251 - Mother
After leaving the city and entering the woods, we transformed the Porter and made its upper body rise.
We covered it with cloth and then a net, in order to blend its appearance with mud and trees. Since the head was leaning too far to the left, we tried adding another head, and it looked truly sinister.
With the uselessly skillful Monica refining the appearance and Clara—who had become more proficient at operating the Porter than I—moving it, it quickly turned into a monster.
Watching the Porter raise both its arms, Aria, Shannon, and I applauded. Shannon was likely just reading the room and clapping, and in reality, she probably saw it as nothing more than something covered in cloth.
Monica tucked her tools into the gap between her skirt and apron and puffed out her chest.
"How is it! From any angle, it looks like one of those strange creatures called monsters, right? No, it's a more complete form than some actual monsters!"
Cloth was wrapped around the wheels to prevent them from getting caught, and once it moved, it certainly looked like a monster. A monster with two heads and large moving arms was complete.
Aria stopped clapping.
"And? We're going to attack the Central forces using this highway to rescue the Margrave's family, right? What do we do after that?"
Aria emphasized the part about "rescue." Certainly, it sounded more decent than using words like "kidnapping" or the like. Though the action was the same.
I brushed the dirt off my clothes from helping with the work.
"Sorry, but I'm going to use them as bargaining chips. We'll head straight for Fanbayle."
Shannon tilted her head.
"Don't you need to negotiate with the Margrave?"
Looking at the Porter—monster version—I gave Shannon a smile.
"I will. However, it'll be when we're in a favorable position. Sorry, but I also have to talk with Fanbayle, so I'll have to keep them on hand for a while."
To gain Fanbayle's cooperation, it was necessary to provide a benefit to the other side. And I could predict to some extent what they would demand.
I thought the adjustments would take time, but since we had gathered information on the surroundings, our policy had been decided.
Aria looked a bit bewildered.
"Wouldn't it be better to show sincerity by returning the hostages to the Margrave from the start? From there, you could gain cooperation..."
I shook my head.
"Sorry, but I'm going to make the Margrave concede to a certain extent. Otherwise, Fanbayle won't move. Besides, it's land the Walt family carved out... I think we should have it returned."
What Fanbayle wanted—that should be the territory of their own country that had been carved out by the Walt family.
Inside the orb, the Seventh Generation spoke happily.
"A lord is a creature who cannot tolerate having their land shaved away. There are times they give it up willingly. Or divide it among relatives... but someone who just grins while being robbed is unfit to be a lord. Such a person isn't worth bringing to our side!"
Mireia-san took over the explanation.
"That is why we have hostages. While negotiating with Fanbayle, let us also negotiate with the Margrave. I don't think he'll back down easily, but if he cares for his family, he'll come to the negotiating table. If things go well, we can even ask for guidance during Fanbayle's invasion, so I want the Margrave's cooperation."
Clara looked at me and pushed up her glasses slightly.
"Um... Liel-san? In that case, won't the Margrave refuse to cooperate? Taking his land and taking his family hostage creates too poor an impression for negotiations. There's very little incentive for the Margrave."
I laughed.
"It's fine. I'll prepare a deal that's enticing for the Margrave too."
The Third Generation spoke meaningfully.
"I didn't say we'd only carve out land. I'll prepare it properly. Properly, that is."
Once preparations were complete, I stretched.
"Well, it seems a unit has been dispatched from Central to collect the hostages, so let's wait."
A messenger had already informed the Margrave that the unit was approaching. Timing-wise, the attack would likely happen in a few days.
"...The top priority is securing the hostages. And defeating the enemy commander. Clara, I'm counting on you."
Clara nodded.
"Reducing the enemy's combat power is important, after all."
There was no need to annihilate them. No, it would be bad if the Margrave's reinforcements arrived while we were at it. It would be a great success if we could prioritize crushing the commander.
We decided to hide until the attack.
A few days later.
The Central unit that had received the hostages was returning via a highway that passed through the woods.
I had expected them to stay one night at the Margrave's castle and depart immediately.
Before boarding the Porter's cargo bed, Clara and I stood facing each other in a place away from our companions.
"...When I try to use a skill calmly like this, I suddenly feel kind of embarrassed. It's easier when there's some reason to hurry."
