Interrogation

Alright, having gone this far, there's no turning back. I should ask whatever I can.

First off, when? I want as clear information as possible. The past two exceptions in the budget have subsided around next month.

"I looked at the budget, and from past exceptions, the situation seems to subside around next month. To clarify again, how would you estimate the timing for this time?"

"It should subside in about a little over a month. This time, we estimate there will be an extra week or so of leeway. Scouts have been sent out by the guild as well. We'll know two days before arrival."

A week? That's not much time to prepare.

"When will the knight squad arrive?"

"When the viscount sent out horses, he also requested the formation. However, unexpected things can happen. They should arrive at the last possible moment."

Will they make it or not? If we hold our ground and they come without delay, maybe morale can be maintained.

"When will adventurers gather?"

"Some have already arrived. Horses were sent out to surrounding guilds."

Ah, I thought this village had a lot of adventurers for its population, but now I see why. Upon asking, if numbers increase in the future, tents will be set up slightly away from the village near the river. Firewood, water, and food have already started flowing into town. However, merchants might try to hike prices in such situations, so the guild plans to use their own supplies first and release stockpiles once prices start rising. It might work for one cycle, but merchants likely have their own information networks.

Alright. So timing is settled. Next, where?

"Where exactly do you plan to engage them?"

"The northern forest and the open plains near the village border. In the forest, adventurers can't maintain group control effectively."

Well, they're not soldiers after all. I only ever dealt with large-scale guild battles in games. In reality, even a soccer team-sized group is tough to manage. Still, that area should be about 5km square. Hopefully, scout intel will clarify things.

"Do commanding individuals develop any special knowledge? For example, setting traps or devising cunning plans?"

"No, they don't. The enemy just comes in groups and attacks along the shortest path. Plus, we don't have enough manpower to set up traps ourselves."

Ah, so they just charge straight ahead and leave? I can't fully believe it, but I'll go with it for now. Detailed past info is only known by guild members. Traps require resources even if routes are known, and the effort might be wasted.

Alright. Location seems settled. Next, who? We need to understand our forces.

"Please explain the knight squad's military structure, especially their formation."

"It hasn't been finalized yet, but I'll explain what's decided so far."

Listening in:

The smallest unit is a squad. It consists of 1 captain, 1 deputy, 6 members, and 2 trainees, totaling 10 people. I thought the numbers were high without communication methods, but it makes sense now. This is for immediate response to grade 6 threats.

If split, 3 members per party would be standard, with captains leading each group. Trainees likely support or act as reserves. That makes 2 parties. Since 6 people are recommended for grade 6 threats, actual strength should be higher. During camping, excluding the captain, shifts could rotate every 4 hours with 2 on duty each time.

A platoon is led by a knight and deputy, commanding 4 squads. Splitting them would target around 12 main members, so they probably handle grade 5 threats or above.

Above that are more deputy knights and knights, but they won't be coming this time. Instead, priority will go to 2 knights. The rest include about 10 messengers, support staff, cooks, and 10 scouts.

Scouts have captain-level authority and belong to the king's royal scouting squad. Honestly, I was surprised scouts operate independently from the main force. In games, they're often portrayed as inferior warriors or assassins, but reality is different. Scouts are like the eyes of an army; without them, accurate info can't be gathered. Their job requires intelligence since they handle information, needing to filter and sometimes make judgments.

Their higher-ups being connected to the king suggests they also handle espionage. Hearing more, they're an elite group with their own pay structure. It feels like the governance deity might have blessed them with wisdom. Few messengers made me think scouts cover those roles too.

Man, I wish we had good scout material. Well, moving on to adventurers.

"How many adventurers do you expect?"

"About 50 will be in the front lines. The rest will act as reserves, rotating in the rear or serving as relief during emergencies."

Mixed bunch, can't help it. If 50 have to face 400, that sounds tough. Time-buying aside, we might need some strategy.

"What's the guild doing during this?"

"Managing adventurers and acting as a liaison with the knight squad."

Having someone handle logistics is crucial, so glad the guild is taking care of it.

Alright. Who seems covered for now. Next, what? We need to know about the enemy.

"What exactly are the goblin commander individuals?"

"Past info shows they're stronger than regular goblins. However, yearly variations exist, and sometimes magic doesn't work on them."

Whoa. That's a nightmare. Better avoid getting close if possible. Is this what Alecto was talking about regarding resistance?

<Understood. There's a possibility, but without more data on the target, I can't confirm.>

Alright. Basic info is basic.

"Do goblin groups change when they gather?"

"No significant changes. Rarely, goblins near command individuals might act more aggressively, but these are subjective reports with low credibility."

Another thing to see firsthand.

Alright. What seems covered for now. Next, why? Since the premise is goblins attacking, what's the end goal?

"What's the resolution condition for this situation?"

"Ultimately, we need to wipe out goblins at the forest entrance. Short-term, defeating the command individual will disperse the group and send them back into the forest."

"What about pursuit?"

"If possible, yes. However, organizing a chaotic adventurer group is no easy task. Pursuit will likely fall on the knight squad, with stragglers dealt with later by adventurers."

Hmm. Why seems covered too. Finally, how?

"How exactly will the knight squad and adventurers fight?"

"There are two scenarios: one where the knight squad arrives in time and another where they don't."

If they arrive, the knight squad forms a line to defend the town. Without barriers or cover, that's all they can do. Adventurers form parties and advance forward. Honestly, not much else they can do.

If they're late, adventurers form parties to defend the town. Once the knight squad arrives, they'll flank in formation and cut through.

Adventurers will practice forming lines at some point. They plan to start 2-3 days before arrival.

Hmm. Maybe I should ask about smaller details too.

"Is there a reward?"

"As it's a national response, the guild treats this as standard goblin extermination. For command individuals, we've set aside 1 million wares. This is an annual tradition only if adventurers take them down. The nation has agreed."

Money goes where it needs to go. Maybe discuss adjustments if things look too unfavorable.

"What happened during the first attack?"

"I don't have clearance to view the budget. From rumors, during initial assault, casualties were heavy, and villagers scattered."

Spent quite some time talking. Looking outside now, it's getting dark.

Maybe one last question.

"May I ask who your superior is?"

"Our guild master."

"Directly under them?"

"Yes."

Oh, this person has high status.

After exchanging good byes, walking home while thinking: seasonal events like this cost extra if timing shifts. At least the moving parts are in motion. Now it's about how I move forward.

Glad it's goblins then. Cunning plans in group battles aren't feasible for civilians. Common in games, but seeing firsthand shows info alone isn't enough.

Like a basic war training seminar for office workers.

Not funny at all, thinking as the sun sets and heading home.