Chapter 104
I entered the training center with the knight squad.
The interior scenery was reminiscent of the dormitory where I had first woken up.
The walls were discolored, and blood was splattered across the floor.
“Sir Joshua.”
Gavinu called out.
He pointed sowhere with his finger.
A fallen zombie was visible beneath a broken window.
“Talleon.”
“Ah, yes.”
The boy replied briefly and pulled out the bow he was carrying.
He then fired an arrow, piercing the zombie's head.
There was no reaction.
I approached, pulled out the arrow, and returned it to the boy.
“It’s a gloomy place.”
Talleon muttered as he received the arrow.
The inside of the building was not as dark as I had expected.
Sunlight was streaming in through the broken windows.
Nevertheless, I felt I knew why the boy had said that.
“Do you plan to scatter and investigate?”
“It would be better to do so.”
Talleon and I took charge of the first floor and the basent.
The other two left, saying they would look around the upper floors.
“Are you scared?”
I asked the boy while checking the rooms one by one.
He seed to contemplate for a mont.
“I am scared.”
“You are honest huh.”
“Even if I pretend to be strong, you would see through it.”
“……Hmm.”
A year had passed.
I thought the students had adapted to this world.
It was a misconception.
They were simply enduring it.
I used [Analyze] from ti to ti to check their ntal states.
Adela and Serena no longer suffered from trauma as much as they used to.
The other children were fine too.
Because of that, I had been sowhat indifferent to this aspect.
“You’ll need a way to relieve stress. What do you usually do when you’re in a bad mood?”
“I swing my sword.”
“By yourself?”
“Yes.”
“Does Leo not teach you?”
“I asked several tis, but the Captain said he isn't skilled enough to teach anyone.”
“He’s being stubborn.”
I fell into thought.
There are plenty of zombies and enemies in this world, so there is no shortage of practical experience.
The problem was basic skills and theory.
Leonard had talent, but he needed soone to lead him to make it bloom.
It was the sa for the other two boys.
By my guess, both Talleon and Gavinu were on the verge of reaching the stage of using Aura.
“I have a way.”
“Huh?”
“I’ll explain it later.”
After finishing the investigation on the first floor, I went down to the basent.
There was an iron door at the end of the stairs.
When I looked through a hole in the iron door, it was too dark to see anything inside.
I grabbed the handle.
It was stiff and did not turn easily.
Only after strengthening my grip with [Strength Enhancent] did it finally begin to turn.
I carefully pushed the door open and sent a Firefly inside.
In the light emitted by the Firefly, an open space was visible.
“Kraaaak!”
Suddenly, three zombies popped out.
They were wearing formal uniforms, appearing to be students of the Academy.
I imdiately closed the door.
Bang, bang, bang!
The zombies began to pound frantically against the door.
“Should we leave it like this and run away?”
Talleon suggested.
“No. There is sothing in here that I must take.”
I had seen 'it' in the light emitted by the Firefly.
It was a waste of an item to let it rot in the basent.
Bang, bang!
The roaring sound, once started, did not easily subside.
“When I open the door, let’s head back up to the first floor. It’s too narrow here.”
“Understood.”
When I kicked the handle, the bolt was released and the zombies rushed in.
I ran upward.
I could feel the monsters chasing right behind .
Dim light was visible at the end of the passage.
We were nearing the exit.
Slash!
Talleon, who had co out first and was waiting, stabbed a zombie in the neck.
The zombie struggled while pierced by the sword.
The two behind it began to tear at it, as if deciding the zombie blocking the way was an obstacle.
Crunch!
Zombie flesh splattered haphazardly.
Talleon shut his eyes tight.
It was an action one must never take when facing zombies.
However, it would have been difficult for anyone other than the boy to look at the scene before them normally.
Except for .
“Kraaaak!”
I pulled out my dagger and cut off the arm of a zombie trying to squeeze through the entrance.
Then I used [Flash].
