Chapter : 82

“Kiyooooooot!!”

“For honor.”

“Come, come, run. Today too, we offer glory to His Excellency.”

Today, as soon as the scouts brought information, the elf knights charged out again. Their stamina was so incredible it made me click my tongue in amazement.

“Those fellows are quite energetic today as well.”

“Well, they say their joy in life is eating and fighting, so how excited must they be, Magician Agpiel.”

“Is that truly a life? It’s closer to the hell the priests speak of. The knights are a bit too much.”

Magician Agpiel grumbled, but it was hard to refute him.

In [Pangea Universalise], it wasn’t just those elves; any knight, though to varying degrees, usually pursued such a life.

It wasn’t for nothing that priests went around preaching to nobles and knights not to fight, to get along, and to show mercy.

The fact that they had become this much gentler after being influenced by religion meant that before, it must have been a true endless hell.

“Still, isn’t it a good thing that they are working so hard, as if it’s their own business?”

“That’s what I find so strange. Did you really not promise them any reward? It’s quite rare for knights to step forward like that on their own.”

“How would I know? I suppose they are just caught up in the atmosphere and acting without realizing it.”

I shrugged at Agpiel’s words.

The truth was, knights didn’t covet meritorious service without compensation. In a way, knights were as thoroughly self-interested as modern people.

That’s why, as Magician Agpiel said, the elf knights stepping up as if it were their own affair was truly a peculiar thing.

‘Well, once this is over, I suppose I’ll have to give them a hefty sum of money.’

Of course, that didn’t mean I could just wipe my hands of it.

I had plenty of money on hand at the moment, so it seemed a good idea to quell any complaints with a reward.

In the meantime, the scouts I had spread throughout the forest returned with their reconnaissance results.

“What? About 1,000?”

“Yes, Your Excellency. They have gathered, taken a hill, and are waiting.”

“Hah.”

Their numbers were larger than I thought, and at the same time, they were quite audacious.

They were a group of defeated soldiers, after all.

And yet they were going for a frontal confrontation despite being outnumbered by more than two to one?

“Are they insane?”

“Doesn’t that just mean they’re cornered? You’ve destroyed most of their encampments and surrounded their escape route, so they probably had no other choice.”

“That’s right, human lord. Just give the order. I will crush those impudent bastards at once!”

Captain Konrad shouted with confidence.

Well, I understood.

The difference in troop numbers was one thing, but the difference in troop quality was enormous.

Besides, with the specially trained pikemen phalanx and crossbowmen, there was no way they would lose an infantry battle.

‘There must be a reason for their actions, though.’

Something felt off.

Besides, the [Infamy] that had been steadily accumulating over the past few days was also a burden. I had no way of knowing what kind of coincidence the high infamy stat would produce.

“Where are the elf knights?”

“They should have arrived at the reported encampment by now, Your Excellency.”

“Hmm, in that case, go at once and tell the elf knights to return to the main army.”

I sent a messenger to the elf knights. With about 50 elf knights as a reserve, I should be able to nullify most variables.

Or so I thought.

“Y-Your Excellency! There’s trouble. The elf knights are under attack by an ogre.”

“???”

* * *

Ogre.

A powerful, humanoid monster that often appears as a final boss in fantasy. In [Pangea Universalise], it was no different; the ogre was a final boss-level monster that boasted incredible strength.

A monster that couldn’t be easily taken down even with dozens of knights attacking it!

So why was such a vicious monster here now?

‘Damn it? Is it because of my infamy?’

I lamented inwardly.

I wondered why this world was so bent on making me suffer.

“Magician Agpiel. Do you think the elf knights can win?”

“Hmm, no matter how skilled the elves are, it’s difficult to take down an ogre without preparation. And they would have encountered it in the middle of a subjugation, no?”

“Ugh…”

Magician Agpiel’s thoughts were also skeptical. Indeed, from what I knew, an ogre was a disaster incarnate.

“We must go and support them at once, human lord! They won’t be enough.”

“That’s right. If we leave them be, they might suffer serious damage, Your Excellency the Margrave.”

The people around me, one by one, exclaimed in alarm that we had to help.

It would have been one thing if I hadn’t heard the news, but to not help after hearing everything would be a true catastrophe.

All of them were nobles.

If they were abandoned and died, their connected families would not stand idly by. Thanks to that, I quickly racked my brain.

‘Hmm, the soldiers won’t be much help…’

It was madness to think that mere soldiers could face an ogre when even knights honed in various combat skills couldn’t hold out.

In the end, if we were going, it had to be a small, elite force.

‘Is it just me and Sir Agpiel, then?’

I wanted to take the members of the knightly order as well, but that could endanger the main force.

“Very well.”

Having organized my thoughts, I quickly gave the orders.

“Captain Konrad. You and Bastes will command the remaining forces and wipe out the band of thieves on the hill. There’s no need to force a fight, so if it doesn’t look good, I won’t blame you for retreating.”

“Hmph. Understood, human lord. I will keep that in mind.”

“And Sir Lauren.”

“You called, Your Excellency the Margrave.”

As soon as I spoke, the captain of the Knights of the Holy Order of Saint Maria bowed his head and spoke. Sir Lauren’s eyes were burning as if he wanted to go hunt the ogre right away.

No matter if he was a monk, his essence was that of a knight.

That was probably why his blood was boiling.

But unfortunately, I had no intention of taking them with me.

“Could the Knights of the Holy Order of Saint Maria watch for any unforeseen incidents?”

“Hmm… As a reserve force, you mean?”

“Correct.”

