novelraw Chapter 86 : Chapter 86
Chapter 86 : Chapter 86
Chapter 86
It wasn't that the Orcs who discovered the traps didn't change direction.
It was just that there were traps in every direction they moved.
[Grrrrrrk!
Keep running!]
The Great Warrior ordered them to advance, not knowing how far the traps extended.
A pit could simply be filled with Orcs.
[Arrows, it's arrows!
Run faster!]
Even when the arrows came.
[Just crash into them!
Break the spears!]
They charged even when they saw the spears the soldiers had planted.
[Krararak!
This isn't enough to stop a legion!
Everyone, don't stop, run!]
He didn't know who had dug these cowardly traps, but he believed that traps like these couldn't stop a legion.
[Faster, run faster!]
By the time they had broken through dozens of traps, less than two hundred Orcs remained, but even that didn't matter.
The Orcs who had broken through the rain of traps were the elite of the elite.
[We are the legion!]
When the Great Warrior, who had shouted proudly, advanced towards a clearing in the forest, a massive beast blocked his path.
-I'm really full now…….
“Eat until your stomach bursts.”
-No, that one might be spoiled.
“Are you going to complain after I’ve set the table for you?”
-That's not it…….
The beast, who lowered its head as if it was wronged, looked at him.
-Well then, I'll eat well.
The moment the Great Warrior hastily gripped his axe, a mace that had appeared out of nowhere from the left struck him.
[Kraaaak!]
-Good job, Reina!
It's really tough if you just chew it, so a little more!
He quickly regained his posture, befitting the name of a Great Warrior, but he couldn't react to the knight's sword that appeared from behind.
Swish!
-Well done, Vergil!
It's hard to swallow, so cut it into smaller, smaller pieces!
As the hand holding the axe fell to the ground, the Great Warrior, with a grim face, scanned his surroundings and shouted.
[The enemies are strong!
Don't stop, run……!]
Those were the Great Warrior's last words.
He couldn't block Hoodwock's arrow from his position in the trees with one hand.
-Hoodwock!
Stop it!
These Orcs are tough and hard!
The dragon, flicking its tail as if in displeasure, squeezed its eyes shut and swallowed the Great Warrior.
-Ugh, Orcs are really tasteless.
* * *
One-sided wasn't enough to describe it.
Hunting the madly running Orcs was easier than hunting deer.
“What in the world is going on…….”
“I don't know, maybe the captain cast some kind of spell.”
At the unbelievable victory, the soldiers had no choice but to genuinely acknowledge Ian.
“Wh-what in the world is that monster?”
“They said it's a Drake……”
“Idiot!
What kind of Drake is that!
It's a Wyvern!”
Seeing him raise a monster that could shrink and grow at will, it was clear he was no ordinary human.
As soldiers of the fortress accustomed to monsters, their fear of the unknown monster was low.
In fact, Calua's popularity was so high that they would seek out the somewhat unsettling Ian just to see the monster.
“It's so cute when it's small……”
-No!
I'm not cute!
At the words of the soldier who had come to see Calua, Calua flicked his tail and growled, and the soldier next to him shouted.
“You're wrong!
You old man!
Have you not seen its majesty when it's big!”
-That's right!
Human!
You're quite smart!
Calua raised his head, but in his cute size that didn't even reach their knees, he just looked adorable no matter what he did.
“Young Lord?
Young Lord!”
-Aack!
It's Reina!
At the sound of Reina's voice, Ian smiled faintly as he watched Calua, who had already burrowed into his arms.
To trust me even after being tricked so many times.
-Human, human!
I trust you!
People usually don't say "I trust you" to someone they trust.
“You worked hard too, Reina.”
“I didn't even fight that much, but more importantly……”
At her face full of anticipation, I smiled and lifted Calua, who had burrowed into my arms.
-N-no way, human!
You wicked human!
“He ate a lot, so don't bother him too much.”
“Yes?
