Chapter 62

"Alright, Alus, let's set out!"

"Huh? Where are you going, Brother Baito? The Fontana family hasn't even come this way yet, right?"

"Are you an idiot? Who would just wait for the enemy to come? We need to take the initiative and go to them. How else are we going to win?"

It was just after I had given the Valka surname to all the villagers who had responded to the call, with a magic recovery potion in my hand. Brother Baito, who had been watching from the side, suddenly stood up and said this. I wondered what he was suddenly talking about. Could he already be in combat mode?

But upon further reflection, I realized I had been too focused on gathering as many people as possible. I hadn't thought at all about what to do next. The most I had considered was waiting for the traveling merchant to gather information.

Thinking about it, Brother Baito might have a point. The land I built around Valka Village is surrounded by walls I constructed. However, this land is far too large. It's impossible to defend a territory that's about 4 km on each side with fewer than 100 people. The walls are thick, but they aren't like a castle wall. They were built to withstand the charge of a large boar, not to repel human attackers.

However, going out to attack the enemy's base as Brother Baito suggests is also risky. They are a group with military strength. In recent years, they have only been using conscripted farmers for battles, so there is likely a difference in military strength. We might need to come up with a better strategy.

"Alright, let's set out. But not to the city. We're going to the neighboring village."

After some thought, I decided to go to another village.

***

The city of Fontana, located about three days' journey south of Valka Village near the northern forest. Of course, there isn't nothing between my village and the city. There are several other villages.

I decided to go to the village closest to Valka Village. However, the purpose is not to raid and plunder the village. We are going to inform the people of the neighboring village about the reason for our uprising.

The injustice lies with the Fontana family, and we are rising up because we can no longer endure it. The story I used to rally the people of Valka Village will be spread to other villages. It's a form of propaganda, essentially saying that justice is on our side.

Of course, other villages might not care about this story and might even find it troublesome. However, I believe a certain number of people will listen. Many people struggle to find food daily, and every winter, quite a few die from freezing or starvation. People living in uncertain times.

I plan to persuade them with a message that their difficult lives are all the fault of the nobles, and then demonstrate magic. I will offer them the chance to learn this magic along with food supplies.

I think a fair number of people will gather. The group from Valka Village will use magic that they have never seen before and demonstrate it to one or two people right in front of them. Once they see that, no one will doubt that they can also learn magic.

If this succeeds, the next steps will depend on the situation. We can head to the city, engage in a field battle somewhere, or return to Valka Village and fortify it. It will depend on the enemy's actions. We want to take the initiative, but if they send an overwhelming number of troops, we can't just charge in. Ultimately, we need to be flexible and make decisions as the situation develops.

Thus, about 80 people from Valka Village set out for the neighboring village.

***

"Hmm, unexpected. They don't seem to want to listen at all."

"Of course not. No village would want to talk when a group of armed people approaches."

"I thought it was a good idea. Dad, what do you think we should do?"

"How would I know?"

The neighboring village we approached from a diagonal direction from Valka Village. It seems I was the only one thinking we would have a talk. The people of the neighboring village immediately gathered with weapons when they sensed our group approaching.

They are clearly battle-hardened. In our village, every household has a weapon ready for emergencies, and they gather quickly when something happens. Their speed was not like the lackadaisical movements in disaster drills from my previous life; it was as if their lives depended on it. Perhaps they have experienced sudden attacks by groups, something we haven't experienced in Valka Village.

Our people are also quite tense. It's only natural, considering the situation. I intended to come to the neighboring village for a talk, but I hadn't communicated this to the entire group. I only told the people around me our destination before heading to the neighboring village. Some of our people might think we are here to attack the neighboring village.

I have no experience leading a group of armed people, even from my previous life. Perhaps I moved too quickly without considering what everyone else was thinking. The situation of two groups of people, each with a killing intent, facing each other made me look up to the sky in exasperation.

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