Ch.35Second Escape (1)

All three of them were in terrible shape.

The Valkyrie had bruises all over her body, and the Holy Maiden had a long wound on her abdomen. As for me, I couldn’t move my right arm and side at all.

“We’re just three patients here.”

“The Mage suffered the most. If it weren’t for this man, we’d be dead by now.”

“The Major is right. So help support him better.”

“I’m sorry. I’ve lost all my strength. This is the best I can do.”

The two female soldiers supported me from both sides. Though I wasn’t sure if they were supporting me or hanging onto me. Um… this is support, right?

“…Heavy.”

“What did the Mage say?”

“He says we’re heavy. Major, don’t put too much weight on that side.”

“Colonel, you seem to be having trouble keeping your balance as well.”

“I said you’re heavy, people!”

Stumbling this way and that. Coming down the mountain, we nearly fell several times. None of us had all limbs functioning properly. Just three cripples.

The sun was setting. We had somehow made it down the mountain, but we still needed to walk further to reach the shore where the lifeboat was.

“Ugh, I can’t see anything ahead.”

“Should we set up camp?”

“There’s no suitable spot. Why don’t we pick up the pace instead? If we walk faster, we might be able to get out of the forest before it gets completely dark.”

In the twilight, the Valkyrie nodded. She poked my back repeatedly and spoke with difficulty.

“Mage, light.”

I barely managed to summon what little magical power I had left to activate the one light stone I carried. I had brought it just in case, and it turned out to be an excellent choice.

“Wow, now I can see. You could have told us you had something like this, sheesh.”

“Let’s be understanding. He probably didn’t have the chance to tell us.”

“Major, you’re strangely taking the Mage’s side?”

“Absolutely not. I’m simply stating the facts.”

“I heard you whispering sweetly to the Mage earlier, thanking him for saving you.”

“That was mere courtesy.”

The Holy Maiden chuckled with amusement. I felt somewhat left out. If they were playing a joke-sharing game, they could include me too.

But it’s fine.

[‘Major.’]

Because I have David.

[‘Would you like to play a word chain game with me?’]

“Sure. You start.”

[‘Mountain foot.’]

No thanks.

Ah, I’m exhausted.

[‘I was just joking. Actually, I have something else to tell you.’]

“What is it?”

[‘Earlier at the mountain peak, I sensed the presence of your battalion commander.’]

Of course you would. I’m your battalion commander.

[‘I mean the previous battalion commander, not you.’]

At those words, my steps came to an abrupt halt. The Valkyrie and Holy Maiden said something about my sudden stop.

“Why did you suddenly stop?”

“Did you twist something?”

“…No, it’s nothing.”

I resumed walking. David added that he had only sensed a presence, nothing certain. But what he said was already firmly lodged in my mind.

The previous battalion commander… could it be?

No, as David said, nothing is certain right now.

Let’s focus on recovery first. I’ll climb the mountain again only after I’ve fully regained my strength.

Perhaps because we had defeated the ghoul, no more monsters appeared. Thanks to that, we were able to exit the forest without any obstacles except for the darkness.

“I can see the lifeboat!”

“We finally made it! Ah, I missed it so much…!”

The three of us were completely exhausted. As soon as we arrived, we rushed into the lifeboat without even setting up a watch.

“Urgh.”

“Haah…”

“Ssip.”

The pain doubled as soon as the tension eased. The interior of the lifeboat was filled with groans. It was like an intensive care unit.

Both me and the female soldiers from enemy countries.

All of us ended up in this condition after defeating just one ghoul.

What if even one of us had been missing?

“Without this Mage, we would have been sacrificed to that monster.”

If the Valkyrie hadn’t been there, the Holy Maiden and I would have been devoured by the ghoul long ago. Conversely, if the Holy Maiden hadn’t been there, we might have somehow defeated it but wouldn’t have been able to exorcise the ghoul in its soul state, and the prolonged battle would have killed us.

Either way, it would have been defeat.

In the end, we all needed each other.

I wasn’t the only one who realized this. The eyes of the two women who had returned with me after facing life and death together looked quite different from the day before.

“Mage. Are you alright?”

“I feel like death.”

We had been on a forced march that felt like it lasted over ten hours. That alone was exhausting, but I was injured as well…

“Rest today. I’ve cast holy spells for antibacterial and hemostatic effects, so you don’t need to worry much about infection. I’ll treat you more properly tomorrow.”

“Thank you. But… you’re calling me Mage now.”

“I’ve decided to acknowledge it a bit. I’ve realized there are Mages in this world, not just magicians. My perspective has been too narrow. I need to reconsider my faith. Thank you.”

