553

Episode 553: You've uncovered a lot. (2)

"Who is this?"

When Jiselle asked with a salty expression, the knights scratched their heads and laughed.

"I asked Tarim and he said he was one of the vice-captains of the revolutionary group."

"okay?"

When I turned my head, Tarim was already next to me. This guy is so fast.

"This guy is Jaren. He's one of the four vice-captains."

"You didn't say the vice-captain was coming, did you?"

"That… … I don't know who is leading the other battalions."

It was definitely a guerrilla operation. Until they gathered here, they had no idea who was leading the troops.

Tarim continued speaking hurriedly, as if making an excuse.

"This guy probably didn't come just because of the war. The vice-captains don't move around much. They actually do more administrative work."

"Hmm, really?"

Tarim explained the structure of the revolutionary group to the best of his knowledge.

"Yes, yes. The vice-captains are at least somewhat educated."

The revolutionary group was also a large organization in its own right. Naturally, it needed people to manage money, food, and troops.

Since we couldn't entrust such work to uneducated plunderers, the deputy commanders handled it.

In particular, it is said that Leonard, who took office through a rebellion, used the vice-captains only as administrative officials.

The vice-captain named Jaren glared at Tarim, who was explaining diligently.

"Ugh… … This traitorous bastard… … You reported me… … ."

The failure of the surprise attack and the sudden raid on this village was a bolt from the blue for the revolutionaries.

It was natural to think that Tarim had betrayed and leaked information.

But that prediction was half right and half wrong, because Jiselle already knew about the surprise attack before meeting Tarim.

Tarim immediately kicked Jaren and shouted.

"How dare you try to deceive the saint! The saint has already received revelation and knows everything! I was simply following the will of the goddess!"

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Tarim kicked hard for a moment. He felt like he had to do it.

Turup.

Jiselle grabbed his shoulder and said.

"Stop sympathizing with me on your own. This kid is amazing. What's with your empathy? Are you the empathy king?"

"...yes."

Tarim stepped back. Jiselle turned her shoulder, holding the hatchet.

Because losing is your role.

Kwajik!

"Kwaaaaak!"

"I've been having a lot of trouble writing these days. I hope you can relate to me. Why are you here?"

"Ugh, ugh… … . You know what I mean! He must have told you everything! We were going to attack the Allied Forces from behind!"

"But there was no need for the person in charge of internal administration to come all the way here, right?"

"Because it's important! I fight a bit too!"

"It sounds like a lie. My heart is not sympathizing."

"What a lie… … ."

Kwajik!

"Kwaaah!"

"Be honest. Why are you here?"

"I, I… … ."

Kwajik!

"Kkaaa! Ma, I'll tell you! Money! I came to get money and food!"

"Where did you get that? Are you some kind of tax collector?"

This area is all under the control of the Allied Forces, and is even at war. So how could those looters come here to get money and food?

Jaren continued, panting and struggling to speak.

"I'm talking about the things we have gathered in our hideout."

"Huh. Are there still a lot of those?"

"If this operation is successful, won't there be heightened security for a while… … If we search the surrounding area again, this village may be discovered… … ."

"So you were trying to take it away before? That's why you came here yourself?"

Jaren nodded obediently and continued speaking.

"Yes… … I came here after receiving that order. It will be difficult to use the supplies in this area until the war is over, so I will use them as military funds."

It was obvious that the Allied Forces would not be hit twice by the same number of people. And there would certainly be an intensive search of the surrounding area.

So, the plan was to move the goods hidden in a nearby hideout.

When Jiselle turned to look at Tarim, Tarim shook his head violently and shouted.

"I really don't know! I don't even know all the hideouts in the first place! All I know is the hideouts you told me about!"

Even if it was a surprise attack, supplies were necessary. Their supply method was to store dried food in each hiding place and take it.

But even that hideout was only revealed when and as much as was needed. Tarim had also only come here through the hideouts he knew.

Jiselle took out the map and handed it to Jaren.

"Show me."

"Then, will you spare my life?"

Kwajik!

