I Became a Burden to the Conscienceless Party

Major General Lilith, who belongs to the Demon King’s Army Strategic Planning Department and is a direct aide to Demon King Belphegor, clicked her tongue.

“To think the humans would make the first move.”

It failed.
And for such a ridiculous reason.
Originally, they were planning to implement Jim’s retrieval plan. It was scheduled for when Jim and the hero party would leave the fortress city of Senova.
But they were unlucky. Even though the incident occurred inside the fortress city, they pinned it on the demons.
It’s a common lowly tactic of humans.
And for Lilith, such human tactics were already familiar.
It wasn’t that difficult to uncover the mastermind behind the incident.

‘The saint, Irina Saintis. If it’s her, there’s no one else it could be.’

While she’s considered an innocent and noble saint in public, in reality, she’s the very darkness of the church.
It’s information that anyone in a certain position knows.

‘Well, Mr. Jim probably knows that too. Since the Demon King ordered special management for him, he must have some thoughts.’

Of course, Jim wasn’t someone in a certain position.
Naturally, he doesn’t know. To Jim, Irina is just a pretty person.
Unfortunately, only Lilith’s expectations were piling up at this time.

“Yes, the saint’s schemes are already famous on our side too.”

Lilith smiled while reviewing the results of this incident.
Yes, she knew.
About the woman named Irina Saintis.

“Heh, thanks to her, it’s ruined.”

Of course, knowing about it and being able to deal with it are separate issues.
The entire execution team was annihilated by the human military forces that raised their guard before they could do anything.
This is clearly a huge blunder.
The root cause was letting their guard down because there was time left until the operation execution.
It didn’t even take 5 minutes for soldiers to rush out from inside the city walls and crush the execution team.
It was at that moment when Lilith was racking her brains.

“Ahem! Lilith, are you doing well?”

Belphegor barged in where Lilith was, avoiding the nagging of her subjects. She asked casually as usual, and Lilith answered calmly and coolly as usual.

“Of course, Demon King.”
“Ah, that’s how it should be. So, I’ve decided to entrust you with full authority because I trust you, so I hope you’ll continue to do well.”
“Yes!”

Lilith was originally a parachute appointment. As she had been acting as a cool commander to avoid being looked down upon, this time was no different.
The act itself had already become ingrained in her.
Therefore, she felt a chill down her spine belatedly at her own lie that came out naturally.
She can’t say now that she made a mistake and messed up badly.
The personnel deployed for this plan alone were either promising future talents or those who were already being operated as solid forces.
As Lilith was secretly turning pale, she muttered as if she had suddenly thought of something.

“Full authority… Yes, since I’ve been given full authority, I can still make up for it.”

Thus, Lilith’s snowballing began.

About a day after leaving the fortress city.
I received a contact from Major General Lilith.

“Ahem, may I go to the bathroom for a moment?”

Since it’s a separate contact other than the regular report, it might be urgent.

“You’re not going to run away, are you?”
“Haha, running away in a place so close to the demon realm?”

Esmeralda says with a bright smile. I know that much too.
There’s no way I could escape so easily anyway. I’ve already tried and failed three times.
If I get caught doing it this time, it will raise suspicion.

“…Jim, just in case, I’ll cast a spell on you. Come here.”
“It’s okay…”

Milia casts a spell on my neck.
Of course, she didn’t ask for my permission.
It feels somewhat like a collar, but upon closer inspection, it was a disposable shield and alarm spell.
Probably it will be used automatically if my body is in danger.

“…”

And Irina Saintis, who could be considered the most dangerous, is just smiling brightly this time.
If she had said she would cast a holy barrier or something, it would have been a big problem.

“Isn’t that bastard actually a demon going to communicate with them?”

Tina’s joking words stabbed my heart like a dagger, but it’s okay.
She knows everything, but she’s a person who doesn’t know everything.

After creating some distance, Jim immediately activated the communication magic from the Demon King’s Army.

“…Communication security, Lieutenant Jim here.”

A back that naturally bends even though the other party isn’t here.
It was the typical appearance of an office worker who fears their superior.

-Yes, Mr. Jim. This is Lilith. I learned about this incident from reports from afar. The situation was quite coincidental. We were just about to implement an operation to rescue you. Hehe.
“Ah… Did nothing happen to you?”
-Of course, nothing happened. Heh, do you think I wouldn’t notice that much?

Lilith put on airs.
Jim is an existence recognized by the Demon King.
Revealing her weaknesses in front of him would be the same as confessing to the Demon King.
It’s better to act as if nothing happened.

‘Wow, as expected of Major General Lilith.’

