Harbert Forest
A week had passed, and the day finally arrived to set out for Harbert Forest in earnest.
In the meantime, Joseph had delivered the completed Fire Artifacts to Dofnik and put in a request for him to purchase red quartz. Givra and Toban had been searching for artisans to hire, but it was proving harder than they'd expected.
"All the decent ones belong to the Artisan Guild... so it's proving a bit difficult."
Givra offered an awkward, sheepish smile.
"Toban's going to do the final inspection anyway. We don't necessarily need someone with extraordinary skill, do we?"
"That's true, but... there aren't as many suitable people as I expected."
The ones with skilled hands were already drowning in work and couldn't be hired. The ones with little work were worse craftsmen than Derik. When they approached the ones in the middle, those people had no interest in taking on more. They were getting by well enough as it was. They saw no reason to pile extra onto their plates.
Looking at it this way, plenty of people here care about work-life balance too.
This wasn't an era where hard work could actually raise your station. No matter how hard you struggled, the height you could climb was already set in stone. So as long as you could earn enough to get by, most people simply wouldn't bother taking on extra risk.
"And honestly... quite a few of them are scared off by the stories about you, sir."
"..."
Judging by the look on Givra's face, this was the real reason.
A few days after the Malacca Mercenary Troop incident, Joseph's name had begun circulating among artisans and merchants as well. Given his recent activities, that was only natural. Rumors had spread that he'd brought down an entire mercenary troop by himself. Word had gotten out that the Silver Ice Merchant Guild and the Kerbe Merchant Guild were joining forces. Veteran Mercenaries had been gathering at his mansion in broad daylight. Givra had been tearing through every corner of the city hunting for artisans. It would have been impossible not to attract attention.
On top of that, Joseph hadn't bothered hiding that he was a mage — not when he needed to sell Artifacts. So stories of "Joseph, Caladon's new mage" had spread on their own.
"The problem is that ordinary people have the worst possible image of mages."
"...Yes. But you're different, aren't you, sir?"
Givra said this, then smiled awkwardly again.
"Well, it can't be helped. We'll just have to take our time finding them."
"Hehe. Understood."
Joseph understood well enough how hard it was to find the right people. Still, at least he didn't have to run around doing it himself. He could take his time and build the system piece by piece.
"Sir, we're ready."
The moment his conversation with Givra ended, Derik reported in as if he'd been waiting for it.
Stepping out into the courtyard, Joseph found three wagons loaded with supplies, mercenaries lined up beside them.
"Good morning, sir!"
They snapped to attention as Joseph appeared. Unlike a week ago, voices overlapped from every direction, blending into an unintelligible chorus.
Did the training actually work?
The command drills for the private soldiers had apparently helped the mercenaries pull together as well. He hadn't planned for that, but it was hardly a bad thing.
Every mercenary wore a yellow knot at his waist. The private soldiers had suggested they needed a way to tell friend from foe outside the city, so these had been prepared. The mercenaries already wore the marks of their own companies, which made a shared identifier all the more necessary.
"I won't be involving myself much."
Joseph looked over his private soldiers as he spoke. This expedition was, first and foremost, command training for them. If he stepped in, the chain of command would only get tangled.
I'll just sit in the back and play turret.
Joseph's role wasn't all that different from the cargo loaded on the wagons. Sit in the wagon, come out when needed. That was about it.
"Understood."
Derik, Auk, Jiren. They were doing their best to look composed, but they couldn't keep still for even a moment — the nerves were obvious. Until now, all they'd had to do was follow Joseph and the other soldiers. Now they had to lead the mercenaries themselves. A single order from them could make things go smoothly — or go spectacularly wrong.
"Do well out there."
"Yes, sir!"
Joseph grinned and climbed into the wagon. With Givra seeing them off, the wagons began to roll.
As they turned onto the city's main road and headed for the outer gate, Joseph could feel the stares gathering. Under ordinary circumstances, this wouldn't have been a combination that drew much attention. Ten mercenaries, three private soldiers, and two wagons. Caladon's merchants hauled this kind of escort around all the time.
"That's... the mercenaries from that mage's mansion, right?"
"Hey, stop staring and look away! You make eye contact and you're dead!"
"..."
Joseph quietly withdrew further into the wagon at the voices outside. If people spotted him, the commotion would only get worse.
The wagons passed through the outer gate and headed out of the city. Unlike when they'd entered, there was no inspection. The guards already knew who these wagons belonged to.
Once outside the city, the wagons followed the northern road — the same road Joseph had taken down from Malešov. They traveled for about a day, then turned right at a certain point.
"Sir, the forest is in sight."
Jiren, who was driving the wagon, called out. Joseph pulled aside the canvas and poked his head out. In the distance, a vast, empty forest stretched out with not a soul in sight.
"From here, it looks more peaceful than I expected."
"They say the demonic beasts are a bit further in."
"I see."
Joseph confirmed that much and ducked back inside. Jiren blinked blankly for a moment, then came to his senses. It occurred to him that they were the ones supposed to be giving the orders.
"Halt!"
Jiren stopped the wagon and gathered with Auk and Derik.
"I'm first, right?"
"Wasn't Auk going first?"