I don't bother Sir Calua……”
-No!
You do bother me!
Hugging me so tightly!
If only I could move completely!
“Still, be more gentle with him than usual.
It might hurt if he moves too much while digesting.”
“Yes, I understand.”
Reina, who nodded with a serious face, carefully picked up Calua.
So tightly that he couldn't even move.
-I can't breathe, I can't breathe!
You stupid human!
Didn't that demon just tell you to be gentle!
But that lizard bastard, still?
Leaving Calua, who was struggling in Reina's arms, behind, I moved to find Hoodwock, who was clearing the battlefield.
* * *
No matter how I thought about it, it was a battle with no real gains.
All the Orcs had were rusted and chipped weapons made of some unknown mineral and worn-out leather.
“Should we take all the spoils?”
Normally, we would have discarded them, but unfortunately, Moner was poor enough to have to use rusted weapons.
“Take everything.
Sort out the ones in good condition separately in your spare time.”
“What should we do with the mana stones?”
Mana stones, which could be obtained by digging around a monster's heart, were one of Moner's specialties.
‘Though it's closer to our only specialty.’
“We take goblin mana stones, so of course we have to take Orc mana stones.”
“It won't even cover the cost of the goods……”
What Hoodwock said was not a lie.
Only the Magic Tower bought low-grade mana stones, and even they were being sold at an unbelievably low price.
‘Once we get back, we'll have to start preparing for that too.’
The reason for such an absurd price was simple.
The only customer, the Magic Tower, was the "gap" (the one with power), and the poor Moner was the "eul" (the one without).
Unlike the Magic Tower, which could live without low-grade mana stones for a few months, Moner had to worry about next month's food if they couldn't sell the mana stones immediately, even at a low price.
Naturally, the Magic Tower, which always moved ‘rationally,’ gradually lowered the price.
Conversely, the way to reverse this relationship was also simple.
“It's fine.
We have no intention of releasing low-grade mana stones from now on.”
“Yes?”
“We won't be selling mana stones to the Magic Tower anymore.”
Unlike the mages of the Magic Tower who wasted mana stones on useless things, herbalists and apothecaries could use mana stones to create useful items.
“Will… will the Count agree to that?”
“Why?”
“Herbalists and apothecaries have a bad reputation……”
Unlike clerics who could instantly heal any illness with divine power, herbalists and apothecaries, whose treatments took time, were inevitably condemned as quacks or witches.
“If I tell him we can farm with mana stones, he'll tell me to give it a try even if it's a demon, not a witch.”
‘With mana stones, you can farm even on contaminated land.’
If the Count learned this fact, he would have no choice but to acknowledge it.
* * *
Three days later.
“Then, we move out.”
The scouting party, having prepared the spoils and finished collecting the mana stones, headed towards the fortress.
-Me too, I want to walk too!
Calua, who had been eating Orcs to his heart's content for three days, had recovered enough to be able to toddle around.
“Sss!”
-Stupid human, I'm a dragon, not a dog!
That kind of thing doesn't scare me!
“Reina!”
-No!
That's not it!
I was wrong, human!
Although the scouting party, who knew he was injured, would never let him walk.
* * *
“Bain!”
At the sound of the Count calling his name, Bain let out a deep sigh.
‘How on earth did I…….’
His dark circles reached his chin, but he couldn't complain.
Everyone in the Duke's castle looked similar right now.
“Bain, Bain!”
“Yes……”
Swish!
As he answered in a crawling voice, Mogul appeared before his eyes.
Why on earth did this absent-minded master use such a high-level skill to find a mere employee like himself?
“Haaa……”
If he had sighed like this in front of another noble, his head would have immediately parted from his body and found sweet rest, but things were different in Moner.
“Haha!
Bain!
I've been looking for you for a while!”
Even if he sighed so deeply it reached the mantle, the Count pretended not to see it at all.
Bain was still not sure if the Count really couldn't hear his endless sighs and grumbles, or if he was just pretending not to.
