novel
| ← Ch.053 | Ch.055 → |
The ruler of the east of the empire, the Pieric Province, was connected to the Eastern Great Grass Field. The actual situation was way worse than the report said. Literally, they were almost at 'war'. They were at war with monsters from the Great Grass Field.
"Who would expect we need a supply squad against monsters?"
"I'd like to call it a war, rather than a conquest."
"It is definitely a war. Did you see, they were doing a guerilla assault?"
"As I heard, the imperial armies got ambushed."
"Is the world close to the end? Who would have imagined monsters would do such intelligent moves?"
They were talking at the front lines which were located between the Great Grass Field and the Pieric Province.
Many 'front lines' were occurring. And these men were carrying their supplies to the front lines. As they said, it wasn't at the scale of conquering monsters. It was at the scale of war. What kind of conquest would require supplies?
"Why are these monster bastards coming?"
"Who the fuck knows! They used to fight themselves, or fight with those barbarians! Why are these damn monsters doing this?"
The soldiers' voices were getting anxious.
They were against a monster union. Various kinds of monsters formed squads and invaded the province. Hence, every village close to the front lines were completely destroyed. Although massive armies were conducted and successfully pushed back those monsters, they couldn't end the war. So they chose a few valleys and built front fortresses, and battles kept on occurring.
"By the way, when will the Archmage arrive?"
"Yeah. We have requested for him ages ago."
"Isn't he supposed to arrive here now?"
The soldiers' questions were heading to a single person. A conducted mage who looked weak and depressed. The 1st class mage, 'Mcgedie' who just graduated the academy 1 year ago.
(ED Notes: Da hells with that name... Mac ge dee? Mac Ge Die?.... )
"I, I do not know."
How would Mcgedie know?
Although they were both members of the Ivory Tower, He hadn't seen any Archmages before.
Actually, he had seen one of them for a short moment. The Archmage said that he came to meet mages who would be his friend if he had studied magic in the academy as other normal students did.
"Are Archmages really different to normal mages? Those 3rd class mages who were fighting at the front line, they seem very powerful, but just an addition of one of them won't change the tide, I assume. As you know, there are so fucking many of them."
There were huge rank gaps between a normal soldier and a mage.
Even 1st class mages were much higher than them.
However these soldiers didn't care about their language.
It was due to that the conducted mage was scared and pressured by hostile soldiers.
"That make some damn sense. Archmages are usually 4th class, aren't day? I don't think 4th class would be that much different to the 3rd class. I rather want them to send more imperial soldiers."
Soldiers started to agree with those silly assumptions.
Finally, Mcgedie opened his mouth with small voice.
"T, there is big difference between them."
"You sure? Is there really any difference?"
"If an Archmage came, H, he will be a very powerful ally, indeed."
"Humph! I don't believe it."
There was a reason why these soldiers were acting rude to Mcgedie. When he joined the battle the first time, this 18 year old Mcgedie freaked out and didn't do anything but hide under the wall. Furthermore, he pissed his pants. A few soldiers saw it, and Mcgedie started being laughed at. They couldn't ignore him directly, since he had higher rank than them. However, the rumors spread fast. And that was why he was ordered to serve the supplies squad, instead of the front line.
"But still, we feel very confident though. The supplies squad who was guarded by the mage! Who would expect such a 'luxurious' squad?"
Even high rank nobles unofficially allowed them to tease this mage.
Also, Mcgedie couldn't say much about this sarcasm.
"How 'lucky' we are that........."
It was the last voice of the soldier who kept joking about Mcgedie.
"E, Erk.... . !"
An arrow penetrated his neck.
"Arrow.... . ?"
The soldiers couldn't realize situation clearly.
Who the hell, from where, shot that arrow?
It was a huge arrow that normal human wouldn't able to use.
"Erk!"
Another soldier who laughed the most followed his comrade's destiny. His side head was penetrated by another huge arrow.
"W, What's happening?"
"L, Look.... Look at there.... !"
From every side, enemies revealed their bodies. It was the trolls. A troll squad who outnumbered the soldiers by double had suddenly appeared and surrounded the supplies squad.
"T, troll?"
"How the heck are trolls...... ?"
Trolls had emerald colored skin and mysterious patterns scripted on it.
Trolls were much more dangerous than goblins.
Bigger bodies than a human's, and more muscle power.
A sharp chin and nose. A raised back head.
A pair of sharp teeth.
"This doesn't make any sense......."
"D, did these trolls wait to hunt the supplies?"
They all knew that monsters that assaulted the province this year were quite intelligent. However, they were still not smart as humans. They ran away and assaulted when they had to, they drew enemies to the site where they were ambushing. It was no more than that. However these trolls, who were supposed to be at the front line, were awaiting the supplies at the very centre of the province. How did they dare plan to cut down their enemies' supply line?
"M, make a formation! Shield up!"
As the veteran soldiers shout, other soldiers started to pull out shields from the supplies cache. The problem was the number of soldiers weren't enough to form a defense formation.
"Krrr! Krrrr!"
The trolls growled with their unique sound.
They started to pressure the supplies squad with their numbers. Furthermore, the troll's combat skills were overwhelming the soldiers of supplies squad. Humans were outnumbered and outskilled. They had no hope.
"S, sir Mcgedie! Do something!"
The panicked soldiers shouted to the mage.
At last, it was the mage, who may be able to turn the tides in this situation.
"I, I...."
"We are all gonna die!"
"You are a mage! Sir Mcgedie!"
He didn't even master the 1st class.
What could he do in this situation?
He was against trolls in many numbers.
'I, I have to slow down their approach, at least. '
Mcgedie wanted to live as well.
He made his own decision, and he acted quickly.
Thanks to God, he could see a lot of grass and trees around.
It was good to use for a fire.
"W, what the hell are you doing?"
"I'm trying to stop their approach!"
"Why don't you just hit them directly?"
"B, but wouldn't it make them furious?"
In this emergency, the soldiers and the mage started to argue. The supplies squad was losing their focus quickly.
'H, how, what should I do.... . ?'
Mage Mcgedie tried to find a solution.
However, he couldn't think of a good one.
Only his survival instinct was pressuring him.
'I, I don't want die yet. '
Not only Mcgedie, but everyone here was thinking the same.
They didn't want to die. They couldn't die now.
Especially not by trolls.
They were famous for eating 'humans'.
They not only just ate humans, but use their skins and bones for making their tools.
'Dying by such creatures?'
It was the most unworthy death as a human.
However, there was no way to escape.
"N, no. No!"
| ← Ch. 053 | Ch. 055 → |