Magic Gems Gourmet Chapter 193

Chapter 193

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ED: LonelyMatter

Chapter 193 – Black Fog

“I’m sorry. This is enough.”

Lloyd shouted to the knight who lent him his shoulder.

“Ha!”

“Thanks for your help.”

The City of Birdland.

Lloyd, aided by the knight, arrives in the town a little late.

“…It’s pretty run down.”

“Yeah, I guess the looting and stuff has had an effect…”

“I need to find out what happened. Hey, you there.”

Lloyd called to the knight who had arrived in town earlier.

The knight rushes over to Lloyd.

“Ha. Can I help you?”

“Have you been investigating?”

“Ah, yes. If you’re talking about this matter, I think…”

The knight looked around. He shook his head from side to side as if looking for someone, and then he called out as if he had found the person he was looking for.

“Mayor-dono! Over here!”

He was an old man with a beard.

He was obviously well dressed, but he also wore a red cloak that was not too conspicuous.

He walked with a relaxed gait toward the place where Lloyd and the others were waiting.

“Oh… what a gallant figure!”

“Your Excellency the Marshal. This is one of the mayors of Birdland, and his name is…”

“Please leave the rest to me. My name is Garvy, and I run an old trading company. Thanks to that, I am a humble old merchant who has been entrusted with the role of one of the mayors of Birdland since I was old.”

“Hmm? One of the mayors?”

Before he could respond to the introduction, Lloyd spoke up with a question.

“In Birdland, powerful merchants are responsible for running the city. Therefore, the city is divided into sections, each of which is ruled by a mayor… There were eight mayors in total.”

“I see. That’s how it works. My name is Lloyd, and I am the Marshal of Ishtalika.”

“We’ve heard a lot about you. We also have ongoing trade with Ishtalika, so we merchants have heard of you, Lloyd-sama.”

That’s probably true. Lloyd was satisfied.

In fact, trade with countries other than Heim did continue, albeit on a smaller or larger scale.

Knowing that the mayor understood Ishtalika, Lloyd was glad that he didn’t have to explain much.

“…By the way, what do you mean when you say there were eight of you?”

Lloyd asked what Garvy meant by using the past tense.

“The other seven lost their lives. They stubbornly refused to cooperate when Heim invaded.”

“Cooperation…?”

“To unify the continent, they were to be brought under Heim’s control… Speaking of great merchants, they have a strong sense of self-respect and independence and feel a sense of rejection to submit to authority.”

“It seems that they were quite selfish.”

Hearing Garvy’s words, not only Lloyd but also the Royal Knights change their expressions in displeasure.

“In the end, many adventurers were also arrested. They were forcibly detained to prevent them from harming Heim.”

“I see. No wonder I thought it was run down.”

“After that, I don’t know where the adventurers were taken…”

It was said that the country of Birdland was a city where the wealth of the continent gathered.

Now, however, few people were on the streets, and even the buildings that Birdland was proud of have been destroyed.

The cobblestone streets have fallen into disrepair, and there was not a single stall on the streets.

All that remained was the equipment left behind by Heim’s soldiers.

“Fortunately, we have enough food to last for several years, so we will not starve…”

“So you couldn’t escape your fear, huh?”

Garvy nodded deeply at Lloyd’s words.

His expression was stern, and there were dark circles under his eyes, showing the fatigue he had acc.u.mulated over the past few days.

Suddenly, a lukewarm wind blew through Birdland, and the fatigue of the battle that had just ended washed over the Knights of Ishtalika.

“So, those who remain in Birdland now… are they in a subordinate position to Heim?”

“No. If anything, they are the weak-willed and those who have chosen to surrender. We of Birdland have never changed our neutral stance to this day.”

“Hmm…”

“In the days when not only Heim, but also Euro and Rockdam, and indeed the entire continent, were at war, the place where the peace treaty was signed was this region of Birdland. Since then, we in Birdland have always remained neutral.”

Garvy desperately expressed his feelings.

There were tears in his eyes, and he was obviously frustrated that he had been unable to resist Heim’s barbarism.

“Hmm, I understand. I understand your feelings, Garvy-dono, and I roughly understand what Heim has done. As for us, the Ishtalika, we have no intention of demanding anything unless we intend to take control of the Birdlands. In return, would it be all right if we stayed here for a few days as a base of operations?”

“How could we ask the people who drove out Heim’s army to leave? This is a city in ruins, but please rest your bodies first.”

Lloyd was relieved that Garvy had accepted them.

Even if they had said they wouldn’t accept Ishtalika, he would have forced them to stay, but compared to the fact that they hadn’t refused, it was a hundred times better.

“I will pay. Can I rent some room so the knight can rest?”

“Yes, of course. In fact, even if you don’t pay…”

“That is not possible. If we don’t pay, it would be a violation of Birdland’s neutrality. We also have no intention of refusing to pay.”

Thus, the Knights of Ishtalika, including Lloyd, had not only made the acquaintance of an influential person who knew the situation but had also secured a place to heal their bodies.

＊＊＊

It had been two days since they had entered Birdland.

The army of Ishtalika took turns resting and recovering from the fatigue that had built up in their bodies.

