I'd underestimated it.
I never expected it to be this bad.
Looking at the group squabbling before me, those were the thoughts running through my mind.
That morning――
Clark accepted my proposal and organized the Volunteer Soldiers into several groups.
That part had gone smoothly enough.
But the problem was the groups themselves.
If the groups of roughly ten each had a knight among them, everything would have been fine.
However, the captain's word was that if they were splitting into multiple groups, there was no need to assign monitoring knights to each one, so that idea was scrapped.
A monitoring knight on horseback could simply ride at the rear or in the middle of the moving column――
For the march alone, that would have sufficed.
But the moment the topic of choosing a person in charge came up, everything fell apart.
By "person in charge," I mean someone entrusted with tasks like headcounts and reports.
And they were fighting tooth and nail over that job.
"My official rank is clearly higher!"
"You can't even get proper equipment together, so quit barking orders!"
"No way I'm letting this chance slip away!"
Convinced they were deciding on a squad leader, the whole lot of them exploded into a massive argument.
The groups that had joined together from the start used their numbers to settle on a person in charge.
Watching them, all I could do was sigh.
"...Why are they like this over something so minor?"
As I said that, Marcus spoke to me.
"I get how they feel, though. If you're the one leading the group here, your chances of scoring a reward go up. Can't really blame them for thinking that way."
I'd assumed this would be a simple request.
Sure, hippogriffs could be dangerous.
But they weren't the kind of enemy you couldn't beat down.
That's what I'd thought, anyway. I never imagined my allies would be this bad.
I'd noticed they moved poorly on the first day, but now I was starting to wonder if this bunch could even fight at all.
From inside the Jewel, the Third Generation burst out laughing.
"What is this? Pathetic."
The Second Generation felt the same way, though he seemed relaxed about it.
"They're gonna fight over it, obviously. And since their whole lives are on the line, they'll fight even harder. If they'd just look at the people actually leading squads, they'd realize we're nothing special."
The Fifth Generation chimed in.
"No way I'd want to lead a bunch like that."
The Sixth Generation added:
"Give me three months and I could cut them in half and whip the rest into something reasonably usable."
Seeing my strained expression, Miranda spoke up.
"Come on, let's finish eating and get ready to depart. Monica's already got the food prepared."
Watching the squabbling crowd, I headed over to where my companions were eating near Porter.
While traveling, I hopped onto Porter's cargo bed to take a break at the same time.
The bed was packed with luggage, but Monica and Shannon had climbed aboard as well, so space had been cleared for people.
Blankets had been laid out, making it a reasonably comfortable setup.
"What are you two doing?"
When I looked at Shannon, she and Monica were passing a pair of knitted yarn balls back and forth between them.
Each time the yarn was handed over, it threaded through their fingers, changing its shape.
Besides that, the cargo bed was strewn with all sorts of things — cloth-wrapped bundles that rattled and jingled, and toys.
"I'm bored! All we do during travel is basically just sit here. If I go outside and walk, it's freezing, and I get this creepy feeling of eyes clinging to me!"
As Shannon got worked up, she received the yarn from Monica but fumbled it, and the shape collapsed.
"Aaahhh! What are you going to do about this?! Do you have any idea how many times in a row I've lost?!"
Seeing Shannon's frustrated expression, Monica flashed a wide grin.
"You're too soft, little girl. This Monica is well-versed in a wide variety of pastimes. Trying to beat the Special Model at a game for fun is a joke. Oh, I do let Chicken win here and there. It'd be no fun otherwise."
If I'd known it was the kind of game where she went easy on people on purpose, I wouldn't have wanted to play either.
"Tch, if I can't win then forget it. I'll just knit instead."
Blind Shannon pulled out a half-finished knitting project and began clicking away at it.
Seeing that, Monica started tidying up.
"You're pretty good at that for someone who can't see."
As I expressed my admiration, Shannon proudly arched her back in a gesture almost like she was thrusting out her nonexistent chest.
