The Death Mage that doesn't want a fourth time

24 I, my allies and my enemies cannot be stopped once we start moving

The day after finding out about the existence of a large pack of Ghouls led by a Dhampir through Luciliano's report, Marshal Thomas Palpapek was in the office of the villa that he was staying in, battling against a mountain of documents.

Normally, organizing and dispatching a monster extermination force would be the work of the region's ruler and Adventurers' Guild. However, in this case, the size of the extermination force was unusually large, and knights and soldiers of the nation's army would be participating as well as adventurers. The local ruler, Viscount Berno Balchesse, had handed over command to Marshal Palpapek and begged him for assistance.

Of course, that didn't mean that there was no work for Viscount Balchesse to do. But as everything was under Marshal Palpapek's jurisdiction, it was his signature that was needed as the final approval for each document, and if there were any mistakes, it would be his responsibility.

This arrangement had been decided this morning.

In order to increase the number of participating personnel beyond what was originally planned, order documents needed to be sent to request the use of knights and soldiers of the nation's army.

As the numbers of soldiers and knights were being increased, the budget for equipment also needed to increase.

On top of that, more provisions would be required to feed those soldiers and knights.

More spies needed to be dispatched to keep watch on the Devil's Nest.

The negotiations with the Adventurers' Guild were handled by the finance minister, not the marshal. Thus, everything needed to go through the noblemen working under the finance minister, only adding to the height of the mountain of documents.

The silver lining was that the Amid Empire had recently won a battle over the Orbaume Kingdom while suffering few losses, so there were plenty of funds to work with.

Well, even requesting the use of that budget required the marshal to read through and sign yet another document.

「This looks terrible. Seeing you having to spend your already short lifespan on such tedious work, I cannot suppress my sympathy for you, Thomas.」

Noticing the cold night air and a voice coming from a window that he had no recollection of opening, Marshal Palpapek finished his signature that he was in the midst of writing before putting down his pen.

「If you feel that way, won't you help me? My immortal friend.」

As he looked up, there was a single bat in front of him.

「I believe that I have helped you plenty, my friend. Or could it be, Thomas, that you have realized the emptiness of being famous in human society and come to desire eternity?」

Flowing words spoken in a composed tone came from the mouth of the bat. Ordinary people would have been surprised at the bat that was calling the marshal by his first name, but the marshal gave an unimpressed response.

「No, I have no intention of becoming one of you, and I am sure that you people wouldn't want that, either. Do not speak such insincere words, Vampire.」

This bat was a familiar sent by a Vampire.

Marshal Thomas Palpapek was the second son born to the Palpapek family of earls. The shield-nation of Mirg* had been entrusted the role of being the nation with the most powerful army, defending the Empire from the Orbaume Kingdom's army for generations. Even considering the long history of the Palpapek family of earls and their involvement in Mirg's military affairs, Thomas had been an exceptional young man.