“Wait, Lady Ruler.”
Rayne felt that the ruler was looking down on them.
“It’s one thing to station us in Tattle Town since it’s where the lord’s mansion is, but Windmill Town and Red Leaf Town are both in the rear. You can’t even see a single Demon Race there.”
“We didn’t come here to watch the show from the back. Every member of my squad is a veteran who’s killed high-level monsters.”
“We can go to the front lines. We don’t have to stay in the rear. We can fight the Demon Race with real swords and real guns.”
Rock quickly tugged on Rayne’s sleeve, signaling him to calm down.
But Rayne wouldn’t listen. He craned his neck and stared at Consta.
Consta looked at Rayne’s impatient expression.
She could understand the urge of a young man eager to prove himself.
So she didn’t get angry at all. Instead, she let out a light chuckle.
On the surface, she wore an expression that seemed very understanding but also a little troubled.
“Captain Rayne, I completely understand how you feel.”
Consta’s voice dropped to a very soft, soothing tone.
“I know you’re all very strong. Putting you in the rear does feel like overkill, but…”
She deliberately paused and sighed.
“If you adventurers steal all the glory, what will the Border Guard Army do?”
Rayne was stunned.
“You must have heard by now.”
Consta continued.
“The five thousand guards in my territory were just blessed by the Goddess a few days ago.”
“And the weapons and equipment seized from the Night Demon Society—the ones originally brought by the Second Prince—have been issued to them.”
“Right now, they’re all bursting with energy, eager to prove themselves against the Demon Race and repay the Goddess’s kindness.”
Consta looked Rayne in the eyes, her tone very tactful.
“If I send elite adventurers like you to the front lines and you steal their thunder—or even their prey—then where will those five thousand guards’ pride go?”
Her words were absolutely watertight.
She gave the adventurers a huge compliment, implying they were too strong and would steal the regular army’s spotlight, while also providing a perfectly reasonable explanation for why they couldn’t go to the front.
A straightforward guy like Rayne couldn’t read between the lines.
When he heard that the ruler was afraid they were too strong and would steal the guards’ credit, his resentment vanished in an instant, replaced by immense satisfaction.
“Ah… haha, so that’s how it is.”
Rayne scratched his messy orange hair and laughed.
“But if the front lines get tight, we’re ready to go anytime!”
At that moment, Aurelite seemed to think of something.
“Lady Ruler, I’ve heard that the Border Guard Army used to have old, shabby equipment.”
Consta looked at the young mage girl when she heard this, then nodded but said nothing.
“Don’t get me wrong, Lady Ruler. I’ve only heard rumors that the nobles have been skimming off the support supplies the King sent.”
Aurelite stated.
“Even the weapons and equipment of the Border Guard Army were sold off for gold and jewels.”
“What? There’s something like that?”
Rayne was taken aback.
He only cared about adventurer business and had never heard such rumors.
Or rather, even if he had, he didn’t take them seriously and let them go in one ear and out the other.
“Yeah.”
The short, stout Rock nodded.
“I’ve heard similar rumors too.”
Consta smiled faintly.
“These aren’t problems that adventurers should worry about.”
“Alright.”
Consta clapped her hands.
“Masha, go make arrangements. Allot enough alcohol, meat, and supplies to the three captains’ squads.”
“Make sure everyone eats and drinks well during their assignment. The lord’s mansion will cover all expenses.”
With that, she looked at the three captains.
“There’s no time to waste. We don’t know when the Demon Race will launch an attack.”
“Go back now and set up your defenses according to the plan.”
“Remember, if the border falls, don’t try to hold out at all costs.”
“The Demon Race is no joke. If you underestimate them, you might pay a heavy price.”
The three left the lord’s mansion and returned to the Copper Wheat Tavern the same way they came.
The tavern was even livelier than before.
The sour smell of ale mixed with the greasy aroma of grilled meat, stinging the eyes.
Adventurers, faces flushed red from drinking, were slamming tables and shouting boasts.
“When the Demon Race comes, I’m gonna chop off ten of their heads and string ’em on my belt!”
A burly man yelled, standing on a stool.
“Ten? That’s nothing! I’ll take on a Demon General solo! That’s where the big bounty is!”
Another skinny guy shot back without backing down.
Amid the noise, the tavern’s wooden door swung open.
The three walked in.
The tavern quieted slightly as everyone turned to look at them, waiting to hear the arrangements from the lord’s mansion.
Rayne was muttering about Consta’s final warning.
What did she mean by “the Demon Race is no joke” and “you might pay a heavy price”?
After all that talk, she was definitely still looking down on them, right?
Aurelite ignored everyone’s gaze and walked straight to a table in the corner of the tavern.
Her squad members were sitting there.
At that table sat only one woman.
Her name was Mila, an agile warrior wearing form-fitting light armor.
She had fiery red short hair, an extremely hot figure, long legs carelessly draped over a bench, and was fiddling with a sharp dagger as if trimming her nails.
When she saw Aurelite sit down, Mila immediately sheathed the dagger and leaned in.
“Aurelulu, how did it go?”
Mila was straightforward and spoke like a string of firecrackers.
“What did the Lady say?”
“Are we leading the charge?”
“I’ve been so bored these past few days my bones are rusting. I need to find some high-level monsters to practice on.”
Aurelite crossed her hands in an X.
“Stop calling me by a reduplicated nickname.”
“The Lady assigned our squad to stay in Tattle Town, Rayne’s squad goes to Red Leaf Town, and Uncle Rock goes to Windmill Town.”
Mila blinked, processing the information.
“That means we adventurers are stuck in the rear?”
Mila’s voice suddenly rose as she slapped the table and stood up.
“We won’t even get to touch a single hair of the Demon Race!”
Mila’s outburst ignited the other adventurers in the tavern.
The place erupted, with many voicing their displeasure.
“What? We’re being stationed in the rear?”
“Is this lord looking down on us adventurers?”
“We came to fight the Demon Race, not to be security guards!”
“Shut up! What the hell are you all shouting about?”
Seeing this, Rayne quickly jumped onto a table and shouted.
His booming voice drowned out everyone else.
“You don’t know shit!”
Rayne put his hands on his hips and repeated the ruler’s reasoning.
“The Lady said we’re too strong!”
“If we go to the front, we’ll steal all the spotlight from those five thousand Border Guards!”
“They just got blessed by the Goddess and are itching to show off. If we go, what the hell are the guards supposed to fight?”
Rock didn’t call Rayne out.
But he knew that Consta’s words were just lip service, meant for impulsive young men like Rayne.
The priority now was to calm the other adventurers.
So he stepped up, smiling and playing peacemaker.
“Everyone, calm down.”
“Brother Rayne is right.”
“We’re here to help, not to steal credit or cause trouble.”
“Since the Lady has a unified plan, we need to follow orders.”
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