Easygoing Territory Defense by the Optimistic Lord (お気楽領主の楽しい領地防衛 ～生産系魔術で名もなき村を最強の城塞都市に～)

A wyvern?

It looks like a mage is controlling it.

What do you think, Chancellor?

Wyverns are fundamentally pack animals,

so one would never attack a village on its own.

Plus, that mage is present.

There could be another threat nearby.

Think this is the work of the Kingdom of Yelenetta?

Most likely.

Yelenetta's attacking this village?

Baron, there's a good chance this wyvern has a small group of elite knights in tow.

Be careful.

Right.

Although at that altitude, ballista bolts won't reach it.

That leaves one option. We'll deploy the prototype.

EASYGOING TERRITORY DEFENSE BY THE OPTIMISTIC LORD

A SECRET WEAPON'S VILLAINOUS ATTACK ON THE HOMELAND

A SECRET WEAPON'S VILLAINOUS ATTACK ON THE HOMELAND

We'll soon be in enemy territory, Your Highness.

The wyvern is already scouting Seatoh from above.

I can't believe they made me lead the invasion of such a remote village.

I'm Prince Unimog Yelenetta, eighth son of Yelenetta Kingdom, for pity's sake.

The king commanded you to lead this operation due to its importance.

Yelenetta Kingdom has long been rivals with the neighboring Kingdom of Scuderia.

However, it is now time to settle things with Scuderia once and for all.

You have been entrusted to lead our glorious vanguard, Prince Unimog.

Conquering a remote village like this will be a walk in the park.

We should be there soon.

Whoa!

What is that?

Wh-Why is there a fortress city here?

How did they build something like this in this remote region?

You imbecile!

There's no way they could've constructed a fortress city so easily!

They've merely built a facade that makes it look like a fortress city.

We will advance and take their land.

H-Hold on.

Huh?

What if that fortress is the real deal?

You dare to defy me, you insolent oaf?!

I'm telling you it's all for show.

F-Forgive me.

Now, go destroy those ramparts!

We've barely made a mark on it.

I-Impossible. That can't be true.

Good afternoon!

I'm Van, the lord of this village.

That child?

What brings you all this way from the Kingdom of Yelenetta?

Y-You imp! How did you know we're from Yelenetta Kingdom?

So my guess was right.

I was just bluffing that I knew, but you were quick to admit it.

This village didn't have ramparts like this before.

How did you turn it into a fortress city?

Oh, the villagers and I worked together to make the ramparts and facilities.

D-Do you take me for a fool?!

Get down here now!

Don't expect me to go on easy on you just because you're a child!

My wyvern can attack you from the air, you know!

Your ramparts won't save you!

Send a message to the mage controlling the wyvern.

Get him to attack them.

But there's a chance he'll be attacked in return—

Imbecile!

Wyverns are dragons!

There's no way it'd lose!

R-Right.

Now, it's time you learned just how terrifying dragons can be.

Lady Panamera. If you would.

Huh?

Fire!

Wh-What the...

Those are shuriken.

They're thin and light, so I figured I'd stuff them inside a bomb of sorts.

This was your "prototype"?

Yes. That's the first time we've used it, but it seemed moderately successful.

That was a ridiculous amount of force.

That could prove to be as much of a threat as an elemental mage.

Y-You.

You're the king of Scuderia.

Wh-What's the king doing in such a remote village?

Now then, do you all want to continue?

You bunch of cowards! What are you doing? Protect me!

What's this? You have plenty of fight left in you, huh?

Lady Panamera?

The next one won't miss!

Whoa.

The baron is full of surprises.

You said it. Marquis Fertio has sired one incredible son.

If I remember right, I heard the marquis drove the baron out of his home.

I doubt he ever imagined someone with a low-ranking magical aptitude

would be capable of such feats.

When we return to the capital,

we'll have to reconsider our research into magical aptitudes.

Now then, Your Highness. Might you tell us what your strategy was?

There's no way I'm telling you.

Well, that is unfortunate.

Viscountess Cayenne?

Should I rip out your fingernails one at a time or gouge out your eyes?

Which would you prefer?

Please don't! Okay! I'll talk! I'll talk!

Yelenetta Kingdom has been planning this invasion for several years now.

Oh?

We start by conquering this village in Marquis Fertio's lands.

We assumed taking control of this remote village would be easy.

Yet you were bested here. How embarrassing.

Were you planning to invade other territories as well?

At this very moment, a separate force is attacking the city we're truly after.

Which one would that be?

The fortress city of Scudet.

My threats got the information out of him.

I see. So Scudet is their target?

I believe Your Majesty and I should hasten back to the royal capital.

We should marshal our knights at once and ride to the defense of Scudet.

I'm broadly in agreement. But allow me to add one request.

What is it?

Baron Van Nei Fertio.

I request you join us in our defense of Scudet.

Huh?

You're against the idea, boy?

Normally, I wouldn't be able to say no in this situation, but I won't yield.

Because I want to hole up in this village.

I am greatly honored by your request,

but leaving this village while it's still developing is akin to abandoning it.

Even though it possesses weapons capable of firing holes in wyverns

and defenses that can fell armored lizards and dragons,

you claim it is still "developing"?

Yes. I've barely completed a tenth of what I envision.

There's much more I'd like to make for it.

You really are amusing, boy.

I can't wait to see what you make that's even more incredible than all of that.

However...

You should accept this request.

Every noble must come to the nation's aid when it's in danger.

That's essentially the covenant you forge when you become a noble.

Very well.

If it's a noble's duty, I'll participate.

However, I still have my responsibilities as a lord.

Please allow me to organize my troops myself.

You may do as you wish.

I finally got the village's defenses all set up,

and now I'm being told to leave the village and go fight.

At any rate, can I ask you to protect this village as its acting lord, Esparda?

Of course, but will you be all right without me?

Well, I am a bit anxious about that,

but only someone with your ability can serve as lord in my stead.

I understand.

Dee, you and the Seatoh Chivalric Order will come with me, right?

Yes, sir.

Till and Khamsin, it'll be dangerous, so—

I'm coming, too! I'm coming with you, okay?

I'm coming, too.

Oh, right. Understood.

But will this be enough?

People in the royal capital won't claim I showed up with too few troops, will they?

This will be more than enough to those who know your might,

but to those who don't? Hard to say.

Excuse me.

Do you mind if we accept a quest to guard you?

Huh? You'd do that?

Normally, we'd have nothing to do with any wars.

But we don't mind accepting a quest to guard you.

Ah, I'm glad to hear it!

Then, could you reach out to the other adventurers, too?

Tell them I'll pay one large gold and five gold per person.

You'll give us that much?