Helping with Adventurer Party Management - Chapter 301

That day, the Baron arrives before dawn in two specially made carriages. The first carriage, carrying the Baron and a small group of guards, is followed by the second, loaded with outdoor equipment like tents and provisions.

The carriages are designed with thick frames and wider wheels, making them less likely to get stuck in the mud. They are military-modified, prioritizing off-road capability over speed.

“You’ve prepared a lot in such a short time,” I remark, impressed and half-amused.

How has he managed to gather all this equipment so quickly, considering the decision to go on this investigation was only made recently?

With pride, the Baron responds, “I’ve always wanted to conduct field research, so I was already prepared!”

When people are interested in something, they often indulge themselves by buying or collecting related items, acting out their imaginations. But in the Baron’s case, his wealth and ability to act on his desires far exceed the norm.

“Baron, the Sword Fangs Legion is ready. Please leave your security to us during your trip,” Jilboa says, bowing with a grace that is hard to believe coming from an adventurer. Dressed in a surcoat and armor, and carrying a magic sword, he stands with elegance.

Swiberry stands beside him, and behind them are more than 20 members of the Sword Fangs Legion—an excessive number, nearly half of their full force.

With this many men, even a small army of goblins would be no match for them. What exactly are they planning to fight?

Meanwhile, I come alone.

As a member of the Sword Fangs Legion, I don’t need an escort. I’ve asked Sara to look after the workshop in town.

Recently, it has become normal to have guards around me even within the town, so it feels strangely freeing not to have any. Still, it feels odd not having Sara by my side.

As the sun rises and the town gates open, Jilboa’s dignified voice rings out.

“The Sword Fangs Legion will now escort Baron Berthold and depart on a goblin hunt!”

At his command, the members of the Legion form up and begin moving forward, leading the way.

And so, we set out on a goblin hunt with the most excessive force the town has ever seen.

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Leaving the town behind, our group heads toward the village where the goblin hunt request originated. The Baron rides in his carriage, but a commoner like me can’t ride with a noble. So, if I want to speak with him, the Baron sticks his head out of the window while I walk beside him.

“Monsters don’t attack outside the city, do they?” the Baron asks impatiently.

The Baron has never left the city, so he likely thinks that monsters attack at every turn once you step beyond the city walls, and that the outside world is a dangerous, monster-infested wilderness.

“Baron, it’s still early morning, the sun is high, and we’re very close to the city. We’ll reach the village where the goblins appeared in about a day,” I explain. “Monsters are intelligent, so they’ll probably go after easier prey, like a small caravan.”

After all, we have over 20 members of a top-tier clan, fully armed, two sturdy carriages modified for military use, and at the head of it all, the leader who just defeated a sub-dragon. If the monsters have any survival instincts or intelligence, they wouldn’t dare approach us.

In fact, I worry that if we bring this excessive force anywhere near the village, the goblins might flee before we even have a chance to complete the extermination request.

That is my real concern.