“The devastated state of the capital city”
———————————
The sky over the capital city begins to whiten. It’s an ordinary morning, no different from any other. The winter cold has started to ease. However, the hearts of the city’s residents remain frozen.
There was some commotion last night as well. Dozens of soldiers rode past on horseback, heading north. It seemed that a military force also set out from the west gate. In the recent days, it had become a common occurrence to find new corpses lying around in the streets. In some cases, they were even hung on the city walls.
The residents cautiously opened their doors, sensing that something was amiss in the capital. They couldn’t perceive the usual “sense of impending danger” that lingered in the town.
Stepping outside, trying not to be noticed by the soldiers, the residents were astonished. The black knights who had always tormented them were thrown into a large pit. Moreover, at the south gate, the bodies of numerous black knights were neatly arranged, resembling a school of fish.
In addition to this scene, there were several adventurers and a large signboard erected. It bore the following message:
“As of today, the Kingdom’s capital has been liberated by the Hideita Empire. We understand the hardships you have endured. From now on, we will protect this capital. Rest assured, we will not engage in senseless killing or looting. We have an ample food supply. We will provide a cooked meal today at noon. Please join us if you wish. Location: In front of the north gate (Please bring your own utensils).
Basam Daake Linos”
——————-
With the break of dawn, I teleported to the mansion. I asked Rico and the others to prepare for the meal distribution. It seemed like everyone had anticipated this turn of events. Mei and Rico took charge of gathering as many ingredients as they could from Krumfar and the Niza Principality. At the mansion, Peyris, Ferris, and Luala cooked the rice and started making onigiri, one after another.
Watching them, I headed towards the palace. The Prime Minister had not arrived yet, but I was able to meet the King directly.
“…You’re as quick as ever.”
“Yes, all the strategies went even better than expected.”
“Well done. What should we do now?”
“For the time being, it would be best to have the Empire’s troops stationed as a stronghold in the capital.”
“No, that would only further unsettle the hearts of the people. It’s better to refrain from that. Think about it. The residents of the capital have been ravaged by Laramon until now. They are likely to have an unimaginable fear of soldiers in armor. For a while, I want to rely on Lord Linos’ men to maintain control over the capital.”
“…However, what about public safety?”
“If the situation worsens, we can bring in the Empire’s troops. Until then, I want to manage somehow. In return, feel free to ask for whatever you need if necessary.”
I left the room, feeling somewhat persuaded by His Majesty. Well, judging from the state of the capital, it didn’t seem to be in good hygienic condition, so once things settled down, it would be necessary to gather doctors and carpenters, among others. When the time came, I convinced myself to issue a decree and returned to the mansion.
Rico and Mei had returned to the mansion and were helping with the meal distribution. It seemed that both Krumfar and Niza had successfully procured a large quantity of food supplies. Satisfied after hearing their report, I teleported back to the capital.
At the front of the north gate, Gon and my subordinates, who had taken human form, were preparing for the meal distribution. While commending their efforts, I provided them with emergency boxed lunches. Then, I set off and walked towards the south.
On the city walls, numerous people were hanging. The soldiers were carefully taking them down one by one. Below, what used to be vast farmland, lay countless abandoned corpses. Men, women, the elderly, and the young—bodies from all generations were there.
Overwhelmed by the sight, I involuntarily turned my gaze towards the residential area. Among the original houses, I noticed makeshift shacks scattered here and there. I caught sight of some children, but as soon as they saw me, they fled.
Continuing on, I entered the merchant district. Observing the state of the west gate, the defeated Laramon soldiers had already been thrown into the large pit I dug. I had dug it quite wide and deep, but it was almost filled to capacity with the bodies of hundreds of soldiers. The west gate was closed, and a few individuals were stationed at the gate and on top of the city walls, keeping an eye out for any intruders. It seemed that Gon had already removed the curse that had afflicted the soldiers. I offered them words of encouragement and headed towards the residences where the women were being sheltered.
The women were in a pitiable state. While their physical wounds may have healed, their emotional scars had not. As soon as they saw me, they all wore frightened expressions and trembled.
“We’re getting the same reaction even though we’re treating them kindly…”
“Well, there’s not much we can do about it. I apologize, but please bear with us. I’ll leave some boxed lunches here for the women. It’s breakfast, so please eat.”
