Legend

A place about an hour's walk from where the oak is making settlements. The Oak Crusaders, who left from the city of Gilm there, had stopped the carriages and the leaders of each party had gathered in Bobbs' tent for an operational meeting. And Ray is also called to that meeting in relation to being a solo or in charge of the transportation of supplies.

Adventurers are wary of oaks and other monsters coming around, but most of them don't look nervous.

Sometimes the rank of this orc crusade requested adventurer party in the first place is at least rank D, except for Ray, and most importantly, Griffon's Ceto is on alert.

"Well, we've made it this far safely... but first I want to do the least reconnaissance of what's going on in the Oak settlement. Anyone running for office?

To Bobbs' words, the face of the party leaders attending the meeting returns silently.

Even elk. That's the same. Somehow, the party composition of Thunder God's Axe is one wizard for two warriors. There's no scout in charge, so I can't help it either.

Some parties are carrying bandits, but they are also silent about whether they decide it is just too dangerous.

Most of all, Ceril, the leader of the Dark Star at night with bandits like Murgas, had a different aim.

(I need Murgas to keep an eye on the new kid. I'm ordering you to take the item box when you get a chance, and scouting an oak settlement is no way to assign a troublesome task)

I was just thinking about that in my heart, and my gaze swims for a moment when Bobbs' gaze is directed at me.

"Celil, there was one bandit on the Dark Star at your place at night, wasn't there? How's he doing?

"I'm sorry, but I have a bit of a personality to put Oak's settlement on reconnaissance. You're basically a cowardly touche. Well, that's why you're the first bandit to discover your enemies."

By the way, bandits here are not bandits who mean to steal people's things. Creating leading reconnaissance and traps during adventures. Or in the labyrinth, bandits in the opposite sense of unlocking traps and unlocking crate keys.

"... right"

Ray raises his hand and asks, watching Bobbs and Celil interact that makes sense.

"For once I ask, if you go scouting in this case, will it be recognized as a feat against the Alliance?

"Oh, that's natural"

"Then I'll take the recon."

"... what?

For a moment, Bobbs, who couldn't understand what Ray was talking about, listens back like that.

"So he says you don't mind if I take on a scout."

"Wait a minute. Do you possess the skills of a bandit?

That's what one of the party leaders who was near Bobbs asks, but Ray shakes his head silently.

"You don't have that skill."

"Then I'll let you disagree. Sure, I can't get the bandits out of my party, but I still disagree with reconnaissance assuming they can be found on purpose. Try to find it. Night raids are gonna be par, too, huh?

"Right. I'm sorry, but I agree with that."

The face of the other party leaders also agree with the words of the first man.

But Ray, who was watching it, even smiles and opens his mouth, even though his opinion was rejected.

"I certainly don't have the skills to scout. And I get the point that if I go out on reconnaissance and find it, I can't afford a night raid. But as you know, I have a ceto."

"Ah!?

As soon as Ray said that, I guess he figured out what he wanted to say. Elk shouts out.

Ray continues the conversation as the surrounding members turn their gaze to the elk.

"Seto is a griffon. I mean, I can fly. And I'm taming that ceto, so naturally I can get on its back."

With that said, I guess everyone on the spot understood how Ray would do the reconnaissance. I turn my gaze to Ray with an impressive look.

... except for one, Celil, who has a bitter look.

Note that the faces on this scene did not notice reconnaissance from above, as Ray said, for the reason that the magic of flying in the sky is very advanced magic and that only a limited number of people can use it.

At the same time, there are naturally beasts among the adventurers taking part in the Oak Crusade, but in the first place there is no such thing as a bird beast among the species of beasts, and no one could even think of a means of reconnaissance from the sky.

Incidentally, the knights of the country are called dragon knights, but most of them belong to the army of the country and are stationed in the king's capital because of the time and effort involved in hatching the flying dragon out of its egg state and raising it with the dragon knight's candidate, and they do not exist on the border like the city of Gilm.

"Bobbs, is it a problem to get on Ceto and scout the orc settlement from above?

"No, there isn't. Or you're welcome to do it."

Niyally, Bobbs nodded with a fierce smile.

"What are you going to look into?

