As day broke, the darkness slowly began to fade from the temporary shelters and makeshift fences. Following the order of the 'Heavy Snowstorm', the Royal Guard warriors prepared to hunt the wolf pack from dawn, each preparing their weapons.
"Some people should stay in the temporary fence and guard the buffalo!"
"I'll be using a bow as my main weapon, so bring plenty of arrows."
"Yes, Mr. Cheon In-jang!"
A moment later, as I appeared fully armed and escorted by the 'Honest Bear', the 'Brave Wolf' and the 'Heavy Snowstorm' approached.
"What about the swift deer?"
"We took warriors who were good at tracking and set out ahead to find traces of the wolf pack."
"good job."
After finishing the report on the 'Heavy Snowstorm', I turned my head and looked at the 'Brave Wolf'.
"It won't take long to hunt down the wolf pack. I'll be back later today, so I want you to take care of the remaining warriors and buffaloes for me."
The 'brave wolf' who was excluded from the hunt nodded with a look of regret in his eyes.
"Understood, Your Majesty the Emperor!"
As I was getting ready to hunt the wolf pack, I walked towards the buffalo I was going to ride, accompanied by the 'Heavy Snowstorm'.
At that moment, 'Splendid Sunset' came running hurriedly from the temporary residence.
"Your Majesty the Emperor! I will follow you."
I turned my head and looked at her with the bow on her shoulder.
"Aren't you going out to play?"
"I know, Your Majesty! You may not believe it, but I have a reputation as a sharpshooter in this village."
"...."
Not only me, but the Celestial Emperor and the Royal Guard warriors also looked at the 'Splendid Sunset' with warm gaze.
"What is that? Those eyes? Show me how to shoot a bow here."
She quickly took out the bow on her shoulder and loaded an arrow.
"stop."
"...."
'Splendid Sunset' paused and looked at me.
"I don't like people who don't follow my orders. As your chief of staff, I hope you don't forget your duties."
If she's smart, she'll understand what I mean right away. As expected, 'Splendid Sunset' immediately apologized as if she had realized something.
"… I apologize, Your Majesty the Emperor! I forgot my duties for a moment, as it was not my place to do so."
"I accept your apology."
It was necessary to take good care of her from now on, as we didn't know where she would go. I turned around coldly and said to 'Heavy Snowstorm' and 'Honest Bear'.
"egg plant."
"Yes, Your Majesty the Emperor!"
I stepped onto the stirrup, lightly mounted the buffalo's back, and shouted loudly to the waiting guard warriors.
"depart!"
* * *
"Heavenly Master! There's wolf fur here."
A few of the 'swift deer' and the guardsmen gathered around a tree covered with wolf fur.
"There will be more wolf tracks around. Everyone spread out and look for them."
"Understood, Master Cheon In-jang!"
The SS soldiers, unaware that the 'fast-footed deer' was the head of the Intelligence Service, split up into pairs. And soon the SS warriors, who had discovered the traces of a pack of wolves, began shouting here and there.
"I found wolf tracks."
"It's here too."
After a while, the 'Swift Deer' and the Imperial Guard warriors conferred closely about the traces they had discovered so far.
"… Judging from the fact that the footprints are still fresh, it looks like a pack of wolves passed by here around dawn."
"… There seemed to be about twenty wolves in the pack."
"… It doesn't seem like that big of a crowd."
"… Judging from the size of the footprints, it seems like the leader wolf is quite large, so we should be careful."
"… Luckily, the wolf pack's den doesn't seem to be too far from here."
As soon as the discussion was over, the 'fast-footed deer' immediately gave instructions.
"… Make sure to mark the way so that His Majesty the Emperor and his guards can follow us."
"Yes, Mr. Cheon In-jang!"
The 'swift deer' and the guard warriors, who had marked the trees around them with their axes, walked in the direction where the wolf pack had disappeared.
"… They are sensitive to human scent, so they move quickly before the wolf pack runs away to another place."
* * *
'Damn it! Why are there so many wolf cubs?'
