That afternoon, I was in the conference room within the castle.
Around the circular table besides me sat Henry and Logan.
Logan held a subordinate position to me, but his status as a quasi-executive was now established.
His competence was widely known, so no voices of dissent had arisen.
A knock sounded at the door.
It was a kobold subordinate who entered.
The kobold skillfully placed glasses before us with practiced efficiency.
"You've done well."
"Pardon the interruption."
The kobold bowed and withdrew from the room.
Without hesitation, Henry took a sip from his glass.
Emptying his cup, he glanced over at mine.
"Now what might the General have there?"
His curiosity was understandable.
Henry and Logan’s glasses were filled with spirits and red tea, respectively.
In contrast, my glass held about three red-black dumplings.
At first glance, it was indeed an unfamiliar sight.
I answered Henry’s question.
"It is a delicacy for the undead. Care to try one?"
"Oh? I’ll take one."
Henry plucked a dumpling from my glass and popped it into his mouth.
While he chewed, I addressed Logan.
"Help yourself if you want."
"...I'm fine."
Arms crossed, Logan shook his head.
Immediately after, Henry grimaced.
He glared accusingly at the remaining dumplings.
"Ugh... my tongue's going numb. Isn't this too spicy?"
"Undead lose their sense of taste. The only sensation that remains is pain perception, which spiciness stimulates."
I took one of the dumplings into my mouth.
As I chewed it with my back teeth, a needle-like pricking sensation began.
The more I chewed, the stronger it became.
This dumpling had only recently been perfected.
It was made by compacting various spices and imbuing them with the blessing of holy magic.
No consideration was given to flavors other than spiciness.
As I possess no stomach, I use magic to incinerate the dumpling once I'm done chewing.
The blessing was faint enough that an undead of my or Grom's caliber would suffer no harm.
At most, it accompanied a slight tingling sensation.
Thanks to this combination of spice and blessing, I could experience something akin to the sensation of eating.
To the undead who find most food and drink tasteless, it was a precious luxury good.
Henry, having heard my explanation, nodded in understanding and swallowed the dumpling with a pained expression. Then he glanced at Logan.
"I see. This is certainly a luxury. Did you not eat it because you already knew the taste?"
"That's right."
As he replied, Logan slid the cup of black tea toward Henry. It was a gesture of consideration in his own way.
Henry drank it with a grateful look. Paying no mind to their exchange, I spread a map of the continent on the table.
Seeing that the two had settled down, I began to speak.
"To get to the matter at hand, I have gathered you two here for no other reason than to discuss our future invasion plans."
"I figured as much. I was just thinking it was about time."
Henry spoke with evident pleasure. He was a born battle maniac. It was his desire for conflict that led him to join the Demon Lord's Army. There was no lofty ideology behind it. Henry was a warrior indifferent to notions of good or evil.
Although it had not been long since the war with the Magitek Nation, I wanted to make my next move soon. I wished to maintain a constant state of tension among the various nations. To put it concretely, the optimal strategy would be to launch attacks on every country across the continent.
There is no country more prone to unnecessary actions than one that remains unscathed.
"Henry, how is the firearms unit shaping up?"
"Doing decently. Not bad. Depending on the battlefield, they might prove more reliable than magic or bows."
The Demon Lord's army had assembled various specialized units to prepare for multifaceted warfare.
The goal was to enhance proficiency through increased specialization.
"Are they also ready to deploy the magic cannons?"
"Yes. They've reached a level where we can commit them to actual combat."
Henry answered this with confidence as well. As the person in charge of military affairs, he possessed leadership befitting his position. I had heard that he performed admirably on the front lines in actual combat and commanded great respect from his subordinates.
Even without my involvement, the Demon Lord's army was operating smoothly.
After the conflict with the Kingdom of Magical Artifice, the Demon Lord's army had achieved a massive boost in strength.
It would not be an exaggeration to say they were now unrivaled on the continent.
This was an undeniable fact.
Of course, that didn't mean we could afford to be careless.
No matter how powerful one is, ruin can come in an instant.
History itself tells that story.
I was the one who had slain the Demon Lord and ended the Age of Darkness.
I knew well that complacency is fatal. We must prepare for every conceivable possibility.
"According to our spies' reports, no nation is openly declaring war on the Demon Lord's Army."
"That phrasing suggests things are moving beneath the surface, then?"
"Secret alliances are forming, and some are experimenting with specialized countermeasures like the Magitech Nation. Much of it is classified, but the balance of power is undoubtedly shifting."
As I recalled the many reports and explained, Henry erupted into hearty laughter.
He leaned forward, a fierce grin spreading across his face.
"Hahaha, this is great! Things are really heating up! So, Commander, which country are we targeting first?"
I pointed to a spot on the map and replied.
"Strictly speaking, it's not a nation, but the Slave Autonomous Zone would be a convenient target."
The Slave Autonomous Zone referred to the land spanning the northern and northwestern territories of the Demon Lord's Domain.
It was a lawless region belonging to no country, where numerous warlords each controlled their own territories.
It was a peculiar place that sustained itself primarily through the production and export of slaves.
Though an area where order had collapsed, the military strength it possessed was immense.
It could be considered more resilient than many lesser nations.
For hundreds of years, it had reigned without being subjugated by any country.
There was a reason I listed the Slave Autonomous Zone as a candidate for invasion.
It was purely because its malevolence was too extreme.
The zone had been subtly pillaging the territories of small nations and empires I had once destroyed.
They reportedly looted the conquered towns and villages, capturing refugees and forcing them into slavery.
They had run rampant for far too long; I decided it was time to strike them down.
"I see. That autonomous zone is indeed ideal. If we seize the slaves, we can replenish our forces endlessly."
Henry nodded in agreement from a military perspective.
Taking slaves to bolster one's forces was the same method the autonomous zone itself used, but it was hardly something to agonize over now.
The Demon Lord's domain had carried out massacres numerous times before.
There was no need for hesitation here.
A Demon Lord should embody evil.
"Logan. What do you think?"
When I asked for his opinion, he answered with unwavering resolve.
"I also support invading the autonomous zone. There are elven slaves there. I've long wanted to settle that score."
A firm will was evident in Logan's words.
It was reassuring that he would take the initiative to assist.
With that, I had obtained the agreement of two.
The actual invasion would likely begin after confirming with the other executives.
That said, there would probably be no objections.
It was expected to proceed smoothly from here.
"I intend to inflict severe damage on the Slave Autonomous Zone, but we will absolutely not annihilate it. That is our iron rule."
"As usual, I see. Understood."
"The elven clan will also cooperate this time. Please don't hesitate to ask if anything is needed."
"My apologies. I am grateful."
Hearing their dependable words, I felt satisfied.
The moment the next target for invasion was decided, the meeting adjourned.