Chapter 29
The wagons carrying the villagers headed east one after another.
Carts loaded with as many of their belongings as they could carry.
Men leading livestock.
Mothers holding their children's hands.
Only a few people remained in the village.
"Thank you... truly."
The village chief bowed his head.
"If you hadn't come, I don't know what would've happened..."
"We haven't reached a safe place yet."
Claude-san replied.
"We'll escort you to the staging ground. Save your thanks until you arrive safely."
"Ah... understood."
The village chief nodded.
His gaze turned to me.
"Even so, if you hadn't come ahead of us, we wouldn't have made it in time."
".........."
I hesitated for a moment over how to answer.
"I wasn't alone."
"Huh?"
"Felicia-san helped, and Claude-san and the others came too."
I looked at everyone in First Squad.
"If I'd been alone, I couldn't have protected everyone."
Claude-san had just told me as much.
I didn't have to do everything alone.
"I see..."
The village chief bowed his head to everyone in First Squad.
"Thank you, everyone."
◇
While we were preparing to leave.
I looked toward the outskirts of the village.
".........."
The bodies of the Imperial soldiers had been lined up.
There were people I'd cut down among them, too.
They'd been fighting just moments ago.
Now they lay still.
I didn't want to kill anyone if I could help it.
Even so, if I could go back to that moment...
".........."
I'd probably do the same thing again.
If I hadn't cut them down, the villagers might have been killed.
That much, I knew.
"Allen."
"Yes?"
Someone called out to me.
It was Claude-san.
"It's about time to go."
"Understood."
I turned my back on the village.
◇
We headed east with the villagers.
We were moving more slowly than on the way here.
There were injured people.
And elderly people.
We continued on, taking several breaks along the way.
After we'd walked for a while, Claude-san came up beside me.
"Allen."
"Yes?"
"It was your first time killing a person, wasn't it?"
"...Yes."
Apparently, he'd already figured it out.
"Is it still weighing on you?"
".........."
I thought about it for a moment.
"Yes... I can't help thinking about a lot of things..."
"I see."
"It was completely different from fighting monsters..."
I remembered the sensation left on my sword.
Their eyes.
Their voices.
Their breathing.
Everything about them was different from goblins and orcs.
"But..."
I looked ahead.
The villagers we were evacuating walked along the road.
"If we hadn't fought there, these people might have been killed."
"Yeah."
"So..."
I paused for a moment.
"If we have to, I'll fight again."
Claude-san didn't say anything for a while.
"...I see."
That was all he said.
I didn't say anything either.
◇
We returned to the staging ground in the evening.
The sun had sunk low in the west.
Even so, activity at the staging ground hadn't let up.
Sweaty horses and swirling clouds of dust.
Smoke from the field kitchens.
The smell of medicine and blood mingled with it all.
Wagons passed back and forth, and mounted messengers repeatedly rode in and out of the gate.
"There are even more..."
Felicia murmured.
They were wounded soldiers.
There were clearly more than yesterday.
Soldiers with their arms in slings.
Soldiers with bandages wrapped around their legs.
Some were being carried on stretchers, too.
"Fighting must be increasing in the west."
Raoul's voice was low, too.
Compared to when we'd arrived here yesterday...
The battlefield was drawing closer.
At least, that's how it felt.
"Claude!"
As we entered the staging ground, a soldier ran over to us.
"Deputy Commander Lloyd is calling First Squad."
"Understood."
After handing the villagers over to the Duke of Scotty's army, we headed to the command tent.
◇
A large map was spread across the center of the tent.
Deputy Commander Lloyd.
Three knights from the Duke of Scotty's army.
When we entered, Deputy Commander Lloyd looked up.
"You're back."
"Yeah."
Claude-san stepped forward.
"The villagers have been evacuated. We brought everyone, including the wounded, back to the staging ground."
"Well done."
"Also, we have a report."
Claude-san looked at Ena.
Ena spread a map on the table.
"What's this?"
"It was on an Imperial soldier."
The knights from Scotty's army moved closer.
Claude-san explained what had happened today, one thing at a time.
