5-3 Part 2
Building a Remote Fortress with Just a
Shovel
- A Job That Utilizes the Lightness of Life -
Translator : PolterGlast
"Excavator...?"
"It's a job
where you dig up old ruins and artifacts."
Sometimes you can
find valuable items. Until I met that Evil Dragon, I earned my
insufficient allowance that way. It's hard to say it's lucrative. If it were
lucrative, the business of being an Excavator would be more popular by
now.
"What's a
'ruins'? Do you dig up good stuff...?"
"Sorry for my
stupid niece..."
In the countryside,
one can't even receive a proper education. No, as long as they can handle the
family business, that's fine. There is no good or bad.
"Ruins are very
old structures that have been forgotten by people. The items obtained from
there are called artifacts."
"Eeh, I don't
get it at all... Why do you want something so old? New is better, isn't
it?"
"Being old
means being rare. It's proof that there was a world different from now. There
are quite a few people in this world who feel happy by letting their thoughts
drift to different worlds and expanding their delusions."
"Ah, if it's
that, I get it! I like the old songs of bards! Fugyah!?"
Unable to watch any
longer, Lucky-san grabbed his niece, who was sticking to me, by the back of her collar and
forcibly pulled her off. It's about time to end the digression.
"That's enough.
From here on, I will convey the village situation to Shinza-dono."
"Sorry Kachua,
maybe next time."
"Our village
population is 162. Among them, about 60 can join the vigilante corps and fight.
There are 13 trained, full-time vigilante members. ...Just so you know, that
includes Kachua there."
"What do you
mean 'just so you know'?! If it's just the bow, I'm the best!"
Uncle didn't deny Kachua's
brave self-assertion. Rather, he looked away with an air of resignation and
continued talking about Corin Village.
"Peace has
lasted a long time in the Empire, so there is no one in this village with
military experience. Usually, they are just villagers plowing fields, logging,
or hunting."
"Won't the lord
send troops?"
Even if it's a
village deep in the mountains, a decent lord would likely spare some soldiers.
From the lord's perspective, they are taxpayers; losing them would mean a drop
in tax revenue.
"He's being
stingy. Telling us to abandon the village and go to the urban areas. Otherwise,
we wouldn't request help from the guild."
"Ah, you better not accept that
demand."
It seems he's not a
decent lord. Along with a slight indignation, I readjusted the Shovel on
my shoulder.
"Is that
so?"
"Don't
interrupt, Kachua..."
"Yeah,
certainly it might be a tough situation, but the fate of farmers who abandon
their land is miserable. They will be worked to death like slaves."
"Is that so?
But you seem awfully
knowledgeable..."
"Nah, it’s just a secondhand knowledge from
my brother. Apparently, enslaving one's own subjects and exploiting them on
one's own manor has been quite the trend lately."
In the Empire, the
power of the nobility has been waning with every passing year. The reason is
simple: peace. Therefore, in an effort to expand the
nobles' influence, a bill was regrettably passed allowing for the expansion of
private manors that are exempt from national tax... Or at least, I remember Georg fuming about exactly that while
we shared a meal a while back.
"I don't get it
even if you talk about difficult things! More importantly, Shinza, how
are you going to defeat the Goblins?! I'll help too, so let's think of a
strategy!"
"Kachua,
Shinza-dono is speaking for our sake; don't interrupt him repeatedly..."
"No, it's fine.
I came to exterminate Goblins, just a mere adventurer, after all."
I am not foolish
enough to think of subjugating a Goblin army superior in numbers with
just valor and a single Shovel. So I thought a little. I adjusted the
calculations by checking the situation of Corin Village against the plan
I had roughly thought of during the journey.
The answer is the Shovel.
Because I have no other talent.
"I saw the
entrance of the village when I came, but aren't you going to dig a moat?"
"Ah... we tried
to make one. But they wouldn't let us; as soon as we started
construction, we were interfered with."
"Then that's
convenient. I will dig that moat."
If we dig a moat,
the enemy will apparently attack us. That means we can fight using the village's
outer wall as a shield. Compared to us going out to fight, the damage to the
villagers can be minimized.
"W-What are you
saying, Shinza-dono...? You're going to make a moat instead of
exterminating the Goblins...?"
"I'm better at
digging holes than fighting, so well, consider yourself tricked and let me try
it for a bit. Also, gather the archers; it's a chance to reduce their numbers.
I will be the decoy."
Then he seemed to be
speechless. Opening and closing his mouth repeatedly, he was unable to choose
his words for a while.
"Shinza-dono,
a man like you is a first... For such pocket change, you're really going to
make yourself a decoy?! Why would you do that much for stingy country bumpkins
like us?!"
"I'm troubled
if you exaggerate it that much. I'm only risking my life for my own sake. By a
mysterious connection of karma, if you guys are saved, I will also be
saved."
Besides, I simply
cannot turn a blind eye to this. Because of the Manor Expansion Law enacted by
the Empire, there are people here who are left without even the protection of
their lords. If I don't see this through to the end, it won't fit the narrative
of justice that Zirant and I desire.
"Fine, leave
the bow to me, Shinza! I'll shoot them down with perfect accuracy!"
"Kachua!
Kuh... Promise absolutely not to go outside the fence!"
"As if I'd go
out! If I go out, I'm sure to be killed!"
Well, showing the
miracle of the Shovel directly is faster than persuading. The eccentric carrying
a steel Shovel threw open the door of the reception room and turned back, aiming for
the village's south gate.
— Adventure —
·
【Save Corin Village】
·
Completion Reward: STR +5 / Scoop LV +1 / EXP 200
·
“Just in case I say this, but don't die,
okay? Because the future of the Empire hangs on you.”
You say that, Zirant, but depending on the enemy's numbers, I might die easily. In that case, sorry, but please possess Brother or someone instead. Though I'm sure you'd have a hard time.
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