"Well, I see. Fine, we'll gladly help. Of course, under the condition that you keep your promise to supply us."
Gwen eventually said that.
They probably had no choice anyway.
"Anyway, we only hope to survive today." Gwen muttered bitterly.
"We'll help with that too."
"What? You an, you won't go out and will fight with us?"
A dangerous fight.
Yet, despite having a clear way out, you choose not to leave and fight together?
It had to be unexpected for Gwen.
"But there is a condition."
I broached the essential point. This was the purpose of the long work. It was a critical choice that divided life and death for everyone.
"What is it?"
"Let's hit the monsters, not the undead."
My words were t with disbelief from the residents.
"What? But it's the undead who stole our food supply?"
"What are you talking about all of a sudden?"
"Why monsters out of nowhere...?"
The residents grumbled.
But I knew what to say to shut them up.
"Supplies."
Mouths closed without a peep.
Make no mistake. I was in control here. Even Gwen seed to feel it, judging by his less-than-pleased expression.
"What's the reason? I don't understand."
"Basic military strategy. Attack the weak point, not the strong."
"Huh?"
"The undead are expecting us to attack since they took our food source and will be well prepared. On the other hand, monsters will be unguarded, watching from across the river. If you know even the basics of military strategy, it should be obvious where to strike, right?"
I threw out a rough explanation, but it was reasonably convincing.
That could be seen just by looking at Gwen's expression.
As if he hadn't expected such a plausible reason, he looked as if he had been hit by a revelation.
Kamian and Annette also seed to think, *What's the true nature of this senior...?*
"I've given my reason, so I'll ask. Will you accept my condition or not?"
I asked with a calm face.
Gwen really had no choice.
The plausible reason I gave was just to give him a justification, nothing more, nothing less.
"...Understood. We do that. From now on, we're comrades."
"Of course."
Thump.
The two representatives shook hands firmly.
The end of the quest was finally in sight.
***
That is, Gwen spread out the map.
Although calling it a map was a stretch—it was a shoddy one hastily drawn with soot on old parchnt. It seed to have been made using various objects found scattered throughout the underground spaces. Nevertheless, the map itself was quite accurate.
For the initial settlers, a map would have been an important tool for survival, so it made sense that they put a lot of effort into making it as precise as possible.
"This here is the central plaza," Gwen said, pointing to the middle. The place we encountered the human-hunting vampire, Riel, earlier.
"It's a pathway that connects everywhere, the center."
In terms of a city, it was like a pivotal traffic hub located in the center.
Of course, there was no bustling area, just a large circular clearing left alone.
"And right now, we're here."
Gwen's finger moved to a space on the bottom right, marked with the cross of a lectern.
A ruined underground chapel and a place with an exit.
It was said to have been a site of fierce fighting for its control at first.
But soon it beca known as a death exit that no one could leave through, and it turned into a space that was essentially abandoned.
That's where we were, in that neglected space.
"The monsters' food source is here," Gwen indicated, pointing to a space on the upper left with moss drawn on it.
It was completely on the opposite side.
"The fastest way is across the central plaza."
Gwen's finger moved again.
"An imdiate attack would allow us to start the battle in a favorable position."
Of course, the monsters would notice our movents. Since the central plaza was wide open.
But even so, with an unexpected attack and quick movent, we could start with an advantage before they properly responded.
The residents seed to think it wasn't bad.
Kamian and Annette seed to agree.
A quick and aggressive attack to start the battle could indeed be favorable.
A common solution chosen by many players.
However, that alone wouldn't secure everything.
To activate a hidden quest that would yield greater rewards and affect future developnts, we had to choose a different approach.
Therefore, I shook my head.
"No, I disagree."
"Why?" Gwen asked.
"Passing through the central plaza seems like the fastest route, but I see a problem with it," I stated confidently, which could be considered quite presumptuous for a newcor who just joined today.
But I was the one in control now, so even Gwen, the leader, could not take my statent lightly.
"What's the problem?"
"Being in a space open on all sides ans the undead can clearly see our every move. Knowing exactly what we're up to is most unsettling."
"Just because it feels bad? Is that it?"
"Is it that simple? I don't want to give the undead any options. I want to completely exclude them from the ga until the fight with the monsters is over. That is how to minimize variables."
I spoke fluently, as if soone who had thought out various strategies beforehand.
Gwen and the residents looked at as if wondering where such a person ca from.
"Minimizing variables..." Kamian muttered, having realized sothing. He seed to have felt sothing for sure, even if it was a bit overstated, like a hatchling breaking free from its shell.
He might have realized how tactics and strategies he had only learned in theory at the academy could be applied in real combat.
Anyway, it was good.
As long as the protagonist could grow.
"There is so logic to it. But that alone doesn't make sense without an alternative. Speak," Gwen said, narrowing his eyes.
I moved my finger without hesitation.
"This way."
A path opened up to the left from where we were.
"Straight up."
My finger followed the path, winding its way up to the upper left.
"We hit here directly. The monsters' stronghold."
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