novelraw Chapter 153 : Chapter 153
Chapter 153 : Chapter 153
Chapter 153
“Did they dig this thinking it’s an actual moat?”
Hoodwock, who had rushed over upon hearing that the moat preparations were complete, glared at the Royal Army soldiers.
“Th-that is……”
“It isn’t, right? I trust it isn’t. If your intelligence is low enough to call this a moat, you must be Orc spies, not humans.”
As the Royal Army soldier grimaced, Hoodwock sighed deeply and pointed at the moat.
“If the opponent were human, maybe, but Orcs would just jump over a moat of this depth. Look closely.”
Saying so, Hoodwock lightly jumped and landed inside the moat.
“Uh, uh?! Wait! That’s deeper than it looks!”
The startled soldier shouted urgently, but Hoodwock had already fallen into the moat.
“Geez, it’s even more of a mess from the inside.”
Pointing at various parts of the moat with his dagger, Hoodwock spoke in a businesslike tone.
“The depth is too shallow. If the opponent is an Orc, it needs to be at least twice as deep as this. And didn’t I clearly ask you to dig the slope as if carving it down? The cut surface must be vertical like a cliff to make it difficult to climb. If it’s gentle like this, they can easily climb up.”
Then, stepping on protruding stones one by one, he climbed out of the moat and thrust his dagger at the soldier’s Adam’s apple.
“Like this.”
“Hieeek!”
Thud!
Looking at the soldier who had fallen backward, Hoodwock said.
“Do you understand? If you can walk out, the moat is meaningless. Make the slope as steep as possible, and dig at least twice as deep as it is now. They are distributing magic stones at that tent over there, so use them.”
“Ah, yes, yes!”
“Then I’ll be going. I think I’ll be around for another hour or two, so finish the preparations before then.”
“Yes, understood!”
* * *
After wandering around the Royal Army camp and leaving a few more instructions, Hoodwock dragged his tired body towards the Special Mission Unit’s formation, when a loud noise was heard from afar.
“Louder, louder! Shout as if you’re roaring!”
Clap clap clap!
‘What on earth is that commotion?’
Hearing Ian’s excited voice and loud applause, Hoodwock’s steps quickened.
“That’s it! Just a little, a little more! As expected of a dragon!”
The more he hastened his steps, the more he could hear Ian’s voice, which sounded both serious and excited, along with Lina and Reina’s laughter.
‘Damn, has the Black Noble Troop already arrived?’
Thinking he was late, Hoodwock half-ran into the tent, only to be greeted by the sight of Calua flapping his wings on the table and Ian cheering for him with applause beside him.
“Good! Let’s keep going like this!”
To be precise, Ian thrusting his forehead towards Calua’s front paw with a determined face.
- Kuaang! Calua, the great dragon, blesses the human!
And Calua extending his front paw while flapping his wings with a growling sound.
“…What in the world is this.”
As Hoodwock blinked at the unrealistic scene, a soft, beautiful voice was heard from behind.
“You came just in time.”
“…Pardon?”
Forgetting to turn around, Hoodwock stared at Ian, who was thrusting his forehead towards his pet, while blinking his eyes.
“Until just now, he was making a fuss about getting a blessing.”
“A blessing……?”
Only then did he turn around to see Lina with a red face as if she had a fever, and Reina smiling brightly.
“Ah, Miss Lina, Miss Reina. It’s been a while. By the way, a blessing…….”
“Well, it seems he wanted to receive a Dragon’s Blessing. Since Lord Calua is a dragon, wouldn’t he be able to bestow a blessing?”
At Reina’s bright voice, Lina’s face next to her turned beet red.
“Miss Lina? Are you alright?”
“Yes? Ah, yes, I’m fine… Pfft! Pu-haha!”
Fortunately, there seemed to be no need to worry about Lina’s health.
She had just been desperately holding back her laughter.
‘I thought Miss Lina was a cold person…….’
Seeing her laugh so brightly, it didn't seem so.
“Kyahaha! A dragon is still a dragon! How can something the size of a palm grant a blessing!”
“Lina!”
“Sorry, sorry. I really tried not to laugh, but that’s a bit much!”
Hoodwock’s gaze followed Lina’s hand.
Towards Ian, who was kneeling reverently as if receiving a blessing from a high priest.
‘…Right, there’s no such thing as a perfect human in this world.’
Can’t a person be a little innocent?
‘Or maybe the situation is so bad that he wants to grasp even at this kind of hope.’
Thinking that way, Ian looked a little different.
‘Right. Since he’s leading everyone alone… he needed someone to share that burden with.’
Just as he nodded as if fully understanding, Ian stood up, brushed off his clothes, and asked as if nothing had happened.
“Are you both ready?”
At that weak voice, seemingly wanting to rely even on a god, Hoodwock bit his lip and nodded.
* * *
- How was it, Human! This body’s blessing!
Surprisingly, nothing was felt.
‘Don’t tell me.’
Neither mana, nor stamina, nor breath, nor heartbeat.
Not even the common mana recovery was felt.
‘Really? Truly, really a failure?’
