Chapter 735 - Third Story: The Demon Lord's Resurrecting Cave In The Demon Realm ⑥ (Morandine) Outpost
After sending off the demon, we began exploring the cave. That said, it's not wide. There are several entrances. When I peered into the closest one, there was no passage and it was like a room right there. Nothing. Only a few bird feathers are fallen. Since they are the kind of people who would brazenly misbehave in front of others... though they might not have seen us... I thought it would be full of droppings, but that wasn't the case. There's only a circular frame made by combining tree branches, with straw or withered grass piled on it. You can imagine it as a bird's nest-like bed. Every room is the same. Food, water, and toilet must all be outside. This is a roost.
However, when I released Sense Living, there was a reaction for one more entity. We have to check that.
When I chanted Sense Living again, there it was. Behind something shaped like a large sofa made of several bear skins laid out where the demon had been lying, there is a hole with several iron bars. The gunpowder with silver would have stopped at the demon and the stone sofa, so it wouldn't have reached the back. Moreover, the hole doesn't extend straight but turns in the middle. You can't even peer into the back. Since the other holes only had beds, there's likely something in the back. Moreover, even though there's a demon, the entrance has an iron cage. No matter how you think about it, there's something. However, the reaction is weak. That's what concerns me.
"Shall we withdraw once?"
Eleanor-sama proposed a passive plan.
"No, let's go as we are."
Henry-sama insisted on a forceful plan. In other words, we will destroy the iron cage.
Eleanor-sama deployed a Wind Barrier beyond the iron bars. Since the top half is open, I throw in one Firefly from there. Even though it's curved, the depth isn't much. When I increased the output, a scream could be heard, perhaps because the light reached the back. It sounds like a chick, going 'pee-pee.' It's pitiful, so when I lowered the output, it stopped crying.
"Isn't it a chick?"
"It might be."
"Are you going to kill the chick too?"
"It depends on the situation."
How... pitiful.
"If it's just weakened, that's one thing, but if it's on the verge of death, it's faster to put it out of its misery."
That might be as Eleanor-sama says, but...
"First, let's check the situation."
Henry-sama said so and began digging at the base of one iron bar with a silver knife.
He removed one. It's a skillful thing, and it can be put back.
The small-statured Bonnie could barely pass through. Using a Wind Barrier as a shield and taking one Firefly I handed her, she explores.
"Be careful."
"Yes."
Her voice sounds extremely carefree, but her eyes are serious. She's tense.
When she went slowly into the back, a chick-like voice could be heard once.
She comes back while backing away.
"There was a small Harpy. It might be a chick. It's about the size of a human child, and iron rings were fitted on both its hands and feet. The rings were connected by chains, and they were connected to the wall."
Connected? A prisoner?
"Perhaps the Harpies had their chicks taken hostage."
In other words, were the Harpies being used by the Demon Race?
Now, what to do?
If it's as Eleanor-sama speculated, wouldn't the Harpies become docile once the demon is defeated?
"We don't know that. We've already killed two of them. And even now..."
A battle might be unfolding at the fortress.
Assuming there are four Harpies excluding the chick, we've killed two of them. One is a bagworm. The remaining one is fighting at the fortress.
"The closest connection from here is the Dullahan. Let's have Magdalena contact Saxburg-sama. Tell her we want to meet urgently. It's also better to contact Wilhelmina."
"That's right. And let's carry the one hanging from the tree outside."
The two of them quickly decided on the arrangements and began to move.
We hurry to the fortress in the medium-sized bowl. We don't hide our presence and go as we are. We fly at high speed to the edge of the forest, and there we remake a new bowl.
From there we moved at high speed halfway, and at the stage where we approached the fortress, we returned to normal flight.
"There it is! It's still flying!"
Bonnie found it. It's Wilson-san's bowl. When enlarged, it was certainly there. A bit away from the fortress. The reason it's moving around in circles is probably because it's having an aerial battle with the Harpy. To be precise, right now it's just being chased unilaterally.
At the same time, the fortress surrounded by ice also came into view. Around it, there is a swarm of Orcs. The Orcs are all looking up at the sky and making a fuss.
