◈ 215. [Side Story] Things to protect
The day before the conclusion of the Jormungand Repulse Operation, the day before.
Virtually all possible preparations have been made.
The heroes have completed their training, and a sufficient number of equipment such as pickaxes and hammers made by Kelly Bay have been secured. The deployment training of ordinary soldiers has also been completed.
Preparations for evacuation of citizens have been completed, and evacuation facilities have been set up in the northeast of the city.
So, the evening before the conclusion of the operation. I ordered all hero characters to rest.
You will have to go through a tough time for the next three days. I hoped that each of us would spend the last evening comfortably.
“… … That’s why I ordered a break.”
I clicked my tongue as I saw the escort driver standing close behind me.
“Do you follow me even if I tell you to rest? nowhere to go?”
Lucas responded immediately.
“yes!”
“Your youth is such a waste, Lucas… … .”
How did you end up being my escort and spending 24 hours like this? I’m sorry, hey.
“You don’t have to worry about me, lord. Rest and free time are self-controlled.”
“I guess so… … .”
She escorts me all day, and stands guard at the door even when I sleep. I don’t know if he sleeps well.
“Follow me.”
I hurriedly walked towards the manor house’s garden.
In the courtyard overlooking the city, there were a few dusty sunbeds.
Sitting on one of them, I nodded.
“You sit down too.”
“yes?”
“Let’s bask in the evening sun together.”
“But I am escorted by my lord… … .”
“Write!”
When I clicked my tongue, Lucas reluctantly sat down next to me.
I brought him here because I thought he would rest if I rested.
I stretched out on the sunbed and lay down comfortably, and Lucas awkwardly imitated me.
From the yard here, the city of Crossroads was clearly visible. Lucas and I looked down at the sunset-tinged city in silence for a while.
“Lucas.”
“Yes, lord.”
“Why are you defending this city?”
I asked a question out of the blue, and the obvious answer came back.
“Because the lord is here.”
“… … .”
Anyway, he should develop a little surprise… … The repertoire is too obvious. When you open your mouth, lord, lord, single-minded lord hopes.
“and… … .”
Then Lucas added. I blinked and saw Lucas like that. huh?
“There are other colleagues, too.”
“… … .”
“Evangeline, Damian, Junior, Lily, and the saintess… … . The Shadow Unit, and many other colleagues, too.”
Lucas chuckled and scratched the back of his head.
“It has become insignificant. … … So, it seems I want to keep it.”
“… … .”
I was a little surprised and looked at Lucas’ side face and laughed.
“You’ve grown up, you too.”
“yes? me?”
“huh. I grew up.”
Lucas is originally the protagonist of this game. He is the guy who takes on the role of commander of the southern front.
A knight equipped with the virtues of a leader who knows how to take care of his subordinates with a broad perspective.
However, unlike the game, I remained the commander, and Lucas blindly followed me.
So there was a time when I thought that maybe I was hindering Lucas’ growth.
Fortunately, it seems that it was raining.
Lucas is growing in his own way. Not only me, but also other colleagues came to cherish.
With a grin, I patted my escort on the back.
“Let’s work hard tomorrow too, Lucas.”
Lucas smiled as well.
“I am willing to follow. Lord. I will risk my life to protect my lord.”
“Yes… … .”
Aside from your inner growth, it seems that the banal repertoire of comments will never change… … I have a feeling… … .
***
Southeast of Cross. Marquis’ Orchard.
Evangeline came and stood in front of her parents’ graves.
“I’m here, Dad. mom.”
Evangeline, who put the bouquet in her hand down in front of the graveyard, smiled faintly.
“Aren’t you angry that you don’t come often? I mean, I am very busy.”
Still, the cemetery is unfamiliar. Even the parents’ names engraved on tombstones.
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Evangeline thought for a moment that she would never get used to this place.
“… … The monster that is attacking this time is a very large snake.”
Evangeline, who was squatting in front of the tombstone, covered both cheeks with both hands and began to chatter.
“The crossroad itself could be blown away, so the seniors evacuated the citizens and even made them prepare for evacuation. I’ve never had anything like this before, so I’m a little nervous.”
Evangeline gazed intently at her father’s tombstone.
“If your dad was here, how would you have dealt with this monster?”
Evangeline stared at her mother’s tombstone next to it.
“If you had a mother, what kind of support would you have given me when I was nervous?”
Evangeline, who had been making meaningless assumptions, eventually smiled.
“I’ll go and see.”
Shaking off her knees, Evangeline whispered softly.
“I will protect you. My family’s village.”
Seeing the graves of her father and mother, the girl swore.
“Memories with the two of you, Dad and Mom risked their lives… … this way. I will protect you.”
The wind blew over the meadow. With her bright white blonde hair disheveled by a gust of wind, Evangeline squeezed her tiny fists in front of her breasts.
“Because I am Evangeline Cross.”
fight
Because he is the heir to the Cross family.
thereby prove
That the cross family’s struggle for generations was not meaningless.
Kwak.
clenched fists
“Because I’m the one who’s going to be Cross Marshal.”
Evangeline’s emerald eyes twinkled with clear determination.
***
Crossroads CBD. barracks. Reina’s room.
The party of 5 magic corps reinforcements from the ecliptic lowered their voices and held meetings over and over again.
“Is it really the Jormungandr in mythology?”
