Lord’s soldiers
“Something’s terribly wrong, my lord!”
Risha burst into the manor, her face pale with panic.
“What is it?”
“Y-Yoshif-san!”
“Yoshif?”
Yoshif was one of the first townspeople from the original town—Akitto.
He’d been the first human to defeat the ape with long claws, Shreubiju, and reclaim humanity.
He should’ve been across town by now.
“What’s wrong with Yoshif?”
“J-just come quick!”
Risha was flustered, not making sense.
I had no choice but to follow her outside.
Yoshif was sitting on the ground in front of the manor.
“Yoshif!”
I rushed over.
“Ah, Akitto-san.”
Yoshif looked up at me—his wounds long healed.
His clothes were tattered, stained with blood, but he was whole.
Mira stood beside him, holding a vial of universal remedy.
I praised Mira for her care, gave her a magic charge, then turned back to Yoshif.
“What in the world happened?”
“The town was attacked.”
“Attacked? The other town? But there’s Ilya’s Spring there too, isn’t there? The one I made. So monsters shouldn’t have been able to come, right?”
“It wasn’t monsters.”
“What?”
“Humans. That’s who attacked us.”
Yoshif grimaced, frustration tightening his jaw.
The words hit me—unexpected, just a little.
☆
The first town—Akit.
We’d returned here with Yuriya, the slave, and Yoshif.
“Akit-san!”
As soon as I stepped into town, Madway spotted me and ran over.
“Madway, are you alright?”
“Yeah… managed to survive.”
“What about the others?”
“A few got minor injuries.”
“Ah.”
I looked again at the town.
Some buildings were smashed, scattered wreckage everywhere.
“Is that all the damage?”
“No.”
Madway shook his head.
“Food. All of it. Gone.”
“Food?”
“Everything Akito prepared. All of it.”
“Yuria?”
Madway nodded.
I headed for the granary.
There should’ve been stacks of Pshinyi stored there, just in case. But as Madway said—gone. All of it.
“Anything else taken?”
I asked Madway. He shook his head.
“That’s it.”
I frowned.
A group that raids a town… and only steals food? What the hell is going on?
☆
After repairing every broken building with restoration magic, I took Yuria and left the town.
Following the arrow—named Rapsha, made from Pshinyi as its material.
I used it as a tracker, following the ones who stole the Pshinyi.
"Master..."
"What?"
"What are we going to do, chasing after them?"
"..."
Right—what exactly was I supposed to do, chasing after them?
I stood there, directionless.
They’d stolen enough Pshinyi to feed a town of fewer than a hundred people for a month.
That wasn’t even a thousand units of magic.
No one else was hurt. Nothing else was taken.
It hit me, suddenly, now—what was I even going to do when I caught up?
"Didn’t decide that yet?"
"...Yeah."
I gave a dry chuckle, asking Yuria.
"What would you do?"
"Recreate the Pshinyi. Build defensive Neetka—artillery towers. Then make sure we actually use them next time."
"Huh. Makes sense."
Yuria’s suggestion was sound. Pshinyi was consumable, after all. And this time, they’d attacked so fast—looked like humans—that we hadn’t even had time to deploy the Neetka.
Then I shouldn’t need to go next time. Probably.
Not that it matters.
“Still, cutting off the source is definitely better.”
Made up a reason. That should work, right?
“Understood.”
Yuria nodded quietly, accepting it.
“Anyway, we don’t know when the fight’ll start. Time to become a blade.”
“Understood.”
We hadn’t used Neetka, so I pulled Yuria in early, preparing for combat.
Touching the gem, turning her into a sword.
The moment the Eternal Slave Reborn of light took shape—
(Your master is coming.)
“Huh?”
Yuria’s warning, sensing the attack. The next instant, an arrow pierced the ground at my feet.
I snapped my gaze forward—enemy forces approaching, visible now.
Over fifty of them, all fully wrapped in cloaks from head to toe.
They’d come from the direction the arrow had pointed.
— First strike. The thought flickered in my mind.
"Why?"
(The material glows. A human would be on guard.)
"...ah."
Yuria was right.
Saying it’s a radar means the target—Pshiny—is glowing.
A monster, maybe. But a human? If something they’ve stolen suddenly starts glowing, they’d be on edge.
So a preemptive strike—defensive fire from their side—makes perfect sense.
"Should’ve thought that through. Handy trick, but I’ll have to pick my moments from now on."
(Yes.)