"Kwaaah! I'll mark it!"

Jaren, unable to bear the pain, hurriedly marked the map.

There was no such thing as loyalty or duty to them anyway. The revolutionary army was simply an organization that returned to the reign of terror led by Leonard.

And it was bound to naturally collapse when it encountered greater fear.

Jiselle stood up and spoke to the knights.

"I'll have to drag this guy around for a while and check on him. The rest of you, clean up the village."

The mobile force began to search the collapsed village. Many revolutionaries were buried under the rubble of buildings, but many others were injured and lying on the ground.

Phew!

"Ugh!"

The mobile force searched the village, killing those who had fallen without a care.

Even if you take them as prisoners, you'll just end up wasting food and getting tired of managing them.

Jaren trembled at the sight. He had heard rumors that they were merciless, but seeing them in person made him realize how real they were.

'I've said everything, is there anything more to say?'

He racked his brain. It seemed that in order to survive, he had to remember everything he knew.

As the task force searched the village, clearing the rubble, they discovered entrances to underground caves.

When we went inside, we found that there was indeed a huge amount of dried food and goods piled up.

Jiselle saw that and snickered.

"You've stolen a lot."

These were things that had been collected through years of plundering. This also meant that there were treasure troves like this all over the continent.

Jaren knew of quite a few hideouts. Some of them were difficult to access at the moment.

Of course, Jaren said that he didn't know everything, because each deputy commander was in charge of a different area.

The only person who knew all about the hideout was Leonard.

"Anyway, I said he's a sinister guy."

Jiselle sent Dark to inform Claude and the other mobile force commanders of the hideout's location.

Once the Mobile Force destroys the hideout, Claude will send troops to collect it.

"Then let's go and raid the rest."

Jisel was not one to miss out on such unexpected income. Even if it was difficult to go far, he planned to raid all the nearby hideouts.

I always feel this way, but the more money you have, the better.

* * *

"Whew… … The operation was a complete failure."

Leonard ground his teeth as he fled. His surprise attack, which had never failed before, had failed.

A whopping 10,000 revolutionary members disappeared. I didn't watch it all the way through, but it was a result that could have been predicted.

Of course, the revolutionary group wouldn't collapse to this extent. If it were a group that collapsed with just that much damage, it wouldn't have been able to sweep across the continent.

There were still many revolutionary members left. Most of them were helping the 3rd Army Corps of the Kingdom of Arthrod.

The problem was that Leonard's pride was badly hurt.

"What a disgrace."

I planned the operation confidently and went out to battle, but I was defeated unilaterally. The Salvation Church and the Kingdom of Artrode will look down on me.

My teeth ground out of their sockets. I couldn't figure out how the Duke of Fenris knew.

And his energy, which I felt for a moment.

"Even if we fight one-on-one, it won't be easy."

I've rarely met anyone who could radiate such strength. I wasn't sure I could win even if I showed all my strength.

Leonard has always lived with a relaxed attitude because he has always hidden his strength. However, there are indeed many strong people in the world.

"I guess I need to move the goods quickly."

There was one of the vice-captains in Stonebrook Village, Jaren. It would have been better if he had died fighting, but if he had been captured, he would have blown up the hideout.

Leonard hurried to another hiding place. He never trusted his men.

There were five hideouts in this area. Even if Jaren blew them all up, he could still save at least four of them since he moved faster than the mobile force.

Paaak!

Leonard ran, exploding with mana. His face was known only to the village chief.

I planned to meet him secretly and send all the goods to the Kingdom of Grimwell. I needed to save some face by doing so.

After that, he planned to send a separate messenger to clear out the hideouts in the nearby areas.

however....

Boom! Boom! Boom!

"What is this?"

Leonard was speechless at the absurdity. The army had already arrived and was wiping out the village!

I watched from a hidden location and saw that it was not the army led by the Duke of Fenris, but a different army.

A woman was slaughtering villagers by spraying dozens of daggers in all directions.

"Oh, how is this… … ."

It doesn't make sense. The location of this hideout is known only to the vice-captain, Jaren.

