Chapter 122

Chapter 122 - Struggle for Survival (2)

The contract with the city was the extermination of all hostile forces capable of affecting the trade routes.

"If the threat has descended this far, trade in the vicinity will be halted."

The adventurer assigned by the city looked at Eugene with slightly changed eyes. He served as both a guide for a foreign army unfamiliar with the local terrain, and an observer.

... Fighting for three months and casualties on both sides are zero? Are you kidding me right now!

... Kidding? We may be lowly bastards making money, but aren't your words too harsh? How can we live with this sorrow?

...

It was not particularly weird for mercenary groups hired by hostile factions to collude with each other.

Even if the employer complained of unfairness after belatedly realizing they were just pretending to fight and siphoning wages, they only received mockery in return. With remarks like, 'Anyone fooled by mere sellswords is a fool.'

Not to mention if it was a monster extermination mission far away from the city.

For those whose military strength was recognized and offered a high fixed wage like Eugene's army, the city also needed its own form of insurance.

"Isn't that what we received money for? I have no intention of backing out here, so do not worry."

"Of course."

When Eugene, noticing his intentions, smirked, the adventurer bowed his head. Even being an observer for the city, he was practically on the weaker end in all aspects.

"Equip the horse armors."

At Eugene's command, the riders dismounted and pulled covers out of their saddles. It was called horse armor, but it was something midway between a drape and a net.

It was light and easy to put on, but its defense was weak. It would struggle to block a single hand ax from a conscript, but could filter out light projectiles.

"I assume the Smallfolk shot those black needles?"

"Yes. Because their bodies are small, the muscle strength in their limbs is also weak. Whether swinging, stabbing, or drawing a bow, they cannot exert proper force. However, their biting force rivals wild dogs, so you must be careful."

"And we need to pay attention to traps as well. It is time for you girls to step up."

Several tribal female warriors met Eugene's gaze and responded with a military salute. Confidence overflowed on the faces of the ladies wearing skin-tight leather clothes.

They were elite scouts who had completed rigorous training both as hunters and rogues. Their capabilities as guides responsible for the safety of the path the army would march on were top-tier.

'Their shoulders are truly broad. Just what kind of training have they been doing?'

The women of the Blackhand tribe were all healthy beauties equipped with defined abs, but the female warriors selected as scouts were on another level.

They were at a level where even an average robust man would look more fitting being held snugly in their embrace.

"It seems we will be fine regarding the poison darts since your defenses are so thorough. Their range is extremely short."

The adventurer admired the appearance of the army with practically zero exposed skin.

"No matter how hard they blow with lungs the size of fists, their lung capacity is obvious."

Bastards relying on their short statures to hide in bushes and silently shoot poison darts were undeniably terrifying beings. However, they had insurmountable weaknesses regarding power and range.

"We enter. Do not let your guard down just because they are small, and do not enter any place where the bushes rise above your thighs."

With the female warriors and Homi standing side-by-side at the vanguard clearing the path, Eugene's army set foot into the forest.

* * *

... When our ancestors first entered this land in the ancient past, it was a living hell. It was a place where one could not believe humans could survive. The people of Gord act arrogantly about driving the Gnolls beyond the Shield Mountains, but it was nothing compared to us.

Throughout the entire history of the continent, the colonization of Samur recorded the highest death toll among kings and nobles.

Honestly, those words did not resonate with the current descendants, however. This was because they had lived for a long time with humanity's territory firmly established after driving out the indigenous species.

Recently, however, the mercenaries of Samur felt the urge to question exactly how their ancestors accomplished that monumental task.

"Vice-captain! The vice-captain is the captain now!"

The Mongoose mercenary group, surrounded by Smallfolk in the forest, was being battered from all sides.

"Gather together for now! Scattering here will simply lead to getting hunted down one by one!"

The vice-captain was an ambitious man who vowed to one day properly ascend to the position of captain. He had not hoped it would happen in this fashion, however.

