Chapter 305 - Chapter Eighteen: The Black Dragon ②
On the second and third days, the entire corps was to handle the recovery of the defeated magical beasts.
Because the Black Dragon flew around roaring, it seems nothing remained around the river. Instead, they ran wild through the surrounding forest.
The three open fields made for interception each had a large pitfall dug in the middle, and around those pits, horseshoe-shaped earthworks were built with openings to the east, and water was poured on the slopes and frozen with Freeze. I thought it was good for driving in the magical beasts, but so many got caught that I couldn't tell if it was a pitfall or a breeding ground. In the back, the corpses were piled up, and some even climbed over them and escaped over the earthworks.
They said they took down nearly three hundred in total, large and small. It seems they also killed normal animals, but that can't be helped.
Those that bypassed the traps apparently fled to the west, but there are mountain ranges at the western edge where the Paratroop Jaegers are stationed. They shouldn't be able to break through.
Since they didn't go south, it helped prevent an invasion into the plains.
"That last shot from the priest really worked. To be honest, we were out of arrows and javelins, and things were getting pretty dicey."
"Exactly. They came charging in all scattered with such momentum that even activating the magic circles had no effect."
"That's right. If you use Holy Water, they get scorched and the fur is ruined."
I went around the three open fields and released enhanced Light to scatter the magical beasts, and it seems the timing was perfect. Everyone praised me.
The magical beasts that had been driven into a frenzy fleeing west in fear of the Black Dragon seemed to have come to their senses or felt a new threat as a result of being illuminated from above with the enhanced Light; they scattered in all directions as if fleeing from the light and hid themselves in the forest.
After driving away the magical beasts with Light, the soldiers began attacking the magical beasts hidden here and there from bowls and flying ships. Bonnie also flew off with the Elf Prince and the Quartet.
And everyone returned by dawn.
Those who remained in the open fields were delivering finishing blows to the magical beasts that were still breathing, and the magic soldiers were freezing the captured magical beasts. Apparently, they're sending them all to the town of Higashinohara.
The magical beasts were just running away in a panic and didn't actually attack the humans. For the number of them, the damage was small. It ended up being a profitable hunt.
Harris-sama and I were treating the wounded.
Among the bowl-users of the Paratroop Jaegers, some specialized in transporting the injured, and people from the Paratroop Jaeger unit's medical station were riding along in the bowls. They provide first aid on-site and transport them to the rear. In that way, Harris-sama and I treated the soldiers who were brought in.
In the previous war, floating ships were said to have been active in transporting wounded soldiers and supplies like food.
"Actually, during the war, I wanted to organize mobile medical stations that combined several people who could use Flight Magic and those who could use recovery magic. I couldn't do everything, so I just made a proposal to His Majesty. He listened and incorporated it into the missions of the Paratroop Jaegers."
According to Harris-sama, whether it's technology or magic, it progresses fastest during wartime.
In a sense, it's a lamentable thing.
"If technology to help the wounded develops, the war will drag on. If they die, they're corpses, but if they're healed, they're military strength. That said, we can't just abandon those suffering from injuries. It's a difficult point."
"Could it be that's why you only targeted enemy prisoners?"
"Well, yes. That way, those who are healed can't easily return to the battlefield."
"That's admirable."
"I can't heal the sick. Jeanne is much more admirable."
That's not true. He must be saying it to hide his embarrassment. As proof, he began to concentrate on the treatment in silence after that.
In the morning, the movement of the magical beasts slows down. They must be sleeping since they ran around all night. The human side also withdrew to nearby fortresses to rest in their respective locations.
Bonnie's proposal was accepted, and they apparently used the Paratroop Jaeger bowls to go around the forest and discard animal carcasses and leftovers of a size that could be carried in various places. The idea is that they won't come to this side while they're eating. Of course, the locations where they were discarded are recorded and will be used as points to lure magical beasts in the future.
Since the Elf Prince is here, we can use accelerated bowls. The treatment and transport of the wounded are finished. We decided to return to the Eastern Plains Corps fortress once to report about the Black Dragon to Roberts-sama.
Roberts-sama and Gladys-sama were also at the front lines, but they had returned safely.
"You certainly went all out again."
"Um, the Black Dragon flew in..."
I explain the situation.
"Hmm. So a black dragon really existed."
After listening to the story for a while, Roberts-sama proposed going to the Dragonewt Village after taking a break.
"Let's hear what the Elder and Renata have to say. If possible, I'd like to get in touch with the Cait Sith as well."
The demon race must have been surprised too. The initial plan was just to illuminate the riverside with Light and drive the magical beasts near the river deep into the forest. No one expected a monster like that to be flying around.
