Villainess and Grimoire - Chapter 94 – General Aurora Arc

Year 5009 after the system day 5 of the sun season in the southern outpost.

“General, there’s an important man that wishes to talk with you,” the man says while having a man in a very expensive attire approaching him from a few meters away.

“Hum? Who’s it this time around? I’ve been getting a lot of important people to talk with me every day.”

The soldier looks around her noticing all sorts of famous faces and then says,” it is the merchants association leader.”

“Have him wait a while, I’m currently handling a different affair,” the soldier nodded and turned around to deliver the message when the merchant leader just passes by him.

The man arrives observing a lone table with lots of notebooks and books on it, finding a little girl seated in front of it while in the middle of many adults says,” I’m Ricardo Colapzo, the merchant association leader, the richest man in the entirety of the capital, I wish to talk with whoever the superior is,” once he finishes talking he starts noticing some important figures like the prince left and right arm, Ryu and Mark who were discussing the preparations for the next war in some days, the Saintess who’s always glued to Aurora, and a pink-haired girl who he automatically thinks being one of the summoned as there’s no such color in the kingdom if there was he’d know, as he hires a lot of people for works.

Aurora completing ignoring him focused on finishing writing a paper with the trap processes for the formation she’ll be using next, the man feeling ignored and having his ego hurt speaks once more.

“I wasn’t told who commanded this army yet, did I not arrive at the right location? Seeing as the crown prince advisor is here alongside lord Ryu, actually, aren’t you the general of the army Ryu? Without his highness Julius here, I’d assume you’d be the one in charge.”

Ryu does eye contact with the man who interrupted their reunion and says,” I’m an advisor along with teacher Mark of the new generation general Aurora,” as he finishes talking he shifts his serious gaze to the girl in the middle who finishes writing and delivers the paper to Mark.

“You may shape the land with the earth and nature elemental mages, other types can lend their mana to them as they won’t be needing it right away,” looking at two important figures taking orders from a little girl he feels confused.

‘How is a little girl, younger than my daughter even doing as the general of the biggest human army?’

“Is this a joke? How is it possible for such a kid to be the one leading 700 thousand men and having the rank that should belong to one of the two veterans such as yourselves?”

As they were about to voice their opinions to defend Aurora, the girl got up and turned facing the man who attempted to bring shame to her honor.

The man looks at her uniform and then at an emblem that is used to represent absolute authority usually used by a member of the royal family.

“You have three seconds to kneel and apologize, once the time is over I’ll sever your legs, then I’ll give you another three seconds and I’ll sever your arms, then three more seconds and I’ll sever your head.”

“1… 2…” The big man who had a big belly due to the beer he’d consume often quickly kneeled down making it bounce slightly and said,” I’m truly sorry gi- general Aurora, please forgive me.”

The soldiers who were patrolling and watched the scene from afar couldn’t help but gulp feeling pity for the man.

Aurora took a few steps forward pulling the chair as she walked and sat in front of the man, keeping around twenty centimeters of the distance between him and her, and spoke coldly.

“You have shown a disgraceful attitude in front of something you can’t buy with all the money you own, do you know what that is? You have 10 seconds to find an answer before I sever a finger.”

Nervously with his blood rushing, he thought, ‘Something I can’t buy?’ He lifts his head and looks everywhere realizing that the only thing he couldn’t possibly buy is the general in front of her, but even then, he could buy a general so he replied.

“With all due respect, but with the money I have, the only thing I can’t buy is the army that belongs to his highness prince Julius, since with the money at my disposal I could easily buy an army with a few generals included.”

“That is incorrect, since the prince may allow you to buy his own army while maintaining surveillance over it, the thing that you can’t possibly buy that you failed to notice is what I’ve been threatening to steal, ever since you knelt to protect it unconsciously perhaps, your own and only life.”

He gulped at the words your life as he felt like he could die at any given moment, trembling slightly not wanting to partake from this life the only he had and a very pleasant one at that.

