147. Hostile Psychology (2)
147. Hostile Psychology (2)
- 1 -
The Foile River rose beneath the small mountain range west of Heisen and flowed through the heart of Solemio County.
Its waterway ran southward, cutting all the way to the Duchy of Arilit below.
The rice harvested from the fertile fields of Ellieniesi and the Kingdom of Kakia passed through Heisen and flowed along this river.
Southward to the United Kingdom of Zenota, which stood against Agares, and eastward to the Norn Empire, which kept Eligos in check.
Not a mere waterway, but a lifeline through which the fate of the Eastern Continent flowed.
It was a crucial trade route for the military provisions that fed the armies of the two great river powers.
Naturally, competition for control of such a vital waterway was inevitably fierce.
In particular, the dissatisfaction of the United Kingdom, which was on bad terms with Norn, was immense.
Kwajik!
And there were others, too, who had their eyes on this river.
For example, groups of monsters that came charging the moment they saw food.
Or bands of river bandits who chased after gold.
Or even more dangerous groups where the two had colluded.
- Keudeudeudeuk...!
Just as the blue waves of the Foile River sparkled in the morning sunlight, the mast of a sailing ship swayed ominously.
It was the moment disaster struck the Jalet, a sailing ship that had been cleaving the great river while laden with trade goods.
"Take it all, and kill—them—!!"
"Enemy attack!!!"
Battle cries and shouts that tore through the solemn dawn mingled together.
The herald of that disaster was a green-skinned orc warrior who had been climbing the outer wall as quietly as possible.
- Kuwaaak!!
Kwajik!
As if deeming it no longer necessary to maintain silence, the orc warrior let out a roar and immediately split the head of a sailor rushing from the side in two.
- Kyaaak!
"Kill them!!"
Countless orcs and goblins, river bandits, and even lizardmen and other monsters scrambled up the outer wall of the sailing ship.
Carving claw and blade marks into the ship's hull, countless humanoid figures scaled the outer wall like ants and poured aboard.
"Block them!! Block them!!"
"Don't let them climb aboard!!"
Kwajik! Kagang!
Amid the desperate shouts of the sailors, the clashing of metal erupted from every direction.
Since it was a trading ship tied to a national enterprise, the fighting force aboard was not insignificant, but the numerical superiority of the river bandits was simply overwhelming.
"We will not retreat...!!"
"Save me, save me!"
Even fierce resistance was powerless before the difference in numbers.
The eyes of the human river bandits who had boarded the ship were filled with greed for gold, and the eyes of the monster warriors were filled with hunger.
Their alliance was more fatal than one might think.
Of course, from the perspective of the lords who had built their cities along the riverbanks or the sailors aboard the ships, it was a disaster.
- Kirreureuk!
"Prey... eat! Eat it all! Kill the humans!"
- Kyaaaak!!
"You bastards! Don't eat them now, secure the ship first!"
"Leave them! They're still fighting!"
The sharp shouts of goblins.
Lizardmen swinging their tails to batter the sailors.
Orcs grinding their teeth as they chewed and swallowed human heads.
Even the shouts of humans trying to control the monsters.
Chaos, slaughter, and predation filled the deck.
The despairing screams of the kingdom's citizens and the frenzied laughter of those who swelled their numbers with that despair mingled together on board.
Beneath the clear morning sunlight, the deck became stained with blood and death.
It was right at that moment.
" "'Dragon of Freezing'." "
A low but clear voice.
The moment multiple voices resonated as one, the river water surged upward.
Chwareureureuk!
No, the river water came alive and moved.
- Keureureureu...
A massive body pierced the water's surface and rose up.
The scales upon its long body shimmered with iridescent light under the rising morning sun.
Three gigantic ice lesser dragons, as if carved from transparent jewels, tore their hideous maws wide open.
- Kuoooo...!!
A roar resounded.
The river water trembled, and the entire air quaked and rang.
An overwhelming presence that even monsters filled with frenzy and river bandits full of greed could not help but falter before.
- Kieeek...!!
"Wh-what the hell is that!!"
When everyone took a step back with cries of terror.
Kwaaaa—!!
