We have entered the Odesses Trading Post, south of Kishina.

　We're trying to get information from our former researcher, Toshiaki Hino, about her whereabouts, and we're heading for the southern trading port of Pyreneus. But there's a problem: an army is blocking the road.

This is no good. There are no flying dragon knights (wyvern riders), but there are eagle lion knights (gryphon riders), and quite a few mages. There are quite a few mage soldiers as well.

　Annoyingly, the great nobles are fighting with each other with their private armies near the road.

　When I gathered information in a nearby town, I found a vein of mithril ore in a mountain on the border of the territory, which was ambiguous about everything, and the neighboring great nobles both claimed ownership of the territory. I heard that both of them disliked the intervention of the state and decided to settle the matter in black and white by force.

　So the neighboring great nobles stared each other down with their henchmen. There were about 1500 people in each camp, for a total of about 3000 people. In addition, since it's the busy farming season, the territorial residents are not mobilized, only professional soldiers, so they are all elite and strong for their size.

Each camp has 15 eagle lion knights and magicians on alert with their far-seeing magic. It's too tight.

I don't want to get in trouble with the military. All right, let's find a way around.

　I came to scout with Midia to see if there were any loopholes, but as far as my binoculars could see, there didn't seem to be any. Four squads of three eagle lion knights are on patrol in pairs of three horsemen, and the remaining three horsemen are doing missionary work and miscellaneous tasks. Furthermore, the mage soldiers are even searching for the enemy. Those are the two camps........

　It's very impossible to get through.

　It might be possible to force their way through, but it's too dangerous. If it's a group of demons, even if individual combat is strong, their organizational strength is low because they have instincts first. But the human race has organizational power and wisdom. On top of that, the general class is extremely strong.

　They even have magic and air power, so it's hard to predict how they will respond. In particular, magic has many originals, and even armored vehicles are dangerous. Furthermore, the other party is this country's nobility. I'm not going to be the only one who's been looking for it.

　We've done some reconnaissance on Midea and I. No way to get in front of them. Pina's aerial reconnaissance could possibly find a loophole, but it's rejected when the Eagle Lion Knight is there. The army also has anti-aircraft magic, and since they have a flying army, it seems that there are naturally counter tactics.

　Even if Pina scouts at the highest altitude, there is no escaping detection magic and eagle lion knights. Unlike the group members, drones can be sacrificed, but they are valuable equipment and cannot be wasted.

　Besides, the large class of us exterminators are mercenaries, and we decided that if we pushed our way through, we would be forcibly hired as mercenaries and might get involved in the conflict.

Well, then, Midea. Let's go back to the others and see if we can figure out a way around.
I don't want a war!　If it's a mountain in the middle, why don't they dig from opposite sides of each other?

　I don't think the whole mountain is a vein. But I can see where Midea is coming from. If it can be reconciled through joint development rather than war, then there is no need for military spending and it's economical. But people can't do that. Even joint development could lead to a fight over a share.

　Now, back to the armored car and explain the reconnaissance.
　In the meantime, they were looking for a detour in another direction, with a drone by Window Flower.

''I've scouted out the detour used by the merchants. But it's quite a detour and it's congested.''

　I'm stumped. It would normally be a detour, but it seems to be a narrow road in the mountains. Moreover, it is just barely enough for an ordinary carriage to pass each other. And yet our armored carriage is more than 3 meters wide, and if an oncoming carriage comes, the merchants will probably sack us....

'Sir, can't we have a wasteland?　From my reconnaissance, it looks like it's runnable, huh?

　The wasteland on the west side of the road, with grass and rocks, is contained within passable limits. However, I read in the library materials that there was a problem.

It's passable, but it's the site of a fierce battle during the Mushinnihilation War, and the ghosts of soldiers who died in the war are said to be present.

　The proposed wasteland is the old battlefield of the Mushin Annihilation War.

　The Odesses Trading State, in fact, was established on the land abandoned by the Orin oracle state. When the Mushinnihilation War was raging, the oracle state abandoned the land and moved to the present location. The country was rebuilt by the explorer Odesses on the abandoned land.

　So at that time, there was the main temple of Olin system, and it was the target of attack of the pollies. At the beginning of the war, a group of pollies succeeded in breaking through the southern knightly kingdom, and attacked the oracle from the wasteland. It is the ancient battlefield where the Olin oracle army and the pollies clashed violently in the interception battle.

　Although the interception battle ended up being a success, the records say that a lot of casualties occurred. The ghost is a dead soldier, and is said to have been influenced by the miasma left behind by bugs.

　Even though we know how it happened, it's still very dangerous for us physical weapons. It's not a good match for modern weapons if they have no substance like a ghost. Personally, though, I'm not very good with zombies and other splatter types.

　Incidentally, this interception battle made the ruling class of the Orin oracle nation tremble and apparently decided to relocate the capital. However, it's a delicious land with a well-developed infrastructure of fields and production facilities. It was there that the explorer Odesses and his companions rode in to protect the abandoned people, and the Odesses Trading State was born.

　It is an Orin nation, but as such it has become a fully independent nation.
(Orin can't be said to have abandoned his people and appointed Odesses as king beforehand.

Apparently, ghosts can be exorcised through the work of exorcists, spells and special marking techniques. We don't have anyone who can do it for us, though.

　

''Regarding that matter, Goddess-sama told me that Goshinshu might work...''

　Well, I didn't put it on a tray, so the sake is still there. It is used to ward off evil spirits, so it seems to be effective against ghosts as well. But this is the first time I've seen a ghost born from the miasma of pollies, and it's only a [maybe].

　The goddess suggested planting a few grams of it inside a bullet. Even if the bullet slips through, the sacred wine inside is an easy idea. In addition, since there are no Japanese gods in Ares, it seems that ooharai no utterance is ineffective. Salt is also culturally ineffective for purification.

　Another information is that ghosts probably only appear at night. Also, it seems that Orpheus' lyre is said to have an effect on stopping the movement of the deceased.

　This time, all the information about the goddesses is 【Maybe】, 【Maybe】, and 【Seemingly】. I can't feel safe unless you say so?

　And [Orpeus' lyre] is still being practiced. It seems to be at a level that's unbearable to listen to with my current arms and very ineffective at expelling spirits, though a wild animal might run away.

''For a goddess-sama's suggestion, there are so many uncertainties.......''
A ghost born of a bug's miasma is an unheard of occurrence.

　When he questioned the window flowers and the sacred wine, Pina said that he could exorcise them.

The landlord, Pina, can exorcise ghosts, there is a song, and I have learned the lyre.

　Could Pina be an angel?　Something tells me she's more divine than a goddess!　

　I knew I couldn't rely on Pina to do it all!
　Children are meant to be protected by adults!

　I'm ashamed of myself for even thinking for a second about having them protect me or something. Let's check the effectiveness of the sacred wine bullets first, and if not, let's use a small trick to encourage the nobles to fight a decisive battle.

　From my reconnaissance, the relationship between the nobles was at its worst, and a clash seemed inevitable. The neighbors are bothering us, and the worst thing we can do is to have them make a quick black and white decision with a false flag strategy.

◆Map of Odesses Trading Country neighborhood

(7) is the Odesses Chamber of Commerce.
A country where maritime trade is thriving and merchants have a strong voice.
Strong trade with other cultures such as Riento and Perlonia