265 - Plunder
――A village in Beim.
There, the forces of Banseime had swarmed in, gathering the villagers in one place. Before the anxious villagers, soldiers with weapons drawn entered the village buildings, seizing various items from within and piling them up in one spot.
They collected everything from food to ornaments and weapons. In front of the villagers lay the bodies of the young men who had possessed weapons, brutally slaughtered by the soldiers. To make them believe that resistance was futile, the villagers obeyed out of terror.
The Baron who had attacked the village was speaking with his dependent knights.
"What laxity. If this were Banseime, they would either resist more fiercely or surrender from the start."
The dependent knights looked at the trembling villagers.
"The clothes they wear and the things they carry are unthinkable in Banseime. I heard taxes were low, but it is as if they aren't managed at all. Moreover, those young fellows who came at us were completely incompetent."
"Do they think of us as being on the same level as monsters? As expected of Beim, the so-called Capital of Adventurers. They understand nothing."
The soldiers were satisfied with the amount of looted supplies. Some of them held up the clothes and ornaments they had seized.
"Hey, trade this with me. My daughter is getting married soon. I want to give her some high-quality clothes."
"Then give me those ornaments you have. This one is a souvenir for my wife."
They were already treating the looted goods as their own, exchanging them among themselves. Some even began to fight, but the knights stepped in to mediate.
The Baron looked around and scoffed.
"Load the stolen goods onto the wagons. Then, we have no further use for this village... burn it."
Upon hearing those words, the villagers screamed.
"Wait! You've already stolen everything you could, why is there a need to burn—!"
An arrow pierced the chest of the villager who had stood up to protest. A soldier near the Baron had fired the arrow, and other soldiers now held their bows ready.
The Baron laughed.
"What of it? You are not my subjects. Nor am I interested in you. Besides, you wouldn't be able to survive after being robbed like this, would you? This is the least I can do for you. I shall kill you here and now."
Several knights prepared magic and set fire to the surrounding buildings. As the buildings ignited by magic flared up, the villagers wailed. Then, the soldiers fired their arrows without hesitation.
However, most were aimed at the men; the ones who remained unpierced were mostly women. Seeing this, the Baron shook his head and laughed.
"You lot. Honestly... make sure you're on time. And don't fight among allies."
Saying so, he laughed and headed toward the pile of looted supplies. The soldiers cheered, raising their fists, and dragged the women away by their hands—.
――Redant Fortress.
There, Broa was seeing off the armies of the lord nobles departing since morning. His inner feelings were complex. However, he had no reason sufficient to stop them.
Furthermore, such things were not uncommon on the battlefield to a greater or lesser extent, and Banseime was no exception. Rather, the land of Beim, which had never been exposed to the flames of war until now, was a perfect hunting ground for the lords.
If he tried to stop them clumsily, there would be those who would carry out their plans even if it meant assassinating Broa.
"Honestly, I feel the frustration of my own powerlessness at times like this."
He had once thought about rising in rank to stop them. However, one cannot rise in rank on platitudes alone, and when told to soil his hands with corruption or the plundering he loathed in order to advance, Broa would hesitate.
Then, looking down from the fortress, he spotted a soldier making strange movements. While remaining alert to the surroundings, they were heading toward his side. From their build and movements, they appeared to be a woman.
"...An enemy?"
Broa immediately entered the fortress and, taking several subordinates with him, searched for the black-haired woman he had seen. He discovered her inside the fortress.
She emerged from a certain room and began to move away from Broa.
"Could you wait a moment? Which unit do you belong to?"
Broa spoke kindly, but his hand was gripping the hilt of his sword. The knights and soldiers around Broa also remained wary of the woman.
However, a troublesome person appeared at that spot.
"How noisy. What is happening?"
A voice came from behind Broa, and when he turned around, Bread was there. Broa thought it had become a nuisance, but he responded.
"I simply called out because I discovered a suspicious person. Besides, this is a room we lend to the lord nobles. There are various things I wish to ask."
