Chapter 401 - Eleventh Episode: The Demon Realm Forest Subjugation Operation
Now, it's time for the move. Since there's also an explanation to the Morandine side, it must be finished within today. Since it's finished by drawing one magic circle at the actual destination and then drawing the other magic circle at the ruins, we decided to go to the destination first.
We advanced in a medium-sized bowl with our presence hidden. Since we had already introduced Robinson-san and the Elder when we went for the site survey, we picked them up on the way.
"I was thinking this place would be good."
The place Violet designated was the northern part of Nakanohara Lake. It's before the mountain range north of the mountain stream that separates the human territory and the monster territory. It's a place where there's a small waterfall at the back of a valley created by a stream that could be called the headwaters of the small river flowing toward the mountain stream, a place where clean water is always available. Since it's a valley, there are cliffs on both sides of the small river. If they dig holes in those cliffs, they can make them into lairs.
"So we just need to dig holes here. For now, something that can shelter the Goblins from rain and dew to some extent is fine. Since it's rock, let's have Wilson do it."
As expected, even Eleanor-sama won't do hole-digging with [Megiddo Fire] here.
Wilson-san and the Ghoul are in charge of hole-digging, Eleanor-sama is in charge of the teleportation magic circle, and Violet is in charge of the Orcs' lairs. Violet produced thread and joined tree branches together to make the roofs of the Orcs' lairs.
Preparations for the move were successfully completed. We leave Gigant to look after the place. We returned to the Forest of the Ruins as we were, and once the other teleportation magic circle was drawn, the move began. Since Gigant came flying over, everyone seemed relieved and moved in order. In the meantime, we sent Gigant into the Forest of the Demon Realm and had him select additional monsters.
By the time the move was successfully completed, it was completely night, but in the meantime, Price-sama conveyed the report of the liberation of the Forest of the Ruins and the success of the evil spirit subjugation to the Morandine side. As a result of reporting just before sunset, the inspection by Sir Edgar was set for the following day.
"Are you alright?"
"Yes. I haven't used magic since then, and during the move, I was just watching everyone's work."
Eleanor-sama asked me when we were eating dinner at the inn.
The four princes are staying at the royal palace, and Price-sama is staying at the Royal Capital Great Church. At first, they were treated coldly, but as soon as he said they had taken back the Forest of the Ruins, their attitude apparently changed. How mercenary. Though it's likely the result of Seldic's Second Son participating in the diversionary unit as Prince James's staff, and with the matter of King Seldic, it's a harvest just that Morandine has become cooperative for future matters.
"I also spoke with Price, and he says Jeanne should refrain from participating in the exploration from tomorrow onward."
"Eh? But..."
"You were told by Serena to ban the use of magic for two days and take a rest. If I let you participate in something like a cave exploration, I'll be the one getting scolded. You mustn't."
In the end, in place of Henry-sama's group who returned home to help with Gigant's cave-making, Sianya was assigned to me as a lookout and nurse, and I ended up being confined to the inn.
The search became a major event involving the Morandine Kingdom Army and the priests belonging to the Royal Capital Great Church. Prince James continued to lead the diversionary unit to keep the monsters of the Demon Realm in check, and the remaining four princes, along with Sir Edgar's forces, explored the limestone cave leading the group of priests and the provoked commoners and serfs.
As a result, on the third day, the remains of the excommunicated priest and the stone statue of the Goddess were also discovered, and the collection of the children's remains was also successfully completed. I also went to the location of the stone statue of the Goddess for confirmation and confirmed the storage location of the Black Stone.
On the fourth day, the remains of the priest were buried near the entrance of the ruins and a stone monument was made. The inscription recorded that it was the grave of a priest who died protecting the villagers. The children's remains were buried under the cliff with the hole, and a mound was made to serve as a grave. At each location, Price-sama performed a prayer, and many priests, including the Morandine Royal Capital Great Church Head, joined in. I also participated.
"I could not send his soul to the Goddess. At the very least, by lifting his excommunication and building a stone monument like this, I intend to pass on to posterity his feelings when he declared he would abandon his own faith to save the villagers."
Price-sama said. His usually well-projected voice was somewhat dark.
"Um, Mel said before. It was when we defeated the Fire Dragon Revenant we encountered on the mountain. That Fire Dragon was finally finished off by Prince James's [Glaciate]. At that time, I could not see the Fire Dragon's soul ascending. But according to Mel, the Fire Dragon's soul definitely ascended when I prayed. She said it's just invisible to human eyes. We also properly prayed for that priest's evil spirit on the spot. Evil spirits are, so to speak, human souls, right? Just because it was invisible to our human eyes, couldn't it be that we were able to send it to the Goddess?"