"I can't see, sure, but I still process the information properly. I'm not like you, you know."
She snorted and turned toward me, so I grabbed her cheek and pulled it to the side.
"It's so soft."
"Ow! I said OW! It's gonna rip off! Stop it! That hurts!"
Hearing this, Monica started getting fidgety. She kept glancing at the door at the rear of the Porter, apparently waiting for something.
"What are you doing?"
When I asked that and let go of Shannon's cheek, she clicked her tongue in frustration.
"Tch! I really thought those who'd misunderstand the situation would come bursting in! I really thought they would! Why won't you people follow the script? ...Read the room."
Setting the misunderstandings aside, wasn't Monica the one who couldn't read the room? Just as I was thinking that, the Porter came to a stop.
It was too early for a rest stop, so I stood up and immediately jumped outside.
After stepping out of the Porter, I closed the door and surveyed the surroundings.
"What happened?"
Aria, who had been walking behind us, came over to explain.
"Monsters. The knights are handling them. Even so, I wonder if they have no intention of sending any our way."
Following Aria's gaze, I could see knights surrounding and engaging an Orc.
They had their weapons ready, but they were just surrounding it without landing any decisive blow.
The one who rushed over there was Clark.
He fired his crossbow from horseback, and the arrow buried itself in the Orc's head.
A voice came from the Jewel.
"Hoh, not bad at all."
It was the Second Generation's voice.
But as the Orc dropped to its knees from the arrow lodged in its head, a female knight spurred her horse forward and launched herself into the air.
As she fell toward the Orc, she swung her sword, and in the next instant, magic manifested along the blade. In one swift motion, she cleaved the creature in two.
It was flashy and effective magic, likely very practical in a fight.
But my impression was different.
Aria let out a low whistle.
"That's amazing. It's on fire," she said.
Before our eyes, the Orc was burning, and the female knight had already sheathed her sword.
Still, Aria wasn't just praising her.
"Still, did she really need to go that far at the end? It was basically over anyway, wasn't it?"
An arrow was embedded in its head.
All that was left was to surround it. Even if a final blow was necessary, there was no need to go to such lengths.
(To make a final impression, was that it?)
While I was thinking that, the young man Novem had healed spoke up.
After being saved, we'd negotiated for him to follow our instructions, and he was currently under Mr. Marcus's supervision.
"A real knight is something else, huh? She's a Ten-Rider Captain."
Another young man without proper equipment looked on with admiration.
"Think I could ever be like that?"
The older man leading the pair of them said with a touch of exasperation.
"You guys aren't serious normally, but only at times like this..."
He didn't seem to notice.
Aria watched the trio with a slightly disappointed look on her face.
(If they hadn't been dealing with the monsters outside, I guess this is about what you'd expect?)
Watching the knights in action, I could see that the female knight who held the rank of Ten-Rider Captain did have a certain level of skill.
But the one who moved the best was Clark.
I wouldn't exactly want to fight alongside a female knight like Norma, who insisted on going in for the finishing blow.
The soldiers the knights had brought along were stripping materials and Magic Stones from the dead Orcs whose fires had gone out.
Meanwhile, Clark was giving directions while keeping watch on the surroundings.
He was someone who stayed busy.
And yet, Norma had already climbed back on her horse and ridden to the front of the group.
The Seventh Generation said, exasperated:
"Why doesn't she delegate tasks to her subordinates? She's the one leading this unit, isn't she?"
The Third Generation was laughing.
"As a lone knight she's excellent, but put her in charge of other people and she's hopeless. Well, she's young, so she probably wants the glory for herself. When you defeat monsters, there's something called a 'Killscore' or whatever, right?"
For the palace knights, the number of monsters they defeated was treated as important proof that they had fulfilled their duties as knights.
It was also proof of their strength.
Goblins and the like were too insignificant to count, but Orcs and Ogres would constitute a respectable haul.
Apparently, the number defeated one-on-one was what mattered most.
