Combatants Will Be Dispatched - Volume 3 - Chapter 2.2

2 

Alice, Snow, and the two Chimeras are lined up in front of the massive pile of building materials sent from Earth. 

Standing on a slightly elevated spot, I pick up the loudspeaker. 

“Good morning, everyone! My name is Agent Six, manager for the Kisaragi Corporation’s Grace Kingdom branch. Our mission will be to construct a fortress to serve as a base for our settlement of the Cursed Forest. Our land is plagued by environmental pollution and population growth, as well as food shortage. Humanity’s future rests upon your shoulders…” 

Today we begin construction on our fortress. Once we have a proper stronghold, I’ll obtain the title of underboss, which is separate from positions like Supreme Leader. 

Positions like Supreme Leader represent power, while titles like underboss represent accomplishments. 

Of course, once I obtain the title, I’ll be able to lord it over the other agents. 

As I’m basking in the glow of this event and giving my speech, my heartless subordinates start complaining from the sidelines. 

“What’s the point of this? You’re rambling and not making any sense! We’re getting paid by results. Stop with the stupid speeches, and let’s get started!” 

“Boss! It’s just weird when you start using big words out of the blue. Let’s get this over with so we can go eat!” 

These lackeys clearly need a lesson on the chain of command. 

“Shut it! Once the fortress is complete, I’ll be an underboss! That makes me important! I’ll be much more important than you rank-and-file lackeys! You two better start treating me with respect!” 

After I yell at them with the loudspeaker, Snow and Rose bristle. 

“Who are you calling a lackey?! I’m still a knight of this realm! I’m here at Princess Tillis’s orders, and I’m decidedly not a part of your shady organization!” 

“That’s right! Stop treating me like I’m part of your group!” 

As I’m pondering how to quiet down the unruly pair, Russell sighs and pipes up. (I dragged him here due to a lack of personnel.) 

“Hey, you know… I beat the crap out of you with my giant weapon. I’m only following you guys because Tiger Man is unreasonably strong. We Chimeras are closer to wild animals than humans, you know, so we’ll follow someone stronger than us. I’m not going to take orders from a weakling like you.” 

…Oh yeaaaah? 

“You’ve got some nerve, you brat, considering I took you down with a single shot! I’d be happy to come beat the shit out of you right now, you cross-dressing exhibitionist!” 

“Th-that was a sneak attack from behind! And I’m not an exhibitionist! I’m not a pervert like you!” 

At the word exhibitionist , Snow and Rose open a little distance between themselves and Russell. 

“W-wait, Sis! He’s lying…” Even Russell has a hard time being rejected by another Chimera, and he hurriedly begins making excuses. 

“I’m sorry, Russell, but could you stop calling me Sis while you’re dressed like that? It might not seem like it, but I’m still trying to take my life seriously.” 

“Rose, this cross-dressing brat is definitely on Six’s end of the spectrum. You’ll catch the stupidity if you spend too much time with him.” 

“Hold on! Just hold on a minute! I’m trying to live seriously, too! It’s just that I got captured by a bunch of weirdos!” 

As the three of them neglect me to yell among themselves, I let loose with the loudspeaker at close range. 

“Bah! Why can’t I get any good help? A cross-dressing Chimera, a gluttonous Chimera, and a cheap floozy. Try being in my shoes, attempting to build a fortress with help like you! Especially you , the one who blew up the hideout! You should be begging me for mercy each and every day!” 

“You bastard, just who are you calling a ‘floozy’?! I’ll admit I’m cheap, but calling me a floozy is just your damned opinion! Also, there was a reason I was outside the hideout! Someone was looking in from the window…” 

“Boss, calling a girl a ‘gluttonous Chimera’ is a little much, isn’t it?! If you’re going to call me a glutton, I’ll go ahead and start gnawing on you, too!” 

“Y-you lot are the ones making me cross-dress!” 

With all three of them speaking up at once, I can’t make out what they’re saying. 

However, it’s easy enough to see they have no respect for their boss. I spit on the ground in front of them to let them know what I think of that. 

“You idiots! You’ll regret it when the fortress is done and I’m an underboss! Insubordinate lackeys like you will be on permanent shoulder-rubbing and toilet-cleaning duty. If you want to avoid that, get to work!” 

“Rose! Russell of the Water! We’ll surround this bastard and bury him in the forest! Underboss, shmunderboss! We’ll get rid of this useless superior!” 

“It hurts to have the boss—of all people—call me slow-witted.” 

“You do remember I’m a Chimera who used to be one of the Demon Lord’s Elite Four, right? You really think a mere human can beat me in a fair fight?” 

As the three of them start issuing threats, I smack my fist into my palm with a loud thwack . 

“Yeah? Let’s do this. You really think the three of you can take me in an actual fight? Come at me, you damned lackeys! I’ll happily bring all of you to tears!” 

“I’ll go after his neck from the back,” says Snow. “We’ll form a triangle around him and attack him. Take your places!” 

“I bet this battle was fated to happen before we were even born. I woke from my ancient slumber just for this day…,” Rose murmurs. 

“Ha-ha. I’ve needed a release after all the stress I’ve accumulated from being dressed up like this. I’ll make you into my playthi— Ow, ow, ow, ow! Attacking me while I’m talking isn’t fair… Wait! My arm doesn’t bend that way!” 

While Snow and Rose are rambling on about some nonsense, I take the opportunity to grab Russell’s arm. The other two hurriedly try to help him, but I circle around behind Russell as he cradles his arm, putting him in a choke hold. 

“Boss! Mr. Russell’s foaming at the mouth! I think that’s enough!” 

“Stop! Let him go, Six! You’re going to make your maid corps into a maid corpse!” 

As I refuse to let go despite the blows to my head and back, Alice picks up the loudspeaker and, with a sigh, points it in my face. 

“Listen up, Six! The longer it takes to build a fort, the longer we live in tents. Don’t you want your own room? You can’t enjoy porn without any privacy.” 

I freeze at Alice’s words. 

“Besides, Six wasn’t exaggerating. If we successfully finish the fortress and settle the forest, it’ll solve lots of problems. That’ll make you lot heroes. You come to our world, you’ll get a massive bonus and live a life of luxury… See? That’s worth it, right? Good. Let’s get to work!” 

With a renewed sense of purpose, we steadily complete our tasks. 

Using the heavy machinery acquired with Evil Points, we begin laying the foundation. 

The forest stretches out near the planned fortress location. Everywhere else, there’s nothing but wasteland. 

Settling and developing the Cursed Forest: It’s a grand project that’ll solve the countless problems facing both this planet and Earth.