Easygoing Territory Defense by the Optimistic Lord

Nothing happened even as we approached.

No, there were figures moving atop the fortress walls that looked like soldiers. However, they didn’t launch any attacks at all.

We were at a distance where longbows should have reached by now. Yet, the fortress city remained silent.

We formed a formation to block any arrows with our shields, advancing cautiously.

Finally, we reached a distance where we could look up at the city gate.

“Could it be that this fortress city isn’t functioning either?”

The moment I said that, a voice called down from the wall.

“This is Baron Van’s territory, Seato Village! Please tell us where you belong!”

To my surprise, it was a child’s voice. Moreover, the tone was so casual it was almost dismissive. Before I could laugh, the soldiers who had been wearing stern expressions burst out laughing.

We had been tense about attacking a small fortress, and this was what we got. It was almost cruel to tell us not to laugh.

But we couldn’t just keep laughing. We were within range of longbows here.

“We have come to investigate this village! This village didn’t have walls like these before. Why has it turned into a fortress city!?”

I asked while mixing in some lies, trying to appear without hostility.

“It was just built recently! Demonic beasts appear often, so we’ve strengthened the defenses! Soldiers, why did you come all the way from the Yelinetta Kingdom?”

“W-Why do you know we’re from the Yelinetta Kingdom!?”

We hadn’t raised any flags, and there were no significant differences in armor. How did they figure out we were foreigners?

As I was surprised, an exasperated voice came from above.

“…Well, I was just testing you. You headed straight here from Espa Town, and it seems you’re not very clever, huh?”

“D-Don’t mock me! Get down here! Don’t think I’ll go easy on you just because you’re a child!”

I shouted back in anger. Then, laughter erupted from the walls.

The soldiers were probably mocking us.

“Idiot! There’s an idiot here! Wahahaha! If all our enemies were like this, fighting would be easier!”

“Absolutely right,” came a voice filled with contempt.

“G-grr…!”

I felt dizzy with anger.

All this was because they felt safe on the walls. They thought they couldn’t be attacked and had grown arrogant.

I took a deep breath and shouted again.

“You’re the idiots! Wyverns can attack from the sky! Walls mean nothing!”

At that shout, the voices from the wall stopped.

I called to the soldier standing diagonally behind me.

“Order the puppeteer magician who controls the wyverns. Have them fly low and intimidate them. Once they’re terrified, we’ll demand their surrender.”

“Unimog-sama, that might be reckless…”

“Why not!?”

I glared at the soldier who objected. He furrowed his brow and explained.

“If there’s a four element magician present, the wyverns might be attacked.”

“Are you an idiot? Even if they’re low rank, wyverns are dragons!”

“…Understood.”

The soldier replied reluctantly.

A dragon flying at high speed is hard to hit. Even if it’s struck by magic once or twice, it won’t die. It’s also a good way to gauge the enemy’s strength.

Why couldn’t he understand something so simple?

“I’ve given the order to the puppeteer magician.”

“Good. If they panic, they might act recklessly. Stay alert.”

I said that and glared at the fortress walls.

I could see some movement on the walls, but they couldn’t do much. At best, they might shoot longbows, but that was insignificant.

Now, let’s see how shocked they get.

As I watched, the wyvern soared in a wide arc, approaching the walls at lightning speed.

“Go! Let them know the terror of dragons!”

I shouted, laughing loudly, when a voice came from the walls.

“Fire!”

At that command, a black rain poured from the sky.

The black rain spread in a fan shape, seeming to envelop the wyvern.

I heard the sound of slicing wind and the wyvern’s groan as it lost strength and dropped altitude. It crashed headfirst roughly halfway down the wall, then fell to the ground.