Saying so, I left the mansion and continued walking. Eventually, I arrived at the building that served as the headquarters for the Kingdom’s army at the south gate. On the top floor, in a room that was likely occupied by the Laramon army’s commander, Rishima and the rest of the subordinates under Kunogen were resting.
“It’s quite a spectacle when viewed from here.”
“Yes, it looks like a row of fish.”
“But if we don’t clean it up soon, the smell will become unbearable again.”
“You’re right. We’ll have to clean it up by tomorrow.”
“And we’ll need everyone to work again.”
“Marquis, it’s not really considered work for all of us.”
They laughed as they said so.
“First of all, you’ve all done well. I’ll leave some food here. Eat while taking a break and resting. Also, make sure to save some for the ones on guard duty, alright?”
I said that and created a teleportation barrier, transferring myself to the Forest of Lunoa.
“Sorry about that, guys. Looks like you haven’t had breakfast yet.”
“So, how did the mission go…?”
“It was a success. We achieved victory without any casualties.”
“As expected of our master.”
“Sadakichi, I have another task for you all. After you’ve had breakfast, I want you to fly to the capital city and sprinkle the powder that suppresses the foul odor emanating from there.”
“It’s a simple task.”
“And for a while, take turns keeping watch around the capital city. If you see anyone suspicious, report immediately. Also, if there’s any place in this country that you like, let me know. I’ll create a residence there for you.”
“Understood!”
The Fairy Dragons have become quite skilled at cooperating. I must give them something that truly rewards their hard work.
As I contemplate this, I teleport back to the mansion in the imperial capital.
Inside the mansion, there is an incredible amount of onigiri (rice balls), vegetable soup, and croquettes ready.
“Linos, there’s no more space in the dining area!”
“I see, I’ll take them to the capital city!”
Without any rest, I repeatedly teleport the ready-to-eat ingredients to the capital city.
At the beginning of the food distribution, there were only a few residents coming, and I started to worry if everyone had been killed. However, it seemed that word of mouth spread from those who had eaten, and hundreds of residents flocked to the north gate, causing a commotion. Everyone’s clothes were dirty or torn in some way. But as they saw the relief supplies being continuously delivered, the waiting residents cheered. They seemed to have energy.
Led by Rico, everyone tirelessly worked without breaks, making the food distribution process go smoothly. In the midst of this, an old man approached me as I was organizing the lines.
“Is that you, Lord Linos?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Do you remember me? I’m the owner of the butcher shop.”
“…Ah! Fannel-san!”
He was the owner of the butcher shop I went to sell the monster meat we hunted in the Forest of Lunoa. He had aged significantly compared to before. I listened to him as he recounted what had happened.
After I destroyed the royal castle, some of the surviving Kargi faction nobles managed to establish rule by bringing in private soldiers. Soon, the kingdom fell into a state of civil war, but as for the capital city, they basically closed all the city gates and adopted a “closed country” policy. Whether this was fortunate or unfortunate, it managed to minimize the exodus of the capital city’s residents. Additionally, rumors of the Great Demon Lord’s descent circulated, which further deterred anyone from interfering with the capital city.
In terms of food, thanks to the vast granary areas within the capital city, they were able to secure enough food to prevent starvation. The remaining adventurers in the capital city also ventured into the Forest of Lunoa for hunting, allowing them to sustain their lives.
Initially, there were those who attempted to escape out of fear of the Great Demon Lord or went mad, and there were also individuals who engaged in looting and rampage. However, just as the situation in the capital city was starting to calm down, Lamaron’s army invaded. The Lamaron army, which attacked from the south, swiftly pacified the southern conflict zones and massacred all the inhabitants there. And now, they had invaded the capital city.
The combined forces of soldiers and adventurers put up a good fight, but they were ultimately just a ragtag group of about 500 people. The invading forces breached the crumbling parts of the city walls in no time, quickly trampling over everything. Those who participated in the battle were all killed, or they were left hanging from the city walls until they died.
Initially, the Lamaron soldiers promised not to harm those who did not resist, but soon they began looting the food supplies, women were assaulted, and anyone who refused or resisted was mercilessly killed.