It was expected that Jaren would be captured and that information would be leaked. The problem was that it wasn't the Duke of Fenris who heard the information, but others who came.

It was impossible to get the news this quickly. Leonard couldn't understand the phenomenon.

"Okay, I guess we'll have to go somewhere else."

I would have tried to fight if possible, but it was impossible right now. There were no troops in the village, and there were superhumans and elite soldiers on the other side.

He thought it was a coincidence. He couldn't help but think that some coincidence he didn't know about was at work.

But let's get to another town quickly.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

"Eww!"

A huge woman was destroying entire village buildings. The soldiers seemed to have nothing to do.

When I looked closely, she looked like the saint Parniel I had only heard of in stories.

Anyway, this time it was a different army.

"… … ."

Leonard just blinked.

The enemy army was moving faster than his own, who knew all the hiding places.

It was impossible. No army could communicate at such a fast rate.

Leonard, who was unaware of Dark's existence, could not help but continue to be confused.

"Everyone, somewhere else… … ."

This was the first time in his life that he, who was usually reserved and cold, was so flustered.

He hurried to the next hiding place, the one closest to here.

He had to somehow move faster than his opponent. He really used his power 100%.

Kwaaaaang!

He moved like a ray of light. I didn't think it would happen this time. I couldn't help but think it was a coincidence both times.

but.

"Yaaaaaaap!"

Kwaaaaang!

"… … ."

In the third hideout, a woman was holding a hammer bigger than my body and was smashing everything. I don't know why, but she seemed very angry.

There were two thousand soldiers here too. There was even a white-haired superman among them.

"Is that Gillian?"

That means the Fenris Mobile Force is a sure thing.

Leonard now had no choice but to admit it.

"Really… …you did contact me."

I don't know what tricks he used, but the Duke of Fenris was able to issue orders to other units at an incredibly fast rate.

This was a tremendous advantage in war. No wonder everyone was defeated by the Rutanian army.

The ten battalions that probably did not reach the village of Stonebrook would also have been hit by the divided mobile force.

"Phew… … This won't work."

Leonard gave up on going to the next hideout, instead deciding to go straight to the one furthest away.

Because the distance is far, the other person will arrive late.

Kwaaaaang!

Leonard's speed was incredible when he used all his strength. He ran without sparing any mana.

And when we reached the last hideout in the area.

"also."

The distance was so long that the mobile force had not yet arrived. He quickly sneaked into the village and met the village chief.

"Huh! Captain! What brings you here all of a sudden?"

"Get everything you have here and move immediately. Time is of the essence."

"Huh? What is that… … ."

"Come on! The enemy knows this place! Arm yourself and move!"

"Oh, I understand!"

The village chief called all the villagers together. The villagers immediately armed themselves and went to the underground storage room to start taking out their treasures.

Because we were always prepared, we were able to move very quickly. Each of us formed a group and moved, so we could fill the cart with supplies in no time.

Leonard couldn't rest easy even after seeing that. It seemed like the Mobile Forces would soon storm here too.

"Take care of your gear and move. We'll be pursued soon, so divide your forces into several groups."

"All right."

The number of villagers was only about two hundred. However, the wealth they managed was enough to support thousands of troops.

So, you have to take it with you somehow. Didn't you even prepare a fake cart for this kind of situation?

Now, to confuse the chase, the fakes will split into several groups and disperse.

As preparations neared completion, Leonard gritted his teeth and turned his head.

"Oh my… … I thought it would arrive already."

Doo doo doo doo doo!

A group of troops was charging forward with tremendous momentum. Such a force was only possible with a mobile force.

Leonard had no choice but to step forward.

"I'll buy you some time, so get moving."

I had no intention of fighting in earnest. I was just thinking of buying some time for those carrying the goods to escape.

That's what I was thinking.

Leonard's expression hardened as he saw the cold-looking man riding ahead.

'Who is it?'

I could tell just by looking at him that the man was very strong.

Before his thoughts could even finish, the man swung his sword from his horse.

Scratch!