Hearing the goblins attack at the small farm we have on this territory, we assembled the guards by calling Pierce. And here in front of me stood around a hundred men from my city.
It's less than I expected knowing that there were several towns aside from this city, and an influx of migrants.
Maybe in this world, people are terrified of monsters? But shouldn't they be afraid first that we might lose our fields, that will become an immense blow to our food supply?
Well I can't blame them.
The men in front of me didn't have proper weapons with them.
Some brought fork, spades… hey our fields are captured right now, why are you guys bringing farming tools.
Others brought kitchen knives for chopping fish and meat… uahh seeing this group reminds me of that anime about food, where chefs fight with tools… just so you know we are fighting goblins not doing a food contest.
The only ones who brought decent equipment are the knights, the former rats who seemed to know what a suitable weapon would be, and of course me.
I brought the sword that was always stuck at the top of my fireplace; I thought of it was first as a mere decoration but when I asked Gavin it turned out to be a real one.
Gavin pleaded not to take it as it was an expensive sword that could be sold at a high price and was not supposed to be for killing monsters but who cares.
If I can use it I will use it, or what? Does he want me to pick up a stick somewhere and fight? He did give me a suitable sword,, but it was too heavy for me.
I looked at the sword which was a gift for me at my birth by a very wealthy king of another country of the east.
No matter how much I look at it, isn't this a Japanese katana? It's light and sharp, a curved single-edged blade with a squared guard and long grip where my two hands can fit. Also, the guard and grip have my favorite color — royal blue.
It's better than those bastard swords, and long swords the knights are using, this suits me, at my current body condition — thanks to the old Walter's laziness and wimpiness, my body in this world is so crappy weak, so this sword suits me, if my daily jogging with Tiffania these months worked, I should have enough stamina and speed.
But can I cut a living thing? I wonder, I have killed chickens in home ed, but goblins are different, right?
We are now heading to the fields on horseback, Walter is good at riding horses, so right now I don't feel any oddness as if it's normal for me to be riding one, it feels like riding a motorcycle, I can feel the breeze as I ride my white horse named Kelpie.
The name Kelpie hits home with a story in my old world, a white horse… Kelpie…
As I thought of useless things to calm down myself, a hundred brave men combined, from the city and from the towns rode their horses in front of me with a mission to chase away the goblins, we all rode at horseback in twos because of the lack of horses and the one behind me is the lady knight Missa.
"Missa, are you alright? You can hold on my chest or waist you know?"
Ahhh, if only she isn't wearing her armor.
"N-N-No Prince Walter, I shouldn't impose, plus… I can feel a stabbing stare behind me for some reason"
She reluctantly tugs at my shirt with her fingers, refusing to hold me at my waist.
Stabbing stare? Where?!
I looked behind my shoulder, but there was no one there, who the hell is keeping this beauty from hugging me from behind? Show yourself!
The field was in our view now, as we got closer I felt anxiousness slowly filled inside me.
If I can remember, I should have already reached my goals, to live a daily life peacefully and to stop the assassination where unexpectedly, Zack was the culprit instead of Heinrich whom I suspected at first.
And now here I am, going to a goblin-slaying quest with my armor -- a chainmail underneath my shirt, as the full plate armor was too heavy for me.
In video games isn't this the starter equipment?
I sighed and looked ahead, the people seemed to be motivated, they have a passionate look on their faces, except for Gavin whose face is like on cloud nine as he occasionally sneaked glances at me from behind.
"Hey Missa, why are they so disgustingly motivated, even when we are going to a battle?"
I asked the knight who rode behind me.
Truthfully it was supposed to be her who would be holding the reins, but I didn't allow it, I still have my pride as a man, and Walter has already graduated from being wimpy! And for some various "reasons" as well…
"Ummm… probably because you are setting off to battle with them, it is quite rare for a prince to get along with the commoners."
She put her index finger at her cheek as she thought and giggled.
"Really? So that's why Gavin is… "
The old man looked at me again, like a father cheering his son on a field trip.
Seriously… stop that old man.
I can now feel my hands that were holding the reigns tremble as we got closer to the location.
After all, I have already experienced death, and it was painful, it was dark.
If I die here again, would there be another reincarnation? I think there won't be anymore, with that fickle god we have.
As I was clouded by my thoughts and nervousness, there it came.
"A horde of goblins! Approaching! They have weapons!"
Pierce who was in the vanguard shouted, he wore full plate armor and wielded a spear.
Everyone immediately went on guard, unsaddled, and readied their weapons.
As I saw everyone's weapons, I realized how weak the temporary military of this pseudo-country is.
