“To get to the conclusion… it seems we can receive support. Even if it’s difficult for Sir Havel, he’s agreed to send the Silver Knights.”
“Oh…! That’s great news!”
“However, the issue is that even if they leave now, it will take quite so ti to arrive.”
“Even with teleportation to near the Great Forest, they must move manually inside. Can’t they use Nidhogg?”
“It would still take a considerable amount of ti even with Nidhogg.”
“Ah.”
Co to think of it, it took us three days to get here. Ti was critical, and we couldn’t afford to wait for several more days. Even now, the Grotesque Proliferation’s forces were growing.
“So, we’ve planned for you to depart first and et up with them on-site… How does that sound?”
Saying so, Milone handed over a piece of paper.
It contained a neatly summarized outline of the plan.
In summary, we, who would arrive first, would use Nidhogg to hit and run, minimizing our losses while keeping the enemy in check.
Then, with the information from Nidhogg, the World Tree would direct the late-arriving reinforcents to our location.
“This seems better. Waiting would an both sides reinforce, but their numbers would increase much more.”
“Yes, I thought so too when planning this… but since you’ll be the one leading in the field, I wanted to check your opinion. Since you’re okay with it, we’ll proceed as planned. Please take this.”
“Huh?”
Milone handed a wooden plaque that exuded a sacred aura. Upon closer inspection, it had the emblem of the World Tree intricately carved into it.
“This is a badge symbolizing my proxy. Most will follow without major complaints with this. The concern is with Sir Grimhill, the Aura Expert, and Cardinal Tumila, the high priest…”
“Cardinal Tumila is a priest of the Circulating Life. Then he won’t oppose .”
“Since you’ve received the Blessing of the Circulating Life, indeed. So, the problem would be Sir Grimhill.”
“Leave that to .”
Iris, who had been quietly listening, suddenly leaned forward to interject.
“Iris? What are you planning?”
“Nothing special, just that I saved Grimhill’s grandfather during the Great War. If I ask him to help as repaynt for that debt, it should be fine.”
“…”
“Why are you looking at like that, Master?”
“Not his father, but his grandfather?”
“Is there a problem with that?”
“No, there’s no problem, but it makes feel the gap in our ages anew. That’s all, elder.”
“Don’t call elder!”
Iris jumped up and down, insisting to be called normally. I cald her by firmly pressing down on her small head before turning back to Milone.
“With this, is it settled?”
“…Yes, I’ll get Nidhogg ready imdiately.”
“When can we depart?”
“Probably by midnight tonight. I’ve already inford the others, but please take care with your condition.”
“Don’t worry about that.”
Thanks to the Blessing of the Sun God and the potions made from the World Tree’s materials, I wouldn’t get tired easily.
Did you know? When male platypuses go into mating season, they produce poison from their claws.
Imagine, a mammal with poison. And this poison is potent enough to kill small dogs.
It’s truly an astonishing creature. To think such a strike could co from sothing so small and cute.
How many creatures have perished under that subtle, sinister poison?
I’d wager there’s no creature more fearso than the platypus.
“…Are you saying such a creature really exists?”
In the dark underground, inside Nidhogg, where we had boarded with the gathered group, Helena tilted her head in confusion.
Was this her natural disposition, or was it a trait she gained as the Saintess of the Righteous Radiance?
Even in this underground, where the only light ca from bioluminescent moss on tree roots, Helena’s appearance seed to glow.
I wasn’t exaggerating; she really did stand out even alone.
Perhaps it was because no matter how many people were around, I could spot Helena imdiately.
“Really. It’s said there’s such a strange creature very far from here.”
“No matter how I think about it, it doesn’t seem like a naturally occurring animal. Could it be a chira made by so mad alchemist in the past?”
“Uh… well, it does reproduce, so it’s not a chira… though it lays eggs.”
“A mammal laying eggs? Don’t lie to , Brother. Even if I’m ignorant of the ways of the world, I know that’s not possible.”
“I’m telling you the truth…”
“Alright, if you say so, Brother. So, what were you trying to say?”
“Just… we’re kind of like that now, aren’t we?”
The Circulating Life on the surface might be a bit annoying, but the opponents were elves weak to lust.
They might not be able to do anything to the World Tree, but they thought they could easily devour Alfheim, like eating cake. And then, we suddenly appeared before them.
“They might have expected so resistance. But they wouldn’t have expected to co.”
“You’re saying your very existence is like the antithesis of these cultists. Indeed, it has felt that way so far…”
“It’s not just a feeling; it’s true. I’ll prove it now, so could you gather everyone for ?”
“Don’t tell you’re going to talk about that bizarre creature…”
“No, but… you need to know how to fight the Grotesque Proliferation’s forces.”
As Helena went to gather the people, they all complied, albeit a bit reluctantly.
