Chapter 344 - Episode 336: Anti-Wyvern Meeting
A few hours after the report of the wyvern's appearance, Noein, Matilda, Clara, Yuri, Pence, Radley, Bart, Mai, Edgar, Anna, Damian, Gustav, and the magic tool crafter Daphne gathered in the meeting room. It was a gathering of the Grand Duchy's sovereign and his key officials.
"—And that is why we must challenge the wyvern. Both for the development of the Grand Duchy through trade, and to protect the peace of society."
With those words, Noein concluded his explanation of the situation's overview.
"...Slaying a wyvern, huh."
"How should I put it... I haven't the slightest clue how we're supposed to do it."
Radley muttered with a grim expression, and beside him, Bart spoke.
"For what it's worth, there are stories of humans defeating wyverns in the history of the Lordberg Kingdom, and even in the history before the kingdom's founding... but I don't know the details very well myself. Do you know, Clara-san?"
"Yes. Since all the wyvern subjugations occurred in the northern part of the kingdom, there were descriptions in my family's records and in history books I requested from the neighboring Marquis Bechtolsheim's territory."
Clara nodded when asked.
"Most examples of wyvern subjugations by humans were carried out by mages. The common description is that soldiers acted as decoys to draw the wyvern's attention, while royal court mages or skilled mages employed by great noble houses unleashed group attack magic to achieve the kill."
Pausing there, Clara's expression darkened.
"However, in every subjugation case, there were many human casualties. Because wyverns are fast and fly in the sky, attack magic does not hit so easily... the soldiers serving as decoys numbered from dozens to sometimes over a hundred. The number of mage casualties was also not small."
"I suppose it won't be easy..."
Noein, hearing Clara's story, also showed a stern expression. There were no people in the Grand Duchy of Arqvist capable of casting attack magic, and if the Grand Duchy's army suffered dozens of casualties, the entire military would fall into dysfunction.
Before that, no matter if it was for the sake of slaying a wyvern, he could not devise a plan based on the premise that dozens of citizens would die.
"Regarding the decoys, the Grand Duchy's army has the Claymores. If we use golems, the possibility of human casualties should be significantly reduced."
The one who proposed this was Yuri. Gustav also nodded.
"Golems are more durable than human soldiers, and if they are destroyed, they can be replaced. They would be perfect as decoys."
"Then, the matter of the decoys is settled."
Hearing the two proposals and realizing that living soldiers would not have to be put in danger, Noein felt relieved.
"Now for the method of attacking the wyvern. Speaking of the most powerful attack method in the Grand Duchy of Arqvist's army..."
"In terms of simple power, it would be the golems, but I don't think a wyvern would easily engage in a slugging match. After all, it's the kind of creature that grabs a Great Boar with its feet and carries it away."
"Umm, then there's the ballista, I reckon."
"A ballista... I wonder if it'll work?"
As Noein tilted his head at the words of Pence and Radley, Clara answered.
"As a rare example of wyvern subjugation in the kingdom, there is a story of a knight, said to be the best in the royal army at the time, who used powerful physical magic to reinforce his entire body and slew a wyvern by piercing its heart with a spear. Although it was an attack delivered using physical magic against the belly side, which is not covered in scales, a human thrust was able to inflict a fatal wound. A direct hit from a ballista bolt should be sufficiently effective."
"Ah, 'The Battle of Warrior Gordon.' I thought that was just a fairy tale."
"It has become a fairy tale, but it was originally a true story. Several noble houses in the northern kingdom have recorded it as an official record."
The story of the Battle of Warrior Gordon, who played an active role in the many wars leading up to the founding of the Lordberg Kingdom and even possessed the anecdote of slaying a wyvern with a single spear. Perhaps they had heard it as a fairy tale, for several people other than Noein showed expressions of surprise upon learning it was a true story.
"But will we be able to hit a wyvern so easily?"
"...It'll be difficult. A ballista has almost no mobility."
Yuri answered Pence's renewed mutter with a grim face.
Ballistas that are moved via carts cannot change their firing direction or angle immediately. Fixed ballistas can move their firing direction a bit more flexibly, but moving the ballista itself is difficult. No one believed that normal operation would be possible while confronting a wyvern within the Lestio Mountains.
"If only we could hold and fire a ballista like a crossbow, eh."
"Even so, there's no way that's possible. Even for a golem..."
As Mai answered Damian, who showed a troubled expression with his arms crossed—she suddenly seemed to think of something and looked toward Noein. The gazes of the others also gathered on Noein.
"...My giant golem."
Having reached the same conclusion as them, Noein muttered with an indescribable smile.
The giant golem, used in the founding ceremony of the Grand Duchy of Arqvist, which exerted a unique presence as a symbol showing Noein's prestige. With a height exceeding three meters and monstrous strength to match, the giant golem should be able to lift a ballista.
