Chapter 138 - Chapter 12: The Third Night Battle of the Northern Fortress
The Light and Sound Tactic, which began with night reconnaissance using Flora and Paul-san's bowl, was highly evaluated for its tremendous effectiveness, and we were deployed again for the full moon in the second week of August. It was a Wednesday, but we went out of our way to stay overnight.
"Now, it's a full moon again tonight. Stay sharp!"
At Lewis-san's command, the Jaegers replied with a shout.
Perhaps because we are trusted, there are only twenty reinforcements including Lewis-san, so it seems we will be defending with about seventy Jaegers tonight.
Lewis-san approached us as we watched from the side.
He asked me to say a word to the soldiers.
Why me? What is he thinking?
"A new name for the tactic has been decided, right? I want you to give the signal to start the operation, partly as an unveiling and to boost morale."
Lewis-san had overheard me telling Beatrix we should call it the Light and Sound Tactic. At the time, he had just given a smirk.
It was a bit embarrassing, but it seems he liked it.
The operation name should appear in the reports. Since it goes all the way up to the Royal Capital, the sense behind the operation name will surely be questioned.
I guess it can't be helped. I don't have my Knight's Staff, but oh well. I'll give the command.
I was applauded when I stood before the lined-up Jaeger unit.
"We will have the signal to start the operation from Priest Jeanne, the architect of this operation."
Say what you will, they are Kingdom soldiers. Lined up in their embroidered Green Marble gear, they looked quite cool with their tightened expressions.
"Now, Priest Jeanne. The 'Jeanne Glows and Gunpowder Explodes Big Operation' is start— Whoa!"
Thinking something like this might happen, I had already finished the incantation for Light. Seriously, what is he doing?
Lewis-san was surrounded by archers as if it were now a tradition.
The other soldiers were also applauding.
I'll fix it while I can.
"Well then, everyone. It is the start of the second Light and Sound Tactic. Let's do our best!"
"Yeah!"
That should have boosted morale.
"Now, shall we take our positions too?"
Called by Paul-san, we boarded the bowl.
This time, Robinson-san is on board.
He's a special participant for full moon nights only, in case Goblins are mixed in with the Orc pack.
We cut through the wind in the moonlight night sky.
Paul-san, Robinson-san, two members of the Goblin scout team, Flora, and I are on board.
Beatrix and Bonnie are staying behind at the fortress. If there are only Orcs, they will take turns with Robinson-san to ride.
Already, the reconnaissance by the owl released by Robinson-san has confirmed a pack of monsters moving near the foot of the mountain.
"Um, let me confirm. If there are Goblins, we'll suddenly illuminate them with Light, right?"
"That's right. We'll have the Goblins faint. Robinson will pin down the Orcs, and we'll attack unilaterally from above with magic. We'll make them retreat at a good point and secure the Goblins. Well, something like that."
The plan is to carry the unconscious Goblins to the fortress, persuade them, and get them to defect.
Just in case, we did an experiment. After consulting with Robinson-san, I hit them with a maximum-power Light by surprise, and the Goblins fainted nicely. I apologized profusely afterward, but they understood when I said it was to rescue their kin who were being worked like slaves by Orcs.
"I hope it goes well."
In participating in this operation, we have been moving forward with talks with Mayor Adolf and the Elder, including Flora who can speak both languages.
Both Mayor Adolf and the Elder agreed. It seems they'll have to look after them closely at first, and the capacity for acceptance is small at about twenty to thirty people, but dreams expand greatly when thinking about the future. Eventually, Goblins might be recognized by human society and be able to live together.
"Based on what Flora said, there shouldn't be many Orc packs that have taken in Goblins. It might be better not to expect too much."
"Director, you've been grinning non-stop for a while now."
"I-is that so? I must maintain a sense of tension."
I couldn't help but laugh as I met eyes with Flora.
Looking south, I can see the temporary camp under construction.
The center of the camp is at the pass, but now fences are being built on both slopes, and it's becoming quite a sturdy structure even when viewed from the north.
The front is a slope where trees have been cleared so there's nowhere to hide, planted with the soil-retaining grass recommended by Lyudmila. Climbing that, three tiers of wooden fences lie in wait to block intruders. On the roof of the single-story wooden building at the top of the pass, four ballistae are placed, but they are apparently set up so they can aim almost directly above in preparation for Gargoyles.