We stared at the horde of goblins blocking the road as they slowly appeared from the tall grasses of wheat.
Unlike in the movies where they have one color of green and were somehow cute(to some people), they totally look different and disgusting face to face.
Their skins have a color of green but it had different disgusting stripes and veins covering it making the dark green skin look very dirty. Their claws have the color of red, probably due to their hunting, and they carry clumsily-made bows and swords.
These monsters' eyes glowed red and their fangs are bare, they didn't look demi-human at all. They looked just like monsters who happened to find weapons somewhere.
Their faces and bodies was enough to gross me.
But, knowing that the lives of these men are in my hands, I realized that this isn't the time to cower in fear, I inhaled deeply and steeled myself for my own pep talk.
"Men, right now we will punish these monsters who terrorized our citizens, and much more our precious farmers who works hard every day so that we can have a supply of bread in our small humble country.
The plan is simple, hit them where it hurts.
They have a small reach.
Shielders at front, spear holders at shielders backs you will be the vanguard.
Swordsmen guard the flanks.
The shields will deflect the arrows, and the spears will kill the enemies at the front as we charge, for attacks on the flank, the swordsmen will keep them away.
Just do what Pierce tells you to —"
But as I was about to finish my speech, the horde became larger and larger, more appeared from the fields, that they numbered at twenty times our forces.
And just like us they held different weapons and had their own formation, as if they have a system of command.
This is bad, we are clearly outnumbered.
I underestimated their intelligence.
And there I realized that I messed up, the information was definitely lacking, but I still went on impulse to attend to my people's needs, and I thought that my knowledge from the old world would be useful here.
I messed up.
And there's only one order I could give in order for us to live another day.
"RETREAT!"
At my order, all of us seems to have the same thinking that everyone immediately turned their horses back as we ran with all our might.
Arrows made from tree branches came flying everywhere and they started chasing us.
Don't tell me that invading our food source was just the first step and they clearly plan to take over my territory! Look at those forces!
These goblins… they could be smarter than my brothers!
"RUN! EVERYONE! WE ARE OUTNUMBERED!"
The rear guard were the shielders who deflected the arrows.
As we got slightly farther away, I felt a small sense of relief, I really thought we were goners.
But it wasn't the end yet. Wolves and boars appeared beside the running goblins and the goblins mounted them without reins.
"FASTER EVERYONE!"
The rearguard shielded us from the arrows the bow goblins shot at us, they rode the wolves running almost near to us.
Wait, that is cheating! How could that creature balance itself in a fast-moving wolf!
Please, I hope not one of them dies.
Or I won't be able to sleep properly!
A hundred of us were chased by two thousand goblins.
And now… they are now beside our rear guards — the shielders and spear wielders and as they released their strings, the first combat casualties were counted as they fell down from their horses as the goblins kill them one by one ruthlessly.
It was the first time I witnessed murder live that I almost threw up when I saw the rear guards falling from their horses and being massacred by the goblins behind.
But I know that I shouldn't stop.
They kept coming at the point where their arrows now reached me as the rearguards were already dead.
And there I saw it, two goblins sneaked past the horses riding a boar and a wolf came to target me, as if they knew that I was the commander. Gavin was also surprised that it went past him without him noticing.
But none of us were able do anything, even Missa who rode with me.
I couldn't do anything, just like in slow motion, my hands was still reaching for my blade but they were already ready to release the strings of their bows.
Missa tried reaching them with her hands which were the fastest move she could make but she also couldn't reach the,/
They grinned at us as they were about to take down their preys, me, and the lady knight riding behind me.
These damn goblins!
Ahhh, I messed up again. And I thought I would be able to make up with Tiffania, no… with Yuri, but now I'm gonna die in the hand of these insignificant low-level monsters.
At the point when I was about to be swallowed by darkness again.
I heard arrows coming from somewhere shooting the goblins that were supposed to kill me at the head , and together with that, I heard a familiar female voice.
It was a courageous and strong voice.
"That's what you get for triggering a death flag before you set off!
Continue to hold that course!"
I didn't notice that we already reached the road surrounded by the woods, as the goblins chased us mercilessly, and in one who those trees Tiffania appeared bravely like a prince charming in the movies, holding a bow.
With her dark grey eyes focused on the enemy as she loaded nocked another arrow.
Other people appeared behind the other trees as well.
They were all the townsfolk holding any ranged weapons that they could.
They numbered up to a thousand.
Five knights weren't enough after all.
I forgot that I need her, I need Tiffania!
Who's also an otherworlder, but is braver and wiser than me, the one who brings the people together.