Chapter 13 - Post-War Order
This is a bit of a tough chapter.
There are scenes of violence, so please be cautious if you're sensitive to such content.
After seeing everyone off, I've been steadily training in magic.
Thanks to Frederica and Josephine, who stayed to help with information gathering and analysis, I can focus more on my training.
I've been experimenting with various spells that I've been imagining for a while, and so far, I think I'm making good progress.
However, with so many possibilities, I'm struggling to prioritize. I tend to dive into everything, and the detailed experiments can go on endlessly. It's more effective to approach things systematically, but that requires a lot of thought.
Thanks to the cute girl who's been helping me, the experiments are progressing well. She's a young wolf girl who, for some reason, looks up to me.
It's a beautiful day outside the walls, and the fresh air feels wonderful.
Surrounded by flowers similar to gentians, my training feels almost whimsical.
"Big sister, I'll be faster this time!"
"Thanks, Valeria. Try from different angles."
I'm experimenting with the practical application of Active Armor, a shield that automatically defends by reacting to magic power.
I'm not doing anything myself; I'm just observing.
Valeria, who appears fragile but is incredibly agile, repeatedly attacks me with magic-infused strikes, stopping just short of hitting me.
Hmm, this speed is too fast for the shield to react. I might need to increase its sensitivity.
Within my domain, I can control minerals as long as no one else's magic is interfering.
I make gradual adjustments to the shield as I observe. Increasing the speed makes it lighter and less defensive, which is a tricky balance.
Using orichalcum in a layered structure would solve the strength issue while maintaining speed. However, the shield might be too light and bounce off. If I prioritize the first strike, it might not be a bad compromise.
Creating a simple, high-defense shield is easy. The challenge is in developing a high-functionality shield through trial and error.
"Valeria, stop. I've got a good idea of what's happening. Let's head back for lunch."
"Okay!"
After finishing today's training and magic experiments, I look around at the flowers.
I love gentians, so this field of flowers is absolutely stunning. I feel genuinely moved.
On a whim, I try to create a flower using mineral magic. I use my imagination to form a deep purple amethyst into a gentian.
I start with a realistic shape, but it's too delicate and might break easily, so I simplify it.
I remember seeing a crest with a gentian pattern and try a few variations. The slightly modified double gentian design is simple and feels just right.
I attach a silver chain to it and wear it as a pendant. It looks good.
"What are you doing?"
"Do you want one, Valeria?"
"Really!?"
I was pleased with the accessory I made, and when Valeria looked at it intently, I decided to give it to her.
I made an identical design and handed it to her. She accepted it like a precious treasure, which made me a bit embarrassed. She's such a sweet girl.
Back at the camp, I felt everyone's attention on me after lunch.
"What's going on?"
As I asked, Valeria proudly showed her new pendant to everyone. I immediately understood. Even confined to the camp, wearing new accessories naturally draws attention.
"...If you like the gentian design, do you want one?"
Sensing the unspoken pressure, I offered.
"I'd like a brooch."
"I'd like a ring."
"Then I'll have—"
Everyone immediately started making requests.
What a bold group.
Even before I started making them, I felt tired from their straightforward requests, but I can't take back what I said.
"Sigh, I'll make them by tomorrow, so please wait."
A woman's word is her bond!
Life in this peaceful camp makes it hard to realize how dire the situation is in the former Kingdom of Brenark.
The lack of law enforcement is severe, creating the perfect environment for criminals to thrive.
There have been reports of numerous bandits and increased criminal activity in various regions, even in major cities where the underworld is becoming more active.
Mercenaries and adventurers from abroad have started to gather, and some vigilante groups have formed, but there are still not enough hands. Without a proper government, improvement is unlikely. It's a sorry state of affairs for the common people.
In this situation, I can't casually visit a town, so I might as well stay and observe for a while. That's what I'm thinking.
While a bandit targeting a remote camp is unlikely, I need to be cautious of monster attacks.
That's why we've been taking turns on watch. One of the watchers rushed into the dining hall in a panic.
"Everyone, someone's coming! It's just one person, and they're seeking help!"
Help is never a peaceful matter. We should go check it out.
A bit of tension began to spread through the usually peaceful camp, disconnected from the turmoil in the former Kingdom of Brenark.
Everyone went to check, and as we opened the gate, a familiar face rushed in.
"Ha, ha, thank goodness! You're still here. Please, I need your help!"
I didn't personally know this person well, but they were here until the camp was disbanded. I think their name was Shelby.
