Chapter: 9
Why? Where did it all go wrong?
Was it a mistake to impose a mere game gimmick onto reality? Did I judge and look down on this world too carelessly?
I took in the surroundings. The body of a headless wizard, a war priest burnt to cinders, a thief crushed beyond recognition.
For them, there is no next time. No resurrection whatsoever. They were surely aware of this fact.
As if newly enlightened, it was engraved in my mind. No, you had forgotten again. As if someone were scolding you.
“Brother···!”
“Uh, uh…? Ma-Maria…?”
“Wake up! We need to run.”
I snapped back to reality after being shaken by my cheek. Maria and the clients were safe. As for Alexander… is he still fighting back?
Maria was desperately trying to secure the carriage as well. Yet here I was, sitting there, completely out of it…
‘This is definitely not the time.’
I decided to stop the self-pity and glanced at the battlefield. Our C-class and below had been completely wiped out. About 30 people were targeting the carriage, mostly B-class fighters.
The leader Alexander is up against is estimated to be at least A-class. The odds seem stacked against him, and he doesn’t seem likely to last much longer.
‘Originally, Maria would tidy up this mess and join Alexander…’
Currently, Maria’s available cards were just one White Hammer Girl and five hastily-put-together normal entities right before the request.
It’s not impossible to handle them, but with a protective target involved, it’s dangerous.
“This is all… what the… me… I… sigh.”
Yeah, I’d like to cry too. At least I didn’t step out today with my life on the line. What on earth is this utter mess?
I locked eyes with Maria and nodded. We would seize the moment when they let their guard down in the thinner part of the encirclement; that’s where we’ll make our escape.
“Hold on to Maria.”
“Uh, uh…? Huh?”
“Butler, would you like to be carried?”
“…No. I will stay here.”
“Re-Rayhem? What do you mean… staying??”
The butler, or rather the escort knight Rayhem, silently drew his rapier.
At this, the girl, with tear-filled eyes, widened her gaze and pleaded with the old knight.
“Rayhem, don’t do this… Come with me…! I’ve already made such a terrible mistake… If I lose you too, then I…”
“You two, I entrust the young lady to you. I’ll try to buy some time with my limited skills.”
“No way… Rayhem, Rayhem…!!”
Maria slipped away from the carriage, clutching the struggling girl under her arm.
Bang-! The Hammer Girl slammed the ground, creating a wide path, and Rayhem stood in the way of those trying to follow us.
“Catch them!!”
“You won’t be catching them easily.”
As I fled the battlefield, I glanced back.
Alexander, Rayhem. I wanted to keep their final moments fresh in my eyes and mind just a little longer.
“…Brother, just keep running straight. It’s dangerous.”
I retraced my steps and raced towards Yeopeum-a-eul.
Until I couldn’t feel any presence anymore. Until I was far away from this blunder.
*
When the pursuit finally dropped off, I took a moment to catch my breath and slowed down.
After twisting the route several times, it was better to conserve my stamina while it was still safe.
“Maria, we were attacked right in the middle of nowhere, huh? It’s been about half a day, right?”
“Yeah. I know because I’ve camped near Maria.”
Taking advantage of the newfound leisure to assess the situation.
There were numerous aspects of this incident that made it hard to view it merely as a misjudgment on my part.
“The choice of site is the worst for the hunted, and the scale of the force makes it clear this is a planned attack. It’s obvious. This is clearly a premeditated crime targeting us.”
The Adventurers’ Guild is usually extremely strict and sensitive about information leaks.
Has discipline loosened somewhere along the line? Or has the way information is handled changed altogether?
‘Unless it’s something else…’
“It’s all my fault… I did something so foolish… I’m sorry, Rayhem…”
The girl, trembling in fear and crying without being able to speak properly, let out her guilt.
She must regret that this happened because she requested it for her own satisfaction. If she had just remained inactive, it wouldn’t have happened.
But that’s the wrong premise. Hiding behind excuses won’t fix anything.
“Now is not the time for self-blame. I don’t think Rayhem would want this either. More importantly, now that we’ve gained some distance, it’s time to start using the signal flare.”
For that reason and more, it’s generally wise not to carry communication artifacts when passing through the forest.
That’s why nobles often utilize emergency flares for self-defense. They never know when they might need them, so there’s a whole custom of assisting others whenever possible.
It does mean revealing our position to the enemy, yet that’s better than just wandering around aimlessly. I’d also expect them to give up and retreat.
“…I don’t have one.”
“What?”
“I couldn’t pack it because I sneaked out without telling my dad…”
…
I looked down at the girl, who was now cowering.
Blonde hair, ample wealth, an environment so strict it restricts outside activities, with a knightly bloodline for a butler.
A possibility sprang to mind. It seemed so absurd I’d initially deemed it unworthy of consideration, but now I desperately clung to that hope.
“What’s your family background?”
“Uh, um…”
“Are you possibly a princess?”
“…!!”
Just that reaction was enough to start piecing together the truth.
With no more need to conceal this, the girl confessed.
