Chapter 545 - Chapter 5: Northern Gram Wetlands ⑥
According to Fiona's exploration results, there was no sign of the Demon Race lurking in particular. If so, the two-heads' teamwork is something they are doing on their own.
"I've never heard of snakes hunting in a pack!"
Bonnie, whose parents were also hunters and scouts, is saying so. There's no doubt.
"They were supposed to be only on the mainland. Nevertheless, they are in such a place. There must be a reason. Including the way they hunt."
Wilson-san says that since this wetland is special in various ways, it's faster to just defeat as many snakes as possible and proceed with the investigation. Well, I suppose so. Our allies are being attacked. It's best to defeat them quickly.
While we were talking, the ice levee was completed. What's next?
"Please freeze them with Cocytus."
It's a feat only Wilson-san can do. Magdalena-sama is also merciless.
The wetlands being covered in ice... that said, because the fort is large, the range of the wetlands that isn't frozen is also reasonably wide. If you think about the actual area ratio, the unfrozen part is wider, but the water temperature must have dropped. Even the two-heads seemed to have sensed an anomaly, as several of them approached the ice embankment and began breathing fire to try and melt the ice. Snakes are weak to cold. If it stays like this, they'll all fall asleep. Then, we'll have a slight advantage.
The number of those splashing water on the ones trying to crawl up the fort decreased. It was a chance.
Our allies went on the offensive all at once.
First, the wall of darkness vanished. The two-heads near the fort tried to crawl up all at once as if rejoicing, but there was no one splashing water from behind. It's as planned. When fire arrows were shot from the fort side, flames rose from several places below the fort. They must have scattered oil. The surroundings were illuminated by flames, and the two-heads became clearly visible. The number of arrows and magic fired increased. Probably, the fort side understood the intention of Magdalena-sama's strategy. During that time, Wilson-san is firing Cocytus and increasing the area covered by ice more and more. The aim is the wetlands. They easily become ice-bound. The two-heads lurking in the water are desperately breathing fire with both heads while retreating, but it's ice made with ultra-high-level magic. It's not something that melts easily unless magic flames are used.
A log-like Holy, likely fired by Harrison-san, hit one of the heads heading for the fort. He had hit it several times, but it seems he finally did it. The head that took a direct hit slid down the embankment. The other head is doing its best to fire magic, but it finally stopped moving after taking a concentrated attack.
As a finishing blow, I also fire a Four-Fold Salvo. Since I don't know where the heart is, I aimed for the heads. Since they aren't moving, it's easy to hit. I hit both heads once each.
We defeated two more. It seems having three of their comrades defeated told on the two-heads, as they retreated toward the wetlands. I don't know how many there are, but there are probably seven or eight.
Thanks to Wilson-san's struggle, the range the two-heads can move became quite narrow. Because he fired Cocytus many times, the water temperature must be dropping. Their movements also became sluggish. As expected, even Wilson-san said he was tired, so he made a new bowl and swapped with Beatrix.
After that, it's a standoff. Since it's June, the temperature is high. Although the water temperature is dropping because he fired Cocytus many times, it will eventually melt. We could mobilize ultra-high-level mages starting with Eleanor-sama and freeze everything, but we'd end up repeating the same thing over and over. We decided to take a break and wait for instructions from Henry-sama and the others.
When we flew to a slightly distant place and blinked the Light, the bowl Harrison-san was riding in came flying.
"You've thought it through. To confine the snakes with an ice levee is quite a good idea."
Since he's cast Camouflage, only his voice can be heard.
"Fortunately, we have a good lineup of people who are good at ice magic."
The reason Magdalena-sama is playing dumb is probably because Wilson-san is a secret weapon. It was exposed long ago, but there are ordinary soldiers in the bowl too. Harrison-san also understood and didn't mention that.
Magdalena-sama conveyed that Henry-sama and the others had returned to the fort to consult with Eowyn-sama.
"More importantly, if we don't take a break soon, won't the bowl dismantle?"
"Actually, I am worried about that. In the first half, we were taking breaks in rotation, but since you came to support, we've been flying continuously."
"Then, let's take breaks in rotation. We're still okay for a bit, so everyone, please take a breather once. Let's swap in half an hour."
"I have understood. Then, we shall rest first. When we sortie, we will shoot a Fire Ball into the sky, so please do not miss it."