"Damn it! To think we were fooled by mere monsters..."

The incident started when Smallfolk wearing shiny things on their heads loitered around the trade route.

... What is that? What are those bastards wearing on their heads?

... Gold necklaces! They obtained them by ambushing traveling merchants!

It took only an instant for the mercenaries' eyes to become dyed with greed upon realizing they were various jewels and accessories.

... Were the Smallfolk interested in jewels?

... Captain! Please give the order to attack!

A few mercenaries felt something was strange, but the majority of subordinates lost their judgment at the sight of the Smallfolk draped in valuable items.

The captain, who had already committed many mistakes in operating the mercenary group recently and was walking on eggshells around his subordinates, could not go against the general consensus.

The Smallfolk fled while dropping jewels one by one, further fueling the mercenaries' will to pursue.

The result was this mess. As they chased the Smallfolk frantically running into the forest, their formation crumbled, and at some point, they were attacked simultaneously.

The captain, who commanded from the vanguard trying to show his dignity, died instantly when his neck broke after his horse stepped on a trap and fell.

"My foot! My foooot!"

"Engel!"

One mercenary hastily trying to gather at the new captain's order grabbed his bloody foot and screamed.

He had stepped on a trap installed on the ground, leaving a hole in his sole. It was crude and not at a level to kill a person, but enough to rob his mobility.

Engel screamed as he saw the bushes rustling wildly and rapidly approaching him.

"Kkigik-!"

"Kkihihihi-!"

Eerie laughter reached his ears as he desperately fled hopping on one foot.

"Uaaagh!"

A burning pain shot up from his ankle and Engel toppled over. A Smallfolk baring its complete set of saw-like teeth had bitten his ankle.

Facing the cross-section of his Achilles tendon for the first time, Engel fell into despair. Before the terrible pain, he instinctively foresaw his end.

"N-no!"

Smallfolk popping out from all directions began hacking away at the mercenary with their teeth and the sharp weapons clutched in each of their hands. Like fire ants swarming and attacking a cicada that fell to the ground.

"Fire the crossbows!"

"But Captain! Engel is..."

"He is a dead man anyway. Send at least one bastard as his companion to hell while reducing his pain."

When his comrades aimed their crossbows at the captain's order, Engel pleaded even as he was being attacked.

"Don't shoot! Spare m..."

Alongside the sound of tearing flesh, bolts fired by his comrades turned Engel into a corpse. A few Smallfolk who heavily exposed themselves while attacking were also swept up and died.

Because the bastards were small and none wore armor, a single bolt hitting them was a fatal wound. It was just difficult to land that single hit.

"We retreat slowly."

"Uaah, let's go together!"

Frightened by the sight of Engel stepping on a trap and dying a gruesome death, the mercenaries were late to join up because they were scrutinizing the ground. However, as their clustered comrades backed away leaving them behind, they could not afford to dawdle any longer.

At that moment, the sounds of horse hooves and numerous presences were felt from their retreat path.

"It's a rescue force!"

"We're saved! We're saved!"

The mercenaries who first spotted Eugene's army cheered.

"Hey, thanks for helping, but ahead of us..."

"Move aside, you retards!"

The mercenaries aiming to express gratitude and a warning to the suddenly appearing rescue force became mute at the sharp shout of a female warrior.

"Women?"

Seeing the tribal scouts whose voluptuous figures were fully revealed, a few mercenaries gaped their mouths open.

Their appearance was utterly mesmerizing despite the situation. Perhaps their instincts were further stimulated because their lives were on the brink.

"Which mercenary group is this?"

"If they are elites of this level, there's no way they aren't known in this field."

The rescuers were top-tier in both equipment and movement. It was embarrassing to even compare themselves to them, considering they brought protective gear not only for their combatants but even for their horses.

However, lacking a banner and being wrapped up from head to toe made it difficult to identify them.

Meanwhile, the tribal warriors riding on their warhorses fired arrows in all directions. Sitting atop a horse provided a wider field of vision in addition to mobility.