"I said I was last. Can you do something about that memory of yours?"
They had already decided among themselves the order in which they'd command the mercenaries. Derik first, Jiren second, Auk last. Derik immediately began issuing orders to the mercenaries.
"Does anyone know a spot nearby where we can set up camp?"
"If you go a bit further down from here, there's an open area. Though it's a little..."
The private soldiers listened to the mercenaries' input and began setting up camp.
Huh. They're doing better than I expected.
Watching from the wagon, Joseph's mouth curled into a smile. All they'd done was a week of drills with the mercenaries in the mansion courtyard. The seasoned mercenaries were probably covering for them, of course, but the private soldiers were handling things more smoothly than he'd anticipated.
If this keeps up, I might actually get to live comfortably...
An image formed in Joseph's mind: himself at ease, soldiers and servants at his disposal. Not bad at all.
"Um, sir..."
"Ah, right."
At Derik's request, Joseph climbed down from the wagon and lit the campfire the mercenaries had prepared. This was something he'd promised to handle in advance.
Doing absolutely nothing would feel a bit much, anyway...
"Ooh..."
A flame sprang up with none of the usual hassle, and the mercenaries' faces lit up. In an instant, their expressions said they understood why merchants would risk their lives to recruit a single mage.
"It's a bit early, but we should start preparing dinner."
At those words, the mercenaries bustled into motion. Food wasn't much of a concern. Dofnik and Braham had provided supplies the moment they heard it was for training the private soldiers.
Having powerful backers really does make a difference.
Come to think of it, he hadn't gotten this kind of support in the Valois Territory — the finances simply hadn't been there. A merchant city really was on a different level.
Derik divided up the watch and decided they'd turn in early that night. The mercenaries had been walking for two straight days; they looked like they needed the rest.
A day later, the private soldiers prepared to enter the forest in earnest. Four of the ten mercenaries would stay to guard the camp; the remaining six would go into the forest.
"We move in formation."
The two mercenaries with the sharpest eyes took the lead, with four following behind. Derik, in command, stood behind them, and a little further back, Joseph, Auk, and Jiren followed at a slower pace.
The moment they entered the forest, the light dimmed at once. At least it was the bright season, so it wasn't pitch dark. Derik let out a small breath.
"Let's go."
At his word, the mercenaries moved slowly forward. They didn't go fast. They advanced with their eyes on everything ahead.
"What did they say shows up around here most often?"
"Fang Rabbits, and something like Giant Moths."
Joseph asked casually from the rear, and Auk answered.
"Giant Moths?"
Joseph's face twisted instantly. Ever since the cockroach demonic beasts, he'd had a particular loathing for insects.
"Halt!"
Then Derik shouted. The mercenary at the front had raised a fist above his head. He'd spotted something.
"...A rabbit?"
"That'll be a Fang Rabbit."
Looking closer, something with long ears and brown fur was staring their way. It looked like a rabbit, more or less — except it was enormous.
Are all demonic beasts that big...?
The giant rabbit, about as tall as Joseph's torso, had long fangs growing from its mouth. Cockroaches, moths, rabbits... maybe there was no such thing as a small demonic beast.
"It's coming!"
The Fang Rabbit had noticed them and started charging. The two at the front split left and right, taking positions on the outside of the formation. Six shields locked together into a wall.
"..."
Derik looked at the formation and smiled faintly. Not long ago, he'd been part of that wall himself. Now he was the one giving the orders.
The Fang Rabbit bounded left and right as it closed in, then leaped straight at the wall of shields.
"Strike!"
Derik shouted, and the mercenaries thrust their shields forward as one.
Thud!
The Fang Rabbit slammed into the shields, its fangs punching into the wooden boards. They hadn't gone through. The mercenary swung his shield and flung the creature off. The Fang Rabbit spun in midair and landed on the ground. The blow from the shield had hit harder than expected.
"Lento."
At Derik's order, a mercenary named Lento drew a throwing dagger from his belt. The moment he drew his arm back, the rabbit flinched.
"Ready!"
Derik called out, and the remaining mercenaries slowly moved to encircle the Fang Rabbit.
"Hah!"
With Lento's shout, the dagger flew. The Fang Rabbit leaped upward on reflex to dodge it.
"Now!"
The mercenaries rushed the center in a single burst. The instant the rabbit landed, they charged as a group and drove their shields into the ground around it.
Thud-thud!
Trapped inside the wall of shields, the rabbit thrashed wildly. The mercenaries drew their swords and thrust them through the gaps between the shields, like driving blades into a pirate doll stuffed inside a barrel.
When the thrashing finally began to die down, Derik gestured. The mercenaries lifted their shields and stepped back. The Fang Rabbit was revealed, run through with swords in a dozen places, dead.
"Hah..."
Derik looked down at it and gave a small nod. Not bad for a first attempt.
"Collect the carca— huh?"
He turned after giving the order, and his eyes landed on Joseph — and the Mana Orb floating beside him.
"Ah, sorry. Don't mind this."
"..."
At Joseph's feet lay a Fang Rabbit, smashed to pulp.
"...I'll keep an eye on the rear as well."
Derik let out a small, wry smile.