72 - Capture the Heart
When we arrived at Gioni Village, it wasn't a Hippogriff that was waiting, but a Griffon.
A monster that requires the elite of the knight orders to handle, leading a pack of Hippogriffs.
Our expedition force had no idea such an opponent existed—.
I am currently discussing future plans with Clark-san.
"Could I ask you to persuade Norma-san?"
The most important thing is the right of command.
According to my ancestors, it would be possible for us to handle this on our own. However, that would be exactly as the royal nobles intended, and that's no fun.
We are talking behind a residential house, and Clark-san has a troubled expression.
"To be honest, it will be difficult. Not only have we never worked together before, but the opponent is..."
Knight Norma, a woman about whom only bad rumors are heard.
I had seen her fighting, and I could understand why she was disliked.
Since she looks good, I wish she would be more composed and act more like a commander.
The Third, speaking in a low voice—.
"Shall we just wrap this up quickly?"
The Fifth agrees.
"An incompetent commander puts everyone in danger. She doesn't look like she has much luck... Let's just go with the flow of an honorable death in battle."
These guys are scary!
I ask Clark-san, who still looks troubled, about the state of the knights and soldiers.
"Clark-san, if the knights and soldiers found out right now that there's a Griffon, how do you think Norma-san would react?"
The worst-case scenario would be a panic, or her running away.
If she did that, she would have no choice but to become a rebel.
Clark-san shakes his head.
"She tends to underestimate Hippogriffs. If things go poorly, she'll run; if they go well, she'll try to defeat it and make a name for herself... No, she also sees reality sometimes, so it's difficult. Personally, I'd want to run away if I could."
I understood that her reactions were unpredictable.
If that's the case, the entire group will become restless.
My ancestors, now getting serious, make an immediate decision after hearing Clark-san's story.
The Fourth says.
"Lyell, shall we seize the right of command?"
My eyes widened slightly.
Seeing my reaction, Clark-san's body flinched.
It hurts slightly to be feared.
(If I could just seize it, I wouldn't be struggling...)
I am an adventurer, and the opponents are knights.
Even if the Seventh doesn't hate adventurers, it wouldn't be strange for the knights to see me as an inferior.
Since I'm not a famous adventurer or part of a mercenary group, I have absolutely no name recognition in Central.
The Second says.
"...Lyell, let's go talk to the village chief. We'll have Clark handle the talking with Norma. If she wants to run, let her run. Hey, it's your turn."
The one entrusted with the task was the Fourth.
"In times like this, it's better to spend lavishly... based on the numbers... I wonder if five hundred gold coins in total will be enough? It's a pain not knowing the price of a Griffon. I'll ask Clara... no, let's just sell it to Central. They'll probably buy it at whatever price I name. Alright, Lyell—"
The Fourth looked like he was having fun. I had the impression that he loved hoarding money and hated spending it.
"—Let's pay one gold coin per Goblin. Then, five gold coins for things like Orcs. Fifty gold coins for a Hippogriff, and one hundred gold coins for a Griffon!"
As a reward, it was unprecedented.
(He really is bold when he spends.)
As I was thinking that, the Fourth—.
"The recovery goal is over seven hundred gold coins!"
—As expected, he was the usual Fourth.
(This miser.)
I ask Clark-san to persuade Norma-san.
"Could you tell her that there's a Griffon? If she doubts me, I have skills, so I can prove it. Also, I have something to say, so please have the knights gather as well."
Clark-san still has a troubled expression.
"What are you thinking? You're not planning to gather everyone in one place and charge in all at once, are you?"
He looks anxious. Did he think I'd become desperate and try to lead a suicidal charge...
Being told that, I decided to smile.
I must show confidence.
Otherwise, the other party will become anxious.
(Come to think of it, this is the first time since Darion...)
Directing a smile toward him, I say to Clark-san.
"I'll take the right of command. It'll be fine. When it's over, everything will belong to you and the volunteers. Please look forward to the reward for slaying the Griffon."
When I say that, Clark-san's mouth hangs open.
The Sixth says.
"Alright! Stop right there!"
I place my hand on Clark-san's shoulder and say.
"It's okay. I'll bring us to the best possible situation. I want to see the people of the royal palace be happy. The sight of the expedition force, which they didn't think would return, coming back and bringing in a Griffon... Let's march in formation through the main street of the royal capital after passing through the gates."
