Ash’s declaration that they would fight here.
One instructor immediately questioned it.
“Couldn’t we retreat one or two more times?”
“Unfortunately, that’s impossible.”
Ash spread out the map and pointed to a section with her finger.
“There are three forks ahead. It’d be great if they followed us down our retreat path, but what if they don’t?”
“They’d easily reach the final defense line. I see. It’s actually our forces that would be scattered…”
“The most serious problem is that the final defense line is weak. Not just in numbers, but we placed less experienced and weaker kids the further up we went.”
It wasn’t that Caron hadn’t anticipated this situation.
But what were the odds—dozens of knights scattering in chaos versus moving together in perfect coordination to one location?
Which was more likely?
‘Obviously the former.’
In other words, this was the result of both Caron and the knight order making the best moves, and it was a variable Caron hadn’t considered.
“And dealing with that variable is our role. Everyone, prepare yourselves. We’ll establish the final defense line here!”
Ash’s declaration to prepare for battle.
The kids began moving quickly.
“Build fortifications to protect the mages!”
“Defeating demons is a noble’s duty!”
“Oh~ Hohoho! There is no mercy for wicked people who shelter demons.”
Luna also sharpened her blade and prepared for battle.
But not everyone shared our resolve.
“N-no matter how I think about it, this doesn’t seem right.”
“Exactly! We almost actually died just now! A full-scale battle with these numbers… this isn’t according to plan!”
Several kids trembled. They must be remembering what happened earlier.
A fight where the goal wasn’t capture, but killing.
Earlier, the situation had been so sudden they couldn’t think straight, but now that they could actually process their thoughts—
It didn’t take long to realize this was no joke.
Even those who had the significant experience of the Carpathia defense felt the same.
Hah.
Ash let out a small sigh and approached the trembling kids.
“Just be a little braver. You’ve been training hard all this time, haven’t you?”
“B-but the opponents are knights. Someone like us won’t even be a match for them.”
“Will you really not be able to handle it?”
“Yes…”
The kids hung their heads. Ash vigorously ruffled several of their heads and spoke.
“Don’t worry. There’s a role that’s perfect for kids like you.”
“A role?”
“Yeah, be messengers. Go to the three forks behind us and the forks beyond them. Report the situation here and gather people.”
Messengers to request reinforcements.
This wouldn’t be dangerous or difficult. Hope glimmered in the kids’ eyes.
“Leave it to us! We’ll send reinforcements as quickly as possible!”
“Alright, I’m counting on you.”
The kids huddled together and began dividing into three groups.
“Th-then I’ll also…”
Rezé tried to sneakily join that group.
I grabbed a clump of her bangs and yanked upward. Like a hunter grabbing a rabbit by the ears.
“Kyaaaa!”
Rezé flailed her arms and struggled, but she couldn’t escape my grip.
In that time, nearly a dozen kids left this place. It all happened in an instant.
Watching the departing kids, the instructors conversed.
“Isn’t it an issue that they left? We have fewer troops left than expected.”
“You know as well as I do. Kids like that won’t help at all even if they stay. And we can’t do anything about the ones who won’t listen even after being told.”
Ash stared at the instructors.
“In the end, only those who show courage can seize this world. Why don’t they understand that…”
If they just showed a little more courage, they could change their world, their future.
“Sorry for thinking and deciding alone. We’re already in a rush, but I’ve made us face an even harder fight.”
“No. Now that I think about it, your judgment was right. Actually, it’s better. We just need to hold out until reinforcements arrive. Simple, right?”
Ash chuckled. Though usually competing rivals, Ash couldn’t help but feel they were comrades.
When you have someone walking alongside you, it always gives you strength.
“Let’s use Ron as a sacrificial lamb for now.”
“Good idea. Let’s strap some explosive artifacts to him too.”
“Guys…? You’re joking, right?”
At the two’s sinister gazes, Ron slowly backed away.
While the instructor side prepared their human bomb (?), we were also busy preparing for battle.
“I’m a bit nervous.”
“I-I’m scared.”
“Hmm… What magic would be most efficient…”
As everyone prepared to fight, Alex approached my side.
“Zero, you seem fine.”
“Keke, do I? Actually, I’m scared to death.”
“Is that so? You don’t look it at all. You must have a lot of combat experience.”
“Alex, that’s not it. It’s thanks to Miss Luna.”