Kwadeudeuk!
The breath the first dragon exhaled struck their boats, which had been hidden and tethered beside the sailing ship.
The boats shattered into ice and splinters, and immediately the other dragons began to move.
Kwang!!
"Hiiiik!"
Udeudeuk!
"Kuaaaak! Save me, save me!!"
The screams of those trying to flee rang out futilely.
A moment where even a struggle was impossible.
The second dragon struck the water's surface with its tail, knocking out the swimming river bandits and sweeping away those at the corners of the sailing ship, and the third dragon picked out monsters and swallowed them whole.
Every time the ice moved beyond the transparent body, the red light of crushed corpses spread out.
"What... is this...?"
While the sailors were in a daze, the river regained its calm.
And atop the heads of the dragons, which held their heads high and noble, a beam of light appeared and drew the sailors' gazes.
Her hair fluttered softly like silk spun from silver, and the scales of her lower body sparkled like pearls.
"Humans. Are you all right."
When the beautiful white serpent, with the water-hued Lamias behind her, inquired after their safety, the humans nodded vacantly.
"Yo... You are?"
"For now, let us simply say that I came here wishing to help you."
As battles and plundering were frequent, the lords who possessed cities centered around this river were thirsting for relations with a new armed group.
A powerful group capable of operating underwater and cooperating with humans.
What Echidna had aimed for was that very thirst.
"Good heavens..."
One sailor murmured with a reverent gaze.
They would never know.
The sneer that brushed the Lamias' lips, and the contempt reflected in Echidna's eyes.
What they had encountered was not a protector, but a predator that desired something greater.
Beauty became a fatal weapon that veiled their eyes.
What was even more ironic was that there were those who would not care even if they came to know it.
Before the profit of the present moment, future threats were merely like a fire on a distant mountain.
The great Foile River, which served as the food of people and the path that transported that food, swallowed humans and monsters alike and then began to flow quietly once more.
Along with the shadow of the monster queen who had revealed herself within it.
[This wide river, all of it shall be yours.]
The affectionate smile that hung on Echidna's lips as she recalled her master's promise coiled around the darkness and deepened further.
- 2 -
"I've seen this kind of alliance a long time ago..."
The city of Cheu, in the rear of Damamolron County.
The voice of the mercenary captain flowed out from an inn room deeply shrouded in darkness.
Hearing that voice, Evangeline's gaze turned toward him.
The rough equipment of a monster hunter and a deep hood obscuring her face.
Because of her suspicious attire, the mercenary captain's gaze had not left her for some time, but a relaxed smile hung on her lips.
The suspicion the mercenary captain felt meant absolutely nothing.
A great deal of gold.
The card she held was a tempting condition that an ordinary mercenary could never refuse.
"...Where do you hail from?"
Wariness and faint anticipation seeped from the mercenary captain's voice.
It was only natural.
Before this meeting, the price she had presented was that attractive.
"I come from the north. Though I work in Heisen now."
Evangeline's answer was extremely composed.
Elegant enough that even someone well-versed in the nobility would find it so.
"The north, eh. Is it still busy there?"
There was no hint of doubt about her origins.
It was only to be expected, as the accent she was currently using was heavily mixed with actual northern inflections.
"As with anywhere bordering the Demon Realm."
Evangeline nodded, recalling the reality of the Eastern Continent.
The north, which lacked great river powers like Zenota or Norn, was always filled with tension.
Thanks to the relatively large food-producing Kingdom of Kakia serving as a buttress, the nations on the front lines were holding out, but it wasn't enough.
'Because there aren't that many permanent mercenary or adventurer companies.'
Mercenaries and adventurers drunk on money preferred the comfortable south over the harsh north.
The only ones who remained there were those whose homes were there.
When the number of people who could fight was small, there was no way any leeway could arise.
"We have a bit of leeway. Enough to be able to engage in foolishness like this, at least."
The mercenary captain's tone was subtly laced with irritation at the fact that he was working in the center rather than the southern front.
This, too, was a natural reaction.
The southern part of the Eastern Continent, embraced by the great river powers that bordered the Demon Realm directly or indirectly.
