A Background Character’s Path to Power Chapter 19 19: Trying to save innocent lives

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[Scenario - "A Noble in Peril"]

"A noble's carriage has been ambushed by winged monsters. The guards struggle to protect their charge, but the situation grows dire. A classic tale of heroism unfolds—will you intervene, stand back, or take another approach?"

Objective: Act accordingly.

Failure Penalty: Death of innocent lives.

Rewards: To be determined based on actions taken.

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I exhaled through my nose.

Yeah, I'd love to do sothing cool too, but reality was harsh. I was weak nor I had weapons like theirs. aning, I could only watch for now.

Aeron glanced at , his gaze sharp.

"Aman, stay back," he asked before stepping forward.

Not surprising. He must've noticed my lack of weapons. Or it was just his heroic sense of justice and whatsoever.

Without hesitation, Livia and Emilia followed after him.

The driver, wisely, chose to stay put.

And so, I watched as the protagonist's party engaged with the monsters.

Aeron took the front, wielding his sword in wide defensive arcs, keeping the creatures at bay with a solid defense.

Emilia, stationed further back, loosed arrows swiftly, though her technique revealed her lack of experience.

Livia's staff, rather than channeling magic, fired out condensed bursts of water—almost like a magic-powered rifle. So, she wasn't an actual mage.

Her weapon was likely an artifact or whatever they are called.

As I observed their fighting styles, I began to evaluate them properly.

Aeron… knew only the basics. His footwork and strikes were functional, but far from refined.

Emilia was decent with a bow but had a long way to go in actual combat.

Livia… well, she didn't seem to know magic, only using her staff as a shooting tool.

So they weren't as powerful as I thought huh.

"Strange…"

The thought slipped from my lips before I even realized it.

How did I evaluate them so well? Was it so kind of innate talent? A hidden ability?

Or was it simply because I had read too many stories, too many fights, too many tactics?

…Either way, it didn't matter. Knowing all this ant nothing if I couldn't do anything about it.

However, physical strength isn't the only form of power. I can make use of my knowledge too.

I shifted my gaze toward the monsters.

They were… beautiful. And... scary when angry.

Their purple-red feathers shimred in the firelight, their edges flickering like embers. Whenever they flapped their wings, faint reddish flas danced in the air.

More importantly, they could breathe fire.

Which was very, very bad.

A sudden sharp gasp broke my focus.

Emilia, frowning, muttered under her breath, "That's impossible… They aren't supposed to be this violent…"

My ears perked up at that.

She knew what they were.

I tuned in as she continued, her voice barely audible between the chaos.

"That's right, Emberwings were supposed to be non-violent! Why are they attacking people?"

Emberwings...

The na clicked in my mind.

Yesterday, while in the library, I had skimd through so "beginner's guide to monsters" type of books expecting sothing like this would happen.

And Emilia was right.

Emberwings were a rare species of low-ranked beasts, known for their striking plumage and affinity for fire. But more importantly—they never attacked humans unprovoked.

They resided deep within the inner parts of the forest, far from roads and travelers.

Which ant…

I slowly turned my gaze toward the noble girl.

Her wide eyes. The way her hands gripped her dress. The subtle tremble in her posture.

Then, back to the monsters.

Their aggression. Their erratic movents. Their line of focus.

…I see.

Without a second thought, I started walking forward.

Livia, noticing , shouted, "Aman! Get back! It's dangerous!"

I ignored her.

I reached her side, extending a hand.

"…Livia."

She looked at , confused and still tense from battle.

"Can I borrow your gun—ah, no. Your staff."

She blinked. "What?"

I hesitated for a mont before adding, "My aim is really good."

She still seed hesitant, but eventually, she gave a small nod and handed the staff.

So she admits her aim is bad, huh.

I grabbed it firmly, feeling its weight. "How do I use it?"

"…What?" Livia stared at in disbelief.

I tilted my head. "I an, do I just swing it? Press a button? How does this thing work?"

She blinked again before quickly explaining, "You channel your intent through it and release the energy stored inside. Think of aiming at your target and… pulling a trigger in your mind."

I nodded. Got it.

Lifting the staff, I aid at the incoming fireball from one of the Emberwings.

As I aid, I imagined pressing an invisible button. A faint warmth pulsed in my palm, and the staff humd before releasing a sphere of water straight into the fireball. The two elents clashed—before bursting apart in a loud hiss of steam.

Livia's eyes widened slightly. "You… actually hit it?"

I can't believe myself either. Am I really good at this?

Ignoring her and my inner child, I took another step forward.

"Where are you going?!" she called.

I didn't look back.

"…To save innocent lives." I muttered aloud while passing by the noble girl without sparing her a glance, I approached the burning carriage.

And, logically, I did the most practical thing first.

I aid at the front of the carriage and fired, or should I say watered?

I started shooting barrages of water balles to the flas in order to extinguishing them.

'Wow, this it totally cool, no wonder there are kids who want to be firefighters when they grow up.'

Oh, I'm getting distracted again.

I lifted the staff once more, ready to fire again, when—

"Huh?"

Nothing ca out.

I tried again.

Still nothing.

"Has it run out of fuel?" I muttered under my breath.

Before I could figure it out, Livia ca running toward , her face twisted in frustration.

"You—!" She snatched the staff from my hands, her eyes filled with disbelief. "What did you do?! You wasted all of its energy! The flas died out already!"

"Ah." That made sense. "My bad."

"You—!"

I didn't stick around to listen to the rest of her nagging.

Stepping past her—past the noble girl again without a glance—I made my way to the back of the carriage.

I stopped.

"..."

I took another look at the monsters. I could feel their gazes.

But they weren't looking at .

They were looking at the back of the carriage.

"So I was right…" I murmured.

Without hesitation, I reached for the back door—

Only for a figure to step in front of .

The noble girl.

Her maid beside her, equally determined.

I t her eyes, unbothered. "What are you doing?"

Her expression twisted into irritation. "What are you doing?! Trying to—"

"Trying to save innocent lives." I cut in. "But why are you trying to stop ?"

She stiffened.

I narrowed my eyes, watching her reaction.

Avoiding eye contact, fidgeting, frowning...

"They are restless..."

I muttered aloud, letting my gaze drift toward the Emberwings. She did the sa.

Emberwings' aggression intensified again. Their shrieks grew louder. Their movents beca more erratic.

It is already obvious now.

They wanted what was inside.

"Move," I said, voice calm. "Everyone here will either die or be seriously injured if you don't."

She clenched her teeth.

Hesitation.

I took another glance at the monsters, then back at her.

Ti was running out.

Finally, she stepped aside.

"Good choice," I muttered.

Then, I opened the carriage door.

Inside, neatly arranged in protective straw, were around fifteen dium-sized eggs—each four or five tis the size of an adult fist.

They were Emberwing eggs.