Chapter 85. Consecrator of the Beast Hide (1)

It's the rainy season.

The rain is drizzling down.

The streets of Wolfskrig have turned to mud.

Since the sewage system is under maintenance, parts of the city are submerged in ankle-deep water.

Gush gush gush-

“……”

A part of the old mercenary band headquarters, the new barracks building, also suffered flood damage.

Water had filled the first floor to a splashing level.

Fortunately, in this world, there is the mystery of magic.

[[Warrior’s Insight] is deployed.]

[Skills have been acquired.]

[Stream Formation (Level 1)]

[Water Droplet Throw (Level 1)]

[Freeze (Level 2)]

Mages from the Blue Magic Tower manipulated the water currents with truly magical spells or froze the water to shovel it out.

Meanwhile, the artisans sent by Count Maenenwood temporarily dug ditches around the barracks building to drain the water.

Swoooosh….

It was resolved quickly.

That's a relief.

I thought we would be held back by something like this on the day the punitive force was leaving.

“The rainfall isn't that heavy. We'll just take temporary measures in the severe areas, and once the sewage system maintenance is finished, it will drain well. We'll finish it by the time you return from the punitive expedition.”

“I’ll be counting on you.”

The artisan bowed his head.

The personnel sent by Count Maenenwood were all competent.

Their contract period was one year, and after this period, they would decide whether to return after receiving the remaining payment from the count or to stay.

It would be best to keep them if possible.

To do that, I must develop the city.

The larger the city, the more work there is for artisans.

Therefore, skilled artisans who want to receive high wages tend to prefer large cities or rapidly growing cities.

For this, we must resolve the threat of the beastmen that has come to our doorstep.

Puuuooo-

The punitive force departed with the sound of a trumpet echoing through the rain.

The total number of the punitive force was two thousand.

1,500 of the 2,500 private soldiers were selected.

Some were also drafted from the Imperial army stationed in Wolfskrig.

The military system of the Empire is a semi-centralized feudal system.

While the lords' private soldiers exist, a centralized army is scattered throughout the regions, protecting the Empire and maintaining security according to the Emperor's command.

They do not participate in the private affairs of the lords, such as fief wars.

However, they can be mobilized for any task that protects the citizens of the Empire, such as the beastmen subjugation.

About one thousand five hundred Imperial soldiers are stationed in Wolfskrig.

Five hundred of them were mobilized.

Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud.

The march was somewhat slow.

This was because all the roads except for the main roads had turned to mud.

It was also due to the slow-moving artillery corps accompanying us.

Waterproof tarps were carefully draped over the total of thirty-six mortars.

Gunpowder was a problem, but William solved it.

“It will be fine as long as it's not completely submerged in water.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, well. This much is bearable. The new shells should be fine too.”

I don’t know if Luark also watches over necromancers who are skilled at acting like paladins, but at least I can't deny that William was a piece of good fortune that came at the perfect time.

He is a priest, but he is a versatile talent who can professionally handle various work tools and even gunpowder.

I heard he came after taking a leave of absence from the church.

“Should I say I became disillusioned? The count passed away, and the factions split and fought, so our bishop passed away too.”

“This is the first I’ve heard of it. May Luark watch over the bishop’s soul.”

“May Luark watch over him. Anyway, with the bishop who believed in me gone, I grew tired of church life. It may be presumptuous of me to say, but my faith had also faded somewhat.”

William stared blankly at the rain for a moment.

He shrugged his shoulders.

“Maybe I should have left sooner. I feel relieved now.”

“You do?”

“Yes, rather, after leaving the priesthood, I feel my faith has recovered to some extent.”

His expression certainly does look relieved.

His way of speaking is not as stiff as before either.

However, one flaw has emerged.

This friend has also become talkative.

“Come to think of it, it's strange. You and I have both met when beastmen were causing trouble.”

“Removing all the double crosses in the city was truly an unforgettable memory. To be honest, I was on pins and needles for about a week, wondering if divine punishment would fall.”

“If it had rained then like it is now, would there have been fewer casualties in the city? Since we could have electrocuted more beastmen at once….”

“No, we both would have been roasted along with the beastmen gathered in the square.”

“Ahaha, I suppose so.”

Still, perhaps because of the rain.

The chatter, half-buried in the sound of the rain, was moderately bearable.

Or maybe I’ve developed some tolerance for talkativeness thanks to the crazy mage I met in the underground ruins of Berenburg.

At least William doesn’t whip his head around when he talks.

“Rest!”

“Set up temporary tents, clean yourselves, and rest!”

“Mages, please light a fire so we can dry ourselves.”

As the weather and road conditions were not good, we marched while taking frequent breaks.

For bad weather, morale is not bad.

In fact, it's close to its peak.

Half of it is the result of my fame stat.

I’m not boasting, but my standing in Wolfskrig is quite high.

The moment I pierced Count Calvenia’s chest with a sword imbued with a holy aura during the vampire subjugation war is a scene that is still often talked about.

An artist even painted that scene and presented it to me, and it is hung at the entrance of the lord’s castle.

It was burdensome, and I wanted to just throw it in the warehouse, but I had to hang it up due to the requests of those around me.

‘Don't deceive yourself, master. Didn't you look at the painting every night and smile with satisfaction?’

“……”

The reason for the other half would be Wolfskrig itself.

A fight to protect one’s home is a great motivation for soldiers.

The reason a fief is the army’s backbone is not just because of supplies.

The fact that there is a home to return to.

The responsibility to protect that home.

This alone is enough to boost the soldiers' morale.

As Viscount Pewin said, a person with something to protect becomes stronger.

How much further did we walk like that?

“It’s the forest.”

