The Two Leaders

“This is planning for the future. It’ll be troublesome if the ogres think of Ane-san as just another human being. Although we listen to you, the ogres won’t listen to anyone except us, and that’s potentially very dangerous. If anything happens to us at the frontline, I hope that there’ll be someone in the rear who can command the ogres.”

Enri racked her village girl head as she pondered the problem.

“Which means you need two people who can command them?”

Jugem nodded.

“In that case, Enfi could—”

“Ani-san might end up being on the frontline too.”

“I see…”

Enri understood, and nodded. Someone in a safe place like herself ought to be useful too. That was what Enri wanted as well. However―

“But… can I control the ogres?”

“That’s what we’re about to do, Ane-san. How good are you at acting?”

♦ ♦ ♦

Jugem brought them to the village gate and then to a side door. Beyond it were five ogres kneeling on the ground. They were also the source of the stench that had been hanging in the air.

Surrounding them were the goblin troops, all of whom were present and unhurt.

On one side of the door was an observation platform, which would normally have been manned by villagers or goblins, but not now. The goblins had temporarily left it.

Nfirea was there too, along with the somewhat distant Agu.

“Yo, Enri. Nice night?”

“Yeah, Enfi. The moon’s really pretty.”

“Indeed. It’s so clear.”

“Well, excuse the interruption. We’re a little early, but let’s begin.”

Jugem yelled out as he heard Enri’s words.

“Oi! You lot! Our Ane-san is here! She holds your lives in her hands!”

When the five ogres heard this, they raised their heads to look at Enri. It felt like there was a palpable pressure crushing her, but Enri forced herself not to take a step backward. If she gave in, the plan would fail, and the goblins would nip potential problems in the bud by killing the ogres on the spot.

Enri could already see the goblins’ hands going to their weapons. Enfi was calmly taking out a potion bottle himself.

An eternity seemed to pass under the withering pressure.

Enri endured the stares of the ogres and returned it with one of her own. Her gaze was steady and unyielding.

In her eyes, the ogres overlapped with the image of the knights from back then.

Enri clenched her fists, recalling the violent urges she had back then, of wanting to rip off the knight’s helmet so she could beat him to death with it.

Don’t look down on me. Everyone else guards the village, so I have to protect this place too!

After a second ― a second which seemed to stretch out forever to Enri ― the ogres wavered.

They peeked at each other, and then at Jugem.

“Told you, didn’t I. Our boss is the strongest.”

“Faces down, all of you!”

Enri shouted out just as Jugem finished.

The forcefulness of Enri’s voice surprised even herself, and Agu at the edge of her vision twitched violently, but that was fine. What was important was that the ogres had lowered their heads to her.

For the time being, the ogres had acknowledged Enri’s superiority.

“Well then, what do you have to say to our boss, the chief of Carne Village, our Ane-san?”

With their heads still lowered, what emerged from the ogres was a torrent of confused voices.

“So, so scary, little boss. Forgive.”

“Sorry, we attacked your tribe. Please forgive.”

By “your tribe”, the ogres probably meant Agu’s tribe. Though the reality was somewhat different, it was easier for them to understand the situation as Agu’s people being part of Carne Tribe, in order to avoid overloading the ogres’ brains.

“We will, work for you.”

“That’s right! Work for me and my tribe!”

That last statement was made with the dregs of her spirit she could muster. Although she’d only said two or three sentences, Enri was already very tired. It was as bad as the encounter with the barghest.

Just as Enri was about to drop out of Boss Mode from fatigue, Jugem helped her out.

“Wonderful! Looks like Ane-san saved your lives!”

The strength had visibly ebbed from the ogres’ bodies. Given that they could be killed at any moment, that was a natural reaction.

One ogre looked at Enri and spoke.

“Boss, Chief, we, what do?”

That, she hadn’t thought about. Still, what she didn’t know, she could entrust to someone else.

“Jugem, I’ll let you take care of them. Use them as you see fit.”

“Got it, Ane-san.”

The goblin leader bowed to Enri, then turned back to the ogres.

“Well then. First of all, we’re going to pitch tents outside the village. You lot will be shacking up there. And you too, help them with the tents.”

The ogres left, accompanied by the goblins.

“Pitching tents outside the village will be a problem; we’ll need to find them a place to live in the village. Even so, we need to wait till they learn not to attack the villagers first.”

“I’ll need to go around to talk with a lot of people to make them accept it.”

“Yup. Although, I think as long as you’re the one doing it, it’ll be fine. And, about tomorrow…”