#062. The Dispatch Request Is Too Kind (3)

#062. The Dispatch Request Is Too Kind (3)

Vanesha couldn’t believe it.

-Attack by the Revolutionary Order’s Holy Maiden. Run… GRaaaK!

It wasn’t just any unit.

The signal from the communication artifact of the elite unit, led personally by Nereesha, head of the Black Panther clan’s action squad, had gone silent.

Her sister, the Darkskin elites she sent out, the garrison soldiers stationed at the furniture shop in the border village—all wiped out in a single day.

The reason, she knew.

A botched ambush, attempting to hunt without properly scouting the enemy’s strength. A mistake.

But knowing in her head wouldn’t end it.

“Those who dared kill my sister… I won’t forgive them.”

Political maneuvering with other council members of the Beastmen Revival Society, or her own clan?

All of that was over, starting now.

“Send a scouting party back to Sodom Village. If the ones left in the village are even slightly weak, I’ll tear them all apart, taking revenge for Nereesha.”

Theresa Party, Maria Party, and Dapri Party had left for the capital to attend an imperial court trial, their positions now vacant.

Even the Church’s reinforcements who took down Nereesha were now moving away from Sodom.

No matter how many talented people Sodom Village had, they must have reached their limit by now.

“A village without elites? I’ll crush them with numbers. The adventurers who have no one to protect them will scatter at the first sign of an attack. I’ll hunt down every last one of those disorganized rabble who aren’t affiliated with the Union, lacking even the training and morale of private soldiers!!”

The grounds for her judgment were numerous.

This was an assault that couldn’t fail.

A suicide attack purchased with her sister’s life.

She *would* ensure its success.

Fueled by rage, the Black Panther beastmen, their morale soaring, launched an offensive towards Sodom Village and the adventurers affiliated with the Sodom Guild.

A resounding victory was all but assured.

It *should* have been.

“Diego, the penny-pinching sub-guild leader who was under Gomorra, has remained with the Sodom Guild. The remaining beastmen guard units are also numerous, making it impossible to break through the village.”

“Just my luck. To grovel before Theresa, the one who killed his master. Bought off, no doubt, just like the cheapskate he is? Tch. Still, the fact that someone that strong is staying inside is proof enough that they’re lacking manpower. The Sodom Guild must be paying Diego a hefty sum to keep him in the village.”

Vanessa pointed to the last prey they could possibly target.

“Those wandering outside. If we can’t catch and kill even them, demoralizing them, then conquering Sodom Village will be impossible forever. You’re not going to tell me you couldn’t even manage *that*?”

“Well, it’s…”

An answer that should never have been spoken.

Vanessa squeezed her eyes shut.

“Speak.”

“The swordsmen protecting those wandering outside… their skill is quite high. The level of swordsmen from prestigious houses. Thanks to them, the adventurers’ morale is also high, and our people who went out to attack were either killed or barely escaped with their lives.”

Her expectations were betrayed.

Even with so many talented people leaving, Sodom’s strength was still formidable.

* * *

Ian came looking for Shoa, worried about Cecilia, who, despite being pushed away by him as he tried to take all the responsibility, was stubbornly trying to help from behind the scenes.

Shoa, who had been secretly following and helping with the stealth, thought to herself, seeing his cute self.

To teach this noble child about stalking…

Was she defiling Ian with her own hands?

“Ian. You’re a good kid.”

“Really?”

“Dirty deeds should be done by a wicked woman like me. Don’t stalk anyone again.”

And so I vowed.

Someone had to protect this child.

And that role, I wanted to continue it, as long as my life allowed, even just one more day.

Ian chuckled softly at Shoa’s joke disguised as sincerity.

“Live long. So I can be protected for a long time.”

The town of Sodom sent thirty Rank Two powerhouses and the Holy Woman Cecilia, along with her escort, on a dispatched mission.

Ian, hoping for their safe return, headed back to the bustling guild reception desk.

Even when grand requests were completed, smaller ones piled up.

The ruined villages throughout the Westwood region.

The refugee camp residents longing to return to their homes.

Monsters prowling the abandoned lands.

Securing supplies needed for the reconstruction of the ruined villages.

Escorting personnel required for village restoration.

The requests needed for reconstruction were overflowing.

The refugees who had fortunately escaped the disaster lacked manpower.

Adventurers were the only source to fill the labor shortage.

From acquiring seeds for the next year’s farming for those trying to rebuild their villages to circulating letters saying “Our Village is Open for Business” to restore ruined trade routes.

Flooded with requests, the Sodom Guild experienced a period of immense prosperity.

The refugee camps protected by the town of Sodom provided the town with numerous requests and remuneration using the town’s surplus assets.

A virtuous cycle.

A result of mutual benefit.

This was the secret to how the Westwood region wouldn’t collapse, how a day like yesterday, and tomorrow like today, could be repeated.

No matter how big the event that passes, no matter what happens that stirs the emotions, they don’t waver, and they stand their ground.

Ian’s diligence served as an excellent example for the townspeople today as well.

“Alright, shall we tear into the backlog of work?”

“Let’s get it done diligently. Before guilds from other towns catch the scent of money and start snooping around.”

“It would be troublesome if we slacked off and spat on the goodwill of the refugee camp that asked us for a request first. There’s a lot of work and only one body. Everyone move. No rest days this month!”

The Sodom Guild, which Neresha desperately hoped would be terrified, only had its morale increase.

It wasn’t unfounded confidence.

Because in addition to Diego’s party, there were other capable people in the village.

“We are swordsmen who learned the sword under the grace of Master Swordsman Nurha Stasephia. We protect Teresa’s homeland to repay the overwhelming grace we received from him.”