Clark-san's face remained pale, and he looked like he was about to foam at the mouth.
"No, the royal palace... even if you call it a triumphal return..."
I continue.
"We'll trouble the royal nobles who cast us aside and take the credit for ourselves... Won't you join me?"
When I put on a serious expression, Clark-san looked conflicted.
Since he seems like a relatively serious person, he's probably thinking about various things.
Then, his shoulders slump.
"...If what you say is true, there's no chance of survival. But how do you plan to defeat a Griffon? As for preparations, we only have a few crossbows."
Hearing that they brought crossbows, my ancestors begin to rejoice.
The Second says.
"This knight is competent. I wish you'd learn a thing or two from him."
He's probably talking about my lack of preparation.
"I'll show you. In front of everyone, though."
After parting with Clark-san, I began walking toward the village chief.
While searching for the village chief, I found him giving instructions to the villagers.
In addition to helping set up tents, he was asking the villagers to prepare meals.
Everyone had a dark expression.
The Second says.
"An expedition force of a hundred people in a small village. Plus, there are nearly forty villagers... it's not strange that they're despairing. Especially since the expedition force is a collection of useless people."
(...Come to think of it, in the Second's time, the Walt family's territory still had several settlements and was in the form of villages.)
The First cleared the land and brought the barbarians under control.
The one who built the foundation, in the true sense, was the Second.
He was the person who organized and systematically grew the villages, even while being compared to the First and complained to by the residents.
The Third had said he simply did the work according to the Second's plan.
I call out to the village chief who is giving instructions.
"Do you have a moment?"
"Eh? Ah, yes. What is your business, Sir Knight?"
Being called "Sir Knight," I smile.
"I'm an adventurer. I joined after receiving a request from a knight in the expedition force. May I speak with you?"
The village chief looked displeased.
He's probably busy.
But I can't back down here.
Taking a small pouch containing silver coins from my pocket, I hand it to the village chief.
After looking at the contents, the village chief tells a nearby youth, "Step away for a bit," and agrees to listen to me.
(I'm always just handing over money.)
The Fourth says.
"The power of money is great. Well, considering the future of this village, it'll be tough if they don't have at least a little."
Once we reached a place where the village chief and I could talk in private, I confirmed the situation.
"When we were sent from Central, we were told the monster was a Hippogriff. Is that correct?"
The village chief's eyes widen.
"What! We clearly wrote 'Griffon' in the report! Some people in the village have even seen it in the nearby forest! How could such a thing happen..."
According to him, the deputy governor had fled and hadn't returned.
Certainly, hearing it's a Griffon would make anyone want to flee.
"...Are you going to run? Are you all going to abandon this village as well?"
The village chief looks at me with a desperate expression.
However, I say with a smile.
"No. I'll slay it. However, I have some thoughts of my own... That captain. She's a female knight, but she seems to think it's fine as long as it's defeated, even if there are casualties. It pains my heart to think this village would suffer damage. Therefore..."
"T-therefore?"
"I'll need your cooperation, Village Chief. It'll be fine. We'll protect the village and defeat the Griffon. It's as simple as that. However, the commander is unsuitable."
"...What do you want from us? And if such a thing were known to those above..."
By "those above," he likely means the deputy governor or those who manage this area.
The village chief seemed afraid that they might incur the wrath of Central and be destroyed by humans... by the knights.
"Please rest assured. I've already come to an agreement with the vice-commander. If she opposes, the captain will simply be an honorable death in battle, having fought bravely."
I start feeling unpleasant even as I say it.
Then, the village chief looks at me.
"...What is your reward? To go this far, and if you fail..."
If I fail, I'll die, but my primary goal is...
The face that came to mind was Ralph-san's.
I thought he was a serious father, but he's an incredible schemer.
Thinking about it, he's someone living as a court noble.
"There's someone I can't forgive. He's in Central, and my goal is to make him suffer."
"H-huh?"
To the village chief, who looked like he both understood and didn't understand, I made my request.
(Somehow, I'm starting to hate learning about the world.)
After finishing the preparations as told by my ancestors, I headed toward Novem and the others.
—The residential house where Norma was resting.
It was an empty house whose owner was gone, and Clark was receiving a scolding from Norma.
"A Griffon? Stop talking nonsense! We were requested by the royal palace to subjugate a Hippogriff and came here for that. To take the word of some suspicious adventurer as truth... That's why you can't get promoted!"
