“You’re saying three are coming this way, but do Giant Soul Butterflies form swarms?”
“Yes. I have never heard such a thing. As far as I know, they have only ever been sighted alone.”
In the end, Chief Diplomat Tiariada Elemes made an emergency, evacuation-like request to <Paraiso>—something akin to a defensive assistance request.
A chief diplomat is, in domestic standing, nearly at the top, but unfortunately, national defense matters are outside his jurisdiction.
Therefore, he prepared a document that recognized the unconditional exercise of the right of defense permitted to a diplomatic envoy delegation, limited to the area around this town.
Normally, the right of defense is recognized under the instructions of the accompanying diplomat.
In other words, he handed them a license that said, “If it is an action to protect life or property, you may do anything.”
Normally, you would not issue something like this.
However, in this case, abandoning the town had already been decided, and evacuation had begun.
Even if defensive action caused damage to the town in the worst case, the judgment was that it would not cause damage greater than the complete abandonment of the town.
That said, if any problem actually occurred, Tiariada’s political career would likely be over.
“Hopper Alpha has captured the target. Distance, approximately 1ET1 Ektan.”
Hopper Alpha is the first unit among the escort multi-legged tanks accompanying the envoy delegation.
It bent its six legs, drove the tips into the ground to fix the hull in place, and lowered its body down close to the ground to drop its center of gravity.
The railgun in the upper rotating turret was already aimed at one Soul Butterfly.
“You can know the exact distance? Even at a time like this when it’s so hard to see...”
The one speaking to Arborea=Heath is Ranks, the head hunter of this town’s Hunters’ Guild, recommended as an information provider.
Unfortunately, he has no experience fighting Soul Butterflies, and apparently only has general knowledge.
Even so, he has abundant knowledge of the various flora and fauna living in the forest, and since there is no one who possesses anything beyond the information already circulated about Soul Butterflies, there was no one more suitable than him.
“There is a method to measure distance accurately. By the way, if Soul Butterflies that normally do not swarm are swarming, what reasons seem plausible?”
“Um... If I think in terms of insect butterflies, then... yes. For example, reproduction seems likely.”
In response to Arborea’s question, Ranks answered immediately.
He had probably been thinking about it the whole time.
Monsters have unique ecologies as monsters, but they also strongly reflect the traits of the plants and animals they originated from.
“It clearly looks like two are chasing one around. The only thing I can think of is reproductive behavior. Beyond that, if it’s a monster-specific ecology, I have no idea.”
“I see. Whether they are male or female will be clear once we kill them. Understood.”
Evacuation of the town’s residents has already begun.
The soldier class was driving the panicking residents along as if herding them.
There is, of course, no time to carry ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) out household goods.
If interception succeeds, setting aside opportunistic looting, basically no damage occurs.
And if it fails, everything will be lost either way.
There is little time left.
There were many residents who refused, but they were going to force evacuation with authority and violence if necessary.
The Forest Kingdom of Levresta is not a nobility system, but it has a similar power structure. For that reason, it seems they cannot oppose the town chief’s request.
“...Can you really defeat them?”
Perhaps because his counterpart is a girl, Ranks asked suspiciously.
If not for the security machines at his side and the multi-legged tanks ahead in attack posture, he would have completely looked down on her.
Even so, he seemed intimidated by the imposing presence of the multi-legged tank.
“I cannot say that I have actually killed this country’s Soul Butterflies, but...”
Arborea=Heath lowered the head-mounted display she had flipped up on her forehead with one hand.
A crisp click sounded, and lines of light ran across the surface of her equipment.
Of course, it was only for show. There is no particular meaning to making it glow.
“I consulted the home side and confirmed that there are subjugation records for <Big Moth>. With our current equipment, we can sufficiently counter them. There is no need to worry.”
At her flat reply, he looked slightly dissatisfied, but fell silent.
He had been personally ordered by the chief diplomat—the highest-ranking person in the diplomatic bureau of the foreign ministry.
Under absolutely no circumstances was he to be disrespectful, and he was to respond as quickly as possible to her requests.
