Chapter 36 - Episode 35: Signs of Battle
Radley, as usual that day, was patrolling the forests around the capital city of Noeina with Rick and Dant.
If dangerous monsters are approaching human settlements, their presence always remains within the forest. There might be the scavenged corpses of animals or weak monsters, tracks left by a massive body passing through the woods, or signs of trees being destroyed to mark a territory.
Having frequently accepted requests for monster extermination as a member of a mercenary group, Radley would not overlook such obvious anomalies. Fortunately, around the capital city of Noeina, located in the shallows of the Bezel Great Forest, there had been no such anomalies until now.
Yes, until now.
"...It smells."
After advancing a short distance into the forest, Radley noticed something strange.
"Eh, is that so?"
"Yeah, the smell of blood. You two, keep a sharp lookout around you. Then, if I say 'run,' flee immediately to Noeina and call the other retainers."
As he spoke to Rick and Dant, he could tell by their presence that the two of them stiffened behind him. It was only natural, as this was the first time Radley had given such an instruction.
Radley walked in the direction where he sensed the smell of blood. Rick and Dant followed timidly behind him.
Soon, Radley and the others reached the source of the smell.
What lay there were the corpses of several goblins. They were scattered to the point where one couldn't tell which part belonged to which individual, and those whose faces were not crushed had died with their eyes wide open in terror.
"Ugh..."
He heard Dant involuntarily let a word slip. That was understandable.
While Radley and the others performed monster extermination during their patrols, they never went out of their way to kill in such a cruel manner. Yet, these goblins had been torn apart to the extent that their bodies no longer retained their original shape.
However, that was not what caught Radley's eye.
Something is missing, Radley thought.
The number of scattered goblin limbs and the contents of the torn goblin torsos were clearly insufficient. In other words, something had attacked the goblins to prey upon them.
A monster capable of preying on several goblins—who can at least handle weapons and form packs—all at once, and causing them to die with such expressions of terror, was not normally found in this area.
Radley looked around the scene of the massacre. He checked the footprints on the ground. He found peeled tree bark where a creature had likely rubbed its body to mark its territory, and he checked the hair attached to it.
"...This isn't good. I have to report this immediately. You two, we're heading back."
Saying this quietly, Radley led the two of them and hurried back to Noeina.
.....
Upon receiving the report from Radley, who had returned from patrol, Noein called an emergency assembly of the retainers.
Immediately afterward, all the retainers gathered at Noein's mansion, and a meeting was held.
"It's definitely an Orc, right?"
"Yes, hair was stuck to the tree trunks. The footprints were certainly those of an Orc as well."
Radley nodded strongly at Yuri's question.
"Orcs are supposed to be only in the depths of the Bezel Great Forest, right? For one to appear in a place like this, and in the dead of winter at that..."
Noein, who was not used to such emergencies, muttered this with a somewhat stiff expression.
Noein had never seen an Orc firsthand, but knew from knowledge that they were dangerous monsters.
Orcs were said to look like boars that had become bipedal, possessing massive bodies that could exceed two meters and powerful arm strength. It was said that to oppose one properly, one would need a mage trained in combat, a magic warrior capable of using physical enhancement magic, or ten or more trained soldiers.
And yet, one had appeared very close to the capital city of Noeina. As the lord, he could not remain calm.
"...It's likely an individual that failed its hibernation. Most beast-type monsters are supposed to store food and hibernate during winter, but occasionally there are those that fail and wander around searching for prey. Such individuals are particularly dangerous because they are irritable from the cold and hunger."
"While searching for food in a fit of irritation, it probably wandered out into the shallow parts of the Great Forest," Pence added to Yuri's explanation.
"Will it come as far as Noeina?"
"It almost certainly will. An Orc from the Bezel Great Forest has likely never seen a human. It doesn't know human civilization or organizational power. It will likely judge us as weak prey, similar to goblins, and attack."
"The goblin corpses still smelled of blood. They were killed today. Since it ate that much, it'll probably be fine for today or tomorrow, but after that, it wouldn't be strange for it to find this place and attack at any time."
"I see... Can we win?"
When Noein asked, Yuri frowned slightly. The former mercenary group—Pence, Radley, Bart, and Mai—also wore grim expressions.
"...It would be dangerous with just us former mercenaries. We lack manpower. But most of the other residents are just farmers. Even if we've had them undergo some emergency training, it would be impossible to have them face an Orc."
"As a member of the former village head's family, I have a reasonable understanding of swordsmanship and spearmanship... but as for the other farmers, they would likely be unable to move properly due to terror."
When Yuri spoke, Edgar, who served as the coordinator for the farmers, agreed. To an ordinary human, an Orc was that terrifying of a threat.
"If I add my golem, will the combat power be sufficient?"
"Do you intend to go out into the forest yourself? Noein-sama's golem is likely considerably strong, but when facing an Orc in a winter forest, it can't be said to be absolutely safe. Of course, we will protect Noein-sama with all our might, but if luck is bad, a surprise attack is possible."
Far from being intimidated by Yuri's words, Noein let out a smirk. It was that particular smile containing a hint of wickedness, which he hadn't shown for a long time during the peaceful winter.
"I'm well aware of the slight danger. Rather, it would be bad if I, the lord, were frightened by a single Orc, wouldn't it? A pig bastard that dares to ravage my territory and try to eat my precious residents—the lord himself will kill it personally."
At the vulgar way of speaking, so unlike the gentle Noein seen before the residents, Yuri and the other retainers gave wry smiles. It was a smile born from the knowledge that this ferocity would never be directed at them.
"Understood. If the lord says so, we'll devise a plan with the golem as the axis of our combat power."
Thus, the discussion concluded in the direction of Lord Noein himself hunting the Orc. Excluding the previous hunts of weak monsters, this could be called Noein's first true battle.