188 - Redant Fortress
It was once a place that had been a fort.
But now, it had become a fortress capable of housing triple walls and ten thousand troops.
The Redant Fort, now renamed the Redant Fortress, was beginning to take shape.
Gripping the orb and riding Mei in her kirin form, I looked down at the fortress from the sky. I used a skill to grasp a three-dimensional map of the area, and while observing the fortress, I conversed with the successive heads of the family residing within the orb.
In times like this, it was a blessing to have Mei, who knew the circumstances.
The Fifth Generation spoke while confirming the fortress.
『Magic defense is only necessary on the surface. We don't have time this time, so build it on the premise of a single use. As long as the final wall is reinforced, it won't be a problem if the other two are destroyed.』
Apply a material that thinly reflects magical power to the surface. This alone makes a significant difference, but it is unreliable when facing an army of hundreds of thousands.
Normally, I would have wanted to construct the entire fortress using materials resistant to magical power. However, that was rejected due to the lack of time.
I also checked the traps. It was assumed that the first and second walls would be breached, and I planned to set traps between those walls.
The Third Generation spoke while looking at the nearly completed fortress.
『Oil, gunpowder, arrow-bombs... we're short on supplies, but there are various ways to handle that. The problem is the sky.』
He said that when facing a massive army of monsters, the biggest problem is the monsters capable of flight.
I had not yet experienced combat against a massive army, but there seemed to be a great difference between monsters and humans.
That difference was that monsters do not retreat.
Humans can retreat if they believe they cannot win. However, monsters have no such thought and simply push forward until the end.
Because of that, it is possible to lure them into traps. However, their breakthrough power is staggering.
Among monster armies with such breakthrough power, the most troublesome are the flying monsters. They can fly over the city walls and attack the rear.
If they soared high into the sky, they were opponents that were difficult for us to reach. Above all, even if a powerful Griffon came over the wall, ordinary soldiers would be no match for it.
I turned my gaze toward the place where the monster army, which the fortress was awaiting, would arrive.
"I wouldn't mind chipping away at them bit by bit. Though it doesn't seem like they're suffering much damage."
The first time, I conducted reconnaissance with the help of Shannon's eyes.
The second time, I moved with Mei to cull the troublesome monsters.
The third time—I fired hundreds of light arrows at the monsters, but they were blocked by monsters proficient in magic.
There were likely thousands of flying monsters alone. The ones I managed to defeat were fewer than a hundred of them.
I wanted to continue chipping away at them, but I had other work to do.
"As for me, I'd like to just charge in and crush them. More importantly, is there even a point in me making a grand appearance? Humans are so obsessed with things like that."
As Mei shook her head in exasperation, the Fifth Generation spoke to her through the Connection.
『Be patient, Mei. Listen, in times like this, morale is more important than anything. Monsters don't have such a thing, but humans need the will to fight.』
Without it, the human side would easily collapse.
No matter how much we say we will win, it is meaningless if they do not believe it.
"I'll do my best!"
Seeing Mei show enthusiasm after being told by the Fifth Generation, I let out a wry smile.
I checked the traps along the path.
I had prepared as much as possible, but the successive heads said that this level of preparation wouldn't reduce the numbers that much.
According to them, it was merely "better than nothing." They said that for things like pit traps, a massive number of monsters would quickly fill them in, creating a path.
Against hundreds of thousands, slaughtering a few thousand with traps was nothing more than a margin of error.
Additionally, the worst part about this massive monster army was its balance.
They had air power, and many of the monsters were proficient in magic. While they likely wouldn't coordinate, it was obvious that concentrated magic would strike the fortress.
Since it was a fort, there were cliffs surrounding it, which limited the opponent's movements—that was the only saving grace.
The Seventh Generation spoke.
『Well, it's more advantageous to hole up in a fortress. Even if the opponent outnumbers us ten to one.』
If we only considered the difference in military strength, it seemed certain we would be breached.
"Well, I've done everything I could."
The Fourth Generation seemed to be nodding in agreement.
『Yes. We've done almost everything possible in this short period. Gathering funds and increasing military strength. Turning the fort into a fortress for future measures against Vanseim. Bringing the elves on board and promoting Lyell as a hero who stood against an overwhelmingly disadvantageous situation. Well, I wish we had more military strength, though.』
I borrowed troops from Zain and Rolfis.
From the perspective of those two nations, it was surely a nuisance. The upper echelons were likely happy that their debts were decreasing, but from the perspective of the rank-and-file, it was an outrageous story.