To Broa, who was wary of the lord nobles' betrayal, Bread gave a smile. Unlike the meeting the previous day, his attitude this time was composed.
"She is not suspicious. I shall guarantee that. Now, go on."
The female soldier with black hair—and red eyes, her expression unchanging—bowed her head and quickly left the scene.
Broa addressed Bread.
"...You will speak with me, I assume?"
Broa had a bad feeling, and Bread's answer was exactly as he imagined.
"This is also part of the strategy. Well, part of my personal strategy. I would appreciate it if you didn't lay a hand on the General either."
Saying so, Bread entered the room the woman had come from. Broa decided to report this to the other generals—.
――Once he confirmed that Broa had departed, Bread complained to the Baronet.
"I would like you to make the exchange of letters less conspicuous."
"My apologies. Also, I have written and sent the letter to the person from before, as instructed by the Captain of the Imperial Guard."
Bread nodded, while inwardly mocking the Baronet.
(To be spotted by that Broa is a nuisance. But do these people have no sense of crisis? Even if they are following orders, I cannot afford to have them drag me down. I shall manage this and handle future exchanges myself. Honestly, incompetent subordinates are such a bother.)
Bread made a proposal to the Baronet.
"From now on, I shall be present for the exchange of letters."
He didn't think the Baronet could outsmart him, but just in case, Bread said so. The Baronet did not seem troubled.
"Understood. I shall do so from now on. In that case, next—"
Bread seemed happy, perhaps because the Baronet was moving exactly as he wished.
When the meeting ended, the Baronet spoke to Bread.
"By the way, Captain of the Imperial Guard."
"What is it?"
"Regarding General Broa, he may try to investigate us. Depending on the situation, he might report to the other generals and steal the credit for this matter... For us, other than the Captain of the Imperial Guard, it is doubtful whether our safety is guaranteed. Perhaps you should take some measures?"
Then, Bread immediately replied.
"...Assassination?"
The Baronet hurriedly denied that idea.
"You must not! If an assassination scandal occurs at a time like this, our plan will be brought to light. It would be best to seal General Broa's movements and explain the circumstances after the Captain of the Imperial Guard has achieved the credit."
Bread thought it was a hassle, but he could agree with the Baronet's opinion.
(After I have achieved the credit, those around me won't be able to ignore my opinion. I can just dispose of Broa after that, then.)
"Understood. I shall handle it on this end."
Bread intended to eventually dispose of—kill—the obstructive Broa as well—.
We had helped the guild in the labyrinth.
However, the first thing I thought of upon stepping outside was—.
"Um, what do you mean by 'there's nothing'?"
I had braced myself for a farewell with the Fifth Generation, but the Fifth Generation didn't say a word. Mireia-san looked troubled, and Mei, who thought it was the end, seemed to feel let down and looked at me with a blaming gaze.
Inside the Jewel.
While surrounding the Fifth Generation, I listened to the circumstances inside the Jewel.
According to Mireia-san.
"...He shut himself in the Room of Memories and wouldn't come out! Even though I went to the trouble of preparing so many things!"
The Fifth Generation glared at Mireia-san.
"Don't use Mei as an excuse! Listen, saying goodbye in that kind of atmosphere would actually make the hurdle too high! A normal goodbye would be several times better!"
As it turned out, the Fifth Generation had hated the idea of attending the "farewell party" Mireia-san had planned. Indeed, the previous heads of the family had never parted in such an atmosphere. Until now, they had parted when necessary. ...No, except for the Second Generation, who couldn't even say a proper goodbye because of me.
Mireia-san had not allowed the Fifth Generation to pass on his skills. However, because I had learned of the Fifth Generation's past, she had made the inheritance possible. However, she hadn't told the Fifth Generation, and the Fifth Generation had missed the timing to pass the skills to me.
The Seventh Generation spoke.
"Shall we just do the inheritance here and be done with it? It's not something to make a fuss about, and the Fifth Generation has already conveyed what he wanted to convey."
