第１９４６堀：戦場となる地形確認 (Part1)
Chapter 1946: Surveying the Battlefield
Side: Riel
Yuki-san summoned me to his office, and it seems we’re discussing the Ioa fortress in the north. The rumors about them being in a constant state of war to defend against monsters appear to be true. After all...
"This is the current state of the ongoing battle."
The footage Orelia projected showed a barrage of arrows and magic raining down from the ramparts onto the monsters approaching the fortress. Any that managed to slip through the volley were met by squads deployed from the gates to mop them up.
Well, for now, the monsters look sluggish and riddled with wounds from the projectiles, so the defenders don't seem to be struggling too much to take them down. But... is it just me, or do the soldiers doing the killing look a bit sluggish, too?
"If it were only this, it would be manageable. However, since we began recording these attacks, they have been occurring every eight hours. Each wave consists of at least two hundred monsters."
"““What!?””"
Even I was shocked. That means roughly six hundred monsters every twenty-four hours, right?
"W-wait a moment. How long has this been going on? And are they attacking continuously for twenty-four hours?"
Exactly. As Fiora said, knowing when it started and how long it’s been going on is crucial. Even if it is a fact, it’s still startling.
"I do not have an exact figure. We will be observing the situation in detail from here on out. However, thirty-five hours have passed since we arrived in Ioa, and the pace of two hundred monsters every eight hours has remained constant."
"…That is an impossible frequency and volume. Unless there is some kind of production zone behind them, it shouldn't be possible."
Stasia is right. If this keeps up indefinitely, there’s no way there could be that many monsters unless—well, unless there’s a dungeon involved.
"She's right. I agree with Stasia. Well, with attacks of over a hundred monsters continuing like this, it’s no wonder the people at the fortress and the ramparts are exhausted."
Yuki-san’s explanation cleared up why the defenders’ movements were so sluggish. Of course, if you’re fighting constantly, you’re going to be drained.
"Does this mean the other countries are facing the same situation?"
Jessica is right—if this is happening everywhere, it’s a major crisis.
"We are in the middle of gathering information on that as well. That said, it is strange that they aren't coming in the thousands or tens of thousands."
"That’s true. If they can gather two hundred every eight hours, you’d think they’d just pool their numbers and break through all at once, right?"
It feels strange that they’re trickling them out. I don’t know why they’re pushing south from the north, but they could definitely be more efficient.
"As Riel says, that’s where the questions remain, but we have too little information. For now, I just need you all to memorize this terrain."
"The terrain, you say?"
Fiora tilts her head as she asks. I mean, we have the data, so we can look at it whenever we want, right? Though, I suppose committing it to memory is important.
"Yeah. In the worst-case scenario, there’s a possibility we’ll need to send reinforcements."
"I see. We can’t afford to let this front collapse. In that case, does this mean you intend to dispatch not just Vilia’s group, but us as well?"
I agree with Jessica’s point. If we’re going out there, memorizing the terrain is definitely a must. Sure, we have the data, but there might be times when we don’t have the luxury of checking it.
"That’s the idea. Besides, if we’re dealing with a massive army, it would be better for someone like you, Jessica, to go rather than Vilia."
"That’s true. Vilia and her team are more for unit command, after all."
"By the way, Riel, you’re also a candidate for a dispatch commander."
"Eh!?"
Me too!? I mean, I think of myself as a squad leader at best, not a full-blown commander...
"Riel, it’ll be fine. You’ve been through plenty of training and real combat, after all."
"Oh, right. I guess I have, haven't I?"
As Tori says, even though I’m a police officer, my position as one of Yuki-san’s wives means I’ve received training for that kind of command. Still, with so many people who have experience leading armies—like Seraria, Jessica, Stasia, Agil, and Fiora—I’ve mostly stayed in reserve, handling the security of Weed.
So, could I do it? Yes. I was taught properly, and I wouldn't go charging out recklessly like I used to.
"Anyway, the reason I gathered you all here is because there’s a high probability you’ll be heading to this battlefield. As Orelia said, the situation is genuinely bizarre. Even just during the day, four hundred monsters show up. The defense could collapse at any moment. For our part, we can’t have the town of Ando, let alone the fortresses and ramparts, falling before we can even investigate."
Ah, right. That makes sense. We sent Vilia and her team north to check the state of the New Continent and solve the demi-human issue. If the countries there collapsed because they were overwhelmed by monsters, it wouldn’t just be a loss of face... it would be, um, putting the cart before the horse, right?
"Well, if it were Yuki, even if the monsters swarmed and caused a collapse, he’d probably find a way to handle it."
"I do account for such things. There are ways to deal with it, but if I have to rebuild collapsed nations and save the populace, the workload would be astronomical. Personally—or rather, for Weed—I’d prefer if the northern countries maintained the status quo. My workload is already heavy enough as it is."
A country collapsing is a huge deal, after all. We’re involved in the administration of Weed, so we know just how much of a headache that is... I don’t even want to think about the paperwork.
"Of course, that goes for you too, Deryu. We might have no choice but to put you on accounting duty."
"Indeed. We must ensure the northern countries do their absolute best to hold the line."
Wow, talk about a complete turnaround. Deryu was a princess, so she’s been great with numbers since she arrived in Weed. She’s been helping with the accounting ever since. Lately, things have stabilized, so she’s been working with the police, and Eris and Ratz are always smiling, telling her she’s welcome to come back anytime.
I, for one, would definitely collapse if I tried to do her job, so I’m staying far away from that.