The Ogre Strength Fairy and the Eldest 'Son'-Chapter 304 - When Military Intentions Meet Civilian Contentions

Chapter 304: Chapter 304 - When Military Intentions Meet Civilian Contentions

The Army’s main post was a hastily erected pavilion at the edge of their defensive perimeter. Maps and dispatches were spread across a folding table for some final checks and talks before everything was packed away for travel. Captain Cyera stood looking down at it under the lantern light.

She was a tall woman with close-cropped greying hair and the hard eyes of someone who had survived multiple Descents despite being mortal... and despite staying in the Continental Army since she was twenty three. The career soldier looked up as a dark clad figure entered with a gaze that quickly assessed the cultivator.

"Ironclad Order? Name and business."

The tall, even compared to her, young man retrieved the sealed dispatch from their black blazer jacket. It was spun and placed on the required spot of the table - marking the youth as someone who had received Army officer training and kept it to heart.

"Qatrand er Yecine. Our commander sent this."

The captain broke the seal and scanned the contents with an unchanged expression. Outside, the archer of the group returned with the other two in tow. The Void Defense Society member’s face was a little more tense than everyone else, but he kept silent as he entered behind the others.

"It seems we’ve both been dispatched to solve the same problem. Though we’ve been working at it since early this morning, altogether. It wasn’t quick to march my company here."

Cyera intoned while setting down the piece of paper.

"Yet, we couldn’t risk ignoring a cultivator’s warning. Especially when she provided evidence that the evacuation rescindment was fraudulent."

Ryder stepped forward when hearing this.

"What evidence?"

"Forged seals. The quality of them was enough to fool at a glance, but the wax was cheap and there was a mistake in the stamping."

The captain gestured to a document on the table and the Void Defense member moved to examine them. Sure enough, he wouldn’t have questioned it without touching and holding it up close. A mortal town leader may not have given it such close thoughts if someone was also fast-talking them.

"The Goltbred girl spotted these inconsistencies, but where did she get access to it in the first place?"

Their scout had spoken like the mortals were unaware or unwilling to believe the falsehood. The people of the town would have already panicked and fled if they had been *told* long ago - by someone respectable - that they had been duped.

A young heiress girl may not have fit the bill, so Ryder could not blame her for seeking proper authority and defense of those in trouble. But how long ago had she discovered the plot and why were they only learning about it now?

"I’m afraid that is something she would not tell us. Though, my direct superior did say she claimed something interesting..."

"What might that be?"

"I believe it was something about the person who did this having the ’craftsmanship of a blindfolded goat’."

Qatrand suppressed the urge to smile at the turn of phrase. Her El never could tolerate shoddy work... and she could only imagine that it made the reincarnator more upset if a scheme was involved.

"Those are details that can be looked into later. I’ll make my wife submit to questioning if needed. The important part is that we are available to bolster your lines. Which you will need... quite soon."

Almost as soon as the swordswoman’s low voice stopped speaking, a heavy breathing soldier burst into the tent.

"Captain! Multiple sightings confirmed at the northern perimeter.".

"Numbers and type?"

"Dozens, ma’am. Smallest variety. Outer perimeter team engaged briefly and fell back to the defensive line."

The captain muttered some curses then addressed the cultivators.

"We’ve got approximately half the civilians on the road. The rest are either still preparing to leave or being stubborn about it."

She pointed to the different marked sections on her map.

"We’ve set positions every fifty paces. Most civilians are moving in groups of twenty to thirty with only four soldiers as escort."

Qatrand studied the map, noting the expected military efficient layout. It was hard to say she would have suggested anything be done differently. Though with Voidlings on the way, no plan was going to be perfect.

"Your deployment is sound. Our team can reinforce the rearguard positions while you continue evacuation."

"I’ll coordinate with your Void Defense member here to ensure we’re operating with the same intelligence."

The Army leader nodded at the man then, turned back to direct a question at Qatrand.

"Assuming that works for you?"

An acknowledgment of the Yecine’s authority that didn’t go unnoticed by Ryder. His teeth clenched, but he said nothing. There wasn’t time to waste on petty arguments. Whatever personal friction existed, the mission came first.

"That would be best. Ryder’s experience with Voidling behavior will be valuable as your company tries to pull the remaining bulk of the evacuees away from the fighting."

The shield bearer spoke up his opinion as the archer and Kefa were already going out of the tent.

"We should move quickly. If they’re already hitting the north, we have limited time before they circle around or break through."

"Agreed. We’ll push forward and let them reform behind us as they retreat."

With a sudden thought, Qat turned back to the captain and asked for a favor.

