Volume 13 Chapter 4 Ant’s Kingdom Part I
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
*Garvey’s Perspective
My Margrave South District main force was closing in on our destination, thanks to the efforts of Ane’s Cavalry squad and Charlotte’s roaming troops.
So far, we’d had a few small monster attacks during our camps, but there was almost no damage to the supply team we were protecting, and the number of straggler vehicles was way below expectations.
”Let’s hope nothing happens all the way to the banks of the Nirei River. We should be entering the dangerous zone of the central hunting area soon, right?”
Beside me, my concubine and Vice-Captain Mira was looking around anxiously as she rode her horse.
She was originally a soldier of the Kingdom garrisoned at Felward Fortress and had traveled this road before.
And I had my own near-death experience on this road, heading south as part of the Beast Monster extermination team mobilized by Karvai General.
We were getting close to the place known as the first major hazard of the Felward road, where I almost met my end.
That’s why I had sent out scout troops in all directions to keep an eye on our surroundings as we marched.
”I know. I’ve increased the scouts. It’s not like I got through that ‘March of Death’ just on luck.”
My original unit got chewed up by a Beast Monster in this area, and I remember how my officers and soldiers were picked off one by one, leaving their bones scattered on the road.
”That ‘March of Death’ was a fitting name. Back then, the soldiers garrisoned at Felward Fortress were either death row inmates or political prisoners. The officers were usually considered rebels. Things are different now, though.”
Big attack finished, South District army’s command got handed from SirArbalest to General, so Monster Hunters started guarding Felward fortress, and the main Hunting Group was all fired up, hunting with big grins.
”That’s why the streets of FelwardTown are so quiet──thanks to the clever idea of making the high-level Hunting Group bored enough to do defense duty for the fortress.”
”King Kent’s pretty amazing to persuade the top 3 Hunting Groups. Thanks to him, Garvey got to come back from the Abyss Vena, so we gotta be grateful.”
Mira moves her horse closer and snuggles up to me.
She’s replacing Marguerite, my main wife currently pregnant, handling my daily stuff and serving as General Secretary, also reliable as a mistress and Vice-Captain.
When I think I wouldn’t have this kind of bond if I hadn’t met the General, I feel like I owe her so much I can’t even turn my back on her when sleeping.
Thinking that, I lead the main force south, and soon we arrive at a slightly higher hill with a good view of Nirei Bridge, the spot planned for the fortress.
The stone-arched Nirei Bridge was built during the founding, by Demon Lord Orphée Bleu when he led the South District expedition to defeat the Garuda Clan, the native tribe. It’s been a long time, but it’s enchanted with [indestructible] magic, so no broken parts were visible.
”Lord Garvey, we’ve finally arrived. Didn’t think we’d get here so easily. Reports say Ane and Lady Charlotte crushed a lot of monster nests, so our main force is pretty much on standby now.”
Kondrad and the others were happy to be there, and got off their horses.
The supply team was already taking the stuff off the wagons, and some were getting ready to mark out the castle walls.
”Yep. We old farts didn’t get to do anything.”
Akves was there too, and the Vice-Captains were putting together a table and putting out the maps they looked at before.
”You two will get to do stuff soon. Get some rest.”
I pulled the reins on the two old men so they wouldn’t go crazy.
”Commander Kondrad, the empty wagons are starting to show up, and when they’re done with the walls, we should use the Soldiers to put them up as walls on the outside.”
”I see… Okay, everyone’s here, so let’s start the meeting about building the castle.”
Marietta, who led the supply team, came too, so they just went ahead and started the meeting.
”Lady Ane and Lady Charlotte, I want you to go check the outside, and stop any monsters from coming near the castle.”
Alphonse, Kondrad’s Vice-Captain, put the pieces on the map, with Ane’s Cavalry and Charlotte’s soldiers at the bottom of the hills.
”How are the castle walls gonna be?”
Akves looked at the map and asked Alphonse.
Alphonse pushed up his glasses and drew the castle walls on the map with a red pen.
The walls went around Felward Town, and the start of the Nirei Bridge.
I sighed when I saw the walls.
”Ugh, seriously… We’re building the walls over a big area…”
”Also, we’re gonna fill the wagons with dirt from the bottom of the hill and make the moat deeper, and bring in water from the Nirei River. This is more for when something happens with Abyss Vena, so Sir Kent can run away.”