The fortress was frozen before departure. That said, not the entire fortress but the slope in front of the fortress. After Mary and Eleanor-sama wetted it sufficiently with Shower, they froze it with Freeze, and then Eleanor-sama released Cocytus at key points. Cocytus doesn't melt for a while even if the caster cancels it. Moreover, winter is near. It cooled down sufficiently. With this, it became difficult for the Orc ground forces to even approach the fortress.
The soldiers all holed up in the basement of the fortress. There are many flags standing on the outer wall, but there are no people. At first glance, it looks like many soldiers are standing on the outer wall, but that was Mary's Illusion. The opponent is a bird. And it uses Tempest. Tempest will blow away units if they are hit on flat ground, but it can't destroy a stone fortress. They just have to stay holed up. Mary has Price-sama assisting her, so they can have them evacuate to the shade of a building before the Harpy releases Tempest. In addition, the bowl piloted by Wilson-san, carrying Harrison-san, Will, and the brat, challenges the Harpy to an aerial battle, giving it no time to release magic. Wilson-san and Harrison-san can detect the activation of Tempest in advance and react with log Holy Lances while giving variation to the bowl's movement. Will fires silver arrows. It should be okay even if they are attacked by two at the same time. Since the brat is the commander, he couldn't be allowed to stay holed up, so he was put on the bowl.
The initial plan was that while Group 1 draws the ground enemies, Group 2 attacks the Harpies and simultaneously identifies their base. It ended up that way, but what was different was that one Harpy also invaded the fortress. Since it's a chicken-headed Harpy, I thought they would all gather at Group 2 if provoked, but that wasn't the case. However, this was also anticipated, and we are currently moving along those lines. Dragging it into a war of attrition remains the same. The aerial chase is proof of that.
Of the four Harpies confirmed, one was defeated before the operation. Of the remaining three, one was chased and killed, and Henry-sama had noticed that we were being monitored by another one at that point. In other words, there was one more somewhere, but that was effectively ignored. Because if it's just one, it can be left to the fortress. And in that case, Group 1's role was to draw the Harpy that came to the fortress until Group 2 finished its job, to ensure the enemy didn't withdraw.
What if there was something more powerful behind them, for example, the Demon Race? Henry-sama and the others' conclusion was quite simple. The demon's purpose is to protect the Demon Realm from human hands. That being the case, there would be no daytime sorties, which are high-risk. It turned out to be exactly right.
Eleanor-sama's medium-sized bowl approached the one having the aerial battle. It flew just above the ground, then flew away from the fortress. It was only a very short time. However, the coordination between Wilson-san and Eleanor-sama was brilliant, and while we were flying just above the ground, they came quite close. The Harpy must have seen the chick and the bagworm on this bowl. It stopped chasing for a moment and stopped in mid-air. And it came toward us.
Eleanor-sama, after confirming that Wilson-san's bowl was moving away, accelerated the bowl toward the forest.
We flew at a reduced speed, but nothing happened until the edge of the forest. We were overtaken easily and it took a position diagonally behind us, but that's because Henry-sama was holding a blade to the bagworm like a villain. The chick is completely terrified and is clinging to the edge of the bowl, crying 'pee-pee.' In a time like this, if we clumsily get close and cause a fuss, it will only be a hindrance. It's pitiful, but we ignored it.
When we entered the edge of the forest, we chose an appropriate hollow and landed. We transformed the bowl into a plate.
The Harpy that followed had a terrifying expression of rage and landed very close by.
Henry-sama throws the demon's knife he had hidden at its feet. It jumped back as if startled, but once it identified the true nature of the object that rolled on the ground, it looked at us. it has a puzzled expression. Next, Bonnie shows the Harpy the chick as if embracing it. Then, she pushed the chick's back. After looking at us uneasily, the chick cried 'pee-pee' and ran to its companion and clung to it. The restraints on both its hands and feet are already gone. However, painful-looking scars remain.
When the Harpy covered the chick with its right wing, the chick became quiet, perhaps feeling safe.
Next, I took out dried meat from my pouch, shaved off a piece, put it in my mouth, chewed it up, and swallowed it. After showing that I had eaten it with a wide-open mouth, I went near the Harpy and placed the dried meat at its feet. I pulled the plug of my water skin in front of it, took a sip, and placed that beside the dried meat as well.
Finally, Bonnie releases the bagworm's restraints with a silver knife. The contents of the bagworm seem to be sleeping soundly, snoring with a happy expression. When the three of us, Henry-sama, Bonnie, and I, lowered it from the plate, the plate returned to a bowl.
