WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS

Translator: Abood

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◈ Friedrich's Battlefield

Chapter 5: Powerless Sheep

The next day, with words of encouragement from steward Hermann and farewells from the townsfolk, the bandit suppression team led by Dennis departed Volga at dawn, heading south.

If all went smoothly, they were expected to return by early afternoon. That was what the townspeople believed, and Friedrich thought the same. But events took a turn no one had anticipated

As evening approached and people began to think, it's taking longer than expected, the town was thrown into chaos when only two members of the unit returned—covered in blood.

“E-everyone’s dead! They slaughtered all of them but us!

One of the blood-soaked survivors stood in the center of the square, surrounded by stunned residents, and shouted the words.

“There weren’t just four or five! There were dozens of them, maybe fifty, maybe even a hundred! And they weren’t just some ragtag thugs either, they looked like seasoned fighters… powerful ones. The soldiers, the volunteers, they were all cut down one after another!”

“We were only spared because we’re still young. Captain Dennis told us to run, told us to get back and warn the city… There were still a few alive when we fled, but I’m sure they’re all dead by now. Dennis too…”

At those words, the first sounds that rose were cries and screams. They came from the families of the soldiers and volunteers who had joined the bandit hunt.

Some broke down in tears. Others dropped to their knees in shock. People nearby tried to comfort them, holding them close.

A heavy silence settled over the square, broken only by the low murmurs of the townsfolk talking among themselves in hushed voices. More and more people gathered, until it felt as if the entire city had crowded into the square.

"Hey, Friedrich."

"...Yeah. Showing up in small numbers at first was probably part of the bandits’ plan from the start. If it looked like there were only a few of them, it makes sense the response team wouldn’t be that large, maybe twenty or thirty people at most. Once they wiped out that force, Volga would be left with barely any real fighters. Even if we call for reinforcements from the capital, there’s no way the lord can mobilize enough troops to deal with a bandit force this big right away. It'll take days at best for them to arrive. Until then, the bandits can loot and kill as much as they want."

With little interest in the growing chaos of the plaza, Yurika speaks up. Responding to her call, Friedrich shares his thoughts.

“W-what do we do now?”

“We’ve got to act fast… if we don’t, the bandits might be here by tomorrow. Or worse, even later tonight.”

Once the initial shock over the annihilation of the suppression force settled, the townspeople's attention shifted to what should be done next.

“R-right, what about steward Herrmann?”

“Isn’t he related to the Viscounty of Dofen? He’s of noble blood, right? He’s got to be educated, maybe he’ll know what to do…”

“That sounds right. Let’s ask Mr. Hermann what steps we should take now.”

“The two survivors went to report to him first, didn’t they? Maybe Mr. Hermann has already come up with a plan!”

Several people voiced the idea, and others quickly agreed. There was a brief sense of relief in knowing that someone from the ruling class, someone they could turn to for guidance, was still present.

But that feeling lasted only a moment.

“S-something’s happened!”

A man came running into the square from the direction of the steward’s manor, one of the servants who worked there.

“Mr. Hermann left in a carriage with his family! He said he was going to call for help…”

Silence hung over the square for an instant, then quickly turned to uproar.

“That bastard!!”

“The damn steward ran off! He’s abandoned the city and us!”

“What are we supposed to do now? Captain Dennis is gone, the steward’s gone, the soldiers and anyone we could rely on are all dead. What the hell are we supposed to do by ourselves?”

As the crowd shouted in anger and panic, Yurika watched them with a smile.

“Fufufu… things are really starting to get wild, huh?”

“…Seriously, that idiot steward.”

On the other hand, Friedrich let out a sigh and muttered in exasperation.

Hermann. He had served as the steward of Volga since his father’s time and was said to be a cousin of the current Viscount Dofen. With a gentle nature, he wasn’t a bad steward in peaceful times, but running off at the first sign of trouble only proved his incompetence. He had no one to blame but himself.

To make matters worse, there was a small forested mountain southeast of Volga, and the road to the eastern capital curved southward to go around it. That meant anyone traveling to the capital had to head south first upon leaving Volga.

Considering the bandits were approaching from the south, escaping with just a small group was actually foolish. Especially now, with nightfall approaching.

At this point, the best chance of survival was likely to come from everyone working together and preparing for the attack.

Of the 500 people in Volga, around 150 are adult men capable of fighting. That number still exceeds the headcount of the bandits. And since they're in a city, even a small one, they have the advantage of familiar terrain. Most of them have no experience in battle, but if things are handled well, they might at least be able to drive the bandits away.

The problem lies in who will rally the people and come up with a plan to counter the bandits. Friedrich, having read extensively about war in countless books, feels somewhat confident in himself. He wants to take the lead in the upcoming discussion. But will anyone actually listen to the opinions of a former orphan?

As he worries about this, however, the conversation takes a turn he never expected.

“Someone do something!”

