11 – Invasion
While walking down the road, Vengras looked up.
Silver birds danced in a cloudless blue sky. That was the true blessing from the Hero. A power that was shared equally with all.
He then turned his attention back to the scene ahead.
There was still green field of wheat that spread around him, and up ahead, a valley created by two mountains.
“Sorcerer, was there an order from the Hero?”
Asked the armored knight as he pulled on the reins. Vengras smiled warmly.
“To maintain the marching speed and avoid combat as much as possible… Same as always.”
The knight nodded, and turned his horse in in order to tell the rear of the line.
The group following behind consisted of about twenty fully armed knights and a handful of infantry with mismatched equipment. Only a few carried spears, and it was rare to see anyone wearing armor.
There were at most a dozen or so infantrymen. Clearly, they were country folk who had been drafted.
Still, they all wore serious expressions as they continued the march.
“They will have to start gaining combat experience soon.”
“Indeed. We received orders in regards to that as well. However, I’m a little concerned about how there are fewer monster sightings than expected.”
“I heard that Morania monsters are weaker and less organized?”
“…I think…that is probably wrong.”
It was true. There had been little fighting since entering Morania. With the fortress near Zeneji as well, they had not seen any monsters until taking it.
“Indeed… They must have received orders from the demon general who controls these lands.”
“However, it would be one thing if it was Kaiter, where they rule. But Rimlith, Temeria… The demon generals were known to fight amongst themselves there.. In the first place, would monsters really follow such orders…”
“Is that…so?”
Based on what he heard and what he saw…something was wrong.
The monsters in Morania were not united, and were known to fight each other.
“Will it really be alright with just ust?”
“…Yes. That was the Hero’s decision. We just have to obey.”
The knight chuckled and nodded.
“We may just be pawns on a game board, but it’s not as if we can only act as others dictate. We should be allowed to act, even if it exceeds what the Hero intended.”
“…Well…it is possible that such actions…would be predicted and part of his plans.”
“Sorcerer!”
Up ahead, from the thickening forest, a man rushed towards them on a horse.
“Mr. Sylt. Did something happen?”
“Yes. I found the footprints of many monsters in the forest… I must assume that quite a large number have invaded it.”
The scout then nervously handed him a map made of sheepskin.
“I marked the advance of the monsters over the surrounding terrain. Most of the footprints were from goblins or other low-rank monsters… However there were also some ogres and trolls with them.”
“It must be quite an army… It could be…”
On his way here, he had heard information regarding Lindle. The village was tightly protected because of the Hero there, and it was able to trade with nearby villages.
That being said, the scout had reported that the enemy forces amounted to two hundred. Unless you were incredibly powerful, one person would not be able to stop them.
“This direction…it looks like they are headed towards Lindle village.”
“Yes. It must be.”
“Should we really continue our march in this direction?”
Asked the knight, and Vengras looked up at the sky again. The silver birds were still sending the same order.
“We continue onwards. However, we will increase the number of scouts in order to avoid being surprised by the monsters. We must be cautious. I don’t care if it slows us down a little.”
“Without any help, the village will surely…fall.”
“His word is law. After all, it is also the word of the Seer.”
“…That is true.”
The knight pursed his lips with a bitter expression and became silent.
He did not agree, but he had to obey.
It was because the Seer that the Hero’s army was invincible.
Yasuharu’s words were the words of a god, and as long as they obeyed, they would be able to beat any powerful enemy and army.
And so obey they did.
No matter what it was.
The knight’s response was nothing more than a futile objection. Just a gesture to express his feelings with no hope of achieving anything.
Compassion.
It was something unnecessary for this Hero’s army.
It was because they could cast it aside that they had remained an undefeated force for all of this time.
“However…”
Vengras turned towards the knight with a smile.
“The Hero’s order is that we increase the number of scouts and stay alert. And Lindle is an important supply point for us…Mr. Sylt.”
The scout nodded firmly.
“I understand. I will go on ahead and investigate the monster invasion.”
“You must return alive. Your presence is necessary for our army.”
“…As a capable scout, you mean.”
He said with a little irony, and then left.
He had also been in this army for a long time. He knew all about the cold ruthlessness of the orders, and the achievements that resulted in them.
Still he couldn’t help but challenge them. Perhaps that was the way the human heart worked.
“Let’s go, sorcerer.”
“…Yes.”
Vengras looked up at the sky once more.
The silver birds looked down at their actions without any emotion.