Chapter 30
We leave the staging ground and head southwest.
It's still early morning.
Morning dew clung to the grass beside the road, wetting the tips of our boots with every step.
The air is cold.
After we'd gone a little farther, another smell began to mingle with the wind.
Damp earth.
Horse sweat.
And a faint smell of something burnt.
"Stop."
Ena, who was walking at the front, raised one hand.
Everyone stopped.
Ena crouched beside the road.
"What is it?"
Claude-san asked.
"Horses."
I looked at the ground.
Several hoofprints were left there.
I couldn't tell how many there were, or how fresh they were.
Ena traced one print with her finger, then looked down the road.
"They're fresh. It hasn't been long."
"How many?"
"...Fourteen."
We went a little farther.
She looked at the ground again.
"Fifteen riders."
Raoul's expression changed.
"The cavalry you mentioned yesterday?"
"Probably."
Ena stood up.
"They're heading southwest."
Claude-san opened the map.
Ahead was a village marked on the map we'd taken from the Imperial soldiers yesterday.
"They're probably making for the village."
Bork rested a hand on his greatshield.
"Should we hurry?"
"No."
Claude-san didn't move right away.
"Ena, can you scout ahead?"
"I'll go."
Ena left the road and disappeared among the trees.
We waited.
A few minutes later.
Ena came back.
"They're there."
"Where?"
"Up ahead. Fifteen riders are following the road."
"What about the village?"
"They haven't reached it yet."
"I see."
We still had time this time.
The village hadn't been attacked.
"What are they equipped with?"
"They're fully equipped. They have long spears, too."
Ena looked at Claude-san.
"They're better organized than the ones yesterday."
"They might be regular cavalry scouts."
Claude-san folded up the map.
"We'll get ahead of them and take them out."
He looked at everyone.
"We won't let them reach the village."
"Understood."
Claude-san looked around.
There was a wood on either side of the road, which curved gently a little farther ahead.
"Bork, stay by the road. Raoul, come with me."
"Sure thing."
"Lydia, take the left. Felicia, target anyone who tries to break through on the right."
"Got it."
"Yes."
"Cecil, stay at the rear. Ena, watch the enemy's movements."
"Okay."
Finally, he looked at me.
"Allen."
"Yes."
"Don't run yet."
"...Yes."
Until yesterday, I might've thought that if I could get there fastest, I should just go ahead.
But now, I waited for Claude-san's instructions.
We spread out to either side of the road.
◇
Before long, we heard a sound in the distance.
At first, it was faint.
But we soon realized what it was.
Horses.
The sound of many hooves pounding the ground grew louder as they approached.
Birds took flight all at once from the trees beside the road.
Dry earth rose into the air, and beyond it, the silhouettes of mounted soldiers appeared.
"They're coming."
Claude-san's voice.
Fifteen riders.
Armor.
Long spears.
Swords.
Their equipment and movements were clearly more coordinated than those of yesterday's Imperial soldiers.
The man at the head suddenly raised his hand.
"Halt!"
The horses gradually slowed one after another.
"...They've noticed us."
Raoul readjusted his grip on his spear.
The man who seemed to be the Imperial soldiers' captain looked around.
The road.
The woods.
The direction where we were hiding.
"I know you're there!"
His voice rang out.
"Come out!"
"Since they've spotted us, there's no point hiding."
Claude-san drew his sword.
"Let's go!"
We stepped out onto the road, too.
"From your clothes, are you adventurers?"
One of the Imperial soldiers shouted.
The captain counted us.
"Eight..."
The corner of his mouth lifted slightly.
They had fifteen riders.
We had eight people.
And every one of us was on foot.
"Run them down!"
"Yeah!"
Three riders moved to the front.
They accelerated all at once.
"Here they come!"
Bork raised his greatshield.
One rider headed for Bork.
One for Claude-san.
And the last came straight at me.
"...!"
The mounted soldier leveled his long spear.
The sound of the hooves converged into one rumbling mass as they bore down on me.
Dirt kicked up by the horses struck my face.
I could feel the ground trembling even through the soles of my feet.
It was nothing like a person running at me.
"Die!"
The spear thrust forward.
"!"
I shifted my body to the side.
The spearhead passed beside me.
I swung the Flamefang Sword as it went by.
I wasn't aiming for the soldier.
I was aiming for the shaft of his spear.
Clang!
"What?!"
The spear was knocked far to the side.
The mounted man's body lurched, too.
We passed each other.
I hopped slightly and reached out.
I grabbed the Imperial soldier's armor.
"Huh?"
I pulled.
"Whoa!"
The man's body was pulled off the horse.
He tumbled across the ground.
The horse alone galloped down the road.