I had grabbed Clara's shoulders with both hands and pressed her against a tree. As I looked down and steadied my breathing, Clara laughed.
"Now that you mention it, you've started kissing me easily whenever there's a reason. From your perspective, Liel-san, does it feel like you're kissing because it's necessary?"
If we were in a hurry, it was no problem, but when there was time, I inevitably hesitated. No, it was necessary now, so I should hurry, but there was still some time to spare.
"Because when I'm in a hurry, I don't have time to think... when I have the leeway to think, I inevitably start thinking about various things..."
Then, Clara approached me, grabbed my face with both hands, and kissed me. While I was surprised, Clara had taken off her glasses and closed her eyes.
After a while, she pulled her lips away and put her glasses back on with both hands.
"...The connection is established. I can see the surrounding map and the movement of the unit. The reaction is yellow... but the targets to be rescued are in the center. I'll prepare as well."
Retrieving the staff that had been leaning against the tree, Clara began to walk. I touched my lips and walked behind her.
"Clara."
When she looked back, her face was slightly red.
"What is it, Liel-san?"
I thought for a moment, shook my head, and said "It's nothing," then headed toward the Porter alongside Clara.
Inside the Porter's cargo bed.
Following Monica's instructions, we secured our bodies with belts, and then, using the Porter disguised as a monster, we launched an attack on the unit dispatched from Central.
From the opponent's perspective, it was as if they had been suddenly attacked by a monster they had never seen before.
Closing my eyes, I could see the images Clara was seeing.
Using the Porter's arms, she punched away one of the panicked knights. He was truly punched, the knight was blown off his horse, fell to the ground, rolled, and stopped moving.
Inside the swaying Porter, Shannon cried out.
"Wait! Really, wait! I'm going to throw up! I'm gonna puke!"
Monica had placed a cloth in Shannon's mouth for her to bite.
"You'll bite your tongue. Also, it's fine if you throw up. I'll say this because I feel like you might forget, but I am a maid."
What does being a maid have to do with it? I wanted to say that, but it was better not to open my mouth carelessly inside the swaying Porter.
Clara operated the Porter skillfully and made it spin once near the center of the unit.
Because the arms were spread wide, the surrounding soldiers were blown away.
As one of the knights on horseback moved to use magic, I touched the wall of the cargo bed and used magic.
"Magic Shield."
The Magic Shield deployed to block the magic unleashed by the knight, leaving the Porter unscathed. The opponent, likely thinking it was a monster with magic resistance, hurriedly shouted for the surrounding soldiers to take up their weapons.
However, the Central soldiers were shrinking back against a monster they had never seen. I had heard they were a legion that did not fear death, but it seemed not all soldiers were in that state.
Still, the knights' fighting spirit was high.
When they charged with weapons, Clara slapped the knights with the Porter's arms. It took the form of a slap with an open palm, but from the opponent's perspective, it was unbearable.
Blown away, rolling on the ground, a knight bent in a direction he shouldn't have and stopped moving.
Once no more knights were visible in the vicinity, Clara immediately headed to recover the carriage.
The soldiers gave way as the Porter moved. And then, a particularly luxurious carriage—.
"...Clara, that's the wrong one. The ones inside aren't a woman and a child!"
When Clara grabbed and lifted the carriage, a pair of knights fell out. They had taken off their armor, and alcohol and food fell out with them. The pair looked at us in panic as they hit the ground.
They had landed on their buttocks and were looking up at the Porter with terrified eyes.
"It's a baggage wagon! The baggage wagon one behind! Get these guys first—"
Just as I was about to give instructions to finish off the two and rescue the hostages, the Third Generation intervened.
"Liel, leave those two alone. It's more convenient that way. We need someone in charge, after all. Also, let's let the horses escape. It'll buy us time."
Trusting the Third Generation's judgment, I gave instructions to Clara.
"Clara, let the horses escape! Then, once you've recovered the baggage wagon, retreat!"
Clara recovered the baggage wagon with the Porter's two hands and fled from the unit. The opponent seemed unable to pursue, and we headed the Porter from Margrave Lesnou's territory toward Fanbayle.
Of course, without using the highway.
"We'll be swaying like this for a while."
Aria looked relieved once the shaking from the combat subsided.
