Chapter 62

Chapter 62 – Old Resident of the Forest

When the Germania Empire declared the succession war by force against the Kingdom of Silesie, they began moving their forces at Lauren territory with the help of Brynie’s faction .

As for me, I’m currently working as a lumberjack at the Devil’s Mountain .

The great war is finally here with the horses neighing and sword fights echoes around so why am I doing this?

That’s what I would like to know too but this is what Lyle-sensei has instructed so it can’t be helped .

Certainly, cutting black cedar and processing its woods is something that only I can do but…

Well, even if I say that the war has begun, marching will take time so I don’t need to get impatient .

Speaking or conspicuous battle, right now, the knight order of Lauren are divided into two groups, Princess Silhouette faction, and Earl Brynie faction . It seems that they are already fighting .

Aside from that, the Germania Empire’s army is slowly moving in a straight line towards the City of Lauren . It is somewhat an idyllic development .

This medieval fantasy war is a little different from what modern people are imagining .

I swung the sword of light to cut down the black cedars .

「The tree will fall – 」

A heavy sound effect from falling echoed . The big tree fell and rolled out while scattering powder of dust .

With the laser-like cutting power of the sword of light, I’ve cut the gigantic cedar tree without feeling any resistance .

That has made me feel good .

Although I am reluctant at doing it first, once I started, I’ll do what I can as a perfectionist .

With me cutting and slashing around black cedar trees, the devil’s mountain is now somewhat bald at the top .

「Uoo, hero-sama! Piss down! 」

「Eh? Why? Did I do something wrong? 」

After I cut it down, the old lumberjack ran after it while angrily scolding me .

I don’t want to piss yet but I know what you want to say .

The one who told me to piss down is an old lumberjack, Yorogi-jiisan .

Ox is a city of stone and wood so there is a lumberjack guild… . We created it when we were reconstructing the city . We recruited refugees to join .

The city of Ox was obliterated by an army of monsters and the returning residents organized and established new associations .

Yorogi-jiisan is an experienced lumberjack . He competes in number one or two position of the most talented individuals of the Sawatari Commercial Firm Wood Division .

However… . I don’t understand what he means sometimes .

「Ah, hero-sama is not a lumberjack so it’s normal that you don’t understand… Piss down means chop it down under the slope of the mountain . 」

「Ah, indeed . The cut off tree will drip down below . 」

Never thought that piss down is a technical term .

Is there a little more refined way of saying it?

「Hero-sama, if you look closely on how you cut it, when the knocked down tree rolled on the slope, there might be a possibility of it killing someone on the way . If you piss down, you won’t  injure your coworker so that’s how one should do it . 」

「I understand, sorry . Then, how should I have cut it?」

「For this tree, it should be ”top chase “ and “slope frame” for that one!」

「It doesn’t make any sense . 」

I hope he can teach me more politely without using technical terms .

It can’t be helped because it’s this obstinate jiisan .

I asked him again to explain many times and finally understood what Yorogi-jii wanted to say .

「Cut it diagonally from left to right towards the ridge . Well, since hero-sama is somewhat an amateur, try cutting that way as much as possible . 」

「Yoshi, then I’ll try to do that . 」

I cut off a large tree towards the ridge in order for it to not roll as much as possible .

I cut it down while considering the direction where it should be knocked down .

The black cedar I paid close attention to is slowly falling down towards the mountain ridge .

It did not roll .

「Oohh, as expected of hero-sama . You can do it if you try . 」

「Yeah」

There is no other logging technology here aside from this high-performance sword of light .

「By the way hero-sama, let’s divide and distribute them to the lumberjack to speed up work . Thinning and afforestation . I have been working as a lumberjack for fifty years but I only know how to cut trees . 」

「That’s the difference between knowledge and experience, Yorogi-jii . 」

Yorogi-jii looks puzzled . It seems that this jii also doesn’t understand what I say .

Well, no wonder .

Since the wood department has been established, I alloted a lot of time to teach the lumberjacks, who only has experience, about thinning and afforestation .

Whether or not afforestation goes well, it will be up to them . People of this world on knows how to cut trees making mountains bald . Just being conscious will make much difference .

On the other hand, I have no real experience so veterans like Yorogi-jii needs to teach me practical skills .

Yorogi-jii is a type of person that is not good at speaking with people but I guess I’m one too so we get along strangely well and made him teach me much about the mountain .

During lunch break, I talked with Yorogi-jii while eating the bento made by Collete .

This is called the devil’s mountain where abundant of black cedar grows . It’s quiet here to the point of being eerie .

In this quiet forest, a chirp of a bird is enough to echo .

「Yorogi-jii, why did Lyle-sensei wants a large number of black cedars?」

「I don’t know how great men think . My only guess is that it will be used for war . 」

Even those lumberjack who works with us in transporting the black cedar logs received instruction from Lyle-sensei .

No one knows what he is working on . Lyle-sensei is secretive .

「Somehow, according to this drawing, it will be cut similar to a cannon but why would one use wood to make a cannon?」

「If you yourself don’t get it, this old lumberjack won’t have any idea either . 」

Jii said that while laughing as he tears his bread, soaks it in water, and eats it .

