Chapter 236 Part 2
Chapter 236 Part 2
Translator: “Hakou” Editor: “Weasalopes”
『They’re not here…』
A voice from the external sound system came from a Knight. A B-class Knight, who is walking next to it, also replies without stopping.
『Just when we need to find them, they’re gone. Really, what a troublesome bunch they are』
What they were looking for was a herd of Heavy horses, also known as the Heavy Lancers.
Although they are called horses, they have short necks and huge horns like Hercules, the Great Beetle. The main part of its body surface is covered with a scaly skin that cannot be scratched by a low rank magic or physical attack.
『Mobility, defense, and the ability to storm the city walls』
They are the perfect thing to throw at the Imperial Army.
They were a nuisance, mindlessly trampling the fields of the elves. The elves wanted to take this opportunity to kick them out of the forest and let the human race dispose of them.
『Commander, we can’t find them anywhere. They don’t seem to be around this area』
Standing in front of him as he turned around is an A-class Knight. The chest armor and other armored parts were painted green, and the joints were black.
The pilot’s seat was supposed to be occupied by the skinny high elf, but who replied was an old woman’s voice.
『If they’re not here then it can’t be helped, let’s use the Capricorns instead』
“Roger”, the Knights replied and started searching again. They know that the voice is coming from a High Elf, and that she is the knight commander’s lover, so they don’t complain.
They also see the two of them getting into the not so spacious cockpit. She even sits on his lap.
「But Capricorns aren’t that strong, right?」
The skinny high elf rubs the breast of the old woman who’s a pharmacist, over her clothes and whispers in her ear.
The old woman puts her mouth to the Knight Commander’s ear and tells him in an annoyed tone.
「They eat up all the ingredients for medicines, don’t they? The more precious it is, the more they like it, they’re really a nuisance」
She pushed the hand coming in through the hem of her skirt, over the fabric, and swallowed her spit before continuing.
「I just want them to disappear from the forest. I don’t care what happen after that」
Burying his middle finger in the old woman, the skinny high elf smiles in a good mood.
「Well, it’s just a sideshow anyway. It doesn’t matter to us whether they damage the Empire or die without being able to do anything」
He moved his fingers around and enjoyed the hot breath on his ear.
He then proceeded to walk behind the B-class for a while. Every time he made his Knight walk, the old woman would yelp, so he made his Knight walk roughly on purpose.
That was when one of his subordinates came to report about their discovery.
「Hou, about thirty of them huh」
The twisted horn, Capricorn, is a goat-like magical beast about 14 meters tall. As its name suggests, it has an unusually twisted horn on its head.
『Is that an illness or something?』
The curvature is so irregular that it makes someone who saw them think so. There are many elves who do not like the appearance of their devilishly long, square pupils.
The old woman on the knight commander’s lap was one of them.
『We’re going to drive them out of the forest just like this. Is that correct?』
The A-class knight responds to his subordinate’s question by nodding. The B-class Knight, holding his rifle, launches his attack magic into the sky above the flock to intimidate them.
The herd starts to run in a panic after just a few shots.
「They’re cowards as ever」
The knight commander bent his mouth and made a mocking expression.
However, the herd of Capricorns showed unexpected persistence at the outer edge of the forest. They don’t want to go out of the forest even when they scare them with magic.
They clung to the ground like dogs when you take them for an injection.
『Shoot them』
Following the instructions of the skinny high elf, the B-class Knights blasted them with attack magic at a lower output.
A scorch mark by the thunder arrow is made on the body, but the Capricorns just cowers and doesn’t move
『Give that to me, I’ll do it myself』
With a single click of his tongue, the knight commander snatched away his subordinate’s rifle. He didn’t intend to use his own staff rifle.
He immediately unleashed light arrows with lower output, magic missiles. It accurately caught the child at the rear of the herd and made it scream.
『That’s how you do it. Use your head more』
The A-class Knight returned the rifle to his subordinate as he said in an exasperated tone and puffed out his chest.
Unlike the adult beasts, the children who were shot squealed and ran out of the forest. Some of the adults, who had never wanted to go out of the forest before, began to run after the child.
『I see. I understand』
He shouted in admiration and his men started shooting at the children one after another.