"Well then, we will contact you later."
Eleanor-sama said so with a full smile and soared into the sky. She flies toward the fortress just like that. Looking back, the Harpy is not following.
"Do you think it was conveyed?"
Eleanor-sama asked. Judging by the chick's feeling, I don't think it understands human speech. However.
"Yes. I think so."
It's not Prince Gwyn, but it's a matter of feeling. I'm sure it's been conveyed.
When we returned to the fortress, we were put on standby for a while.
When we landed in the courtyard while surrounded by the Illusion, Wilson-san and the others also descended.
Henry-sama was being asked various things by the brat, but when he said he had defeated one demon, the brat was stunned, perhaps in surprise. As if to follow up, he was asked to gather the staff in the meeting room, and he hurriedly went to call them.
"Since we defeated one Harpy and the demon considered the leader of that Demon Realm, the Orcs that have gathered will likely disappear. Let's stay on standby like this until tomorrow for now."
"Understood. Let's do that."
In the meeting, it was settled with Henry-sama's single word and Price-sama's reply affirming it.
The fortress staff, especially the old-timers, most feared night attacks by powerful monsters. That threat was eliminated by the former heroes. The people of the fortress all let out sighs of relief and praised Henry-sama, saying he was truly a former hero.
However, Henry-sama, who would usually be happy to explain the circumstances, is being solemn.
"Do not let your guard down yet. It should be fine if they don't come tonight. In the first place, the Orcs are still remaining, aren't they?"
"Eh? Ah, yes. That's right. We must not be careless."
"Hmm. It is as the commander says. Do not relax your guard tonight. We of the Henry Party will also take up positions to protect if anything happens, using Flight Magic."
"I-is that alright?"
"Hmm. In exchange, I am a bit tired from the big fight with the demon. Might we of this party be allowed to rest until something happens?"
"Of course. If you wish, I will have meals brought to your rooms, and yes. To the two of you who achieved the great feat, I will present a bottle of wine from me. If nothing happens, please take your time until morning."
"I am sorry. Then, I will take you up on your offer and rest early with the sunset. Archbishop Price, is that acceptable?"
"Please, go ahead," he was granted, and the farce ended. He must be planning to go to Northern Gram tonight.
Before sunset, the Orcs began to withdraw. There are over a thousand Orcs. Normally thinking, with a thousand against a hundred, the chances of winning are slim.
When the retreat began, the soldiers who had been holed up all went up to the outer wall to see them off. Since instructions had been given not to provoke them, no cheers arose, but they celebrated each other's safety by slapping each other's shoulders and embracing here and there.
After seeing off the Orcs, I was allowed to bathe in my room. The room is for the females of the party, and all of us from the Class of 175 are together. Henry-sama is royalty, so he has a separate room, and Price-sama and Harrison-san are in the same room as the bishop attached to the fortress.
Since the four of us were divided into two groups, we discussed each other's actions for the day.
Will basically fought an aerial war of attrition in the bowl. In reality, it was about how to draw the Harpy, and she apparently made it so that magic and arrows seemed to hit but didn't. If they didn't avoid them, and they ended up defeating the Harpy, the Orcs would withdraw. Then they wouldn't be able to earn time for Group 2 to act, and something stronger might come out later. If something like the Demon Race came out, it would release lightning. The fortress might even be destroyed. Saying that, she reportedly coaxed the brat, who was trying to meet them head-on, into playing tag.
Mary, for her part, manipulated the Illusion to draw the Orcs. The Harpy probably saw through it, but it's a chicken-head. It reportedly challenged the bowl piloted by Wilson-san. She said she was watching with Price-sama from below, wondering when they would be blown away by Tempest. Fortunately, when a Harpy releases Tempest in the air, it apparently enters a gliding state for a moment. It probably can't move its wings because it releases magic from its hands. She said that if they were like Dragonewts with wings and hands separate, and if it weren't for Harrison-san's Over Flow, it might have been dangerous.
When I asked Will about that, she apparently intentionally let it take her back. Having done so, when it tried to release magic or fire an arrow, the Harpy would flee. By doing so, she reportedly kept making the Harpy take evasive actions.
"An opponent who gets heated easily is simple and easy. Because they charge in immediately."
At Harrison-san's words, Henry-sama and I both looked down.