It was time to find out what was going on in Heim.

When Lloyd decided to do so, he waited impatiently for the messenger he had sent to Rockdam to return.

At that moment, they arrived.

“Lloyd-sama! The crossbow is ready! The high ground for the archers is also ready!”

“Ah, then we can face them head-on.”

Birdland had no outer walls.

However, there were many large buildings, such as inns.

When the crossbows were lined up to fill the s.p.a.ce between the buildings, it became a simple wall.

Although its defensive capabilities were not very reliable, the difference between having it and not having it was like heaven and earth.

“But it’s not like they could have done it in two days…”

Lloyd, with beads of sweat on his forehead, was worried about the condition of Heim’s soldiers.

Although he was worried, he only wondered what kind of modifications had been made.

If they were to return to Heim in two days and then immediately return to Birdland, there would be no time to rest.

“Besides, it’s annoying when that guy comes… what should I do?”

Ed was strong.

The man named Ed was not only skilled but also possessed great physical strength, to the extent that Lloyd was at the mercy of his attacks.

Remembering the one-on-one battle from the other day, Lloyd let out a bitter smile as if in self-deprecation.

“If it had been a naval battle, how much easier it would have been. Now I wonder how many troops they brought.”

Tension, hesitation, determination… Lloyd’s feet felt dizzy as he was overcome by a mixture of emotions.

He put his strength into the base of his toes and pushed forward, gripping the ground with his feet.

Amidst the hectic movement of the knights of Ishtalika, he made his way to the hastily constructed rampart.

Using stone for the base and wood from the collapsed inn for the top, he has created a st.u.r.dy rampart.

“What’s the enemy’s strength?”

Lloyd asked after climbing the steep stairs to the platform.

However, he did not hear an answer from anyone, although he would normally be able to hear it immediately.

There were about five knights on the platform, so Lloyd, puzzled by their silence, asks again.

“Hey, I asked you about Heim’s army.”

He puts his hand on a nearby knight’s shoulder as he speaks a little more forcefully.

“L-Lloyd-sama!”

“Yes, it’s me. Why don’t you answer me?”

Looking at the knight’s face in dismay, the knight’s face turned completely pale.

What happened? Just as Lloyd was about to open his mouth in confusion…

“Please, Lloyd-sama, take a look at Heim’s army.”

Another knight spoke to Lloyd.

Without answering the situation, what does it mean to ask him to look at it? He looked at it with an uneasy look in his heart.

“…Ah, I see. That’s what it is.”

He understood.

He was forced to understand.

“Hah… what a ridiculous army of fools.”

He scratched his twitching cheek with his index finger, and a single bead of sweat dripped to the floor.

“For a moment, I thought a black cloud had appeared. I had no idea they were all enemy forces. I’m impressed.”

Something black spread across the horizon.

When they looked closely, they were all the small creatures that had appeared in Euro.

There was also a group of Heim soldiers in the distance, but the number of creatures was so great that it was impossible to compare.

Tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, anyhow, the number was impossible to comprehend, but there were more than enough creatures to swallow an entire city.

Moreover, judging from the situation, there was a great possibility that Layfon would spread the miasma.

“Lloyd-sama. Shouldn’t we retreat? Even in Birdland, we can hold out for a few hours, but if it goes on any longer, we’ll be overwhelmed by their numbers.”

One of the knights called Lloyd, who had surveyed the situation.

“There are more of them than we expected. Besides, their movements were too fast. We should retreat to Rockdam and regroup before advancing again… At the same time, we should attack the port city of Roundheart with our battles.h.i.+ps.”

The knight opened his mouth to comfort Lloyd, for too many unexpected things had happened.

“With all due respect, this is nothing more than a shortage of our knights. If we had the same number, or even half the enemy’s, we could unleash an overwhelming battle. But this difference in numbers is too simple…”

“…Ah, I think so too.”

“Then!”

Lloyd nodded obediently to the knight’s words but did not speak as he retreated.

The knight spoke his intentions in a strong tone, trying to convince Lloyd.

“They will probably attack us day and night without rest. We will never be able to do that. No, it will be possible to reach Rockdam, but we will inevitably slow down as we retreat. If that happens, we will inevitably be in danger of being wiped out.”

Upon hearing Lloyd’s words, the knight also understood the truth.

Heim’s army had returned here in only two days.

Considering that they had also fought against Ishtalika before, it proved that they could fight almost without sleep.

“Do not worry. Before we reached Birdland, I sent a messenger to Rockdam. They will surely send reinforcements or equipment to help us, considering the situation.”

“I-is that true?”

“Yes. There’s no point in lying about something like that.”

The knights on the high ground were surprised and pleased.

Lloyd was also in a state of high tension, but there was nothing he could do but wait and hope for the best.

“They should have arrived by now. We’ll meet their attack head-on! We have to hold out no matter what!”

“Ha!”

＊＊＊

The battle was extremely fierce.

The crossbows were placed between the buildings, arranged like a wall, but the crossbows alone were not enough to serve as a wall.

Therefore, when the knights were divided into several units, they would form a wall with their large s.h.i.+elds.