The zombie’s eyes burned, and it suffered in pain.
I kicked them and sent them falling down the stairs.
“Open your eyes.”
Talleon was breathing heavily.
I used [Composure] to soothe the boy's heart.
Only then did the boy return to his usual face, having regained his calm.
“I am sorry.”
He bowed his head and apologized.
Then, as if to make up for his mistake, he went down the stairs.
Two zombies were still alive.
The boy chopped off their heads with his sword and kicked them away.
When the situation was settled, the boy slumped down on the stairs and swallowed a groan.
“Well done.”
I approached him, placed my hand on his head, and stroked his hair.
“I showed a pathetic side.”
“It doesn't matter. Everyone makes mistakes.”
I had no intention of rebuking the boy.
The students who had moved on to the next year were sixteen years old this year.
By the standards of the original world, he was now a third-year middle school student.
Even considering the difference in society, the fact that he was young remained unchanged.
“Go back up and wait for Gavinu and Leo.”
“I-I’m okay! I can keep going.”
“I’m not saying this because I’m worried about you. I’m sending you to watch and make sure no one enters the building, just in case.”
Talleon hesitated before finally nodding his head.
“Thank you.”
“I don't recall doing anything deserving of thanks.”
The boy gave a faint smile.
I sent him back and headed into the basent alone.
The Firefly I had summoned was still there, diligently lighting up the open space.
I stepped inside while checking for other zombies.
Following the bloodstains on the floor, I saw a shadow wriggling.
When I lifted my head, sothing in the shape of a person was standing there.
It was a dummy.
A straw man used by knights when they trained.
Since the incident broke out, it had been left neglected, used by no one.
I approached and toyed with the dummy.
“Not bad.”
It was stained with use, but there seed to be no problem using it.
I gathered them together and called the boys to move them out.
“Is this a dummy?”
Leo recognized the dummy at a glance.
“As expected of the runner-up among the knight apprentices.”
“……Just call by my na.”
The boy grew agitated at the word runner-up.
For soone with a strong competitive streak, it was likely an unbearable term.
“It can be used for training.”
“Does this an I don't have to swing at the empty air anymore?”
“Yes.”
“From what I can see, it won't last very long.”
“Give it a try.”
“What are you going to do if it actually breaks?”
“If you succeed in breaking it, I will do whatever you ask.”
When I placed a bet, Leo's expression changed instantly.
“You promised, right?”
“The two behind you are witnesses. In exchange, if you fail, you shall make the advisor to the knight squad.”
“Do you an you’re going to teach ?”
“It’s strictly advice. I’ll leave it to your judgnt whether to accept it or not, but don't think about blindly rejecting it.”
“I swear as a knight. I will accept the result.”
Leo shouted and drew his sword, infusing Aura into the blade.
His Aura did not stop there but wrapped around his toes as well.
It seed he had mastered the thod of coating his body with Aura.
“Second Secret Sword Technique, Thunderstrike!”
A high-speed thrust delivered with acceleration gained by kicking off the ground.
It was the result of the boy's own efforts.
The sword touched the dummy.
The winner was .
It was only slightly cut at the waist of the dummy.
He failed to break it as he had first confidently claid.
“……Huh?”
Leo made a dazed sound and then looked toward .
“It’s decided. Gather the dummies and co outside.”
“C-Could you give just one more chance?”
“There is no second chance in survival.”
* * *
A few days passed since obtaining the dummies from the training center.
During that ti, I succeeded in looking around the entire island.
No other survivors were seen.
It was information confird while even using Serena's detection magic.
[It’s finished.]
“Good work.”
I exchanged greetings with Serena and turned back toward the hideout.
On the way back, I stopped by the forest.
After discovering there were rabbits the day before yesterday, I had set snares in various places.
“There it is.”
When I approached the marked spot, a rabbit was caught.
It was still alive.
I grabbed its legs, held it upside down, and put it in my backpack.
[It’s a success.]
