Chapter 22: [Another Perspective] A Fierce Battle

Posted bytheredsargeantJuly 29, 2020Posted inFun Territory Defense

(T.N. Note: This chapter is told from Dee’s perspective.)

To me, this is just another raider slaying mission.

　There were times when there were few knights, and there were times when I was taken by surprise while on the march. Raiders were able to fight with intelligence taken from threatening their clients, and they all fought with a single intent. To crush the knights.

　But I have defeated all of them.

　I believe it was all because I chose the best formation and fighting style, executed by highly skilled soldiers.

　Well, I mean, I’m proud to say that my command is excellent, genius, and the best in the world. That might also have had a part in it.

　But right now, I’d like to follow Master Van’s commands.

　It’s amazing that I feel so okay with it. Even when Knight Commander Stradale commands, I privately think that I could do better at commanding than him.

”No, I guess it’s only natural,”

　Master Van has defied my predictions so many times before, and I was highly anticipating how he would defy them next.

　Realizing this, a smile naturally appeared on my face.

”Hahahahaha! Interesting! We’ll see what happens! It will be a sight to behold!”

　I climbed the stairs laughing, then saw the frightened faces of the villagers who were setting up the ballistas. I patted their backs as I moved to the edge of the wall and observed the road.

　Because of the remoteness of the village, the view of the road from the wall is unobstructed. That villager must have noticed the bandit group from even when they were a long distance away, they would make for an excellent scout.

　Soon, the raiders finally came into view from my viewpoint on the wall.

　Those barbarians came running towards the village without even a pretense of organization, their torn clothes flapping in the wind. They let out a warcry as they waved their swords in, what I assumed was, their best attempt at intimidation.

“….mm, Dee. Do you want to retreat?”

Van-sama’s voice came from behind me.

”What are you saying?!”

　Laughing at Master Van’s calm voice, I tell him the situation with the candor of a soldier.

“They number around fifty to a hundred brigands! They are a few hundred meters away from our position! Suspiciously, the bandits are heading this way at full speed! By the time they get here, they’ll be completely fatigued and unable to do battle!”

　At my report, Master Van paused for a second or two and quickly replied.

“Hmm. Could it be that the bandits are being chased by something?”

　I pondered what he said.

　”I see. That would explain their abnormal behavior. Perhaps a group of patrolling knights found them.”

　Thinking that, as I stared at them with my eyes, the villager next to me shouted, “Ah!”

“What’s wrong?”

　When I asked, the villagers pointed to a point behind the bandits. He couldn’t see clearly because of the slight rise in the dust cloud, but he said he could roughly tell what it was.

“A tail! I see a tail!”

“…a tail?”

　The information is a bit vague, so I will have to make my own observations once we get a better view on whatever is behind the group of brigands.

　We’re going to be able to see the rear of the bandits in a few seconds.

　Our view was still highly obscured due too the dust clouds. However, I began to hear villagers cry out as if they had found something terrifying.

　What is up with this village? Do they all have good eyesight?

”That is an armored dragon!”

“And not just one or two of them!”

　I scowl at the information.

　It sucks. To think that one of the village’s worst potential enemies had appeared.

　I hurriedly turn around and shout so that Van-sama could hear me from his place on the ground by the wall.

”Master Van! Apparently, it’s a swarm of armored lizards that drove the bandits away! Normal weapons won’t work on the armored dragons!”

　When I said that, Master Van’s face seemed to tighten.

　In this village, the only magicians who can fight are Espada and Pluriel. The adventurers had gone out to procure materials, so Pluriel could not be called upon to fight the creatures.

　Even without magicians, a group of knights equipped with armor and heavy equipment can defeat an armored dragon by suppressing its movements and attacking its weak points.

　But I know that the villagers are incapable of such co-ordinated attacks, they likely would rout if the lizards so much as looked at them.

　I also have a limit as I’m only able to take on two of them alone, even whilst wearing the heaviest of equipment. My subordinates are so birdbrained that they are like two men with the brainpower of a single man. I can’t rely on them to stall the dragons.

　In other words, only I can only hold out against the rushing, clawing, and tail attacks of the armored dragons.

”Everyone! Change your ammunition! Insert the iron arrows!”

　Van-sama instructed.

　So, clinging to the slightest possibility of victory, Van-sama tried to increase the attack power of the ballistas.

　It’s better than nothing. But it would be in vain.

”No, I’ve decided to follow Van-sama’s instructions. I shouldn’t think about whether or not an action has meaning. A soldier just has to do exactly what he is told to do!”

　I went to a vacant ballista and swapped its ammunition along with the villagers.

　Because I assumed the enemy would be human, the arrows were wooden spears made by Van-sama. This would more than enough for a human, but an armored dragon could easily shrug off the wooden arrows.

　I removed one such arrow and then picked up the iron arrow that was placed at my side. It was heavier, but still only around the weight of a dagger. It’s much more powerful, but it still doesn’t reach the power of one of my sword strikes.

　If there were at least three more powerful swordsmen, or even five, we could have easily repelled this attack.

　If there were six of us, including me, fighting while receiving support, we could have even repelled a crowd of ten or twenty….

　Biting my lips, I placed the iron arrow into the ballista.

　I pulled the lever attached to the bow section and began winding up the string. The ballista itself is incredibly sturdy and makes very little audible sound. It was built very well.

　I still can’t believe that an eight-year-old could have made such a thing.

　Impressed, I aimed the loaded ballista and pointed it toward the road.

　The raiders had already reached the moat.

”Help us, please help us…!”

　”The number of raiders is less than I expected. There are only around forty of them.”

　Now that the bandits weren’t kicking up so much dust, I was able to clearly see the huge, looming figures of the dragons behind them.

　All of them were large. If you look at them from head to tail, they would exceed eight meters in length. If it weren’t for the moat, they could have reached the top of the wall just by standing upright.

　There are around thirty to forty of them. It was an abnormally large herd.

　Only cities that were medium-sized or larger would be able to protect themselves against such an incredible force.

”There are around forty armored dragons! Their speed is slow because every time a piece of human meat falls behind, they slow their pace!”

“Poor things, for those raiders to be reduced to mere pieces of meat in your eyes!”

　I was blown away by Master Van’s out-of-place statement.

“Hahaha! I’m sorry! It was a slip of the tongue!”

　As I laughed and apologized, the nearby villagers looked at me as if they were in disbelief.

　I, too, know that this is not the time to be laughing.

　But when you’re in a tight spot, you have to joke and laugh and relax your self. Being to tense will prevent you from exerting your full potential.

“Hey, guys, remember to hold your fire until all of the raiders fall into the moat! Once they are in there, fire at will! Don’t let a single one of those ugly lizards get past the moat!”

“Yes!”

“I understand!”

　The villagers trembled as they followed Master Van’s orders.

　”Don’t worry.”

　”A clean hit to the mouth or the eye will incapacitate them. We need to buy some time until Pluriel returns. She will take Irv and Lowe and charge at the beasts.”

　With Espada’s support, we’ll be able to create an environment where we can fight them one by one.

　I’ll end this war without any of Master Vans’ subjects dying.

“Let’s go! All of you! Today dinner is skewered lizard!”

　I smiled through and inspired the villagers.