Having begun mercenary operations, the areas assigned to <Paraiso> were the villages on the western side of the Forest Kingdom of Levresta.
The force we would provide this time was eight units of the multi-legged tank <Hopper>. We would dispatch four teams, in pairs of two.
“Since it’s within the coverage of the high-altitude power-supply drones we deployed near the border line, power vehicles are unnecessary.”
“And the capital is also, technically, within the power-supply range, right?”
The capital, Lindra, was about 350 km in a straight line from the nearest border line. On the United Kingdom of Aphrasia side, a barren wasteland of uninhabited wilderness continued on, but if all we were doing was flying drones overhead, there was no problem.
And if it was activity in locations even farther west than the capital, then energy supply was more than sufficient.
“Even so, it really went through without a hitch. Normally, I’d think it would cause a lot more trouble...”
The Forest Kingdom of Levresta had swiftly permitted and requested <Paraiso>’s mercenary dispatch.
Normally, they wouldn’t be able to decide—on the very same day—to entrust a matter of national defense to another country.
But the twelve members of Elders’ Council Le Elphia had done exactly that.
They must have already understood that the reproduction speed of the butterfly-type monster Big Moth had exceeded the range they could respond to.
They understood the strength of the multi-legged tank <Hopper>, which could defend an entire city on its own, ran the profit-and-loss calculation, and decided to accept the mercenary dispatch.
However, because they also needed a certain degree of understanding on the ground, for the time being, four teams were requested first.
Four villages that had bitten into the <Demon Forest>.
Apparently, these were places that, once the situation progressed a little more, they judged they would have no choice but to abandon completely.
They were not close enough to enable mutual defense, meaning each one had to continue defending alone, and on top of that, as front-line positions, attacks came without pause.
It had been assumed it would be better to abandon these places, move to cities farther south, and concentrate their forces.
If these villages could be defended even after relocating the forces that had been stationed there, there was nothing better than that—this must have been their judgment.
The forces pulled back could be assigned elsewhere. They could buy even more precious time.
Also, if defense by <Paraiso> could be proven, they could free up forces in other villages as well.
That was—if they closed their eyes to the problem of bringing another nation’s military power into their country.
“Domestically, it seems they’re pushing a line like: even if <Paraiso> were to invade, since Levresta’s forces are concentrated, it will be easier to defend and resist. In the worst case, even if it becomes abandonment of territory, it’s an area they had already judged they couldn’t protect—so it’s plus-minus zero.”
“It’s forceful, but... maybe it’s the kind of story that’ll pass, for the public.”
“Public discourse within Levresta seems to be controlled to a certain extent, based on observation. Aside from specific anti-government forces, it’s likely under control.”
A cool-headed top ruler had reigned for a long period, and the people’s education—or brainwashing—had also permeated.
As a nation, it was extremely stable, and perhaps if nothing had happened, in several decades, or several centuries, it might have taken hegemony over the continent.
But right now, it was facing a national existential crisis due to a massive outbreak of monsters.
“At the very least, we need roads that can allow transports to pass up to the villages we’re defending.”
“It seems the minimum highways are open, so while reinforcing and widening them, we will be developing the trade routes. Ammunition and repair parts must be transported.”
“And on the side, we were asked to carry daily necessities too.”
More precisely, we were granted the right to sell the food and daily goods we purchased in those villages.
Even so, Levresta’s domestic caravans had been nearly destroyed by a wartime posture. As things stood, the transport of goods had begun to stagnate.
If so, for the time being, <Paraiso>’s transport caravans would become their lifeline.
“For now, we will use multi-legged tanks and multi-legged transports, while widening the roads in parallel. Once maintenance is complete, we will be able to begin transport by multi-wheeled vehicles.”
Multi-legged machines exerted great power moving across rough terrain, but if there were roads, then in terms of energy consumption, movement by wheels was more advantageous.
No complex mechanisms were needed, so failure rates dropped, and maintainability improved.