Sir Grimhill, who kept sighing whenever he saw Iris, but still listened well; Cardinal Tumila, focusing on and Helena with a friendly attitude; and the others, who, still mindful of my earlier introduction, gathered quietly.
Following Milone’s example from earlier, I tapped my foot to create a small platform and climbed onto it, smiling broadly at the assembled crowd.
“You all know the basic outline of the strategy, right? Hit and run. Now, I’ll explain how to tackle the Grotesque Proliferation.”
“Tackle…? Are you talking about their weaknesses?”
I nodded at Sir Grimhill’s gruff question.
“I must tell you about their weaknesses, of course. But also, I’ll talk about the habits and thods to deal with key monsters, the effects of their divine powers and how to counter them, and finally, the personalities and patterns of high-ranking cultists we should be wary of.”
“Do you know what you’re talking about? That’s almost like military secrets. You wouldn’t have learned that through normal ans… did you plant a spy?”
“Nah. With the fanaticism of these cultists, how could one insert a spy? Even if we managed to blend in, they’d soon be brainwashed and beco a spy for the other side.”
“Thank goodness you know that.”
“But there’s a way to know everything. Just listen.”
With that, Sir Grimhill could only nod without further objections.
With a grin, I continued,
“First, let’s start with the monsters. As everyone knows, the main forces are goblins and succubi. Among them, goblins go crazy for slls.”
“Hmm. That’s common knowledge. When dealing with goblins, be mindful of slls… even novice adventurers know that.”
“Correct. But do you know which slls they prefer?”
“…Not for certain, but there’s a rumor they like the sll of won.”
“That’s right. They really do. As you know, goblins have an extrely high male population, and with the Blessing of the Grotesque Proliferation, they’re always suffering from unfulfilled desires. So, they can’t get enough of won’s scents.”
They’d even break formation and go berserk for it. Only a Goblin King or a high priest of the Grotesque Proliferation could calm them down; otherwise, they were uncontrollable.
“I knew they were sensitive to slls, but to that extent?”
“Of course, they don’t react this violently to just any sll. They react strongly only to a liquid made by fernting a mix of hallucinogenic mushrooms and other ingredients in won’s urine.”
“That’s insane! Are you planning to collect urine from the won here? Setting aside the sha, even if we managed to collect enough by the ti we arrive, the volu wouldn’t be significant.”
“Even if we collected it now, there wouldn’t be ti to fernt it, so it would be aningless. That’s why I prepared it in advance. Fortunately, I always carry it with .”
“What?!”
Everyone’s gaze fell on , questioning why I would carry such a thing around, but I was unashad.
Goblins, with their excessively high numbers, were still present on the surface even after the Great War ended.
Of course, their numbers were far less than before the War of the Gods, and when not in groups, goblins were treated as re pests…
Before eting Carla, I was even more of a nobody.
Even if I carried around all sorts of magical tools and potions, I could still get killed by a goblin’s knife if luck wasn’t on my side.
So, I had stocked up on several bottles of goblin-attracting perfu(?) in advance.
Really. It’s not because of so strange taste, okay?
So please, don’t look at with those wide eyes as if you’ve made up your mind about sothing.
I shook my head frantically at my companions and turned back to face the group.
“There’s not an abundant supply, so I can only give each of you one. Use it strategically.”
“That’s still quite a lot…”
Ignoring Sir Grimhill’s skeptical look, I distributed one tiny bottle to each person.
Since ti almost stops in the inventory, there’s no risk of it going bad. Or, in so sense, it’s already bad?
“However, it would be a waste to just use this drug that drives goblins mad for re baiting or disrupting formations. So, we’ll throw this at the succubi.”
“You plan to make them go into heat against each other.”
“Exactly. While succubi might just frown at the foul sll, goblins will charge at them like mad. And as everyone knows… succubi, whether succubus or incubus, are all equipped. In other words, to a goblin, either one looks like a living hole.”
“A civil war…! We could cause a civil war!”
“Yes. Regardless of individual combat strength, our numbers are lacking, right? So, let’s use everything we can.”
Goblins, out of their minds, would attack the succubi. Whether they would kill the goblins, submit to them, or just subdue them without killing.
The sure thing was that it would weaken both sides’ forces.
At this point, even Sir Grimhill’s previously grumpy expression showed a hint of admiration.
“I thought you were crazy at first, but you had it all planned out!”
“Of course. There’s no need to fight fair against cultists. This won’t work on those at the Archbishop level or higher, but… at least we can fight without worrying about the miscellaneous ones.”
“Impressive. For future reference, I’d like to give this tactic a na. Do you have anything in mind?”
“Uh, um…”
Not coming up with a suitable na, I shared the na users had snickered about during the H&A tis.
“Don’t fight, just fuck?”
“…”
For so reason, they looked at as if I were a madman again.
I feel wronged.
Reviews
All reviews (0)