Looking down below the slope of the mountain, the construction workers are digging trenches .

Even the mountains of Ox are affected by the upcoming war .

It makes me feel impatient but I need to cut down black cedar in the form Lyle-sensei wants to .

The black cedar weapons are useful for warfare and the one who taught them about the importance of logistics is me .

「But this is such a plain job . I never requested such a real fantasy . 」

「Haa, what the heck are you saying, hero-sama?」

No, it’s nothing, Yorogi-jii… .

The chirp of the invisible bird echoed in the mountain of black cedar again .

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—Scene Change—

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After finishing the work with the lumberjack of Ox, I finally arrived at the forefront of the Silesie Kingdom, the city of Spike .

Both camps hold their position and the full pledge war starts .

From my army, there are 1,000 volunteer soldiers . Viscount Ortholet, on the other hand, has 400 people, a combination of knights and militia . 1,400 troops are gathered in this small town .

After checking the state of the front line, I entered the castle of the viscount .

As usual, this castle is simple and dull looking .

Lyle-sensei greeted me with a smile at a large stone hall .

「Sensei… . Why is the number of soldiers in this castle so small?」

「The battle has already begun . Most of them are doing some construction works for me . 」

Well, traps are sensei’s favorite… .

Lyle-sensei spreads a map on the desk . It’s the strategy map showing a large number of traps . Terrifying .

The empire forces and Brynie’s territory force have gathered a total of 16,000 soldiers to subjugate the city of Spike .

To protest against the invasion of the empire, the friendly country of Roland Kingdom has arranged their troops on the border and even the Britania Alliance blocks the empire’s sea route .

As expected, they are wary of the Yura continent’s largest empire .

「This is not Viscount Oracle’s territory . Is there a danger of being attacked by the Duke of Transylvania?」

The duke of Transylvania is a good person . I’ll feel bad if they attacked .

When sensei heard me, Kaara appeared from the dark .

「「No no」」

They are in sync .

After saying that, Lyle-sensei and Kaara glared at each other .

I can’t tell if they are in good or bad terms . Kaara hides again after interfering with sensei .

「Transylvania Dukedom is still a semi-vassal of the empire . They won’t dare to attack the empire from behind so they don’t post any danger for the empire . With that, they will not be attacked . 」

Therefore, it seems that the empire troops will leave the Transylvania Dukedom alone .

If you’re not going to be damaged, then it’s good .

But this is not the time to worry about another country .

1,400 kingdom army versus 16,000 empire troops . That’s more than 10 times the difference .

No, at this stage, I’ve already won against power more than 10 times our size .

War potential difference can be overturned by booby traps and strategy .

However, with a very good timing, it seems that a strange epidemic has occurred in Lauren territory . Many soldiers and horses are in bad condition .

Therefore, their forces would only be about 6,000 .

「The epidemic, do you have something to do with it, sensei?」

「Viola cooperated…」

Behind sensei is the blue-haired Viola . The one sensei taught of water magic .

「I explained before why half nymphs are being despised by humans . 」

「Those are mere prejudice . 」

Sensei said that most of it are prejudice .

「I also said that some parts are not prejudice . Nymphs has divine protection of water spirits but there is a downside . I made Viola a specialist in magical power plant breeding . If she can grow medicinal herbs, then, wouldn’t it be possible for her to grow poisonous grass?」

「That’s……」

Sensei’s words caused me to be distressed . I mumbled in a low voice .

Water magic, medicine can be created by sanctifying it but you can also make poison through it .

「There is something that is called nymph’s poison . It is a delayed action poison . If it was mixed in water, you won’t feel anything strange first but your condition will gradually deteriorate . Your skin will get rough and your teeth will fall out . If you were not able to drink the detoxifying potion, you will not even be able to stand . 」

「You use that?」

That’s foul . Sensei nodded quietly .

「It is easy for a nymph to raise a poisonous plant in a well to make it poisonous . Of course, since the nymphs are despised, no one has ever used this method before . There has never been a case where nymph’s poison was used in a human-to-human war . 」

「Is that so?」

This plague was caused by the gradual effect of the poison . Even horses eat grass on the road .

Since this is a slow-acting poison, it would look like they have fallen ill .

「Although in order to win, I made Viola have a very painful experience . I understand if you hate me . 」

「No, I already said sensei before that I will do anything . 」

I embraced the small shoulder of Viola who’s next to sensei .

「I am the one who ordered sensei and Viola to do whatever it takes . Don’t worry . Whoever gets hurt, whoever dies, I am the reason of all of it . You are not bad . 」

I understand that it is impossible to not mind it .

I don’t know how hard it is for little Viola to use the negative power that caused her race to be hated .

Viola said something like “I…” but her voice was too small so I did not hear it .

Instead of words, she strongly returns my embrace .

「You did it for me, thank you, Viola . After winning the war and restoring the territory, let’s dispose of those poisonous plants . I’ll take responsibility to the very end so don’t worry . 」

「Yes」

This is war .

… . as sensei said, “do not choose the means” . To be honest, not choosing is frightening .

Those attacking knights of the empire, will be all killed .