“And also, it seems magical tools made from Big Moth materials are produced within Levresta. I have heard we can receive those as compensation, to some extent.”
“Tools made from insect materials...”
Big Moth, when used as a structural material together with magic stones, became an ideal material with both flexibility and hardness. Until now, with few subjugations, it had been treated as an ultra-luxury item, but now, supply had overflowed.
Apparently, it was used for vehicles that demanded durability, like high-speed carriages.
If Levresta overcame this crisis in the future, there was a possibility their domestic transport circumstances would change completely.
“Yes-affirmative, Commander Ma’am. It shows approximately three times the strength of the structural materials we mainly use at present. If we use this, for example, the weight of the multi-legged tank can be reduced to about half. If used in space round-trip vehicles, it can dramatically improve fuel consumption.”
“Hm, I see? Using it in rockets isn’t a bad move. With multi-legged tanks and the like, though, I’m a little worried about the quantity.”
“It will contribute greatly to lightening the rocket body. I will incorporate it into the plan.”
“Please do. Let Asahi handle it.”
“Yes-affirmative, Commander Ma’am.”
*****
The Giant Soul Butterfly—Big Moth—overflowed.
There had already been omens.
The monsters had crossed the line defined as the absolute defense line again and again. The mobile forces had somehow managed to finish them off, but everyone could understand that if this continued, it would collapse before long.
And then.
Big Moth increased in number day by day.
At the hot spots used for reproduction, countless eggs were laid, and the matured larvae passed through the pupa stage, then one after another emerged as adults.
Once the Big Moth swarm exceeded the carrying capacity for sustainable survival, it began moving outward, outward, like an avalanche, seeking new land.
The swarm spread outward in a circular manner, but the north was already infested with Big Moth and other monsters. That meant the final direction of movement was to the south.
In other words, into the Forest Kingdom of Levresta.
“It’s a little later than expected, but it’s started.”
“Yes-affirmative, Commander Ma’am. It seems our intervention increased the number of subjugations, and the roller extermination by the Levresta army units that were repositioned also fit well.”
Levresta had committed nearly all forces it could mobilize domestically and carried out Big Moth hunting. They shot down adults and hunted the larvae in the hot spots to extinction.
Even so, they could not reach the deep interior of the <Demon Forest>, the source of the outbreak in the first place, and it was only symptomatic treatment.
They must have bought all the time they could to evacuate the people.
All that remained was the decisive battle.
“Even so, it’s an incredible number. Can they hunt them all down?”
“The farther south you go, the fewer mana pool hot spots there seem to be. For example, I ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) have heard the royal capital, Lindra, has one of the highest mana-density hot spots in the country. Their policy seems to be to deploy the army at places like that—places Big Moth gather easily—and hunt them there.”
It seemed the tactic was to abandon some cities, hold out with forces they could protect, hunt the surrounding Big Moth to extinction, and then advance north.
These had to be executed quickly.
Otherwise, even more adults would emerge at the hot spots they abandoned.
Reducing the numbers at once by concentrating forces before the worst case happened—this was the operation for the time being.
“But the source itself has become something terrible...”
Commander Eve looked up at aerial imagery of the <Demon Forest> adjacent to Levresta.
The adult Big Moth marked there were not a number that could be contained within mere hundreds.
“The massive outbreak is temporary, and future increases in adult numbers will be restrained to a certain level. After that, they will likely take time and slowly push the front line upward.”
This death march stampede, not limited to Big Moth, had apparently occurred many times throughout history. Precisely because the Forest Kingdom of Levresta bordered the <Demon Forest>, cultivated it, and gradually expanded its living sphere, their method of dealing with this problem was established to a certain extent.
“This time, thanks to our assistance, it seems the retreat distance will be shorter. That much means they have more leeway in national strength. As a supply force for absurd fantasy materials, expectations for the future are high.”
“Yeah. If the materials increase, will Olive and Asahi’s level of understanding deepen, I wonder.”
