Despite all the challenges and the constant gunfire echoing outside, Tomas ensured that the team had sufficient breaks between encounters with the undead. Lisa, meanwhile, coordinated efforts to distribute food to the soldiers. In the middle of the road, one of Tomas' teammates was busy stirring a pot filled with water and frozen meals provided by the system. This was a clear message to Eldrin, who was peering out of his house, that Bell and his team could both fend off the undead and find time for some rest and relaxation.
The large pot simmered on top of the sizable gas stove inside in the middle of the road. It was big enough to feed the entire village, and Lisa had purchased enough meal trays to ensure that every elf in the village received their share of food. This had truly become a charitable endeavor led by Lisa.
"Sitting here with a warm cup of tea, a hot meal, and plenty of bullets, it's a good day to be alive," Tomas remarked as he sat on Eldrin's porch, sipping from a thermos of hot tea and balancing a meal tray on his knees. The menu was simple but satisfying: biscuits and gravy, piping hot.
Six soldiers from the 48-person team were tasked with delivering meals to each house while also counting the village's inhabitants to ensure there was enough food to go around. Bell and Lisa stood near the pot, overseeing the operation. Lisa cast a pointed glance at Eldrin's house, as if to demonstrate that she could simultaneously defend the village and provide sustenance, something Eldrin had been unable to do in a single day, despite his protests.
"Bell, I have to say, this attack appears to be a blessing in disguise," Lisa commented as she observed the intense firefight at the end of the road, where soldiers with smoking-hot machine guns and assault rifles fended off a group of oncoming undead.
"Yeah, I have to agree, but we must make it clear that we're here as allies, not invaders," Bell responded.
"Don't worry, invaders wouldn't be handing out food and medicine for free. If we were invaders, wouldn't we force the elves to act as human shields or something like that?" Lisa added while helping herself to a serving from her meal tray.
"Couldn't agree more," Bell nodded in agreement.
The dead wyverns drew a crowd of astonished elves, who marveled at the sheer firepower that had brought these formidable creatures down. Wyverns were no easy foes, boasting strong scales and powerful magic attacks. Yet, the demons had managed to vanquish a group of them, leaving their carcasses strewn throughout the village.
Bell couldn't help but ponder what to do with these deceased wyverns, knowing that their meat was considered some of the most delicious. Perhaps he could enlist Tomas and his team to butcher them and distribute the meat equally among the village residents. That way, everyone could savor a portion. Moreover, Bell was confident that, regardless of the outcome of this assault, the elves would cooperate with them, whether out of love or fear.
Having finished his meal, Tomas approached Bell and Lisa. He placed his soiled tray among the others on the ground and reopened his thermos to sip more tea before heading back south to hold off the assault. Truth be told, Tomas felt like this was more of a holiday than an actual battle.
"So, sir, what's the plan for Eldrin and the other elves?" Tomas inquired, curious about the minister's intentions.
"If you ask me, we might consider renegotiating our deal with Eldrin once this assault is over. None of the elves have dared to approach the checkpoint where our soldiers are fighting the undead. It will demonstrate our superior strength to them, while the food parcels could serve as a goodwill gesture," Bell replied.
"I agree, sir. Like it or not, our mission here is to recruit, not to occupy, right?" Tomas added.
"Absolutely. It just so happens that this chaotic situation might be a way for the elves to see that not all demons are evil," Bell remarked.
Stolen story; please report.
Bell was well aware of Eldrin's intense disdain for him and the fact that Eldrin probably harbored ill intentions toward Lisa from the start. However, Bell also recognized that Eldrin wasn't as foolish as some of his more radical followers. Eldrin understood that any aggressive move against the demons, even something as minor as touching a strand of their hair, would likely trigger a war. Moreover, after witnessing the demons' display of strength, Eldrin would surely comprehend that any battle with them would lead to the village's destruction, something he undoubtedly wished to avoid. It was a win-win situation for Bell and his team.
Now, the key was to secure public support. Lisa had already initiated this by offering free medical check-ups, and Tomas continued the effort by distributing food parcels. Tomas suggested that they should promptly butcher the wyverns to gather their scales and sell them at the commissary, in addition to speeding up the distribution of the meat.