“…However, I can’t trust you. It’s the first time we’ve been given food as residents.”
“We don’t want to engage in unnecessary killing. It’s a waste of time and effort.”
“What are you going to do now?”
“For now, we’ll restore the capital. The food supply seems to be a problem, so I have secured a large amount of food that I will distribute for a while.”
“I’ll help too if there’s anything I can do. Don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Thank you. Please tell as many people as possible about this relief effort.”
“Understood. The people standing in line here are probably all the residents, but if I see anyone, I’ll let them know.”
I was speechless. The city used to be home to hundreds of thousands of people, including soldiers. But now, there were only about a thousand left. It was clear evidence of Lamaron’s cruel actions.
We finished distributing the relief supplies well past noon. We had lunch by sharing the remaining food, which was almost empty. Then, Rico immediately started preparing for the evening relief effort.
“We’ll make curry.”
“What ingredients do we have?”
“Master, there is still plenty of rice and vegetables in the mansion’s storage. Rico and I discussed it while distributing the relief supplies. Curry is easy to make in large quantities and distribute.”
“Alright, I’ll leave it to Rico and Mei.”
I informed the people nearby who were eating the relief supplies that we would continue the relief effort in the evening and asked them to spread the word to others.
“Master, there’s a messenger.”
I turned towards the direction of Mei’s voice. There was a young adventurer-like man on a horse.
“I apologize for the intrusion from atop my horse. Kunogen-sama has returned with prisoners and is heading towards the headquarters of the royal army.”
“No, not there. Could you tell him to come in from the south gate, pass through the noble district on the east side, and bring them to the barracks next to the north gate?”
“Understood! I’ll relay the message!”
With that, the young man swiftly rode off on his horse.
I called one of the gatekeepers who was nearby.
“I know it’s asking a lot, but could you go to the headquarters of the royal army and tell Rishima to bring that…what was it? The naked bastard, to the barracks next to the north gate?”
“Of course, sir!”
“Now…how should I deal with him?”
I looked up at the sky of the capital. The deep blue sky stretched out as if it could swallow everything.
“The devastated state of the capital city”
———————————
The sky over the capital city begins to whiten. It’s an ordinary morning, no different from any other. The winter cold has started to ease. However, the hearts of the city’s residents remain frozen.
There was some commotion last night as well. Dozens of soldiers rode past on horseback, heading north. It seemed that a military force also set out from the west gate. In the recent days, it had become a common occurrence to find new corpses lying around in the streets. In some cases, they were even hung on the city walls.
The residents cautiously opened their doors, sensing that something was amiss in the capital. They couldn’t perceive the usual “sense of impending danger” that lingered in the town.
Stepping outside, trying not to be noticed by the soldiers, the residents were astonished. The black knights who had always tormented them were thrown into a large pit. Moreover, at the south gate, the bodies of numerous black knights were neatly arranged, resembling a school of fish.
In addition to this scene, there were several adventurers and a large signboard erected. It bore the following message:
“As of today, the Kingdom’s capital has been liberated by the Hideita Empire. We understand the hardships you have endured. From now on, we will protect this capital. Rest assured, we will not engage in senseless killing or looting. We have an ample food supply. We will provide a cooked meal today at noon. Please join us if you wish. Location: In front of the north gate (Please bring your own utensils).
Basam Daake Linos”
——————-
With the break of dawn, I teleported to the mansion. I asked Rico and the others to prepare for the meal distribution. It seemed like everyone had anticipated this turn of events. Mei and Rico took charge of gathering as many ingredients as they could from Krumfar and the Niza Principality. At the mansion, Peyris, Ferris, and Luala cooked the rice and started making onigiri, one after another.
Watching them, I headed towards the palace. The Prime Minister had not arrived yet, but I was able to meet the King directly.
“…You’re as quick as ever.”
“Yes, all the strategies went even better than expected.”
“Well done. What should we do now?”
“For the time being, it would be best to have the Empire’s troops stationed as a stronghold in the capital.”
“No, that would only further unsettle the hearts of the people. It’s better to refrain from that. Think about it. The residents of the capital have been ravaged by Laramon until now. They are likely to have an unimaginable fear of soldiers in armor. For a while, I want to rely on Lord Linos’ men to maintain control over the capital.”