Surrounded by a pack of thirty wolves, the 'swift deer' frowned and gave orders to the guard warriors around him.
"Prepare for battle!"
Six SS warriors quickly took up battle formation. The wolf pack had been taking a threatening stance, baring their sharp fangs.
Growl! Growl! Growl!
The 'Fast Deer', who had to move lightly armed and not ride a buffalo on a mission to track down a pack of wolves, gave urgent instructions to the guard warriors with a slightly nervous look.
"Don't give the wolf a chance to attack!"
"Warrior with spear, do not attack, but block the wolf from approaching!"
"You must hold out until His Majesty the Emperor arrives. Do not attack recklessly until you receive my order."
Two of the guardsmen were holding spears, while the rest of the guardsmen were holding bows. Of course, everyone had a dagger for emergencies.
However, unless it was an emergency, there was almost no need to use a dagger. At that moment, the expression on the 'fast deer''s face hardened as the pack of wolves continued to prowl around, coming closer than before.
"I don't think he'll back down easily."
"...."
The guardsmen who had formed a defensive line and positioned themselves at the front and rear kept swinging their spears to keep the wolves from getting close.
Wheeeeeeeek! Wheeeeeeeek!
At that moment, the order to attack was given to the 'fast deer'.
"Take down the closest ones first! Attack!"
"Yes, Mr. Cheon In-jang!"
The guardsmen, who had been waiting with their arrows loaded, began shooting their arrows mercilessly.
Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!
Three wolves were hit by arrows, howling in pain and groaning. Five wolves, waiting for an opportunity to attack simultaneously, charged toward the guard warriors.
The spear-wielding guardsmen quickly turned and thrust out the spears they were holding in their hands.
Phew! Phew!
In an instant, two wolves, blood spurting out and heavily wounded by the spear, collapsed. However, there are three wolves left.
In that brief moment, wolves charged terribly at the guard warriors who were loading their bows. Two guardsmen, armed with light leather armor, were being attacked by wolves, having their arms and legs bitten off.
"shit!"
"I got bitten!"
That wasn't all. As the formation of the 'swift deer' and the guard warriors was disrupted, dozens of wolves suddenly rushed at them as if they had been waiting for them.
"Swing the spear wide to block their approach!"
"Cut off the windpipe with a dagger."
"We have to get in line."
"What are you guys doing? Shoot arrows!"
The guardsmen hurriedly swung their spears and shot their arrows.
Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!
Wheeeeeeeek! Wheeeeeek!
Several of the SS warriors quickly took out their daggers and helped their fellow SS warriors who had been bitten by wolves.
The wolf, with a dagger deeply cut into its neck, hung limply. The wolf, with a dagger stuck in its chest, was lying on the floor, breathing heavily, as if its lungs had been damaged.
However, the crisis for the 'swift deer' and the guard warriors was just beginning. I was busy defending against attacks from a pack of wolves coming from all directions.
Kwaaaaaaaah! Kwaaaaaaaah!
At that moment, the ground shook slightly and something was approaching from far away. The wolves must have sensed it too, because they pricked up their ears and suddenly began to back away.
At that moment, a sharp spear flew in and pierced through the wolf's body.
Phew!
"Your Majesty the Emperor!"
"My fellow warriors have also come."
As the remaining wolf pack began to run away in all directions in panic, the 'fast deer' muttered quietly with a look of relief on his face.
"…I survived!"
In fact, even if you fought a pack of wolves, you probably wouldn't have died. However, the 'fast deer' smiled brightly as he saw His Majesty the Emperor approaching him from afar, as several of his guardsmen could have been seriously injured.
* * *
"Just wait here for a moment."
First, he gave a rest to the 'swift deer' and the guard warriors who were tired from fending off the wolves' attacks.
"Yes, Your Majesty the Emperor!"
And immediately I led the mounted guard warriors on buffaloes in pursuit of the fleeing wolf pack. A small red dot displayed in the map window.
It was definitely a wolf pack.
"Go over there!"
