Chapter 71 - New Formation of the Archer Squad
When morning came, Marcelo-san, Beatrix, and I looked around.
"Even if they're monsters, this is gruesome."
Beatrix was knitting her brows.
Piles of corpses.
The damage from the final Clump Stone was particularly severe.
Corpses with parts of their bodies crushed and intestines spilling out were scattered everywhere.
Monsters' blood is black... more accurately, it's a red so close to black... so the whole area was stained black.
"What are we going to do with these?"
"We can't just leave them like this. If we leave monster blood alone, strange diseases might break out."
"Shouldn't we process them quickly?"
"There are too many of them. After having Angelica melt the ice, we'll have to have her dig a large hole outside the position."
Paul-san also came down from the top of the cliff.
"A terrible sight. Apparently, Clump Stone was the cause."
"Judging by the numbers, most were finished off by magic or arrows."
"Are most of them orcs?"
"Yes. Other than that, there were 3 trolls. And it seems there were quite a few goblins too."
"That's true," Paul-san said, looking down.
"As far as I can see, the orcs are wearing armor, but the goblins just have rags wrapped around their bodies."
"The cause of death for the goblins was magic and arrows. They were probably forced to stand at the front."
"It can't be helped for now. Even if Robinson were here, they would just be killed by the monsters charging in."
Paul-san was pulling an arrow out of a goblin at his feet.
"Marcelo-san."
"What is it?"
"Goblins are spirits, so I wonder if it's right to count them as monsters."
"You're right. Shall we decide not to count them for the subjugation reward? Beatrix, is that okay with you?"
"It's fine. We can't exactly take money for them, can we?"
Beatrix started helping Paul-san.
When I checked with Paul-san, he patted my shoulder gently.
When Marcelo-san and I looked for the injured, they were gathered in one place.
People from the treatment center had brought many scrolls.
"How is the situation?"
"Most are light injuries. My assistant and I are healing them with magic now."
"Then, shall Jeanne and I help as well?"
"That would be a help."
Fortunately, the damage on our side was very slight. Since the battle was almost settled by the time the final charge occurred, we were able to handle it with just the recovery magic of the four of us.
The magic attacks from underfoot using magic circles were successful.
Because Marcelo-san declared that the Marcelo Company would shoulder the expenses, those among the Jaegers who could use magic all participated, and they spent half a day setting up enough magic circles that I thought they could pave the ground with them.
The shape of the cliff is curved like an arc. We dragged the monsters deep into the flat ground and were able to attack from the left and right as well. Someone said that terrain determines victory or defeat, and that's exactly right.
The Captain of the Eastern Plains Jaeger Corps came to find me.
"Jeanne. For now, we're gathering the monster corpses in one place, so could you at least offer a prayer?"
"Yes. I understand."
This was perfect. I consulted with the Captain and gathered the goblin corpses separately from the monsters. I didn't write anything on the stones I placed instead of tombstones, but I offered a few flowers. The Jaegers also gathered for no particular reason and offered prayers.
I thought Angelica-san would come and the civil engineering work would proceed, but that wasn't quite the case.
Now that everyone's magic power was exhausted, it was also a prime opportunity for the monsters. I was told it would be better to leave the ice mountains as they are and rest while strengthening the defense on top of the cliff.
The civil engineering work was also put on hold; Paul-san would cut down the trees on the slope in front of the flat ground to some extent to improve the view in front of the position, and Angelica-san would just freeze that area, and that would be the end of it.
The Captain ordered those who use magic to rest early.
When Beatrix and I returned to the break area, Lyudmila was there.
She was wearing Green Marble.
It seems Angelica-san brought her along. She apparently left the shopkeeping to Angelica-san's mother.
"Good work."
She thanked us, but she didn't jump at us like usual.
"What's wrong? Aren't you being cold?"
"Your clothes are dirty."
True, they're covered in mud. They also smell of sweat.
When the two of us surrounded her and pretended to hug her, saying "here, here," she started running away while laughing and shouting "kya, kya." Her small appearance aside, she's completely a child.
After playing for a while, I asked if she came to exterminate monsters, but that didn't seem to be it.
She pointed at a hemp sack on the floor, saying she brought something good.
Inside were two quivers. They were treated for leak prevention, so holy water could be put inside to soak the arrowheads. It's for use against monsters.
Holy water packed in barrels is supposed to arrive by the end of the day along with the rest of the quivers.
I told her to go to where Beowulf is and show them to the guards. Beatrix and I have to sleep. Resting is also part of the job.
"I boiled some water."
A basin was steaming. It seems she made it so we could wash up instead of taking a bath.
"Thank you!"
When I reflexively hugged her, she complained that I was smelly and dirty.
She didn't have to hate it that much.
The opportunity to test the power of the newly developed holy water arrows came without much delay.
When I increased the output of the Fireflies drifting in the night sky upon receiving the signal, bat-like figures surfaced in the dark night.
Startled by the sudden light, they covered their faces with both hands and were flapping about.
They were crying out with very grating voices, "gya, gya."
Bodies like black stone statues. Heads with horns, huge wings, long limbs, and long claws. Gargoyles.
I don't know if they were the ones who came to scout during the day. A few wouldn't be effective. There were about thirty or forty of them.
Even though it's a half-moon, there is moonlight. There's no way they wouldn't be spotted by the Jaegers who are used to night battles.
"Now, shoot them down!"
Under the Captain's command, the arrowheads soaked in holy water prepared for use against monsters were fired at the monsters all at once. If they were silver arrowheads, they could be finished in one shot, but it doesn't work that way. Even so, when they took many arrows, they shattered like breaking stones and fell below the cliff.
