The knight could only nod while gritting his teeth.
“Threaten them with flame arrows. The time for playing childish games like standing outside the wall and shouting is over. Now we show them how adults do things!!”
As the knight stared, open-mouthed and dumbfounded, a man stormed up from his side.
“To think you would disobey his Majesty the Prince… I can’t believe you’re one of the Marquis’
men. My Prince, will you permit my men to carry out that attack?”
This was Baron Cheneko. Behind him were several of his fellow brown-nosers.
Prince Barbro was glad that such men existed, who could be useful despite their foolishness. No, he was a noble as well, and if a village in his fief had dared rise up in revolt, he would probably have done the same thing as well. He might even understand Prince Barbro’s position.
“…Is that so. Then I order you to make it so, Baron. Fire flame arrows at the village… no, this way is better. Target the watchtower. That ought to avoid casualties, right?”
“Ooohh! Such a merciful decision! As expected of my Prince! Then, you have but to watch us!”
♦ ♦ ♦
“Ane-san! We’re ready! Everyone’s taken cover. We’re the only ones le― what’s that?”
Jugem could sense an oddity in the surrounding air, and warily asked about it
The defense force members who had remained here were completely opposed to each other. Half of them were reluctantly in favor of opening the gates for the army outside while the other half were fiercely opposed to it. The root of the dispute was whether or not they would be betraying the village’s hero, Ainz Ooal Gown. As a result, it was hard to make a decision.
“Actually…”
Enri was about to say something to Jugem when a loud voice came from outside the walls.
“―Citizens of Carne Village. Because you did not immediately open the gate when ordered, the fact of whether you are loyal subjects of the Kingdom has been called into question. As such, we will take representatives from among you onto the battlefield, where you will convince Ainz Ooal Gown to surrender. Doing so will allow you to prove that your loyalty remains with the Kingdom, and that you are loyal subjects!”
The atmosphere started to change. Hatred burned in the villagers’ hearts like a wildfire.
Enri was no exception.
It was true that the villagers were citizens of the Kingdom, and loyal. However, that loyalty paled in comparison to the gratitude they felt to the man who had saved their village for no charge or obligation. After all, when their families, friends and lovers had been murdered, the only one who had reached out a hand to help them was that great magic caster.
“I’ll never let myself be dragged onto the battlefield to get in Ainz-sama’s way!”
“Can’t we just hide in the forest and see how things go before making a decision?”
Loud arguments like these echoed from all around.
However, the one thing they had in common was that nobody wanted to do anything which might inconvenience their hero.
It was at this moment that the sound of something stretching carried over from the outside, followed by the sound of several objects piercing the air. As the sound came closer, points of brilliant red light appeared before their eyes, and arrows fell like rain onto the watchtower. The sound of the arrows piercing into the wood and lighting up in flame filled everyone’s ears.
“…No way…”
The Kingdom was going to use lethal weapons against them. That fact made Enri gasp.
Fortunately, nobody was in the watchtower at the time. They had known that before they attacked.
Or maybe―
―Maybe they wouldn’t have hesitated if there were someone inside anyway.
“An-Ane-san! Although it looks like they’re not attacking us yet, you still shouldn’t be standing in their bow range! Over here, quickly!”
Enri, still watching the burning watchtower in a stupor, was dragged away by Jugem. She didn’t resist as Jugem grabbed her by the hand and ran, but her face was still turned to the watchtower.
Just as the defense force began scattering to the rear, the watchtower blazed up in an inferno.
The thatched roof caught alight in an instant and turned into a massive pyre.
Everyone in the village could see the destruction of the tower, no matter where they were. Wails of sorrow rose from all around her. One in particular was especially loud. As Enri tried to catch her breath and get herself under control, she saw the man who had screamed the loudest, whose voice carried the most anguish.
He was a man who had moved into the village.
His face was a mix of hatred and despair. She looked around herself, and many of the immigrants had similar expressions on their faces.
Enri remembered.
Their villages had been burned down in a similar way.
“The enemy!” the man screamed. “They’re the enemy! How can they not be the enemy when they do this! I want to fight them!”
“Whose Kingdom is this?! They didn’t even help us! And now they want to burn this place down?!”
That shout came from a plump woman.
“How can they be allowed to do this! If they want to kill me, go right ahead! I’ll take as many of the bastards down with me as I can! I’ll get revenge for them!”
A young man followed up with a cry of his own.
Madness and hatred were saturating the air, thanks in no small part to the flame arrows.
“…Ane-san. It’s time to make a decision.”
Jugem’s quiet voice came from a face as hard as any warrior’s armor.
“Eh? …But these people have lost the ability to think. Shouldn’t we wait before making a decision?”
“There’s no time. And nobody can guarantee they won’t go berserk. It’s best if you decide what the village is going to do right now.”
That was a reasonable suggestion. The army had already destroyed the watchtower with flame arrows. The next time round, they would probably do something worse. They had to act now.
As Enri screwed up her determination, she took a deep breath. She glanced briefly to Nfirea, who was holding Nemu’s hand, and they nodded to her, as though in encouragement.
Her chest no longer felt as tight.
That was the final dose of courage Enri needed.
“Everyone! Right now! Everyone here is going to decide what we, as a village are going to do!
Whatever the decision, I hope you will abide by it!”
A great chorus of approval was her answer.
“Hands up everyone who wishes the village to do as the Kingdom says!”
Not a single hand was raised.
As her heart pounded mightily in her chest, Enri shouted once more.