The mercenary groups and adventurers were gathered by Beim to solidify their own defenses for the urban areas and rear guard.
I recruited volunteers from the villages near the border, but they didn't even reach a thousand. How many more could I gather from here... and besides, they aren't very useful as soldiers.
They have weapons, but they haven't received training as soldiers.
(Well, the real goal isn't to have them fight.)
In times like this, Beim does not gather its citizens as soldiers. That's why the turnout was poor.
The Third Generation spoke.
『Now, Lyell. The situation is hopeless. Challenging a fight in such a situation is wrong! Everyone would think so.』
"They probably would. But—"
『—that's exactly why it's good!』
I could somehow imagine the Third Generation wearing a scheming smile.
――Beim East Side Guild.
At the reception counter, Marianne was radiating anger.
"I told you it's impossible! There is no forced participation for you. There is no meaning in throwing your lives away in vain!"
The ones she was dealing with were Erhart and his group. The surrounding adventurers and Erhart's group were bewildered by the anger of the usually fluffy Marianne.
Her colleagues at the reception were also surprised to see Marianne.
"B-but, Marianne-san. We've already got our equipment... and if we participate, we'll get a reward, and the amount jumps if it's outside the urban area."
Even the usually assertive Erhart was bewildered and stammering in the face of Marianne's anger.
"You think you've become a full-fledged adventurer just because you've gathered some equipment? Stop it right now. Listen, if you think like that, you will absolutely die! All you've done until now is chores and fighting monsters outside in between. How much stronger have you actually become in a few months? You really don't understand, do you?"
It was Marianne's job to always speak kind words to the newcomers, but this time, she herself had forgotten her job.
Erhart and the others replied.
"W-what's the big deal? We can do it too! Besides, you said we had talent, Marianne-san!"
Marianne looked down and bit her lower lip. Then, she clenched her fists and looked as if she were about to cry, but she endured it and forced a malicious smile.
"I say that to everyone. You're not special. There are plenty of adventurers like you. I was just being friendly because if I praise and flatter you, you'll do the unpleasant jobs for me."
Brushing her hair back, Marianne directed a mocking smile at Erhart and the others.
"Y-you've thought of us that way this whole time! We were really grateful to you, Marianne-san—"
"Huh? Don't flatter yourselves. So what? Just quickly pick a job you're capable of and stop interfering with my work, will you?"
What Marianne handed to Erhart and the others were requests for manual labor in the urban defense. They were requests treated as non-combatant roles.
Erhart and the others looked down. Among Erhart's companions, some were shedding tears.
They seemed deeply shocked by the words of Marianne, who had been their reliable and kind older sister figure.
Erhhart silently signed the documents and slammed them back onto the counter.
"――And I trusted you!"
Marianne processed the documents with an arrogant attitude and handed envelopes to Erhart and the others. Erhart and his group snatched the envelopes and left the counter.
Seeing this, Marianne let out a sigh of relief and slumped her shoulders.
Immediately, Tanya came to Marianne's side.
"Marianne, you're being called."
Thinking that she had gone too far, Marianne put on a faint smile, stood up, and headed toward her boss's room.
Tanya took her place at the reception counter to deal with the adventurers—.
――The boss's room.
The boss didn't seem particularly angry with Marianne after she reported the situation.
"Marianne, I thought you were smarter than that. If one or two adventurer parties wanted it, you could have just sent them to the front lines. It's not something you need to feel responsible for."
Marianne looked down.
After reporting to her boss, she smiled slightly.
"That's true, but... still, when you watch over them, you develop an attachment. Those children still have a future. Letting them die here is—"
The boss, perhaps understanding Marianne's feelings, let out a sigh.
"That's exactly why I have you in charge of the newcomers. However, today's incident will spread quickly. If it's taken with malice, it will interfere with your work. From now on, I'll have you move to the third floor. Your time as the newcomer coordinator is over. ...You've worked hard until now."
At the boss's words, Marianne felt as if she were about to cry. Not because she was happy. It was just that the tears felt like they would flow, so she covered her mouth.
"...Thank you very much. Please excuse me."
Marianne replied and left the boss's room—.
――Once her work had settled down, Tanya headed to the break room, where she ran into Rieue.
"Ah, good work, Tanya-san!"
Bright and energetic, Rieue's attitude toward her superiors was a bit bold, but she never acted out toward those she absolutely must not defy.
In that way, she navigated the workplace skillfully.