Those whose wings were pierced by multiple arrows seemed to have become unable to catch the wind, and they fell while spinning around while maintaining their forms. If they fall from this height, they won't get away unscathed.
Just as the voices like birds being strangled gradually became smaller, a sound like a large stone being hit against a wall was heard.
Thin white lights were being fired intermittently from within the forest.
It must be Marcelo-san's Holy.
Besides that, various magic spells were flying from within the woods.
Flying monsters are agile, so we shoot in numbers. I was told to suppress the area.
We, positioned on top of the cliff, formed three squads of ten archers each. We formed a triangle with one squad at the front toward the cliff to solidify the front. Hanna-san was also there.
Since I was at the very rear, I could clearly see the movements of my allies. As the Jaeger mage, who formed a new trio with me, maintained the light intensity and direction of the Fireflies drifting in the air—which could no longer be called Fireflies since they were now emitting intense light—they didn't rob my allies of their vision because they didn't radiate light toward the position.
Following the instructions of the sharp-eyed Jaegers, I adjusted the direction of the light by changing the angle of my palms spread in front of my body. Unlike when I first learned it, I've become able to point two lights from each of my left and right hands in different directions.
Will and Beowulf were leveling spears by my side. It's heartening to have these two by my side as my guards.
The path leading from the pass to the top of the cliff has forest on both sides.
Mages and archers were placed on scaffolding built in the side forests because the tree branches would be obstacles.
In other words, if we were to be ambushed, it would be from directly above or from the front.
Directly above, Paul-san was deploying a Wind Barrier.
They probably thought there was an opening and charged in, but they fell right into our trap. Those who hit the wall became prey for Marcelo-san's Holy.
In the rear, several ropes painted black were strung between trees. We can attack at the stage where they get caught or stop to try and cut them.
Outside the triangular position, soldiers holding silver hand spears formed lines in preparation for those who broke through the arrow and magic attacks. It's the final line, so to speak, and if they get this far, it will be a melee. Fortunately, so far, it's only been to the point of finishing off those whose wings were damaged and fell to the ground.
Everyone was keeping their posture low inside trenches dug about waist-deep.
The gargoyles' weapons are the sharp claws on both their hands and feet; even if they were to charge into the position at worst, crouching down would prevent being suddenly snatched away.
Thanks to the barriers Angelica-san made with ice magic, we could predict that if they came, it would be from the sky. At that timing, the barrel-packed holy water and leak-proof quivers were sent just in time.
Amidst the sound of arrows being fired, the sound like chiseling stone, the voices of the commanders of each squad, and the cries of the gargoyles, I simply continued to maintain the Light.
After about an hour of anti-air combat, the enemy finally gave up.
The monsters retreated.
"Alright. Cease fire!"
The order to stop the attack was given.
For a moment, after looking at the person next to them, cheers erupted.
We won.
A single fire arrow rose into the night sky.
In response, a fire arrow also rose from the pass guarded by the Nakanohara Jaegers. It seems our nest is also safe.
The next morning, I suddenly realized something.
The gargoyles were scattered around like shattered stones. How would we confirm the battle results?
When I asked McBurn-san, he told me that if the original head could be beautifully restored to more than three-quarters, that would be the proof.
To get the reward, we have to find the heads.
Until Angelica-san arrived, it became a treasure hunt.
Gargoyles, like orcs and ogres, are two silver coins each.
Intending to find two silver coins, the entire Marcelo Company searched. Hanna-san and Will also searched. Several Jaegers and guards who had nothing to do also helped us.
In the end, only thirteen were found. There were quite a few halfway things, like parts of heads or halves that couldn't be put back together. Since we were the ones who shot them down below the cliff ourselves, we couldn't complain.
The one that hit the air wall Paul-san made above our heads was finished with Holy, so it remained in almost perfect form.
Its wings were folded, and its hands were crossed as if to protect itself. Its eyes were closed, but it had a vicious face with fangs.
"This is good. I'll definitely take one back as a souvenir for the Headmistress."
Will said something outrageous.
"If you have something like that, don't blame me if you're cursed."
It's just as Beatrix says. First of all, it would be a disaster if it started moving.
"I was born on the continent and cannot use magic. Perhaps the magic and curses of this island won't work on me?"
I see. So that's how it is. She seems to have forgotten that she was healed with recovery magic when she was injured.
Having no choice, I winked at Beatrix.
"It can't be helped, then," she said, and when she fired lightning magic with suppressed output, Will fainted.
I guess she misjudged the adjustment.
We couldn't just leave her lying on the ground. I woke her up with the Awake spell.
To Will, who woke up and was looking around in confusion, Beatrix apologized while explaining the situation.
"I see. I was mistaken, then."
Far from being angry, she was laughing "wahaha."
As expected of someone aiming to be a Prime Minister, she's a big shot.
Now, what to do with the complete gargoyle? Do we really have to shatter it?
While we were discussing, Paul-san came over.
"What are you doing?"
"We thought we had to shatter it..."
"Don't say such wasteful things. Do you know how much this will sell for?"
"It sells?"
I was surprised. Will was smirking.
"There are enthusiasts in the world. Something like this will go for ten gold coins."
"Ten gold coins!"
Since there are two, that's twenty gold coins. Will was also startled.
"Keep it carefully. Don't worry, once it stops moving, it won't start moving again. Marcelo finished this one. We'll take it back as our battle result."
I stared intently at the gargoyle, which had now become a stone statue.
The money I saved from the allowance and tips I received during my five years of life as a waiting priestess was ten gold coins.
Apparently, my five years are equivalent to this lump of stone with horns.
There are various values in the world, aren't there?