The Imperial soldiers who entered the village.
The looting of food and horses.
The burned houses.
The villagers who'd been killed.
The six who'd headed north, and the other unit that had appeared afterward.
"How many were in the second group?"
Deputy Commander Lloyd asked.
"Thirteen."
"Thirteen..."
Deputy Commander Lloyd looked at us.
"Any casualties on our side?"
"None."
"...Not one?"
"Right."
One of the knights from Scotty's army looked up.
"No casualties against thirteen?"
"Allen held them off almost by himself until we got there."
".........."
Everyone's gaze turned to me.
"By yourself?"
Deputy Commander Lloyd asked.
"Yes."
"Against thirteen?"
"I didn't take all of them down by myself."
I answered hastily.
"Felicia-san, Claude-san, and the others helped me."
"I see."
Deputy Commander Lloyd studied me for a while.
"You bought the villagers time to escape while facing thirteen, didn't you?"
"...Yes."
"I see."
He said no more and looked at the map again.
He hadn't praised me extravagantly.
Still, I felt their view of me had changed a little since yesterday.
"There's one more thing."
Claude-san said.
"Allen's legs."
"His legs?"
"Yeah. He's unbelievably fast. Over short distances, none of us can catch him."
"That's putting it mildly."
Raoul chuckled.
"He's faster than Ena."
Deputy Commander Lloyd looked at Ena.
"Is that true?"
"Yeah. He's really fast."
"...I see. That could be useful."
Deputy Commander Lloyd immediately looked back at the map.
"That's why we arrived in time after sending him ahead to the village."
Claude-san said.
"Hmm..."
The map Ena had brought back showed marks not only for the village we'd just visited, but also for settlements to the southwest, west, and northwest.
"The Imperial army is likely spread over a wider area than we expected."
One of the knights from Scotty's army said.
"We knew there were over a thousand in the vanguard. But if they're moving in units this small..."
"We can't station soldiers in every village."
Deputy Commander Lloyd continued.
"If we try to protect them, our forces will be spread thin."
"That might be what they're aiming for."
Claude-san said.
"Ravage the surrounding area and scatter our forces before the main army arrives."
"It's possible."
Deputy Commander Lloyd folded his arms.
After studying the map for a while, he turned toward First Squad.
"First Squad won't be assigned a fixed patrol route for the time being."
"A fixed patrol route?"
I asked.
"That's right."
Deputy Commander Lloyd traced a finger over the map.
"When a call for help comes in, you'll be the first to respond."
"Us?"
"That's right."
A knight from Scotty's army nodded, too.
"That would help us as well. With so much uncertainty about what's happening in each area, a force that can move immediately is invaluable."
Deputy Commander Lloyd looked at us.
"You have a scout and a healer. Your frontline and backline are both covered.
And in an emergency, Allen can be sent ahead to run there."
"I see."
Bork nodded.
"So we're suited for rescue missions."
"Exactly."
In other words...
If danger broke out somewhere, we'd head there.
A true Mobile Force.
"In that case..."
Another knight from Scotty's army looked at me.
"If we send Allen ahead by himself, we could get there even faster—"
"No."
Claude-san answered immediately.
".........."
The knight looked at Claude-san.
"Why not?"
"He's fast, but he lacks battlefield experience."
".........."
I couldn't say anything.
"If there's a need to send Allen ahead, I'll make that call."
Claude-san said.
"Being fast doesn't mean he can do everything alone."
"Understood."
Deputy Commander Lloyd nodded, too.
"We'll defer to the squad leader's judgment. Let's do that."
"Thanks."
"From now on, First Squad will prioritize emergency support."
Deputy Commander Lloyd folded up the map.
"Get some rest today. We don't know when you'll be called out next."
"Understood."
"Rest up as much as you can."
We left the tent.
◇
After dinner.
Today it was warm soup and bread.
Then dried meat.
I ate as much as I could.
I checked my equipment, too.
The Flamefang Sword.
Leather armor.
My supplies.
Everything was in order.
After that, I entered the tent assigned to First Squad.
