I Alone Regress in a Hero Party That Was Annihilated - Chapter 6

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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#6. The Hunting Festival in the Blizzard (4)

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The next morning.

The Mörsolt Family was suddenly thrown into a state of emergency.

It wasn’t enough that their troublesome youngest son had insisted on hunting orcs alone—he had actually gone ahead and run away from home.

“….”

The immature youngest young master’s running away had made all the retainers busy, but no one actually thought that Featherback had really gone out to subjugate orcs alone.

The atmosphere was one where they figured he was just putting on a show since he had said something.

Surely he was hiding somewhere, unable to break his old habits, probably painting pictures.

But only Soleil was quite shocked by his weak son’s excessive theatrics.

‘Was his father’s concern really that bothersome to him? In this harsh weather….’

A retainer meeting that had started early in the morning.

It was when the Family Head and retainers’ opinions were sharply divided over how many troops the Family Head should lead out.

“We need one hundred soldiers and two weeks’ worth of military rations. Thinking of the territory residents who are suffering from the orcs even at this very moment, we must quickly set out for subjugation….”

“Family Head, didn’t I tell you? Fifty soldiers and three days’ worth of rations is the limit. I absolutely cannot allow anything more than that. When even the Main Mansion’s finances are tight, this is not the time to worry about the territory residents’ circumstances.”

“Administrator Judas. You seem to be mistaken, but I am the Family Head. I am not someone who needs your permission.”

“If that’s the case, then the Family Head no longer needs us, does he? Do you truly wish to see all the retainers, including myself, submit resignation letters?”

The conflict between Family Head Soleil, who thought of the territory residents, and Administrator Judas, who was concerned about the reduction in budget he could embezzle.

In the midst of that.

“T-This is terrible!”

A knight burst through the conference room door.

Administrator Judas frowned and asked.

“What is it? Can’t you see we’re in the middle of an important meeting….”

“F-Featherback Young Master has returned!”

At those words, everyone’s eyes widened.

The troublesome young master who had run away the day before had finally shown himself.

Administrator Judas clicked his tongue.

“He was probably off painting landscapes somewhere again. What’s so important about that….”

“O-Orcs! He’s brought back the heads of orcs!”

“…?”

But at the following report, Administrator Judas could only tilt his head in confusion.

Soon, a cold wind blew in from behind the knight.

The smell of blood carried on the extremely chilly cold aura.

The expressions of everyone in the conference room hardened.

Featherback.

The fifteen-year-old boy of the Mörsolt Family.

He had returned.

At the end of the rope in his hand, over a hundred orc heads were dangling in clusters.

“…!?”

Soleil, Cardona, and everyone else shot up from their seats.

At first, they thought he had brought some grotesque sculptures from somewhere.

But those things hanging from the cord with both cheeks pierced through were unmistakably orc severed heads.

The faces of the orcs, all frozen solid, were hideously contorted with extreme terror and agony.

…Thud! …Thud!

Featherback placed something on the conference round table.

It was the sword he had received from Soleil and the shield he had received from Cardona.

Featherback spoke in a dry tone.

“I used them well.”

“….”

Everyone gathered in the conference room had their mouths half open.

Regardless, Featherback continued speaking.

“I have annihilated the orcs that came over the northwestern mountain peak.”

“Th-there look to be about a hundred? Did you catch all of these yourself?”

Family Head Soleil asked haltingly.

Featherback nodded.

“If you go up to the mountain peak, there are about two hundred and fifty more. Just the weight of the severed heads was considerable, so I couldn’t bring them all down.”

“!?”

“Since it’s cold, they won’t rot and will remain as they are.”

At those words, the others’ mouths fell open once more.

If what he said was true, didn’t that mean Featherback alone had killed three hundred and fifty orcs in just last night, in that short time?

Cardona asked stammering.

“Mercenaries, yes, did you hire some mercenary company?”

“Where would I have that kind of money? Besides, there are no mercenaries in this northern frontier to begin with.”

Featherback plopped down in an empty chair.

Then he naturally continued speaking.

“Last night I hunted the orcs in the northwest, but I couldn’t catch the orcs in the northeast. There are quite a few of those bastards, so it would be difficult to catch them alone in one day. We’ll probably need troops… Hmm.”

Featherback shifted his gaze toward Administrator Judas’s face.

Flinch―

Administrator Judas flinched at those cold, sharp eyes that were like a well-honed blade.

‘What is this? Those eyes… aren’t they like those of a veteran soldier who has rolled around battlefields for decades?’

Administrator Judas broke eye contact while breaking out in a cold sweat.

Featherback continued speaking while staring intently at Administrator Judas.

“About a hundred troops would be appropriate. Military rations for about two weeks should be sufficient.”

