Chapter 269 - Chapter Twelve: The Black Tree Road
When Servetus passed through the forest road leading to Regnentes and reached the checkpoint, as expected, it was in a state where carriages could not pass.
"You lot, begin the road maintenance. I shall send for you once it is finished."
He spoke to the three men he had brought along. These three could use high-level earth magic. They were perfectly suited for road maintenance.
He requested the guards to repel any enemies should they attack, and then boarded the Aerial Scout bowl with his two retainers.
"Could you fly along the road ahead?"
"U-Understood."
The soldier chosen as the Aerial Scout had been selected solely because he could use [Skill: Wind Barrier]. Naturally, he had no prior acquaintance with those from the Ruined Town.
He was trembling as if he were facing monsters.
Of course, since they were Revenants, they were indeed monsters in a sense.
Before long, a single black streak became visible within the forest. The road leading from Engrio to Regnentes goes north after passing the border checkpoint, then turns west.
The section where the road was blocked by trenches and stones ended at that corner. From there, the Black Forest stretched out like a black line drawn across the green land toward the west.
"Could you land over there? Just before the Black Forest is fine."
He disembarked from the bowl at the corner and ordered it to wait on standby in the sky.
The bowl piloted by the Aerial Scout ascended rapidly as if fleeing.
To be disrespectful toward someone who could be called the King's advisor was indeed insolent, but they were not the type to care about such things. He continued toward the Black Forest.
Before his eyes stood trees whose trunks, branches, and leaves were all dyed black. The trunks were twisted as if perverse, and the branches spread out as if to intimidate any who looked upon them.
"What do you think?"
Servetus asked his two subordinates.
"It seems so, Your Eminence. They resemble the trees growing in the region called the Northeastern Forest in Sertoria."
"Yes. I perceive them as such as well."
"Do you think they are monsters?"
"I have never heard of plant-based monsters. I have also not heard that the trees of the Northeastern Forest attack animals or people."
"Hmm," Servetus nodded, then ordered them to use [Skill: Wind Cutter].
If they were monsters, they would undoubtedly counterattack.
"[Skill: Wind Cutter]!"
It was a high-level mage's [Skill: Wind Cutter]. Several trees were severed at the base and fell over all at once.
Immediately, several trees began to move toward them, using their roots pulled from the ground like legs.
"What!"
"Eei, do not falter. Cut them down!"
"Y-Yes!"
The two tried to cut them down, but the trees churned up the earth, rendering the attacks ineffective. In an instant, they allowed the trees to close in, and a branch pierced one of the retainers. They were not beings that would perish from such a thing to begin with, but being giant trees, the power was on a different level. The tree lifted the branch that had pierced the retainer and slammed him into the ground. The other retainer sent a [Skill: Wind Cutter] flying, but another tree intervened.
The tree that had pierced the retainer swung its branch, slamming him into the ground repeatedly until even a Revenant returned to the earth.
"Hii!"
The remaining retainer had seemingly lost the strength in his legs and fell onto his backside.
"[Skill: Flame]!"
Servetus remained perfectly calm and set fire to the approaching black tree with fire magic.
The tree writhed as if it were about to scream, but after he sent another [Skill: Wind Cutter] flying, it finally collapsed with a thud and ceased to move.
"T-This is..."
The surviving retainer remained unable to stand.
There were still many black trees growing before them. It seemed unlikely they could break through with half-hearted attacks. It would be even more so for a human.
What is the meaning of this?
Servetus could not comprehend what had happened before his eyes. For those who had lived for many years, there was very little they did not know. However, he had never seen a monster tree before.
In truth, there was a trick to this.
Of course, it was something people like Servetus could never imagine.
The black trees had been transported through the cooperation of the Dryad Renata and the Dwarf Alex. At a certain distance from the checkpoint, the Dryad had granted power to trees at fixed intervals so they could move freely. Originally, trees spread their roots in the ground to absorb water and nutrients. Therefore, they were usually docile, but the story changed if they were attacked. This was undoubtedly a scheme by Renata, who knew the trees would be felled.
She had not violated neutrality. For example, if the soldiers of Regnentes had done the same thing, they would have been killed. To counterattack those who cause harm—it was a natural thing. However, the Regnentes soldiers had been informed in advance. Naturally, Renata told them through Alex to tell others as well. That they did not tell the Engrio side would be the responsibility of the Regnentes soldiers.
"Your Eminence, what shall we do?"
The retainer was completely terrified. As a Revenant, he did not fear death. He was terrified of an unknown creature.
