Isekai Nonbiri Nouka-Chapter 925: The Fortress and General Giscar

I headed out to the fortress west of the Demon King’s Kingdom’s capital to check on the proposed location for the teleportation gate that would connect to the Six Dragon God Kingdom.

My guide for the trip was Beezel.

My companions: Loo and Tier.

As for my escorts, I had Gulf, Daga, and Reginleif.

…Although, truth be told, the only one who really needed to be here was Loo.

So technically, I was the tagalong.

-0-

The Fortress.

This was the largest military hub in the Demon Kingdom.

It didn’t have an official name, but it was commonly referred to as Gullgald Fortress.

That said… the image I had in my head was something way more rugged.

Like a concrete-heavy, no-nonsense stronghold.

Because, you know… it’s a fortress.

But the actual sight before me?

It looked more like a beautiful, well-organized large town.

「This is the rear supply base, after all. The actual military fortifications are scattered further into the mountains.」

Beezel explained things as we walked.

From here, they send out supplies to the various outer defense lines.

Still, technically speaking, this was considered the front line.

Long-term assignments here could be extremely taxing on the soldiers, so this more relaxed and secure rear area served to help ease their stress.

Looking around, I saw a bustling commercial district on the edge of town.

Plenty of shops, good energy.

「Well, it’s barely a quarter as lively as it used to be, though.」

Is that so?

「Yeah. We’re currently in the process of downsizing the stationed forces. The military burns through money, after all.」

And yet, they’re still running farms between here and the royal capital, right?

I’d heard that when there’s no fighting, they just go out and work the fields like regular farmers.

「Not everyone is suited for farm work, though.」

Makes sense.

Just like I learned in one of the lectures back in Village Five.

A military made up of multiple races comes with all sorts of challenges.

Still, since you brought me here, does that mean this is where the teleportation gate will be installed?

「Oh, no. Not here. The gate will be set up beyond the fortress, just in case something goes wrong.」

…Then why are we here?

Just as that question formed in my mind, a cavalry unit rode up to us.

They were fully armed.

Looked to be about a hundred strong—though the ones in the back might have made it more.

They came to a halt just ahead of me and lined up in formation.

All dismounted.

So… no hostile intent, then.

From their ranks, one knight stepped forward.

Decked out in lavish full-body armor.

He removed his helmet and offered a crisp salute.

「We’ve been waiting for you!」

…Yeah, that was a perfect salute, but…

Aren’t you saluting the wrong person?

That was meant for Beezel, wasn’t it?

…Wait, no, I was the intended recipient?

Yeah.

I’m the father of Gol, Sil, and Bron.

Not the real father but adoptive father to be exact.

I’ve got no problem owning that title.

Ah, and yes.

About that time at the academy during the whole duel debacle…

I sincerely apologize for the trouble we caused.

-0-

The man introduced himself as Giscar.

He was the general in charge of the entire military force stationed at the fortress, as well as the fortress commander himself.

In other words, the top brass around here.

Turns out, Beezel brought us here specifically to meet him.

The reason?

「Permission granted to pass through the main gate!」

…Yup. That.

A bit of a pain, but this is a military facility.

Whether we use teleportation or not, if we’re working in the area, we still need authorization.

「We tried getting prior approval… but General Giscar insisted he had to greet you personally. He even said he wouldn’t give us permission otherwise.」

…He wanted to meet me?

I turned to him, and Giscar nodded vigorously.

「I didn’t get to attend the parade, after all. I wanted to make sure I met you at least once.」

…Really?

「According to Marquis Britoa, you’re an exceptional village chief.」

Marquis Britoa…?

Oh, right. That’s Glatts.

If Gratz was singing my praises, it’s probably because of the whole situation with Ronana.

「No no, it’s not just that.」

…It pretty much is.

「Fufu… I see. Well then…」

Giscar gave a signal with his eyes to the soldiers behind him.

The troops that had been standing in formation suddenly started… moving in unison.

Wait. What is this?

Why are they suddenly doing gymnastics?

No…

That’s… are those letters?

Human letters?