“If the monster is as dangerous as His Highness the 3rd Prince is concerned about, then we have to deal with it at the level of the ecliptic-”
“We are that ‘Ecliptic level response’.”
Reina coldly dismissed the concerns of her subordinates.
“In the first place, the ecliptic is busy paying attention to other wires. Even if an evil spirit instead of Jormungand descends here, I wouldn’t mind.”
“… … .”
“If the enemy really poses a threat to the Empire, we must clear it up in our line.”
“But, Sir Reina. Aren’t we here to hunt monsters? Our main purpose is… … .”
Reina stretched out her hand to interrupt the subordinate who was trying to say something.
“All threats to the well-being of the Empire are eliminated. That is our purpose.”
“… … .”
“If Jormungandr really is that dangerous a monster, it’s only right that we get rid of it before other missions.”
It was then.
“Sir Reina.”
One of the party members who stood guard at the entrance of the room cautiously approached Reina and reported.
“A guest has arrived. Yes, that young wizard.”
“… … .”
Reina waved her hand, and the men who stood up rushed out of the room.
After all of his subordinates had left, Junior stuck his head out into the room.
“Um, did I interrupt you? Were you talking about something important?”
“at all. The meeting has just ended.”
Reina spread her arms out to the left and right and chined.
“So, what happened today? Jupiter’s daughter? I’m glad you came first.”
“… … Prior to the battle, I came to receive one more ‘procedure’.”
Junior, who had been hesitant, licked his lips and spat out softly.
“I want to talk a little more about my mother.”
Reina smiled and gestured into the room.
“come in. Let’s talk.”
Raina immediately asked Junior as he entered the room hesitantly.
“By the way, have you eaten?”
“yes? no… … .”
“Then let’s finish the procedure and talk over a meal together. Even in this rural corner, there is a secretly hidden restaurant.”
Reina, who skillfully invited her to dinner, began preparing for the procedure.
Junior stared at Reina’s back and breathed disapprovingly.
***
Temple.
Cuilan smiled lively and entered his brother’s hospital room.
“Kureha! I’m here!”
“… … Quylan.”
Kureha, who was sitting on the bed doing some paperwork, smiled happily when she saw Quylan. Quylan tilted her head.
“What, I told you to recuperate, what are you doing? What document is it?”
“It’s the overdue paperwork of the temple here… … I’m sorry I only get help for free, so I’ve been helping out here. Good thing. Even if the legs look like this, they have a place to use them.”
“… … .”
Quylan looked down bitterly at his brother’s bony left leg. Kureha smiled and changed the topic.
“how about you? I heard that the knight here has been roughing you for the past few days? Are you okay?”
It seems that rumors of Lucas rolling the penal corps have spread throughout the city. Quylan sighed and waved his hands.
“Oh, don’t talk. That knight bastard, he really harassed us with the energy to eat us alive. do you hate me that much? Oh, what do you hate? i hate him too shit.”
Quilan, who was grumbling, nodded immediately.
“… … But I’ll have to admit it. Thanks to you, I’ve definitely been trained.”
Kureha blinked as she saw her younger sister’s attitude, which was quite different from before.
“Even during the last defense battle, I thought it was better to run away after doing it in moderation.”
Quylan thumped his two fists in front of his chest! seemed to collide.
“This defense battle feels different. If I can’t stop that monster, neither my brother nor our homeland up there… … The first thing that comes to mind is being swallowed by a monster.”
“… … .”
“Do you think you know a little about why people here risk their lives to stand on the wall?”
Quilan smiled and patted his older brother on the shoulder.
“Whether a giant snake attacks or monsters swarm like dogs, don’t worry, brother. I will protect you.”
“… … I’m always sorry, Kuylan.”
“I have nothing to be sorry about, bro. At that time, my older brother protected me. It’s just my turn to protect you this time.”
“… … .”
“Euhaha, isn’t it natural for a younger brother to protect his older brother?”
Quilan grinned and threw one fist forward.
“Give me some of your great luck.”
“I will gladly share.”
The two brothers bumped each other’s fists lightly.
Kureha laughed bitterly at her younger brother, who was twice as tall as herself.
“Come on, Miracle Quylan.”
***
Damian sat in the dark.
Now, despite the fact that there is no sign of the Black Queen’s cursed aura. Damian’s complexion was dark, as if he were still enveloped in that ominous aura.
‘I am… … .’
Damian looked down at his empty hands.
‘Why were you fighting? For what?’
Drop your weapon and be excluded from the party.
Losing the inertia of battle, Damian stopped in place, and only then was he able to look back on himself.
‘I’ve already lost half… … What more do you want to protect, like this… … Shouldn’t it be painful?’
Is it because the nightmares the Black Queen has shown me over the past few weeks have been too vivid?
The face of the lost precious person was as clear as if it could be caught in the eye.
That smile, that death.
So it was more painful.
‘I miss you, Ban.’
Damian crouched deeper.
‘I miss you… … .’
I didn’t want to fight anymore.
I didn’t want to pretend to be strong in front of scary monsters.
In this hellish world, I didn’t want to do anything more.
just stay still… … I wanted to be locked in the dark.
***
next day. dawn.
the southernmost tip of the world. black lake.
bubbling… … .
Splitting the surface of the black lake.
shoot it… … !
The head of a huge serpent, shining silver-gray, rose.
The boss monster of STAGE 9.
The serpent of the world, Jormungandr, finally appeared in the outside world.