Clark, being scolded by a female knight younger than himself, continued his explanation while enduring it.
"But no matter how you look at it, this is too strange. That adventurer has skills and said he's willing to prove it... You must know that revealing one's skills has great significance not only for adventurers but for knights as well."
For Lyell to prove it with a skill means revealing his own skills.
Revealing one's information to someone who doesn't know it is a risk, even for someone who isn't an adventurer.
Realizing this, Norma's expression becomes subtle.
"Even if it is a Griffon, it's not our mission. We return immediately! Bring that adventurer here! If he proves his skill, we withdraw right now!"
For Norma, she wants the credit, but her life is more important.
If she thinks it's dangerous, she'll retreat.
(If only she had shown that cowardice more during the preparation stage...)
Clark regretted this, but he explained what would happen if they fled.
"If we flee now, we cannot live as knights, as we'll be known as cowards. Even if we prove a Griffon was there, we'll be blamed forever for running away. Besides, you must know the recent rumors, right?"
"Rumors? What's that?"
Norma truly seemed not to know.
Clark remembered.
(Damn. This girl... she was avoided even by her colleagues.)
In her haste to be promoted, Norma viewed those around her as enemies and had few allies.
No, it would be better to say she had none.
She was a female knight who had been promoted at a young age by repeatedly stealing the credit of others.
Everyone around her was an enemy.
(I see. That's why she was chosen. I can't really talk, having been chosen as the vice-commander for someone like her.)
The depressed Clark explained the rumors in the royal palace.
That there are too many noble and knightly houses.
Therefore, there is a need to reduce the number of people.
And that they were chosen for that purpose.
"Even if it is a Griffon, there's a possibility we'll be blamed and our ranks lowered. Not only that, if we carry a stigma, living as a knight would be..."
Hearing this, Norma screams.
"W-what do you mean! Why! Why was I chosen!"
Seeing the confused Norma, Clark says.
"Please calm down! Right now, we must think about how to obtain victory from this situation—"
"Victory!? Are you an idiot! If I could fight a Griffon and obtain victory, I wouldn't be a Ten-man Leader, but a Hundred-man Leader... no, a Thousand-man Leader! In a situation like this, how can I be calm—"
Looking at the flustered Norma, Clark thought she was less suited to be a commander than anyone he had ever assisted.
At the same time, he understood that if they fought under Norma as they were, they would lose.
As a single knight, she was excellent.
If she had looked more at her surroundings, it might have been possible for her to become a Thousand-man Leader, as she said.
Then—.
"Captain! Vice-Captain! The residents have gathered! An adventurer hired by someone named Marcus is telling us to come to the plaza! Also, the residents say they saw a Griffon, not a Hippogriff... What is going on!"
"Shall we restrain him?" To the knight who asked, Clark shook his head.
Looking at the confused young knight, Clark says.
"Captain, let's go too. Gather everyone."
Either way, there was no place to run.
The probability of winning if he took command was low.
(Am I betting on that boy...?)
Clark was still conflicted—.
In front of the village residents lined up in the plaza, I was giving a speech.
It wasn't that I wanted to.
I was simply speaking from my gut, following the voice of my ancestors.
The one in charge was the Sixth.
I gathered the villagers and appealed for their cooperation.
However, even though it was for their own sake, not everyone was keen.
So, I spoke exactly as the Sixth told me.
"Alright, look at the children and say it! Ask them if it's okay for their parents and grandfathers to be thought of as pathetic."
Following the instructions of the pleased Sixth, I say.
"Will you show a pathetic sight to your own children? Do you want to be laughed at, with your children saying their parents and grandfathers were cowards who ran away from monsters! Do you want to be despised for not even being able to avenge them!"
Using gestures, I wrap myself in the most impressive equipment I have, climb onto a porter, and shout.
Voices rise from the residents.
"T-there's no way we can fight!"
"That's right! Even if it's frustrating, we don't have the power to fight... That's why we called the knights!"
"Even the deputy governor ran away! You lot will probably run away too!"
Hearing the voices of the residents, knights and soldiers gathered around.
Because they hadn't known a Griffon was there, some were even hurriedly preparing to flee.
I think it's too late to run. Besides, if they run, no good life awaits them anyway.
If they flee from Central, where would they even go?
I draw my saber, point the tip toward the sky, and use magic.
