14 Ethans Rewards (1/2)
Mia felt relieved when she saw the 26 explosions pierce the sky. [I did not voice any of my doubts that this plan would go perfectly, but I certainly felt some doubt. A lot of things could have gone wrong, but didn't. Ethan's gunpowder could have not worked as well as he thought it would, The 'delayed spark' enchantments could have not been cast perfectly and therefore not worked, the lizard-people could have realized it was a trap and not swarmed, the timing of the barriers could have not been perfect, the lizard-people could have had some kind of unseen countermeasure for explosions; if any of these possibilities had happened, we would have died. This was truly the best possible outcome.] thought Mia as her knights hacked apart what remained of the lizard-people force and the barrier that Friedrich had cast wore off.
”Don't let them regroup!” Mia shouted.
”Charge for their center, don't let them retreat in an organized fashion! Make sure that any enemy survivors are either killed or thoroughly routed!” She added.
This battle was reaching its successful conclusion. Just then Pieter Von Verafgelegen shouted ”Johan Alchemis! I see you hiding there, you coward! You would rather side with these monsters than your own kind! Would you abandon your fellow man, your countrymen, to their death, you traitor! I always knew that you were a weasel of a man, but to think that you would collaborate with the lizard-people against your own village!” at a scared looking young man who was hiding behind a tree on the edge of the where the Ancient Forrest met the clearing that the village was built on. He was watching in horror as the lizard-people were defeated by the knights and adventurers.
”Mercy, my lord! Please I beg you for your mercy!” Johan Alchemis said while prostrating himself, knowing that he had been caught just as most of the knights and adventurers were celebrating their victory.
”I knew that it was a little too inconvenient. Just as our alchemist abandoned us and brings all of his potions with him, the attacks from lizard-people began. And now to see you watching this from the Forest, it has removed all my doubt that you have collaborated with the enemy.” Said the angry lord of Verafgelegen as he, Mia, Hans, and Friedrich approached.
”Please, mercy my lord.” said the alchemist who was now shaken to the marrow.
”When-” Mia started to ask the alchemist.
”Please Mercy-” Said the alchemist while crying and still prostrating himself.
”Shut up about that and stop crying. I don't have time for that. I am the Captain of the Sun Knights in the service of the King, and you will answer my questions: When did it start? How long have you been in communication with lizard-people?” Asked Mia clearly irritated that this traitor had dared to interrupt her with his pathetic pleas for mercy.
”I first spoke to them a couple of months ago when I first came to this village. They didn't seem like monsters at first, they just gave me advice about alchemy, and gave me some valuable slime cores. All I had to do is give them insignificant information about the village like how thick the walls are and how much supplies we keep on hand. They really acted like they cared about me. Then when Sofia *sob* rejected me and then everyone laughed at me, I told them that I wanted to *sob* show her that I was a dependable man. They said that they would help me do that if I took my potions out of the village and hung out with them for a few days. They said that it would just be a siege for show and that I would come in and look like a hero. I-I really didn't want to hurt anyone.” said the alchemist.
[Is he an idiot, or does he think that I am? How in the world does he think that how thick village the walls are or how many supplies are in the village is 'insignificant information'. That is exactly the kind of information that a potential conqueror would want. And doesn't he know that lizard-people don't just break off sieges halfway through unless their own casualties are too high, and certainly not to make some human look like a hero. If he had any intelligence at all he would know that he was being used for the raiding of the village by the lizard-people.] thought Mia.
Pieter seemed to be having similar thoughts to Mia's because he said, ”If you really think that then you're an even bigger idiot than I thought.”
”Hans, Friedrich, bind his wrists, and bring him inside the village. We will take him with us. The king will decide his fate because his crime is treason against humanity.” Mia said and the twin knights brought the alchemist inside the village.
[Speaking of people whom I have ordered Hans and Friedrich to lead away while their wrists are bound, I wonder where Ethan is. I don't see him anywhere. He has as much right to celebrate as any of us, after all this victory is, in large part, thanks to him. I should go look for him] Mia thought.
She then went back into the village and started to look for him. She finally found Ethan in the alchemist's abandoned workshop. He was sitting on the floor with his knees pressed against his chest and his arms wrapped around his shins. His face was pale and sweaty as he was staring at the doorway. Mia, who had gone through many battles in the previous war against the Western Empire, knew that look on Ethans face well. She had seen it on the faces of several good knights who had gone through particularly bloody battles. In the Kingdom of Vorbei, they called it 'battle sickness', and it could affect even the toughest warriors. Mia then went and sat beside Ethan.
”You saved many lives today. Among the adventurers and knights, there were no casualties.” Mia said.
”I know.” said Ethan.
”Regardless of how you may feel about this, you did good work today, and you have a duty to accept the rewards when you feel better.” Said Mia.
”Rewards? I don't want a reward.” Said Ethan.
[I understand that he doesn't want a reward because it will remind him of the battle, but the law of this Kingdom states that a commoner must accept all rewards that a noble or royal offers in good faith. He has no choice but to accept the rewards, but we can at least wait until he feels better.] Thought Mia.
”A village was saved, a traitor was caught, and over five hundred intelligent monsters with valuable cores were killed thanks to you. Of course there's going to be a reward. You will need to accept the cores of all of the lizard-people that you killed plus half of the cores of all the lizard people that were killed with your assistance, i.e. killed with explosives that you made. Plus Pieter will have to give you a reward, probably an honorary title and a sword, that's pretty standard to give to a commoner who provided significant assistance in saving a village and he may also give you all of the traitor's property. Plus the King will likely reward you for assisting the Sun Knights, and the Von Ritter family will reward you for helping me. Of course, you'll no longer be our prisoner, more like an honored guest. We'll still be escorting you to the capital though.” Said Mia.