Saying so, he fired one bolt of lightning into the sky. It must be the signal to return to base.
Since a Fire Ball was shot up, we return to the fort. On the way back, Beatrix fired Freeze all over the place and turned the wetland water into ice water. The two-heads are snakes, after all. If it goes well, they might hibernate for us.
After Eowyn-sama gave us a grand welcome as usual, we immediately decided to gather everyone at the watchtower and hold a strategy meeting.
"I heard you successfully subjugated the Demon Race. Congratulations."
The Wetlands Priestess asked in a small voice while looking around.
Just what happened? Normally, she'd speak in a loud voice to raise everyone's morale.
It's not just the Priestess. The Knight Commander has his serious face even more serious. The Vice-Commander is carefree as usual, but in terms of image, it wouldn't be strange if he were making a big fuss. Sianya looked down slightly.
"Yeah. We defeated two. Did something happen?"
When I asked back in a small voice, the Vice-Commander gave a small fist pump while winking. It's unlike him.
"You see. When the report came that the Demon Race was defeated, the fort got really excited. And then, Eowyn-sama praised us. When that happened, two of our young members ascended. They must have been that happy."
I see. If they achieve a feat, they're satisfied and ascend? That is, however, something to be happy about, isn't it?
"That's true, but the number of members decreases."
"It is a joyous thing, but the mission is not yet complete, to say nothing of it being finished. However, we cannot not let them ascend, so we thought we'd at least try not to get too excited ourselves."
"Sorry. I hate to dampen the mood, but please don't be overjoyed."
I was asked by the three ghosts.
Sianya looks down further. Since she's pursing her lips, she only looks like she's hanging her head. Sianya is also a priest. She must have been happy that the members who ascended returned safely to the Goddess's side. I can't say I don't understand the three ghosts' argument, but since Sianya also achieved a feat in her first expedition, she should be allowed to be happier. She must be enduring it.
"I understand. Then, when the mission is safely finished, why don't we have a grand victory banquet in the wetlands? Those who want to ascend can do so there."
When I said that, the three of them blinked and looked at each other.
Sianya burst out laughing.
"Ahahaha, Jeanne, I like that!"
The Priestess started laughing. It's fine if they ascend. But if they're going to, they should ascend after receiving words of praise from Sianya-sama, the object of their protection, at the victory banquet. That would also serve as encouragement for the members who are working hard to fight.
"That's a good one. Commander, let's tell everyone that."
"U-Umu. It will become a goal for the members from now on."
The expressions of the Commander and Vice-Commander also softened.
"I want to fight more, so I won't ascend easily."
It's the Wetlands Priestess. Just how much does she like fighting?
"I also don't think I've repaid the debt to the King who avenged my old man with just one or two of the Demon Race."
"Umu, I won't ascend either. After all, I am Sianya-dono's guardian spirit. First, it's those eerie snakes. I'll make them a blood offering."
It's delicate, but since they're fired up, I guess it's fine.
At the strategy meeting, it was discussed that a literature search regarding the legends of the Old Gram region would be conducted at the Old Gram Royal Palace and the Royal Capital Great Cathedral. This is because there's a possibility that a pentagonal barrier was stretched doubly, and they're thinking of the possibility that it's left in things like ancient documents. It's 'scheduled' because it's the middle of the night now. Since Eowyn-sama is the one who will eventually be crowned King of Gram and seems to be practically governing the Old Gram territory currently, it'll be easy to give instructions. As a side note, it seems he intends to also ask the former King of Gram.
"The two Demon Race members that our country's scouts brought back information on at the cost of their lives, literally, have been successfully subjugated, partly due to the activity of those who came to support. Also, regarding the two-headed snakes... Amphisbaena, was it... that attacked the fort, we have defeated three. After that, it seems they fled into the water, but..."
One of Eowyn-sama's staff... that plain, fat noble... is explaining, so the talk is smooth. If it were Eowyn-sama, my name would have been called at least twice by now.
The content of the talk was to annihilate the two-heads confined by the ice levee, and after that, to search for other places where two-heads might be because they might be there and subjugate them as soon as they are found, and once the subjugation is achieved, to wait for dawn and search for clues to solve the mystery of the barrier. Furthermore, it was said that the support group has subjugated the Demon Race, so they may stay and help, but they may also return.