She's clearly panicked, but we need her to calm down and explain what's going on.
"Shelby, right? Calm down. Here, drink this and then tell us what happened."
"S-Sorry."
I gave her a small vial of a physical recovery potion. The vial is a glass bottle I made with magic, and I'm quite proud of it. It's beautiful.
Shelby drank it quickly, then, without wasting time, began to explain.
Apparently, bandits attacked the village at the foot of the mountain where she lived. It's a story I've heard before.
The situation is urgent, so she came back to the camp to seek our help.
Shelby arrived in a light truck-like magical artifact, and the village is a considerable distance away. Even if we leave immediately, it will take as long as the trip here. I'm not sure if we can make it in time, but we have to try.
"We don't have time to waste. We need to leave now."
"Thank you, everyone. Please help them."
"We can't leave the camp unattended. Valeria, Angelina, we'll go. The rest of you stay here; the vehicle can't fit everyone anyway."
Valeria's combat skills are reliable, and Angelina has improved significantly. She's experienced in weapon combat.
I'm confident that the three of us can handle bandits. Our magic skills have also improved considerably.
"Be careful out there!"
"Yes, please come back safely."
We set off with our equipment, leaving behind worried farewells.
Riding in the back of the truck, I felt the bumpy ride. It's a gentle slope down the mountain.
The speed is not as fast as I thought. Frankly, it's slow.
With physical enhancement magic, I could run faster. The ride is also quite uncomfortable.
I had some things to discuss on the way, but there was no time for that, and we rode in silence.
I was foolish to think I could make recovery potions during the trip. It's impossible to do any work in these conditions.
While I understand the situation, everyone's frustration is palpable. I'd rather run and arrive sooner. I'll take it out on the bandits.
"—We're almost there! Oh, the village is on fire!"
After a long and arduous journey, we finally arrived. Valeria looks half-dead.
Shelby screamed in panic. The village is in a dire state. The rising smoke isn't from cooking but from fires.
I don't understand why they would start fires, but it's clear they are malicious. Even from a distance, I can see rough-looking men causing chaos.
There's a blue-armored knight fighting alone. He's surrounded by several bandits but is struggling to hold his own. He seems tired or injured, and his movements are sluggish.
Other villagers are likely hiding in a large building, surrounded by bandits.
"Wait, there's someone fighting alone! What is that?!"
"That's a knight from the Ranger Knights who was visiting the village. He seems to be safe, but we need to hurry!"
But he looks like he's reaching his limit. We won't make it in time.
"Go ahead! The knight won't hold out. I'll get off and support from a distance."
"Got it! Thanks!"
"Big sister, I'll go in and clear the way."
"Leave it to me."
I jumped off the truck and generated some pebbles.
I can throw while running as long as I have a firm footing.
The goal is to draw some of the bandits' attention.
I threw a pebble lightly.
I don't want to hit a villager accidentally, so I aimed for a headshot, but the target moved, and I missed. Darn.
Still, the bandits noticed and started to be cautious, so it was a good start.
As I ran, I observed the bandits and found them to be surprisingly well-trained. Their movements were organized.
The apparent leader ordered his men to form a shield wall and face me. They are clearly aware of my presence.
Great. I ran while throwing a bit harder at the shields.
I just need to buy time for the knight. They don't seem capable of long-range attacks.
As I did this, the truck entered the village, and the two others jumped off.
Angelina rushed to the knight's aid, and Valeria went after the bandits causing chaos in the village. I need to hurry too.
I arrived a bit later, and the bandits were handling the situation more cautiously than I expected.
Angelina and Valeria are individually superior, but the bandits work well as a team.
From a distance, they looked like a group of former soldiers. They might have been from the same unit.
Looking closer, it seemed the bandits were being enhanced by magic. The leader might be a support mage.
In that case, I need to take out the leader first.
It's also a chance to test a new combat technique. I charged at the leader, who I assumed to be the mage, using full physical enhancement magic.
He tried to use magic, but it wasn't a serious attack. My dark blue hair flowing as I ran, I ignored it.
I had a large, invisible shield deployed in front of me. That level of attack wouldn't faze me. The leader seemed to be specialized in support magic.
As I got closer, I could clearly see his shocked expression just before my shield rammed into him.
The impact with his armor sent him flying.
The attack wasn't over. I pursued him and crushed his knee with my greave-equipped foot.
"GAAAAHHHH!"
