บท 424: The Night Walkers (2)
Dolores, Tudor, Sancho, and Piggy entered the tent.
CindyWendy, the Night Walkers' sponsor, was sitting there with a serious expression
Cindy Wendy. Vikir's appointed aide and lover of Osiris Les Baskervilles.
She generously used her enormous assets to purchase enormous amounts of relief supplies.
Preserved food and water from all over the empire are still arriving.
What's even more amazing is that CindyWendy has been doing this for years.
Vikir's plan had been in the works for a very long time, as Fort Tochka was stockpiled with enough supplies to feed the entire Empire for months.
Even before Vikir appeared on the Imperial Capital under the guise of Night Hound.
But not even the great CindyWendy was fully aware of Vikir's intentions.
The same was true for Chihuahua and Minpin, who became CindyWendy's left and right arms and took charge of all tasks.
"Why did Vikir ask us to gather the refugees here in the highlands? It's been years, and I still don't know."
"Do they know? No matter how close you are to him, you can't fully understand his true feelings because he doesn't really show off to his side. We just have to do what we're told, don't we?"
As they talked, Dolores and the others from Colosseo Academy walked in, and they all turned their heads to look at CindyWendy.
She opened her closed eyes and turned to Dolores.
"How's the myth creation coming along?"
Dolores nodded in response to her question.
"Yep. I've created a new concept called the 'Ark,' and I'm telling the people that anyone who comes to Tochka can be saved."
But Dolores's face was a little dark as she spoke.
In fact, the idea of salvation by coming to Tochka is not something that is found in the Book of Revelation or ancient texts.
It was a myth invented and manipulated by Dolores, Martin Luther, and other high-ranking priests of the Quovadisi family, to make it easier to bring refugees to Tochka.
'...I was honestly surprised that Pope Nabokov would allow it.'
When Dolores had told Pope Nabokov I of her plan, ready to be punished, Pope Nabokov I had smiled and nodded.
'If there are no such myths, let's create one. All myths are not from the beginning of time, but are created by man. God respects man's free will, my child.'
When Nabokov I finished speaking, she patted Dolores on the head.
'Your steps will soon become myths, written in the scriptures.'
Nabokov I gave all her remaining strength to Dolores, other than the strength needed for the civil war.
Total trust.
Thus, the Night Walkers were able to travel safely across the continent with the covert support of Quovadis temples located throughout the Empire.
...Quovadis, of course, was not the only one aiding the Night Walkers.
Morg. Bourgeois, and, surprisingly, Baskerville, were also providing covert support.
Among the most helpful were Banshee of Morg, Lovebad of Bourgeois, Mozgus of Quovadis, and Isabella of Baskerville.
Whether it's sending supplies, sending people to protect the movement of supplies, or providing information about areas where battles are being fought or where demons are roaming.
It is thanks to these supporters and helpers from all walks of life that the Night Walkers are able to survive.
In addition, many figures were already working for the Night Walkers, who had tangled with Vikir in the Hell Tree, such as Gordon, Underdog, and Lovegood, whom he met in the College League.
A vigilante group that targets only the people, citizens, and the common people, regardless of the civil war.
The Night Walkers are this informal group that uses force without hesitation in situations where force is necessary.
Meanwhile, Cindy Wendy was studying the maps on the table.
Dolores asked.
"Is everything okay on the Western Continent?"
"Hmm? Alas, don't worry. The Baskervilles are cooperating fully, and the Balak tribes have reappeared, so trade should be fine."
Cindy Wendy added as if she had remembered something.
"Oh, speaking of the Balak, it seems... they've got a new guardian recently, and it's quite the 'trusty friend'."
A trusted friend?
Everyone scratched their heads at that, but even Cindy Wendy didn't seem to know the details.
Finally, she got to the point.
"Ah, the reason I requested today's meeting is none other than... food and water."
Vikir had ordered her to fortify Tochka before entering the Academy.
As a result, CindyWendy has spent almost all of her earnings on preserved food and water.
The stockpile of food and water was enough to feed the entire evacuee population for over three months.
But even so, CindyWendy was impatient.
"Vikir is at least 150 days. He told us to save enough to last five months, which is still a long way off."
Food and water are increasingly hard to come by these days.
Between famine, drought, massive wildfires, and monster outbreaks, the price of food and water has skyrocketed.
"I've been saving money to buy supplies, but it's getting harder and harder."
Dolores gave her a concerned look.
"Well, I'm sure your wealth is not unlimited, and I'm both grateful and concerned."
"What?"
CindyWendy turned to Dolores as if to ask what she was talking about.
Then she giggled.
"Ahahaha – what are you talking about, saintess? I'm CindyWendy, don't you think too little of my wealth? I have plenty of money, don't worry, I haven't even spent 10% of it yet."
"What? Then why...?"
Everyone's eyes widened, including Dolores.
CindyWendy pointed to the map with a cautious expression and revealed the real reason.
