Chapter 252
Chapter 252. Patrol of the Soldier Squad
Outside the high walls of Evaroti City.
“—Then, Sergeant Tafuman and 30 soldiers, deploy!”
Tafuman and the 30 soldiers snapped a salute.
The nominal captain of the soldier squad, a Night Elf official—wearing his hood deep even though it was hot during the day—snorted in response.
“Very well. Make sure to avoid any reckless escape attempts.”
“Understood! We have things to protect!”
Ignoring the Night Elf’s sarcasm, Tafuman replied seriously and turned his back.
He started to walk.
From today, the activities of the autonomous district residents outside the walls have been conditionally approved. The soldier squad led by Tafuman is to patrol while camping around a day’s walk from Evaroti to investigate the conditions of the surrounding areas.
They need to check abandoned farmlands and towns to consider future settlement possibilities.
The soldier squad lined up and set out.
“…How is it?”
After a while of walking, Tafuman asked the dog-like Beastman, Dobel.
“At least, nothing’s upwind from us.”
Sniffing the air, Dobel replied. The soldier squad is composed solely of Humans and Beastmen, that is, the residents of the autonomous district. Not even the overseeing official is accompanying them.
Yet, there’s a high chance some sort of watch is in place. Hobgoblins aren’t suited for such work, and Night Elves would find it difficult to hide during the day. So, it could be either cat Beastmen or Demon Soldiers…
“I can tell cat folks stink right away, but honestly, I can’t tell with demons.”
“Well, that can’t be helped.”
With a shrug, Dobel received Tafuman’s lighthearted response. Aside from some distinctive individuals, demons don’t really have a body odor.
That said, Tafuman and the others have nothing to feel guilty about.
Really, they’re just sincerely investigating the surrounding areas. Still—if they could find out whether or not a watch is on them, it would be a former soldier’s instinct to want to know.
“Aah, this is awful.”
A former farmer soldier lamented at the trampled field. Tafuman, also from a farming background, was taken aback by how bad it was.
Weeds are overgrown, and trash, rusty weapons, and broken carts are just left as they are. It’ll take a lot of effort and time to clean up…
Suddenly, he stepped on something hard, and upon looking at it, it was a bone left exposed. His gaze met the empty eye sockets—
“…”
He placed a hand over his chest and prayed for the deceased’s peace. Unfortunately, this was the best he could do at the moment. If he were to memorialize every single one, the sun would set before he could finish. Until the work gets serious—until it interferes with agriculture—there’s no choice but to endure as is.
He continued on.
The liberation felt after stepping outside the walls of Evaroti initially led to lively conversations among the soldiers, but gradually they spoke less.
Everywhere they went, it was desolate. The charred remains of what barely marked the existence of a settlement and collapsed windmill shacks. A place that seemed like a cemetery for former nearby residents lay ravaged, with scattered shattered gravestones.
All of it was overtaken by the robust summer foliage. The history built by the Kingdom’s people was gradually being buried in devastation—the flattened stone paths maintained by the Demon Race remained a distinctly eerie presence.
As if symbolizing the Demon Race’s audacity and disdain for nature’s rejuvenating power.
“—A deer!”
However, the somber atmosphere dissipated when they stumbled upon a herd of deer.
A former hunter soldier shot an arrow, and soon the Beastmen joyfully chased them down, quickly taking down several. It was a stunning hunting performance that could rival a pack of starving wolves. Living in the autonomous district for so long, both Humans and Beastmen were eager for meat.
That night, it turned into a grand feast.
Setting up camp in a ruined village near a well that still had life, they prepared venison BBQ—apologies to the residents of the autonomous district, but as a privilege of their role, tonight they savored it only among Tafuman’s group.
“It’s delicious!”
“Meat is the best!”
“I’m so glad I volunteered!”
As they devoured the grilled venison by the campfire, the wolf-type Beastmen choked up in tears of joy.
Ideally, it would taste better after aging, but mentioning that would likely lead to being eaten themselves, and more importantly, Tafuman and the Humans wanted meat too.
“It’s so good…”
Sprinkling a little salt and spices, Tafuman reminisced while stuffing his face with meat.
On this calm early summer night lit by the half-moon. Although there was no alcohol, everyone was having the time of their lives. Being able to eat meat to their fill after so long, and the liberation of stepping outside the walls…
(…Everyone probably wants to change their mood.)
Watching the jubilant soldiers, Tafuman thought. The royal kingdom, which had been vividly shown in its utterly destroyed state during the day—their indignation, perhaps, they wanted to forget it, even if just for a moment.
“This, it’s that thing.”
Once they settled down after eating a fair amount of meat, Dobel, while gnawing on a bone with a serious expression, suddenly said.
“We need to wash up before we head back, or it’ll be bad.”
Dobel’s casual words made the Beastmen go silent.
“Y-You’re right.”
“Will just washing up be enough…?”
“I should’ve brought soap.”
Sniffing each other’s fur nervously, the Beastmen were tense. Everyone was desperate for meat; if they ate all this grilled meat and returned like that, they’d be found out by their kin from the scent…!
“Sergeant! Can we take about four, no, maybe five days before heading back?!”
“No way, we’ll get back by the day after tomorrow, or who knows what the captain might suspect,” Tafuman shook his head at the Beastman’s words.
He couldn’t let any unfounded suspicions trouble the residents of the autonomous district…
“This is bad; we might end up getting killed.”
“N-No! If we take something back as a souvenir…”
“That’s it!!”
At one Beastman’s suggestion, the others eagerly leaned in.
While the Humans chuckled at how having a good nose is a double-edged sword,
“—Hmm.”
Next to Tafuman, Dobel perked up his ears and tossed aside the bone he had been chewing.
A rustle… the night wind blew in.
“――――”
The boisterous Beastmen suddenly fell silent, all looking in the same direction. Toward the shadowy depths of the forest.
Their fur stood on end.
…The soldiers here had all survived harsh battlefields.
So, they knew.
“Combat stance!!” Tafuman shouted.
When it comes to times like this, something troublesome is bound to happen!!
“—GROOOARRR!!”
The moment Tafuman stood up with sword and shield in hand, a savage roar echoed from the forest.