They were forming words with their bodies?!

《We want it! A teleport gate connecting here to the Capital!》

As I read the message, Beezel blew up.

「General Giscar! I told you not to make requests like that!」

「What are you saying? This isn’t a request—it’s a demonstration of our training.」

With another signal, Giscar changed the message.

《Please! Open a delicious restaurant here too!》

They even included the horses into the human lettering—major points for style.

These troops were seriously well-drilled.

I was honestly impressed.

But Beezel… not so much.

「General Giscar! Looking closely—that’s not even regular troops! Those are all officers, aren’t they?!」

…Wait, what?

They weren’t just common soldiers?

「Each of them leads or assists a unit of at least a hundred men! Why are you making them do this?!」

Bezel’s scolding turned Giscar’s face grim.

「Rank-and-file soldiers just don’t have the coordination for something like this…」

…….

Beezel’s face turned grim too.

「A-ah… well, I, uh… th-thank you for your hard work, everyone…」

「Hmm.」

Yeah, I just got a real look at how hard life is in the Demon King Army.

-0-

I accepted the… “request”, for now.

Told them I’d take it back with me and give it some thought.

Anyway…

While I’d been distracted by the living lettering, something had clearly gone down behind me.

Apparently, Gulf, Daga, and Reginleif had been scuffling with a few dozen soldiers.

…Is that allowed?

「They were just helping determine the order in which everyone would greet village chief.」

Tier explained.

Neither Beezel nor General Giscar seemed the least bit concerned, so I guess it wasn’t a big deal.

So—what was the final result of that “greeting order”?

「Everyone agreed to postpone until another time.」

…That really okay?

「It’s perfectly fine.」

Tier declared without hesitation, and Loo added with a grin.

「They challenged you to fight to see if village chief is really as strong as they’d heard. So, Gulf and the others told them, ‘Beat us first if you want a shot at him’.」

…Ah.

Thanks, Gulf, Daga, Reginleif.

That would’ve been a serious problem if they’d come after me.

And don’t make that “aw, shucks” face, you three.

I’m weak, okay?

-0-

With that settled.

Now that we had permission to pass, we headed out to the planned teleport gate site.

It was a flat patch of land just beyond the mountain fortress’s main gate.

A good vantage point—easily visible from the fortress.

「We’ll surround the gate with a security post, of course.」

Beezel began explaining the additional facilities that would be built alongside the gate.

Lodging and mess halls for staff and guards, plus a warehouse for temporarily holding cargo.

Everything here would be under Demon King’s Kingdom’s management, so I didn’t really have any say.

Still… there was one thing I wanted to bring up.

「Village Chief, if there’s anything you’d like to mention, please don’t hesitate.」

Really?

Well then, I’ll take you up on that, Beezel.

I turned and looked at the fortress.

The front face.

Now that I was facing it directly, it was impossible to miss.

The entire thing was built into the shape of a massive devil’s face.

It has a quite angry expression.

The fortress’s main gate?

That was its gaping mouth.

…Why on earth would you design it like that?

It looked incredibly sinister.

「…The architect was, well… something of an artistic type.」

An artistic type, huh.

「Yes.」

And how do the people who actually use the fortress feel about it?

「They’ve decided not to think about it. You can’t really see it from inside, after all.」

…Right.

Well, I suppose it could intimidate enemies, if nothing else.

「No enemies have ever made it this far…」

…….

-0-

By the way, about the other fortresses a little away.

Why are they made of just regular walls and towers?

「Budget constraints.」

So they do have some sense about spending.

「I wish they had more sense about not wasting it in the first place.」

…Yup.

Even Beezel admits that demon-face fortress was a total waste of funds.

-0-

Character Introduction

General Giscar – Participated in the duel incident at the academy involving Gol and the others in the past.

General Giscar: 「It’s been so long… How many years have I waited since my first appearance?」

Police Chief Hita: 「I wonder when my turn will come…」 ← He also participated in the duel incident.

TN: Just check out the beastboy’s school life arc if you want to reminisce. Or maybe Enderi’s chapter(374).