The search for my ward did not take much time and effort.
As I expected, she headed towards the commander of the kingdom's army. Coming closer, I managed to get a better look at her interlocutor. The commander of the gathering of unfinished warriors looked unsightly: a frowning look and disheveled hair, eyes bulging and ready to run away from the owner as far as possible, and limbs twitching from nerves resembled the death throes of a hanged man.
- Hee-hee, - the girl let out a light laugh, without context it is difficult for me to understand what it is connected with. - There is no need to worry, all you need is to relax and look at the solution to your problems, - putting her fists on her hips, she suggested to the commander to organize a temporary rest for his soldiers.
Surprisingly, her thoughts are very similar to my own. Since we are planning a local feat, it would be good to protect the beneficial mosquitoes from insect spray.
Until the time comes.
"If you fail, then my assets," the young man with blond hair's tone was shaking violently, and he dug his nails into his palm, trying to contain the anxiety that was growing by leaps and bounds. "I don't care, do whatever you want, I don't care about anything anymore. But..." He looked appraisingly at Kurumi's dress, as if it were a national treasure, and continued. "Yeah, anyway, do whatever you want," I'm really curious as to how it happened that such an indecisive person was appointed commander of this operation.
There is one theory related to the corruption of the nobility.
The captured knights spoke of this tumor in the Re-Estize Kingdom.
In general, the theory is true, only the logic is flawed.
When weak individuals are in danger, resorting to nepotism is a bad idea.
Critical threats to the ruler's power and well-being require the appointment of competent people to important positions, so that it would be easier to respond to threats. Take me as an example. If I had an incompetent relative, I would appoint him as the leader of a separate unit with the cumbersome name "Dawn's Radiance". And as subordinates I would provide everyone who has made modest donations to our good cause, but no longer represents any further value.
Such subordinates can be used in military parades, or as the vanguard in some trivial battle. And he helped an incompetent relative, and retained the attractiveness of outside investments.
It's a pity, but the kingdom doesn't understand this logic. The king of an entire country sent all sorts of rabble on this important mission, who are commanded by other rabble, only of a higher social status.
"It's time for us to go," I glanced at my proactive and growing subordinate and nodded contentedly.
"As you wish," taking the hem of her dress, the girl elegantly curtsied, a traditional gesture in Western culture. "I have discussed all the details, no one will interfere with us in destroying this creature," smiling sweetly, she seemed to have forgotten about the existence of her recent interlocutor.
Message: "Wonderful news, but after sending the ragamuffins into battle, this incompetent leader has proven that the battle is already lost. The chances of reinforcements are negligible." By transmitting thoughts with a spell, I accidentally stepped on Kurumi's sore spot. Her face distorted with a feeling of annoyance. It just so happened that I made it clear that talking to a life form that was inferior to her was a waste of time.
- And this-this is your leader, about whom you spoke so highly? - without waiting for an answer, the stuttering man took a step forward and extended a trembling... bloody palm for a handshake. He is not a warrior, but a notorious nobleman, with manners too typical for this class. And his clothes are not some chain mail, but palace attire. As for the warrior spirit or courage...
This is clearly not the case with him.
"There is blood flowing from your palm, so I cannot shake your hand," I said without a hint of disdain. "We are forced to take our leave, otherwise we will have to deal with the threat by more drastic means, from which everyone present may suffer."
Leaving the slightly annoyed nobleman behind, my ward and I headed towards the monster that had filled the entire city with its body. The dumbfounded soldiers in the camp watched us, and Kurumi waved to them in a welcoming gesture, as if we were the main participants in a ceremonial parade.
The rational part of man told us that we ourselves were the main villains. Not the monster ahead. But today I had no desire to trust my inner voice. After all, we were like heroes moving straight ahead towards a threat that weak people would change their pants from. All for the sake of protecting the weak and oppressed, since there was no one in the world who would take on this mission for us. And achieving the slightest success.
"Marquis Blumlash," Kurumi said an unfamiliar name when we had walked a short distance away. "I've never met people like that before," not that she'd ever met people.
- Let me guess, there was something about him that attracted you, some bad trait?
- Greed on a divine level, hee hee. He first assessed the cost of my dress, and only then began to talk. It seems as if he is ready to do anything for money, - the subordinate conveyed interesting information.
She's a really great actress, capable of torturing a person and then playing the good girl well, gathering information. And useful information at that. This nobleman has a lot of influence, after all, he was entrusted with a huge army despite his zero competence.
