Chapter 88: Those Who Remain
Alicia's hollow gaze rested on the Winter Castle, which was almost buried in the blizzard.
“…….”
For days now, she had been cutting down demonic beasts without proper sleep.
It seed the demonic beasts here were finally dealt with, so she wanted to go back quickly and sleep.
As if the other Special Task Force mbers felt the sa, Albino grumbled as he wiped the demonic beast blood caked on his face.
“Ugh, this is really no job for a man. That Vell guy is probably drinking in a warm place right about now, right?”
Conlan laughed lightly.
“Didn't he say he was going to the Demonic Realm?”
“Hey, you believe that? He probably just bluffed on his way to vacation. The Demonic Realm? What nonsense. No matter how great a mage he is, going to the Demonic Realm alone is crazy. You know that, right?”
“Is that so? Hearing you say it, it does seem that way.”
Although they were short one mber, the 4th Special Task Force carried out their mission diligently as always.
This mission was to track and subjugate a horde of demonic beasts appearing near the Winter Castle.
“Alright, enough of the useless chatter, let's head back. Everyone worked hard.”
Edric spoke in a calm tone, but the demonic beast blood caked all over his body told of how many demonic beasts he had cut down.
Conlan said, shaking the blood from his axe.
“Hey, Commander. I've got a question.”
“Speak.”
“It seems like demonic beast attacks have beco more frequent lately…… is it just my imagination?”
“A sharp question, unlike you. It's true that demonic beast attacks have beco more frequent recently.”
“Hm, is that okay?”
“Well. If you're asking if it's a good sign or a bad sign, I can assure you it's the latter.”
Conlan's expression hardened.
“……Then isn't that pretty serious talk?”
“Does the situation get any better by discussing serious talk with a serious face? Besides, the Winter Castle has dispatched an investigation team to the Demonic Realm, so there should be results soon.”
“What if the investigation team doesn't return?”
“That, too, is a result of the investigation.”
“Huh.”
Conlan shook his head.
Edric was clearly the proud commander of the 4th Special Task Force, but conversations with him had a way of giving one a migraine.
“I know what you're worried about. I also have a rough idea that you've found a reason to live.”
“Let's not talk about that. C'mon, a man who knows better shouldn't……”
“Don't be embarrassed.”
Edric laughed heartily.
“I can't say it will be okay, but I can promise one thing. As long as you are my subordinates, you will not die aningless deaths.”
“Can't we just not die at all?”
“All humans die soday.”
“Kkeung.”
Just as they were exchanging trivial jokes as usual.
Suddenly, Edric's gaze shifted to the north, and Conlan's gaze naturally followed.
“What are you looking at─”
Conlan couldn't finish his sentence.
Because he saw a single beacon rising far away to the north.
The mont they saw it, not only Conlan's, but all the 4th Special Task Force mbers' faces hardened.
“It seems what we feared has beco a reality.”
The northern beacon.
What it ant was one thing.
“That…… Don't tell sothing happened in the Demonic Realm?”
“Probably so. It's going to be tiring again for a while.”
Edric's gaze rested on the black smoke rising from beyond the north.
Endlessly, continuously.
***
Jjaeng-jjaeng-jjaeng!
The ergency bell in the Winter Castle rang, and soldiers moved busily.
“Hurry!”
“Get moving!”
The beacon rising from the north held a great many anings for the Winter Castle, and because of it, the Winter Castle was literally on high alert.
“Are the ballistas checked? If they're done, deploy them imdiately!”
“We're moving them now!”
“Where did the wooden shields here go? Bring more right now!”
“They're being crafted now!”
Leaving the busy scene of the Winter Castle behind, the 4th Special Task Force returned to the barracks after completing their mission.
“That's all for today, rest up.”
At Edric's words, Conlan spoke.
“Is that really okay?”
“No need to worry. You won't be able to rest tomorrow even if you want to.”
At those words, Conlan's and Albino's expressions crumpled rcilessly.
“I envy that Vell guy. Taking a vacation at a ti like this, anyone would think he left because he knew in advance.”
“Hm, but if he really did go to the Demonic Realm, isn't that Vell guy in a lot of danger? If the beacon rose from the Demonic Realm's side, the people inside the Demonic Realm are in the most danger, right?”
“Danger? Who? Him?”
Albino scoffed.
“Give a break, big guy. Did you forget what kind of mage Vell Blackwood is? Even if he really went to the Demonic Realm, there's no need to worry. We should be worrying about ourselves.”
“Kkeung. Is that so?”
“I've almost never seen that Edric guy speak so seriously. Days more arduous than we can imagine will be waiting for us starting tomorrow.”
“Should I just desert?”
“That's what I said we should have done earlier. Well, it's too late now.”
“Ahyu.”
Conlan shook his head.
It wasn't like he ever intended to desert, but these days, the thought of whether he should have left the Winter Castle with Albino back then occasionally crept into his mind.
That's how arduous the recent days at the Winter Castle were, enough to make even Conlan, who was rarely shaken by anything, complain.
“More than that, I'm worried about her.”
“Who? Ah.”
Only then did Conlan realize who Albino was talking about.
After Vell Blackwood left on vacation, Alicia tried hard not to show it and continued with her missions.
Although she looked a little precarious, it wasn't enough for Albino or Conlan to make a fuss.
However, after the beacon rose from the north, Alicia couldn't hide her noticeable anxiety.
Whenever she had a spare mont, she would look north, as if she would run to the Demonic Realm at any second.