"About those snakes, if we stay and defeat them, what happens to the subjugation reward?"
Beatrix asked. Regarding the two Demon Race members, since there were many people and it was support, it was an achievement reward. The support group gets ten gold coins flat. However, Henry-sama and Eleanor-sama declined. Harris-sama and Sianya made it a donation to the Royal Capital Great Cathedral they each belong to. The ghosts were treated specially. Especially the Wetlands Priestess and the Knight Order, since they were attached as Sianya's guards, Primordia should pay. At most, the prayer fee in case they ascend would become free. However, they fought hard, and they are playing an important role as the eyes for nighttime combat in particular. In the form of a prayer fee, twenty gold coins each are to be paid to the border Lord and Queen, and to the Wetlands Priestess and the Knight Order. The Wetlands Priestess and the Knight Order will apparently use the money they received to maintain the stones for possessing during movement and the altar.
Regarding other rewards, normally, the two-heads would be a subjugation reward, and the barrier-related stuff would be a period reward or a daily wage. The investigation of the barrier is fine with that. Since the results won't be known easily anyway, and ultimately Northern Gram will summarize the investigation results. There might be nothing as a result of the investigation. The problem is the two-heads. There were no discovery cases on the White Island. In other words, since no damage has occurred, they're the same as house centipedes. It'll be unpaid work.
"I would like to make it a period reward, but how about it? We don't know well what kind of monsters they are, and we don't know how many there are. How about making the period one week and ten gold coins per person? However, for the border Lord-dono's party, and the Wetlands Priestess and the Knight Order, how about ten gold coins for both groups collectively?"
"I wonder if it'll finish in a week?"
"If it doesn't finish, it will either be to extend depending on the situation, or to set up a second time or later, or for our country alone to resolve it."
It's not a bad condition. Anyway, Henry-sama and Eleanor-sama are involved in the planning. Beatrix and Sianya agreed, and the proposal passed.
It successfully became a contract, and just as everyone was about to enter rest until tomorrow, an urgent report came from the soldier at the watchtower. The two-heads that were confined by the ice levee had disappeared.
"Aren't they lurking in the water?"
"No, that is after the members of the Wetlands Knight Order from Primordia explored inside the water."
The two-heads apparently dug a bypass hole under the ice levee and escaped from there. I didn't know snakes dig holes as if they were earthworms.
There's nothing to be done about those that escaped. We decided to strengthen the watch centered on the Wetlands Knight Order in preparation for a counterattack, and everyone rested. The two-heads subjugation was set for the following night. After all, even Wilson-san, whom we rely on most, is tired. It's better to rest.
I decided to bring a basin to the room assigned for the women other than royalty and take turns bathing.
"Hey, how should we defeat them?"
While soaking in the hot water up to her waist and wiping her body with a hand towel soaked in the water, Beatrix asked.
Putting them to sleep is the quickest, but they energetically dug an escape hole even in ice water. It's not easy.
"About those snakes, just how strong are they?"
"Eleanor-sama said they might be equivalent to C-rank."
It's Will. If it's C-rank, it's the same as a Cerberus. Sea snakes are also like that. Certainly, if they die after taking several log-like Holies, they don't correspond to B-rank.
"However, that is in the case of a single one. You remember the Red Ants, right? Each one is not that strong. They might be weaker than a mouse. However, because they attack in a swarm of tens of thousands, even Henry-sama and the others in their active days had their hands full. In the fourth layer, they didn't use large magic and were just running away from the insects."
A swarm of Red Ants is B-rank. A unified group surpasses a superior individual. The battle between humans and monsters is also like that. That's how humans have expanded their dwellings. Even dragons are defeated as if they are worn down by humans who continue to challenge them without begrudging many losses.
However, if Red Ants, which are less than mice, become B-rank when in a swarm, what happens when C-rank two-heads become a swarm?
"Even if it's a swarm, the number is far fewer compared to Red Ants. In fact, we've defeated three. I can't think they'd ever surpass a dragon."
If it goes up two to S-rank, it's a dragon. Even as A-rank, which is lower than that, it's equivalent to a Demon Race executive. If it becomes a war of attrition, it'll be painful, and it doesn't seem like it'll go that easily.