"Haa..."
I lay down.
Suddenly, my body felt heavy.
".........."
I was tired.
We'd spent three days traveling after leaving Belgrant, and today we'd headed to the village first thing in the morning.
I ran through the forest, fought Imperial soldiers several times, and finally faced thirteen of them.
I wasn't injured.
Even so, fatigue remained in my legs and shoulders.
"I wonder if sleeping will help a little..."
I closed my eyes.
◇
The next time I opened my eyes...
It was still dim outside the tent.
"...Morning?"
I sat up.
"Ugh..."
A sound escaped me despite myself.
My legs felt heavy.
My shoulders were still stiff, too.
After sleeping, I felt better than I had last night.
Even so, the fatigue hadn't completely gone away.
I didn't know when a mission might come today.
I could still fight in this condition.
But I wasn't at full strength.
".........."
Membership
I opened the display.
【Membership Rank: Gold】
【Balance: 1,205P】
I focused on Recovery.
【Half Recovery: 50P】
【Full Recovery: 100P】
When I became a Gold member, I had checked the explanation.
Half Recovery restored about half of any injuries or fatigue.
Full Recovery restored me completely.
"One hundred P..."
I currently had 1,205P.
Half Recovery would be enough for mild fatigue.
But I didn't know when we'd have to fight today.
If we had to rush to a rescue like yesterday, even a little fatigue might affect my judgment or movements.
"I'll make sure I'm at full strength."
It wasn't to heal an injury.
This was my first time using Full Recovery to get rid of accumulated fatigue.
【Use Full Recovery?】
【Required: 100P】
【Balance: 1,205P】
"Use it."
【You used 100P】
【Balance: 1,105P】
At that moment...
"...!"
The stiffness in my legs disappeared.
I rolled my shoulders.
The heaviness that had lingered deep inside me was gone, too.
I stood up and did a few squats.
"It's really all gone..."
I knew that from the explanation.
But using it myself was beyond anything I'd imagined.
Even if I had to fight several days in a row, I could use P to get my body back to full strength.
"This is huge."
But it cost 100P each time.
It wasn't something to use over and over without thinking.
I could use it when I needed it.
I closed the display.
Right after that...
"First Squad!"
A voice came from outside.
"First Squad, are you awake?"
"...Here it comes."
I left the tent.
A messenger was waiting outside.
"Deputy Commander Lloyd is summoning you!"
"Understood!"
◇
I entered the command tent.
All eight members of First Squad were there.
Deputy Commander Lloyd stood in front of the map.
"Sorry to call you so early."
"Has something happened?"
Claude-san asked.
"Yeah."
Deputy Commander Lloyd pointed to a spot on the map.
"Here."
It was a place marked on the map we'd taken from the Imperial soldiers yesterday.
A village southwest of our current staging ground.
"A smoke signal rose before dawn."
"Imperial soldiers?"
Felicia asked.
"We don't know yet."
Deputy Commander Lloyd shook his head.
"But our scouts have also reported seeing an armed group nearby."
"How many?"
Ena asked.
"We don't know."
Claude-san looked at the map.
"You want First Squad to go."
"Yeah."
Deputy Commander Lloyd looked at us.
"As decided yesterday, First Squad will go."
"Understood."
Claude-san answered.
I nodded, too.
My body felt light.
The fatigue from yesterday was gone.
"Can you go?"
Claude-san looked at me.
"Yes."
I answered without hesitation.
Then Deputy Commander Lloyd continued.
"But there's one thing to watch out for."
"What?"
"The ones spotted near the village weren't just foot soldiers."
He placed a finger on the map.
"Imperial cavalry have also been spotted."
"Cavalry..."
Raoul's expression changed.
"How many?"
"We don't know yet."
Deputy Commander Lloyd looked at us.
"Don't assume they're the same opponents as before."
The atmosphere in the tent changed.
Claude-san stood up.
"Let's get ready."
"Yes."
I placed a hand on the Flamefang Sword.
The next mission was beginning.
Cumulative P Acquired: 25,915P