Aria saw that Norma had returned, and the group began moving. I watched the other group, which was still recovering Magic Stones from the monsters.
"They're already on the move? They could have waited a little."
I said to Aria.
"They must be in a hurry. They run into monsters so often, and every time it happens they have to stop. They might be arriving later than they'd planned."
Aria looked displeased.
"Lael… why did you accept this commission? You're the leader, so I don't want to interfere with your judgment, but couldn't you have refused just because he's Miranda's father?"
I started walking and gazed up at the sky.
Then I murmured the reason I'd taken it.
"…I think I was being a little too optimistic about it."
When I said that, Aria gave me a flat, unamused stare.
"You — how can you be so carefree sometimes? Our lives are on the line, you know?"
Hearing that, I scratched the back of my head.
I wavered over whether to tell her the real reason, but it was undeniably a naive thought, so I decided to keep quiet.
(Ancestor didn't want to sacrifice the village — even if I said that, it wouldn't really get across, would it?)
In particular, the Second Generation had been furious when he heard about this commission.
It was true that I'd thought the same way — that if I could save them through sheer optimism, then why not.
And the result was the wretched situation we were in now.
(Yeah, I should have looked into this properly before accepting. I really was naive.)
Under an overcast sky, my breath came out white in clouds.
We arrived at Geoni Village on the fifth day.
By that point, the group assignments had finally started paying off.
Everyone could handle camp preparation, watch shifts, and move as a cohesive unit.
Even so, the ancestors told us it still wasn't good enough.
When the squad arrived, the man who came out to greet us had long white hair in a disheveled mess.
The man serving as the village chief looked older than his actual age due to his exhausted expression.
Some houses had parts of their structures destroyed, and sections of the log walls meant to protect the village had collapsed.
Having likely endured repeated assaults, the villagers also wore weary expressions.
And they were watching us with fear in their eyes.
Receiving stares as though we were the enemy, Novem spoke from near my side.
"...They're frightened of us."
"We came here to rescue them, you know."
When I said that, Novem explained further.
"It seems to be a small village, so the arrival of over a hundred armed individuals would be terrifying on its own. And they've probably been attacked multiple times."
It appeared that monsters had settled nearby and were repeatedly raiding the village as if it were a feeding ground.
The frightened villagers watched me from the windows of their homes.
The moment I turned my gaze toward them, the windows were slammed shut.
Marcus, seeing this, remarked.
"This doesn't feel great. And here we came all this way."
Bread made a snide comment, but agreed nonetheless.
"It's probably because of that shady knight we had, isn't it? Setting that aside, I'm not exactly in high spirits either. Being treated like this."
From our perspective, they were right.
But to those two, Novem said.
"...Even if you think that, please don't say it where the villagers can hear."
The two looked at her, puzzled.
I was the same way, but in my case it was the Second Generation who taught me.
"You came to save us? That's exactly why you're useless! This is royal territory! You court knights have a duty to protect it! Who do you think keeps you fed? And yet someone who doesn't understand that has the nerve to act like they came to save us..."
The Third Generation spoke up to the complaining Second Generation.
"As roles have expanded and become more specialized with each generation, people tend to lose sight of their share of the responsibility. The royal court is the same. Whether a small village is destroyed or saved, it's a trivial matter to them."
It wasn't his responsibility.
True, he hadn't been given any particular post, and it wasn't really Marcus's job. If asked whether he bore responsibility, it was questionable.
Marcus was a knight who wouldn't have taken the job even if it was offered.
But being a knight meant he had a duty to protect. That was the gist of it.
(Being a court knight or noble is tough, huh.)
Novem looked at the trio moving alongside her.
"You gentlemen too, if you would."
Perhaps because he'd been saved, even the foul-mouthed man nodded along with her.
"No, no, I'll follow your lead since you did save us. But aren't these villagers kind of rude?"
His flashy companion felt the same way.