"Hey..."
I heard Raoul's voice.
"He just yanked a man off a horse."
"Watch where you're going!"
Claude-san's voice.
"Yes!"
I looked up.
"Circle around from the right!"
The cavalry captain shouted.
Two riders came at me.
One came straight ahead.
He had a shield raised.
The other came in a wide circle from the side.
"!"
The rider coming from the side swung his spear.
I ducked to avoid it.
That was when it happened.
Thud!
"Guh!"
The shield of the rider charging straight at me slammed into my shoulder.
It was heavy.
My vision spun.
My body flew through the air.
"Allen-san!"
I heard Felicia's voice.
I hit the ground.
Once.
Twice.
I rolled across the dirt.
"...!"
My shoulder hurt.
My back hurt, too.
Even so, I sat up.
I moved my arm.
It wasn't broken.
My legs moved, too.
"Allen-san!"
"I'm all right!"
I stood up.
The Imperial soldier who'd rammed into me looked my way as he turned his horse around.
"...No way."
"?"
"You got up after that...?"
It did hurt.
But I could still fight.
"Again!"
The cavalryman turned his horse around.
He charged at me once more.
This time, straight on.
"............"
I'd seen it once already.
The horse's speed.
The length of the spear.
The way he moved when charging.
I understood it better now.
"Hah!"
The spear came at me.
I stepped toward it.
The spearhead passed to the side.
As we passed each other...
I swung the Flamefang Sword.
"Guh!"
The blade struck the cavalryman's side.
The man fell from his horse.
【Human Subjugation Confirmed】
【You acquired 120P】
I closed the display at once.
The battle wasn't over yet.
"Captain!"
One of the Imperial soldiers shouted.
"They're strong!"
I looked around.
The cavalry were changing course before Bork's greatshield.
Claude-san was also keeping his distance so they couldn't use their horses' speed against him.
Felicia's Magic Bullet flew.
"Magic Bullet!"
"Tch!"
It hit a cavalryman's hand.
His long spear fell to the ground.
Lydia's fire magic burst beside the road.
The Imperial soldiers' horses grew restless.
The captain looked around.
"............"
He made his decision quickly.
"Fall back!"
"Captain?!"
"There's no need to wear ourselves down here! Retreat!"
The man I'd first knocked off his horse.
The man I'd cut down.
Leaving those two behind, all thirteen riders turned their horses around at once.
The sound of their hooves faded into the distance.
"They're getting away!"
Raoul shouted.
On foot, we couldn't catch them.
Normally.
"Allen!"
I looked at Claude-san.
"Yes!"
I answered briefly.
"Go!"
"Yes!"
I kicked off the ground.
◇
Horses are fast.
They're not something a person can catch by running.
Normally!
"...!"
I picked up speed.
The wind whistled by my ears.
The trees streamed past on either side.
The thirteen riders were ahead of me.
They were still far away.
I kicked off the ground again.
"............"
I could catch up.
I knew it right away.
I didn't know how long I could keep running over a long distance.
Horses had their own endurance.
But at least over a short distance, I was faster than a horse!
"Wha..."
The cavalryman at the rear looked back.
Our eyes met.
"Hey!"
"What?!"
"He's coming!"
"What is?!"
"That guy from before!"
Another cavalryman looked back, too.
"............Huh?"
His face stiffened.
"He's catching up!"
"He's running on foot!"
"How should I know?! He really is coming!"
I closed the distance even more.
I caught up with the rearmost rider.
"Damn it!"
The cavalryman swung his long spear sideways.
I dodged while running.
I grabbed the shaft of the spear.
"Let go!"
The man urged his horse onward.
Still gripping the spear, he tried to drag me along.
"!"
I put strength into my legs.
"Wha—"
The spear slipped from the cavalryman's hands.
I threw it to the side of the road.
"What strength...!"
The man reached for his sword.
Before he could, I ran alongside his horse.
I grabbed the cavalryman's arm.
"Wait—"
I pulled.
"Aaah!"
The man tumbled off his horse.
I didn't stop.
I looked ahead.
Twelve riders remained.
Their captain was at the head.
"Captain!"
A voice came from behind.
"He's faster than a horse!"
"Impossible!"
The captain looked back.
"............"
For an instant.
Our eyes met.
The composure vanished from his face.
"What is that...?"
I kicked off the ground.
I closed the distance even more.
The captain clicked his tongue.
"Go on ahead!"
He shouted to the other cavalrymen.
Only he turned his horse around.
"I'll stop him!"
The remaining eleven riders continued west.
The captain leveled his long spear.
His movements were different.
He clearly showed no hesitation, unlike the cavalrymen before him.
"Come on!"
