Chapter 157: Problem Occurs
[space_man][space_man]From the morning, Eld was challenged by several adventurers. After dealing with them effortlessly, he headed to the Vice-Commander’s office.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Al~. Is there anything I can help you with? If not, I’ll go back to the adventurers…… What’s wrong?”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Al was slumped over his desk, dejected.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”A big problem has occurred……”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Let’s hear it first, shall we?”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Hyuraisu is gone…… He probably went home……”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Hearing that, Eld understood what the problem was. They were short on manpower.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”We have no choice but to mobilize about 50 A-rank adventurers. We’ll have the remaining 50 or so take command of the fort’s defense……”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”It’s terrible, Prince Alderic!!”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Suddenly, the door burst open and Moira and Aleamia entered.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”We have a serious problem too. Please make it brief.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”I just used detection magic and found that the monsters we couldn’t confirm yesterday have joined up with the Degraded Demons and are heading this way.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Aleamia spoke concisely. Al and Eld slumped down.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Wait a minute. How many are there?”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Al asked.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”About 20,000.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Al completely collapsed.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”What happened?”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Eld explained that Hyuraisu had gone home.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Whoa…… Come to think of it, I did wonder why I haven’t seen him for the past two or three days…… What are we going to do?”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”We’ll have Layla and Marie deal with about half of them, and then have them head towards the Degraded Demons.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Is that appropriate? Magically, it shouldn’t be a problem, but physically…… If those two do it, it’ll be like a warm-up.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Eld agreed with Al’s suggestion.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”But to divide them……”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Then I’ll hold them off. Freezing the surface won’t use much magic power.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Then first, we’ll ambush them at this position……”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”The next thing is the exact distance. Aleamia, where were the Degraded Demons?”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Eld and Al spread out a map and began their strategy meeting. Moira watched for a while, but thinking she would be in the way, she waited for them to finish while enjoying tea with Aleamia on the sofa.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Marie said that when those two have a strategy meeting, there’s no one to stop them, so it takes a long time. And they get into unnecessary arguments too.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Yes. We have no choice but to wait for Marie to come.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]As they were talking, the door opened and Marie and Layla entered.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Al, I wanted to ask you something…… Everyone’s here.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”What’s wrong? We can’t handle any more problems than this.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Al’s expression stiffened.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”It’s a problem, I suppose…… I thought I’d bring Hyuraisu with me when I came here, but he was nowhere to be found. So I thought maybe Al would know something.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Al breathed a sigh of relief. Then he explained the current problems to Marie and Layla.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”I see…… That’s a problem.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”For now, Eld and I have been discussing the deployment, but I’d like you to take a look.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Al hung the map on the wall so that all six of them could see it easily.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Aleamia-sama just checked the location of the Degraded Demons, and they’re here. Based on the distance they’ve traveled, they’re expected to enter the barrier the day after tomorrow in the morning, as we predicted.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]We’ll deal with the Degraded Demons with me, Layla, Eld, and Marie, but we’ll have to defeat about half of the 20,000 monsters that are coming with them before they reach the Degraded Demons. We’ll have to leave the rest to the adventurers.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Marie thought for a while after hearing that.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”If there are about 10,000 monsters, the four of us can deal with them quickly…… If we reduce the burden on Eld and Al, we should be able to handle the Degraded Demons without any problems…… But the problem is……
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]We have too little information about the Degraded Demons, so we’ll just have to do what we can, but what if the monsters increase in number?”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”That’s the thing……”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Al sighed.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Moira might be able to do something about that.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Eld muttered.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Huh, me? Why??”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Moira, who was preparing tea for everyone, almost dropped the pot.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Can’t you create a separate barrier that weakens the monsters, like the one Healing creates?”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Hearing that, everyone looked at Moira. Moira frowned and thought, then picked up the Healing that was leaning against the wall and fell silent for a while.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”It’s not that I can’t do it, but considering my magic capacity and the maintenance of the original barrier, 2 hours is my limit.”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”If we have that much time, we might be able to manage……”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]Eld said, crossing his arms and recalling the adventurers’ battles.
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]”Then the deployment would be……”
[space_man]
[space_man][space_man]The strategy meeting continued through lunch and into the evening.