In fact, during the ceremony, the giant golem had shouldered a large stone monument indicating the founding of the Grand Duchy and demonstrated its ability to carry it over a long distance.
"That giant golem is constructed to be practical, just like normal golems. There should be no problem in terms of functionality or durability..."
"...The only thing left is whether I can master its use. Of course, I can do it if I set my mind to it."
Noein gave a wry smile at Daphne's words.
The giant golem is taxing for the user both mentally and magically, but for Noein, moving it for a short period of time would be no problem. Even if they were to slay a wyvern, they wouldn't be fighting for hours anyway.
However, he never imagined that something he had commissioned on the premise of being "strictly for the ceremony" would be suddenly deployed in actual combat the year after its completion. He could only laugh.
"Damian, can you modify the ballista so that a golem can hold and fire it?"
"I just have to replace the base part with handles and make the trigger a shape the golem can grip! If you let me concentrate solely on the modification, two weeks—no, I can handle it in one week!"
Damian answered energetically when asked by Noein.
"Then I'll leave it to you... Assuming we have a weapon that can counter a wyvern, next is the method of the hunt."
"When it comes to slaying monsters, the standard practice for the Grand Duchy's army is to slow them down with the undiluted essence of 'Angel's Honey' and then beat them down... but I wonder if it'll even work on a wyvern?"
"Even though a wyvern is a giant and powerful enemy, it is still a monster, so chemicals should work. There was a case in the northwest in the past where they repelled one by mixing poison into a cow's carcass, letting the wyvern eat it, and attacking while it was weakened. Though I heard the effect was poor despite using a considerable amount of poison."
Clara, who was well-versed in historical cases, answered Pence's question.
"That means it seems we'll have to inject as much 'Angel's Honey' as possible. Especially since we're using a magic potion against a wyvern rich in magical power."
"I'll try modifying the ballista bolts too! If I create a cavity in the center and pour 'Angel's Honey' inside, we should be able to inject a larger amount than just coating the surface!"
"Ah, that's a good idea. It might increase Damian's burden, but I'll ask for that as well."
"Leave it to meeee! It's a piece of cake!"
Several people gave a wry smile at Damian's inappropriately cheerful voice. In a meeting with such heavy content, his liveliness actually worked in a positive direction.
"Also, sir, may I ask one more point regarding the wyvern?"
"Sure. What is it, Clara-san?"
"Regarding wyverns, it is said that they take about several months to recover their full power after waking from sleep. The fact that a wyvern appeared recently suggests that an individual that had the area around the trade route as its territory may have just woken up."
"...Which means the sooner we set out to slay it, the easier it'll be."
"Most likely. Additionally, it is said that active wyverns establish bases by the water, where they stockpile food or create places to rest. If there is a body of water near the point where the maintenance workers were attacked, we might be able to pin it down there."
Noein was genuinely surprised by Clara's words.
"Is that also knowledge left in history? Wyverns are rare monsters, yet quite a lot is known about them."
"In the era of warring small states, there was a beastman scholar in the Staufenberg Marquisate of that time who devoted his life to the ecological study of wyverns. Thanks to his achievements, much information was revealed... though it is said that the scholar entered the nest of a hibernating wyvern for research and never returned."
"So thanks to that person, we're able to think of countermeasures against the wyvern. We must be grateful to the great figures of the past."
Noein muttered, feeling the gratitude for the history that people had accumulated.
"Then, as the basic tactic: we will slow the wyvern's movements with His Excellency Arqvist's giant golem and modified ballista, along with 'Angel's Honey,' and then carry out a surrounding attack to slay it. The decoys to attract the wyvern and the attacks on the weakened wyvern will be primarily carried out by the Claymores. Is this form acceptable, Your Excellency?"
"Yes. That's fine."
Noein nodded to Yuri, who was summarizing and confirming the discussion so far.
"Understood. Then, based on this premise, we will further refine the operational details, select personnel, and conduct training. Considering the period for Damian's ballista modifications and the period for reconnaissance to locate the wyvern's base, we will aim for execution within a few weeks."
"Got it. I'll leave the details of the subjugation operation, including my own movements, to Yuri and the others. Also, considering the possibility of the wyvern descending upon us or us failing the subjugation, Mai, Edgar, and Anna, I'll ask you to formulate an evacuation plan for the citizens just in case."
At Noein's final decision, the subordinates who were named each indicated their agreement.
"Bart, I want you to go and inform the surrounding noble territories about the wyvern. Depending on the wyvern's movements, there's a possibility that damage could extend to them. Damian, as I said before, I'll leave the modifications to you. Daphne, please increase the production of golems as much as possible. I suspect a considerable number will be destroyed in the battle with the wyvern."
The responsible parties each responded to Noein's continuing instructions, and the future course of action was completely decided.