CH 118

Chapter 118 – Demon King’s March

We stopped the convoy before dark in the evening, prepared our camp, and finished our meal quickly.

We prioritized guarding the perimeter and moving out in case of an emergency, leaving women, children, and the elderly to rest in containers with the doors half open.

Outside, we set up a large military tent, where the adult men who were to take turns standing guard during the night would sleep.

Me, Myrril, Luvia-san, and Owe-san will sleep in the driver’s seat in case of security and emergency response.

After confirming the health status of the refugees and the order of the patrols, I began discussing the schedule for the next day and beyond.

In addition to myself and Myrril, the other participants were Lionora-san, a civilian beastman from the marquis’s domain, and Lumiere-san, a handsome young man who played the role of an elf elder, and the winged tribe members Luvia-san and Owe-san.

“Thank you for your hard work, everyone. The distance we traveled on the first day was about 200 miles. Except for the first part, everything is going well.”

About 320 kilometers. This means that we have completed 40% of the entire journey. If things continue to go smoothly, we will reach Casemaian the day after tomorrow. If all goes well, that is.

“But the refugees, who are not used to traveling by car, seem to be very fatigued. I am a little worried about the condition of the pregnant woman.”

We took frequent short breaks to ventilate the container and check on the health of the refugees, but there is a limit to what we can do when safety cannot be ensured due to civil unrest and a herd of magical beasts running amok. The speed of the vehicle was too fast, and the uneven terrain must have been hard on the refugees who were crammed into the enclosed space.

“We needed to get through the southern territories as quickly as possible. After tomorrow, we will slow down a little and take more breaks.”

“As long as we, the winged tribe, monitor the sky, we can confirm the enemy’s shadow of about 50 miles in the surrounding area. If safety is confirmed, the passenger might be less fatigued using the bus.”

Luvia-san, a member of the winged tribe, raised her hand and made a suggestion.

It may indeed be easier than being stuffed into the container and transported. The number of passengers is limited because I have only a Ural military truck and a bear face bus at my disposal. At most, 30 people, if they are small enough.

“Pregnant women, the elderly, and children could be carried. But as soon as we see the enemy, we may have to ask them to switch back to the trucks.”

“That depends on the composition of the enemy. If it’s a medium-sized or smaller magical beast or less than 100 soldiers, we can get through them safely with just the bear face bus.”

Myrril-san said and patted the UZI on her shoulder lovingly.　

The bus is dependable, but if there is a magical beast that throws spears or stones or soldiers equipped with longbows, the bus leaves some uncertainty.

This is because the glass can easily be pierced through.

“So tomorrow… It may be a little more difficult to drive, but I’ll leave the big No. 2 truck and take the bus out. The passenger in the truck will be Lionora-san, the driver will be Luvia-san, and I’ll ask Owe-san to be on aerial alert.”

“””Yes, sir.”””

“Lumiere-san, you’ll ride the bus with us. I want you to take care of the refugees’ health and, if possible, learn how to operate a gun.

“Understood.”

◇ ◇

There were no approaching monsters, beasts, or enemy attacks during the night, and we started moving at dawn, steadily increasing our distance with the bear-faced bus in the lead.

“Then change the magazine.”

“Uh… yes, changed!”

“Target right front, two goblins hiding in the bushes! Take them out with a single shot.”

“…Copy that. I will take them out!”

An RPK is fired from the upper gun turret of the bear-faced bus, and the goblins roll over, spewing blue-black bodily fluids as they try to escape.

“Well, you’ve done a fine job of taking out a moving target with two shots. You’ll make a fine shooter in Casemaian now, won’t you?”

“Thank you very much!”

We tried it so that Lumiere-san could be attached to the gun seat in case of an emergency, and the results were beyond our expectations.

The elf got used to the gun in no time, probably because of his high basic ability value as an archer. The sight correction was also accurate, and he was able to kill goblins and horned rabbits at a distance of about 300 meters with a single, well-aimed shot.

To be honest, he is better than me. Totally better than me.

Around noon, when we were approaching the former royal territory from the southern noble territory, we received a message from Owe-san, who was on alert in the sky.

“Thirty miles north-northwest, there is… an army blocking the road. To be precise, they seem to be the defeated remnants of the national army. There are six shield-carrying heavy infantry and 16 light infantry in front, four archers and two cavalry in the bushes on either side, and one nobleman who seems to be in command. There are no horse-proof fences, etc.”

“Roger that, thank you.”

“We’re breaking through… no one can stop the demon king’s army with 30 or so men. Owe, we don’t need any support. Just keep your distance to avoid stray bullets, just in case.”

“Copy that.”