“Huh?”
“That’s right. The power to keep you from getting nervous even in this situation—the power of love is magnificent!”
“…?”
Yuridia and Victoria began spreading their wings of imagination once again.
Ignoring them, I checked my skills.
The reason I wasn’t nervous was because there was no need to worry at all.
‘Because it’s progressing according to the story.’
That’s right. Fighting here was exactly as it happened in the game.
The same went for the kids going to request support.
‘We’re at a disadvantage, but it doesn’t matter. We have Adonis.’
Huh? But wait, Adonis isn’t here right now, is he?
…
…Right?
I suddenly snapped to attention and then immediately rushed over to Victoria.
“After this mission ends, the two will marry and have a beautiful daughter…”
“Zero will get caught up in an incident and die to a demon. The child will grow up splendidly under my protection as godmother.”
“Miss Victoria, I’m the godmother though?”
“Anyone can see that I am the godmother.”
The weasel and marten spreading their wings of imagination.
I broke through between them and shattered their delusions.
“Where is Adonis?”
“Huh? Well… he hasn’t been seen since yesterday.”
We have to fight this battle without Adonis?
Maybe I need to redesign everything from scratch.
First, I’ll use [Divine Imitation] to copy Victoria’s [Demon Slave]…
“Enemy!”
“Front line is ours! Middle line will be filled by everyone except mages and archers!”
Damn it, not even giving me time to prepare skills.
I took position with Luna. Rezé was running on all fours toward the rear.
‘The enemy in this battle is twenty knights.’
I quickly organized my strategy.
Twenty knights. Among them, the ones to especially watch out for were Pjol, Bickerd, and Redington, who had gimmicks.
Those three. First, I needed to prioritize taking out Bickerd, who had low defense…
“…?”
I looked around, but strangely, Bickerd was nowhere to be seen. Even the other two weren’t there.
Just in case, I climbed on top of the defensive fortification and looked, but it was the same.
Not twenty, but seventeen. That was all.
“What’s up? Why are you suddenly so flustered?”
“Keke, it’s nothing. This battle… I wonder if it’s doable or not. Rather puzzling.”
“That’s so like you. Anyone else would think this is a disadvantageous battle.”
Luna’s breathing became calm.
It wasn’t my intention, but I seemed to have instilled confidence in Luna.
One knight stepped forward and shouted.
“Our patience ends here! If you don’t clear the way, we’ll cut you all down!”
“What’re you saying? If you’re so confident, come try it.”
“We’re only being merciful. Because we’re knights.”
“Knights who follow demons, what bastards…”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. You’re the ones who invaded someone else’s territory and are oppressing an innocent baron.”
“That’s why that baron… no, Nade is Baron Kelven and made a contract with a demon!”
“To slander even the young master! Don’t think you’ll leave alive today!”
“They’re not listening at all…”
Ash trailed off. Ash knew better than anyone that they were at a disadvantage until reinforcements arrived.
Ash wanted to stall longer, but Ash wasn’t particularly good at talking.
Just as Ash was considering whether to blurt out a confession to buy time, someone’s voice rang out.
“Did you really not know?”
It was Alex.
“So you’re saying that’s true?”
“Even if it’s not, didn’t you at least notice something was strange? No matter how much he acted like Baron Kelven, there must have been quite a few differences from the real Baron Kelven.”
Several knights flinched. They must have recalled certain memories.
A knight who had been gauging his comrades’ reactions spoke again.
“…I didn’t know. I really didn’t know.”
“You knew villagers were being kidnapped. Was Baron Kelven’s response to that normal?”
No one opened their mouth.
That’s right. Even when villagers asked for help, Baron Kelven only said they had run away and didn’t instruct the knights to investigate.
Much less provide protection.
In this world, knights weren’t idiots. They were people who had received decent higher education and could make basic judgments.
That’s right. A considerable number of them… no.
“You all knew. That something was strange.”
That’s right. The knights had actually known something was off.
They also knew that they themselves bore some responsibility for blindly following.
But if they admitted that, it would mean they were wrong.
So they pretended not to see, rationalized that following their lord with loyalty was what knights did, and shifted their blame onto their master.
But that’s not what knights are.
You’re just—
“Dogs trained to suit your master’s taste, following any order.”
The atmosphere turned cold. The knights’ eyes became menacing.