"Then it won't shake like it did before. More importantly..."
Aria's gaze turned toward Shannon. With a pale face and a cloth in her mouth, Shannon looked as if she were about to throw up at any moment. Monica handed a bag to Shannon.
"Please throw up in here. It's fine to splatter it on the floor, but if you splash it on the chicken coward, he won't let it slide. Well... I'd love to take care of a soiled chicken coward, though."
I looked at Monica.
"I think you should exercise a bit more self-restraint."
――Margrave Lesnou's castle was in a flurry.
The Central unit had returned seeking help.
When they headed to the scene, the carriage bearing Margrave Lesnou's family crest was in tatters, as if it had been slammed into the ground.
The knights immediately searched the area, but because the unit that returned for help had no horses, the report was delayed.
By the time the Margrave's subordinates searched, a considerable amount of time had already passed.
Facing the responsible parties—the two surviving knights—Varius directed a gaze filled with rage.
"You bastards... you're telling me you fled without protecting the targets of your escort! After acting so arrogant, my precious family was stolen by a monster!"
The two knights both had bodies that had not been trained. One was a man so fat his clothes seemed about to burst. The other was, conversely, slender. Too slender. Both completely untrained, they were men who served as knights solely due to their family status.
"T-That's!"
"Margrave! If you lay a hand on us, Central! L-Lady Celes will not remain silent!"
Hearing those words, Varius clenched his right arm, which had been about to draw his sword. He glared at the two knights with eyes full of murderous intent.
"Two knights who failed their mission—I hope Lady Celes forgives you!"
After spitting out the sarcasm, Varius ordered his subordinates to continue the search.
"Find them no matter what! Parselena and Braubey... find my grandson no matter what..."
Seeing the panicked Varius, the subordinates hurriedly organized additional search parties—.
Fanbayle.
Having hurriedly escaped from Margrave Lesnou's territory, we saw a boy sleeping with his head on a lap in the cargo bed.
The boy, who resembled his mother with brown hair and green eyes, was sleeping peacefully. The one providing the lap pillow was his mother, Parselena—a woman with straight brown hair and green eyes. She seemed to be in her early twenties, though she looked like she could be in her teens.
Ignoring the roads, we entered Fanbayle, forcing the Porter across a river to get inside.
During the journey, we managed to persuade the two, but they were still wary. Parselena-san looked exhausted, but she never slept in front of us.
I let out a sigh.
"It's bad for your health if you don't rest. Even if not, aren't you exhausted from the tension?"
Parselena-san thanked me for the suggestion.
"Thank you. However, I do not trust you. It's true you rescued us from the Central unit, but because of that, the House of Lesnou has been put in a difficult position. To be blunt, this is an unwanted interference."
Inside the orb, Mireia-san was laughing.
"That's exactly right. There are no words to argue back."
I spoke the words I had said many times.
"I have no intention of harming either of you. Besides, I believe Margrave Lesnou is safe. Since you aren't with him, after all."
The Third Generation laughed.
"I bet he's writing a letter of complaint to Central right about now. Central has their own fault, so they probably won't do anything clumsy. Well, if they do something clumsy, that just creates an opening we can exploit."
The Seventh Generation agreed with the Third.
"If he clashes with Margrave Lesnou, it'll be easier to pull him in. Normally, both parties would compromise, but given the situation... besides, it depends on how Celes judges it."
Parselena-san looked at me, gripping Braubey's shoulder as if protecting him.
"I see... you say you won't harm us. Will you demand a ransom from Lesnou? I'll tell you now, the House of the Margrave who guards the border is not as kind as you might think."
Parselena-san had a gentle atmosphere, but her expression was dead serious. Surely, amidst the rapid changes in the situation, she was enduring a great deal of stress.
The Fifth Generation muttered.
"A mother's strength, indeed."
Perhaps they were overlapping the image of her with themselves and their own mother. I spoke to Monica.
"Prepare blankets and drinks... herb tea and something easy to eat. I'll go tell Clara to slow down."
As Monica nodded and began preparations, Aria, who was nursing the lying-down Shannon, asked me.
"Is that okay? Isn't the timing tight?"
I nodded and whispered.
"It's better than having them collapse. Besides, it's a bit painful to watch."
Saying so, I headed toward the front section where Clara was.