“I’m sorry for making you wait. Martina, we managed to defeat the monsters without any injuries, thanks to your knowledge. Thank you.”
“I’m glad I could be of help.”
With Lambert’s return, the conversation between the three was interrupted.
Sylvan , furrowing his brow, seemed still deep in thought about the words he had heard from Roland, but perhaps deciding to focus on the task at hand, he relaxed the grip on his clenched fist.
“By the way, the knights who went on reconnaissance have returned, and it seems the situation in the town is rather grim. Monsters are scattered everywhere, and it seems the town has become their den.”
“Under such circumstances… are there still people in the town?”
“Yes, we saw some signs indicating requests for rescue.”
At Lambert’s words, the expressions of the three immediately turned serious.
“From now on, our first priority will be to rescue any remaining residents. Once that is done, we’ll focus on clearing out the monsters, reclaiming the town, and investigating the forest. But above all, the rescue of the residents must come first. We will hold a strategy meeting soon, so I’d like all of you to participate.”
“Understood.”
Then, Lambert led them to where the knights’ officers had gathered, and the strategy meeting began.
The members of the Second Knights’ Order, including their captain, had heard of Martina’s abilities, so although they may not fully believe in them, they did not refuse her participation.
“I am Valère Escoffier, the captain of the Second Knights’ Order. Without further delay, please report again on the situation in the town.”
After Escoffier’s brief greeting, one of the knights who had gone on reconnaissance stepped forward.
“Yes, I report! Not only on the streets, but also inside buildings and on rooftops, monsters have infiltrated. We were only able to confirm ants and ant-type monsters, mostly Big Ants, but there were a few other monsters with unfamiliar colors, and it seems these monsters are in conflict with the Big Ants. The fighting between the different types of monsters has caused chaos in the town.”
“Is it possible for us to enter the town, clear out the monsters, and rescue the residents?”
“…No, there are too many monsters, and there’s the danger of being surrounded from all sides in the town. Additionally, the town is not well-organized, and when I ventured a bit inside, I found the alleys to be like a maze, extending off the main streets. If we get lost, the knights might be in danger…”
Escoffier nodded thoughtfully at the reconnaissance knight’s words and then dismissed him with a simple “Thank you.”
“What should we do…”
“Given that there are still residents, we should avoid large-scale attacks. In that case… how about using medicinal herbs? I believe there are herbs that ant-type monsters dislike, so if we use them, we might reduce the danger and be able to focus on rescue.”
One of the knights suggested this strategy, and Escoffier nodded in agreement.
“That could work. Rescue is the top priority, so avoiding combat with the monsters is acceptable. If there are no residents in the town, then we can consider strategies for clearing out the monsters. …But the problem is that we still don’t know what the situation is in the town. There is a risk of knights getting lost, and there’s also the possibility of missing residents who are calling for help.”
“It would be great if we had a map…”
At that point, the strategy seemed to reach a standstill, and a silence filled the room. Then Martina cautiously raised her hand.
“Um… perhaps I could make a map.”
Everyone looked at Martina with puzzled expressions. It was Lambert, who was next to her, who spoke first.
“Martina, what do you mean by you could make a map?”
“Well, assuming someone is willing to help, I have the ability to perfectly recall the details of anything I see with my eyes in an instant. So, if I could get a view of the town from above, I should be able to create a fairly accurate map.”
Everyone was stunned by Martina’s extraordinary ability and remained silent for a moment.
However, Lambert, who had witnessed Martina using this ability to detect the expansion of a poisonous gas reservoir earlier, quickly regained his composure and nodded in understanding.
“Indeed, Martina might be able to do that. The person who will assist you would be someone capable of flying, right?”
“Yes. Flying is a highly advanced magic, so only a few people can do it, but fortunately, someone here is capable of casting it…”
“Haha, you even figured that out before suggesting it. As expected of you, Martina.”
Martina, who had memorized the detailed profiles of the knights and had also remembered the faces of all the knights she had been traveling with so far, caused Lambert to smile with amusement.
“I understand. Then, I’ll ask Martina to create the map. The knights who can use flight are part of the First Knights’ Order, so I’ll go speak with them. …Is everyone alright with this plan?”
When Lambert asked the entire group at the meeting, most of them were still somewhat skeptical, but after seeing Martina and Lambert’s confident expressions, they nodded in agreement.
Afterword
Thank you so much to everyone who always reads my work. Your comments and ratings are very encouraging!
Today, I have an announcement about a different work. I’ve started serializing a new piece on a service called Kakuyomu Next, which launched today. (It’s a paid service, but some chapters are available for free.)
The work is titled “The Witch of the Abyss and Her Unrestful Days”.
This is also a high fantasy with a female protagonist, so I think those of you who have been reading Martina’s story will enjoy it!
If you’re interested, you can read it via the link below. (By the way, the illustrations that accompany it are really wonderful, so please take a look at them as well!)
Thank you for your support!
Aoi Misa