When I was shown them, they were fixed on cylindrical bases so they could rotate a full circle, and humans operate them by standing on a flat ring-like platform surrounding the cylinder. When aiming up, since the part where the arrowhead is loaded comes directly below, it seems they step into the inside of the ring.
These ballistae are also equipped on the camps to the left and right of the pass, two on each side, and can fire holy water arrowheads. The ones who perform the consecration of the holy water are, of course, the teachers from the orphanage.
In the future, they plan to bring in two small catapults to fire jars filled with holy water.
"Looking at it like this, it's become quite a grand camp."
"No. Not yet. At the very least, the center must be made of stone."
Wooden fences rot, so they have to be replaced occasionally. That's probably why Lewis-san and the other Jaegers still call it a temporary camp.
The Goblin who was peering into the forest from the edge of the bowl raised his voice.
"They're here."
Flora seemed to have found them too.
"Only Orcs. No Goblins."
In that case, it's the Light and Sound Tactic.
The Goblin and Flora consulted on something and reported to Paul-san that there were about a hundred Orcs and about ten Ogres.
"Alright, the 'Jeanne Glows and Gunpowder Explodes Big Operation' is a go."
I told you, that's not it!
First of all, why am I the one glowing!
The second time around, we were used to it.
While the Goblins had their eyes closed and ears covered, we easily forced the Orcs to retreat.
Tonight, the real show starts from here.
The two Goblins dressed in Black-Purple are, so to speak, the elite of the pack who have a past of being worked like slaves by Orcs. In participating in this operation, they were appointed by the Elder.
On the opposite side where Bonnie and Beatrix were finishing off the ones I illuminated, they fired arrows and finished off Orcs in the darkness in pairs.
Paul-san also knew the drill and was relentlessly chasing the Orcs tonight. Since Flora was there, we wouldn't lose sight of the fleeing pack.
What Paul-san had said once—leading Goblins to hunt Orcs—had been realized.
The Goblins were also firing arrows with bared hostility.
The Orcs, completely broken, were just screaming and fleeing in fear of the light, magic, and holy water arrows. Since Flora accurately sensed the enemy's movements, and the bowl itself was moving while the Light was being turned on and off, the Orcs probably couldn't do anything.
By the time the arrows ran out, we had exterminated over forty Orcs and Ogres.
We landed the bowl in the forest where Orc corpses were scattered.
We were to inspect the bodies, but more importantly, the two Goblins had volunteered to follow after the Orcs.
"Absolutely do not fight. Even if other Goblins are being killed before your eyes, leave them be. Both of you must return safely by tomorrow morning. Information only has meaning if it's brought back."
When Flora translated Paul-san's words, they nodded solemnly.
When I handed them a water bottle and two Highway Cookies each, they smiled happily.
Bonnie handed over eight arrows she had picked up, and Beatrix handed over a stick of gunpowder and a flint.
"This is a last resort. Use it only if you're truly out of options."
Paul-san's eyes widened for a moment, but he immediately looked away. He pretended not to see.
"Once the sun rises, we'll also head out for reconnaissance. If you find us, use this to reflect the light."
Finally, we handed them a mirror and saw them off.
After seeing the Goblins off, we rode the saddles and went around inspecting the Orc corpses. We cut off the ears as proof of the kill and picked up arrows.
Although the Orcs' weapons were made of iron, few wore armor, and they seemed to have been living almost wild lives after all.
"Will they be okay?"
"They usually go out on scouting missions in Northern Nakanohara, which is more dangerous than this area. They'll be fine."
"But this was the first time they fought Orcs, right? I wonder if they'll get carried away."
"Umu. That is certainly a possibility. However, it's something they must go through once. If this starts going well, we might be able to entrust them with scouting missions even in battles against the remnants of the Demon Lord's army."
Setting aside wars between humans, the Elder's goal seems to be participating as scouts in battles between humans and monsters.
Civil engineering work, trading items obtained through hunting for human goods, scouting missions in the north... if they can raise the status of Goblins through these three things via Robinson-san, they might be able to go to human towns and villages normally like in the ancient past. The Elder had said so.
"Goblins were originally spirits living in the forest, right? They lived in cooperation with humans, hunting together, punishing those who did bad things, and defeating monsters. I think their current form is the original form of Goblins."
Flora told me while pointing at an Orc corpse she found in the darkness.
