Volume 2 - CH 43

Chapter 2-43. Military Force

-Morning-

The dawn has come.

With everything already prepared since yesterday, the acceptance of the villagers is surprisingly smooth.

It seems that all the people could be put into the castle in less than an hour.

After that, we will recruit soldiers who can fight.

Only women and children were not counted as combatants, and when only men were recruited, all the onis except the old onis volunteered.

Our troop is around 2,000 personnel.

Give each of them one weapon and let them be placed on the assignment place.

With this force, the castle wouldn't fall so easily.

The soldiers are instructed to wait in front of the turrets equipped with bows, tell everyone to retreat, and escape if the danger has come.

The turret has a bow gap but not like a gap for rifle.

Matchlock guns using gunpowder may not have been invented here.

Thanks to the people of the village who brought as much food as possible, I was able to secure food for another three days.

What a nifty people ...

This was the correct answer, believing in them.

However, among the onis who entered the castle, there were dozens of onis who seemed to be tired already.

I've been touring the castle town for greetings for the past week, so I know what the onis were doing.

They are Lumberjack, Fisher, and onis who worked in the fields.

I was able to understand most of their profession by looking at their clothes, but ... why are they tired just by coming here?

They work hard every day, so I don't think they'll get tired just by going up to the castle.

I want to ask why ... I don't know how to ask again.

It's really inconvenient if you can't speak.

Looking at the sky, it's cloudy.

Isn't it the first cloudy day after I reincarnated in this world?

One of the skills that was sleeping in me was awakened by the cloudy weather.

Yes, it's [Strengthening (Bad Weather)].

There is no change in my appearance, but the explanation said that my physical ability would improve, so I wondered what it was like, but there was only a change that made me feel that my body was light.

But I certainly moving faster.

It seems to be effective.

For the time being, we are ready for the fight, and the people are all embraced and equipped with weapons.

Up to this point, things went well and as expected, but one unexpected thing happened.

Raiki is in the Ninomaru (2nd palace) overlooking the castle town, staring at the unexpected case.

Looking in the direction of Raiki's eyes, the army, which was supposed to be an enemy force, was marching toward Zenki-village.

Raiki and his vassal, who thought they had a day to spare and thought that it was still early in the afternoon or evening even if the enemy came fast, seemed a little surprised.

Their march was too fast.

"I didn't expect them to come in the morning … This gives me a headache."

He muttered so that everyone could hear it, but no one opened their mouth.

I thought I should follow someone, but I'm not in a situation where I can talk about it.

Everyone should be planning what to do.

"Tenda. How many enemies are there?"

"Ha. More or less around 7,000 personnel."

"So, is it ... I'm sure they are planning to surround us."

From here, their army seems to be in command.

The enemy's army is divided into three parts and is advancing to surround this castle.

It would be easy for 7,000 soldiers to surround this castle.

But I still can't get my hands on it.

It's because it doesn't look like it's been done yet.

But this number.

It would be more correct to say something unpleasant is swirling in my mind.

Our allies have 2,000 troops.

Even if we add the combined strength of women and old men is about 3,500, but the enemy's strength is 7,000.

We are overwhelmingly disadvantaged in terms of numbers.

It is said that three times as many troops are needed to attack a castle, but there is magic in this world.

I should think that my previous life knowledge is useless.

"My lord, that is ..."

One of the vassals seems to have found something and points to the flag on the enemy side.

It's hard to see because it's far away, but the other onis seemed a little surprised to see the flag.

I'm surprised why they were able to see such a small flag.

"It's the flag of the Kingdom of Garrot. From that color, it's the flag of Courselete Asure, the third son of the Courselete royal family."

Apparently it was identified only by the flag color.

All of the people in this room are surprised.

They said the enemy seems to be Courselete Asure, the third son of the Courselete royal family in Garrot, but I don't know anything about that.

Who is that?

The fact that Garrot is attacking means that the mastermind is definitely from Garrot.

"Does Raiki know about Courselete Asure?"

"I've heard that the royal family is bad. I don't know how bad it's, but that's some amazing arrangement of soldiers."

The Sannomaru (3rd palace) of the castle of Zenki-village has three large gates: Inui Ote-mon, Higashi Karamete-mon, and Minami Ote-mon.

By the way, the direction of Inui corresponds to the northwest as it is now.

The East Karamete-mon is the back door, but the last gate, the Onijo Karamete-mon, was as big as the other Ote-mon.

The enemy divided their army into three parts.

The places to deploy are Inui, Minami Ote-mon, and Higashi Karamete-mon.

And the three troops were further divided into three.

The troops gathered at Inui Ote-mon were divided into north and west, and the troops gathered at Minami Ote-mon were divided into southeast and southwest.

Only the troops that had gathered at the East Karamete-mon remained at the East Karamete-mon with only a part of the troops deployed in the northeast.

"... No matter what I thought, it seems they already planned to surround all of our gates ..."

"What are you saying? There are three big gates and there is only one exit, but there are also hidden exits. In fact, two of them have been occupied now. The enemies only pay attention to these gates, that isn't hard to do, right? "

Raiki laughs at Tenda.

Then speak again.

"It could be that a hidden passage becomes their target to attack too ... but if we insist on escaping from there, we really have to bring it to the siege battle."

I didn't know there was such a loophole.