“It seems there are more living here than I thought. Though it’s a sha there are only rabbits.”
I recovered four rabbits while passing through the forest.
The heavier the bag beca, the lighter my steps were on the way back.
[I don't know how long it’s been since we had such peace.]
“Yes.”
[Is it a bad thought to wish for the ti here to last forever?]
“Anyone can have a thought. However, I have no intention of settling into the given environnt.”
The boys and girls were happy.
I did not fail to know how precious this week was to them.
I also enjoyed the long-awaited rest.
However, I was inwardly anxious.
The longer the peace lasts, the greater the reaction when it collapses.
This ga was that kind of world.
[Shall I start studying again?]
“That’s a good idea. If you go next to the training center, there should be a library. It’s a facility where apprentice mages and professors used to stay, so there will be various books if you go.”
[They said it was a total ss there.]
“There are many damaged books. They are torn or stained with blood. Take that into account.”
[Okay.]
We returned to the lodging.
[Then I’ll go help Adela. I’m on al duty today.]
“Understood.”
After parting with her, I headed to a rock a short distance from the building.
It was ti to process the rabbits.
I pulled out my dagger and separated the entrails and the skin after slitting the bellies.
The ground was drenched in blood.
[Cool] made a fuss, saying it was a waste.
[Patience] grumbled about why I was throwing away that fishy stuff.
“I’d like to avoid doing things I dislike too, you bastards.”
When I grumbled, the traits pointed out that my mind was weak.
My head throbbed.
I had no desire to bicker with them.
Whether I won or lost, I was the one who lost out in the end.
“Joshua.”
I turned my body at the calling voice.
It was Vale.
His complexion was usually not good, but today it looked even paler.
“Please speak.”
“I saw a boat on the sea. I’d like you to check it out.”
Vale spent most of his ti on the ship, except for when he was sleeping.
He seed to feel better when he was on the ship.
It was likely because of his talent.
However, he wasn't just idling on the ship.
His role on the ship was that of an observer monitoring the surroundings.
“……Understood.”
I stopped my work and headed for the ship.
Then I followed him up to the observation deck on the mast.
“Over there.”
I checked the direction Vale pointed out.
It was near Saint Stalia.
It was also near the coastline where we had obtained the ship.
Small rowboats were gathered there, and people were loitering about.
“Were we caught?”
“It isn't surprising that they can see us, just as we can see Saint Stalia.”
Seagull Island was visible from atop the walls of Saint Stalia.
However, I thought it was a strange thing.
As far as I rembered, they did not pay attention to the Cosmos Archipelago.
It was because most troubles were solved with only the resources of the city inside the walls.
“It’s impossible that we were caught because of the anchored ship. To see through a spell placed at such a long distance, it’s impossible unless one is a Crown (Rank 3). The possibility of such a mage being in Saint Stalia is slim.”
“Then why are they trying to co out to sea?”
“I don't know for now. Let’s watch a bit longer.”
Vale and I watched to see what the people on the rowboats intended to do.
Several people moved on the boats.
The boats were coming toward this direction.
“Should I gather the kids?”
Vale said to in an urgent voice.
“It’s still okay for now.”
The boats drew circles on the sea.
It was behavior that could not be considered that of a boat with a set destination.
Soon, the boats stopped in place entirely.
Several n grabbed sothing and threw it with all their might onto the water's surface.
It was a net.
I fell into thought once more.
“Did they co out to catch fish?”
“……It seems so.”
“If they don't intend to co to the island, it seems there will be no problem.”
“Sir Vale, today was the first ti they moved, right?”
“I suppose so.”
“……Dammit.”
“Huh?”
I furrowed my brows.
Unless they intended to be whimsical for only today, there was only one answer.
A problem occurred at the castle.
I grit my teeth.
It was a castle I would occupy one day.
“So this is how you’re going to play.”
This world began to strangle in a different way.
It was an attempt to take away the future, not the present.
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