"Seriously. We rushed all the way here from Central, and this is the thanks we get?"
The young man who seemed to be their leader let out a sigh.
"You treat their injuries and even share your food, and they talk back? Sorry about that. I'll have a word with them."
The young man seemed reasonably dependable.
I watched the village chief as he interacted with Norma.
His face was pale, and he was desperately pleading with her.
"Was it this morning that you were attacked? If so, we should be safe for a while."
"No way! Please defeat them right away! There are villagers who are too scared to sleep at night. Those things have been rounding up Goblins from the surrounding area and kidnapping villagers... The casualties have already exceeded forty!"
"We've only just arrived. Let the soldiers rest. Prepare some meals for us."
"B-But..."
"If they attack again, we'll handle it! You follow the instructions you were given!"
Seeing Norma's attitude, even I could tell this was going badly.
Strictness was probably necessary when trying to move people, but couldn't there have been a better way to phrase it?
I looked around the village.
It did seem like there were fewer villagers than there should be.
When I used my Skills, I found several houses where no one was living.
And then—
"...This is bad. Novem, gather everyone. I'll go tell Clark."
"What's wrong, Lyle-sama?"
Novem tilted her head and looked at me.
The ancestors inside the Jewel were also receiving information through me.
The Second Generation spoke up.
*'Hippogriff, my foot. There's something big hiding in there.'*
The Third Generation agreed.
*'With a Hippogriff around, I had a feeling something like this might be going on...'*
The Fourth Generation said,
"It'd sell for a high price, wouldn't it? But at this rate, it's less a bargain and more a slaughter."
The Fifth Generation spoke.
"Definitely fills the role of boss over the Hippogriffs, that's for sure."
The Sixth Generation added.
"Most likely, the Hippogriffs were serving under it in a subordinate capacity."
The Seventh Generation named the monster.
"I was worried whether we could even beat it, but now I'm certain. At this rate, we'll lose. A Griffon — I can't believe one of them is here."
Head and wings of an eagle, body of a lion.
A colossal and ferocious monster, far larger than a Hippogriff.
Considered an aerial threat — a monster that, if it led Hippogriffs in raids on villages, could wipe out settlement after settlement.
To avoid stirring up unnecessary fear, I spoke to Novem.
"I'm going ahead to spread the word. Gather everyone together. If we're going to take a rest here, we'll need to park the Porter somewhere appropriate… I'll need to arrange lodging with a local household. Leave the negotiations to you."
Novem beamed, apparently pleased to be entrusted with the task.
"All right. Miranda and I will go ahead and negotiate. If we show up in a big group, it'll come across as intimidation."
*She's right. Even if it's mostly women, arriving in numbers can still look threatening.*
"My bad. It's all yours."
I left the scene at a brisk walk to find Clark.
Once I spotted him issuing instructions to his subordinates, I decided to tell him the truth.
I had no acquaintance with Norma, and Clark was the only one who seemed like he might be useful.
And when he heard what I had to say, his eyes went wide.
We spoke behind a small cottage.
That I had Skills.
And that I had discovered a Griffon using those Skills.
"A Griffon, you say... That's something you'd throw elite forces against. There's no way we ragtag group could handle something like that."
Clark's face was turning pale, his expression strained.
I asked him something that was perhaps a bit rude.
"The captain and the knights, their skills are, well..."
Clark shook his head.
"Sure, we're part of the Order and we've had training. But honestly, other than Captain Norma, most of us—myself included—are on the lower end when it comes to real ability. I'd been suspicious about why our squad was assembled this way, but I never imagined it'd go this far... I don't mean any offense, but is there any chance your Skill could be wrong?"
Clark's gaze fell on my blue Jewel.
"...It can't be. There is definitely a Griffon there."
"I see. I thought this group seemed unusually calm and reliable... I suppose there's a possibility you could be lying, but you really don't give off that impression. Besides, there are things that fit."
Clark had been suspicious about this particular expedition in the first place.
