Chapter 622
My Villains Episode 622
72. punitive force(5)
In summary, with the addition of mercenaries to the regular punitive force, the number of people that had been over 800 was reduced to less than 300. It's only been five days since the full-scale search began..
Even half of the remaining troops - that is, Baron Daeon's troops - were still wandering in the mountains, and the remaining intact garrison troops in Acraden also suffered quite a few injuries..
It's an absurd enough story up to this point, but there was another fact that was most shocking. Even the highest commander did not know how the damage could be so great..
“What a stupid thing to say…….”
What broke the short silence was Count Aeneas' muttering. The pupil in the sapphire-like iris was narrowed with doubt..
“Hundreds of soldiers are missing and we don’t know why? I just can't understand..”
As if to prove that she was a descendant of Naga, the look in her eyes towards Acraden was reminiscent of a snake. As I looked into those eyes, I felt like I would hear a hissing sound at any moment, but fortunately, Aineth's voice was pretty, even for a seventeen-year-old girl..
“If there was damage, it means there was a skirmish, but does it make sense to say that we don't know the context at all? Moreover, there are dozens of injured people.?”
“I'm sorry, Count, we have never engaged in combat..”
“What else is that.”
“To be precise, there are no records of engagement. The only combat record we have is the defeat of the greenskins that attacked three days ago..”
Baron Acraden wiped his stern face and continued his explanation..
“Baron Daeon divided his troops into six groups and conducted a search. And after three days, only the main unit remained, and five units and about four hundred troops disappeared without any sign or trace..”
“So there isn't even a record of engagement? Then, the injured people who are currently in the garrison.”
“Most people are unconscious or in a state of extreme panic. There is no one to explain what happened..”
“no way. I told you that the number of injured alone was over fifty. There isn't a single soldier among them who can tell me what happened.?”
“I'm equally embarrassed, but it's all true. All we could tell from the wounded soldiers was that most of them were heavily anesthetized by some kind of neurotoxin..”
“neurotoxin?”
“Yes, Your Excellency.”
“……under.”
Ines quietly shook her head as if she could not understand the situation..
I also completely sympathized. The more I listened to the story, the deeper my doubts seemed to become..
But from the looks of it, Baron Acraden didn't seem to know anything anymore. Maybe he too - no, he's the craziest and most jumpy one..
“What a strange situation..”
The one who got lucky this time was Viscount Arthur, the ‘Sword of the Blizzard’..
“Even if we assume that the scattered troops were killed individually, there are no traces of that at all? Not like a green skin.”
He is from the North, which is even called the home of the Greenskins. No, it wasn't just his origins, he was a magnate who had a very high probability of becoming the master of the North within a few decades. As soon as Arthur opened his mouth, the attention of the audience gathered..
As if responding to those looks, Viscount Arthur continued speaking..
“Whether orcs or goblins, they enjoy showing off their power and terrorizing their enemies. Whether conquering a village or defeating an army, only the heads are taken as tribute, and most of the corpses are used to decorate the victorious battlefield..”
“Decorating the battlefield? What does that mean, viscount??
Arthur calmly answered Os' question..
“Most of the time, they just leave the tragic scene as is, but if there are high-ranking entities or special entities involved, they may play a prank. You can create a sculpture by weaving or connecting several bodies with strings, or imitating a standing posture by hanging them on a pole or tree as if you were playing a doll..”
“……That's terrible.”
“It's terrible, but it's clever. Even the bravest of men would lose his will to fight if he witnessed such a scene a couple of times..”
“Umm.”
“So this is clearly an abnormal situation. Of course, it may be that greenskins with slightly unusual habits have appeared, but I think it is more likely that it is the work of something else..”
“So what do you think about that neurotoxin??”
“Goblins are naturally skilled at handling poison. They use all kinds of natural materials, including their own poop, to create all kinds of poisons..”
“But, Viscount, you just said it could have been something other than the greenskins.?”
“It's not a contradictory story. There is a possibility that the greenskins have formed a new alliance..”
“If it's an alliance?”
“Greenskins often collude with other monsters through their faith. It's not common, but it's not exactly new either..”
“Well, of course, in some history books, there are many cases of orcs and goblins running amok as the main agents of black fairies and demons.…….”
“That's a story from the distant past, and in modern times, the targets are mainly lesser giants such as Ogres and Cyclops. It wouldn't be strange if there were other unknown allies..”
“Umm. I understand, Viscount. Thanks for the advice.”
“Not much to say.”
As soon as the short conversation ended, Baron Shaenna, who had been silent, opened his mouth..
“So Acraden. What do you want the student punitive force to do??”
“well. It might be funny for me to give advice to my precious children after showing such ugly behavior.…….”
Acraden paused for a moment. He then turned to several students and advisors and spoke in a firm tone..
“I guess it would be better to go back..”
“……Are you serious? We only arrived a little while ago.”
“That's true, but as I already explained, the situation is very,”
He let out a deep sigh before speaking. Then, we looked at Os, Arthur, Aeneas, and Pasitea in that order..
“I will speak frankly to the four Lords here. This is not a place for learning.”
“…….”