The activities of mercenaries and adventurers here were relatively safe, and the pay was generous.
It was thanks to the influence of the great river powers.
In the end, for a mercenary, it was about money.
"But why would someone from the north take an interest in a territorial war like this?"
"Let's just call it personal feelings. I don't have very good feelings toward Norn."
For the armed groups on the front lines, the Norn Empire was always a thorn in their side.
Because they were busy fighting head-on, yet whenever there was an opening behind them, the empire subtly revealed its ambition for territorial conquest.
'Both of them betrayed me, though.'
Evangeline harbored a sneer inside.
Her death had been tangled up with both the empire's ambition and the mercenaries' greed.
This was one of the reasons why she, who had once even taken pride in her own death, had 'chosen' the tilt of the scales.
Of course, the biggest reason was far more personal.
"Ah. Norn bastards. Indeed."
The mercenary captain's face brightened upon hearing something he could agree with.
If a war involving the empire were to break out, preferring the empire's defeat was part of the common public sentiment of this era.
Excluding the empire's citizens, that is.
Especially in the case of adventurers or mercenaries who had experience fighting on the front lines, it was even more so.
Given a suitable justification in front of a large sum of money, they were prepared to accept any proposal against the empire.
"What I want is solely the disruption of the Duchy of Arilit. I will not interfere with any private gains you make in the process, but do not even think of mentioning me there."
"A natural request."
The mercenary nodded with a deliberately trustworthy demeanor.
It looked as if a soldier who had roamed battlefields for decades was swearing fealty to his lord, but Evangeline laughed inwardly.
'The surface is always plausible.'
She did not believe in a mercenary's honor.
Their promises were only valid until the moment the reward was guaranteed.
Before greater money or an immediate threat, they were a breed for whom betrayal was never strange.
"I shall trust you. Now then, we should discuss the payment."
"Mm. I've been waiting."
The mercenary turned his gaze toward the small pouch that had been sitting on the table for a while.
His gaze held no particular expectation.
Judging by the size, he had apparently thought it wasn't a very significant sum.
But the moment Evangeline slightly opened the mouth of the pouch, the mercenary's eyes clearly changed.
"Good heavens. They're all jewels...!"
His voice trembled slightly.
"This is merely the completion payment. The advance payment is this one."
"Mm. Thought as much."
When Evangeline took out another pouch containing silver coins, the mercenary captain's face crumpled slightly.
Though it wasn't a small reward for a single request, it appeared quite lacking to him, accustomed as he was to the lavish pay of the front lines.
"It's not a scam, is it?"
Contrary to his skeptical words, his eyes were already fixed on the jewels.
It was an amount that his mercenary band could live and feast on for a month.
Feeling greedy and wanting to confirm were both natural.
"I will leave it with the mercenary guild here, so have the completion of the request verified and collect it."
"Oh. Then I can trust it."
The mercenary nodded a couple of times, then soon extended his hand, shaking Evangeline's hand with a bright smile.
"Look forward to it. I'll cut off the heads of the Norn bastards and show you."
"Do that."
Evangeline smiled as she took his hand.
And as if to etch in a final impression, she put strength into her grip.
When the mercenary, wincing, shook his hand once and looked at her as if in disbelief, she let slip a feigned remark.
"Apologies. Hunting monsters has made it difficult to regulate my strength."
"No. ... Remarkable strength. Well then, I will complete the request and send word. Where should I send it?"
"I've informed the guild of that as well, so don't worry."
"Understood."
Evangeline rose from her seat, smiling as she sensed several presences following behind her.
What lay within that refreshing smile was a danger that was the exact opposite of that image.
Those wretches would never be able to follow her anyway.
She wouldn't kill them, but at some point they would faint and collapse, and as a warning, she would sever a portion of muscle.
If they didn't get to a cleric quickly, the danger to their lives would rise nearly vertically.
'Next is...'
After finishing the cleanup, her figure moved toward another mercenary band, already changed into that of a mage with her hood pulled low.
Evangeline, burrowing into the shadows.
There would be no one in this city who could discern her true form.
Even if it were the Gray Eye or the Information Guild.