Chapter 136
The next day, Mea and I were immediately allowed to participate in the private army team’s thinning of the magical beasts .
Following the private army members, we walked side by side .
The total number of people participating in this magic beasts thinning out was fifty-one in all .
Each team was divided into three squads of seventeen people, and each squad moved to patrol the territory along the route they had set the day before .
This time, the plan for thinning out the magic beasts was as follows .
While on their patrol, they will move to kill or avoid the magical beasts, and the three teams will meet up with each other in front of the cliffs along the mountain .
Once they meet up with each other, they will exchange information with each other on the spot and decide on the return route based on the strength of each team .
“In other words, this time, you’re mainly investigating rather than subjugating magical beasts?”
I ask, and Euris nods .
By the way, she, Euris, is the captain of the first unit .
“Yes, that’s right . I’ve ordered the captains of other units to use their magic tools to detect the magical beasts early and move with safety first . Of course, it’s best to subjugate them, but the main thing is to investigate and not to pursue them too deeply . ”
…… So you don’t want them to get badly injured because they don’t have enough strength .
I heard that many people were injured in the Nalgarn battle, and on top of that, the adventurer support center isn’t functioning .
I heard a member of the private army talking about how Euris also recklessly participated in the thinning of magical beasts this time, even though her wounds from the Battle of Nalgarn hadn’t healed yet .
The morale of the entire Private Army would be lowered without Euris, so she were forced to come out, even if it meant dragging her body .
Even if we operate the Adventurer’s Support Center now, I don’t think those residents who have an antipathy to their lordship would obey honestly .
The lord would not be able to afford to give them sufficient rewards, and they would inevitably be compared to the treatment of adventurers and the private army, so it’s conceivable that they might even receive unnecessary opposition if they were to operate it poorly .
The private army’s remuneration, as the lord said, has a strong implication of supporting the lives of former drifters .
They wouldn’t be able to afford to recruit new troops from the residents under the same conditions, and with the same substantial activities, it would be inevitable that dissatisfaction would increase if they made a difference .
On top of that, they don’t have enough popularity to force them to cooperate .
“Come to think of it, you don’t use horses, do you?”
I was told that horses were used in the Battle of Nalgarn .
I don’t have any experience with riding horses, so I’d appreciate it more on foot .
“…… Well, the horse that faced Nalgarn was frightened and became almost useless . I thought it would take some more time to recover . But thinning out the magic beasts isn’t a problem that can be postponed either . ”
I suppose .
As Lark said, we’re not sure how many magical beasts are in the area right now .
With Nalgarn gone, there will be a change in how the magical beasts around the Fage territory will operate .
“Most likely, it won’t be a battle that requires standing around like the Nalgarn battle where horses are essential…… but if we don’t have horses, if we are surrounded by magic beasts, we have no choice but to die . To prevent that from happening, we need to make sure that we are safe and far away from them . ”
So this time we’re going to keep track of the numbers and movements of the magic beasts, and then move on to thinning out the magic beasts in earnest after the other soldiers and horses have recovered .
If we’re going to use the horses then, I…… . . can’t participate .
“Oh…… and speaking of which, what about the recovery of Nalgarn’s head and body?”
“I apologize . Since it’s expected to take some time to transport them, due to the thinning of the magical beasts, we’ve decided to ascertain the situation of the magical beasts around the territory before moving on . As long as there are no problems, we should be able to move everything inside the village by noon tomorrow, so don’t worry . ”
“I, I see……”
It’s quite a lot of stuff but…… will we be able to bring it all in tomorrow?
I should tell them this, after all .
“Well, actually, I guess I couldn’t say it, or maybe I missed the timing, but……”
“Hm? What’s wrong?”
“Oh…… no, As I thought, I’ll tell you later . ”
There’s the corpse of Nalgarn on the route the second unit will take and I’ll explain afterward .
I don’t think it will come across well even if I say it with my mouth .
Mea was looking around happily with a tube that she said was a farsighted magic tool .
When she showed interest in it in front of the lord, he instantly gave one away on the spot .
“Abel, Abel! This looks so far and beautiful! Would you like to see a little, Abel?”
“…… Mea, you didn’t have to follow me, though . Even though the main purpose this time is to find out what the magical beasts are up to, it doesn’t mean that there isn’t anything that could happen just in case . ”
“Mea can fight, too! Look, I even have the shooting wyvern that Abel made for me!”
Mea twists and turns to show me the warbling bow she’s carrying on her back .
…… I think you’re certainly improving, but it’s just like an amateur growing hair on their head .
In the worst-case scenario, I’ll teleport Asura 5000, and let her escape with it as a vehicle, so I don’t think it’s unlikely that she’ll be surrounded by magic beasts .
“If I house-sitting for once, next time, it looks like Mea will be left behind forever…… Mea wants to assist Abel even a little . ”
Mea cast’s her eyes down and hangs down her hand that holds the magic tool .
…… I’m happy with what she feels, but I don’t have a clue of how dangerous it is .
Somehow, Mea always seems to be holding on to extra thoughts .
“…… is Mea still an unwanted child?””
“N-, no, I’m not going that far, but……”
“Hmph, it looks like we, the private army is being looked down for going out with kids . ”
Another private army man walking next to him said that as if he were making a fool of us .
Euris stopped and glared at the man .
“Clark, be careful with your words . These men are the heroes of the Fage territory . ”
The man’s name was Clark, apparently .
Clark was a young man with blond hair . He was probably around early twenty years old .
“Captain-dono, aren’t you being too bad at this since earlier? It would only be a coincidence that he accidentally killed Nalgarn, who was dying from the side effects of magic, and that’s all . If it were true, it would have all been our achievements……”
Clark says, wrinkling his brow, and then glares at me .
“You’re lucky your timing is so good . We’ll be counting on your good fortune, too . But don’t get carried away just because the lord has favored you . Don’t let the women there show off . ”
“What?”
As expected, I was a little annoyed .
I certainly failed to mention the number of heads, and I humbly reasoned appropriately, but it annoyed me when he was so blatantly hostile .
“Clark!”
Uris yells .
Clark lets out a sigh and turns to me .
He smiles deliberately and lowers his head with an ostentatious motion .
“I’m sorry for my words, my apologies . I declare that you have defeated Nalgarn by yourself, Hero-sama of the Fage Territory . ”
To the back of its lowered head, Euris’ back fist entered .
“Guh!? What are you doing! It’s pretty much a no-brainer! There’s no way the three of them could get away with that! You say it’s dying, but maybe its already dead in the first place, right?”
“Did you see the cut on Nalgarn’s head that Abel-dono brought? That was a beautiful thing . Since you say so much, you must have the confidence to take its head off with a single sword . ”
“However…… However……”
“Enough, shut up . Look around you, don’t let their morale get any lower before the mission . ”
The rest of the squad quietly looked away as Clark looked around .
Ever since Clark had called out to me, there had been an awkward atmosphere in the first unit .
The exuberant atmosphere that had existed before we left was completely tainted .
Clark let out a groan, “Ugh……” and fell silent .
Seeing the situation, he felt some pent-up emotion .
If I get the chance next time, I’ll move Nalgarn’s head with my magic and make him crawl around Clark .
“…… I-, I’m sure they’ll be exposed soon enough anyway . ”
After Clark had left that last discarded line, the squad was restarted .