Fun Territory Defense Chapter 154 (Patreon)

Claimer?

The temporary base I built. In other words, the wood block container house collapsed.

In this case, what is the usual cause?

The first is an initial defect in the product itself. In that case, I have no choice but to apologize. The second is an error in assembly. However, it is hard to believe that adventurers would cut corners in building an encampment.

The third and final case is that the base was built and then dismantled from the inside. In this case, two or more people must lift the ceiling from inside the container. In other words, it is an accident that could not have occurred without a deliberate attempt to dismantle it.

There are two possible scenarios: the first or the third, but either way it would be a disaster. If it is the first, Van's credibility would be destroyed and Seat Village's specialty products would be severely affected. If it is the third, it means that there is a hostile force trying to bring me down. And inevitably, it will be the nobility. It is strange. How could they recognize me, such a lovely person, as an enemy?

When I thought of this, I suddenly thought of a certain person's face.

Jalpa. There is a possibility that the neighboring nobles are jealous of my success and are interfering with me, but Jalpa is the most likely person I can think of who would be pleased with my failure. No, I don't think Jalpa would directly use his own knighthood to do something bad. Then it would be better to assume that other nobles are also involved.

"This could turn out to be troublesome."

I muttered to myself, fed up with the fact that my own imagination was unexpectedly too realistic. I'm waiting for the adventurers to return to the base, and I'm waiting for them in the carriage. The only people listening to my ramblings are Till and Arte, who are riding with me.

"Van-sama!"

Camsin's voice called. I looked out of the carriage and saw Ortho and the others coming toward me in a single file line next to the knights.

"Hey!"

I called out, waving from here, and Ortho smiled and raised his hand.

"Van-sama!"

Ortho and the others come rushing toward us, so I get out of the carriage as well; Ortho, Pluriel, and Xsara are there, too. There were about ten adventurers gathered in all.

"I heard about this! I heard that the base I built was destroyed...I'm sorry for all the hard work you all put into it."

I immediately apologized. I was sure I would do so, since I had made the adventurers who had gone to the trouble of cooperating with me feel bad about it.

But then, Ortho and the others became very upset.

"No, no! It's not Van-sama's fault!"

"That's right!"

"We don't think Van-sama's container is bad either!"

The adventurers followed up with a lot of support. I am very grateful to them.

"Thank you, that's very kind of you to say so. By the way, why did the container break down when it was supposed to be so sturdy?"

When I asked this, Ortho expressed his anger in an unusual way.

"That's the thing, someone must have broken the finished container, but I don't know who..."

"I mean, if they were listening! It's not like the container collapsed on itself or any parts broke off! If you reassemble the container that collapsed, it will still be standing the next time without collapsing at all!"

"That's right! If it broke on its own, there has to be a broken part somewhere! We didn't put it together ourselves, so we don't know what happened!"

The angry adventurers agree with Ortho's words and complain. The feeling is very understandable, but now is not the right place. Complaining by His Majesty's resting base means that it goes directly to the ears of the principal nobles.

If they mistakenly treat you as the culprit, there could be a worst-case outcome.

"E, everyone... it's all right, be quiet for now..."

I gesture for everyone to be quiet. But it was too late.

"...What is that supposed to mean?"

I turn around at the voice and see Jalpa and Venturi there. And two other nobles.

This could no longer be ignored.

"Did I hear you wrong? I thought I just heard an adventurer criticizing the nobles."

Venturi crossed his arms and glared at us. The adventurers were unable to say anything and fell silent. But they could not kneel in defiance. Normally, they would kneel and bow before a nobleman of far superior status, but their self-esteem got in the way, and they could only stand and remain silent.

This attitude made Venturi even angrier.

"You lowlifes! You are the reason the Royal Army is at a standstill, and what is this attitude?"

Venturi shouted at Ortho and the others, glaring at them with a terrible look. At his words, the nobles, starting with Ortho, lowered their posture on the spot. It was as if they had no choice but to follow the aristocrats' words. Or rather, if you look closely, you can see that they are not really kneeling.

I, on the other hand, was slightly concerned about Venturi's attitude when I saw this exchange.

Venturi glared at the adventurers and said, "It's your fault". In other words, he must be thinking that it was not the adventurers who were the cause of the problem.

I had thought that Venturi might be the first collaborator, since he and Jalpa had been friends in arms, but apparently not.

If so, he must be trying to take advantage of a third party, a senior aristocrat.

"Count Venturi. I apologize for the trouble my base has caused you, and I am truly sorry for stalling your important march in the invasion of the Jiernetta Kingdom."

After saying this, I dropped to one knee and bowed my head. This returned his attention from the adventurers to me. This was my intention, and it seemed to have worked very well for Venturi.

Venturi folded his arms, exhaled deeply, and stopped yelling.

"...Fine. Raise your face. To be honest, His Majesty and I both trust what Baron Van has created. We think that something else caused the collapse of the base."

"Oh, really?"

I looked up, pleased, and Venturi snorted and looked behind.

"Otherwise, why would His Majesty be resting in the base?"

"That's right!"

I nodded my head in agreement with Venturi's words. That's right. Besides, among the main nobles of the Royal Army, Count Ferdinand and Viscount Panamera are considered allies.

The situation is not so bad.

If we can get Venturi to cooperate with us, we should be able to quickly track down the perpetrators. After all, the number of nobles to be targeted would be narrowed down at once.

But then I thought again.

If that were the case, the invasion of Jiernetta Kingdom would be greatly delayed. The number of nobles aside, the number of soldiers in the Kingdom's army would be reduced. It would take a day or two to find two or three culprits among them. Furthermore, even if I wanted to force a confession, it would take a long time without any hard evidence.

I looked at Venturi and Jalpa and said,

"Thank you very much. I would like to clear my name by doubling the speed of the Royal Army's march."

When I told them this, their eyes went wide.