Read Novel Full Vol 18 Chapter 9
Vol 18 Chapter 9
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(15/20)
Chapter 9 – A Close Call
At the foot of the mountain where the ancient earth dragon was believed to be, there was a fort defended by kobolds. This fortress was truly impregnable. It had the power to make people with normal minds give up even the thought of fighting. We gave up on attacking that fort and decided to try another approach.
It had been three days since I had secretly planned a devious plan and, on the surface, tried to bribe the kobolds with food.
To be honest, my heart almost broke several times.
But I managed to find the willpower to keep going, and now my efforts are nearing their limit.
It was hard.
On the first day of the operation, we attacked them with meat in an orthodox manner.
Since the kobolds have a good sense of smell, we presented them with simple dishes with a weak smell in front of the fort to see how they would react.
The main course was meat.
We had a barbecue in front of the fort with beef, pork, and chicken that I had obtained from luxury liners and ferries, as well as other meats that I had obtained during our adventures.
Well, we excluded the meat from the earth dragon, given the time, place, and occasion, but we still managed to put together a luxurious spread.
The effect was immediate, and the fort suddenly became noisy, attracting the attention of the kobolds.
So we called out to the kobolds.
Ines, Felicia, Alessia-san, and I tried our best to call them out, saying things like, “It’s delicious, it’s not scary, let’s be friends!”
If we can make friends with them, I won’t have to resort to underhanded tricks, so I was also desperate.
And all our calls were rebuffed.
The pitiful cries of the kobolds, like “I won’t give in to your temptation!” were followed by a firm refusal.
The response was good enough, however, as the kobolds began drooling and wagging their tails furiously.
We ate some of the large amount of barbecued meat ourselves and stored the rest in a rubber boat.
Then, it was time for the evening session.
Since they had survived the day, this time, we threw out some strong-smelling food for a BBQ.
The BBQ, made with barbecue sauce, soy sauce, various sauces, and other condiments, gave off a strong, violent smell that attacked the kobolds in the fort.
Then, just like in the afternoon, we tried to make friends with them, but that too failed.
The word “I won’t give up” was answered with a sad cry, even louder than during the day.
But the response to our attempts to win them over grew stronger.
And the internal rebellion I had feared erupted as expected.
The women, seeing the pitiful sight of the kobolds enduring their suffering, became distressed and began to complain that it was too painful to make the kobolds suffer any longer.
The ancient earth dragon did not appear either.
Day 2 of the operation.
Lunchtime.
In addition to the BBQ that had gone down so well the night before, we added a meaty menu of roast beef and rare steak, as well as fried foods, seafood, and soup.
Around this time, the fort went quiet, and the kobolds fell silent. There was no response to our calls, and the kobolds just stared intently at the food.
Snack time.
From the reaction of the kobolds, I realized that this was the crucial moment, and I miscalculated my next move.
It was snack time, so we changed direction and started throwing in lots of sweets.
It was a simple idea: if meat doesn’t work, candy will. But it was the kobold children who jumped on the idea.
Even though they had never seen a piece of it before, the kobold children were lured to the top of the fort by the sweet smell.
Sniffing the delicious scent through the gaps in the walls of the fort, they said, “It smells good!” “Is it sweet?” “I want to eat it!” in their cute, pleading voices.
The women, moved by the cute scene, called to them, even using baby talk.
This had the opposite effect.
The adult kobolds were aroused by the danger to the children. They drove away all temptation and turned their intense hostility towards us while trying to keep the children with them.
And there was another miscalculation.
The cries of the kobold children who were being held and carried away by the adult kobolds. This was a critical blow to the women.
They became acutely aware of their own misdeeds, and the scene was one of carnage.
At night.
The women, having lost their strength, were encouraged to continue with the plan by being told that if we gave up now, it would only end up hurting the kobolds.
In an attempt to make up for our failure during the day, we added some dishes other than sweets.
We also added various types of alcohol to the potion for the adult kobolds who were full of hostility.
I was worried if there was a drinking culture on this island, but the alcohol worked.
They started whimpering and moaning, just like the child kobolds did during the day.
However, it only strongly attracted about a third of the kobolds, not all of them.
Nevertheless, it was a great step forward to discover the weaknesses of the adult kobolds. We increased the variety of alcohol we offered, making it more tempting for the kobolds.
However, the strategy failed because the kobolds never left the fort.
The ancient earth dragon also did not appear.
Third day of the operation.
Noon. Present time.
Respecting the strong will of the kobolds, I decided to do my best and laid out everything I had shown them so far, including sweets and alcohol, in front of the fort.
I also serve a generous portion of meat and fish. I lay out all the food and alcohol I have on hand.
“I think it’s almost time…”
I murmur my wish as I look at the fort.
If they give in to temptation once, I’m sure I can enchant them with the taste.
If I can get them to return to the fort without harming them, I’ll have gained their trust, and we can talk.