When I said that, he was unusually dazed.
Mel, the eyewitness, said it. There's no mistake.
Price-sama showed a gentle smile and bowed deeply, saying, "Thank you."
The funeral ceremony ended, and since Price-sama had a bright expression, the Great Church Head, who had been holding his stomach with a dark expression throughout, finally regained his smile.
I thought everything was finished, but when we went to the royal palace for the report, one more trouble remained.
The knight from Septanaquila raised an objection.
"That idiot, he told us to subjugate the monsters of the Demon Realm."
Gwyn-sama, who joined us in the waiting room of the royal palace after the report was successfully finished, said with enough momentum to almost spit on the floor. It didn't sound like the words of a Crown Prince.
"To be precise, he said to help. We have no reason to be ordered by Morandine."
Eowyn-sama rebuked him, but isn't being requested for help itself out of place?
"In short. We provoked the monsters several times under the guise of a diversion. Since the monsters might plan a counteroffensive against the human offensive, he wants to strike first and subjugate them. He's asking if we can provide support. I drafted the diversionary operation. In other words, he's implicitly telling me to take responsibility."
As expected of the greatest magic user among the living today. The stories of smart people are easy to understand.
"It seems the damage Morandine suffered in the previous war is unexpectedly serious. Not only were famous warriors and magic users lost in the Demon Lord Subjugation Unit, but the knights who serve as unit commanders are in a state of extinction due to fighting against the large army of Revenants. The Magic Corps is especially terrible. Morandine doesn't have silver mines, and since they sided with Engrio, there are almost no imports. They say they cannot possibly resist a thousand monsters, including many Fenrirs, lurking in the forest."
Hmm. Sir Edgar's strength also didn't reach five hundred. From what I hear, Sir Edgar possesses the military power second only to the King's direct army. Soldiers are also needed for maintaining public order, and there must be a limit to the strength that can be deployed.
"Well, isn't it fine? The knights flanking the King will participate, right? The operation planning has been left to us. Let's see what they can do."
When Roberts-sama said that while laughing generously, Prince James smirked. I knew it, he intends to work those two hard.
Price-sama's proposal passed, and we were able to receive a subjugation reward. A donation to the Morandine Royal Capital Great Church was given to Price-sama and Harris-sama, and fifty gold coins each were given to Harrison-san and me. Naturally, it's a completion reward.
The strategy meeting was held in the presence of the Boy King, and the gathered nobles greatly agreed with Prince James's explanation, and the knights flanking the King... especially the prince from Septanaquila, reluctantly agreed.
The operation itself is simple. Since there's no point if they enter the Forest of the Ruins, we'll build a base in the flatlands between the two forests. Next, we'll launch a fierce attack on the monsters in the Forest of the Demon Realm to break their spirits. Unfortunately, since Morandine has no bowl users, the only attack from the sky will be Prince James's bowl, but if we make a large amount of holy water, pack it into jars, and fly them grandly with catapults, they probably won't try to leave the forest.
Sir Edgar is in charge of base construction, and the King's direct army will be the operational army. Other nobles provided funds instead of sending soldiers. This measure was proposed by Seldic's Second Son, and was approved under the praise of Prince James and the other nobles who had no direct conflict of interest. Seldic's Second Son, who greatly saved face, was appointed as the commander of the unit deployed to protect Sir Edgar's unit constructing the base. In a sense, it's the front line. Naturally, support will be provided, but a fierce battle is inevitable.
The one who isn't satisfied is the other knight. Since his rival was appointed as the front-line commander, which could be called a knight's honor, it would affect his dignity if he wasn't appointed to anything. He interrupted Prince James's operation and said a guerrilla unit was necessary.
According to Roberts-sama, it's not bad, apparently.
The knight, who suddenly became emboldened by the words of Roberts-sama, the hero rumored to be the strongest in history, worked hard to appeal to the Boy King. It's obvious that if the proposal passes, he, the proposer, will be appointed as the unit commander.
"However, you are still young, and far from having experience as a unit commander, you don't even have actual combat experience. Is it possible for you to command while being entrusted with His Majesty's army?"
Seldic's Second Son is looking at him suspiciously. The second son is also young, but he fought through the Revenant encounter battle on the front line in the previous war and is apparently held in high regard in military matters. It's a case of "like father, like son."
"N-No. I have trained for this day. It is precisely the inability to gain actual combat experience forever that lacks dignity as a knight. Your Majesty, I beg of you, please listen to my request."
