Chapter 144: Conflict
"He only dares stand behind Meira?" The veteran female warrior stepped in front of Erik, her voice trembling with anger. "I saw him rush forward to save people from the giant spider with my own eyes. You do not have to respect him, but do not make things up in front of those who witnessed it!"
The black-haired Succubus curled her lips, saying that she did not deny Erik had saved people. She only wanted to know why he was being welcomed like a hero while the soldiers still had to fight for many more days. The way she avoided the main issue made the veteran soldier even angrier.
The brown-haired female captain stepped between the two groups, trying to remain calm. "The ceremony was voluntarily prepared by everyone after their shifts. Anyone who does not like it may return to their duties. But I will not allow you to slander an invited guest and disrupt the formation!"
"What about the shortage of people on the outer line?" the black-haired woman asked, her expression full of resentment. "One group has to patrol an entire newly liberated region, while he gets off the vehicle and has people competing to hug and kiss him. Is asking him to lend a hand considered causing trouble too?"
A female logistics soldier whose sleeves were still covered in dust from repairing walls spoke up. She had never met Erik and was only frustrated that her work was being overshadowed by the ceremony.
Several other newcomers nodded, mentioning night shifts and shortages in rations. Their exhaustion made the inciting words easy to listen to.
The black-haired Succubus tilted her head toward them, a flicker of satisfaction appearing in her expression. When she turned away, a dark mark like tree roots briefly appeared beneath her hairline before vanishing under her collar.
"Enough!" An older female medic stepped forward, her medical bag still hanging at her waist. She clearly stated that she had seen Erik distribute water, carry wounded soldiers, and run outside when others had to retreat. "What makes you think you can say he only came to claim credit?"
"Did those things end the campaign?" the black-haired woman asked in return.
"No," the female medic replied firmly. "The campaign ended because of the entire unit. No one says Erik won it for us. You are the one creating a lie, then forcing everyone else to refute it."
A young female archer standing beside the medic had reddened eyes as she remembered the comrades she had lost. "If you want to ask why the front lines were abandoned," she called loudly,
"why do you not demand that the Council’s men come here? They have received our resources, servants, and protection for years. Why does no one stand before the Council gate and shout, ’Go to the front lines’?"
The entire plaza stirred. A veteran soldier continued, "The gentlemen in Silver Moon do not hold swords, and none of you dare question them. Erik came on his own when we were in danger, yet now he is being forced to prove his courage again. Where is the fairness in that?"
"Those are two different matters!" the black-haired woman immediately retorted. "The Council being blameworthy does not mean Erik is free of responsibility. If he is welcomed as a hero, what is so difficult about taking one trip to the outer line with us?" A new female soldier behind her nodded in support.
"You are using morality to force someone else to risk their life!" the female medic said angrily. "Someone being thanked for what they have done does not mean they must obey every demand you make from now on. Today, you demand that he patrol. Tomorrow, will you complain that he has not killed enough monsters?"
A logistics officer stepped forward. She acknowledged that the unit still lacked supplies, but she would not allow injured soldiers to be used as an excuse to force Erik. Her voice caught in her throat.
"I recorded the names of those who did not return. Please do not use them to insult someone who came here to help."
Several warriors who had still been undecided immediately took her side.
The group defending Erik was larger, but the black-haired group, though smaller, refused to retreat. They knew how to target real grievances, so every sentence made a few new soldiers waver.
The female captain had to order everyone to keep their hands away from their weapon hilts, preventing the argument from turning into a physical clash.
Laviana kept the camera on a wide angle, avoiding the faces of agitated soldiers and the guard posts.
She did not end the broadcast because the argument had already entered the livestream. The viewers’ comments were divided as well, with some defending Erik while others continued criticizing him.
[Demanding that Erik go to the front lines when the Council does not even visit the wounded? That is truly absurd ??]
[Do not twist the issue! My soldiers are understaffed. Who could endure seeing a man receive a red carpet?]
[The medic is right. He has already helped. What gives you the right to force him to keep fighting?]
[If Black Iron Rank 10 wants people to believe he is strong, he should just fight and prove it. What is there to fear? ??]