No matter how dissatisfied he was, how suspicious he was, or how much he looked down on them as foreigners, he must never show it in words or actions.
Well, in reality, after seeing the multi-legged tanks—what the Levrestans would call gigantic golems—move freely at her direction, he probably would not feel like deliberately inviting displeasure.
In addition, since there was, after all, the possibility of an emergency, Tiariada Elemes stayed in the rear, and Chief Diplomatic Aide Baluadega Tigiris had already left the town together with the evacuees.
Also, with the goal of providing reassurance, the fusion-reactor power vehicle <Little Whale> was assigned to serve as the rear guard. For that reason, Alistarta=Heath was accompanying it.
“Like the bows and arrows you use, we will first attack from long range. The range is approximately 800T Tan. I have heard they are drawn to mana pool hot spots, but if those three are moving due to reproductive behavior, there is also a chance they will ignore it. In that case, we will need to pursue.”
“Understood.”
Depending on whether 800T was the assured-hit distance or the maximum distance, he would be able to roughly grasp the performance of their golems.
Ranks, who had been personally asked by the chief diplomat to confirm a part of their power with his own eyes, nodded and returned to observation.
And even he was being observed in detail by the machine group belonging to <Paraiso>.
*****
The Giant Soul Butterflies, on their drifting, wavering trajectories, were steadily approaching the north side of the town where the multi-legged tanks were deployed.
Even though the paths wobbled, they were unmistakably aiming this way. If you plotted their movement points and averaged them, you could see they were approaching with almost no hesitation.
According to the head hunter, Ranks, the only hot spot found around here is the one in the southern grasslands of this town.
If there are no hot spots in the surrounding area, then it makes sense that they would come this way.
“Distance to target, 750T Tan.”
“Are you not going to attack?”
The leading Soul Butterfly had already entered below the 800T range she had explained.
“We will attack once all three are within range. It’s troublesome if they get away.”
“I see...”
Before long, the two following behind also entered within the 800T range.
The Soul Butterflies showed no interest in the humans on the ground or the multi-legged tanks.
They are omnivorous, but humans are far too small compared to them. This must be what it means to not even merit their notice.
“Fire.”
The main gun of the multi-legged tank, which had been making fine aiming adjustments in sync with the Soul Butterfly dancing in the air, fired a shell with a bursting sound.
A sonic boom, caused by the warhead breaking the sound barrier.
The fired warhead was a high-speed metal-dart Super Flechette Round developed for <Big Moth>.
The warhead, launched at approximately 4,000 m/s, triggered its time fuse after flying roughly 800 m, and spewed out sixty internal metal flechettes.
Hit.
Some of the darts slid across the surface, but most of them penetrated the Soul Butterfly’s hide exactly as calculated.
Because the distance was close, it did not become riddled with holes, but a large hole opened in its thorax.
It was, of course, a fatal wound.
The leading Soul Butterfly, having lost its balance, began spinning into a corkscrew dive.
“Next round loaded. Fire.”
The next target was the rearmost one. The distance between us and it was about 1,200 m.
“Hit.”
This time, because there was a bit more distance, the flechettes had spread sufficiently.
However, perhaps due to the speed dropping from air resistance, there seemed to be few effective strikes.
Even so, more than ten penetrated the hide, and fragments of skin and bodily fluid burst outward into the air.
“Last.”
The third shot. The flechette swarm struck the middle Soul Butterfly’s neck. Its head folded as if half-torn off, and it was likely an instant death as well.
The rearmost one did not seem to die instantly, and it showed signs of trying to flee, but it soon lost strength and crashed down.
In time, about three minutes.
All three Giant Soul Butterflies were subjugated.
The new warhead prepared by <The Tree> produced sufficient results.
It could defeat <Big Moth> with exactly the right level of power—not too strong, not too weak.
It is a warhead that is relatively easy to explain to Levresta, whose range can also be intentionally restrained, and that possesses necessary and sufficient attack power within its effective range.
Incidentally, no particular use has been found for it other than against <Big Moth>.
