Chapter 298
298 – Battle Preparation
It’s completely dark by the time the weapons and medicine have finished being gathered… It’s entirely possible that the enemy could launch a night attack, especially since they might notice that I destroyed their poison magic circle and attack in a hurry . The people of the dragon-god village might also be anxious that I’m not there in a time of crisis . In the early night, I head towards the dragon-god village accompanied by warriors of the anti-dragon-god village .
It would be bad if the anti-dragon-god village were to be attacked while their military strength was away . So Bella and other influential people discussed the matter, then decided to leave half of the approximately two hundred population behind . On the off the chance they’re attacked, there’s an evacuation route planned, as well as enough combatants to form a rear guard .
I walk down the riverside with approximately one hundred anti-dragon-god warriors… With this many reinforcements, we should be able to deal with however many enemies there are .I heard from Bella earlier that the dragon-god village has a population of about three hundred . Within that, the number that can fight is about two hundred . Combined, that makes around three hundred combatants .
A lot of people in the dragon-god village will still be suffering from the cursed water, but… I’ve cut off the source, so their conditions shouldn’t have gotten any worse . Since I was able to complete the persuasion of the anti-dragon-god village without having to waste any MP, I should be fully recovered by the time we get there… Through use of [High Rest] and [Holy], we can secure more battle-capable combatants .
Besides, I’ll be there . As long as it’s a straightforward fight, then even if there’s a huge number of people, I should be able to handle them . Ever since I was a plague dragon, I’ve had enough strength to take on many people at once . As an ouroboros, I snow specialise in protracted battles, so I should be able to fight all day long .
This is why, rather than driving the enemy back, I’d rather the Lithovar warriors focused on holding out . If I can can move around driving the enemy back, that should be enough to end the battle .
I think as I walk, and notice my partner’s jaw muscles shivering . Thinking it strange, I watch her and see her moving her eyes periodically . Did she maybe pick up on some strange presence?
What’s wrong, partner? If you noticed something, please say .
『…It’s nothing big . 』I ask, and she replies with just that . Then, seemingly through a conscious force of will, she stops looking around . Doing that just makes me more worried though .
Look, if there’s something…
『…No, it’s just that those guys in the back aren’t calming down . 』
Having been told that, I check behind again . The crowd of Lithovars trails out behind me . Some carry spears, and some pull cart laden with pots… Now that I look for it, they are a bit uncalm . As long as they don’t scare the dragon-god people, it’s fine though .
Once the dragon-god village comes into view, I use [Whistle]… Or rather, I blow a whistle . A sharp hyuui sound fills the air .
They’ll probably have heard it in the village . I feel bad for waking up all the sick who were asleep, but this is important . Now’s not the time to worry about that .
Hyuuuuih! Following on, a second whistle rings out .
It’s not mine, it’s my partner’s . I glance at her, and she faces forwards with a composed expression . Oi, you just wanted to do it too . No, it’s fine though .
As though in reply to our whistles, I hear a strange high-pitched sound off in the distance . Seemingly on patrol, three groups appear from different directions, each composed of five Lithovar warriors from the dragon-god village .
One of them has a whistle made of monster bone . There’s no doubt that that was the source of the high pitched sound I heard earlier . He might have blown it to let the village know there was something occuring .
“Wh-what exactly is… D-dragon-god-sama, what exactly is happening?”
The dragon-god Lithovars look at me in bewilderment and, after my partner glares at them, they lower the spears they had pointed at Bella .
In the midst of the tense atmosphere, Baron jumps down from my back, landing on both feet .
“Be at ease . They heard we were in a crisis and came running . Dragon-god-sama went there to mediate . The feud is on hold for now . ”
“Dr-dragon-god-sama…!”
Hearing Baron’s voice, the few who still had their spears raised lower them .
“They have brought antidotes and precious medicinal herbs . Please let everyone in the village know!”
Hearing Baron, several head back to the village to tell them . Though it takes a little time, soon enough they get permission to enter the village .
I’d thought it would’ve gone worse, but… It all goes surprisingly smoothly . It might have to do with how they don’t have much in the way of other options at the moment . The interactions between people of the dragon-god and anti-dragon-god factions are a little uncomfortable and awkward, but it’s not a massive problem .
They might distrust each other, but…the absence of the original cause of the secession, the dragon-god’s miko, might be having a positive effect . They seem to have pinned all the sins on the miko household now . Sorry, Hibi . I’ll definitely protect the Lithovars in your stead .
Once inside the village, as Bella is an influential figure among the anti-dragon-god faction, she is invited to the meeting hall . They’ll be discussing the current state and planning what to do .
Meanwhile, I go around healing people with the aid of people from the anti-dragon-god faction . Though they’re experienced with poisons and medical treatment, none of what they can do compares to my partner’s healing magic . Also, as long as I’m present, I can quickly mediate in any fights that occur . By going around using [High Rest], we secure more combatants, as well as heal those seriously damaged by the poison .
Once the need for healing dies down, unable to bear my curiosity, I head over to the meeting hall .
Ideally, if I could move around independently and strike at their leader to scare them off, that would be best . But if there are discrepancies in our plans, there’s a chance I could miss the enemy sneaking past to attack, which would be a disaster . To avoid that, I’m not going to move around as I please but will instead follow with whatever’s decided between the Lithovars .
It doesn’t look like Bella and the others are coming out of the meeting hall though . We’ve no idea when the enemy is going to attack . Rather than being in the village, I should be out patrolling as soon as possible in order to detect their approach .
Involuntarily, I put my ear to the wall to try and listen . But I’m not able to hear the voices inside very well . Impatient, I try peering in through a window .
Inside, three people from the heads of either faction sit facing each other across a long table, with five guards arranged behind each . They seem to be wary that the other side doesn’t make any strange moves… Though we really can’t afford a conflict between Lithovars at the moment .
It seems Bella and Baron are the ones mostly moving the discussion along… Though saying that, Baron is standing with a spear in hand, so he might have been brought along as a guard originally .
Suddenly, an old woman sitting in one of the chairs notices me stuck to the window and falls over backwards . S-sorry… I couldn’t sit still . I quickly pull my head back .
