Episode 316. Counter-Terrorism Support (3)

“…There are too many. Sebastian.”

“I think we need to break through. Each individual is Rank A or higher, and it’s unknown how many more will be reinforced. Plus, it looks like there are Rank S behind us too.”

Alice listened to Scarlet and Sebastian’s conversation and swallowed hard.

Around them, dozens of Minds had formed an encirclement, exuding unsettling mana just by looking at them.

They felt different, right down to the aura they gave off.

Real killing intent and a foul stench that couldn’t be felt in the academy’s training facilities.

Alice did her best to control her uncontrollably trembling knees.

And to escape the tension constricting her body, she clenched her fists tightly.

‘Indeed, I’m glad I prepared diligently.’

Just as Dad said, wearing protective gear securely was the right choice.

Alice drew her top-tier artifact sword and glared at the approaching Minds.

For just one minute.

Seeing the Minds turned into skewers in the blink of an eye, Alice couldn’t believe her eyes.

“Hmm. Should we wait for now?”

“…Is he a monster?”

Alice stared with disbelief at the person responsible for the corpses scattered on the road, then bowed her head deeply.

When on earth had he become so strong? It was hard to even compare him to herself now.

“Th-this… How could this happen?”

“I did believe in you, but this is beyond imagination.”

“Ahem.”

Lee Hoyeon scratched his head, clearing his throat at Sebastian and Scarlet’s reactions.

Sebastian with his mouth agape, Scarlet smiling slightly. And Alice, who had bowed her head deeply, perhaps because her pride was wounded.

Seeing them react like this made me feel strangely embarrassed.

“Alice. What should we do now?”

“…Why are you asking me?”

Lee Hoyeon approached the dejected Alice and asked about the next plan.

Was she feeling intimidated from being so surprised?

Alice, clad in protective gear, looked crestfallen, her sword pointed towards the ground.

“You should be the one commanding. You’re the heiress of the Iris Guild, aren’t you?”

“What difference does that make?”

“It does make a difference. Sebastian and Scarlet here followed you to protect you, right? That means you’re important, so the command is yours.”

“…Sigh. Fine. Thanks a lot.”

I tried to smooth things over like giving candy to a child who made a mistake, but it failed, as expected.

Alice wasn’t a child gullible enough to fall for obvious praise.

Of course, she wasn’t holding a grudge forever. Alice shook her head and checked her smartwatch.

“The terror attack is quite serious. I think we need to move for now. Other places are probably similar, so we can’t just stand still.”

The group decided to move without waiting.

The reason was that it was a loss for personnel like us to wait around.

It was such a reasonable reason that it made sense.

‘Still, her answer was very Alice-like.’

I liked the answer, which didn’t lose confidence.

“I will contact the Guild Master for you, Young Lady.”

“Yeah. Please do.”

Alice poked the nearby Mind’s corpse repeatedly with her sword.

Squish.

The sensation, like poking rotten food waste, made Alice shudder, so after magically cleaning the tip of her sword, she started walking towards the city center.

*

“…”

“…”

• I’m bored. There’s nothing here.

We were heading deeper into the city center.

Just as Liliana said, there wasn’t really a specific target.

I stroked my necklace and checked the companions around me.

Scarlet and Sebastian. Me and Alice.

With this group, even if some Minds appeared, it didn’t seem like it would be dangerous.

Even if executives appeared, I could handle them, and besides, these three aren’t weak either.

This lineup can defeat Rank A Minds or so.

While wandering around, it would be good to save anyone who couldn’t escape, if we found them.

Or maybe reduce the number of Minds.

I glanced at Alice, who was walking beside me.

Her head was constantly turning, checking left, right, and front, and it was obvious she was tense.

I gave a slight smile, then took a deep breath.

And I yelled at Alice.

“Alice!!!”

“Kyaaak!”

Alice let out a kyaak scream, looking towards me.

Yeah. I knew this would happen.

“Wh-what are you doing!”

“You seemed too tense. Alice. Scarlet and I are watching your left and right, so you just need to watch the front.”

“…Sigh. Yeah.”

“If you don’t make mistakes, you can do as well as I can. Let’s go.”

“…That’s definitely not true.”

Alice glared at me resentfully, but thankfully, her tension seemed to have eased a little.

We soon entered the city center, and I frowned.

• I think I’ve seen this in a game. An apocalypse game.

“This, isn’t France going to collapse today?”

This time too, I agreed with Liliana’s words.

The situation was no joke.

Smoke rising and sounds of battle everywhere.

Hundreds, no, thousands of Minds and Hunters were fighting, mixed together.

The horrific screams and the sounds of things shattering and exploding were just a bonus.

“It’s okay. France won’t collapse from this.”

“…Really? Have all the people evacuated?”

“Yeah. There are underground bunkers throughout Paris, and the evacuation routes are perfect. Anti-terror teams operate in the thousands too.”

“Well, if that’s true.”

I didn’t want to know the detailed circumstances of France.

Besides, I doubted this game even had detailed settings.

If terror attacks happened this often in a world, the country normally wouldn’t even be able to sustain itself.

Maybe it’s a setting with a really great national character?

• Kill them! They’re humans!

Just then, the Minds, noticing us, started approaching.

“Time to get ready for battle.”

“Cadet Lee Hoyeon. Is your mana okay?”

“Let’s find out.”

• Scout! We’re invincible! Don’t ignore us!