"It cannot be helped. We shall burn them down."
Servetus held up both hands and began his incantation.
"[Skill: Prominence]!"
An orange dragon's head flew toward the Black Forest.
The black trees seemed to recoil, but were then swallowed by the flames.
It was then. After flying a distance of several dozen paces, the fire dragon changed direction.
"Y-Your Eminence!"
In a panic, the retainer pushed Servetus aside and chanted [Skill: Magic Barrier], but his magic control was insufficient to suppress ultra-high-level magic. The dragon grew smaller, but it maintained enough heat to incinerate a single Revenant.
"Ugyaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
Before the eyes of Servetus, who had tumbled to the ground, the retainer was swallowed by the mass of fire and became a pillar of flame while letting out a death-throe scream.
"Did we get him?"
"One of them. The guest of honor remains."
"Good grief, it's hard work entertaining uninvited guests. All right, we're retreating for now."
Two soldiers wearing black-purple clothes moved sideways and hid behind a tree with green leaves.
They took off the black-purple and instead donned a cloth dyed in green marble from their bosoms, tying it at the waist with a cord. They then began to run through the thicket without a sound.
They were a scout unit from Regnentes.
They had released a scroll of [Skill: Magic Reflection] and bounced back Servetus's magic.
Unfortunately, they were unable to take down Servetus, but they still managed to finish off the two black-clad retainers along with the counterattack from the black trees. It was a decent result.
When the two found a black tree with a cloth pinned to its trunk on the right, they spoke the password.
An answer came back, and two men poked their heads out. They were wearing green marble with crests.
"One from the black tree's counterattack, and one from [Skill: Magic Reflection], making two in total. We failed to entertain the guest of honor."
He showed the scroll, which had turned pitch black.
"Good work. Taking down two is enough. Here, want some wine?"
He handed a canteen to the two who had run over. In exchange, the two who had run over handed over the black-purple gear they had folded and tucked into their waist cords.
"Ah, much appreciated."
The two took turns drinking from the canteen.
"Still, those Sertorian monster hunters are something else. They completely read the opponent's hand."
"The Class of 175 is special. They were personally designated as the Demon Lord subjugation unit by Eleanor-sama."
"Aren't they all just girls in their teens?"
"They're all students of that Bishop Catherine."
"I see."
The former Hero Catherine had subjugated the Demon Lord at the age of nineteen. Setting aside the age of legends, it was the youngest record within the range of accurate historical records.
"Now then, will they release monsters next?"
"In that case, shall we hide for a while?"
The four of them left the area.
Servetus, having had both his retainers defeated, stood up unsteadily.
For a while, he stood in a daze, looking up at the sky. The Aerial Scout was floating in the air. They had seen everything.
Before his eyes, his fallen retainer was burning. No matter how much of a Revenant he was, it was likely over. He was a mid-level mage, but he had been a precious direct subordinate.
"Foolish boy. Panicking like that. My [Skill: Magic Barrier] could have suppressed it."
Servetus extinguished the fire with [Skill: Shower] magic.
He took a dagger from his bosom. The hilt was ordinary steel, but the blade was silver. He stabbed the blade into the heart of his subordinate, who had been scorched to charcoal, and turned him into dust.
He looked at the road once more. The black trees were gone as if hollowed out by fire magic, and the surrounding trees with green leaves were burning.
The [Skill: Prominence] he had unleashed was reflected halfway, but it must have been [Skill: Magic Reflection]. He didn't think a priest was lurking, so it was a scroll.
What a waste they make. How many gold coins do they intend to stack just to block a single spell?
Servetus began his incantation while watching the moving black trees that had drawn close.
If fire was no good, there was ice. He only needed to crush them with physical force.
"[Skill: Cocytus]!"
As he unleashed it, several giant icicles flew forth.
They pierced and mowed down the black trees, continuing their flight with that momentum.
The fire in the areas the icicles passed through was extinguished. The temperature had been lowered in an instant.
Continuing until roughly the area where the [Skill: Prominence] had been reflected, the icicles shattered.
"Nuu, [Skill: Wind Barrier], is it..."
Presumably, they had placed a [Skill: Wind Barrier] on the trees and then cast [Skill: Magic Reflection] in front of it. It seemed they had completely predicted that he would try to fell them with magic.
As expected, being this thorough made him angry, but he couldn't just walk in alone. It should take two hours for it to be automatically dispelled. He couldn't wait that long.
He spat on the ground and signaled toward the sky.
The Aerial Scout soldier descended.