"Number of enemies first. And how far is the settlement made? After that, it would be nice to know where the defenses of the settlement seem thin. And I want to know what kind of monster leads an oak, if this is possible. Is it a rare species or a superior species?... I hope it's a rare species at least."

rare and superior species. Which is troublesome, it still becomes the superior species. Rare species are only one of the most capable of their species, but the superior species are so numerous that they exist as a species according to their name. Bobbs explained that if there is only one rare species that leads the orcs because rare species in this case seem to be very different from the superior species and the ability itself, crusading is not that much effort.

Nodding at Bobbs' words, after the occasion.

With a sense of the hateful Celil gaze pointing at its back.

(Damn, if I could, I would have liked to have taken the item box before the fight with the oak started. You said you'd go out of your way to scout for yourself? Damn, you want to sell your charm to the guild that much)

Bobbs speaks to the party leaders on the spot, even as he thinly perceives the thoughts inside of Cyril.

"One end. This place is disbanded. When Ray gets back from reconnaissance, we'll have you back together, so whatever you're doing, stay close."

To Bobbs' words, those who were on the spot returned to each party.

"Grrrrrrrr"

Seto sounds happy in the back of his throat when he sees Ray moving away from the Bobbs and his way under him. Several adventurers who happened to be around watched as they narrowed their eyes on Ceto like that.

Apparently, a lot of people's fear of Seto has vanished by watching them together.

Seto, we're gonna get out of here.

"Gru?"

"Bobbs asked me to scout. You'd be able to make a safe reconnaissance if you flew over the orc settlement, wouldn't you?

"Grrrrrrrr"

Copy that, but make a small noise and turn your back toward Ray.

"Please."

When I gently stroke its back and then cross it, after a few steps of aid, I spread its large wings and swung them up into the sky as if they were treading in the sky.

The adventurers were envious to see it off.

Summer blue skies and white clouds. And giddy sunlight. Seto is flying with his wings spread through it. Flying at a fairly high altitude, it would be sophisticated to determine that the orcs on the ground are birds or something even if they happen to see above.

Across its back, Ray observes the orc settlement beneath his eyes. Normal humans would have difficulty scouting the ground from this height, but there was only a body created by assembling the magic and skill of a gate of Zeppyre, which could explore the conditions on the ground without particular difficulty.

Bobbs said a minimum of 50 oaks, but the size of the settlement is larger than that expected. Perhaps nearly 100 orcs exist. However, on the contrary, I guess that was unlucky for the Orcs. The settlement is not entirely ready yet, and the eastern zone is largely untouched. Still, I guess I'm on alert for once, even from above I could see a few orcs on the east side doing a sentry.

"A building bigger than the rest in that center is probably the home of whoever leads this orc."

Buildings that other oaks supposedly live in are as crude as a proper combination of straw and trees. But only the building in the center of it is clearly more laborious than the surrounding objects.... Still, it's a crude thing compared to houses like the one in the city of Gilm.

"The number of oaks and the status of the settlement confirmed. Later, I hope I can confirm the oak that leads these orcs... No, I guess neither of them can tell if they are rare or superior in my knowledge... Hmm?

That's when I shrugged, a figure of an oak came into Ray's eyes. It is about 1 circumference bigger than a regular oak, and while the other oaks are naked in the upper body, the oak is crude but wears some kind of armor.

"Is that the individual leading the orcs?

"Gru."

I urge Ray, who shrugged, to pay Ray's attention to the settlement of the oak as Seto rang, to the oak a little further from where he had been watching earlier.

"... I see"

Oak that was where Seto indicated. The oak also wears some sort of armor-like object to a physique about one size larger than other oaks.

And if you look carefully at the settlement, there were other oaks that were similar to potpouts.

"Then, are those armors like executives and generals among these orcs?...... hmm?

The next thing I saw was where the orcs were gathering. A digging hut in a position north of the settlement. Nearly 20 oaks are gathered around the hut.

"What? A pantry or something?

The next moment I thought so, I ran straight out of the settlement wondering if something had popped out of that cabin... I wanted to stop by the oaks on the side of the cabin and I can hold them down. Ray's gaze, far sharper than that of a regular person, had firmly confirmed something that had popped up. A human woman wearing a cloth cloth cloth that I think would be a wreck of clothes and could almost say naked.

Focusing his consciousness on his ear, he said, 'No, no more! Please, don't pollute me any more!' I hear a slight voice.

While frowning at the look of it, I recall that it was in Zeppyre's knowledge that it was a human woman that the oak used in breeding.

"Do you want to help?... No, you can't."