“…!”

It was exactly the same opinion that Family Head Soleil had expressed.

When the topic of funding came up, Administrator Judas forgot about being startled by Featherback’s presence and objected.

“Young Lord Featherback seems too young to understand these matters…”

“I know. I’ve seen it firsthand.”

“Still, monster subjugation isn’t something that…”

“What do you mean it isn’t? I know because I’ve done it myself. Have you ever caught an Orc?”

At Featherback’s words, Administrator Judas felt his words getting stuck in his throat.

He said he knew because he had seen it directly and done it himself.

What more was needed beyond those words?

Especially since these were words spoken after bringing back the severed heads of three hundred and fifty Orcs in just one night.

Soon, Featherback opened his mouth.

“May I say something before the meeting?”

Everyone’s gaze turned toward Featherback.

Then, Cardona stood up from her seat and spoke.

“Featherback. This is an important meeting. I don’t know how you managed to bring back so many orc heads and bodies, but…”

Featherback quietly listened to Cardona’s words.

In the past, he would have been intimidated by his elder sister’s words, but not now.

‘In the past, Elder Sister just seemed scary and cold to me… but now I see that wasn’t the case.’

At first glance, it might seem like she was dismissing her younger brother’s statement, but Cardona was simply worried that Featherback, who still lacked experience, might step forward recklessly and face a counterattack.

Now that he had aged, he could understand her true intentions.

…Then.

“It’s fine.”

Soleil raised his hand to stop Cardona.

Then he gestured toward Featherback.

“Son, say what you want to say.”

At this, Featherback continued speaking.

“Father.”

“Yes.”

“The Demon King will soon be revived.”

“…!”

In an instant, Soleil’s eyes wavered.

Featherback continued speaking.

“The stirring of the Orcs is a harbinger of the Demon King’s revival. Mörsolt has been a family that destroys demons since ancient times. We must prepare from now on. The opinion of a mere administrator is not what matters.”

At those words, people began to murmur.

Fervor began to appear on the Knights’ faces.

Mörsolt is a name that signifies the bloodline of those who have fought the Demon King for generations.

The words that the Demon King would soon be revived made their blood boil.

Then.

“Oh my, what is our Young Lord saying now?”

Yudi Administrator stepped forward.

He continued speaking toward Featherback in a seemingly soothing tone.

“Young Lord, it is morning now. You should wake up from your dream. What Fairy Tale Book did you read last night to be talking about the Demon King? When was it that the Demon King was destroyed?”

Most of the current Imperial Citizens are steeped in peace and cannot find even a speck of crisis awareness.

Yudi Administrator continued speaking.

“It seems Young Lord stopped by some Craft Shop on your way here? I heard that Crafted Items these days are made quite realistically, and that’s really true. Oh my, look at the dried blood on this Orc Head? Was it made with Clay? The fishy smell is quite realistic indeed.”

“….”

“How could a small fifteen-year-old boy alone climb the Snow Mountain where cold winds blow fiercely and kill three hundred fifty of those ferocious Orcs? And he says there were too many severed heads and they were too heavy, so he left them behind and only brought some. How can we believe such words? Doesn’t it make no sense? Especially from that Young Master Featherback?”

He crossed his arms and twitched his goatee.

However.

“Shall we make a bet?”

Featherback said calmly.

“The weather is nice today, so half a day should be enough to reach the Northwestern Mountain Peak. Let’s go check and decide. If there are one hundred Orcs dead with severed heads and two hundred fifty Orcs dead with heads still attached, follow my words. If not, then follow Yudi Administrator’s words. How about it?”

“Haha— Really. I just feel sorry for the Soldiers who will have to make that futile trip.”

Yudi Administrator seemed convinced that the Orc Heads and Bodies that Featherback brought were fake.

Even if they were real, he seemed to think they were bought with expensive money from some Mercenary Company.

‘Poor foolish Young Lord. He must have been scammed by mercenaries. How could there be dead Orcs on the Snow Mountain? Even if there were, the mercenaries would have cut off all their heads. How much is one Orc Head worth….’

But his thoughts didn’t continue for long.

“A-Administrator!”

One of Yudi Administrator’s Subordinates approached with a pale expression.

“The Soldiers stationed at the Outpost on the Northwestern Mountain Peak have sent a Report.”

“What does it say to make your expression like that?”

“Th, that is… there are orc corpses on the snow mountain.”

“What? Are you saying there are two hundred and fifty corpses?”

“That is not the case…”

When the subordinate shook his head, Administrator Judas’s expression brightened slightly.

“Right? It’s not two hundred and fifty, is it? There are about twenty-five of them? It has to be. To subjugate that many orcs, at least one knight order would have to be deployed, so how could…”

“It’s not two hundred and fifty, but easily over three hundred.”