It was a failure so meaningless it was almost tragic, making it hard to believe.
‘Even a lesser spirit’s blessing raises spirit power? Even just listening to a bird sing nearby raises luck?’
At that moment, regret washed over him at the cold, squishy sensation felt on his forehead.
‘What glory and wealth was I hoping for…….’
How much effort had he put in to boost Calua’s morale?
Groveling and calling him a great dragon, clapping to a traditional rhythm…….
- How was it, Human! I am the great dragon!
He grabbed the back of the neck of the lizard, who was flapping his wings and shrugging even though he couldn't fly because he was too heavy, and threw him to Reina.
‘Blessing my ass.’
After doing all this, shouldn't he at least give something similar to a blessing?
‘I even used Fairy’s Wing Powder.’
I even used Fairy’s Wing Powder, which is three times more expensive than the same amount of gold!
Even if I used just this separately, my spirit affinity would have increased!
‘It’s a relief it was something the Royal Army had; if I had bought it, I really.’
I wouldn't have been able to sleep from the injustice.
‘Hah… this is why people should live honestly.’
Facing the cold reality, Ian solidified a new resolve.
If he ever met another dragon, he would properly strip it bare, adding the current humiliation to Calua’s child support.
‘Please, just let me catch one…….’
Vowing to strip the lair of whoever gets caught, Ian stood up, brushed himself off, and headed towards Hoodwock and Lina.
“I have something to tell you, so sit over there for a moment. Ah, are you both ready?”
Seeing Lina and Hoodwock nod in lieu of an answer, Ian sighed as if relieved.
“That’s a relief. It would have been troublesome if you were any late.”
“Isn’t there still some time left?”
“No, there isn’t.”
Ian, returning to sit at the conference table, continued in a dry voice as if it were natural.
“The plan has changed. From now on, we will aim for their main camp.”
* * *
“What?!”
Clatter!
As Hoodwock kicked his chair back and stood up with a high-pitched shout close to a scream, looking at Ian, Ian shrugged.
“I just told you. The plan has changed, and we will aim for the main camp.”
“The, the main camp? The Legion Commander’s side? But the Legion Commander’s side doesn’t really have a main camp, does it?”
Thinking he surely wouldn't suddenly aim for the main force, Hoodwock asked cautiously, but Ian answered nonchalantly.
“Not that side, the side the Witch is blocking. We’re going to target the side where the Tyrant is.”
“Whaaat?!”
Blinking his eyes, Hoodwock slumped back into his seat.
“Uh, no, did everyone already know about this? To suddenly say you’ll aim for the main camp…….”
“No, he never mentioned it.”
When Lina answered by shrugging her shoulders, Hoodwock shouted.
“Then why are you staying still?! We can’t even guarantee victory against just one Legion Commander, and yet you want to target the main camp!”
To Hoodwock’s question, Lina answered as if it were obvious.
“That’s because he obviously has a plan.”
At that moment, Hoodwock’s eyes wavered.
“Of course you have a plan, but the opponent is the Clan itself. Even if we plan thoroughly like now, victory can’t be guaranteed…….”
Saying that, he stared at Ian for a moment, then slumped back into his seat again.
“Damn it, you mean this is better than a thorough plan?”
Ian nodded as if it were obvious.
“Incomparably so.”
As if that one word was enough, Hoodwock sighed deeply and nodded.
“So what do we need to do?”
* * *
After Lina and Hoodwock left, Reina, holding Calua, approached cautiously.
“Young Master, are you really okay?”
“Yeah. I’m okay.”
Actually, I wasn’t okay.
Even now, my heart was beating as if it would burst, and my head was full of doubts about my choice.
“You don’t have to push yourself. As you said before, no one would be able to say anything even if we fled to the south.”
“Not yet.”
Like Reina said, I had seriously considered moving to the south.
Yet, what I chose in the end was this barren land.
Because everyone in Moner was a fool who dedicated their entire lives to this land.
Those who lost their families, land, and property and took root again in the most barren land of the North.
I didn’t want to force them to give up even the last land given to them.
‘Above all, I finally see a chance of winning.’
Besides, changing the plan was close to a coincidence.
The fact that all plans up to now had changed was after seeing Jeremy a few hours ago.
“The person who came with Jeremy earlier.”
“Yes? If you mean the person who came with Mage Jeremy earlier… Ah, the Wood Golem?”
“Right, that Wood Golem.”
Jeremy introduced it as the Witch’s golem, but I know.
Not a single line of formula is carved into that golem’s body.
A wooden doll that moves neither by magical power nor by divine power.
Players called that wooden doll the Bad Ending.
A demon crazy for the sword who sliced through heroes and humanity with a single sword.
The Sword Demon’s concept had many unusual parts.
Like originally being a hero, or being cursed by a Witch.
‘All of it was incorrect information though.’
The Sword Demon in the game was just a Sword Demon.
Literally a ghost who couldn't even die because he was crazy about the sword.
‘If it’s the Sword Demon, he can stop even the Tyrant.’
No, given enough time, he could even face the entire legion.
Now was the golden opportunity to slice up Orcs.