Chapter 122

【”Hey, do you really think it’s okay to continue like this?”】

Sid, who was descending the mountain alongside the evacuated residents of Baston, let out those words without turning his face, remaining alert to his surroundings. Irene, who had received his words, neither denied nor affirmed, keeping her mouth tightly shut as she walked ahead.

There was no way it could be fine, is what she wanted to say. Sid probably knew that and was hoping for such a response.

However, their current duty was to escort the evacuating residents. As members of the knights, they could not simply abandon their task. Due to the large-scale operation, most of the immediately deployable personnel from the knights were sent to Travis. Even for this evacuation guidance, they had to rely on Frieri, who Harold organized, making it the current situation.

Furthermore, the threat was not just the monsters lurking underground in the town. It was entirely possible that monsters residing in the mountains could attack them. They could not possibly leave behind people who lacked the ability to fight just because Harold was worried.

【”That guy’s seriously always being reckless!”】

Even if he complained, he understood that he could not propose a solution beyond the current situation. It was precisely because he understood that it made him even more frustrated.

If only he were stronger, if only he had the ability to come up with a different strategy. Even though he knew it was futile, he could not help but think that way.

He was not cheeky or arrogant, lacking any signs of cuteness as someone younger. However, he did not think Harold deserved to die, and if there was something he could do for Harold, who was risking his life to buy time for the evacuation…

【”Hmm? Isn’t it a bit noisy behind us?”】

Sid suddenly turned around as if he had noticed something. Now that he mentioned it, there did seem to be some unrest.

It did not seem like panic caused by monster attacks, though.

As they observed the situation, one of the squad members rushed towards them. Sid called out to that squad member.

【”Hey, did something happen?”】

【”Oh, Sid. Actually…”】

And so, to summarize what the squad member had told him, 『”A couple’s child might have gone back to town to retrieve a forgotten stuffed animal when they weren’t looking. “』

【”That’s a huge problem!”】

【”And how the h.e.l.l did the guards protecting the surroundings not notice?”】

Whether the child had returned to town or simply got separated, it was a complete failure on the part of the knights by overlooking the child leaving the group. While it was true that they were in a tough situation with limited manpower, that could not be used as an excuse, nor should it be.

If something happened to the child, they would not be able to face the child’s parents, and they would not be able to face Harold, who was risking his life to ensure everyone could evacuate safely.

【”There’s nothing I can say, but for now, we have to report the situation to Captain Lagares.”

【”Understood. I’ll go and inform the captain. You stay here in my place.”】

【”Roger.”】

【”By the way, Irene.”】

【”What?”】

【”Head to squad leader Barbeit’s location, who is in command of the rear. The escort of the evacuees will continue, but a small search party will be formed separately.”】

Understanding what Sid wanted to say, Irene nodded firmly.

If they were going to search based on the parents’ story, they would likely have to head to the town of Baston. It was clear how dangerous it would be if Harold and Frieri’s operation failed.

【”Well, that’s how it is… Come back soon, okay?”】

【”Of course. Just don’t rush ahead before I get there.”】

【”If you don’t want that, then hurry.”】

With those words exchanged, the next moment, the two of them sprinted in opposite directions, one towards the front and the other towards the rear.

◇

Dodging, slashing, and exploiting the attacks of the approaching monsters.

Cutting them apart with twin swords, scorching them with magic.

Several tens of minutes had pa.s.sed since the battle began. Harold calmly and mindlessly continued to slaughter the monsters. Their number had long exceeded a hundred.

Yet still, Harold did not stop fighting.

It had been arranged that once the town’s residents completed their evacuation, a signal flare would be raised. If Harold could endure until it was launched, it would be a temporary victory for him. He believed he had done everything he could within the limited time available.

However, considering the time that had pa.s.sed, it would still be a while before the evacuation signal flare was raised. Harold knew firsthand that this world was not kind enough for things to proceed smoothly until then.

Nevertheless, amidst all that, Harold had obtained a glimmer of hope, albeit not something he would consider good news.

Due to the influence of the Red Bottle, the monsters were firmly staying in this location and persistently targeted Harold. If the monsters were under perfect control, they might have ignored Harold and chased after the residents.

If that were the case, it would have been impossible for Harold alone to handle the situation, and casualties would have occurred not only among the residents but also among Frieri, the knight order, and even the townspeople. The fact that it did not happen made the battle somewhat easier.

However, at the same time, he was facing unexpected problems.

Until he engaged the monsters in the plaza, everything had gone according to plan. But now, the ground was losing its foothold due to the piling corpses.

It was a simple matter, but unlike in games, the bodies of defeated monsters would not disappear on their own. They filled the plaza, eliminating the footing. The ground had also become slippery due to the large amount of spilled blood, making it increasingly difficult to continue fighting in the plaza.

Harold deeply regretted his lack of foresight.

In battle, Harold understood that his greatest strength was his speed. He had been waiting for the monsters in open s.p.a.ces, taking advantage of that speed. However, staying in the plaza for further combat might become a disadvantage.