[I thought everyone was about to rush in and fight! Please do not draw swords in front of the cameras (O_O)]
[No one has ever forced the Council to prove their courage. Why must Erik alone follow this rule?]
Elowen stood close to Erik, gripping his wrist so tightly that her knuckles turned white. She asked angrily why he was still allowing them to insult him.
But when Erik rubbed the back of her hand, Elowen forced herself to calm down and waited for his answer.
"I know they have no right to force me," Erik replied. "But some people are truly exhausted. I do not want them fighting because of me. And that black-haired woman... I suspect she wants more than just to ask about the route."
Meira watched the woman causing trouble, her smile gone. She felt that the other woman was deliberately guiding the crowd, but she could not detect any clear enough sign of magic to reach a conclusion.
"Master, if you want, I will deal with this immediately," she said quietly.
Erik shook his head. He did not want Meira to use strength to force them silent, only making them believe even more that he knew nothing but relying on her.
He asked the female captain which routes had not yet been surveyed, and she immediately opened a map.
"Lady Meira has inspected the main route and confirmed that it is safe," the female captain explained. "But deeper in the forest, there are still areas that have not been thoroughly checked. We planned to send a team out this afternoon."
The black-haired woman immediately raised her hand. "Then this is perfect timing! Erik just said he wanted to survey the land, so why not enter the dangerous area with the soldiers? Or does he only want to look at maps before returning home?" The group behind her voiced their support together.
"Be quiet!" the female captain shouted. "Erik is an invited guest. He is not part of the military. We were the ones who forced him to return to Silver Moon last time! If we lack troops, report it through proper procedure. Do not use honor to pressure someone!"
The female archer turned toward Erik, her gaze earnest. "You do not need to prove anything, sir. You can simply visit the wounded soldiers, or return and rest. No one has the right to force you to take another risk."
Several veteran soldiers stood beside her as well, declaring that they would protect Erik if necessary.
One of them angrily asked the opposing group why they did not spend their time repairing walls instead of demanding that Erik bear the responsibility of the Council.
They argued for a few more sentences, but no one crossed the line the female captain had set.
Erik looked at the angry people defending him and remembered the night they had insisted on sending him away from the battlefield because they feared for his safety.
Today, they were still standing up to protect him despite gaining nothing from it. The warmth of that feeling made him smile.
"Thank you, everyone," Erik said, stopping the female captain from lowering her head in apology. "I know you are worried about me. But ever since I was in Silver Moon, I had already planned to survey the newly liberated land. I am not changing my plan because of provocations."
Elowen was briefly worried, but she remembered Erik had spoken about this plan before the trip. Meira nodded as well, while Laviana smiled faintly. They all understood that Erik had decided this long ago.
"So," Erik looked at the brown-haired female captain, then turned his eyes toward the northern road, "after visiting those still lying in the rescue station, show me the outer line. I want to see for myself how dangerous that land still is and what can be built there."
The female captain was briefly stunned. "You truly want to go? But you do not have to..."
"I know," Erik replied, smiling at the female warriors who had defended him. "I am going because I want to, not to receive praise or win an argument."
The black-haired woman froze, then quickly gave a cold laugh and loudly said that she would wait to see what Erik could do.
The opposing group echoed her, while the veteran soldiers continued advising him not to take the risk. Neither side was willing to give way, even as the female captain began restoring the formation.
Meira took Erik’s hand and firmly stated that she would go with him. Erik agreed, because he had never intended to enter an unsurveyed area without preparation.
Elowen asked to bring her bow and healing medicine, while Laviana silently adjusted the convoy’s plan.
On the livestream, the audience continued arguing, but Erik had already begun checking the transportation routes, unsurveyed areas, and the wounded soldiers’ situation with the female captain.
The practical questions helped the captain calm down, though she was still saddened that the welcome ceremony had been disrupted.
At the end of the military formation, the black-haired Succubus pulled her collar higher to cover the dark root-like marks behind her neck.
She watched Erik speaking with the female captain, her lips still smiling while her eyes remained icy cold.
Outside the recording range, on a low hillside some distance from the outpost, Velyss stood among the trees.
She held her familiar book in her arms, pink hair gently blown over her shoulder by the wind.
Her dark gaze rested on the black-haired Succubus who had just disappeared behind the formation.