The eyes of Tiria Kasten as she expressed her gratitude were truly befitting of a Holy Maiden.

Not merely following a manufactured faith, but pioneering her beliefs based on her own free will. Those eyes were as bright and gentle as stars in the night sky.

“Close your eyes now, Mage.”

In any case, the Holy Maiden changing my title was a positive sign.

My gaze next turned to the Valkyrie. She was lying on my right, gently scratching my right arm with her finger.

“What?”

“Are you okay?”

“Am I okay?”

Nod, nod.

“Ugh, I don’t know if I should say this to you. I’m sorry… because you got badly hurt because of me…”

I could sense a different emotion in the Valkyrie’s voice than before.

“…Sigh, I really don’t know. Forget it. I’m too tired to think.”

The Valkyrie said what she wanted to say and closed her eyes. Judging from her tone and gestures, I think it wasn’t a negative signal at least.

Could I have gained her goodwill by taking that iron needle for her?

No, that can’t be.

Unlike with the Holy Maiden, my relationship with the Valkyrie isn’t so simple. We killed each other’s friends. Even now, I shudder when I recall that day in the Tatangkur Waters. If I feel this way, how much worse must it be for the Valkyrie?

The Valkyrie was far more rational and reasonable than I had thought. She probably knows that I’m showing her goodwill for my own benefit.

In the end, once we escape from this island, we’ll grow distant again. Perhaps one of us will die at the other’s hands.

Suddenly, I consider a scenario.

If I meet the Valkyrie on the battlefield again… would I be able to cast a spell at her like I did that day?

-You have too much sentimentality, and that’s your problem.

Well, I’m not sure.

-As an officer, don’t harbor personal feelings on the battlefield. It may sound cruel, but that’s reality. That’s the only way you can endure.

Admiral Dietz’s words keep coming back to me. At the time, they sounded like consolation not to grieve too much over the deaths of comrades, but now they also sound like a warning not to show mercy to enemies.

I wonder what happened to the Admiral. I haven’t seen him once since the battle began that day, so I don’t know if he’s alive or dead.

[‘He was a good person.’]

I can only pray that he’s still alive.

My scattered thoughts made it difficult to fall asleep. Soon, I could hear gentle breathing from both sides. Both the Holy Maiden and the Valkyrie had completely fallen asleep.

I remained vigilant for a while, watching for monsters, but then I just lay down. I was completely exhausted. It seemed that with the ghoul gone, the monsters had disappeared as well.

It’s already been two months since we were shipwrecked.

The last battle was in midsummer, so now it’s early autumn. Time flies. Compared to the first day, the weather definitely feels a bit cooler.

“…Mmm, cold.”

The Valkyrie mumbled in her sleep and changed position. She lay on her side and draped her arms and legs over my body.

[‘Ooooh.’]

This is driving me crazy.

Finally, I closed my eyes too. Soon my consciousness faded, and I began to dream.

In that dream, I had a fox-like wife and an elf-like child, and we were living happily together.

***

On the day they returned after defeating the ghoul, Rachel also had a dream.

As usual, it was a terrible nightmare. A village plagued by disease, a burning house. Rachel was trapped in a room, crying.

Help me!

Is anyone there?

No matter how much she shouted, all she could hear was the snickering of magicians.

-Sacrificial burning.

-We offer the flesh and blood of the humans in this village as sacrifices to contribute to His resurrection.

Eventually, the flames approached right before her. Rachel gasped for breath. No. Don’t come. Go away—!!

At that moment, a Mage appeared, piercing through the flames.

It was Erich Lohnstein.

The Mage smashed the heads of all the magicians who had been mocking Rachel with his calipers, then used magic to break down the wall and secure an escape route. Soon he extended his hand, and Rachel grasped it.

The warmth she felt from their joined palms soon enveloped her entire body. The Mage had taken her in his arms and jumped.

With a floating sensation of liberation, Rachel turned her head.

An endless field of blooming flowers stretched out before her.

“…”

At that point, Rachel’s consciousness returned to reality. A stale feeling, the smell of salty wind. She was still on the deserted island.

“Haah.”

Rachel rubbed her face. There was a subtle warmth. Was she catching a cold again?

Anyway, the dream she had today was half-pleasant.

Sighing, Rachel slowly stretched her body.

The Mage and Tiria were already up and preparing breakfast. The Mage noticed Rachel waking up first and waved his hand.

“Good morning.”

“Oh, y-yeah. Good morning.”

The Mage’s lips curled into a slight smile.

That smile, strangely, began to irritate her.