Behind them were the spearmen, who repeated the action repeatedly, stopping the rats and rabbits—the same creatures that appeared in Euro.

“Hey, this isn’t working! We’re short on manpower here, too!”

“…How many of those things are there?”

Gradually, casualties began to appear among the knights of Ishtalika.

The creatures attacked the knights relentlessly, using their sheer numbers to overwhelm them.

They were able to move quickly, and whenever an opening appeared, they rushed in.

“Not good. This one is already dead… Someone, hurry up and bring something to use as a barrier!”

A knight lost his life. This inevitably created a gap between the knights.

The enemy took advantage of this and continued to attack, and despite the efforts of the crossbowmen and archers, the knights of Ishtalika were gradually pushed back into the Birdland.

“These guys are so annoying. They use those beasts to keep an eye on us without sending any soldiers…!”

That’s right. Heim continued to attack with only creatures with magic stones implanted in them without sending any soldiers.

Lloyd looked at Heim’s army as if he saw something horrible.

“If only we could destroy that carriage!”

The carriage that came today is probably being driven by Layfon.

Although he did not show himself, the miasma continues to leak from the carriage that Layfon was riding, just like the other day.

“All units, take a few steps back! Fill in any gaps!”

It seemed like a long shot, but should we retreat to Rockdam now? Lloyd agonized.

But when he looked at the distance between them, he knew it was pointless. There was no other way than to face them here.

“If only Warren-dono were here to help us at a time like this…”

He said this with a look of pain on his face, and Lloyd also picked up a bow and arrow and fired an arrow at the beast, hoping to hit at least one of them.

Almost at the same time, the sound of a horn could be heard coming from the direction of Heim’s army.

“What the h.e.l.l is that noise? That man, he’s finally showing up…!”

Finally, Heim’s soldiers began to advance.

At the head of the line was Ed on horseback. The luxurious carriage, still spewing miasma, slowly advanced from the rear.

“I don’t want it to happen again like the other day… but… kuh!”

He remembers what he could have done in the fight with Ed.

It was a problem before he even used his spear, and Lloyd was knocked down by Ed’s kick.

And as a knight… as a marshal, he was spared the ultimate humiliation of being defeated.

It’s a pathetic story, but all Lloyd could think about was the battle he couldn’t win…

“I’m the Marshal. I’m the strongest knight in Ishtalika. How can I be afraid of a mere beast!”

“L-Lloyd-sama!”

“I’ll take care of him! Deal with the other soldiers and beasts as you have been doing!”

This was Lloyd’s answer to the knight’s words.

He let out a yell and galloped forward, stopping right in front of Ed, who had been watching nearby.

“――Ed!”

“Haha, it’s been a few days, hasn’t it?”

“This time, I’m going to take your head――”

He pulled out a large sword and held it ready for Ed.

But Ed, still smiling, replied as follows.

“…Ah, I’m not in the mood for that today. Mother says to get it over with quickly, so I’m afraid…”

“Wha… W-where did that come from?”

Suddenly, Lloyd’s horse’s leg is bitten by something.

It was a mouse that had sprung up from the ground, and Lloyd’s sudden reaction caused him to lose his balance and fall off the horse.

“I’m sorry, but I have to finish this quickly. It’s the script Mother wants, so please don’t be offended…”

“Kuh… I can’t let you do that!”

Ed swung his spear down from his horse and aimed it at Lloyd’s forehead.

The spear, aimed straight at Lloyd’s forehead, was narrowly avoided by Lloyd’s quick movement.

…But the price was far too high.

“Aahh… Guaaaaahhh!?”

His left eye was gouged out, and the spear stuck several inches in.

Lloyd rolled backwards as if to turn around and put his hand to his left eye as if to take care of it.

“T-this…beast…!”

“You managed to escape. I lowered the spear with the intention of really sticking it in your head, but…well, never mind. Let’s try again.”

Not good. The effect of the left eye makes the vision of his right eye blurry, too…!

Lloyd stood up, holding back the pain, but he could no longer deal with Ed.

Resigned to the fact that he was finished, he decided to just swing his greatsword around with all his strength – and that was the moment it happened.

“Wh-what is that tree root?!”

Just as Ed was about to raise his spear and plunge it into Lloyd, Ed’s body was suddenly bound by the tree roots that had appeared.

Not just Ed, but the huge, thick tree roots spread out as if to surround Birdland.

“I-it’s hard… I-it’s not just a root… Who did this?”

Ed, who had been calm until then, gathered strength in his body.

With a creaking sound, the tree roots began to peel away from his body, but he still couldn’t move.

As if to add insult to injury, a black mist began to drift around him.

“B-Black Huorn…?”

Lloyd also remembered.

This mist was a monster that deceived and preyed on people. It was an ability possessed by Black Huorn.

Though it was not known how it came to be in this area, this fog had robbed the Heim soldiers of their sight.

“What is happening…! This development is nice as a story. But! Mother would not have wanted this!”

Torn between his own thoughts and the words of someone he believed to be absolutely right, Ed suffered so much that he got a headache.

Then Lloyd and Ed thought to themselves at the same time.

Yes.

This situation is like the appearance of a demon king…

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