The Fifth Generation was in a bad mood.
"I conveyed things I didn't even want to convey. Come on, let's go, Liel."
Before the Fifth Generation could lead me to the Room of Memories, Mireia-san stood in the way.
"No! If it is my responsibility, I will handle this!"
The Fifth Generation looked at Mireia-san.
"I! Told! You! It's a nuisance! Listen, I don't care about the timing. The duty of passing the skills to Liel is what's important. It might not look cool, but what's more important is passing the skills to Liel. Mireia, so stop worrying about it."
Amidst the awkward atmosphere, the conversation proceeded, but... I also had something I had to tell the previous heads.
"I'm sorry, it seems Banseime has started moving, so it looks like I'll have to move as well. I'll be busy for a while, so I won't be able to come here... I-I'm really sorry!"
As I left as if escaping, the Fifth Generation, who had extended his right hand, watched me with an indescribable expression.
――A village in northern Beim.
There, the adventurers hired as guards and the adventurers from the village lay fallen on the ground, defeated by the soldiers. The red blood absorbed into the earth indicated the traces of battle in many places.
A young soldier lifted up one adventurer.
"This guy is wearing some really great armor. I can have this since I defeated him, right?"
The soldiers, who seemed to be from the same hometown as the young soldier, laughed.
"I don't mind, but I think it's a bit much to stand out more than our boss. If you stand out, you'll be the first target on the battlefield. In that case, sell it and use it as funds for independence."
While listening to the voices around him, the young Baronet looked around.
"Honestly, making me go through such unnecessary trouble. Did you really think such sporadic attacks would work against fully equipped soldiers?"
The young Baronet kicked an adventurer who was still breathing. Around them, several people were tormenting one adventurer, perhaps to avenge a soldier who had died.
The adventurer seemed unable to comprehend it.
"W-why... we, in the labyrinth, reached the thirtieth underground floor..."
Adventurers who had broken through the thirtieth underground floor. They were indeed excellent. That is, provided the premise is "as far as adventurers go."
The Baronet scoffed.
"You prepared mages so ostentatiously, it was as if you were saying 'please target us.' With skill on your level, we can deal with you as much as we want if we surround you. I'll admit that with a number not even reaching ten, you caused nearly twenty wounded and dead on our side. But that's all. Even so, the sword you have is truly excellent. A magic tool, is it... I shall use it from now on."
There were over a hundred armed soldiers, and the adventurers' mages were targeted intensively with bows and arrows. After that, they surrounded and defeated those with long-range attacks, and then the adventurers who rushed out.
The young Baronet stabbed the original owner to death with the sword he had stolen from the adventurer.
"You seemed happy just because you won against monsters... you knew too little of the battlefield. This is why adventurers who misunderstand their own worth are a problem."
The Baronet checked the sharpness of the sword. Then, mercenaries approached the Baronet.
"Boss, don't forget our hard work too."
To the smirking mercenaries, the Baronet gave a smile.
"Of course. I am grateful for the guidance to the village. Let us arrange the promised supplies under each other's witness. Now then, once this is finished, where should we head?"
Around them, soldiers were plundering and attacking women. The village men who could not stand by took up weapons and charged, only for the soldiers to skewer them with spears and pierce them with arrows.
The mercenaries looked at the Baronet's soldiers.
"Even so, they're more ruthless than us mercenaries."
The Baronet said with a smile.
"In Banseime, I have experienced far more brutal battles. However, when the resistance is this weak, it truly makes my heart ache. That said, I have no intention of holding back. Now, let us hurry. If we dawdle, the other lords will steal our prey."
Beim also had a problem. Using the power of money, peace had lasted too long. Beim had prospered by turning the blood flowing in surrounding countries into money and sucking it up.
Somewhere, they believed they were safe, and that had created an environment where they could not put up any decent resistance in a situation like this.
For Banseime, it was an environment where they could steal as much as they wanted. The lords, their eyes changing, spread out into the surroundings—.