Since I was told Bonnie could come too, Roberts-sama, Gladys-sama, the Elf Prince, Bonnie, and I went to the Dragonewt Village, where Renata, Alex, and even the Cait Sith were present. It seems Roberts-sama had arranged for the Elf Elder to have them gather.
"I heard a dragon that was thought to be gone appeared. I heard you were chased around, but are you alright?"
Renata apparently got information from the trees in the forest. She seems to have come in a hurry.
"It wasn't so much being chased as we were doing it on purpose."
"Honestly. You have to be careful."
I was exasperated.
"You have quite the guts. My subordinates just scattered and fled. But thanks to that, it seems we won't have trouble with food for a while. I thank you."
I was praised by the Cait Sith.
I knew it. Surely, that cowardly Cyclops must have been running around. Actually, taking advantage of the confusion, we also intruded into the airspace over the Black Forest. Since we flew as if driving them from south to north, the magical beasts must have fled north. The main force of the Demon Lord's army remnants is in the north. Just like the human side, it must be a big catch.
"I hadn't heard that the Black Dragon was on the other side of the mountain. I'll have to ask for a generous bonus."
It's Alex. Seeing him smirking, he probably isn't that scared.
"As long as we don't lay a hand on it, it's not a being that harms spirits. However, dragons are man-haters. If it finds out we're mining Silver, picking up Magic Stones, and handing them over to humans... that greedy thing might come to crush the mine shafts."
That won't do. If we don't mine Silver and turn it into money, the stone wall by the river will never be finished.
"What do you think, Elder? Is there room for discussion? If it's known that the people of this village are cooperating with us, wouldn't that alone be dangerous?"
Eh? Are you serious?
When I look at Roberts-sama, he isn't laughing. On the contrary, he has a dead serious face.
"It would be difficult... It likely won't have ears to listen to our words."
The Elder is sighing.
"However, if it were the words of the Wind or Water Spirits, perhaps..."
I think it's a delicate matter whether the Four Great Spirits should be involved, but they can maintain neutrality if it's a discussion for coexistence and co-prosperity rather than a battle.
"Just in case, I'll check with my brother if it's alright to subjugate it. The Black Dragon is used on the royal banner, after all. I might be told to stop."
Isn't it crazy to even think about subjugating a monster like that? Surely, the King will stop it because it's too dangerous. As proof, Henry-sama and the others came instead of a reply.
According to Henry-sama, as long as it isn't harming humans, it must not be subjugated.
"The Black Dragon is the banner of our royal family, after all. We must treasure it."
"I don't know what kind of history it has, but it's the banner established by the first King. There must be a reason. If we suddenly subjugate it, no amount of apologies to our ancestors will be enough."
For all that talk, they came all this way.
"Do you want to see it?"
Both of them nodded honestly, saying, "Yes."
Roberts-sama is laughing loudly.
"However, Father. If Jeanne were to actually call it out, the scene would be quite chaotic."
Before I knew it, I'm the one who's supposed to call it out!
"For our part, we'd like you not to call it out for a while."
Even the Cait Sith said it.
"Um, I didn't call it out. It just flew in on its own."
"If it weren't for your magic, it wouldn't have flown in, would it? If that's the case, it's as good as you calling it out."
Even the Elf Prince said it. Moreover, he's smirking. When did he become so expressive?
"That's amazing, Jeanne. With this, you're a Spirit Medium Priestess XX Knight, um, what was it? Spirit Medium, Priestess, I can't say it so XX, Knight, and, oh, that's right, Successor... until now it was four, right? So the fifth is Summoner."
She finally said it while counting on her fingers.
Bonnie, if you can't say it, let's stop trying to say it.
"Let's all consult and decide on a good place. Once the place is decided, we should be able to call it without problem since Jeanne is here."
So, why does it turn out like that!
Eleanor-sama's single comment almost delivered the finishing blow, but the Elder's words were accepted, and it was decided to call Dune and Mel to hear their opinions.
When we actually called them and listened, they didn't seem to know.
"A black dragon? Isn't that just something humans say on their own?"
"But, it really was there."
"Was it black?"
"Yes. Pitch black. But unlike the Revenant, it had a luster."
Mel is skeptical.
On the other hand, Dune says she won't know until she sees it.
Even when the Elf Prince explains, the answer is the same.
If what these two don't know is true, then it's not a being that should originally exist?
"If what the Elves say is correct, a Wyvern was bathed in dense magical energy and turned black, right? In other words, it's like the trees around here being black."
I see. Come to think of it, it's just as Mel says.
"However, among humans, it has been called a legendary dragon since ancient times."
"Isn't the source of the story the Elves?"
At Eleanor-sama's words, Mel simply shook her head.