"Hiiik!"

The Mongoose mercenary group members all recoiled in fright as arrows grazed past their cheeks and flanks.

"These bastards, they're using us as bait!"

"Shut up and raise your shields!"

The perceptive mercenaries realized the rescue force was not advancing beyond a certain point, using them as a meat wall.

But they had no choice but to shut their mouths at the new captain's furious shout. Either way, they could not afford to cause infighting with their rescuers here.

"Kerek-!"

"Kek-!"

Furthermore, every time arrows sliced through the wind, short groans could be heard from everywhere. They were the death throes spat out by the Smallfolk.

"■■■■!"

"■■!"

Realizing how the situation was turning, the Smallfolk shouted something in their language and hid simultaneously in the bushes.

The Mongoose mercenary captain rejoiced at the sight of the enemies losing momentum and looked at Eugene.

"Those bastards are panicked! Let's use this chance to retreat!"

"What are you talking about? They are bastards coming down near the roads; we must eradicate their seeds here. Otherwise, they will come looking for you again after some time passes."

"No, stepping inside there is madness!"

The mercenary captain stared with an appalled face at Eugene, who nonchalantly aimed to fight.

No matter how strong an army, a forest overgrown with bushes was the Smallfolk's home ground. It was a place where even heavily armed knights had no choice but to be chipped away bit by bit until they died.

However, Eugene naturally had a reliable trump card.

"Valda. I leave it to you."

"O forest. Reveal every single unholy creature utilizing you..."

Valda, who plucked nearby dirt and grass seeds and combined them with reagents, cast a spell. The spirits rooted in the vicinity for thousands of years responded to her prayer.

"It's magic!"

"What am I looking at?"

The Mongoose mercenaries looked around in panic.

Ssssh.

Because the tall bushes simultaneously sank down alongside a bizarre sound. It wasn't an appearance of being knocked down by strong winds or crushed by being stepped on, but a look as if prostrating themselves flat on their own.

"■■■!?"

The Smallfolk squatting and hiding were revealed en masse. Faces ugly enough to surpass even Goblins were dyed in astonishment. Feeling a thrill at those expressions, the Mongoose mercenary group aimed their crossbows.

"Shoot them all dead!"

Arrows and bolts poured down simultaneously at Eugene's command.

"S-shoot!"

By the time the Mongoose mercenary captain belatedly issued his order, the Smallfolk were already falling over everywhere.

'These bastards? I haven't even ordered yet.'

He memorized the subordinates who fired their crossbows strictly according to the knight's command, swept up in the atmosphere. He intended to give them a harsh scolding later.

Because of their small size, taking an arrow turned them into a skewer and killed them, just like getting pierced in the stomach by a javelin.

Even if they tried to flee, their incredibly short legs were too slow. They were adept at striking back at intruders while concealed in their territory, completely helpless in a situation like this.

Neigh!

"Whoa! Calm down!"

The warhorses neighed in fright at the poison darts fired in a counterattack by the dying creatures.

Thanks to the horse armor, not a single dart pierced their bodies, but horses were extremely timid animals by nature.

"Piiiik-!"

But that too ended when Homi's clear whistle echoed firmly. The rapidly fluttering eyelashes of the trembling horses calmly settled down.

Homi's voice, concentrated with spiritual power and wilderness, forces even a dire wolf seeing her for the first time into submission.

Manipulating the souls of the horses she regularly tended at the Moving Castle was an even easier task.

Tick!

Titic!

Eugene, firing arrows, noticed poison darts hitting his gloved hands and the mosquito net covering his neck before falling off.

He felt like getting hit by very thick, heavy rain drops sideways one by one. There was some sensation, but it wasn't threatening at all.

Realizing that everything was over, the Smallfolk began to flee, albeit a small number. However, shaking off a cavalry pursuit was an impossible task.

"We will help, too!"

"No, Captain. Why take the risk..."