It's an ugly scream. Without hesitating, I followed up by stepping on his shoulder and punching his stomach with my gauntlet, shattering his armor.
I held back a bit, so he's not dead, but the support magic should be dispelled. I left him and moved on to the next bandit. This ramming technique might be useful.
This time, I deployed multiple active armors to easily deflect the low-level magic attacks coming from all directions.
I ran to a nearby bandit, caught him, and threw him, breaking his elbow and wrist in the process. I made sure to step on his legs to prevent him from moving. It's a hassle if they can still move.
I showed no mercy to these scoundrels. Running through the village, I saw what they had done.
Bodies of children, including children, lying around.
A man's corpse with signs of torture.
A woman crouching and crying.
Houses destroyed and set on fire without reason.
A ravaged field.
The smell of burning and blood was particularly strong.
I don't pretend to be a hero. I consider myself more of a scoundrel, but I have a bit of conscience. Seeing this, I couldn't help but feel angry.
With the loss of their support mage and leader, the bandits' coordination fell apart, and they became mere cannon fodder.
Angelina and Valeria seized the opportunity to counterattack, and the battle became one-sided.
"It's over. Are you both okay?"
"Yes, I'm fine. We can handle bandits."
"I'm fine too, just a bit tired."
They don't seem injured, which is good.
"...Thank you, for helping and avenging them. And for those who didn't make it."
Most of the villagers managed to escape to a sturdy building, so they were safe. However, not everyone was so fortunate.
Unfortunately, some villagers who couldn't escape in time suffered greatly. But as long as they are alive, there's hope. Those who are down shouldn't give up.
"Everyone, can you help look for any injured villagers? Use recovery potions to heal them. I'll go check on the knight."
As I spoke, I quickly made more small vials of wound-healing potions.
I didn't want to check the severity of each injury, so I made third-tier potions. I have plenty of magic power to spare.
I decided to keep the second-tier potions a secret. If someone has a serious injury that could result in losing a limb, I won't use them.
I don't feel bad about it. Using third-tier potions is more than generous enough.
"R-Right! There might still be survivors!"
Shelby, who had been looking down, stood up and ran off.
The knight was on his last legs when Angelina arrived to help. He should be fine, but he didn't move even after the battle ended.
I couldn't afford to waste time; there might be others who need healing.
"Hey, snap out of it!"
No good. I was worried about hidden injuries, so I tried to make him drink a recovery potion.
Taking advantage of his immobility, I forcefully removed his helmet.
Surprise! It turns out to be a female knight, looking up at me with a dazed expression.
"Here, drink this."
I pushed the potion into her hand and ordered her to drink it without giving her a choice.
She seemed to be swayed by my forceful manner and started drinking the potion, still dazed.
After making sure she drank it, I checked on the others.
Someone was waving. There must be survivors. I'll go to them next.
Thanks to magic, I can heal most physical injuries. However, I can't provide mental support.
I can make something like a tranquilizer, but I'm not sure about the usage, so I hesitate to give it to others. I can't take care of them forever, so I only heal physical injuries. As long as they are alive, there are many possibilities.
Those with severe mental trauma might refuse the potion, unable to even drink it. They might be in a state of shock.
The potion doesn't necessarily need to be drunk; it can be applied externally. However, that would be disrespectful, so I only do it for unconscious people.
In this situation, I'll thoroughly heal the injured.
I won't rebuild the ravaged village, so they'll have to manage on their own from here.
For now, we'll wait for the slightly dazed villagers to be taken care of by Shelby and others. We can't stay indefinitely.
I'll stay until Shelby says it's okay to leave. I'll be a bodyguard for today.
Fortunately, many were saved at the last moment, and the number of fatalities wasn't too high.
However, the loss of homes and fields, and the mental trauma, can't be easily erased.
Right now, I'm with a mother and daughter, and a young woman.
The daughter is a small child who was hiding in a shed and wasn't injured. However, she is in shock from the changed village and the bodies around her.
The mother, though physically unharmed, was in a terrible state. Despite her condition, she was more concerned about comforting her daughter.
The young woman was rescued by Valeria just as the bandits were about to assault her. It's heartbreaking, but there's only so much we can do. Recovery will take time.
The blue-armored female knight, after drinking the potion, remained dazed but suddenly burst into tears. She must have lost someone close. We could only watch silently.
It's a frustrating outcome, truly.
Despite the intense action, I feel no sense of relief, only a sour feeling in my stomach.
Incidentally, the bandits I dealt with are still alive.
=== CHAPTER 13 END ===