The Peerless Kobold - Chapter 227
I offered a silent prayer as I looked at the bodies of the adventurers and soldiers whom we had fought side by side with and lost their lives mixed in with the remains of the giant ants that lay on the grasslands that had been dyed red by the rays of the early setting sun in early winter.
“… It’s finally over, but the sacrifices we suffered were also great.”
“Damage is inevitable when you participate in battles like this.”
I responded and looked at Muriel’s forlorn figure as she quietly stood beside me, and Ares, perhaps uncomfortable with the heavy atmosphere, interjected from the side.
“While we were preparing to defeat them, there was a report from Warren that a merchant group heading for the town of Dresde was attacked and wiped out, and several residents were killed in the cultivated land nearby… We can’t just leave them alone to be picked off one by one can we?”
“Yes, if we act later, then the damage will just become greater…”
Just like Muriel said, the Valley Ants will become more active over the winter, and with the growth of their population, they will also run out of food in the surrounding hunting grounds, so there is a risk that they would move their colonies closer to the towns and cities just like now.
Moreover, if the new queen born in the nest leaves during the mating season in spring and meets a male winged ant who is also in search of a mate, then a new colony will be created.
(It would be a disaster if it happened inside Easteria forest.)
Frankly speaking, it would be impossible for my pack to face off with approximately 200 giant ants, and we would be more likely be forced to make a strategic retreat to the settlement near Lucua village. Considering that, I guess destroying the Valley Ants’ nest here was the best choice…
When I lightly nodded and once again turned my gaze to the grasslands, I noticed that the members of the subjugation team who were coming down from the adrenaline rush from the recent battle were moving their tired bodies and were engaged with post-battle clean up around the area.
As a rule, friends and acquaintances of the fallen mourn the deceased while the others cannot just stand there, so Riberto, who was watching as well, urged everyone to participate in the clean-up.
“Hey, why don’t we help them out?”
“Yeah, I guess one more task wouldn’t hurt… alright!”
Following Ares who shrugged off his weary expression and psyched himself up, I lightly tapped Muriel on the shoulder as she was the only one in our group who was heading in a different direction and walked away…
“I’ll be going, see you later…”
“Yeah, I’m with the healer group, so I’ll see you later.”
Those who have an aptitude for Holy attribute magic can also use Healing Light like her, so they were gathered immediately and took charge of healing the injured.
On the other hand, those of us in the manual labor group were in charge of stabbing the giant ants who were still breathing to ensure safety and gathering the remains of those who died in battle in one place, and burying them after identifying their bodies.
The operation was managed by Ignas, an acquaintance of the warrior Zachs, as he was the highest-ranking priest affiliated with the Holy Church who participated in the subjugation team
However, he was muttering something with a pensive look on his face while looking up at the sky.
“… That silver-furred beast, could it be Selkram’s…?”
(Let’s just pretend I never heard anything.)
I ignored his ramblings as I waited for the transport corps to arrive. After they arrived, we left the rest of the work to the dozens of people who brought shovels with them, but now we have to prepare the camp.
That said, bulky items such as tents are only used by the officers, and us adventurers who place importance on traveling light use a waxed, waterproof cloak to protect ourselves from rain and dew for a few days, so it is no trouble at all.
(For us dog people, we only have to find a big tree and huddle around its roots to preserve our strength… I want to avoid the rain in winter, so the trees in the forest are much preferable to this.)