“Thoroughly protect this region so that no rookies get taken down by assassins. The adventurers sent out by his son, Ian, must not die in vain.”

Even the void left by the Revolutionary Order was filled without any gaps by the endless power of the town of Sodom.

* * *

A scout, staring at the town with the eyes of a predator, shuddered.

“Damn it. How is this a town with depleted forces? It’s full of killing machines that surpass the military’s elite.”

The news that the Black Panther Clan had lost their leader and lower-ranking members, and their base was helplessly captured, had already reached the other beast-kin clans that appeared as reinforcements.

The other beast-kin clans that had gathered seeking a weakness could easily foresee that charging against the swordsmen from the Stasephia school would cause tremendous damage.

“Let’s share information. Let’s join forces.”

Vanessa made a significant concession.

To avenge the ones who murdered her sister.

But the Suin Restoration Society’s clans, unlike their Darkskin underlings, wouldn’t simply follow her lead.

“This is a poisoned chalice, lads.”

“The first to rush in forfeits their shot at the Ancestor’s Glory War, for sure.”

“There’s no reason to rush before the main force arrives. If you want to fight those savage swordsmen, be my guest.”

Unable to trust one another, they remained in a stalemate, their numbers growing but their courage stagnant.

A fragile peace, born from the wicked mind control of Ian and the lack of such depravity in Vanessa, chieftain of the Black Panther clan.

But revenge drives men beyond the logic of self-interest, into the realm of madness.

“The Black Panther clan will lead the charge.”

“!”

“For the sake of our sister’s vengeance, we are prepared to die. If you can’t fight without using us as shields, then get out. You’ll be trampled and crushed by other Suin clans coming from behind. Cowards, stay behind.”

Elite squads from other tribes followed closely behind the main Black Panther force.

Whether this offensive succeeded or failed, the Black Panther clan’s influence would be diminished so greatly that they would likely lose their seat on the Suin Restoration Society council.

Vanessa was willing to gamble that much.

“Chieftain, are you planning to stake our entire clan’s fate on this Sodom, this den of devils? Come to your senses! No matter how tragic your sister’s death was, Sodom is too much. No one who got tangled with that place came out ahead!”

“I heed your warning, and I shall become a greater devil than they. Your fate will strike fear into their hearts, so accept it and be dragged away to the ‘Smiths.'”

“N-No!”

Moments later, the Suin who had rebelled against Vanessa was hung from a shield, his limbs contorted at unnatural angles.

He shared the fate of those ‘human furniture’ taken captive by the Smiths, deemed aesthetically displeasing for their collection and thus reduced to ‘meat shields’.

* * *

Sodom was on high alert.

The strange groups that adventurers returning from nearby villages had warned about were larger than anticipated.

The remaining Black Frog Suin in the town watched them with disgust, relaying the information.

“It’s Vanessa, the Black Panther Councilwoman of the Suin Restoration Society, and the main force of the Black Panther clan. Behind them are the Scorpion clan, elite with their venomous tails, and the Eagle clan, the Harpies. We’re in danger on the ground, underground and in the air.”

The residents of Sodom were tense, aware of the enemy’s overwhelming strength, but they didn’t flee in terror or cower in fear.

They had faced too many battles and overcome too many trials together in Sodom Guild to do that.

Frankly, the Sodom Guild had slain nobles, Suin, and even squads belonging to Hero Parties. The Guild, who’s sword never had time to get rusty from blood, didn’t fall short even compared to the mercenary group disguised as adventurers within the Guild Union.

“Heh heh. They say scorpion is good for potency, I wonder how potent a Scorpion Suin would be?”

“If we break the wings of those Harpy Suin, they won’t be able to escape and can only cry as they are violated, right? I can’t wait to see how feisty they are. I want to squeeze them until not a single drop of water comes out.”

“…”

So many strong human women were having their men stolen by these demihuman females that the pent-up desires were extraordinary.

There was no need to suppress these urges against the enemy, and the eyes of the female adventurers were unnervingly fierce.

The content was so extreme that even Ian, who had come to inspire them, had Gorgo cover his ears with both hands!

“Wow, we’re going to crush them easily, even without a fight?”

Even Nina was impressed by their high morale.

“Gorgo. I already heard it all.”

“Haaah. That’s women for you. I feel sorry for the kid. Not all adults have their brains in their lower parts. It’s just that these ones are special.”

“It’s okay. I learned that energetic young people are naturally like that.”

The innocent boy’s words only made Nina and Shoa, being women, feel even more ashamed.

However, as the wicked mind controller of the town, Ian felt dissatisfied that he wouldn’t be able to step forward alone and play a part in this dangerous situation.

If this war starts, the villagers, the guild folk, all would die in droves.

‘Wouldn’t there be something, anything, I could do?’

Judging by the adventurers’ eagerness to replace the dead, their numbers would only swell over the next decade, not diminish.

But for now, the number of those who could fight would dwindle, and the village and guild’s influence would wane, so of course a sense of crisis was creeping in!

“Ian, I know you’re anxious, but really, you don’t have to do anything.”

“Why not?”

“Our village enjoys a high reputation as home to the most handsome S-class young men in the province. No other village in the Westwood region boasts about their local pretty boys like our village adventurers do.”

Gorgo informed Ian of reinforcements arriving through an unexpectedly absurd channel.

“What do you think those lads sent out on assignments will do when they hear about the besieged village? They’ll be exposing the beastkin’s atrocities, targeting human pretty boys in villages where they’ve been dispatched, and gathering up every human woman with spare hands.”

“!!”

If Gorgo spoke the truth, a rescue squad for the province’s S-class pretty boys was already gathering outside Sodom Village.