"Can you spare any essence lanterns? The darkness hampers your soldiers more than the Voidlings or us, but I don’t want my people to be hit by any ranged fire."

"Take the ones outside the tent, we’ll either be stripping or leaving everything anyway."

After they left Ryder lingered near the captain.

"One last question... did the Goltbred cultivator mention where she got her initial information about this town?"

"Flying messenger birds, she said. Somehow informed her that there was an unusual thing in the area, so she checked it out."

The captain shrugged before rolling up the map and stuffing it in a pack, which a soldier quickly picked up and wore as she stuffed more of the most important things inside.

"Seemed unusual, but her information was accurate. The kind of thing the Army cares about more in this situation."

A slightly calculating look entered the man’s gaze.

Outside, the organized chaos continued. Alert soldiers directed the mass of civilians with fraying nerves along the corridor, while others began to form larger defensive positions outside the main gate. The fear inducing shrieks of Voidlings could be heard in the distance, faint but growing closer.

Kefa’s hands were already on her twin blades, itching to draw them. Despite being older, she still looked over toward their ’unofficial’ leader for this operation.

"May I?"

Pigeon-blue eyes ticked over and nodded.

"Meet them before they reach the civilians. We’ll catch up."

The woman hastily saluted then scaled a house, before leaping across to another and another. Seeing that and the bottlenecks of civilians almost made Qat understand her wife’s preference for ’upward mobility’.

The three larger and slower cultivators moved at their own speed while the town soldiers struggled to maintain enough order that people would not trample each other. Those who had been reluctant to leave were now frantic to get out. But not all of them were willing to just move.

"You need to leave NOW! Bring only what you can carry!"

An elderly man clutched a wooden chest to his body that was making his already old legs even slower.

"This is my livelihood! I cannot abandon it!"

"You’ll die with it or you’ll live to come back and recover it. Choose!"

Qatrand er Yecine rushed to approach. Her presence immediately drew attention and slowed the others around her, as if they waited for her to speak. The cultivator’s calm expression amid the panic was a stark contrast that commanded their focus.

"Sergeant, status report?"

The soldier straightened immediately and saluted in the Army way.

"Trying to clear the last street, sir. A few folks won’t budge without their valuables."

The heavy blade wielder turned to the elderly mortal and asked with her voice low but firm.

"Tell me what is in your chest, sir? Is it so important?"

"My tools. I’m a silversmith. Without them, I have nothing."

If she was being honest, the Yecine agreed with the Army member. Leaving things behind was safer - the fighting would not be over quickly, but eventually they would return to the place they lived.

’Moving it from place to place if our war lines shift is just compounding the risks of losing the very things he values.’

Before she could say anything, the shield bearer stepped forward.

"It doesn’t look heavy. I can carry it for him. At least to the safe zone."

"Do it."

The elderly man’s resistance crumbled as the large cultivator easily lifted the small but heavy chest. Other civilians watching the exchange began to comply more readily with the barked orders. Something about the sight of such strong people calmed the existential threat in their hearts, just a bit.

"Thank you. Been trying to convince *him* specifically for an hour."

The sergeant said quietly to the large man as the archer helpfully helped him tie and strap it to his side, near the essence lantern.

"Focus on keeping as many moving as possible. We’ll try to handle anything that has already broken through."

Qat offered a final instruction as she gestured for their need to keep going on. She scanned the town’s edge and pointed to the highest spot with the best visibility toward the north.

"Take the rooftop there. It looks like the best vantage point. But I trust your judgement to change positions if needed."

The archer nodded and scaled the building with nearly as much ease as the twinned-short blade cultivator had minutes before. When he reached the peak he called out.

"Kefa is more Northwest, having fun. The Northeast is bare for now, but not for long."

"I’ll take the center, just draw the group to me if you need."

As the shield bearer started his heavy, charging sprint forward... Qat paused in following him. A woman’s voice was rising from the crowd of evacuees behind them that she couldn’t ignore.

"My daughter! Has anyone seen my daughter? She was just here!"

Too small to hear over the commotion, a young girl’s crying answered from a side alley. Without hesitation, the Yecine turned back and moved toward the sound. The alley was dark, the lantern light on her side barely penetrating its depths.

The girl’s sobs guided Qatrand forward until she found the child crouched over a cloth doll with tears streaming down her face. She knelt down beside her and gently spoke.

"It’s all right. Let’s quickly get you back to your mother."

Her fear gave way to relief at the sight of the other human. As Qatrand lifted her, a clicking sound echoed from the far end of the alley. The sound of barbed, insect-like limbs. freёweɓnovel_com

Three small Voidlings that had baited their trap emerged from their hiding spaces.

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