"Need any extra hands?" Bell inquired.
"No need, Minister Radcliffe. Our team can handle it," Tomas replied confidently.
"No, I mean, I'm thinking of getting Eldrin's people to assist with the meat distribution. It's a way to build trust between him and me," Bell explained.
"Oh, that? Sure thing. If they attack one of our people or do anything foolish, I'll ensure they regret it," Tomas responded.
"Tomas, don't harm or kill any of them, alright?" Bell reminded him.
"Just kidding, Minister. Don't worry, I'll be as gentle as a snowman with them," Tomas reassured, eliciting a smile from Bell.
Bell then walked toward Eldrin's porch, with Lisa following closely behind, her assault rifle at the ready due to a previous incident when Eldrin's man had thrown a dagger at the door, narrowly missing Lisa's head. It would have been deadly had she not been wearing a helmet. They were fortunate that it didn't hit the mark, or there would have been grounds to open fire.
Standing before the door, Bell addressed Eldrin, "Eldrin, I need your help."
"Aren't there already enough things you've done to 'help' us? The ice spirits are angry at your presence. Leave, now!" Eldrin's voice came from behind the door, filled with hostility.
"Eldrin, please, I need your assistance in distributing the food rations we're about to provide. We don't know anyone here, and we don't want our intentions to be misunderstood," Bell implored.
"Go. Away. Now!" Eldrin's response remained firm and unwavering.
Bell decided to walk away from Eldrin's house, muttering, "Let's just do what we do best: distribute the food rations without his help. It's less of a headache and probably faster," with a brief pause before shouting even louder, "and to show how much of a loser he is!"
Surprisingly, the door swung open wide, revealing Eldrin and two of his guards. Lisa's trick had worked even better than expected, coaxing Eldrin to open the door. She wore a smug smile as Eldrin finally emerged.
"Fine, I'll lend you the men of this village. Do anything to them, and..." Eldrin began to issue a warning, but Lisa cut him short.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know, and we'll regret it. Don't worry, Eldrin, they'll be fine," Lisa assured him.
"They better be," Eldrin responded sternly.
Eldrin and his two guards proceeded to gather the men from each house in the village to assist with distributing the food that Bell's group was about to provide. In total, Eldrin managed to assemble thirty men, including five volunteer elven teenagers, which was a welcome addition. Before they began distributing the rations and meat, Bell introduced Eldrin to Tomas, who was sipping tea while butchering one of the wyverns with two of his men.
"Eldrin, Tomas. Tomas, Eldrin," Bell introduced.
"Nice to meet you, Eldrin," Tomas offered his hand, but Eldrin neither spoke nor shook Tomas' hand. Tomas simply withdrew his hand from the unreciprocated gesture.
"Alright, here's the plan. There's plenty of wyvern meat here. You can have the meat, and we'll take the scales. How does that sound?" Tomas proposed.
Eldrin initially desired the wyvern meat for the village, but he recognized that these soldiers must have been quite an expense for Bell. Not wanting to risk a war with Bell and his group, he agreed to the offer. Eldrin might act as the village chief, but he understood that Bell held the most power at the moment, and he was genuinely fearful of him, as if the demons had bared their full fangs.
"Deal," Eldrin nodded. "Men, work with these demons, follow their instructions. We'll butcher the wyverns, and they can have the scales."
"Alright, let's get to it, then," Tomas smiled as he placed his thermos back on his assault pack and began butchering the wyverns alongside the elves. Meanwhile, Bell stepped away from the two leaders, allowing the former head of the refugee camp to engage in conversation with the village chief, in hopes of establishing a mutually beneficial relationship.
As Bell returned to Eldrin's porch to retrieve his drone goggles, he noticed Lisa on the porch as well, accompanied by one of the elven teenage girls she had found. He wasn't sure what they were discussing, but they appeared to be engaged in a lively conversation, both of them sharing laughter. Not wanting to interrupt them, Bell donned his goggles once more and directed his attention to the battlefield.