurried over.
"Oh my, if it isn't the Demon Lord! What brings you here today—"
"I need to borrow the specialized unit. Is the repair finished?"
I cut straight to the chase.
The director nodded vigorously.
She began to explain with animated gestures.
"Yes, of course! We completely redesigned it from scratch and implemented numerous improvements. This has enhanced the machine's performance—"
"I'll hear the explanation later. Please hurry with the preparations."
"Understood!"
The director sensed the urgency and saluted.
She led me to where the specialized golem unit we'd used in the battle against the Steel Knight was stored.
The minor damages had already been repaired.
The appearance had shifted subtly.
The changes were so minor as to be difficult to pinpoint, yet it was clearly different.
"I've replaced various components across the board. There were no major changes; this is more about elevating the baseline performance."
While listening to the superintendent, I approached the golem for a closer look.
And then I noticed something.
"This part... is that from a Steel Knight?"
"That's correct. There were several highly useful components available, so I repurposed them this time. There shouldn't be any issues with its operation. Um... was that perhaps a problem?"
"No, it's fine. You did well."
I was mildly surprised, but the superintendent was not at fault.
The Steel Knight was already dead.
One could hardly complain about borrowing parts from its corpse.
If we didn't use them here, they'd just be discarded.
In that case, it was better to make effective use of them.
It might be desecration of the dead, but that was truly nothing new.
There was probably no one more guilty of desecrating and mocking the dead than I was.
With that self-deprecating thought, I mentally connected with my dedicated machine.
I synchronized our consciousness and adjusted the controls for free manipulation.
My original body remained on standby in this location.
In the event that the dedicated machine became incapacitated, I would rush to the scene myself.
I could only pray that things would not come to that.
I activated my detection magic.
Scouring the domain, I soon discovered a reaction that felt like the Valkyrie.
As expected, they were moving in small numbers.
Their position suggested they were heading for the Valley of the Dead.
The information had been correct.
(There's no obligation to wait for their arrival.)
Judging by their movement, they would reach the Valley of the Dead today or tomorrow.
I should deal with them immediately.
"Then I'll be going."
"Please do! I would be most grateful if you could share your impressions of its use again later."
Seeing the director off with a wide wave, I teleported to the Valkyrie's location.