He just suspected that the former was more likely.
“Yeees……”
“I'm busy, so hurry up and get some energy!”
As the Count slapped his back, even the dizzying pain that washed over him couldn't overcome his drowsiness and fatigue.
It just hurt like hell.
“I haven't been able to sleep……”
“Really?
Me neither!”
He considered throwing the documents in his hand and shouting, ‘That's because you're a knight and a master!’, but wondering what the point of it all was, he let out a sigh so deep it reached the demon world this time.
Even if he threw the documents, he would eventually have to pick them up and move on.
“First, let's go to the meeting.”
Bain's face hardened at the Count's sudden words.
“Yes?
A meeting?
There is no meeting today.”
“What are you talking about?”
“No, there is no meeting today.
I drew a heart in red on my calendar for today.
It's a day when my body can't rest, but my mind can.”
Managing a domain on the brink of collapse was much, muuuuch harder than he had thought.
Especially if the head of the family was a madman who casually threw an enormous amount of work at you, operated the family's direct merchant guild, was implementing a ridiculous plan to turn all the residents into a military force, and the mad lord's friend, the prince of the kingdom, was leading troops to the poor domain.
So, there could be no meeting today.
There was so much to do.
Right now, he had to decide on a place for the refugees picked up by the merchant guild and check for complaints among them.
The residents of this damn domain, who had started learning martial arts, often took out their stress on the poor refugees.
“My lord Count, I will have to be absent from the meeting today due to unavoidable circumstances……”
Knowing it wouldn't work, Bain still tried.
“What will I do if you're not there!”
To solidify his resolve to one day become a master and take revenge.
“How about skipping today's training instead?”
Bain, who had turned stern at the quick-witted Count's suggestion, replied.
“I can never do that for the sake of my only dream.”
One day, one day I will definitely become strong and escape from this castle.
At that time, I will definitely punch the Count and the Young Lord, no, the Duke, in the face.
* * *
“Then, let's conclude the meeting.
Everyone, thank you for your hard work.”
Rylae, who was watching the people in the meeting room stagger to their feet and leave, cautiously approached Lina and asked.
“Um, Miss Lina.
I know it's not my place to say this, but shouldn't we hire more people?”
“…Do you know what our employment conditions are?”
“Hmm… considering what happened before, honesty?
Integrity?”
“No.
As long as they're not illiterate.
We hire anyone who can read and write.
In fact, it's been a long time since we moved all the maids and servants who can read and write to administrative positions.”
“My goodness……”
“We would be grateful if you could dispatch some staff from the merchant guild.”
At Lina's desperate words, Rylae couldn't help but look stern.
“I'm sorry, but our situation isn't much better.”
The merchant guild, which was growing day by day, was no different from a battlefield.
Fearing that she might lose her precious manpower, Rylae quickly changed the subject.
“More importantly, I heard news about the prince on my way here from my business trip……”
Even though supplies and food would start to run out as soon as over a thousand soldiers arrived, Moner was strangely not making any preparations.
“Ah, that's fine.
Since our situation is not good, the prince said he would stay in the Marquess Dmitry's domain.”
Rylae let out a small sigh of relief at the rare good news.
“That's a real relief.”
As expected of a marquess of the kingdom, a force of that size wouldn't be a blow to them.
* * *
“Prince.”
Marquess Dmitry, who had covered his face with both hands, growled and called for the prince.
Trimia answered with a bright voice.
“Yes?”
The Marquess, who had raised his head, looked at him and forced himself to swallow his breath and anger as he spoke.
“Please, please just… would you get lost.”
They were words he couldn't dare say to a member of the royal family, but the Marquess didn't care.
It wasn't the first time he had said it, and he already expected the answer.
“No.”
Dmitry couldn't help but wonder once again if the royal family had sent the prince to test his loyalty.
Every time he saw that smiling, chattering face, he seriously considered treason.