“…That’s right, I am the second princess of the empire, Ryona Pe Dororikon…”
‘I did intend to bridge connections to the imperial palace, but…’
I never imagined I’d end up with a direct line to the princess.
When I played the game, I would have begged for it just once. But reality? It’s awkwardly exhilarating, so all I could do was grin sheepishly.
“…I’m sorry for speaking informally, Your Highness.”
“It’s okay…”
Maria, you use polite language even with royalty. It’s a joy to see.
Really, even if we miraculously survive, if I annoy the princess, it’d be all for nothing.
“Your Highness, Princess, how long has it been since you left the palace?”
Alright, that’s enough pleasantries.
No matter how unrealistic the situation is, if that’s the case, we need to push through these difficulties somehow.
“Today marks the third day…”
Three days. Then the rescue team must have been dispatched ages ago.
From my experience, they should be arriving nearby. They probably mobilized every knight commander available.
“Let’s just hold out until we can join the Knights.”
“Uh, okay…”
In some ways, this situation has turned out better than before.
If we can hold on like this until the Knights arrive, this won’t just mean a connection to the royal family. I’d be a benefactor who rescued the princess.
“Haa. Finally caught up. You little brats, losing track of what you’ve got. I’ll have to give you a proper roasting after such a long time.”
‘Well, that’s how things will be.’
Of course, fate isn’t so generous as to hand out terminal rewards that easily.
From the depth of the grass, the man Alexander had stalled, the leader of the thieves’ guild, emerged.
“I’m here…!!”
“Get back, jerk.”
“Wait a moment. I have a proposal. How about just handing over everything that little brat has and calling it a day? They’re future customers anyway, and there’s no upside to spilling blood here, right?”
He suggested incredibly brazenly, twirling a dagger dotted with blood.
Hand over the goods and spare the princess’s life. To be honest, it’s a tempting offer. I might’ve even been tempted to toss in some of Maria’s belongings just to sweeten the deal.
“Your Highness, do you happen to have anything that could prove your royal identity?”
“Uh, yes. A brooch engraved with the royal emblem…”
But something felt off with that guy’s overly relaxed demeanor. Shouldn’t the knight commanders be barreling towards us, firing with their eyes aglow?
Sure, it’s likely faster to grab what they need and skedaddle instead of engaging in a fight. But even so, his demeanor doesn’t seem rushed at all.
“Do you know who this person is?”
“Are you actually expecting a royal treatment in a place like this? Are you serious?”
As I figured, those idiots had no notion they’d meddled with royalty.
Then I couldn’t accept that offer. The palace librarian can’t guarantee how they’d react upon realizing the girl is a princess while checking their loot.
“You’re dragging this out too much. You didn’t shoot a flare, but it looks like support is on the way?”
Sensing something, the man gripped a dagger in each hand. I readied my sickle and hammer in response.
This isn’t like before when I was pushed back. If I showcase superior stats on my end, that’s actually a boon for me.
“What, what…??”
Flustered, his movements slowed down. No, his stats simply weren’t enough in the first place.
Clang-!!
Just in time, the Hammer Girl blocked the incoming attack.
But it seemed way too soon to feel at ease as the man easily deflected the hammer’s downward strike with his dagger.
“Brother, over here…!”
I quickly dodged before the standoff could escalate.
I’ve experienced moments of skill restriction, but to be completely unable to use them now? Everything calculated has gone straight out the window.
“…Brother. Brother, just run away.”
Maria, estimating the odds after a single clash, urged me to flee, just as she had once abandoned Alexander.
I’m sorry, but I can’t do that. Even if I tried, I wouldn’t get far, nor do I even have the option to abandon you.
Crackle-
Even so, it’s crystal clear that this is a desperate situation. The Hammer Girl was teetering on the edge of collapse.
The puppeteer’s strength lies in the synergy between multiple puppets. To aim for even a draw, I would need at least another special puppet.
‘…One puppet.’
“Quickly…run away…!”
“Maria, cast the ‘Doll Strengthening’ skill on me.”
“…Doll strengthening? On my brother?”
“Doll strengthening is a unique skill of the puppeteer that allows them to evolve their own dolls by one level. And I’m your doll, right?”
“…Yup.”
Snap-!
The last puppet was destroyed.
Now, this is the only option left. With a desperate heart, Maria cast her skill.
Lv. 36 – Battle Dummy
“Got it.”
In the middle of a lush forest, a rectangular container-shaped building emerged.
I was absorbed into it and instinctively grasped what I could do as the master of the tutorial zone.
“Everyone, inside!”
Taking advantage of the others’ hesitation, I led our party inside.
The lone man left outside soon chuckled.
“I was wondering what you were doing…”
Calling that thing out and hiding inside it? He was neither joking nor playing. Was this some kind of kids’ game?
The man trudged over to the Tutorial Zone. Zero signs of life. Zero perceived risk. Zero reasons not to enter.
“You didn’t even lock it, huh?”
With that, he swung open the doorknob that turned without distinguishing friend from foe and entered in pursuit of his target.
The door that closed itself didn’t open from within.
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