Legend

Rebels, Resistance… it is the one who flies an anti-flag against those who are ruling the land.

Given the heavy taxes we are taking on Count Lerduct territory, it is not strange for such a person to come out.

"... well, heavily taxed, they'll leave you as much to live for. But it's the least I can do to really live. Normal times might be fine, but if a family member is sick or injured, life can be dangerous at once."

A man groans while eating Ray's bread.

I don't know if you haven't already felt the pain blown up in Death Size either, or if you're just putting up with it, but you haven't put the pain on your face.

And around the man, the others who had passed out had already noticed, and this one was eating Ray's served bread.

Some people regain consciousness on the way Ray and the guy are talking, but they look at Ray and try to complain about something, but a buddy nearby tells them they can eat the bread as they like, and when they take the bread out of a nearby bag, they start eating it.

(Don't eat it like it's delicious.... It's not freshly baked bread or anything, it's hard-baked bread for preservation)

As she watches the men like that, Ray reaches for bread and tries to carry it to her mouth, too.

Adventurers, soldiers, merchants… bread for long-term preservation, used by such people when travelling.

Rather than naturally eating it as it is, it is normal to soak it in soup and soften it before eating it, beyond being a cooking method of hardening it.

Of course, when there is no soup, it can be softened with water or hot water.

There's nothing I can't eat even as it is, but I can't say it's hard and very tasty.

But... now at the end of Ray's gaze, all the rebels are desperate to eat hard-baked bread.

If you look at that, you'll see how hungry the men were.

"For what it's worth, you guys seem hungry?

"Well, we are.... because I can't be outmoded."

There was no way I could stand up and operate as a rebel, but I needed to move not to be on the table.

If so, I guess I'll naturally have trouble with food as well.

"We can't let them give us what we can live in, even though we're taxed enough to live in villages and cities. If we live in a village or a city, we pay taxes, so make the most of it... we can't change the status quo very much."

That's why he's having trouble with food, too, and to the man who tells him so, Ray shakes his neck sideways without force.

"Isn't that a lot of falling over?

"Even if they say so. Someone's gonna have to do something eventually."

A man grumbling bitterly.

This man, who's been talking to Ray since earlier, was the one leading the rebels.

Should I say I was unlucky to blow it off with Ray's offense first.

If this guy hadn't been the first to lose consciousness, he could have worked a little more together to deal with Ray and Seto.... although I would have just had the time to pass out after all.

"Anyway, I got the story.... but if you're having trouble with food, I don't think it's a rebellion."

"... I know. But I've told you so many times, I'm being hunted down to the point where I have to do it."

A man who tells you that his thoughts never bend.

That was not just for men, as were those who were eating bread around them.

"I see.... then you do. Perhaps just fine."

To Ray, who lightly tells him so, the man turns a strange gaze.

"No, I came to this Count Realdact territory in the first place to retaliate against Count Realdact, who has done certain deeds. So, what I'm thinking about in retaliation is taking away the magic item and sticking it firmly to the other side that I did it."

It's forbidden to kill him, though, but the man opens his eyes wide against Ray, who keeps the word going.

Already, the man knows from Ray's own mouth who is in front of him.

If such a person retaliates against the Real Duct, it would be in their own interest.

"Hey!

"I'll tell you what, I'm not gonna do anything clearly to put my hands together. It's just... even if after I did something you guys stumbled into Count Lerduct's mansion and accidentally ran out of enemy troops and stumbled upon a helpless Count Lerduct, I don't know."

"... hey, coincidence overlaps. That sounds kind of funny."

"Except. Don't imitate Count Realdact like he took his life."

"Why?!

To the words, one of the fellow men screams.

If we think of the suffering we have experienced so far, we can take the life of the Real Duct.

Ray shakes his neck to the side even if he can turn his gaze to say so.

"If you really want to take Count Lerduct's life, that's why we need you to be stuck here for a few days.... Is that okay?

"It's..."

To Ray's words, a man cages his mouth.

Even though we are overwhelmingly above each other in number, what will happen if we actually fight is because we have done so earlier.

Still, I guess I couldn't bear Ray's attitude. Another screams with an angry look.

"Why, even a famous adventurer like you are charming with nobility!

"I don't mean anything like that. When it comes to Count Lerduct, I don't think you'd mind dying."

"Then why!

"That's what I asked for. I can't tell you who requested it from, but the person wants revenge on Count Lerduct, but I don't want to kill him"

"... why, why!

One of the men screams that he is not convinced by Ray's words.

"Well, if you don't agree with me, you don't have to force yourself to act with me. You guys, I'm on my own. If you're the only ones who can defeat Count Lerduct, then so be it. It's not like I have to move with you guys."

If you say so, the men also have to shut up.

In fact, the men have become more willing to rely on Ray's power because it is an unmistakable fact.

"Whatever, it's good to try to use me, but if you don't listen to my demands while we go through our own will... that's what I'm going to do to you guys for real next time"

Those who complained earlier toward Ray feel something cold in their spine and stop moving.

Because if Ray really targeted us, we didn't think we could live.