If that were the case, he would consider changing his location. However, if he moved beyond the range of the red bottle’s effect, he could not predict how the monsters would behave. If their target were no longer Harold, it would be difficult to antic.i.p.ate their actions.

While pondering such matters, Harold’s ears caught a high-pitched sound, a whizzing noise. When he turned his eyes toward the direction of the sound, a red flash was seen, as if being absorbed into the night sky.

Red, which was a signal flare indicating an emergency situation. Unfortunately, it was predictable enough that it did not even stir him in the slightest.

However, in this situation, there was no time to think about this or that. An emergency situation meant that the premise of this operation had collapsed. Understanding what had happened and grasping the situation was the top priority.

He created a large pillar of fire with magic, turning several monsters into charcoal, and temporarily hid. Taking advantage of the slowed movements of the monsters that had lost track of their target, he hurried to the predetermined meeting place for emergencies.

However, using the town center as a combat zone and considering the possibility of the monsters under the influence of the red bottle going out of control, the meeting place had been set at the western edge of the town, on a stone tower.

Fortunately, the town of Baston was small. At Harold’s full speed, he could reach the center of town in a reasonable amount of time.

【”What happened? Explain concisely.”】

Harold, who had entered directly through the window rather than using the staircase leading to the tower, wasted no time or consideration for pleasantries as soon as he arrived.

The members of Frieri who were waiting in antic.i.p.ation were taken aback by Harold’s sudden appearance, but they promptly provided a detailed report on the current situation.

【”We…we received a signal from the scouts confirming the presence of residents who were likely unable to escape!”】

【”Where are they? How many people are there?”】

【”We discovered them approximately two kilometers northeast of the main gate, but they were quickly lost in the darkness! According to the report, there seems to be only one person, most likely a child!”】

【”d.a.m.n it, this is troublesome…”】

The situation was dire. A single child had been left behind and was currently missing. Harold realized the gravity of the situation and earnestly pondered his next course of action, aware of his own limitations.

The top priority was to locate the child and ensure their safety.

【”How is the search going?”】

【”We have mobilized the surrounding scouts and left minimal contact personnel, but we have yet to find them.”】

If the members of Frieri, who were searching the area, could not find the child, it meant that they were either hiding or moving around. Since there was constant surveillance near the main gate, the fact that there were no reports of “people entering or exiting after the evacuation” indicated that the child had likely been left behind and was still somewhere within the town.

If the child had noticed the presence of monsters, they would have been scared. If they had not fled, it was highly likely that they were hiding somewhere.

They needed to find the child, even in the darkness, amidst a mult.i.tude of monsters.

【”…Divert the monsters to the north side of the town. Use that opportunity to find the child and evacuate quickly.”】

【”W-We’re talking about the largest tunnel entrance on the north side! It’s reckless to lure them there!”】

He was right. The north side contained the largest entrance to the town’s tunnels, from which most of the monsters emerged. If they led the monsters that had already come out to that location, the outcome was predictable.

Naturally, Harold did not want to do something unnecessary, but once he deemed it necessary, he had no choice but to proceed without hesitation.

【”Silence. You all shall obey my judgment.”】

【”Ugh… Understood, sir.”】

Although Harold was not convinced that subjecting himself to further danger was the right decision, he did not mind their concerns if they cared enough to worry about him.

As he watched the other communication personnel transmit signals with a subdued demeanor, Harold thought about such matters.

(Maybe it’s just that I don’t want to be left with nothing if my employer dies…)

Come to think of it, he had not made any arrangements for the transfer of management in case something happened to him. It was an inauspicious realization at a time like this.

Since he had no intention of dying anytime soon, it could be considered correct in a way. However, it was a fact that he had some affection for them, to the extent that he would feel regret if something were to happen to them.

What had initially started as Harold attempting to avoid triggering his own death flags had turned into him helping others, and now he had acc.u.mulated many acquaintances whom he did not want to see perish.

Reiner, Colette, Leifa, Francis, Hugo, and… Erika. These protagonists who would undoubtedly face the utmost dangerous battles in the future, as well as the people of Baston, whose lives were in imminent danger despite their innocence.

In addition, there was Zen, Norman, Jake, the Stokes household staff and soldiers, as well as Task, Itsuki, Yuno, the clandestine group related to the Sumeragi family, and Sid and Aileen from the Knight’s Order, not to mention the members of Frieri that he had formed himself. He had also been greatly helped by El and their companions, as well as Giffelt, despite their give-and-take relationship.

If he had to weigh his own life against theirs, he did not know which side he would choose, and he believed it was fine not to know.

If he could bear the burden of both his own life and the lives of others, placing them all on the same side of the scale would solve everything. There would be no need to consider which was more important; such wasteful thoughts would become unnecessary.

【”We have completed the report! We can begin the operation once the signal flares are fired.”】

【”Fire. The operation starts now.”】

A yellow flash tore through the night sky accompanied by a resounding noise.

Thus, Harold once again dashed into the battlefield.