We arrived at the entrance of the forest.

The forest where the search party had fought.

“Prepare for battle. Do not let your guard down.”

I lightly alerted the soldiers.

According to the search party’s battle report, there should be a beastmen fortress deep inside the forest.

Although it’s just a half-finished one that hasn’t been fully built yet….

A fortress that moves and lives on its own.

***

“I will be waiting at the designated location.”

I parted ways with William.

It’s true on flat ground, but if we match the speed of the artillery in the forest, the advance becomes too slow.

Besides, in the plan I made, the place for the artillery was not the battlefield where the fight would take place.

“Reconnaissance company. Secure the path.”

“Yes, Your Lordship.”

The vanguard is the reconnaissance company led by Karen.

All members of the company are rangers.

Although we suffered some losses from the beastmen’s attack before, a large number still remained.

[The reconnaissance company deploys [Ranger’s Step].]

[The reconnaissance company deploys [Forest Vision].]

This was because a large number of former ranger mercenaries had also joined after the civil war.

The catalyst was when the exploits of the rangers in the Battle of Elcanto Forest and the Berenburg infiltration operation became known.

How should I put it?

Should I say that people attracted people?

It was a feeling like, ‘There must be a reason why there are so many rangers in that mercenary band,’ or ‘He must be a commander who creates conditions for rangers to be active.’

‘Come to think of it, the reason the rangers joined when I first created the mercenary band in Wolfskrig was because of Karen.’

It could be said that the snowball that started with recruiting Karen had rolled this far.

Hmm.

Then in the end, is it thanks to old man Brol?

[[Battlefield-Overlooking Gaze] is deployed.]

I shook off the idle thoughts.

It was time to concentrate.

I used the new trait I had acquired.

It was the reward for clearing the civil war scenario, which I got after defeating the marquis.

[Battlefield-Overlooking Gaze]

[You see in 3D. You can look down on the battlefield in a top-view format. However, you can only see where the vision of your troops reaches.]

In the game, it was not a great trait.

This was because the command screen itself was a top-down view of the battlefield.

There was no need to use it unless it was a special spell that obstructed the command view, but most of those spells blocked vision, so it was ambiguous to use.

However, now that it has become reality, it is worthy of being ranked among the overpowered traits.

‘The west is clear. There’s a trace to the southeast. Excrement. They’re not far.’

I can see everything.

The entire field of vision of over two thousand troops.

It feels like I have a minimap in my head, created by combining the visual information of all the troops.

Moreover, I can look at it with a wide view and then zoom in at any time to see it in more detail.

The most important thing would be that I can grasp the situation even before receiving a reconnaissance report.

That means I can make faster and more accurate judgments and orders.

“Brol, spearmen to the anti-beast formation. Randal, send the halberdiers to the right of the formation. Olif, lead the knights to the left rear. Riflemen, crossbowmen, load.”

Thanks to reconnaissance and the trait, we cautiously advanced through the forest.

Before long, enemies appeared on the minimap in my head.

Beastmen.

Their number was about two thousand.

They were gathered in a wide clearing in the middle of the forest.

On the other side of the clearing, it was hard to see clearly, but a part of a structure that looked like it was woven from trees and vines was wriggling.

Then, one of them walked forward from the group.

A Minotaur holding a staff and an axe.

Their ruler.

The Consecrator of the Beast Hide, Grok-Tau.

He was waving a crude flag made of cloth tied to the end of his staff.

A white flag.

“Human Warchief!!”

Outside my line of sight.

A voice that resounded through the forest even from hundreds of meters away.

I can feel the bodies of the tense soldiers flinch.

I drew my sword.

“Do not be swayed! Prepare for battle!”

[[Lord’s Unyielding Mind] is deployed.]

[[Commander’s Roar] is deployed.]

I calmed the soldiers who were startled by the sudden shout.

As planned, I sent a few rangers with a message.

In the meantime, the soldiers quickly formed a battle formation and finished preparing to strike the enemy.

[The halberdiers deploy [Spear Wall].]

[The swordsmen deploy [Shield Wall].]

[The greatswordsmen deploy [Breach Formation]….]

[The Imperial spearmen….]

The training paid off.

The formation was deployed in an instant.

Spears and halberds created a sharp breakwater, and the knights and greatswordsmen prepared for a flanking attack.

Crossbows, bows, and rifles were aimed in the direction the voice came from, ready to pour out merciless firepower as soon as the enemy showed themselves.

The air grows cold.

Rough breaths escape between the raindrops that fall thickly, filtered once by the forest canopy.

The silence itself carries a killing intent.

Regardless, the beastmen hero continued to speak his mind in a loud voice.

“You have trespassed on the territory of the White Palm tribe! But I understand! To you, we are the invaders!”

Beastmen who speak human language are rare but exist.

Especially among legendary heroes, it’s no exaggeration to say that almost all of them do.

The Beastpriest of the Full Moon also spoke human language.

I have already instructed the soldiers.

Not to be mesmerized by the beast’s voice.

There is only one thing for us to do here.

To hold out against the enemies for enough time.

“You and I are both Warchiefs! Let’s spare the lives of our warriors!”

Through the vision secured by the rangers hidden in the trees, I could see him spreading his fingers.

“Send three warriors! We will also send three!”

The number of fingers he spread was three.

“One on one! Let’s fight three times to decide the victor!”

I feel this every time, but you can’t predict everything in the world.

A sudden request for a duel.

This isn’t the Three Kingdoms.

Normally, I wouldn’t have accepted a beastman’s request for a duel.

However….

“Viscount, is it a fight?”

…It just so happens that we have a barbarian warrior on our side who could rival Lu Bu.