The distance to the enemy is about 48 km. I contacted the following Ural military truck, which is about 100 meters behind us.

“Luvia-san, this vehicle is going into battle. I don’t think there is any danger, but just to be safe, please double the distance between vehicles.”

“Understood.”

With 200 meters to spare, the stray arrows won’t reach them. If it’s just this bear-faced bus, it won’t matter whether we attack or defend.”

“Then, everyone. Just in case, but keep your heads down, okay?”

“””Yes.”””

I glanced through the rearview mirror at the children in the car, who were hiding behind their chairs and peering forward through the window, whether they knew it or not.

The southern nobles’ territory of the kingdom was rich in undulating terrain, but the central part of the royal family’s direct territory was basically a plain, so the enemy could be seen from a considerable distance away.

It is the same from the other side, or rather, it is more noticeable because our vehicle is larger, and it seems that they have been on the alert for a long time. Not that I can see them.

After an hour of driving, when the distance between us was less than two kilometers, even with my eyesight, I was able to see their position and that there was “something there.”

Whenever the car passed near the ridge of a gently sloping hill, the enemy position would appear in the distance and then disappear from view for a while as we entered the valley of the hill.

According to Myrril and Lumiere-san, who can even see the enemy’s situation, it seems that it is indeed unlikely that two cavalrymen alone will strike out at a distance of more than one kilometer, but it seems that they are fully aware as they prepare for the attack.

As a driver with no weapons, it was extremely frustrating for me to be driving the car without being able to do anything about it.

“Myrril, Lumiere-san. As soon as you are in range, start shooting at your own discretion.”

“”Roger.””

The road crosses a low open hill in front of the enemy position and curves gently to the right. Looking down at the enemy position, Myrril first fires a full-automatic sweep, followed a little later by Lumiere-san, who takes careful aim and starts shooting with a single shot.

No, isn’t that a bit early by any means? I think it’s still about 500 meters away.

Especially, Myrril-san, since your UZI rounds are pistol rounds, you must be absolutely out of range at such a distance, but…

“…Hey.”

I see soldiers, still smaller than peas in a pod to my eyesight, flopping down.

“How could you hit them?”

“Nothing is impossible with my Wuji.”

“No way! What the hell is that? Is that magic?”

The bullet was launched at an elevation angle of nearly 45 degrees, but it couldn’t have hit him, and even if it did, the power of a handgun bullet would have been almost completely attenuated.

“As the saying goes in Yoshua’s country. “Too much technology is indistinguishable from magic,” right?”

No, I don’t think it was my country or the saying, but in this world, 45 ACP has a range of 500m, huh?

How low-profile a cheat is that?

“I did it. I killed the archer!”

“Well, you’re an elf, after all. You understand the greatest threat.”

Lumiere-san’s RPK is a large caliber assault rifle round with a long barrel, and it seems to have the blessing of the elven winds. It’s not hard to see how it could hit at just over 400 meters. It’s not a sniper rifle, so it’s more than impressive enough.

By the time I could see the condition of the soldiers with my eyesight, the ambush force had been wiped out.

The kinetic energy of the .45 caliber pistol rounds seemed to have been used up in mid-flight, and the light infantrymen were only rolling around in pain but not dead.

However, it seems unlikely that they would have survived without a doctor or a healing mage.

In a way, this is worse than instant death.

Just before the car passed through the enemy lines, Myrril shot the commander and the cavalryman, who were lying on the ground.

Seeing that they screamed and started rolling around, they must have been trying to escape by pretending to be dead.

“We have neutralized them; keep up the speed. You can drive over it, Luvia.”

“Roger that.”

I silently drove on. I saw Myrril-san glancing at me through the corner of her eye and then returning her gaze forward without saying a word.

I’m not so stupid as to escape into meaningless niceties against an enemy who is trying to kill us, as you might expect. I sometimes blur.

I can’t help but feel pity for the soldiers who are going to suffer and die like this, but that’s either a misplaced sentiment or arrogant pity.

“Hey, Myrril, when things calm down, let’s go to a seaside town.”

“Mm?”

“We can eat delicious fish and shellfish and relax on the beach. We can swim, do some fishing, take a boat out to sea, and so on.”

Although I could see the look on her face as if to say, “It seems he’s having trouble with his feelings again,” my beloved “Nojaloli” smiled softly and radiantly.

“Mm, that’s good. I’d like to try some sea serpent.”

“Ah, yes.”

Oh no, here it comes. This neesan, she’s putting a crazy fantasy on top of a random fantasy.

Sea Serpents, are they here? Well, it’s okay. I’m going to eat it… Are you saying that we’re going to hunt it?