“A-a hundred bandits, maybe even more... there’s nothing we can do against that!”

“So what, are we just supposed to die like this?”

Shouts of anger, screams, and the cries of frightened children, shaken by the adults’ panic, echoed through the square, wrapping the entire area in chaos. Everyone was confused, terrified, and the unrest kept spreading.

"It's over! This city, all of us, we're finished!"

"No, I don't want this. Someone, please help!"

"I-if we're going to be slaughtered like animals, maybe it's better to just end it now..."

"O sole and absolute god who created the heavens, the earth, and the sea, I am your faithful servant. When my life ends, please guide my soul to your divine presence."

Some only lamented. Some cried and screamed. Some gave up. Others clung to prayer. But what they all had in common was that they had already given up thinking about how to overcome the crisis.

Watching the state of the people, Friedrich stood there in a daze.

“…What is this?”

The words slipped out as he stood there in shock.

Why is no one thinking for themselves? Why isn't anyone trying to change the situation?

Don’t they realize what will happen if all they do is scream and panic?

Sure, the ones left here are mostly common folk. People who’ve rarely ever left Volga, most of whom never even considered doing so in the first place. They don’t know the words needed for complex thought, and they can only think within the limits of their jobs and daily lives.

Those who could think beyond that… Most of them are already dead. Or they ran away.

But still, he never imagined it would be this bad.

Isn’t there even one person who can face reality, refuse to give up, and actually start using their head?

“......”

Friedrich walked around the square, scanning the people. Yurika followed behind him.

The priest of the church. He was the only person left in the city who could even remotely be considered a figure of authority.

With that thought, Friedrich looked toward the church. Standing in front of it was the elderly priest who had been his legal guardian back when he and the others were orphans. He was on his knees, offering prayers to God for the desperate townspeople clinging to him. Alma and the other nuns were doing the same.

That was all they were doing. Nothing more.

And in a way, it was to be expected. They were clergymen, respected by society, but in this day and age where the political authority of religious institutions had long since weakened, they held little real influence. Expecting them to show leadership in a battle against bandits was unrealistic.

It couldn't be helped. So then, what about the others?

Were there any among the younger men who hadn’t yet given up the will to fight? What about Bruno and his gang, the usual delinquents always boasting about their strength?

With that thought, Friedrich looked around and spotted them at the edge of the square.

“H-hey, Bruno… what are we gonna do?”

“Don’t ask me! What the hell are we supposed to do? We’re up against a whole gang of bandits!”

“S-so… we’re just gonna die then…?”

Useless. That was the kind of conversation they were having.

Thinking about it, these were the same guys who liked to act tough and show off their strength against weaker folks like Friedrich, but never had the guts to volunteer for any real fight. Expecting anything from them in the first place had been pointless.

Then who? Was there truly no one else?

“......”

Friedrich looked around.

Everyone was drenched in despair and hopelessness. Not a single person even seemed to question the atmosphere, where giving up on everything had become the norm.

Were they really, truly planning to surrender? Without making any plans, without putting up a fight, were they just going to let the incoming bandits trample over them?

And then what? Their possessions would be stolen, their homes burned, the women violated, the elderly and children abused for sport, and the men forced to watch it all. In the end, they’d probably all be slaughtered.

Is that really acceptable? Just because they’re common folk, just because there are no rulers or soldiers to guide them. Does that mean no one will lift a finger, and it will all end like this?

Are the uneducated masses truly this helpless without someone to lead them? Are they nothing but sheep waiting to be taken? And if so, are the bandits who are coming the wolves? Are sheep truly powerless in the face of a wolf’s violence?

Am I… really the same as these powerless sheep?

I admired the heroes in history books and stories, dreaming of becoming one. Yet in the end, am I no different from this crowd? They used to look down on me, mock me for being a former orphan, and now they do nothing but cry and scream. And I’m supposed to be the same as them?

Am I going to die here like this, just another one of them? Unable to protect Yurika, unable to protect even my own life?

A nameless, powerless sheep… Is that all my life amounts to? Is that what I’m supposed to accept?

The moment that thought crossed his mind, he got angry.

“Don’t screw with me.”

He said it without even realizing. His voice, filled with so much anger, even surprised himself.

He turned to the side and met Yurika’s eyes.

She raised one eyebrow, surprised too—and then, she smiled.

“Do whatever you want, Friedrich. I’ll leave everything to you, and I’ll follow you, no matter what happens.”

It was a smile both joyful and dangerous, as if she might leap straight into a fire, a sea of poison, or off the edge of a cliff without hesitation.

“......”

Yurika’s smile and words gave him the final push.

Friedrich smiled back at her, then ran to the center of the square. He climbed onto the platform that had been left standing since the morning’s send-off ceremony for the subjugation squad, and turned to face everyone.

“Don’t give up!”

It was probably the loudest shout of his entire life.

Footnotes:

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