To make it flashy, I used the First's skill, [Limit Burst].
To make it a spectacle, I had intentionally cleared a part of the plaza.
I used magic there.
"Thunder Clap."
Since the sky was cloudy, a thunderclap echoed, and lightning struck the cleared area.
A violent sound echoed around, and some of the residents even collapsed and trembled.
(I, I scared them, didn't I? I mean, do I really have to go this far?)
To avoid letting my anxiety show, I shoulder my saber and say indifferently.
"Hell if you run. Hell if you stay. Then... we have no choice but to fight."
I could imagine the Sixth grinning while looking around.
"The knights are gathering. The setup is complete. Lyell, this is where it starts."
I continued the speech as the Sixth guided me.
"Abandoned by Central... by the royal palace, we'll either be crushed here or become rebels; there's no other way. Aren't you frustrated? Will you be satisfied when the news reaches the people in the royal palace waiting for you to die, telling them you've been wiped out? If you survive, you'll be laughed at as a coward; if you run, you're a disgrace to the knights. It doesn't matter if you're just a soldier. You'll be laughed at and despised forever... Are you satisfied with that?"
Everyone's gaze is focused on me.
Having used magic flashily, some were looking at me with frightened eyes.
I am not the foolish son of a noble I showed at Darion.
Now, as Lyell, I am giving a speech in this place.
Some look down.
Some collapse to their knees.
They are varied, but everyone has an expression of resignation.
"...If we go back now and attack the people in the royal palace, we'll give them a justification and be killed. They'd probably be happy. But wouldn't you rather see the faces of those people when they're frustrated?"
Someone raises their voice.
"Frustrated...?"
I continue.
"We defeat the Griffon. We save the village. We accomplish everything and make a triumphal return to the royal capital! We'll become famous overnight. The royal nobles won't be able to avoid giving rewards to the heroes who defeated a Griffon. Surely bards will sing of us in the royal capital. Perhaps we'll be sung about throughout the country. We'll return as heroes and stand proudly before them! It's the ultimate revenge. Seize it, the money! Seize it, the status! Seize it... everything!"
Among the residents, several young men stand up.
Then, a voice came from nowhere.
"I-I'll do it! I'll seize everything! I won't let it end in a place like this!"
Then, one more, then another stood up.
As their numbers grew, the knights and soldiers also stood up.
Looking down from the porter, Captain Norma and Vice-Captain Clark-san were looking at me.
"It's the gamble of a lifetime. If we defeat the Griffon, we're heroes. Your families will pass it down! ...Win this battle and seize everything!"
Many stood up and raised their voices.
"Do you want money!"
"「「「Yeah!!」」」"
"Do you want status!"
"「「「Yeah!!」」」"
"Do you want honor!"
"「「「Yeah!!」」」"
"Then fight! I'll make you win!!"
The residents, knights, and soldiers shouted and applauded.
Though—.
"Man, shills really are important at times like this, aren't they?"
The Third spoiled the secret at the end.
From the start, the people who stood up and agreed had been arranged by us.
The Sixth says.
"Preparation is important. If they just get surprised by the magic, it'll lose momentum later."
That's true, but I feel like something is wrong.
Then, the Fifth, seeing Norma-san and Clark-san looking at me, says.
"Now that we've captured their hearts, next is the profit."
Profit—benefit. In other words, money.
After the speech, I had the village chief line up tables I had prepared in the plaza beforehand.
Then, I had Miranda-san flip over the boxes she had carried onto them.
From inside, five hundred gold coins were piled up like a mountain.
To prevent them from being stolen, Aria, Marcus-san, and the trio I saved with Bread-san surrounded them.
Novem and Monica were writing documents.
Shannon was holding a sign Monica had created.
"I-it's heavy, hurry up..."
"You really have no physical strength."
While being appalled by the trembling Shannon, I say to everyone.
"If you fight under my command, I'll pay one gold coin per monster! Form groups of a certain size, alright? I've prepared separate rewards for the commanders. Furthermore, I'll give a separate reward to the leader of the group that defeats the most."
The sign Shannon held said: First place ten gold coins. Second place eight coins. Third place five coins—it was written like that.
"One gold coin even for a Goblin! Five gold coins for an Orc or Ogre!"
Hearing that, the soldiers and knights gulped while looking at the gold coins.
And to the residents—.
