Goshujin-sama to Yuku Isekai Survival!

Chapter 337 – Tracking

“You have a scary look on your face, you know?”

Inside the air board driven by Bella. Shumel, who is sitting on the air board opposite me, smiles at me.

“I guess you’re right.”

I can only say these few words to her. I don’t think I can be calm at all right now. I’ve killed enough enemy soldiers on the battlefield, and each time I’ve seen horrific scenes. But what I saw today was something else.

There was a person who was cut from the back while trying to escape.

There was a person who was slashed from the front with both arms outstretched as if trying to protect someone else.

There was a mother who was holding her child to her chest to protect him and was stabbed through the back with the child in her arms.

I have killed many people in my life, but basically, only those who turned hostile toward me. I had only turned the tables on those who were trying to kill me, and even then, I had tried to give them a message of surrender.

But what happened there was something else. I don’t like the way they unilaterally slaughtered those who were not capable of fighting.

Even if the goal was the supplies the pioneer group had, where was the need to kill them so thoroughly? If only the defensive forces were destroyed in the surprise attack, all that was left were the pioneers who had no strength to fight. There was no need to kill them.

But they did. They did it thoroughly. I don’t like it.

“Now you’re making a difficult face.”

Grande, who had been sitting on my knees, looked up at me and said that.

“I guess so.”

What I’m trying to do is take selfish revenge. It’s not like my family was directly killed. It’s just righteous indignation. I am a selfish being now, convinced that I am righteous and about to wield the blade of judgment.

The bandits who attacked the pioneer group may have their own reasons for doing so. They may be doing what they have to do to avenge the loss of their positions, their friends, and family members or just to survive because of what we, the Liberation Army and the new Merinard Kingdom, have done.

However, our actions, even those of Sylphy and the others, originally stemmed from the invasion of the Holy Kingdom 20 years ago. We acted to avenge the invasion, to do back what was done to us. If what happened in response to that was the current incident, then a negative chain of events is taking place in which vengeance leads to vengeance.

Is it really a good thing for me to take revenge selfishly here? Such a thought crossed my mind――.

“Revenge is refreshing, isn’t it?”

“That’s right!”

“It feels good to wield the blade of death against a bandit and say, ‘I am the righteous one.'”

“That’s right.”

“Then it’s good.”

“What’s so good about it…?”

Tozume gives me a cold eye as she says this, but I ignore her.

“Either way, if left alone, there is a good chance that other pioneer groups and villages will be attacked again. Luckily for us, we have the ability to do something about it, so it’s better we do it. I’ve stopped thinking about the details.”

“I agree. It’s good to have that kind of mindset when dealing with bandits. It’s easy to think of them as little more than intelligent monsters.”

“A famous magician once said that bandits have no human rights.”

“A disturbing magician… Well, I generally agree with him.”

In terms of dangerousness, I think it was at the level of lightly obliterating a mountain, and if it was bad, it would be better than Grande. Or maybe it’s not so much that it’s bad, but it’s definitely better. I think this world is peaceful just because there are not many people like that. Instead, there are people like me running rampant.

“So, what’s the plan?”

“First, the harpies will scout from the sky, and my golem soldiers and Grande will draw the enemy from the front. If there are hostages or prisoners, Shumel and the others will approach from another direction on air boards while we create a diversion, swoop in, rescue them, and then quickly leave. I’ll have the harpies loaded with explosives, and if they come after us, we’ll use airstrikes to throw them to their deaths.”

“What if there are too many prisoners to get on the air board?”

“Let them fight and defend themselves somehow. In any case, once Grande and the golem soldiers move, it will be difficult for them to devote their strength to that side, and a group of the size that Tozume investigated will be wiped out in less than a short time.”

As a result of Tozume’s investigation of the spot where the pioneer group was attacked, she estimated that the number of attackers was probably around 30 or so. Even if there was a main group separate from the attackers, the total number of attackers would probably be around 50. At most, it was estimated that the number of attackers would not reach 100. With that kind of number, a single heavily armed golem would be enough to take care of all of them.

“Well, that’s good for a hastily arranged operation, isn’t it? We have the legs to escape and the support to retreat.”

“Let’s prepare a large air board in case there are too many prisoners.”

In my inventory, there is a prototype of a large air board for transporting soldiers. Even though it is a prototype, there are no functional problems, and test operations have already been completed. There is no problem with reliability.

“Danna-sama, we have found what appears to be the bandit’s position.”

While I was discussing the details of the operation with Shumel, I received a call from the harpies, who were ahead of us.

“Good work. Approach and scout the area without being noticed.”

“Understood.”

Whatever the case may be, once we’ve come this far, all we have to do is just do it.

☆★☆

We decided to attack the bandits’ encampment since there was no way we could recommend surrender to them.

“So, before we begin our mission, let’s do a final check.”

We hid ourselves in a blind spot from the encampment and stated as much. Even if we are going to attack roughly, it is important to coordinate with each other. Especially if we are going to split up into two groups.

“Aiyo.”

According to the harpies’ scouting, the bandits’ encampment seems to be set up on top of a small hill near the forest. There were signs that trees had been cut down and cleared in the nearby forest, and the encampment was protected by log fences and backed-up bushes.

“Gates had been built on the west and east sides.”

I drew a gate on the map of the camp on the soil with a piece of stick. The gate is slightly distorted, but it seems that the camp is generally surrounded by a circular fence made of logs. The western gate leads into the forest and seems to be used to bring in materials procured in the forest. As far as I could see, the west gate was tightly closed and not used much.

“It’s for bringing in materials. Can we break through?”

“It would be easier and faster to break through the wall.”

“It’s only a log. This axe will give it a good blow.”

Bella then held up the mithril alloy axe I had made and given to her.

“We could break through the gate, but if we want to take the shortest route, this is the best way to go.”

The encampment also contained what appeared to be a prisoner-of-war shelter. It was a not very large hut-like building. It seems to be frequented by bandits without armor. It is easy to imagine what is going on inside. Damn it.

“Tozume and I will clear them off, and Bella will knock down the walls. We’re going to step inside, check the inside of the hut, retrieve the people inside, and get the hell out of there. It’s an easy job, isn’t it?”

Shumel’s weapon is a large gold crusher, and Tozume’s is a mithril-alloy war hammer. A single swing of the Warhammer will probably break a small defense facility that is designed for a goblin or so.

“In the meantime, Kosuke and I are going to crush the enemy from the front. Well, that should be a piece of cake.”

“Please leave the retreat support to us.”

I nodded to Grande and Ygrette’s words. Well, it’s a crude plan that even the word “strategy” seems to be a bit of a stretch, but it’s probably a good one for someone who isn’t a professional in this kind of strategy planning.

I have already loaded the harpies with explosives. All we have to do now is to start the operation as soon as we’re in position and on Ygrette’s signal.

“Alright, let’s go.”

Let’s show it to those who are doing as they please.

Even if we have the underlying cause for their murderous behavior, we can’t let those who kill people who can’t fight go on unchecked.