"Are you all right?"
He couldn't very well say that it would have been better if the soldier had perished instead.
"Umu. I have shown you a disgraceful sight. However, I have understood the method for felling this forest. I must report this to His Majesty."
"Then, shall you return for now?"
"Umu. Since my own men will maintain this side of the checkpoint, you may leave it be. Return just like that."
"Understood."
Upon his return, Servetus reported the situation to Seldic.
The King offered words of appreciation to the Aerial Scout soldier who was present, told him to go to the priest, and then cleared the room.
It was just Servetus and him.
"In other words, it means we need to fell the trees with axes or something of the sort?"
"Hah. I believe we can proceed if we burn them away with [Skill: Prominence], extinguish the fire, and then fell the trees while bypassing those that have been magically protected."
"Then, shall we finally release them?"
As always, his quick understanding was a help.
"Indeed. I believe the time has come."
"When will you do it?"
"Please wait about a week. First, I shall release half. They will likely reach the road and the basin where the black trees grow on the night of the full moon. After that, I shall observe for about two weeks; could you then lend me about a hundred men?"
"Understood. When felling the trees, I shall provide not only Aerial Scouts but also Aerial Cavalry."
"I am grateful for your compliance."
Servetus left Seldic's tent, called his subordinates, and gave them instructions.
"Your Eminence. It is finally time."
"Indeed. With the fighting style I have devised, I shall support King Seldic and unify the island. Failure will not be permitted."
"I am well aware. Then..."
It was finally time.
The occupation of Regnentes, which the arrogant nobles could not achieve in the previous war, and the defeat of the West Coast nations—we shall realize them.
Those who understand nothing will surely call our methods heretical.
However. To kill only the enemy without losing our own soldiers. There can be no tactic more effective than this. I shall show those unrealistic people who are intoxicated by things like aesthetics and indulge in chivalry. The path of supremacy is the path of terrifying the enemy.
Servetus thought of the public position on the island that could be called the council's long-cherished wish, which lay beyond victory.
The next day.
Illuminated by the full moonlight, in the forest near the border between northern Engrio and Regnentes, two hundred spiders were released radially toward the north from ten locations, twenty at each.
They had been instructed to go straight through the forest in the direction indicated by the casters who had learned [Skill: Subordination] through Forbidden Magic, and to attack humans.
The release point was directly north of the village where Beatrix was the landowner. The ones going furthest east were expected to pass through the road covered in black trees and reach the southwestern part of the Nakanohara District in Sertoria, while the ones going furthest west were expected to reach the fortress at the western edge of the basin in southeastern Regnentes.
The spiders had been raised north of Nakanohara and then gathered at two bases near the border of Engrio and Regnentes. It was a corner of the region called the Lost Capital. Unfortunately for Servetus and his lot, the spiders gathered at one base had been wiped out as a result of mushrooms that prey on spiders—native to the island since ancient times—growing all over their bodies, but the other base was safe.
It was said that if the opponent could not use magic, a single spider was equivalent to ten soldiers even during the day. Three hundred spiders would be equivalent to three thousand soldiers.
As Servetus thought, if they could launch a surprise attack on the night of a full moon when the monsters' power increased, they could drive the two thousand troops in the basin to total annihilation. Much less would scouts lurking in small numbers in the forest be any match. Even if they were waiting, spiders were overwhelmingly advantaged in forest combat, and humans were not something that could stop them.
The spiders had been fed criminals captured within Engrio, so they remembered the taste of humans and the scent of blood.
Basking in the sunlight during the day and the moonlight at night, they crawled through the forest with a rustling sound, sometimes leaping from tree to tree as they advanced.
The birds and beasts of the forest, which would normally flee in fear of spiders, seemed to realize they were not the targets and hid in nests built on branches or in the thickets under the trees to wait for them to pass.
According to the reports from the Aerial Scout soldiers who took turns going up and taking turns monitoring, there were signs of magic occasionally flaring up and fighting within the forest in various places, especially at night, but that also ceased quickly. The sporadically flaring magic gradually moved north, and it was confirmed that by the day after tomorrow, fires would break out in several places in the direction of the basin.
Two weeks later, an Aerial Scout who had headed near the southern end of the basin confirmed the corpses of dozens of spiders, several deserted villages, several earthen mounds piled up like graves, and the sight of Regnentes soldiers guiding a line of evacuating carriages and several times that number of livestock toward the fortress at the west of the basin.
Upon receiving that report, Seldic ordered Servetus to begin the felling work for the Black Forest.