"Hey, you retards. If we run away here, we might have to vomit out all the loot we secured."

"...!"

They were a group who gathered quite a bit of valuables from merchants who suffered a tragic fate while pursuing the Smallfolk.

However, claiming ownership over those was impossible if they did nothing when their lives were freshly rescued.

Honestly, it was questionable whether their loot would be guaranteed even if they fervently assisted in combat now. Still, doing something would be better than doing nothing.

"Watch the left!"

"Trap under the rock!"

The tribal female warriors running in formation at the very vanguard threw short spears. They were brightly painted, meant for marking, not for combat.

Instantly grasping the Smallfolk's traps, the female warriors lodged their short spears in those locations as warnings.

"To grasp them at a glance even if they are crude traps. Furthermore, they are running on foot yet fast enough to keep pace with the cavalry."

"Because you cannot examine the ground from atop a horse. Yet falling behind the mounted allies defeats the purpose."

Cassandra smiled at Eugene's admiration. She seemed satisfied with the opportunity to prove their worth after merely receiving this and that upon joining him.

"Of course, the mage's assistance was also huge."

Cassandra had no choice but to admit it was smooth sailing because all the interfering bushes had collapsed.

"But their running posture is quite unique, isn't it?"

"It is a posture taken when one must simultaneously conduct emergency pursuit and trap detection."

The tribal female warriors clearing the path ran in a bizarre posture midway between bipedal and quadrupedal locomotion.

'No wonder their upper bodies were exceptionally well-developed.'

The broad shoulders seemed to be the result of training that peculiar running method.

A posture where the hips are thrust high up, exposing the curves of the waist and body to the limit. Moreover, their clothing was leather that fully revealed their figures.

Gulp.

Following them while watching that fierce yet beautiful sight from behind, the eyes of the Mongoose mercenary group joining the pursuit widened like saucers.

"Are you not going to avert your eyes before I gouge them out?"

"You wanna die?"

"Hiik!"

"A-alright!"

Only after the tribal warriors aimed the arrows they were about to shoot forward at them did the Mongoose mercenary group snap back to reality.

The pursuit did not take long to conclude.

Thwack!

Smallfolk struck by arrows at close range were pinned to the ground as the arrows penetrating through their backs lodged right into the dirt.

Squish!

There were bastards spilling their intestines from spears thrust by the heavy cavalry. A bastard violently thrashing in mid-air clutching its stomach with metal protruding out soon ceased its movements.

Some bastards tripped over protruding stones while looking back at the cavalry chasing them from behind.

But unfortunately, because that bastard was at the vanguard, it collided with the bodies of its kin, causing other Smallfolk to tumble over en masse.

Dudududu!

"Kiiiik-!"

Tangled on the forest floor, the Smallfolk stared at the centaurs bearing down on them. The horse hooves trampled completely over them just like that.

Crunch!

Crush!

Dozens of sharp metal horseshoes crushed and tore apart their cunning yet fragile bodies.

Shattered leg bones pierced through the back of knees, or broken ribs punctured lungs. When the back of a fallen Smallfolk's head was stepped on, blood exploded everywhere like a tomato.

Crack!

A Smallfolk's chest was completely crushed as its solar plexus was stepped on.

"Krrrk-!"

The snout spitting out blood bubbles was flattened by the next horse hoof without a second of hesitation.

Kririk!

The sound of their sharp teeth colliding with the metal horseshoes replaced their screams. That too stopped as their teeth shattered, however.

"Crazy..."

"Uurgh."

Lagging behind because they lacked horses, the Mongoose mercenary group stopped their pursuit, appalled by that sight.

They had seen soldiers trampled by cavalry, but Smallfolk were far smaller than humans. Thanks to that, dozens of them were minced and mixed together like ground meat.

* * *

The battle ended quickly.

Smallfolk with no armor and slow speed. Without the bushes, traps, and blowguns protecting them all neutralized, they were merely prey.