He is entreating on one knee. In this situation, the Boy King would also be troubled. He's glancing at Prince James.
"Then, let's do this. You will lead the cavalry. It is an extremely important role as a unit of the total reserve waiting behind the main camp, to ambush the enemy at the critical moment. Since the timing of the charge is important, it is a major premise that you absolutely follow the command of the main camp. Naturally, the approval of His Excellency the Prime Minister, who is the commander, is necessary."
At Prince James's words, the State Prime Minister nodded greatly and advised the Boy King to take Prince James's opinion. The Boy King took the advice as if he were saved, seeing the knight from Septanaquila showing a brilliant smile. As it was, he said to Prince James, "I leave the details to you," and the strategy meeting ended.
"James will participate in the main camp as staff, right?"
"Yeah, there will be no mistake in the timing for the knight, who seems to have only high pride, to charge."
"James is quite something. He sold favors to the King, the Prime Minister, and the noisy knight, all three at once."
"Umu. It's only natural for someone who manages the Council of Lords; a trivial factional struggle of a single nation must be child's play for him."
When we returned to the waiting room, I decided to pretend I didn't hear Gwyn-sama and Eowyn-sama whispering.
The departure was set for early morning on the tenth day since leaving Nakanohara, after two days of preparation and movement. The start of the attack by the main force of a thousand, including the four princes, is set for one hour before noon. The total force of one thousand five hundred gathered at Sir Edgar's fortress began their departure as scheduled.
The fifty priests led by Price-sama are in charge of recovery and support. Among them, Price-sama led forty priests to the main camp, and Harris-sama was assigned to Sir Edgar's base construction unit with ten priests.
"Then, we are off. Everyone, please be careful."
"Price-sama, Harris-sama, you too, please be careful."
The main force and the base construction unit depart before us. We saw off the group of priests following the line of wagons carrying large barrels of holy water, catapults, many jars to be filled with holy water and flown, and materials for base construction at the main gate of the fortress.
Harrison-san, Sianya, and I were assigned to the specially organized Aerial Assault Unit. The composition consists of Prince James who uses the bowl, two magic soldiers, two scouts, two archers, and for support, Harrison-san, Sianya, and me. The role is, as the name suggests, to attack monsters from above, and at the same time, to use the teleportation magic circles for letters to convey the movements of the monsters to our allies. Since Morandine's magic soldiers do not have users of [Wind Barrier], unfortunately, a departure as an aerial fleet was not realized, but they said a single medium-sized bowl would be fine since the opponent's location is clear.
"I will cast [Sight] on everyone. This magic temporarily improves eyesight and makes distant targets clearly visible."
I cast [Sight] on the two Morandine scouts.
"What is this, a-amazing."
"Yeah, so there was magic like this."
Since I haven't made this magic into scrolls, it's almost not out in the open. it was received with astonishment.
"I am a stray priest, but in war, I only treat the wounded. This time is special because it's monster subjugation."
Since it would be a hassle if I were asked to sell scrolls, I took the initiative, and it was appreciated.
"If other nations had this, we wouldn't stand a chance in field battles."
"Yeah, I'm glad it's not in circulation."
What, I shouldn't have said anything unnecessary.
We depart one hour after the main force. We took several basins onto the medium-sized bowl and soared into the sky with a total of ten people.
The six Morandine soldiers are experiencing the bowl for the first time. Naturally, they knew of its existence. Unfortunately, the users of [Wind Barrier] were lost in the Demon Lord Subjugation War and the Revenant encounter battle. As a result, Engrio and Morandine, who lost [Wind Barrier] users in the previous war, have yet to possess bowl units. Naturally, there is a possibility they are being organized in secret.
I showed up to the medium-sized bowl to Morandine, but the high-speed part is a secret.
We fly while listening to the cheers raised by the Morandine soldiers as they look at the ground. Since we are rising quite high, we shouldn't be easily seen from the ground. Since we have [Sight] cast, we discovered them early on.
"Allies ahead. They are clearly visible at this distance."
The scout's voice is also lively.
"Then, it's about time, please."
"Ha!"
The magic soldier produces water into the basins with [Water]. The stray priest Harrison-san and I turn it into holy water. It's free because the stray uses it himself. The amount doesn't need to be large. Area suppression is the role of the catapults.
"Our role is to scout the movements of the monsters deep in the forest and to attack from above. In short, we break the opponent's spirit and make them lose the will to resist. We won't kill many. Target especially the Ogres and Fenrirs who deploy magic defense."
"Understood."
The archers soaked arrows with iron heads into the basins containing holy water.