“This is usually the case in battlefields, but it is even worse here. It is not a suitable place for the precious people who will support the kingdom to gain practical experience..”
“So go back? without achieving any results?”
“Of course, if you do that, it will hurt not only you but Her Majesty's reputation. However, what would happen if the student punitive force suffered great damage, and as a result, about a dozen children of noblemen died or disappeared??”
Os crossed his arms and nodded..
“……The royal road will be overturned.”
“It will be more than that. If, by any chance, the four of you here are included,…….”
Well, that's true. I don't think the Duke of Wevelter or the Marquis of Eavon are old people who would sit still after hearing that their precious grandchild died because of the princess's misdeeds..
In addition, a significant number of the members of the student punitive force - 44 people, to be exact - are children of noble families who are said to be acting like idiots. What if they die or go missing all at once? I didn't think it would be surprising if a civil war broke out right away, rather than the royal capital being overthrown.…….
……Uh, now that I think about it, I guess it's not such a bad thing for me? If the kingdom is in turmoil, wouldn't it be easier to save Princess Yuril??
Well, I'm just worried about the Dark Knight plotting an unknown plot in the royal capital. If the country is shaken too much, it will be much easier for him to do something stupid.…….
I was lost in thought and quickly came to my senses when I heard Baron Acraden's cautious voice..
“Even if students - no, young knights - made the same sacrifice and participated in the subjugation, it would be difficult to be of much help. What we need now is not a powerful elite force, but special help..”
“Special help? What are you talking about??”
“This means that we need someone with the ability to overcome the current situation. The most obvious number, of course, would be Lord Kellystel.…….”
Court bag Kelistel. He is an old monster who has guarded the court for a century, and an archmage called the ‘Counselor of the Five Kings.’.
He is a powerful wizard who can use nearly a hundred spells, and he is also a wise man with extensive knowledge of all the mysteries that exist in Middle-earth. If it was Kelistel like that, it would have been easy to see through the problem happening on this mountain right now..
But the problem is,
“If it's Lord Kellystel. I heard that you have completely disappeared since the last coronation..”
“Yes. It is a painful loss not only for the royal family but also for the entire kingdom..”
Acraden expressed regret but suggested an alternative..
“However, there are still more than ten disciples raised by Lord Kellystel himself in the palace. There are also representatives of the Women’s Council outside the palace. Otherwise, you can get decisive help by just bringing in a few priests of bishop level or higher who have powers such as 'Eye of Truth' and 'Area Nullification'..”
In short, this means that human resources are needed at a level that neither regular punitive forces nor student punitive forces can possess. Whether they are wizards or priests, they are some of the most powerful people in the entire kingdom..
“Anyway, it's not something we can help with..”
“Of course it is. I have already sent a messenger to the royal capital regarding this, so you will receive a reply within a day or two.…….”
“This means that there is no need for the help of the student punitive force..”
“I feel sorry for the various lords and children, but - yes, that's right. It is for the sake of this subjugation, no, the future of the kingdom, that you put your face aside for a moment and step down..”
In my opinion, Baron Acraden's eyes and words contained enough sincerity. It wasn't difficult to guess what he meant..
The subjugation was virtually ruined, and Acraden's reputation was in shambles. It was an already established reality. All he can hope for now is to somehow fix this mess and make an excuse..
The honor of being the head of the Hunting Office may have already been lost, but shouldn't the status of the king's standard bearer and the title of baronet be salvaged?.
In such a situation, if a student punitive force goes on a rampage and several people die or go missing,?
It would be like pouring even bigger shit onto an already messed up mess..
Of course, the student punitive force may perform unexpected activities and put an end to this asari version. But the risk was too great to harbor such a wish..
In the end, there was only one thing that Baron Acraden could request from the student punitive force. Don't show off and get hurt, just quietly turn off..
There was no way Count Ost was unaware of these circumstances. He nodded and opened his mouth..
“……Thanks for the advice. I understand that we are in a situation where we cannot be of much help..”
“then-”
“However, I don't know if the crew will agree if I say I withdraw without fighting a proper battle..”
The Baron's complexion, which had been bright for a moment, suddenly hardened..
“…… The leader of the subjugation is His Excellency the Count. Isn’t it the commander’s natural authority to decide whether to advance or retreat??”
“It's true. However, as the Baron knows, our student punitive force is a somewhat special unit. It is impossible to lead as if you were commanding a group of private soldiers. no need to discuss.”
“Are you talking about discussion? As I explained, it would not be surprising if some kind of misfortune occurred right now.-”
Talk. Todog. Toad-duk-duk.
Baron Acraden, who continued his impassioned speech, closed his mouth when he heard the sound of Asura. As he looked outside the barracks with a distorted face, the raindrops hitting the thick tarpaulin quickly became thicker and made the sound of rushing water..
“……this.”
“The rain is pretty heavy. Even if it does, it will be over soon. It would be impossible to move right away..”
The Baron closed his eyes tightly as if he was in pain. Then he massaged his temples a few times and nodded..
“We will provide you with a place to stay. Let's rest tonight and discuss it carefully..”
“I will. Thank you for your consideration..”
Leaving behind the stern-faced Acraden and his entourage, the leaders of the student punitive force quietly left the command barracks..
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