"Better yet, Yuria—read their next move for me."
(Understood.)
Gripping the Light Slave Sword (Eternal Slave Revised), I met the incoming enemy head-on.
☆
I was startled.
All fifty of them, right in front of me—every single one a woman.
The women I fought and felled all glared at me, cold and unyielding.
This was a problem. A twist straight out of left field. A real problem.
"Uh… um, is there a leader here?"
I thought I should talk it through. Then one woman stepped forward.
"Me. I'm the leader."
She was the type who gave off "boss lady" vibes—looked the part even after she shrugged off her cloak.
One word: extremely close to a bikinierma. That’s the vibe.
"Name?"
"Shouldn’t you be giving yours first, huh?"
"I'm Akito."
"…Maiya."
She gave it like she hadn’t expected me to just hand mine over. A little pout on her face.
"So, Maiya. What exactly are you lot? Should I just call you the gang that hit my town?"
"Yeah. No excuses. I did it. So I'll take full responsibility."
"Wait—sister?!"
"What are you talking about, sister?"
"That was Lady-sama, thinking of all of us—"
The women started chattering all at once. Maiya shot them a single glare. All of them shut up instantly.
They all had a thousand things to say, but they reluctantly accepted it—only because Maiya said so.
That was fine. Just talk to Maiya, that’s all.
“I don’t care what happens to me. But you’ve got to free everyone, at least.”
“Not that. I want to know why. Why you attacked my town. Why you took our food.”
“Why?”
Maiya snorted through her nose.
“You from heaven or something? In this world, it’s obvious—food’s the reason.”
“Food.”
“That’s right. What else would make someone do something this dangerous? That raid? We lost people too. One’s still on the edge.”
Someone from their town got hurt in the counterattack.
“Where is he?”
“What?”
Maiya narrowed her eyes at me, sudden alert.
I pulled out the emergency tonic I’d brought and applied it to Maiya.
The wound she’d gotten in our fight healed instantly.
I took out another dose and waved it in front of them.
“Where is he.”
Repeating the same words, Maiya and the other women’s eyes lit up with sudden hope.
☆
They led me to the women’s camp. I used the tonic on the severely wounded.
The one lying on her back, barely breathing, was healed in an instant.
While the women hugged each other in joy, I took Maiya aside and spoke.
“Anyone else hurt?”
“W-We’re fine now. Everyone else just got scratches… thanks to you holding back.”
“Ah. Good. Making more of this stuff’s a hassle, though.”
There aren’t many people here who’ll follow my orders.
“You… what exactly are you planning?”
“Nothing special. Anyway, stop attacking the town. Pshiny— if you want food, I’ll give you all you want. Just come take it from me directly.”
“… Seriously, what are you even thinking?”
Mia is on edge.
“Just what I said. If you’ve eaten it, you know— it fills your belly, but it’s awful.”
“…”
“So I’m handing it out to everyone. Just enough to survive. If that’s enough for you, I’ll keep giving it. But no more stealing— no more hurting people on either side.”
“… You’re really giving it to us? Look at us— we’re a whole damn army.”
Mia says.
By now, the women have gathered around. All of them are frozen, watching me and Mia’s exchange.
“Yeah.”
Nods firmly. Only then does the hostility fade from Mia’s eyes.
“Come anytime you want. I’ll tell Madway myself.”
And with that, I turned to leave.
That settled it. I thought. A clean break.
“Wait a sec.”
I stopped, turned around.
“What?”
“That town… we attacked it. There’s bound to be lingering grudges.”
“Huh.”
Could be. I didn’t feel the pain myself, so I didn’t care much. But Madway and the others probably do.
“S’pose… it feels wrong to just get favors for free.”
“So what do you suggest?”
“W-well…”
Mia trailed off, glancing around.
The women nodded at her.
“We’ll work for you. As repayment.”
“Work?”
“Tch. It’s awkward saying this after losing, but we’re not bad with our hands. Mercenaries. Soldiers. We can do that kind of work.”
“…”
Something.
“Stubborn personality?”
“—!”
Mia’s face turned crimson, a moan escaping her that words couldn’t capture.
Kind of… oddly cute, that gap between fury and fluster.
I let out a quiet chuckle, replying.
“Fine. Work for me. I’ll feed you. But don’t slack off.” “Y-yes, sir.”
Mia’s eyes lit up. A few soft cheers rose from the women around her.
And just like that, I had soldiers.