I am sure that the Marquis can be easily used in various plans, throwing him gold roundels like bones to a dog. If the invitation to an audience drags on, I will have to find roundabout ways to make an offer, the refusal of which is like death. Not only for the king, but also for his subjects.
I am not a monster who refuses to give a weak individual the right to choose, or to use only intimidation to achieve my goals. There are other ways, more interesting or unconventional. For example, using greedy people, manipulating their desires, as the fox manipulated the magpie holding cheese in its beak.
Thunder!
"It's surprising that you decided to add more drama to the battle," I said, puzzled, lifting my chin to look at the gathering clouds in the sky.
They formed as if by magic from all sides of the horizon, and rushed straight towards us. First, the dark clouds floated past the military camp, covering the frightened soldiers with darkness, and only then surrounded the chimera.
"Not really," the girl modestly refuted my assumption, but quickly corrected herself. "That is, just a little. This type of monster is vulnerable to lightning, and water is a good conductor?" Remembering something, she asked for confirmation of her guesses, sweetly putting her index finger to her lips.
- True, and also to the cold. We will act according to a banal scenario, - our procession continued, but in order to give it more uniqueness, I accompanied the explanations with hand gestures. - Our main task is to weaken the monster so that I can get to its core. It absorbed so much mana that its regeneration almost reached absolute. The chimera's restorative capabilities must be reduced, because it is unwise to show our abilities to a crowd of people for an entire hour. We will limit ourselves to a quick demonstration of basic capabilities. Without using our best trump cards.
- By instilling fear, trembling and horror in people? - Half-turning, she cast a disgusted glance at the soldiers. Most likely, it was human cowardice that she disliked, not the human race. People were panicking, as if the Great Flood was approaching, ready to wash away all sinners from the face of the earth. But she looked at them without any pity, with only disdain.
Still, the girl is amazing.
I like her because she is completely unconventional.
I remember I was a bit of a romantic when I was writing her personality. What is it... Right, I was struck by a romantic story about a noble knight, a bit of eroticism and so on, a couple of little things from anime. Ha, right, I remembered, I started writing the settings for this NPC right after finishing the Japanese horror. The result was a hellish mixture in Kurumi's character.
— We will gently hint to people that it is dangerous to provoke us once again, at least for the sake of maintaining longevity. Both you and I... We can lose our temper at any moment if the line of patience is torn to shreds — this remark is true for all living beings. So far, I have not had a situation where I was completely unaware of my actions, but you never know. No one is perfect.
— Lightning! — and indeed, lightning began to strike the ground indiscriminately, in all directions. Not allowing the commander to break his promise not to interfere. Although, Kurumi was simply trying to vent her frustration for wasting time. There is no need to look for noble motives in her actions, especially in those that are not typical for her.
- A storm is coming! - where there are thick clouds under a clear sun, there is also a drizzling rain, forming mud and creating an ominous atmosphere.
— The horses have gone mad. Hold the horses! — Lightning is good, but the peals of thunder for building up the intrigue are much more beautiful. The eruption from the sky was so frightening that even the war horses were frightened.
The weather became increasingly gloomy and ominous.
And we made our way to the city at a leisurely pace, as if we were on a date. So, strictly speaking, we didn't have time to go far enough to ignore the growing mess behind us. Mess squared.
After a couple of minutes, we stopped and froze, trying to get a better look at our enemy. For the sake of interest, I began to cast all the curses and weakening effects that I knew of on the monster, which acted at a distance. It would not be possible to cast everything because of the safe distance. And there would always be time to throw an aggro, but for now the well-fed creature was in no hurry to attack, so there was no point in provoking it.
In addition, the same Death Mark will have to be applied to yourself en masse. The World Class item must completely fill the attack scale, and you need to squeeze out as much as possible.
- How much longer? - the question was accompanied by the bored tone of the ward. Kurumi, in order to while away the time, even began to spin the pistol. Made the lady bored, what a shame.
"The fight will be easier if the enemy kindly allows himself to be weakened," I answered her question in anticipation, almost finishing with the curses.
For most, having at least one virtue is enough to justify their existence. My virtue lies in destroying players. But with the additional help of our combined abilities, it will not be difficult for me to pull the thorn out of this world.
Created by me personally.
It turns out interesting, the creator came to kill his creation, which was no longer useful to him. True romance. So, let's begin to reap the harvest.
More chapters on my P@treon: https://patreon.com/OOOTEN