CH 84

Chapter 84 – We set out to capture the Sandbank!

The elves ravenously ate the meat skewers that I made.

“They seem to really enjoy them.”

“Yes! The food that you make is very delicious, Sir Joshua!”

Iria said with a smile.

“I was only able to do it because you and the others defeated the Hell Alligators. I can also smoke them so they will have some preserved food.”

There was plenty of meat left. And so they wouldn’t go hungry for the next few days.

However, we could not stay like this forever.

They needed to build a proper base where they could live safely and be self-sufficient when it came to food.

At least now that I had shared meat with them, they were a lot less suspicious towards us.

And so I would ask Monica, and lead the elves to a new base.

However, the elf who had looked at us with doubt from the very beginning, Albert of the royal guard, stood in my way.

And though he was half-dressed and his face was sticky from the meat, he said,

“Hmph! Do not think that you can soften us with such tactics! We are the proud and noble elves! Our hearts cannot be moved by one little skewer of meat!”

“Then maybe two will move you.”

Melk offered him a second skewer.

“Hmph. Hahahaha! I shall not be persuaded by that! …Hmm… No, this delicious meat will not trick me… I will not be fooled!”

But no one listened to Albert, who greedily started to eat the second one without restraint.

Melk then hinted at a possible third.

“If you want another one, you will be quiet.”

“Tsk! Damn you! I am the proud Albert!”

And so Albert cried and ate his meat.

“Now everyone will listen to Monica. Monica…?”

“Mmm… Ah, so-sorry!”

Monica said with cheeks that looked very inflated. Apparently, her mouth was stuffed with meat.

“You can finish eating first… I want to start distributing weapons and tools to everyone. However, that won’t be enough for everyone to live securely. And so I want to build a defensive wall and houses.”

Monica swallowed the meat and then answered.

“Sir Joshua, do you mean to make a place that is similar to your village?”

“That’s right. However, we’ll have to think about the right location.”

The strength of the Minotaurs was probably enough to destroy most walls.

This was clear, after seeing how a Minotaur baby could charge.

And so surrounding it with just a wall will not be enough.

It would be necessary to create an environment where the Minotaurs could not charge.

And in the water, all creatures were slower on their feet. I would make use of that.

“Luckily, the river is close by… I would like to dig a moat, but…”

That would take too much time. It would defeat the purpose if the Minotaurs attacked in the meantime.

“I’ll craft the weapons first. And then we can capture that sandbank we were on.”

“That sandbank? But it is infested with Hell Alligators.”

Said Iria. But I turned my gaze towards the elves.

“There are so many elves here. And you saw Monica’s skill with the bow. We should be able to capture it in no time.”

“Indeed…”

Elves were supposed to be masters of archery. And there were over a hundred elves right here. And so the task should be easy.

“Now that that is decided, I’ll distribute the bows at once.

“What? You are going to craft them now?”

Iria looked puzzled, but I made a bow appear in my hand.

“I already started crafting them on my way here. I have fifty of them now. And we only need about ten archers. I also made a hundred arrows.”

I had made compound bows out of wood that were reinforced with Hell Alligator skin and bones. While I had made them in a rush, they were still powerful and easy to aim with. Now, it was just a matter of their skill.

“Monica. Can you gather together the best archers and… Huh?”

Albert was looking in our direction as if he wanted something. His eyes were shining just like a child’s. He leaned forward and started to slowly move towards us.

“I-I’ll give it to you, so just…”

“B-b-booooooowwww!! Bow! Bow!”

Albert raised the bow into the air with both hands and began to dance in a most strange way.

They moved as if it was a ritual. We were a little horrified.

“In-in any case, we are going to the sandbank. Monica, if you could lead them…”

I tried to say to Monica, but then noticed that she was doing the same dance. However, she soon noticed our frightened expressions, and she returned to herself.

“…Ah! My-my apologies!”

“Monica. We are going to capture the sandbank and exterminate the Hell Alligators.”

“Yes!”

And so with the elves, we decided to return to the sandbank where Fletta had been hiding.

Fletta had a bow in her hands and was eager to fight.

As we went down south along the riverside, the same sandbank came into view.

“All right. There it is. I suppose this distance will suffice?”

I asked, and then Albert raised his voice.

“Fuhahaha! Even a baby could shoot them from this distance! Though, I have never shot an arrow myself!”

“Y-you’re very confident. But with so many reeds, the bows might not be as powerful.”

The reeds would block the arrows.

And then Melk said,

“Asuha and I will lure them out to the bridge. And then you can shoot them down.”

“Are you sure?”

Asuha nodded at this, and then she took off into the sky.

And then Melk headed off to the bridge that I had made, and there, she began to howl.

Her voice echoed far, and then the reeds began to rustle.

At the same time, Asuha flew just above the reeds on the sandbank.

And then as if being lured by them, the Hell Alligators jumped out of the reeds.

Asuha dodged their attacks and slowly flew towards Melk as if to lead them to the bridge.

Like this, nearly thirty Hell Alligators were drawn out.

Once all of them had reached the bridge, Asuha suddenly shot up into the air.

“Good. Now! Unleash your arrows at the alligators!”

I said, and the elves unleashed their arrows at once.

And one after another, they hit their targets. In fact, hardly any of them missed the Hell Alligators.

Not only that, but they managed to hit the relatively soft bellies. It was a part that was close to the ground and mostly unexposed, so it was quite impressive.

I had only given each elf three arrows, but it seemed to be enough.

The Hell Alligators continued to fall, and the few that remained escaped into the river.

“Woah!! This bow is amazing! So this is what a bow is!!”

Albert raised his bow high into the air. And then others did the same as they shouted with joy.