Jim alone admired Lilith’s boasting and bowed his back even more.
She’s a demon trying to rescue him.
How could he not bow his head?

“Then you contacted me like this because you’ve come up with a new plan! Do you need my cooperation?”
-Eh…
“Yes?”
-O-Of course. I was just surprised that you were going to move straight to the main point like this.
“Ah! I’m sorry! My thinking was too short-sighted.”

Lilith actually intended to make excuses about the operation going awry this time.
But there was something she overlooked, which was the fact that Jim didn’t know anything about her operation.
There was nothing to apologize for in the first place. Jim doesn’t know that the operation execution team was annihilated by external factors.
Lilith, who had contacted Jim to make excuses like a thief feeling guilty, belatedly realized this fact.

-No, it’s fine. I was just going to ask how you were doing.
“Oh! Thank you! I will continue to devote myself to the Demon King’s Army!”

Of course, if an order comes to infiltrate the hero party any further, he’ll immediately quit the Demon King’s Army.
And even if they send him to the frontlines of the war with dragons after rescuing him, he plans to quit.
Jim is just a typical sycophant with smooth words, as always.

-The operation, about the operation…
“Haha! Perhaps there is no operation…”
-There is.
“Yes, …I’m sorry.”
-It’s okay.

Jim intended to joke, but he came to his senses at the other party’s cold voice. They weren’t in a relationship to exchange jokes in the first place. The other party is a three-star existence even in the Demon King’s Army!
Jim wasn’t someone who could dare to speak to her.

-Ahem! This operation is…
“Yes.”
-This operation is, that is…
“I’m listening attentively.”
-…It’s to scatter the hero party and then target only the hero.

Lilith voiced the best plan she could think of.
The result of fully activating her brain!
Perhaps because it sounded more plausible than she thought when she actually said it? Lilith confidently raised her voice.

-The hero party is originally composed of individuals selected from each group. They wouldn’t let them act as the hero party for trivial matters.

Yes, the hero party doesn’t always stick together. Because each party member has their own social position to bear.

-For example, what if they say they want to see their hometown? Then the leaders of each group will call them back, even if just because they think it’s presumptuous.
“If it’s my hometown…”
-I mean the hometown from the infiltration operation. The stage we made into ruins.

The party members already don’t have much time to spare. If that happens, by the time Jim’s request is granted, each of them will leave to do what they need to do.
Honestly, it was something that could only be assumed if Jim’s insistence was accepted, but Jim felt the possibility.

“Well, since the hero has a righteous personality and is also affectionate, I think she would grant a request that’s not even retirement.”

If he says the reason he wanted to retire was actually because he wanted to see his hometown, even the hero wouldn’t be able to ignore Jim’s request.
It would be best if they just let Jim go, but that’s unlikely.
And if they grant that request, there’s no reason to have the promising talents from each group accompany them to see the hometown of a mere baggage carrier.
If everyone doesn’t accompany, there are bound to be gaps in various ways.

‘But I wonder if it’s okay since it’s an operation that has already failed once.’

It happened just recently.
The incident where the operation team and Colonel X, who were deployed to rescue Jim, died. Even then, they had aimed for a time when only the hero and the saint were present.

‘Ah, perhaps they’re planning to prepare a trap there in advance? It must be something I can’t even imagine.’

I don’t know what it is, but it’s a plan directly devised by Major General Lilith.
Jim had many questions, but decided to let them slide.

-Ahem! So Mr. Jim, don’t worry and just hang in there healthily. That’s all.

Click.
Lilith unilaterally cut off the communication, fearing that her sloppiness might be revealed if she continued the conversation any further.
Of course, there was no chance of Lilith’s sloppiness being revealed.
Because in Jim’s mind, Lilith had already become a great schemer.
Although Jim had never actually been under her command, he could put aside all doubts because Lilith was thinking of him and was quite beautiful.
The fact that she was beautiful was especially important.

Lilith pondered while sweating coldly immediately after cutting off the communication magic.
Even to her, it was too crude a plan.

“…Not yet, it’s not ruined yet!”

Lilith, who belatedly realized that a similar plan had already failed, thought while grasping her trembling hands.
Yes, she had been given full authority.
Then, insufficient plans can be overwhelmed with force.

“You there, call the 11th Corps Commander.”

Yes, this time she’s sending a corps commander.
Originally, even for her, the corps commander was in a position she couldn’t handle freely, but…

“Your Majesty! Please! Give me another chance! What did I do wrong?”

Recently, the 11th Corps Commander, Eleven, who had disgraced Jim in front of Demon King Belphegor.
He was in a situation where he needed a chance to make up for all that.

“Hehe, I see a way out!”

Lilith crossed her legs with a seductive smile, showing off.