"Good work. How are things on your end?"
As Tanya asked while sitting in a chair, Rieue beamed with a happy smile.
"The adventurers who can go to the important facilities outside the urban area have been decided. The reward was good, and they said they'd do it if I asked—"
Looking at the happily talking Rieue, Tanya remembered. They were the generation that was still young and didn't know about the previous labyrinth rampage.
That was Rieue and her peers.
"――And so, when I asked the adventurers who have been kind to me, they accepted! They said they have something they want to tell me when they return!"
Judging by Rieue's demeanor, they seemed to be very close with the adventurers. Hearing this, the veteran employees cast sympathetic glances at Rieue.
Tanya could roughly guess what kind of adventurer the opponent was. They were classified as excellent adventurers, but that meant excellent from the guild's perspective.
If asked if they were truly strong adventurers, she could only shake her head.
Rieue spoke about Marianne.
"Still, I wonder if Senpai finally reached her limit? Those adventurers who only have ulterior motives... their gazes are really creepy. Well, I sympathize with her."
Tanya and the surrounding veteran employees, looking at Rieue, were reminded of Marianne.
When Marianne first became an employee, she was beautiful, young, and popular. She had been pampered and had taken an attitude like Rieue's.
Tanya thought.
(I pray that you don't become the second Marianne, Rieue.)
As the guild moved frantically, Tanya felt that a kind of generational shift was about to occur—.
Redant Fortress.
Standing at its highest point, I raised a flag. There was the flag of Beim, but there were also the flags of Zain, Rolfis—and the flag of House Walt.
The flag, which looked as if silver craftsmanship were supporting a blue orb, was something I had made independently.
Wearing the blue armor I had the blacksmith finish, I held my helmet under my right arm and looked back.
The gathered personnel reached twenty-six thousand. It was fewer than planned, but I felt this was unavoidable.
And as the morning sun rose, a black shadow appeared beyond the horizon. It was the monster army.
"Everyone! Many of you are thinking: Why should we risk our lives for Beim? Why should we listen to the orders of a brat like me?"
I shouted at the top of my lungs and raised my left hand; the armed legion remained in silence.
"This battle. It's certainly only beneficial for Beim. Beim is operating on the premise that this fortress will be breached. They've refused to dispatch adventurers and are focusing their strength on urban defense, merely placing adventurers and mercenaries in important locations!"
It was a truly terrible story. Of course, Beim probably had various things they wanted to say, but since there were no Beim officials here, it wasn't a problem.
I wasn't lying, either.
"It is certainly unreasonable. You, who dedicate your lives to your homelands, are fighting for another country. ...But can we really abandon Beim! Is it right to hide in our own countries and watch Beim suffer! It's not only Beim that is being unreasonably trampled by monsters! It's the people living there! I cannot forgive that!"
From within the orb, I heard the Fourth Generation's voice.
『Yes, that's a good feel. We have to advertise loudly here that you're different from Celes.』
Mireia-san chimed in there.
『Well, even if there's a difference, it's subtle. You're not lying, but you're not telling everything, either.』
This speech—it wasn't directed only at the soldiers. Rather, it was directed at the gathered citizens of Beim.
It was an appeal saying, "I'll do my best, but Beim has abandoned this place."
As I continued the speech, I drew a suitable sword from my waist. Not a katana, but a flashy double-edged sword. I held it up to the heavens and raised my voice.
"If heaven's mandate is with me, the Goddess will surely answer! I swear to protect this place for the sake of the trampled people!"
Then, Mei came galloping through the sky in her kirin form. The soldiers who looked up at the sky raised their voices upon seeing the kirin.
"H-hey! It's a kirin!"
"No way. Is there really a mandate from heaven—"
"Maybe, just maybe, this is—"
"We can win. We can win!"
"Ah, we have a kirin on our side!"
(As expected of a symbol of good luck.)
I had hidden Mei's existence until now, but I decided to use it here.
Positive opinions were emerging, but of course, they were shills. The successive heads did not cut corners even with such trivial preparations.
When Mei landed beside me, the soldiers let out a cheer. I could tell that morale was rising. The heat seemed to reach me as well.
"The Goddess's protection is with us! We will make this Redant Fortress a graveyard for the monsters! Everyone, follow me!"
As I shouted, the voices of tens of thousands of soldiers calling my name overlapped, becoming something magnificent.
(Damn, I feel bad because I'm deceiving them.)
I felt self-loathing for giving a speech for the sake of raising morale.