The Settlement’s End

I came to the village near the forest where the goblins were, bringing Lynferia, Eisha, Otonoha, and Otonoha’s subordinates with me.

Today was the day I’d promised Bangagonga—moving day for the goblins.

I only came to report that the goblin matter had been resolved, but as the reward, I also came to install a magic-power collection device in the village. Otonoha had already given them a simple explanation of the device the last time we were here… though I had no idea whether they actually understood it.

By the way, I had sent about five core members to the goblins’ settlement. Once we linked up with Kamila and the others who were waiting there, we would begin the relocation. As for Ururu, who had been left behind at the settlement along with Kamila, I had asked that she be told to join up with us instead.

“Knight-sama! What brings you here today?”

The village chief noticed us as soon as we arrived and hurried over to speak to us.

“Mm. As for the goblin matter from the other day, it will be settled today. And since we’re here, I’d like to request the reward we discussed.”

“If I recall… the matter of installing a magic tool in the village?”

“Yes. I believe you received an explanation from her, but it’s nothing harmful—just think of it as an ornament.”

I said that while indicating Otonoha.

“W-well… as promised, you may install it.”

The chief nodded, looking uneasy. I understood his anxiety—he was letting something unknown be placed in his village—but for us, it was a matter of survival, so I wasn’t going to hold back.

“Good. Then we’ll begin. Otonoha, I’m counting on you.”

“Got it. All right, we’re starting! It’s the simple version, so we’ll knock it out quick!”

Otonoha ordered her subordinates and began installing the magic-power collection device.

Apparently it would take only about an hour, so I decided to speak with the chief first.

“By the way, Chief.”

“What is it?”

“As for the goblin settlement that was in the forest, we’ve left it standing for now rather than destroying it.”

“Huh.”

What a slack response… Well, whatever.

“But leaving it as-is isn’t good, is it?”

“Is that so?”

“…For example, what if bandits make it their hideout? The wall is high and the buildings are solid. Even deep in the forest, it would make an excellent base.”

“Th-that would…”

The chief’s face paled. The goblins likely hadn’t attacked the village before, but if someone started using that place as a base, there was no guarantee the village wouldn’t suffer.

If anything, driving out the goblins who had been hiding there might increase the chance of the village being attacked by bandits or monsters…

Well, I wasn’t going to tell him that.

“That would be a problem, wouldn’t it? So we plan to burn it down today—could you send someone from the village to confirm it?”

“From the village…?”

“Yes. As proof the request is complete. If you watch the goblin settlement burn, you’ll feel at ease, won’t you?”

“Hmm…”

“It’s deep in the forest. If we head out now… burn it and return… we should be back by dusk. We’ll secure the route, of course. But someone used to walking the forest would be best. Wasting time is undesirable.”

“Understood. You’re right—having our own eyes confirm it would be best. We have a man who makes his living as a hunter; could you take him with you?”

“Very well. Once the installation is finished, we’ll head to the settlement. Call him here by then.”

The chief bowed deeply, then dashed off at incredible speed.

He didn’t have to panic that much… Ah. I hadn’t told him how long the device installation would take. Maybe he was desperate not to keep us waiting.

Listening to Otonoha’s energetic voice as she gave instructions, I decided to wait leisurely for the chief to return.

“Kn-knight-sama… is it still… far…?”

The village hunter walking behind me asked in a breathless wheeze, and I gave him a casual answer.

“Just a little farther.”

I specifically requested someone used to forest travel, but… his stamina was worse than expected. Then again, comparing him to us—people who could casually keep up a thirty-kilometer-per-hour pace—was unfair.

Still, it was a useful confirmation: our physical abilities were on an entirely different level from an ordinary village hunter.

That said… it wasn’t a lie that we were getting close.

The group here consisted of me, Lynferia, Eisha, Otonoha, and Otonoha’s subordinates, Corin and Mei… plus the village hunter.

Corin had a stocky, dwarf-like build with short limbs—pink hair, black eyes, and male. His preferred magic attributes were Holy and Dark… though his magical ability hadn’t been trained at all, so it was basically just the attribute I’d picked when creating him.

Mei was a silver-haired, gray-eyed beauty, but like Corin, her magical ability remained at its starting value.

Both were Otonoha’s subordinates—development-type characters, so there had been no need to raise their combat power.

They were about as strong as the maids, meaning I’d have to protect them with everything I had if something happened… though apparently they were still stronger than the goblins. In fact, while the hunter was completely exhausted, Corin and the others showed no fatigue at all. Reassuring, really.

Anyway, among the people here, I was the one best suited to fire magic, so burning the settlement was my job…

Well, I had intentionally not brought anyone else who specialized in fire magic, but still—this was a chance to unleash a big spell at full power!

There was a slim chance the hunter was a fire-magic master, but… come to think of it, did this world have magic beyond what we used? It clearly had magic power, but I’d need to investigate the rest.

As I thought about that, I could no longer suppress the excitement building in me—this would be the first time I cast magic outside the training grounds.

“For now… should I just burn the whole area?”

Flame Area was a spell I could only use in the war phase, but right now I could use it normally.