Albino knew that look well, so he clicked his tongue.
“I'm worried she might desert at this rate.”
“You were the one always talking about desertion, and now you're scared soone else will do it first?”
“Hmph, foolish. That's not it. I'm saying that if she deserts just like that, it's like she's going to find a place to die. Vell Blackwood is one thing, but is surviving in the Demonic Realm easy?”
“Eum, that's true too. I'll have to keep a close eye on her in case she does anything strange.”
While Albino and Conlan were having that conversation, Alicia was sitting still with her eyes closed.
“…….”
Just as Albino said, Alicia thought about heading to the Demonic Realm dozens, hundreds of tis a day.
But she didn't.
That wasn't just because of practical problems like the dangers of the Demonic Realm, but more than anything, the biggest reason was her promise with Vell Blackwood.
Alicia had promised.
That soday she would beco strong enough not to hold Vell Blackwood back.
That's why she remained here.
To beco strong as promised with Vell Blackwood, and also to protect this place where he would return.
Buuuuuuuuung───
The sound of a horn echoes.
On top of that, all kinds of shouts and the clashing of weapons indicated what was happening outside.
Edric had told them to rest easy, but no one here had the nerves to actually fall asleep peacefully in this environnt.
Conlan let out a deep sigh.
“……Is it really okay for us to be resting like this?”
“The commander said it, didn't he? We won't have ti to rest starting tomorrow anyway. Stop talking and just sleep.”
“Kkeung.”
Conlan and Albino awkwardly lay down, but far from sleeping, they just kept tossing and turning.
Even though the day had been so arduous, the situation the Winter Castle was currently in did not allow for comfortable rest.
“If you really can't sleep, at least force your eyes shut. That's better than not resting at all.”
“……Alright.”
Albino and Conlan forced themselves to sleep, and Alicia also quietly closed her eyes.
Considering what was to co, replenishing her stamina was not an option but a necessity.
And how long had they been lying down?
Kwaang!
With a rough sound, the barracks door burst open, and soone barged in.
“Wh-what!”
“Who is it!”
“…….”
Everyone jumped up as if having a seizure, grabbing their respective weapons, but they couldn't hide their deflated expressions after confirming the uninvited guest's identity.
“Did everyone rest well? It's about ti to get to work.”
“It was you, Commander? I thought…”
At Conlan's words, Edric, the person who had barged into the barracks like an uninvited guest, laughed heartily.
“Haha, if I were an assassin, I wouldn't have co in so brazenly. And you all would already be corpses.”
“Stop with the ominous jokes. What do you an it's ti for work? I don't think we've been lying down for very long. Didn't you tell us to rest well today?”
“That was enough rest. Co, co, everyone get up.”
“……Damn it. I knew this would happen.”
He'd had a bad feeling when Edric told them to rest easy today; sure enough, Edric had barged in less than two hours after they had entered the barracks and started resting.
“Is the situation bad?”
“To be precise, it's scheduled to beco bad. The demonic beasts haven't struck in full force yet, but the signs are ominous.”
Edric added.
“Beacons have risen from three more beacon towers in the north. Having four or more beacons rise at once is sothing that hasn't happened in the last 3 years.”
Conlan couldn't tell exactly what level of crisis that was, but he could clearly feel that it was sothing extraordinary.
“So what do we do now?”
“We must prepare. That's why we're moving. Eum…… There's not much ti, so let's depart first. I'll tell you the rest on the way.”
Since the Special Task Force mbers hadn't removed their equipnt when they returned to the barracks in the first place, all they needed to grab was simple food and water.
The mbers, having finished their preparations, followed Edric out of the barracks.
As they crossed the chaotic landscape of the Winter Castle, which was in the midst of preparing for the demonic beast attack, Edric spoke.
“Our mission is simple. It is to grasp the approximate scale and level of the demonic beasts currently coming from the western part of the Demonic Realm towards Kreutz.”
“Didn't you say an investigation team was dispatched to the Demonic Realm?”
“That's right. And they left behind the result of 'non-return'. That's why we'll be taking on the role of the reconnaissance unit ourselves.”
“Ah…….”
Albino interjected.
“If we're in the western part, what happens to the other areas?”
“Other Special Task Forces will be dispatched there. Though to be honest, they're not very reliable friends.”
Conlan cut in slightly.
“Is it the 3rd Special Task Force, by any chance?”
“Friends you know?”
“Well…… I know well enough that they're nothing special.”
“Your judgnt is outstanding. Just like my subordinate.”
Edric laughed heartily.
As always, trivial jokes were exchanged, but even that couldn't completely disperse the tension that was subtly hanging in the air.
Edric had a fact that he had not yet told the mbers.
As ntioned before, the purpose of this mission was to grasp the approximate scale and level of the demonic beasts, but more than anything, there was a separate, main objective.
That was, to confirm whether a King of the Demonic Realm, who had not shown himself until now, had appeared.
‘If one of the Kings of the Demonic Realm has really shown himself…….’
At that ti, perhaps, they would lose a great deal.
“Commander, what are you thinking about so hard? Your expression is serious.”
“……No, it's nothing.”
“Hm, is that so? No. There's definitely sothing……. Are you hiding sothing from us?”
“I said there isn't.”
“Well, if the commander says so, I guess I understand for now.”
Watching Conlan and the other Special Task Force mbers laugh heartily, Edric hoped that such a day would not co.
Please.
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