Judging from the pitiful reaction of the kobolds, I think they’re close to the limit. I think it’s like water in a glass that’s filled to the brim and just barely holding on because of the surface tension.
Just one more push. Just one more push is all it needs.
I feel like if I keep tempting her, time will solve the problem, but we’re also close to our limit.
Or rather, Alessia-san and the others are defeated by the voices of the child kobolds, who are whining and crying; their eyes are dead, and they lack spirit altogether.
Ines and Felicia also look at me with eyes that say, “Can’t we just give up?”
I’m taking damage, too, and to be honest, I want to go home, but since this is the request of the Creator God-sama, I can’t give up.
We have to decide the winner soon, or everyone’s going to go crazy.
“Wataru, what’s wrong?”
While I was thinking about the problem, Ilma-san called out to me.
“I think the kobolds have reached their limit, but we can’t find the final push. We’re on the edge as well, so we want to decide the outcome quickly.”
I decided to consult with Ilma-san, who I knew had a good head for strategy, as there was no point in worrying about it by myself.
“Oh, you’re right. Both we and the kobolds are close to our limits. I don’t dislike cute things, but I didn’t think my heart would be so moved by them.”
Ilma-san shares her innermost feelings with a wry smile.
Ilma-san was also on her knees after being affected by the child kobolds. She is a seductive woman, but she is actually a researcher type, and Ilma-san herself must have been surprised by her own emotional turmoil.
“The kobold children are really cute. Ilma, can’t you do something about them?”
“If I could do something about it, I would have done it already.”
She’s right.
“Speaking of which, you also had balls and frisbees ready. Aren’t you going to use them?”
Oh, those things.
“I thought about using them, but their appetite for food is so strong that distracting them with something else seems like a bad idea.”
I’m afraid their interest in the ball and the frisbee will dull their appetite, even though they’re hungry, and could use a drink of water to distract them from their hunger.
“Hmm, that’s a valid concern.”
“That’s right.”
If we make a mistake here and have to start over, the women will definitely break. No, even now, they are forced to work even though they are broken.
There is a high possibility that they won’t be able to hold it together next time.
“But if we continue like this, it’ll just be a contest of endurance.”
“That’s true.”
So I’m counting on Ilma-san’s brilliant mind.
“Why don’t we just throw them in?”
“Throw them in?”
I don’t understand.
“I know they’ll definitely be scared, but we’ll put things that are safe to throw in a bag and throw them into the fort. It’s still close, so there’s a chance they’ll lose their patience if there’s food nearby.”
Ah, I hadn’t thought about it because there was a high chance that it would be thrown away in alarm, but now I can’t say for sure that there aren’t any kobolds who would take a hand.
But even though they are a bit childish, they are also kobolds who can speak and farm, so I think they would avoid danger even if tempted. It’s tricky.
“But would they eat it?”
“I don’t know. But anyway, Alessia is going to start crying soon.”
Is she going to cry? She’s starting to look a bit like a zombie, so I can’t deny it.
“…..Shall we try?”
As it is, we’re not going to get anywhere.
“Everyone, listen up. I’m going to throw some food into the fortress. Please help me choose something the kobolds will like.”
Oh dear, the words “the kobolds will like” seem to have struck a chord, and everyone has gathered at breakneck speed.
…I feel that it will be difficult to choose what to throw in.
＊＊＊
As expected, it was difficult.
Or rather, it was difficult because everyone wanted to please the child kobolds and kept choosing sweets.
I hope they understand that you can’t just put cakes in a bag and throw them in.
In the end, the relatively calm members of the group─me, Dorothea-san, Ilma-san, and Marina-san─decided to choose supplies for adults, while the other members chose supplies for children.
Along the way, we realized that wrapping things in plastic wrap could cause them to be accidentally eaten, so we ended up in a panic, looking for large leaves in the forest to use as wrappers, but somehow, we managed to get everything ready before nightfall.
“Everyone, try not to crush the contents as much as possible.”
Dorothea-san, Marina-san, Ilma-san, Ines, and Felicia nodded in agreement with Alessia-san’s words.
The plan was for the six of them to approach the fort and throw the bags in, one in each hand.
“Okay, let’s go.”
As the members, led by Alessia-san, start to run, the fort becomes noisy. They must be surprised because we have suddenly approached them after keeping our distance until now.
“They’re panicking. I hope they don’t get hurt.”
The guard, Claretta-san, mumbles anxiously, but the commotion seems to indicate that they may have scratched themselves a bit, so it seems unlikely that they will come out unscathed.
As I, Carla-san, and Claretta-san watched with bated breath, the throwing team approached the fort.
The kobolds just make a lot of noise but don’t attack at all. I begin to wonder what their weapons are for.
While I was wondering about the nature of the kobolds, the throwing team threw the sacks into the fort.
Naturally, there was a great commotion inside the fort.
The throwing team returned safely, so we’ll just have to wait and see. I hope they calm down by the end of the day.
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