At this point, there were several options in the face of the rebels.

With Ray's help, defeat the Real Duct, and then kill the Real Duct.

Without the help of Ray, do you challenge the Real Duct in a situation where the odds are unlimited and low?

Still not in full offense against Real Duct, see how it goes for a while now?

Or... ignore Ray's advice, kill the Real Duct while using Ray's power, and hostile with Ray?

(Damn, that's not good quality. Doesn't it look like you have a few choices and you don't actually have one)

There are several options, but there is only one clear answer.

No, it's not the best, but it's never a bad idea.

Still, being able to defeat the Real Duct was such an attractive option that there was no more.

(But if you do poorly, you could kill Count Lerduct. Then Ray will definitely come and kill us considering what happened earlier)

The men are also dyeing their hands at the act of rebellion, but what they have done so far is only to the extent of skirmishes.

Of course I've thought they'd kill me during a fight, but still, compared to the absolute intent to kill, which I felt from Ray earlier, it seems like something you play with.

Hands in hand with Ray...... No, should I say I will use it as Ray says. In either case, you can never ignore Ray's request.

The man wonders what to do, even though he understands that he is pointing his gaze at the conclusion of what the fellows around him will do to himself.

It was Ray who uttered words that would shelf the troubles of such a man, even temporarily.

"Well, you just have to make up your mind by the time I actually get into action around there. More than that, do you know where the mines are in Count Lerduct territory?

"Huh? Oh. Well, I get it... what are we gonna do?

"Let me crush you first."

"Stupid!

That's what I told him, not Ray, not the guy I was talking to Ray, but another guy who was on the spot.

Naturally. Mines are one of the few export industries for Count Lerduct.

If it meant being crushed, naturally it would be the inhabitants of Count Lerduct who would be in trouble.

"I know what it's like to be the guy who just shouted, but you guys know Count Realdact territory is arming up, right? And I'm thinking of attacking Viscount Gail's neighbor."

Fighting between nobles is not so uncommon.

That is not to say that fighting with neighboring aristocrats over mines and water is a daily tea meal… but it is common.

Of course, there are various implicit understandings there.

If more damage is done to the nobles, that means that the kingdom of Mireana will fall.

As for the kingdom of Mireana, adjacent to the great power called the Bestian Empire, it was to be avoided that the inner rub would weaken the country.

However, the augmentation of the armament that Real Duct is currently carrying out is not very much, but it is not such an implicit understanding.

At least that was the case with the information we got from Gail.

"But!... Plus, there are guys who work in the mines. Crushing the mines means killing them too!

"Don't worry. Crushing the mine doesn't mean I'm going to do it in the day. If the mine becomes unusable, that's fine. Nothing. I'm not gonna kill the guy who works in the mine. I don't know what will happen to Count Realdact's men."

"... at night, huh"

I'm a keen reldact to increase my wealth, but I'm not imitating it to let you work all day without a break in the mine.

If such an imitation would not only result in a stronger rebellion against myself... there would have been a concern that Gail might also find it if he imitated it in a flashy way.

Whatever the reason, it was lucky for Ray that the mine wasn't moving at night.

Because you don't have to worry about involving the working people.

"That's right. It's night.... for that reason, it would be helpful if you could give me some information on where the mine is. You don't want Count Lerduct's men to be more armed, do you?

"Right. … but it has already been a good time since the mining of the mine began. I'm sure Count Lerduct's men are already considerably more partially armed. In fact..."

Once the man interrupts his conversation with Ray, he turns his gaze to the weapon they have.

What's rolling there is the weapon used in the rebels.

"Yeah?"

You couldn't understand the behavior of such a man, and Ray turns his gaze to that tool again.

To Ray's actions, the man opens his mouth with a bitter smile.

"This weapon, in fact, was taken at the behest of our people infiltrating Count Lerduct. I took it, isn't that the exact expression? Is it more accurate to say that the Knights stopped using it and brought the weapons stored in the warehouse?"

"Uh... I see. I mean, is that why Count Lerduct's men are back?"

Those around me give an unpleasant look from the bottom of their hearts to the word back down.

But I'm pretty sure you couldn't have assembled your weapons without such imitation.

Weapons are quite an expensive substitute.

Not to mention that if you're trying to get your weapons together in this Count of Lerduct territory, the price is the same, but you can't possibly get it that easily.

In that sense, taking away weapons that are no longer in use and using them is probably a quick way.

If there's only one difficulty, it's just that it's a step back, which naturally means that the quality is reduced compared to the weapons currently in use.

To the man who nodded at Ray's words, Ray gives him a few spears he took out of the mistering - not something he's about to break that he's using to throw, but something he took from bandits, etc.

"If you tell me where the mine is, I'll do this instead of info fees. The quality is not that high, but it should still work. You can have as many spare spears as you want, right?

"... okay?

For the rebels, there is no point in having too many spare weapons.

Ray nods to the man who asks him that way.

"If we get the information here, we'll save you the trouble of going all the way to the other city."

Ray decided it was better to get information here than go out of his way to see a man with only his name.