He charged straight at me.
"............"
Fast!
But I could see him!
The spear thrust forward.
I brought the Flamefang Sword to meet it.
Clang!
"!"
The spearhead shifted slightly off course.
But...
The captain immediately pulled his spear back.
He thrust again.
"!"
I dodged.
The spearhead passed beside my cheek.
This man was stronger than the Imperial soldiers I'd faced so far.
"Looks like you're more than just a fast brat!"
The captain turned his horse around.
He came at me again.
This time, just before he charged, the tip of his spear shifted slightly.
"............"
It wasn't the same as before.
He was aiming for the direction I'd dodge.
Then instead of dodging, I'd get inside his reach first!
The horse bore down on me.
I kicked off the ground.
"What?!"
I closed the distance in an instant.
Inside the reach of the spearhead.
The captain's eyes widened.
I swung the Flamefang Sword.
"Guh...!"
The blade bit into him through his armor.
The captain's body lurched violently atop his horse.
Even so, he reached for his sword.
"Not yet—"
I took another step.
I swung the Flamefang Sword through.
"Gah...!"
The man's body fell from his horse.
The horse alone ran on.
【Human Subjugation Confirmed】
【You acquired 260P】
"...Just as I thought."
It was higher than yesterday's captain-class soldier.
P changed based on how strong the opponent was.
That seemed even more likely now.
"............"
I raised my head.
The eleven riders were getting farther away.
If I ran, I might still be able to catch them.
"............"
No, that wasn't right.
Our mission wasn't to defeat every one of them.
It was to protect the village.
If another group of Imperial soldiers showed up while I was chasing them, it would be pointless.
I lowered the Flamefang Sword.
"...I should head back."
The Imperial soldier I'd pulled off his horse earlier was on the road.
He was unconscious, but alive.
We also needed to search the cavalry captain's belongings.
Before long, I saw everyone from First Squad coming down the road.
"Allen-san!"
Felicia ran toward me from near the front.
"Are you all right?"
"Yes."
Felicia looked at me.
Then at the fallen cavalry captain.
Then at the horses fleeing into the distance.
"...You really did catch up with them."
"It seems I'm faster than a horse over short distances."
"............"
Felicia fell silent for a moment.
"I see..."
"Yes. Is something wrong?"
Raoul caught up with us, too.
"Hey, Allen."
"Yes?"
"I saw what you did just now."
"What?"
"You pulled a man off a horse."
"Oh..."
"And you did it more than once, didn't you?"
"Twice."
"Don't say it like that's normal."
Bork came over, too.
"What about the one who rammed into you?"
"My shoulder hurt a little, but it's fine now."
"That's all?"
"Yes."
"............"
Bork looked at his own greatshield.
"Even I wouldn't want to take a hit like that head-on."
Ena said as she checked the unconscious Imperial soldier.
"We shouldn't assume he's just fast."
"A little late for that."
Raoul nodded.
Claude-san looked at me.
Then he looked west down the road.
"Eleven riders got away?"
"Yes."
"You didn't chase them."
"I thought protecting the village came first."
"I see."
Claude-san said no more, only giving a small nod.
"That was the right call."
"...Yes."
◇
We searched the cavalry captain's belongings.
A map.
A small letter.
An order bearing the Imperial army's seal.
Ena unfolded the paper.
"Claude."
"What is it?"
"This."
Everyone leaned in to look at the map.
It covered a wider area than the one we'd found yesterday.
The village we were in now.
The staging ground.
Several roads leading west.
And one especially large marker caught my eye.
"Is that the Imperial vanguard?"
Raoul asked.
"Probably."
Claude-san read the order.
His expression gradually grew more severe.
"...I see."
"What does it say?"
I asked.
"I figured out what these guys were doing."
"Wasn't it attacking villages?"
"That was part of it, but not all."
Claude-san placed a finger on the map.
"They were checking the roads."
"The roads?"
"Yeah."
His finger traced the road leading from west to east.
"Whether large numbers of troops can get through."
"Whether supply wagons can pass."
"Whether the bridges are usable."
He checked each one in turn.
"They're looking for a route for the main Imperial army."
"............"
The wind blew.
The edge of the map fluttered.
The sound of hooves that had shaken the road earlier was gone.
Instead, we heard a bird calling in the distance.
"This is bad."
Claude-san held down the map.
"Let's head back to the staging ground."
"What about the village?"
"We'll check it first. If it's safe, we'll warn them and have them evacuate."
"Yes."
"Then we'll take this information back with us."
Claude-san looked west.
The eleven riders who'd fled were nowhere to be seen.
But beyond them was an even larger Imperial army.
Cumulative P Acquired: 26,295P