I've been parading around this castle until now, but I've never seen anything like that.

Since it's about Raiki, there may be some tricks that he hasn't taught us yet.

And this is not a normal siege battle.

I don't know about the siege battle with magic included.

It is unknown even what kind of attack will fly over there.

Well, Raiki knows all of them and probably creates traps and some way to retreat.

Uchikage came back with a rustling sound.

A man is being carried in one hand with his neck grabbed.

Apparently a human, he had a fine beard.

He was the bearded man who visited this castle as a messenger.

"Move!"

He is being dragged with his limbs tied up, but he looks fine unexpectedly.

"Raiki-sama. I caught that person, but the other one was able to escape ..."

"Good, just one person is enough. Well, hello there Mr. Messenger. I have something to ask you."

Uchikage makes the bearded man sit in front of Raiki and raise his head.

Looks a bit rough, but if he wanted to, he'll kill this guy right away.

"... Why are the soldiers of Garrot country attacking this castle?"

"The fuck you want! Don't you know who I am!"

"Hmm ... yes … but actually no. Shimu."

"Yes"

"Spit it up"

"Huh?"

Shimu was called by Raiki and appears in front of the man.

The man was making a stupid voice, but when the Shimu standing in front of him, he shut his mouth and frozen.

Why is that?

When Shimu came in front of the man, she coated in a purple miasma and entwined it around hes arm.

The air suddenly becomes heavy.

There was a strong feeling from Shimu that it might shake the ground.

Anyone would be scared to see it.

I didn't even know that Shimu had such power.

Therefore,there may be some reason why she is the only woman who was called here.

She is wearing that cool fur coat and she is full of vigor.

"My bad. I may forgive you for your unmannered way of speaking ... but if you don't answer my question, it can't be helped."

"Wait! I ... I understand! I understand! I'll talk, please stop her! I'll answer!"

"Hah? Didn't you say you don't know?"

"Uh, that's a lie! That's a lie! It was a bad joke! Ask me everything that you want to know! So let her stop!"

Whoaa ... Raiki-san is scary ...

Well, the person who is lying is bad, but Raiki is also bad, in another sense.

No, should I say that the oni looks like a bad person here?

When Shimu lowered her arm, she dissipated her spirit and miasma.

The man was sweating like a waterfall, but no one cared about it.

"Why are the soldiers of Garrot country attacking this castle?"

"It's slave hunting! We're in trouble because we don't have enough slaves now! So I was attacking the surrounding villages and hunting slaves, but we are still running out of slaves. I was asked to do it. "

"Isn't the country consenting to slave hunting and sending out soldiers?"

"No, they haven't consented, but if you give a reason and start a war, we can get the slaves. That's it. "

The man talked about the circumstances of the country and the slave traders.

Apparently, the slave traders were rumored to have a country trying to rebel against the kingdom.

The rumors were enough to raise anxiety among the people of the country, and there seemed to be a number of voices calling for something to do with the country.

The nation couldn't leave such a force alone, and when the messenger of the slave trader tried to persuade him, he said he had to do something about it.

It seems that this messenger was used as a messenger dispatched to persuade the royal family without any hindrance because he wasn't a slave trader.

Before leaving, the soldiers had already been prepared because they were supposed to crush them with force if they did not respond to the persuasion.

And they keep doing that until now.

What a stupid country with a crappy slave trader.

Sure, this may be necessary to protect their country, but instead of ascertaining themselves, they ask someone else in a bad situation to believe it in its entirety?

Well, that country is well established.

Well ... What we know is they planned to attack the onis.

It is not strange that the word "attack and destroy" comes out due to the difference in race.

I don't know what's going on right now.

But after all of that ... I still don't know the reason for them attacking Alena's hometown.

Aren't they from the same race?

Also, considering the distance, I don't know if Alena's village territory is governed by the Kingdom of Garrot or not.

If you were the people who live in that territory, such a strange rumor would be spread, it would first develop into a discussion, and they shouldn't be meaninglessly attacked and destroy the place they govern.

"Just ... for such a selfish reason ... how many villages have you destroyed ...!"

The air around Tenda has changed.

It seems this conversation triggered his emotion again.

However, I understand Tenda's feelings well.

To involve the other people only for a country that just wanting a slave and do something like this.

On the contrary, I really respect Tenda's feelings.

"Guh! I ... I told you everything I know! Come on! Let me go!"

"That's right. Shimu."

"Yes"

Shimu stood in front of the bearded man like before ... without untie the rope, she wore a miasma on her arm.

The bearded man's face, which he thought he would be free, changed from a relief expression to a dead pale expression, and the blood suddenly disappeared from his face.

"!? Wait !? Hey! What do you mean by this!"

"What, I told you that I would return you politely. I never said I guarantee your life. No, if you are lucky enough, you can go back alive. Because this is our [polite way of paying back]."

"Huh! Don't fuck with me! Oi! Stop! Stop! Noooooo !!!!"

“…………[Herculean Arm], [Vajra Fist]…… for the grudge of everyone in the village!”

The moment Shimu said that, she thrust her arm and hit the bearded man.

The impact alone is enough to make a hole on his chest, and the shock wave caused the man's body to fly high in the sky.

In terms of direction, it is the direction of the enemy's main team.

I think she aimed at it intentionally.

I was surprised that a person died normally in front of me.

And I was drawn to that power.