I want to go into that place just because of my personal feelings and kill all the orcs out there. But that would certainly put an end to the orcs near that cabin, but it would put the majority of the other orcs on alert. That could end up being a factor in failing the night raid that should take place tonight, which will ultimately lead directly to the crusader's sacrifice and the number of orcs fleeing.

"... tonight. If you work hard until tonight, I'll help you. So don't give up."

I whine small, knowing I don't sound like a woman pulled into a cabin.

Ray himself also continues his reconnaissance out of consciousness from a woman who is brought back to the cabin determined to hit the orcs tonight with the anger he is currently feeling.

"After all, the weapons most orcs have are swords and sticks. And a few shield holders.... I'm pretty sure you have a bow."

Make sure the orc with the bow in his hand and the arrow carrying his back is walking in the settlement. And...

"Do you even have a cane? That's Oak Mage."

A few, but I could also see an oak with a cane.

"All right, reconnaissance will be enough for this. Seto, we're going back."

"Grr!"

He squeaks sharply at Ray's voice, spreading his wings and returning to where the Oak Crusade vs. is creating his position.

"Orcs, tonight is your last day. Enjoy your precious time to the night at best."

Leave the cold words Ray left on the spot.

As Seto glides away and lands on the ground, the adventurers around him who watched it unwittingly greet him with applause.

But a few adventurers who tried to speak to Ray with a smile on their face would have seen the cold grin on Ray's face and understood what had happened in the Oak settlement. Let him go straight under Bobbs.

"Gru."

Behind it were several adventurers giving dried meat and stroking their heads to a worrying ceto.

It was Ray who had left such a ceto on the spot and was headed under Bobbs, but at its heart Bobbs was on his way to welcome Ray.

"Ray, are you back?"

"Oh."

"How was your reconnaissance?

"I've largely seen it"

"Okay. The party leaders have already gathered after the report that you are back. Come on."

That's what I'm gonna tell you and move on. Ray following Bobbs. It was Bobbs who felt somewhat strange about the way it was going, but now he decides it's his top priority to hear the results of his reconnaissance above all else. He goes to the tent, which is a meeting place without saying anything extra.

There's certainly a bunch of party leaders there, just like Bobbs said, and each exhales relieved to see Ray safe.

That was the same with Cyril, who was after mystering. Most importantly, it was a relief that the prey didn't have to be killed by the orcs when he stepped on the dodge in reconnaissance.

Bobbs opens his mouth when he sees Ray sit down.

"Well, Ray. Quickly, but report the results of the reconnaissance."

"Oh. First of all, the number of oaks, but well above this one's supposed 50. There 'll probably be 100 of them."

100. The moment that word comes out, the party leaders cramp their cheeks.

As a crusader, I was going to deal with 50 of them, so I can't help it.

"Calm down! I told you first. The number of oaks is at least 50. I was expecting more."

"But I didn't hear you talk about doubling it. Why don't we just think about going back to End Street?

"... and tell me to overlook the damage of the oak in the city of Gilm?

"It's..."

Even those who have advanced the retreat cannot push their opinions hard enough to say that if they retreat here, there will be damage to the city of Gilm. Besides, he has friends and acquaintances in the city of Gilm. I guess I can't snort at that if they ask me if that makes it a good sacrifice for the orcs.

"And I guess there's a reason the number of oaks was more than we expected, but the settlement's still on the verge of making it. The east side is almost untouched. Instead, we confirmed the presence of the outpost."

"Right, thin on the east side? That's good information. Let me help you during the night raid."

"Do that. And some of the orcs were bigger than regular orcs and equipped with armor."

"... that's Oak General. It's one of the top species of oak."

"I had other bows and checked a few canes at a time. Unfortunately we couldn't find the individual leading the orcs... but they probably would be there because there were more splendid buildings in the heart of the settlement"

"Oak Archer and Oak Mage... that's the heart of the settlement"

"Oh.... and one last thing. There's a digging shed north of the settlement, but I made sure there were humans there."

Humans in orc settlements. The others who heard it tense their faces and Bobbs opens his mouth.

"Is that... woman, is that it?

"Oh. I guess the orcs have been plundering from somewhere for breeding. He was still alive when I saw him..."

"Right.... Have you noticed anything else?

"No. That's it all"

"Right, okay. Then you can rest till night. Explain the operation at dinner."

He nods small at Bobbs' words and leaves the tent.

There are a few hours left before the night raid begins. Each one of them began to prepare for battle.