"Thank you for helping us. I am Denver, the new captain of the Mongoose Mercenary Group."

"I am Eugene of the Mayer family."

Their greeting was interrupted by the shrieks of two Smallfolk being dragged in tangled in a net.

"Are those bastards profitable if captured alive?"

"No. There is nothing to use them for as alchemical ingredients, and the arenas prefer bastards in larger weight classes like Goblins or Orcs."

Denver shook his head at Eugene's question.

"Then why did you capture them alive?"

"W-well, about that."

"I intend to interrogate the bastard."

Replacing the head-scratching Denver, it was Cassandra who answered.

"I do not think this bastard will speak any useful information."

The Smallfolk fiercely howling while gnawing at the net looked utterly incapable of having a conversation. To begin with, torture only worked on targets one could interact with rationally.

"■■■■!"

The little monster right before his eyes would only spit out screams and resentment even if inflicted with pain.

"That would be the case for typical interrogations."

With a smirk, Cassandra snapped her fingers, and a woman wearing a red robe approached.

It was the woman Cassandra belatedly brought when interrogating the adventurer who colluded with the slave traders. An eerie aura of magic could be felt within the robe wrapping her body.

Bow.

A polite bow with her hands at her navel, just like last time.

"Does it work on Smallfolk as well?"

"Yes. As long as it is a subdued situation, it does not matter whether it is human or monster. Let us tear out useful information, including the location where the other packs of these bastards are."

Seeing Cassandra speak with confidence, Eugene and Valda felt intrigued as mages. Just what kind of magic does she wield?

"Then let's begin right away. If there is a pack nearby, we must strike before they notice."

"Understood."

As Cassandra beckoned, other female warriors came running.

"Dismount. I need to take off the horse armor."

"Ah, for that? Got it."

As if knowing what it meant, the tribal warriors dismounted, removed the fabric net-like horse armor, and handed it over.

The female warriors began weaving them to make a small tent, and their skill was quite masterly. It seemed like a task they had performed many times.

"What are they doing right now?"

Eugene felt puzzled witnessing them set up a tent first instead of immediately interrogating.

At that, Cassandra placed her hand on the female mage's shoulder in the red robe.

"It is for this child's honor."

Cassandra's violet eyes shifted toward Eugene's heavy infantrymen and the men of the Mongoose mercenary group.

Her eyes, which had looked at Eugene and the tribal men warmly, instantly turned as cold as ice.

"It is quite a unique magic."

When the female warriors tossed the tightly bound Smallfolk into the completed tent, the mage in the red robe followed inside.

Sshrrk.

Flop.

And from inside came the frictional sound of taking off clothes, and the soft noise of garments dropping to the ground.

"My Lord. Please enter together. As promised before, I will show you her magic."

Lowering her posture with her hand on her chest like a butler, Cassandra pointed inside the tent.

"I feel like I am not supposed to go in, however."

"Hoho. It is fine for you, my Lord. It is rather an honor for her."

As Eugene showed rare panic, Cassandra laughed cheerfully. Then, she gently linked arms with Eugene, who wore an awkward face, and led him into the tent.

"Ahem."

Denver, the Mongoose mercenary captain, who stood blankly beside Eugene unable to join the conversation. He hesitated, then tried to follow Eugene into the tent.

Because Denver also possessed great curiosity regarding applying magical interrogation against a Smallfolk.

Denver was a high-ranking individual here. Since he was the captain of an albeit diminished but company-sized mercenary group. In principle, he had the right to observe the interrogation as an equal commander.

"What the fuck are you?"

"Wanna die?"

However, the female warriors guarding the tent entrance growled like wildcats.

"I am the... of the Mongoose mercenary group with its rich tradition."

"So what? You lowly human bastard."

"You don't even know your place, yet you dare try to meddle?"

The ladies who remained prudently at attention before the knight a moment prior now bared their fangs. They were ferocious faces reminiscent of a Rakshasa.