“…!?”

But Administrator Judas’s expression completely soured upon hearing the subsequent report.

Featherback nodded his head.

“It wasn’t intentional, but it has been proven.”

“…”

Administrator Judas just opened and closed his mouth.

Since it was reported by his own subordinates, he couldn’t doubt its authenticity.

Featherback ignored Administrator Judas and looked at the map.

“Orc invasions have always occurred, but this year both their numbers and movements are different. If we fail to annihilate them this time, at least five villages will be devastated in a chain reaction within a month.”

At those words, Soleil’s expression hardened.

“If that happens, the repercussions will affect the entire Northern Region.”

“You’re saying that responding locally would lead to disaster.”

Cardona also crossed her arms with a cautious expression.

Featherback thought.

‘In the past, we failed to stop the orc invasion.’

Before his regression, the Mörsolt Family made a fatal mistake in this orc subjugation.

Following Administrator Judas’s opinion, they only made passive and localized responses each time damage was reported.

But this year’s orc invasion would be exceptionally fierce, and as a result, the family would decline.

The destruction of over five villages and the resulting gaps in the defense line.

Followed by large-scale invasions of other monsters.

Because of this, the Mörsolt Family would collapse.

Quite miserably.

“…”

Cardona’s eyes lit up after hearing Featherback’s words.

She picked up a quill pen and marked several points on the map.

“Dortsmile, Wetmund, Acre, Utorus. These are the villages that suffered major damage from the orc attacks this time. All of these villages are located on the same mountain foothills.”

“Could it be!?”

At his daughter’s words, Soleil struck the desk with his palm.

“Meursault Mountain!”

Meursault.

The name of the mountain where the Previous Family Head and Key Personnel of Mörsolt disappeared 30 years ago.

The movement patterns of the Orcs crawling up centered around this Snow Mountain are quite similar to those from back then.

Cardona took advantage of Yudi Administrator being completely crushed to voice her opinion.

“Despite it being September, frost has fallen. That’s two months earlier than last year. When even Humans are groaning from crop failures, the Orcs must be suffering even more. Finding prey must have become very difficult, so naturally they’ll become more ferocious.”

“There have been years when frost fell early even in normal times. That’s just speculation…”

Yudi Administrator stubbornly interjected in haste, but Cardona decisively broke his momentum.

“I haven’t finished speaking yet, Administrator. This is absolutely the first time frost has fallen before the Grains could ripen. Exactly 30 years, isn’t it?”

“…”

Yudi Administrator becomes a clam once again.

The momentum broken once by Featherback never recovered.

But unable to contain his anger, he muttered to the end.

“You’re all being strange. Saying nonsensical things. In this peaceful era, talking about Demon Kings and Orcs and invasions… You’re all writing quite the cruel fairy tales…”

At that moment, Yudi Administrator met Featherback’s gaze.

Featherback’s gaze staring intently at him.

“…!”

Yudi Administrator broke out in cold sweat once again.

‘What kind of look in his eyes is that from earlier…’

Cold and sharp like a dagger.

Who would think that gaze belongs to a 15-year-old boy?

But that’s only natural.

Featherback’s exterior may be a frail boy, but inside he’s the vanguard of the Hero Party who clashed with the Demon King until the very end on Humanity’s Final Battlefield.

There’s no way a parasite who’s lived his whole life leeching off others could handle the gaze of such an existence.

“…”

Yudi Administrator finally shut his mouth and lowered his eyes.

At this, Soleil, the Family Head of the Mörsolt Family, opened his mouth.

“I’ve decided.”

At his words, everyone straightened their posture.

“Cardona.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Gather the troops. We march out.”

At those words, the Knights’ expressions brightened.

Soleil rises from his seat.

“Winter is coming soon. Mörsolt will move before then. And….”

His gaze turns toward one side of the table.

Originally, at this point, Yudi Administrator should have been called upon.

Because administration and supply management are just as important as combat.

But a different name was on Soleil’s lips.

“Featherback.”

“Yes.”

“I’m entrusting you with the Main Castle’s Administrative Supply Management. I’ll assign Judas to assist you, so seek his counsel when needed.”

Featherback nodded his head.

Yudi Administrator, who had all his authority stripped away and given to Featherback, tried to protest, but in the end, he couldn’t do anything.

“….”

He was simply overwhelmed by Featherback’s gaze, breaking out in cold sweat.

Eventually, Soleil spoke to the Guardian Knights.

“Blood of Mörsolt. Let us overcome the cold with the hot blood of our enemies. We protect our families from winter.”

“Woo―ooooooooo!”

The knights let out a resounding battle cry.

The banner of Orc Subjugation was now being raised high.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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