"Does Alex know anything?"
"Never heard of it. Isn't it just a story about this Black Forest anyway? Striking a source of magical energy isn't something that happens often."
Seeing him smirking, he must know something.
The Elf Elder, pressed by Eleanor-sama, Mel, and Alex, sighed as if he had resigned himself.
"That is correct. As my son said earlier, a black dragon is like a black tree; it's a Wyvern that mutated after being bathed in magical energy. And it probably only exists in this forest. And the ones who told that story to humans were our ancestors."
It's not that they lied. The sense of time is just too different.
What the Elves intended as small talk just a few decades ago has had enough time flow for humans to create a legend.
"I knew it."
"Well, it can't be helped. It's a difference in perception."
The Elder, after being glared at by Mel and then comforted by Alex, bowed his head.
Listening in detail, it seems it was also the Elder who spoke to the first King.
"Guillaume-dono cherished the Black Forest, which had been transformed by the overflowing dense magical energy. He said that despite it becoming like this because of us Elves for some reason, it is living desperately. He said that eventually, the beautiful green forest will surely be restored, but until then, these trees will surely protect this land."
Renata, having heard the Elder's story, clung to his sleeve. The content of what the first King told the Elf Elder was exactly about her herself.
When the trees of the forest are suddenly lost, the fertile soil is washed away by rain and snowmelt, and it becomes a wasteland. And the habitats of living things are lost. I heard it many times from Serena.
Eventually, even the creatures in the river, which have lost their source of nutrients, will die, and truly beautiful living rivers and lakes will be lost. Dune said so.
"Guillaume-dono also said this. Humans are very weak as individuals. They are no match for spirits or monsters, let alone beasts, with their bare hands. They are incomplete. That is why they gather together to live."
The first King, having heard the story of the black dragon from the Elf Elder, drew a picture based on his imagination. That picture became the basis for the black dragon depicted on the current long vertical banner of the Sertoria Royal Family.
"Gathering together despite being weak, and acquiring the strength to overcome adversity. Perhaps that thought became Guillaume-dono's banner upon the founding of the nation."
The Elder... though it is his personal speculation... told the members of the royal family, including Henry-sama, about the royal banner.
Now that we've heard the Elder's story, we probably can't subjugate it. If we believe the first King's words, the Black Dragon is doing its best to live in its own way, and eventually, it will return to its original form.
It's definitely best to leave it alone as it is.
Henry-sama and Eleanor-sama, who heard the story of the first King, also fell silent. The Sertoria royalty values the first King's last injunctions and stories above all else.
"Why don't we leave it be? If the cause was me carelessly releasing a full-power Light toward the mountains, then from now on, I just need to be careful about the direction and the amount of light."
For a while, no magical beasts will approach the river. In the meantime, it's better to build a defensive wall with a rush job, whether it's a wooden fence or an earthwork.
I'm sure they'll understand.
I thought so...
But I had forgotten that Henry-sama and the others aren't the only ones with strong curiosity.
"Let's go meet it. Then we'll understand everything."
"That's right. We won't know unless we actually meet and talk to it."
It's Mel and Dune.
They probably want to see it because they don't understand.
When it comes to the Four Great Spirits, they'll coolly go to meet it whether the opponent is a dragon or anything else.
"Can we meet it?"
Eleanor-sama, who had been quiet, came back to life.
"It's in those mountains, right? Let's all go meet it."
She says it easily and points to the mountains.
I feel like it's in a very distant place.
"That's right. Elf, and Alex too, guide us."
At Dune's words, the Elf Elder and Alex froze. They began to sweat profusely. Especially Alex, it's a complete collateral hit.
"N-No, Sister. I understand what you're saying, but a dragon is no good, it's more than we can handle."
"U-Umu. Wind Spirit-sama, Water Spirit-sama, please forgive us this time."
Alex made a grimace and waved both hands, and the Elf Elder and Prince bowed deeply.
"It's alright. If it was originally a Wyvern, it's like my subordinate anyway."
Sub... subordinate?
"It'll be fine because Mel is here. Just in case, carry several barrels filled with water. Even if the dragon's head has gone strange from the dense magical energy, I'll protect everyone."
"That's right, in the meantime, I'll give it a good thrashing."
It's a line I've heard somewhere before... but what they're saying is too different from everyone else!
"No, that's not it. We don't know the Black Dragon's whereabouts."
This is the Elder's slip of the tongue!
They'll surely say I should just use my magic.
As expected, Roberts-sama and the Cait Sith are making sour faces. Both front lines will be in chaos again.
"As expected, the point is the location. Let's all consult and decide where is good!"
In the end, it went exactly as Eleanor of Tactics intended.