I raised my mana, using unfamiliar polite language towards Scarlet.

The Minds have started recognizing our presence, so we can’t avoid battle.

‘Just in case, I wanted to conserve mana….’

Mana is needed when I meet a Centaur.

• Guaaaaaah!

But the Minds wouldn’t possibly consider that.

Dozens of Minds approached us, and I started the fight using light magic.

Scarlet and I intercepted the enemies from a distance, while Alice and Sebastian provided cover for us in a simple formation.

Since we didn’t know how long the battle would last, we had to conserve our stamina.

“Still, the Minds are weaker than before.”

“Probably, the strong ones have their main objectives, so they’re already fighting. These ones are the leftovers.”

“Right, that makes sense. They must already be in action.”

The strong ones are probably already looting or fighting the anti-terror teams.

The Minds we were facing were stragglers from the group, so they weren’t that strong.

Kwajik-

I replied, smashing the Mind’s head.

As we steadily reduced the number of Minds, Alice also seemed to gain confidence.

These guys weren’t that strong, and they were slow too.

Then.

• Guaaaaaah-!

A Mind burst out from under the wreckage of a nearby building.

It was aiming for Alice’s back, but Sebastian and Alice, focused on the front, didn’t seem to notice.

“Tsk.”

Bbaak-

I imbued a nearby rock with mana and pierced the Mind’s heart.

Only then, Alice turned around, looked back and forth between the Mind and me, and blinked.

Mind’s blood splattered through the gaps in Alice’s protective gear, running down her cheek, but Alice didn’t seem to notice.

“Alice. I’m watching your back, but still, be careful.”

“…Yeah.”

• Geueu….

• There’s a strong human here!

• Human! Kill them!

Minds swarmed in from all directions.

The Minds, already numbering over a hundred, were individually weak, but stronger ones were mixed in little by little.

“…Hoyeon-nim. Wouldn’t it be better to retreat now? You should be conserving mana.”

Scarlet whispered in a low voice, so Alice and Sebastian wouldn’t hear.

But there was no need for that anymore.

“No. It’s fine now.”

“Huh? Eut…!”

Now, couldn’t Scarlet feel it too?

Kuung-

Suddenly, an immense pressure surged around us.

As one man appeared like smoke, I felt like the world had stopped.

• Human! Kill….

• Th-the….

Teolseok- Paak- Kung-

All the Minds simultaneously split in two and fell.

Among the wide-eyed and surprised companions, I looked straight ahead.

I saw a blond man walking with heavy steps.

His presence felt like it filled the entire space, just by him walking.

That must be the Iris Guild Master’s imposing aura.

“…My daughter!”

• After appearing so coolly, he’s such a weird guy.

“…”

Liliana sharply criticized Isaac, and it was actually true.

If his first words weren’t like that, he would have been really cool.

Anyway, Isaac then hugged Alice tightly.

“D-Dad…?”

Alice stammered, seemingly flustered by her father who suddenly appeared.

Isaac hugged Alice tightly, then pulled back slightly and, meeting her eyes, said:

“Are you hurt anywhere? Sigh. I should have come a little earlier. I’m sorry.”

“…No. You don’t have to worry anymore. I fought well too.”

“Mhm. It seems so. My daughter has grown up so much. I’m so proud, Alice.”

Alice seemed happy to be acknowledged by her father, her eyes reddening slightly, but she didn’t shed tears.

Tears didn’t seem fitting for her.

“Father. Me too… Oh my, Alice!”

Just then, Irene too belatedly appeared.

Seeing the Mind corpses around, Irene, looking angry, approached Alice.

“Alice…!”

“…Unnie.”

Irene, approaching Alice, removed Alice’s protective gear and checked her face.

Then she brought her hand to her face.

Alice closed her eyes slightly, and Irene carefully brushed her cheek with her hand, wiping away the blood.

“This is why I…! Sigh. It’s a relief. Alice, that you weren’t hurt… it’s truly a relief.”

“Unnie….”

Irene hugged Alice tightly, her eyes reddening.

Alice stood hugged by her father and unnie on both sides. When our eyes met, she seemed embarrassed and quickly turned her head away.

Why? She’s just cute.

“Father. What about our Alice? She has blood on her cheek.”

“…Damn it. Call the rescue team immediately!”

“Both of you, stop it. It’s embarrassing…”

I watched Irene fussing over Alice and thought:

‘Still, Irene definitely cares about Alice. That’s certain.’

She might be crazy, which is a problem, but she dotes on her sister, which seems true.

It’s just that her affection is very twisted.

Irene examined Alice’s face thoroughly, while Isaac tapped his smartwatch.

He’s not actually calling the rescue team for that, is he?

“It’s a touching scene, Sebastian.”

“Indeed. I’ve watched the Young Lady for a long time, but I rarely see her make such a happy face.”

“…But he’s not really reporting this, is he?”

I asked, just in case.

Reporting it just for having blood on her face would be a bit much, wouldn’t it?

“No. Just now on the communicator, all tracking teams were contacted to gather here.”

Sebastian checked his communicator and told me.

Tracking teams are gathering?

“The reason tracking teams gather is only one, Cadet Lee Hoyeon.”

Scarlet answered my question.

“The original mission is being carried out.”

“If it’s the original mission…”

Now, I think I knew too.

The target we were looking for.

“Yes, the Centaur has appeared.”