He'd gotten the impression that Norma had been chosen as captain, and that the usual troublemakers had been gathered together.
And then—
"There were rumors, you know. That Central might be trying to reduce the number of nobles because of financial difficulties. I see... I'd heard lately that the higher-ups were having second and third sons establish their own households, but that's supposed to be difficult to pull off..."
I caught Clark as he sagged, nearly collapsing.
I didn't know much about the Royal Palace or Central, but it seemed there was something shady going on behind the scenes.
The Fifth Generation spoke in a low voice.
"That bastard... he might have known about this all along."
That bastard must be referring to Ralph.
The Seventh Generation spoke.
'He deliberately made sure the girls overheard the talk of the expedition, luring them in? Well, that's the sort of thing palace rats excel at. He wanted to eliminate Laiel and Marcus, then send the well-educated Miranda back to her parents' home to marry into another family… Either way, he loses nothing. If Laiel refused, both would die. If Laiel accepted and Miranda stayed behind, Laiel would die and the daughter would come back to him. It was all playing out in the palm of his hand.'
The Sixth Generation said, exasperated.
'But it was Laiel who took the commission… still.'
Something about the Sixth Generation inside the Jewel felt like a smirk.
The Third Generation was smiling too.
'They're underestimating him. If they thought he'd die from something like this, they're being far too naive.'
The Fourth Generation was no different.
'You should definitely turn this into a grand achievement and head back to Central. The royal court bunch will be overjoyed, no doubt about it! After all, a group that took down a Griffon! They might even create someone with a noble title! I wonder how many will get promoted? The national treasury is surely going to be even more strained!'
The Second Generation was of the same opinion.
'With a whole village and this many people gone, there are bound to be plenty of folks celebrating… But you know, seeing the ugly faces of those people is pretty satisfying!'
I wondered why.
My ancestors were all in high spirits.
Clark noticed the complicated look on my face and probably assumed I was berating myself for being so useless.
He apologized.
"I'm sorry. I may be a lifetime low-ranking knight, but giving up here would be a disgrace to my title as a knight. Laiel, I won't force you. But if we're going to flee, the women and children should come with us too—"
I broke into a smile.
And then I said:
"What are you talking about, Clark? This is a chance."
"……A chance? No, Lyle, I hate to say it, but Griffons are Monsters that even the upper-ranked Knights in the Order can handle. Captain Norma's level barely scrapes the mid-tier at best. I'll buy us some time, so you young ones should—"
Clark was practically trying to flee as he spoke, but I could hear my noisy Ancestors' voices ringing in my ears, which was getting on my nerves.
Starting from the Second Generation.
'Well then, let's begin by rallying the villagers. I thought this was just social training for Lyle, but this is turning into something rather interesting—'
'If we can seize control of the squad, things get easier. Well, if they won't obey, we just feed them to the Monsters. As long as we have half of them, we can get the villagers to cooperate and make do.'
'Lyle, let me teach you about the magic power of gold. It's good social training.'
'Now this is getting exciting. Scout the terrain, position the forces… do we meet them head-on, or do we push in and attack?'
'Now that's a big one. Back in our day, we used to compete over who got to take it down. I vote for the offensive.'
'For the head, a taxidermy mount would be ideal. If things go well, we could get a full-body mount as well. The only shame is, there's nowhere to display it.'
(Ah, hey… not a single one of them sounds the least bit afraid. Griffons are seriously strong enemies, aren't they? They're stronger than a Dungeon boss, aren't they?)
Only the Seventh Generation was moping because there was nowhere to put a taxidermy mount.
His priorities were off from the very start.
"It'll be fine, Clark…"
'''This is getting fun!!'''
I'm pretty sure I had a complicated expression on my face.
Clark was staring at me with a face that had turned pale—for an entirely different reason.
What I said in an attempt to calm Clark down, while being hounded by my Ancestors, was—
"Let's have fun with this."
Clark nodded his head up and down rapidly, over and over again.