The children were surrounded in the middle of the crowd, but they couldn’t withstand it and started running in the opposite direction of the Knights. The adults followed suit.
The entire herd was now moving towards the south of the Spirit Forest, towards the checkpoint of the Imperial Army.
『Now we just have to wait and see what those vermins can do』
Pointing his rifle downward, the B-class Knights gazed into the distance at the plains to the south of the forest The knight commander’s Knight also crossed his arms and did the same.
***
A city in the north of the Empire.
It is located in the middle of the road that connects the elven villages in the Spirit Forest and the Imperial Capital. This city, located in between the two, is the key to the protection of the north of the Empire.
In the office of the lord’s mansion in the center of the city, the mature Viscountess was reading a letter.
A beautiful woman of a young age let out a sigh from her crimson painted lips. She then lightly shakes her head and tosses the letter onto the desk.
「Read it」
The vice commander, a skinny old man who had brought the letter, nodded and picked it up to begin reading. He immediately turned his eyes to his superior and opened his mouth.
「This is… is it really okay to let me read this letter?」
It was a love letter to a mature Viscountess. The sender was a male elf who worked at a brothel in the imperial capital.
A man to whom the mature Viscountess had been devoted during her time in the imperial capital.
「It’s better not to hide these things」
The mature Viscountess tilts her mouth diagonally and raises her eyebrows. Seeing this expression, the old skinny man felt relieved.
He had never interfered in their relationship, but he had thought of her partner as a not so good person.
「You know how it says in there that you want to get back together?」
A small town on the border with the northern countries. When it was decided that she will be moved there, she begged him to come with her, and he refused.
She had written to him several times since leaving the imperial capital, but had never received a single reply.
And now that relations with the elves have deteriorated, the other party suddenly sent an autumn wave* to her, the frontline commander.
[*Note: An expression of love towards the opposite gender.]
「His real intention is as clear as day」
The mature Viscountess shrugs and spreads her hands.
(If it had been a little more earlier, my heart might have been moved)
She thought, as she looked at the vice-commander who was reading the letter while standing.
The defeat in the preliminaries and the wickedness to the defeated in the northern countries. Both were unbearable humiliations, but those did help her break free from the spell of the elves.
For now, that’s what she thinks.
「When you’ve finished reading it, send it to His Majesty. The elves are making this kind of move」
Returning to her crossed legs, the mature Viscountess stood from her chair and stretched her waist. While she was doing that, she listened dubiously.
The old, skinny man noticed belatedly, put down the letter, and opened the door to the hallway. What they heard was the sound of footsteps running up the stairs and down the hallway.
It was a messenger bringing an urgent message.
「Reporting in! A herd of Capricorns has emerged from the Spirit Forest and is heading south towards us!」
The mature Viscountess and an old skinny man look at each other at the sudden appearance of a group of large magical beasts.
The distance between the Spirit Forest and this city is not very far. The only thing in between is a checkpoint that serves as a defense line and a fort filled with Knights and soldiers.
「There are over thirty of them! We expect them to encounter the garrison’s Knights soon」
He continued to speak without catching his breath.
「Why are the Capricorns here? They shouldn’t be a beast that like to go out of the forest」
The mature Viscountess asks in a stern tone, but the messenger is unable to answer.
Realizing that she had given an unnecessary reply, she waved her hands from side to side in front of her face and took back her statement.
『Twisted horn, Capricorns』
They are regarded as evil magic beast because of their eerie appearance and their appetite for poisonous plants, mushrooms, and poison oak.
However, this is only true among those who do not have enough knowledge about magic beast
(I’ve never heard of Capricorns coming to attack first)
A mature Viscount tilts his head, unconvinced.
The twisted horn Capricorn is indeed big, but despite their appearance, it is quite gentle in nature. They’re not considered a dangerous beast.
(But it is true that they are getting closer. After all, big number still big numbers, and it will be bad if they are in an agitated state)
Thinking of the rank and number of Knights at the checkpoint, the mature Viscountess immediately made a decision.
「I’m going too, prepare my Knight!」
She pushed the messenger away with her ample breasts, leaving the scent of perfume in his nostrils as she ran toward the Knight’s hangar.