"The Elder was happy. He said that within his lifetime, he could pass on the legends handed down from his ancestors to the next generation in a realized form. Did you know? When we proposed helping the Goblins captured by Orcs, the Elder was crying afterward. I think he was that happy."
I thought about asking Flora why it turned out like this, but I stopped. Surely, humans were the cause. They probably drove the Goblins, who were on good terms with their enemy forces, deep into the forest and spread bad rumors. The Alraune are proof of that more than anything. The violence of the voices of the many based on misconceptions against the few who don't know the truth... Flora said that's the worst part of humans.
If we hate, we are hated. If we kill, we are killed.
It's obvious.
Conversely, if we forgive, won't the other side forgive us too? Even if there was a gruesome past of killing each other... The point might be whether we can forgive the other side first. Though it's probably quite difficult.
"It's enough if there's just one town like that. A town that people from other towns would envy."
Beatrix said that and held my hand.
Bonnie and Flora were looking at my face.
"In Nakanohara, it's gradually being realized. Henry-sama, Eleanor-sama, and Mayor Adolf know about you all being on good terms with spirits. The current Majesty, Roberts-sama, and even the King and Crown Prince of Medioland. This many people show understanding toward coexistence with spirits. Eventually, surely... right?"
Today must have been a good day for Paul-san too.
"It would be nice if such a day comes. I'm sure it'll be fun every day."
Because Bonnie said it so leisurely, we all laughed together in the darkness.
Before noon the next day.
Despite everyone's worries, the Goblins returned safely. Moreover, they were laughing loudly while holding strangely colored mushrooms in both hands.
Did they eat poisonous mushrooms...? We worried for a different reason, but that wasn't it.
Apparently, while they were chasing the Orc pack, they found a place where many of the mushrooms the Goblins were holding grew. So, they gathered a bagful.
After locating the pack's lair, they secretly built a small fire in the shade of a tree and roasted the mushrooms on sticks.
When they watched from afar, the hungry Orcs were lured by the smell, and after a brawl over them, they ended up eating them. One after another, Orcs started dancing while laughing or wailing on the spot, and they were apparently being beaten up by the pack leader who got angry.
"They're poisonous mushrooms. I don't think a human would die from eating them, but they'd end up in the state the Goblins just described."
Flora explained.
Apparently, they cause hallucinations, make one feel strangely happy, or conversely, make one feel scared.
They grow anywhere in the forest, but of course, Goblins and human hunters don't pick and eat them. Since we were taught at the orphanage, even we know about them.
Orcs don't usually eat mushrooms, but they must have been quite hungry after getting excited by the full moon and returning empty-handed after a loss. They were lured by the fragrant smell of them being roasted over a fire. Since they usually ignore them, they didn't know about poisonous mushrooms.
When I gave water to the Goblins who had finished laughing, they looked at each other's faces and started laughing again.
"Hey, Flora. Are you sure the Goblins didn't eat them?"
"They didn't. Their eyes aren't glazed. Their consciousness is clear."
After laughing for a while while clutching their stomachs, they finally settled down and reported the pack's situation.
Last night, we defeated forty-three Orcs. We earned eighty-six silver coins, but that's about half the pack. Moreover, we defeated almost all the Ogres.
And then there's this mushroom incident.
The pack was apparently near a small pond northeast of the pass, but it seems they decided to move even tonight. The leader, who had knocked out the ones who went crazy from the mushroom poison, was apparently shouting that. In fact, the Goblins confirmed that the leader had sent part of the pack out on reconnaissance to the north.
It's natural for a leader. It's a shame to give up the pond, but some hostile entity came near the lair and set up a strange trap. Even humans would move.
"It seems there was no need to worry. They are performing their scouting duties calmly. No, more than that."
When Paul-san said that with relief, Lewis-san laughed and patted the Goblins on the shoulder, saying they did well.
Being praised even by Lewis-san, the Goblins were full of pride, but since they would burst out laughing every time they saw the mushrooms, Robinson-san took them away and threw them out.
By the way, when I asked the adjutant, the operation name to be put in the report is apparently fixed as something dry like "Battle with such-and-such on such-and-such a date at such-and-such a place."
"What. It's not going to be the 'Jeanne Glows and Gunpowder Explodes Big Operation'?"
Beatrix was smirking.
As if I'd let it be!