"If you help me, I'll provide a reward. Women are more than welcome. Cooking, chores—there's a mountain of work."
The residents became excited.
The Second says.
"As expected, it's different when there's a reward."
The Fifth also says.
"Visible rewards are important. If you just use words like 'it'll turn out well in the end,' the motivation is different."
Seeing this, I once again realized that my own perception had been naive.
Even if it's money that I can earn quickly, there are people for whom obtaining it is difficult.
I won't say it's bad to be captivated by what's right in front of them.
But I understood what my ancestors wanted to say.
"I'll write contracts. I'll make sure the payments are made. Even if I lie, you can claim it later."
Then, one of the knights raises his hand.
"U-um... I'm not very good with letters."
I say.
"The documents are all the same. Have someone who can read confirm it for you. Those who want to contract, line up."
As Miranda-san put away the gold coins, Clark-san came before me.
"Lyell-kun... do you have a moment?"
Behind him was Norma-san.
Everyone's gaze gathered on Norma.
Borrowing the village chief's house, I spoke with Norma-san and Clark-san, the three of us.
It was regarding this Griffon subjugation.
However, it was different from my expectation.
The Seventh is appalled.
"What a piece of work. Well, it's better than her running wild. It saves effort."
On one hand, I thought it was good that I didn't have to deal with Norma-san, but on the other, I found myself appalled.
Facing me across the table, Norma-san had a serious expression.
"In other words, the right of command this time ultimately belongs to me... and the results are mine, is that it?"
She's negotiating with a serious expression, but from the start, I don't need honor in Central. It would only be a hindrance.
If Norma-san refused, I intended to have Clark-san take all the credit back.
"Captain, that's a bit much."
When Clark-san interrupted, Norma-san declared.
"It's important! It's the credit for slaying a Griffon! Not only will you do it for me, but if it fails, it's your sole decision. There's no downside for me!"
Considering the current situation, the downsides were few.
The fact that she couldn't just run away was the same for Norma-san.
However, even if she failed and died, it would be an honorable death in battle.
The Fifth says.
"...I can appreciate how she immediately switches her thinking and doesn't obsess. It's better than her getting in the way."
I nodded.
"If you follow my instructions, all the credit is yours. However, you must also report the efforts of those who participated. If you don't, you know what will happen, right? Everyone here will become your enemy from now on."
Perhaps she understood, as Norma-san also nodded.
"I-I know. I'll write in the report that everyone had a part in the credit! If that allows me to be promoted..."
Leaving Norma-san, who was looking down with a dark smile, I looked at Clark-san.
"Clark-san, you're fine with that too, right? As for me, I'd like you to follow along."
Sighing, Clark-san shook his head.
"If I say I don't recognize the right of command from here, the Captain and I will both be torn to pieces. However, I'm fine with just the portion I worked for. If the facts are written in the report, I'll follow."
Hearing that, Norma-san snorted.
"Idiot. A typical case of the honest man being the fool."
Being told that, Clark-san muttered sadly.
"That... may be so."
With the issue of the right of command settled, I left the place as I had work to do.
(An honest man, huh...)
Clark-san also accepts bribes.
I arranged it so that he would, but he's not just a stubborn and serious person.
However, he was someone I couldn't hate.
(Why was he chosen for this expedition force?)
I could only wonder.
If the royal palace just needed anyone, then that would be that.
When I returned to Novem and the others, some kind of problem had arisen.
While Novem had a troubled face, Monica beside her was completing contracts one after another.
The opponent was a child.
"I want to fight too! My father died, and I only have my mother, so if I don't fight..."
The boy with short brown hair had messy hair.
In terms of age, he probably hadn't even reached ten.
He was composed, but even Novem was refusing.
"You're still too young, so how about helping around the village? Besides, even if you say you'll fight..."
The reason for her confusion was likely because the opponent was serious.
With a serious expression, he was pleading desperately.
"At that age, it's really impossible."
As I said that and tried to approach, the Third spoke, not in his usual cheerful tone.
"...He looks like Big Brother."
It was a serious, or rather, a somber voice.
Sadness was mixed in, and the Second—.
"He's the spitting image. The voice, the appearance... and that straightforwardness too."
The Second's tone was nostalgic.
While I was wondering what to do, the Second said.
"Hey, Lyell... could you look after that boy, just for a little bit? Just a tiny bit is fine."
At the Second's strained voice, I couldn't say no.