“You are alive because I allow you to stay like that, however, as you may have noticed by now, your life,” she extends her hand at him and grips it tightly in front of him,” is mine to take if I so please along with all the money you own if I so declare.”

Upon hearing those words the man’s heart raced even faster as he sweated immensely from the walk he had done under the strong heat and now this confrontation he slipped in thinking he owned the place.

“Now that you’ve earned yourself a place as a silent and educated listener, you may talk, and when you do, I expect to hear useful things, and once you’re done I believe I’ll hear a good deal coming out from your dry lips.”

As the man was about to open his mouth to talk, Aurora says,” Ryu, Mark, do me the favor to initiate the place, the time is scarce, and call Romeo here if you see him around or tell a soldier to bring him here, I’ve just thought on a very elaborate plan,” Aurora smile that doesn’t match a 9-year-old kid terrifies the only man able to see her the one in front of her who trembles in fear feeling like a monster has taken a human shape.

“Sure, we’ll be back tonight with an update,” Ryu said taking his leave alongside Mark leaving Sophie behind staring at Aurora’s back.

She then passes her hand horizontally from her forehead to her chin revealing her typical expressionless self, then she waited for some time while staring at Ricardo, and then her mouth opened softly saying,” why are you so quiet? You came here so eager to talk unless you’ve said everything you wanted to say? Don’t tell me you wasted my precious time with this gibberish. You do realize I have to handle over 700 thousand men by myself right? How big is your association? How many are working under you? Do you know the weight under these tiny shoulders? Do you expect me to remain here quietly and sane for every idiot that comes barging here the way you did telling me about how great they are? Ah… I’m conflicted, part of me wants to pull out your tongue and cut it while the other me is asking me to calm down and give you some room to breathe, but I’m truly troubled as I look around us and see everyone breathing normally, doesn’t that mean there’s enough air for all of us to intake? Yet, you dare stand in my presence silently without as much presenting me with some numbers to study, your stocks, your money, your propositions, the things you intend to buy from us, the ones you intend to sell us, are you not a merchant? Don’t tell me you bought a talented merchant to handle the art of trading in your place? If that was so I’d call you a wise man, but if that’s truly it then I ask you to immediately call that man over here as I wish to speak with someone who can understand me, it is very hard to comprehend the insanity of not being understood at first glance, after all, did I not tell you to convey words towards this lady?”

Aurora sighs displeased with the richest man in the kingdom as she used him to vent the excess of work and pressure she’s been through since she became a general due to the lack of competent people on her level, unlike her past life whom she had some reliable subordinates as such she couldn’t help but working day and night, every day without rest to do the work of many, but soon she knew it would end up paying off, it always did, it wasn’t by chance that she earned the peerless general achievement.

A soft hand landed on Aurora’s hair which made her turn upwards meeting two pink eyes filled with sadness and worry over her health, the girl then said,” Merchant Ricardo, I’m sure you’ll find it in you that her words despite extremely brutal are ones that carry the human race survival on the line, return with a fair proposal when you see yourself in the condition to do so,” Sophie said in a kind tone to which the man nodded with a pale face, got up and left without saying a word as his hands were still shaking from the pressure he felt from the little girl.

“Go take a rest till lord Ryu returns, I’ll look for Romeo meanwhile, and then we’ll wait for you to wake up little sister.”

Aurora gets up and pulls the chair back to the desk writing two pages leaving Sophie surprised as she expected she would have gone rest, after a while, she gathered enough courage to yell at her to go rest, and as she was about to do so.

“I’ve left those two pages for you and Romeo, I might take a while resting this time around I may be exhausted, it is a dirty job, but if you both succeed it’ll increase our chances to slay the goblin king to one hundred percent, thank you for looking out for me Sophie,” she smiled faintly and headed inside the tent to rest.

As she started moving Sophie voiced loudly,” you can count on me! I’m the hero after all!” She smiled brightly hiding her pity and unease for Aurora who she saw overworking from morning to night every day while she goofed around with Romeo most of the time.

‘Shit! What a useless hero that I am, I couldn’t even light a bit of the weight that girl is carrying… Just what have I been doing in this place!?’