“…However, what about public safety?”
“If the situation worsens, we can bring in the Empire’s troops. Until then, I want to manage somehow. In return, feel free to ask for whatever you need if necessary.”
I left the room, feeling somewhat persuaded by His Majesty. Well, judging from the state of the capital, it didn’t seem to be in good hygienic condition, so once things settled down, it would be necessary to gather doctors and carpenters, among others. When the time came, I convinced myself to issue a decree and returned to the mansion.
Rico and Mei had returned to the mansion and were helping with the meal distribution. It seemed that both Krumfar and Niza had successfully procured a large quantity of food supplies. Satisfied after hearing their report, I teleported back to the capital.
At the front of the north gate, Gon and my subordinates, who had taken human form, were preparing for the meal distribution. While commending their efforts, I provided them with emergency boxed lunches. Then, I set off and walked towards the south.
On the city walls, numerous people were hanging. The soldiers were carefully taking them down one by one. Below, what used to be vast farmland, lay countless abandoned corpses. Men, women, the elderly, and the young—bodies from all generations were there.
Overwhelmed by the sight, I involuntarily turned my gaze towards the residential area. Among the original houses, I noticed makeshift shacks scattered here and there. I caught sight of some children, but as soon as they saw me, they fled.
Continuing on, I entered the merchant district. Observing the state of the west gate, the defeated Laramon soldiers had already been thrown into the large pit I dug. I had dug it quite wide and deep, but it was almost filled to capacity with the bodies of hundreds of soldiers. The west gate was closed, and a few individuals were stationed at the gate and on top of the city walls, keeping an eye out for any intruders. It seemed that Gon had already removed the curse that had afflicted the soldiers. I offered them words of encouragement and headed towards the residences where the women were being sheltered.
The women were in a pitiable state. While their physical wounds may have healed, their emotional scars had not. As soon as they saw me, they all wore frightened expressions and trembled.
“We’re getting the same reaction even though we’re treating them kindly…”
“Well, there’s not much we can do about it. I apologize, but please bear with us. I’ll leave some boxed lunches here for the women. It’s breakfast, so please eat.”
Saying so, I left the mansion and continued walking. Eventually, I arrived at the building that served as the headquarters for the Kingdom’s army at the south gate. On the top floor, in a room that was likely occupied by the Laramon army’s commander, Rishima and the rest of the subordinates under Kunogen were resting.
“It’s quite a spectacle when viewed from here.”
“Yes, it looks like a row of fish.”
“But if we don’t clean it up soon, the smell will become unbearable again.”
“You’re right. We’ll have to clean it up by tomorrow.”
“And we’ll need everyone to work again.”
“Marquis, it’s not really considered work for all of us.”
They laughed as they said so.
“First of all, you’ve all done well. I’ll leave some food here. Eat while taking a break and resting. Also, make sure to save some for the ones on guard duty, alright?”
I said that and created a teleportation barrier, transferring myself to the Forest of Lunoa.
“Sorry about that, guys. Looks like you haven’t had breakfast yet.”
“So, how did the mission go…?”
“It was a success. We achieved victory without any casualties.”
“As expected of our master.”
“Sadakichi, I have another task for you all. After you’ve had breakfast, I want you to fly to the capital city and sprinkle the powder that suppresses the foul odor emanating from there.”
“It’s a simple task.”
“And for a while, take turns keeping watch around the capital city. If you see anyone suspicious, report immediately. Also, if there’s any place in this country that you like, let me know. I’ll create a residence there for you.”
“Understood!”
The Fairy Dragons have become quite skilled at cooperating. I must give them something that truly rewards their hard work.
As I contemplate this, I teleport back to the mansion in the imperial capital.
Inside the mansion, there is an incredible amount of onigiri (rice balls), vegetable soup, and croquettes ready.
“Linos, there’s no more space in the dining area!”
“I see, I’ll take them to the capital city!”
Without any rest, I repeatedly teleport the ready-to-eat ingredients to the capital city.
