The Paladin in the Abyss

After enjoying a satisfying meal of Abyss chicken barbecue with his companions, Lancelot proceeded alone to the military camp area.

It was already nightfall, but the fire basins scattered across the streets provided ample illumination, and the cluster of ever-burning forges in the blacksmith district dyed the sky a fiery red. In some ways, Twin Bridges Town was even busier and more chaotic at night than during the day. Drunkards fought each other over silly reasons, vendors who peddled either others' flesh or their own shouted loudly at the side of the streets, and theft and extortion occurred every second.

Even Lancelot had to be cautious and keep a low profile while navigating such streets. Fortunately, his plate armor and the longsword on his back were deterrent enough, and some of the lowest class of demon citizens in the town had recognized Lancelot, knowing that this unimpressive human knight was actually the master of Dingke, and that the mutated Quasimodo Demon had become a newly rising gang leader in the streets.

After passing through the noisy mercenary area, he arrived in front of Tijana's magnificent castle. The stone of the castle was a dark red color, resembling blood that had dried after a killing, standing silently in the center of the town located amidst the Stygian River, like a war machine that had claimed countless lives.

The military camp was beside the castle. Most of the camp buildings were circular, constructed from heavy stone blocks. Having spent so much time in Twin Bridges Town, he could tell that these squat barracks were the handiwork of dwarven artisans. At the entrance, Lancelot was stopped by two Brezu Demons, but after explaining his purpose, the guards allowed him to pass, informing him that the Lord was near the Lava Lake.

Lancelot gave each of the two guards a gold coin as thanks and then entered the military camp area. Like most demon lords, Tijana's warriors were primarily Berserk Demons, these frog-shaped middle rank demons were stubborn and ferocious, with a gullible brain that would work for a lord in exchange for minimal favors and non-mistreatment.

Aside from the Berserk Demons, there was also a substantial number of Brezus serving under the Succubus Lord. These slender demons with ram heads were masters of weaponry, possessing a frenzied capability in combat, forming the cutting edge of the Demon Legion responsible for tearing through enemy lines. The only issue was, even for demons, they were too belligerent to maintain in large numbers.

After passing through a large swath of noisy barracks, Lancelot reached a Lava Lake. Tijana was overseeing a group of dwarven artisans digging a large pit in the ground, resembling a corral for holding livestock. A six-armed Serpent Demon general and two Succubus Maids accompanied her. When Lancelot was still some distance away, Tijana noticed the arrival of the human knight. She instructed the Serpent Demon about something, then left her companions and walked towards Lancelot.

"Good evening, my lady," Lancelot performed a standard knight's salute to Tijana. "You look absolutely beautiful tonight."

"I know," Tijana gave Lancelot a smug smile and then walked toward a more secluded direction. "Sorry, today has just been so busy. In addition to this breeding pool, I need to oversee the reinforcement of the walls later… Let's talk while we walk; what have you heard about the dwarven legion? Do they despise this plan?"

"Most are just complaining that the announcement didn't reveal more information." Lancelot followed the Succubus Lord quietly, like a knight protecting a princess on a trip, "Dwarves don't like this uncertainty. You should disclose more details about forming this legion sooner."

"I just took your advice," Tijana shrugged. "Now tell me, what details should I reveal to them?"

"The most important issue is, who will command this legion?" Lancelot said seriously. "Who is going to be organizing and training them, and issuing commands during battles? I suppose you wouldn't want to do this yourself; thus, you need someone capable and trustworthy. He must be passionately dedicated to the job to create a powerful army for you."

"Why don't you do it?" Tijana stopped and looked earnestly at the human knight. "I know you have a wealth of experience and are more than capable of commanding respect, and I can trust you completely."

"It would be an honor, but I am not the right person for the job," Lancelot decisively shook his head. "Other than the Frostforged clan, only a few dwarves know me, and they are unlikely to trust a commander who is not from their own kind. Besides, personally, I prefer the life of an adventurer, and I do not wish to return to military life for the time being."

"I guessed you would say that," Tijana shrugged again and continued to walk forward. "So, what do you suggest?"

"Before I continue, I want to understand something else," Lancelot followed the Succubus Lord, walking around the almost completed pit. "If the target volunteers, do you have a way to ensure a dwarf's complete loyalty?"

"I can ask them to swear an oath in the name of Moradin, that they must remain utterly loyal to me until their souls move on to the dwarven homeland, or else their souls after death will belong to me and suffer eternal torment," Tijana said coldly. "Although the god of the dwarves would not be pleased, an oath sworn in his name will be honored, of which the dwarves themselves are quite aware. Compared to other lords, this is already very generous, and I believe most dwarves would accept these terms."

"You could offer a bit more, such as limiting their duties solely to defending Twin Bridges Town," Lancelot suggested. "They could refuse orders to slaughter civilians, torture prisoners, or desecrate the faith of Moradin, which would make them more willing to agree."

"The Craftsmen Committee?" Tijana looked at him, surprised. "Those might be experts in smelting and building, but they know nothing about military..."

"But the dwarves acknowledge the authority of these committee members," Lancelot explained patiently. "You could ask the committee to organize all the dwarves and select five suitable commanders, then you could choose one from these five to be the chief commander. Recruiting soldiers, organizing training, and arranging logistics could be handled by this chief commander and his lieutenants, and by controlling these five people, you control the entire army."

"If the dwarves become dissatisfied with harsh training or devastating losses, I can simply appoint a new commander to quell their anger," Tijana said, impressed. "I didn't realize you had a bit of cunning in you too."