The Villainous Aristocrat's Efforts Led to a Genuine Harem - Episode 43

Episode 43

First of all, the evacuees include ordinary citizens. To protect townspeople who have no combat ability, soldiers must also be assigned for that.

…If soldiers are split that way and still expected to stop the monsters’ advance, that’s reckless.

Unless the ones holding the line are expected to all be annihilated—that might barely make it possible.

The family members were pale-faced.

Among them, Father lifted his head.

“…We will intercept the monsters at the west gate. Prepare for battle at once!”

“…Understood.”

As if firming his resolve, Father shouted. And Zangell saluted.

Then Father glanced briefly at Lady Fylia.

“Lady Fylia. This is dangerous. So would you please board the evacuation carriage along with my sons?”

…So he intends to evacuate my brothers. Which means, perhaps Father plans to sacrifice himself and remain behind.

That might indeed be the right choice.

However, Lady Fylia shook her head.

“No, I will remain as well. I can fight to some extent. And more importantly… by chance, many soldiers are accompanying us.”

…It seems Lady Fylia believed in my dream and brought along a considerable number of knights when coming to this city.

It was unexpected reinforcement. I truly thought it was good I had consulted with Zangell.

“But if something happens to you, it will disgrace the Validor family’s honor! Please, evacuate together!”

“But you will be commanding, won’t you? We will delay the monsters as much as possible. We’ll then deploy the barrier, buy time, and by then reinforcements from another city will arrive. So there will be no problem. If word spreads that I am here, people will surely gather quickly as well.”

…That’s true. Fylia’s father—in other words, the king—wouldn’t stay silent in such a situation.

The plan Lady Fylia envisioned was probably like this:

In a large city, there is a magical device called a barrier device. It consumes many magic stones as fuel. But a major city like Validor has enough stored to sustain deployment for several days.

Even if attacked by monsters, it could probably hold for at least one day.

Therefore, delay the monsters’ advance as much as possible, endure until the last moment, and then deploy the barrier device.

By enduring, they should be able to hold the monsters down… that must be her calculation.

…Well, that would be true, normally.

But the reserves of our city’s barrier device will last only half a day at most.

Even that was storage barely secured by squeezing money out of the meager funds.

As for equipment, things had improved somewhat thanks to Vilias. But we still didn’t have much margin.

“…Understood. But if it becomes dangerous, please withdraw at once.”

“Of course.”

Lady Fylia said that and nodded to Father.

…The problem is from here on.

Where and how should I use my space magic?

For combat, or for evacuation?

…Even if I say for evacuation, I cannot transport so many people.

The knight order already made contact with the royal capital. So reinforcements should arrive if we can endure to some extent.

The problem is… whether the items in this city can last until then.

Since there might be fighting ahead, I returned to my room, changed clothes, and thought for a while.

I wanted to check the situation at the guild too. But Garing had gone there to talk. So it should be fine for now.

The problem is… from here.

“Reis, may I talk to you for a moment?”

“What is it?”

While I was sitting on the bed in my room, Reem came in.

When I invited her into the room, Reem sat on my lap.

She leaned close, as if to sniff my scent.

“This might be the last time I can sniff you, you know.”

“…I don’t intend to die here.”

“Then that means, you’ll survive so I can smell you again, right?”

Don’t interpret things so conveniently for yourself.

Reem pressed her nose against my chest. And as usual, her magic power seemed to be surging.

…Reem being here is probably an irregularity.

An irregularity born because she had more opportunities to meet me.

And it wasn’t only Reem.

Inaesia, Vilias, of course, and also Zangell, Garing… and even Lady Fylia’s knight order. The situation was very different from when it occurred in the game’s main story.

“Reem, have you met your father?”

Reem’s father, Boril-san, also joined our corps today.

…All because he believed in my dream.

I thought I had prepared enough to change the future.

Not only the future where Lady Fylia dies, but this city, and everything about its future… I will change it.

With that resolve, I stepped into the hallway.

Zangell came toward me.

“…Lord Reis.”

“What is it?”

“There is information that Lord Roubel and the others have left the city.”

…So it’s come to that, huh.

With a sigh, I nodded at Zangell’s words.