Perhaps because no one answered, Alex turned to me and asked.
“Right, Zero?”
“Keke, correct. You could say they’re worse than the woodcutter of Trash Village from the story.”
Grind.
The sound of knights grinding their teeth echoed.
“These arrogant brats… just because you have mouths doesn’t mean you can say anything.”
“Let’s see if you can say the same thing after your mouths are completely torn apart.”
Knights emanating murderous intent.
There was only one thing to say to them.
“Kek?”
“…Die.”
The knights began forming up. A charging formation with seventeen lined up in a row.
It was too much for three instructors to block.
“We’ll finish this as quickly as possible, so hold on! Anyone who dies gets 30 penalty points, so absolutely don’t die!”
Just as battle was about to begin with Ash’s shout—
“Everyone, stop!”
A man appeared from behind the knights, panting for breath.
It was Bickerd.
‘…What? Why is he coming from there?’
Pjol and Redington appeared behind him, also panting.
This alone was quite a sight, but Bickerd’s shout was even more so.
“Everyone, stop! This isn’t loyalty!”
“Bickerd! What are you saying? Hurry and join our side!”
“No! I’m going to stop you. No matter what!”
An incomprehensible situation where allies were fighting. But I could somewhat guess through their conversation.
‘Rodelin must have influenced them.’
Rodelin, who didn’t hesitate to treat Bickerd when he was seriously injured during Dolores’s rescue operation.
This was presumably a hidden piece that resulted from that.
“Are they on our side?”
“Seeing how much they’re wavering, maybe. But it could be a tactic to strike us from behind. Just in case, let’s stay alert while fighting.”
Originally, this was a battle against twenty knights.
With three gone, that’s seventeen. Moreover, the knights with gimmicks became our allies, so you might think this would be easier than the battle in the game.
But the reality was the opposite.
‘Because we only have three instructors on our side.’
Converting three instructors to knights would be about five.
Let’s calculate that Pjol, Bickerd, and Redington can handle about four knights.
The enemy is seventeen. Even with simple calculation, we lacked the combat power of eight people.
Though all the main members of this game were gathered, they were still just students.
Nowhere near enough to face knights.
How did we win in the game when the situation was even more unfavorable than now?
‘Adonis did everything.’
Attack, defense, counter, resolving gimmicks, potion supply—everything.
Without Adonis from the start, it wouldn’t be strange if 80% died.
That damn old geezer! Where the hell is he!
“Betrayal… Fine. Then you all die too.”
“Damn it. So it’s come to this.”
A hair-trigger situation where the fight would start the moment someone charged.
In that moment, a voice echoed through the mine.
“A fight? Then I should join in too.”
Everyone’s gaze turned there.
A small boy stood on a rock.
A boy with a long branch resting on his shoulder.
Shabby clothes and a mask covering his face.
But I knew who he was.
The strongest in this world. Thunder Emperor Adonis.
“Who the hell are you!”
“Reveal your identity!”
Adonis, who had been looking around, opened his mouth.
“Hm? Me?”
“Who else would it be!”
Both sides tensed up. Though just one person, in a situation like this, even that was a burden.
“Mm…”
“…”
“Mmmm…”
The reason Adonis was pondering—he couldn’t reveal his identity.
A situation where he couldn’t say the truth about being the hero Douglas, nor that he was Adonis disguised as a student.
‘Well, if he just says he’s a rat, it would solve things simply.’
It was natural for a rat who dealt in information to hide his face.
Even if the instructors were curious about Adonis’s identity, Caron could handle it, so in a situation like this, saying he was a rat was best.
“I am a member of…”
Did he have the same thought as me?
After pondering for a while, Adonis lifted his head as if he’d had a great idea and said.
“The Dark Beast Squad.”
…We never raised someone like you, you know?
–TL Notes–
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Absolute cinema!
I expect Pjol group to come but I thought they would be able to successfully persuade the knights to defect and I totally forgot that Adonis was tailing them lol
I wonder how long it will take for Adonis to formally join Dark beast squad if at all since the only one who know their true indentity at the moment is Lowel
And Pjol combat power is supposedly broken after his trial demon contract but he still have it in him to take on another knight? He not putting his life on the line is he? My prediction is that he will get killed by Kelvan after failing to persuade him and then that will cause the knights to waver and defect