At my words, Sir Lauren’s face fell for a moment, and he gloomily lowered his head. I felt a bit sorry, but it couldn’t be helped.

“Then I leave things in your care until my return-! Magician Agpiel, please accompany me!”

“Yes. Understood. I will go with you.”

Having sorted out the situation, I immediately mounted my horse and galloped after the messenger toward the elf knights.

-Gallop, gallop!

-Thud, thud, thud!

Every minute, every second was precious.

To minimize the damage, I had to get there as fast as possible.

‘Umm… by the way, what was the ogre’s weakness.’

As I rode, I quickly recalled information from my days playing [Pangea Universalise].

Ogre.

A creature with skin tougher than steel sinews and dense, solid muscles. Between its skin and hide was a thick layer of fat, making it difficult to even inflict a wound with ordinary strength.

On top of that, it was strong, agile, and very fast.

In a word, aside from its large size, it had no flaws!

“Damn… Should I just throw spears from a distance and then finish it off? I don’t think I can match it in strength…”

Even with the goddess’s blessing, I didn’t think I could actually face an ogre.

And even if I could, wouldn’t I have to risk my life? I planned to be as safe as possible, and if things went south, to run.

“What are you muttering to yourself so blankly?”

Just then, Magician Agpiel, who was riding beside me, shouted.

“Ah, I was thinking of a way to deal with the ogre.”

“Is that so? I will bind the ogre’s limbs with magic, so just throw spears until then.”

“Oh? Is that possible?”

“It will take some time, but it should be possible. But don’t tell me you were thinking of fighting it with strength?”

As expected of a magician, he was very sharp.

“Ahem, what do you take me for, Magician Agpiel? I am not that reckless.”

“Is that so?”

Of course, Magician Agpiel looked at me with an extremely skeptical expression.

“Well, if you say so, then I suppose it is so. In any case, remember this well. Throw spears from a distance until my magic is complete! Understood?”

“Do not worry, Magician Agpiel. I can at least do that much.”

And as we were talking.

“We have arrived, Your Excellency!”

The guiding messenger shouted.

We had arrived at the place where the elf knights were engaged in a bloody battle with a giant ogre.

* * *

“Kwooooooooaaaaargh-!”

The enraged ogre roared.

Every time the giant wooden club it held struck the ground, the earth rumbled as if an earthquake had occurred.

“Ugh…”

The elf knights all looked at the ogre with terrified expressions.

It had suddenly jumped out from the side and gone on a rampage for a short while. In that brief time, more than five of their comrades had crossed the river Styx.

Of course, in return, the ogre had also sustained wounds all over its body, but they weren’t that serious.

It was only at the level of having a piece of its flesh peeled off.

There was an old saying that the ogre was the chief among all monsters that walked on two feet, and the elf knights felt they now desperately understood why.

“Damn it-! Form a line!”

“Push it back!”

“Aim for its legs, let’s go for its legs.”

But there was no way the elf knights would lose their will to fight and flee.

The elf race considered it an honor to die in battle!

If they died fighting that absurd monster, that too was fate, and a glorious thing.

How beautiful would it be for the survivors to pass down this story to future generations as a saga.

Of course….

“Uh-oh-?”

“It’s charging! Block it!”

The problem was that the ogre was just too unbelievably strong.

-Crash!

-Kwajijijik!

As if mocking the elf knights’ encirclement, the ogre charged straight forward.

Thanks to that, an elf knight who had clumsily tried to block the attack with his shield from the front was turned into pulp and died on the spot.

“This crazy monster!!”

“Sir, don’t. Calm down-!”

Perhaps they were close comrades, as one elf knight charged out despite his companion’s attempt to stop him.

But the result was.

-Thwack-!

The same.

He had stepped forward bravely, but he was retired from the fight at an even faster speed.

He was hit by the ogre’s club and sent flying into the bushes far away.

“■■■-!”

And at the same time, the ogre began to rampage within the encirclement, swinging its club.

The sound of metal being crushed.

The sound of flesh being pulped.

The sound of stone being destroyed.

The sound of air being torn.

In an instant, the encampment became a scene of slaughter. The elf knights were desperately realizing why the ogre was the apex predator on land.

At this rate, they would all be killed by that monster!

And just as they were being consumed by fear.

-Swiiiiiish!

A sound of tearing air was heard from somewhere, and then.

“Kwoaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!”

The ogre’s shoulder flinched, and it screamed. A long spear was stuck in its shoulder.

“You monster! Back off at once!”

It was the spear thrown by the Margrave of Bellua from far away.

* * *

“Hmm… this is the worst.”

I had stepped forward bravely, but the situation was not good.

A quick glance showed the elf knights were in a wretched state. It seemed nearly ten knights had already been killed or wounded.

“Tsk…”

If only they had run, it wouldn’t have been this bad. It seems these foolish elf knights had swarmed the ogre.

“Ooh-! Your Excellency!”

The elf knights who saw me greeted me with bright smiles. They seemed to think that reliable reinforcements had arrived.

“*Gasp, gasp*. How many have come? That ogre is a truly unbelievable monster.”

“Two.”

“Pardon?”

The elf knight made a dumbfounded expression. As if asking himself if he had heard me correctly.

He soon realized I was telling the truth and screamed.

“Your Excellency! We need to call for more men! With just us…”

“Enough! Be quiet. Get a grip and grab your sword.”

But I bellowed at that elf knight.

There was no time for that now.

Because.

“Grrrrrrrrrrr.”

The wounded beast, the ogre, was panting heavily in rage and staring at us.

“■■■■■-!”

“Damn it, scatter-!”

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