"Understood, Your Majesty the Emperor!"
'The Stubborn Bear' and 'The Blizzard' began to gradually pressure the wolf pack, with their warriors spread out around me.
Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!
And every time he saw a wolf, he would shoot it with his arrow and kill it without fail. The wolf, who was still breathing even though his whole body was pierced by arrows, was finished off with a spear.
Phew! Phew!
* * *
Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!
Wake up! Wake up!
He hunted down a pack of wolves, almost slaughtering them. The pack of thirty wolves is now down to less than five.
And not far from the wolf den, the leader of the wolves stood facing me, blood pouring from his body.
"...."
The leader wolf was barely able to stand properly due to the arrows embedded in his body, but he was not moving an inch from his spot.
"…hmm!"
For a moment, did he see me in his eyes? For a moment, I debated whether or not I should kill that guy. I looked up and checked the wolf den marked on the map window again.
One female and six cubs. At that moment, seeing me hesitating, 'Heavy Snowstorm' cautiously stepped forward.
"Your Majesty the Emperor! Shall I handle it?"
I stared at the leader wolf for a moment without saying anything. Even at first glance, one could sense the strong will to protect the female wolf and her cubs.
"...."
Even if the leader wolf was spared here, his wounds were so deep that it seemed like he wouldn't live long.
'Your will saved your children and your flock.'
After making my decision, I boldly turned the buffalo's head.
"…Just go back!"
"Understood, Your Majesty the Emperor!"
'The Heavy Snowstorm', 'The Stubborn Bear', and the Royal Guard warriors followed my orders without question. After a while, when I and the other guardsmen had moved away from the wolf's den, the leader wolf finally seemed relieved and sat down on the ground, breathing heavily.
The three wolves nearby came over and comforted the leader wolf by repeatedly licking his injured parts. Then, the female wolf in the den checked the safety of the surroundings and came out with her pups and approached the leader wolf.
Awwwww!
Even as the female wolf howled sadly, the pups surrounded the leader and played with him.
'Whether they're human children or wolf cubs... they're all the same wherever you go.'
The feeling of appreciation was strange for a moment. Is this like me fighting against an invasion by Europeans in the distant future?
I turned my head and fell into deep thought, making resolutions to myself over and over again.
'… I will definitely stop it.'
* * *
'Very large' village, council chairman. The days passed quickly after the buffalo herd was safely brought back to the ranch.
Before visiting the Iri tribe, I was busy taking care of this and that in case I was not there. And just as everything was almost finished, 'Splendid Sunset' and 'Lazy Beaver', the head of the construction department, came to the office.
"… …There is not much iron ore reserves in the open pit mine?"
"Yes, Your Majesty! We are already sending people to look for new open-pit mines."
I couldn't help but look serious at the report of the 'Lazy Beaver'. Without iron ore, it was inevitable that there would be difficulties in making items such as weapons and farming tools.
At that moment, 'Splendid Sunset' satisfied my curiosity by looking at the documents in my hand.
"…taking into account the iron ore stored in warehouses, it can last up to five months."
"Five months?"
"yes."
I was deep in thought, my hands folded on the table.
'They said it was near the Great Lakes…'
When I was learning world geography in school, I heard from my teacher that there was a huge amount of iron ore buried somewhere near the Great Lakes.
The problem is, I don't know exactly where that lake is.
'In order to secure a safe supply of iron ore, we must conquer the tribes of the Great Lakes as soon as possible.'
Anyway, this situation is a bit frustrating right now, but for the time being, I had no choice but to find an open-pit mine.
"I will take care of the iron ore."
"Understood, Your Majesty the Emperor!"
At that moment, a noise was heard from outside and the 'brave wolf' came inside.
"Your Majesty the Emperor! The thunderous thunder is said to be arriving in the village soon, bringing with it captives from the barbarian tribes."
Phew!
Finally, we meet the hero of the barbarian tribe who has been causing trouble for our warriors.
'A wounded arrow… .'
I was curious about what kind of person he was.
"Everyone, come out to welcome them."