Its magic-stone cost was on an entirely different scale from other spells, but… if it was meant for armies, it should be able to burn a settlement.

“Fels-sama, please wait. I humbly believe an area-type spell’s range is too wide.”

Eisha, walking beside me, stopped me—apparently she’d heard my mutter.

“Hm? Is that so?”

“Yes. With a settlement that size, firing about six Storm-type spells should erase it without a trace.”

“Hm… I see. My memory is unreliable when it comes to spell range and effects. Perhaps I should have done more verification by attribute in the training grounds.”

The range of attack magic was one thing, but illusion and holy spells could do other things as well… In the training grounds, I’d mostly trained for individual combat—sword techniques and single-target spells.

My body moved so freely that it was too fun, and I’d neglected that kind of testing.

Between that village and the goblins, our recovered magic stones were about twenty thousand… We were still in the red just on facility upkeep, so I couldn’t freely cast spells out in the world, but… at this rate, we’d secure funds fairly quickly.

“When you test Holy attribute spells, please leave it to me!”

Eisha puffed out her chest and volunteered with slightly heavy breathing.

“All right. I’ll be counting on you then.”

“Yes!”

Eisha answered with a brilliant smile.

“F-Fels-sama! If it’s Light attribute, please let me—”

“Oh? Lynferia-san? If it’s Light, I can use it too, you know? In fact… I think I can handle it better.”

Lynferia tried to speak up from the other side, but Eisha cut in, tilting her head.

“Ghk…!”

Lynferia groaned in frustration. Well… it couldn’t be helped. Eisha was a backline character, and Lynferia was a frontline one.

Even if Lynferia had Light as a specialty, Eisha would have higher magic aptitude as a backliner.

“…If we’re talking about testing magic, couldn’t Kamila handle all of it alone?”

From the rear, Otonoha dropped a brutally frank statement, and the two beside me froze like statues.

Sure, Kamila alone—our strongest magic user with maximum aptitude in every attribute—could handle it, but…

“No. I intend to have many people participate in the testing. We need to confirm differences in effect, power, and range due to aptitude. Of course Kamila, but Eisha and Lynferia too—and we’ll likely have the maids help as well.”

“…Fels-sama, aren’t you more suited to research and development than we are?”

Otonoha gave a troubled smile as she said that, but I lightly laughed and shook my head.

“Accurately understanding our own power is important. It’s different from research and development.”

Besides, there was no way I could do anything that complicated. In the game, I’d just give orders and it would be done a few turns later… Though right now, I was still just giving orders, so was it the same?

While thinking that, we finally saw the goblin settlement.

Oh—right. We’d been talking among ourselves, but I’d forgotten the hunter was here.

I stole a glance at his face… He was slumped forward, thoroughly worn out, and didn’t seem to be paying attention to our conversation.

“The settlement is in sight.”

When I spoke, the hunter raised his head with a deathly look on his face.

“Th-that is…?”

He stared blankly at the settlement wall… Well, it was more impressive than his village’s, after all.

“There were over three hundred goblins living there. Not a single one remains now… What will you do? Will you go inside?”

“…No. There’s no need to see it.”

“All right. Then we’ll burn it now, but… don’t step too far forward.”

“Y-yes…”

Now then… let’s begin.

“Eisha, come with me. Lynferia, Otonoha, Corin, and Mei—wait here. Protect him properly.”

I gave quick instructions and headed toward the settlement. Ururu would likely follow without being told, and as for magic, Eisha knew the most in this group.

Well, I could probably do it alone, but still.

“Is it really okay to cast fire magic in the middle of a forest?”

Only now did I realize that, and I asked Eisha. If it turned into a massive wildfire… that would be a disaster.

“We have no one who uses water, but… in an emergency, you could order Lynferia to freeze it.”

“Hm… then I’ll burn it without holding back.”

Still, shouldn’t I have brought someone who specialized in water…?

This felt like a personnel deployment mistake…

Well, I couldn’t admit that.

“Eisha, can you instruct me where I should cast?”

“I-instruct you!?”

Eisha opened her eyes wide in surprise.

“Yes. This is my first time using spells like this, so I don’t know how wide the impact will be.”

“…Understood. Then, if you will permit me… I-I will give instructions! First, cast Flame Storm on that building. Then we’ll move, so please follow me.”

“Very well. I’m counting on you.”

And so, guided by the little priestess’s instructions, I moved through the settlement and burned it down with wide-area spells.

Flame Storm looked like a low, fiery tornado, but the heat output was so extreme that just being near it felt like I’d be roasted.

Not roasted… I thought I’d be charred to carbon.

I had cast it myself, yet I still took a step back out of reflex.

In any case, following Eisha’s advice—no, her instructions—I unleashed spells and reduced the settlement to ash without taking much time.

I did feel sorry for Bangagonga and the others, but…

I, the Overlord, was very satisfied.

Well, they wouldn’t be coming back here anyway… I hoped they’d forgive me for enjoying a little demolition.

I just hoped they’d like the area below our castle that Otonoha and the others worked so hard to build…

Even if it was still only temporary housing.

Thinking that, I rejoined Lynferia and the others—

And the hunter had fainted, looking like he’d seen something terrifying.