Everyone at the meeting looked shocked when Alphonse said that.
”Where did these instructions come from? They’re not from Sir Kent, are they?”
General Commander Kondrad is questioning Alphonse.
”The Nirei fortress is being designed by one of the 3 bigwigs of the Bureaucrats, the Minister of Public Works, Seema. It must be the Chancellor’s decision.”
Alphonse answers Kondrad’s question with an extremely calm expression.
”If that’s what the Chancellor thinks, then as the military, we must follow suit. Our country’s enemies are not just monsters, after all.”
Kondrad seems convinced, and the others at the military meeting agree as well.
”Then, let’s have the soldiers make sandbags and load them onto the wagons. Lady Marietta, I’ll have the soldiers make sandbags. Is it okay if I ask the logistics team to help carry them this far?”
”Yes, we’ll have those who finish unloading take care of it. We need to secure shelters quickly, even if they’re just temporary.”
Marietta calls over a nearby Officer to give instructions, and the empty wagons start heading down the hill.
I also give instructions to an Officer to mobilize the soldiers, and after a while, about 2 thousand soldiers chase after the logistics team down the hill.
”Lord Garvey and Lady Marietta sure are quick on their feet. I’ll have my Training Brigade set up camp, then we’ll help Lord Garvey.”
Akves chuckles lightly.
The face of the Training Brigade’s Officer twists in pain at the sight.
Many who endure Akves’ tough training and graduate tend to become Officers who take the lead in shouldering hardships when they join the military.
Being an Officer means that Akves’ first lesson to the trainees──to never look down on soldiers──is drilled into them thoroughly through harsh, on-the-ground training.
”Please, don’t bully the trainees too much. They’re important people for our army.”
I gave Akves a little warning, smiling a bit.
But if I didn’t, there would be a lot of Officers who would be crushed by Akves’s unreasonable demands.
”Don’t worry, Lord Garvey. Lord Akves is good at seeing the trainees’ abilities.”
Then, an officer from my team rushed in, all flustered.
”Commander Kondrad! General Garvey, it’s bad! We found about 2 hundred Scout Antmen and Soldier Antmen, plus army ants, at the foot of the mountain! They’re fighting our army right now!”
Akves heard the officer and pushed his chair back, standing up.
”What! Scout Antmen? Lord Kondrad… this is bad. If Scout Antmen are here, it means a mature Queen Ant might be nearby!”
”I didn’t hear anything about that from the scouts.”
Alphonse looked worried when he heard Akves.
He picked this place after lots of scouting, so these sudden monsters freaked him out.
The appearance of Scout Antmen made the war room loud.
”Send a message to Ane and Lady Charlotte. Raise the alert level to the max. We might have to fight an ant army. Stop building the camp and make everyone build the territory and walls. Hurry!”
Kondrad quickly changed his instructions.
”Lord Kondrad, we need to make a chasing team. I’ll lead the soldiers.”
”No, I’ll take the lead. I’ll delegate the power to build the castle to Lord Garvey. Work with Lord Akves to finish the walls as soon as possible. Lady Marietta, I ask for your cooperation as well.”
Kondrad gave the orders, stood up from his chair, and quickly mounted his horse with Vice-Captain Alphonse before galloping down the slope.
”Is it a trademark of the Margrave South District army for the commander to charge out like that? Between Lord Kondrad and the General, it’s dangerous for the commander to rush to the front lines.”
I admired Kondrad’s quick decision-making and action, while issuing instructions to smoothly carry out the castle building I was entrusted with.
”Once the supply train unloads, get the sandbags up from the base right away. I know everyone is tired from marching, but if we don’t make some sort of wall today, the possibility of being attacked by the Ant Men will rise sharply.”
”Understood. I’ll hurry the supply troops.”
Marietta took my instructions and immediately stood up to run toward the unloading area.
”It would be great if Lord Akves could send some men to help with the sandbag preparations.”
”I understand. The Ant Men are the most troublesome monsters. They have a group mentality that other monsters don’t. If we let our guard down, we could all go down in a heartbeat.”
I straightened myself up, taking Akves’s advice seriously as a seasoned warrior who had fought in many Southern Region campaigns.
”Looks like I won’t be getting any sleep today.”
”Yeah, seems that way.”
I stood up with Akves, and we both got started on our respective tasks.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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