"We can still buy food and water, we just need to double or triple the price. There's no problem securing supplies... The problem is distribution and dissemination."
Distribution and dissemination. This is also an important issue.
You can get food and water from far away.
The real big problem is how to get them here to Tochka, in the northern continent.
It's a long and arduous journey, and if you encounter monsters, wildfires, or hordes of demons along the way, there's no answer.
So CindyWendy has relied on the help of powerful mercenaries and knights from Baskerville and Morg, to gather food and water along the way.
But lately, the amount of food and water reaching Tochka has been noticeably reduced.
"Some of my men are currently keeping large amounts of food and water in their strongholds, but there are new enemies blocking the supply routes."
CindyWendy gestured to the X marks she'd made all over the map.
They were the secret supply routes to Fort Tochka.
"It's intentional that they're all blocking the only way to Tochka. Perhaps they know we've set up a hideout here and want to suffocate us."
"Who are they?"
Tudor asked impatiently.
If they were any sort of demons or monsters, they would have already been crushed by the mercenaries hired by CindyWendy.
But even so, this kind of disruption to the supply meant that the obstacles were not of ordinary caliber.
CindyWendy stared at Tudor's face without replying.
"...."
"...?"
"...."
"...!"
After a moment of silence, Tudor's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Are you sure that this is the Don Quixote family's pursuit party?"
At Tudor's question, CindyWendy nodded.
Tudor had turned his back on his family, and there was a group after him.
Don Quixote La Mancha Passamonte.
The brother of Don Quixote's patriarch, Cervantes, and uncle to Tudor.
He was determined to get rid of Tudor once and for all.
Apparently, he had learned that Tudor had left the family and joined the Night Walkers, and was in pursuit.
CindyWendy patted the owl's head with a green-gold ribbon.
"I hear that Don Quixote's 'invincible cavalry' is scouring the area."
"...!"
"It's only a matter of time before they track down the refugee convoys or food convoys coming to Fort Tochka, and with the myths that the Quovadis have created and distributed, it's a miracle they haven't been discovered before now. Is it lucky that no one has been too busy with the civil war to pay attention to this place?"
Actually, from the demons' point of view, there's no reason to pay attention.
It's a place of refugees and no water, and it's obvious that they won't last long.
Of course, they don't know how much food and water CindyWendy has stockpiled inside this iron fortress.
That's the only variable.
But now that variable has been exposed.
The very presence of Tudor!
"...It's me, after all."
Tudor shook his head in disbelief.
"I can't have this place being discovered prematurely because of me. I should get out of here as soon as possible and distract their attention elsewhere...."
"No. I don't think that's what Ms. CindyWendy called you here to say."
Dolores interrupted Tudor.
CindyWendy nodded, too.
This shows that she believes and trusts Dolores.
Dolores took over from CindyWendy and spoke in a calm voice.
"This means that the moment of truth has arrived."
"...!"
Tudor looked up. Dolores spoke again.
"You are our colleague, Tudor. We think of you just as you think of us."
"...."
The corners of Tudor's eyes moistened.
Dolores looked to her left and continued.
"The demons aren't going to leave this place alone anyway, and since they've finally bared their teeth, we're going to have to fight back. Whether we're ready or not doesn't matter, because we can't sit back and take it."
Sancho and Piggy agreed with her.
"If Don Quixote sent a chase party after us... the main camp would be empty."
"Maybe it's an opportunity to assassinate a key figure!"
Living in a world that had become harsh and fierce, the two had become quite seasoned.
Dolores spoke with determination.
"This time, we won't rely on Vikir, we'll do it ourselves. We will capture Don Quixote La Mancha Passamonte, or the 4th Corpses!"
Those who have inherited the will of Vikir must go on a demon hunt.
There was not a single Night Walker who disagreed.
CindyWendy spoke up.
"I'm saying this out of anger. Everyone remembers the failed attempt to assassinate the Leviathan Family patriarch in the past, and even the Night Fox and Miss Uroboros, who were strong enough to rival the Night Hound, were unsuccessful."
Everyone knows this, but the mood is suddenly more cautious.
"Vikir said that demons grow stronger with time. It's been a few years since Vikir's demon hunting days, so they're probably even stronger, so we need to be extremely careful...."
Just then.
Someone interrupted CindyWendy's words.
"We're in trouble!"
A knight rushed from outside and lifted the curtain with a contemplative face.
He was the one who stood guard on the castle wall.
"There's Don Quixote's Cavalry out there, several kilometers ahead of us!"
Everyone's faces stiffened at the news.
But that wasn't the end of the bad news.
"The 'Sniper of the Night', who was returning to the fortress, is surrounded by them!"
Only one of the Night Walkers wears the nickname 'Sniper of the Night'.
Usher Poe Bianca has been ambushed by Don Quixote's pursuers.
"...!"
Everyone scrambles to their feet and heads for the door.
…kwakwang!
There was a man who broke through the wall and ran out into the distance.
His name was Tudor.
He was a man without a last name.
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