At the beginning of the food distribution, there were only a few residents coming, and I started to worry if everyone had been killed. However, it seemed that word of mouth spread from those who had eaten, and hundreds of residents flocked to the north gate, causing a commotion. Everyone’s clothes were dirty or torn in some way. But as they saw the relief supplies being continuously delivered, the waiting residents cheered. They seemed to have energy.
Led by Rico, everyone tirelessly worked without breaks, making the food distribution process go smoothly. In the midst of this, an old man approached me as I was organizing the lines.
“Is that you, Lord Linos?”
“Yes, it is.”
“Do you remember me? I’m the owner of the butcher shop.”
“…Ah! Fannel-san!”
He was the owner of the butcher shop I went to sell the monster meat we hunted in the Forest of Lunoa. He had aged significantly compared to before. I listened to him as he recounted what had happened.
After I destroyed the royal castle, some of the surviving Kargi faction nobles managed to establish rule by bringing in private soldiers. Soon, the kingdom fell into a state of civil war, but as for the capital city, they basically closed all the city gates and adopted a “closed country” policy. Whether this was fortunate or unfortunate, it managed to minimize the exodus of the capital city’s residents. Additionally, rumors of the Great Demon Lord’s descent circulated, which further deterred anyone from interfering with the capital city.
In terms of food, thanks to the vast granary areas within the capital city, they were able to secure enough food to prevent starvation. The remaining adventurers in the capital city also ventured into the Forest of Lunoa for hunting, allowing them to sustain their lives.
Initially, there were those who attempted to escape out of fear of the Great Demon Lord or went mad, and there were also individuals who engaged in looting and rampage. However, just as the situation in the capital city was starting to calm down, Lamaron’s army invaded. The Lamaron army, which attacked from the south, swiftly pacified the southern conflict zones and massacred all the inhabitants there. And now, they had invaded the capital city.
The combined forces of soldiers and adventurers put up a good fight, but they were ultimately just a ragtag group of about 500 people. The invading forces breached the crumbling parts of the city walls in no time, quickly trampling over everything. Those who participated in the battle were all killed, or they were left hanging from the city walls until they died.
Initially, the Lamaron soldiers promised not to harm those who did not resist, but soon they began looting the food supplies, women were assaulted, and anyone who refused or resisted was mercilessly killed.
“…However, I can’t trust you. It’s the first time we’ve been given food as residents.”
“We don’t want to engage in unnecessary killing. It’s a waste of time and effort.”
“What are you going to do now?”
“For now, we’ll restore the capital. The food supply seems to be a problem, so I have secured a large amount of food that I will distribute for a while.”
“I’ll help too if there’s anything I can do. Don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Thank you. Please tell as many people as possible about this relief effort.”
“Understood. The people standing in line here are probably all the residents, but if I see anyone, I’ll let them know.”
I was speechless. The city used to be home to hundreds of thousands of people, including soldiers. But now, there were only about a thousand left. It was clear evidence of Lamaron’s cruel actions.
We finished distributing the relief supplies well past noon. We had lunch by sharing the remaining food, which was almost empty. Then, Rico immediately started preparing for the evening relief effort.
“We’ll make curry.”
“What ingredients do we have?”
“Master, there is still plenty of rice and vegetables in the mansion’s storage. Rico and I discussed it while distributing the relief supplies. Curry is easy to make in large quantities and distribute.”
“Alright, I’ll leave it to Rico and Mei.”
I informed the people nearby who were eating the relief supplies that we would continue the relief effort in the evening and asked them to spread the word to others.
“Master, there’s a messenger.”
I turned towards the direction of Mei’s voice. There was a young adventurer-like man on a horse.
“I apologize for the intrusion from atop my horse. Kunogen-sama has returned with prisoners and is heading towards the headquarters of the royal army.”
“No, not there. Could you tell him to come in from the south gate, pass through the noble district on the east side, and bring them to the barracks next to the north gate?”
“Understood! I’ll relay the message!”
With that, the young man swiftly rode off on his horse.
I called one of the gatekeepers who was nearby.
“I know it’s asking a lot, but could you go to the headquarters of the royal army and tell Rishima to bring that…what was it? The naked bastard, to the barracks next to the north gate?”
“Of course, sir!”
“Now…how should I deal with him?”
I looked up at the sky of the capital. The deep blue sky stretched out as if it could swallow everything.
