The emperor had the same idea because he muttered to himself, “We’d better go check in on the base.” Then he asked the ogres, “What will you guys do? It may be dangerous for you to remain here in this forest.”
“We will stay. We can’t live among people. We can’t tolerate humans other than you, master.”
Dalgard’s fierce frown was suitably terrifying. But I could understand how he felt. After this, he and the other ogres had even less desire than ever to be around humans.
“Very well. If anything happens, I’ll come right away, so don’t fight recklessly.”
“We are ogres, born to fight. Fleeing is not in our blood.”
I’d heard they were a warlike species, but maybe “war-loving” was a better description?
Is fighting engraved into their basic instincts?
“I suppose it can’t be helped, then. Elemental spirits, if anyone tries to enter this forest, please inform me immediately,” Emperor Celiunos said, arranging it so that if anyone who might be a part of Runohark showed up, he could come running before the ogres were attacked again. “Now then, we’d better head to the base.”
The ogres, their injuries healed, thanked the emperor and then disappeared into the trees, seeking refuge even deeper in the forest.
It feels like Runohark are hellbent on chasing the monsters no matter how far they run. I hope the monsters on Mount Reitimo are okay…
With so many powerful adventurers gathered there, it wouldn’t be easy for Runohark to make any move against the monsters, but I’d better warn Papa anyway so he can have them on the lookout.
In the end, we captured four Runohark agents. They were loaded onto the wyverns using magical items attached to them to be transported back to the army headquarters.
The rest of us took to the sky once more, following the road that ran through the forest below, and in just a matter of minutes, the base came into view.
Surprisingly, the clearing was much larger than the last time I’d visited, and the previous collection of shacks had grown to resemble a proper, albeit small, village.
“Your Majesty, what is the purpose of your unexpected visit?”
Luttie ran over to meet us as we landed, and once again, I was struck by how feminine and beautiful she was. I would’ve never guessed in a million years if I didn’t already know that she’d been born as a man. The combination of her charming traditional outfit and the rustic scenery around us called to mind a certain young lady of the Alps…
“I received information that a group suspected to be Runohark had appeared in Wildwood. Have you seen any strangers dressed like adventurers in this area?”
“Runohark, really? All the way out here?”
Luttie looks doubtful, but maybe she knows something after all?
“A lot of people have been coming and going lately, so I may have failed to notice them,” she admitted after a moment of thought.
Sensing a chance to turn a profit, the merchants’ guild had set up temporary shops that looked almost like market stalls at the base. As a result, travelers passing through the area began gathering to restock their supplies along their journey, which led to the stalls being expanded, and, eventually, a small restaurant had even been set up.
When things reached that point, many of the carpenters decided it was too much of a hassle to commute to and from the closest village, so they built small cabins to live in, which likewise grew in size and number until, at this point, travelers were also able to stay the night here before moving on.
You gotta give it to the merchants’ guild; they have a keen eye for business!
“Do adventurers also stop here?”
“Yes. However, I haven’t seen any during the times I’ve visited. Shall I ask around to the others?”
It seemed that Luttie wasn’t always at the base, so it was possible she’d simply missed seeing the Runohark agents. It was easy to forget that she wasn’t just a whimsical country maid but a member of the nobility with duties to attend to in assisting her sister in running the province.
So, we took Luttie up on her offer and had her ask if any of the others had seen anyone suspicious, particularly focusing on the carpenters who were living here full-time at the moment. However, no one reported seeing anything out of the ordinary.
“If they snuck into the forest without being seen by anyone, that must mean they entered from the side of Wildwood closest to the Alliance of Nations…”
“But that entire area is said to be devolved into a lawless mess at the moment. I imagine it would be difficult for even Runohark to pass through safely.”
Although the Helios Province didn’t share a border with the Alliance of Nations, it was not far away. They got the latest information on the situation at the border more quickly here, so Luttie informed us of what she’d heard from her sister.
Fighting had broken out in the province that abutted the Alliance of Nations. Of course, the Linus Imperial Army had been dispatched to protect the citizens and assist the refugees.
“…So they snuck into the country under the guise of refugees?”
“That’s likely the case, but we can’t just stop accepting refugees. That would only lead to even greater tragedy.”
Fleeing for their lives, the refugees would become desperate if turned away at the border and try to force or sneak their way in by any means possible. It would be a huge mess.
Not to mention the fact that being turned away in their time of need would sow the seeds of hatred and resentment towards the Linus Empire in the refugees’ hearts, and they might even target the innocent citizens trying to live their lives peacefully along the border.
For the Linus Empire to protect its citizens, they would take in the refugees. When that happened, our enemy would walk right in the front door along with them.
Talk about being caught between a rock and a hard place!
“It’s a terrible situation. I can only imagine how you must feel, Your Majesty.”
Luttie was wearing a somber expression as she said quietly, “Our family will help in any way we can.”
Then her tone changed, and her voice filled with anger as she cried, “Runohark are trying to get their filthy hands on Lady Nefertima, right? I’ll kill every last one of those pedo freaks before they can get anywhere near her!”
It was a shocking statement, but somehow, she made it sound cute.
“For the time being, I will station soldiers here to keep an eye on things,” the emperor said, trying and failing to hide the way the corner of his lip turned up at Luttie’s outburst.
“Very well. I will make the necessary preparations for their arrival.”