episode_0020

The rumor that Paris had been attacked spread quickly. As there was no official word from the royal palace, by the time Lieutenant Gerald delivered the summon order to the Mad Dog Unit, the nearby units were already aware of it.

The soldiers were uneasy. The recent battle with the merfolk a few days ago hadn’t just occurred at bridges 7 and 8. News had just reached the corps headquarters that almost all the units stationed along the Delphine River had come under simultaneous attacks. Fortunately, the attacks weren’t as large-scale as those at bridges 7 and 8, and everyone managed to hold their ground, or so they say. However, having heard rumors of monstrous creatures stabbing and tearing their comrades in front of their eyes, the morale of the soldiers had significantly dropped.

The rumors about me, known as the miracle of Bridge 7, had to be deliberately spread by the officers now, if only to prevent desertion among the troops. In such a situation, upon hearing that the capital city of Paris had been attacked, the Delphine Defense Corps found themselves in a position where they should worry not just about holding the line but about the very existence of the corps itself.

“If only we had a train, we would have arrived by now.”

He murmured quietly from atop his galloping horse. Judging by the pace of technological advancement in this place, it seemed like it would take a few hundred years before trains would appear. He had been riding for two days now. Considering his aching thighs and buttocks, he seriously doubted whether his lower body would function properly when he arrived in Paris.

At first, he naturally assumed they would travel by carriage. Given that the only world he had experienced in this realm was the orphanage behind the walls, the Mad Dog Infantry Training School, and the battlefield, he had thought he could finally take a leisurely tour this time. But that was a mistake.

The king’s command was “Come to the capital promptly,” which meant he had to ride a horse to Paris instead of taking a carriage. And not just ride, but change horses along the way.

“Halt, halt!”

A red flare rose from the A platoon, which was leading a few hundred meters ahead. It meant there was an obstacle ahead, so we should stop for now. When the horses abruptly stopped, a thick cloud of dust rose. I coughed as I tried to cover my nose and mouth with my cape, but it was so worn out that it didn’t do much to protect me. Similar reactions were seen around me.

“It’s the river, right?”

“Yeah, it must be. Platoon, take a 5-minute break!”

The break Cler called for wasn’t for the magic infantry; it was for the horses we were riding. Unless in a hurry, we didn’t usually need to use a restorative potion on the horses during rides, but during breaks like this, it was necessary to administer it consistently.

“We still have another day until we reach the next city, sir.”

Wigo approached and informed me. Even though I already knew this, hearing it from someone else drained my energy.

During the short break, I dismounted and stretched my back. There was a refreshing crack from my spine. Then, I immediately administered the restorative potion to the horse.

“It’s about time they show up.”

While moving from the eastern to central regions of the Francia Kingdom, we had fought five battles. We used the main road to move as quickly as possible to the capital, so we hadn’t been attacked by ordinary bandits.

All five battles took place near rivers or streams, and they were all monster attacks. Unless an unlucky box had landed in a different area than the Black Forest or Saint Marg, it was evidence that monsters were moving through the river. Therefore, it made sense that the rear guard suddenly faced a large-scale attack.

For these reasons, Cler was pushing us relentlessly, almost to the point of exhaustion. To spread this information quickly. But once we reached the next city, Granvier, and cleared the western district, things would improve a bit.

Bang—

Gunshots were heard from the vanguard. A battle had erupted in about five minutes. Upon arriving near the river, it would take another five minutes to determine if the river was safe or not. If no one appeared after five minutes, then the river was safe. However, creatures had emerged from every river they had crossed so far. It wasn’t just a matter of blocking off the Delphine River and heading east. Monsters had already spread throughout various parts of the Frankia Kingdom.

After several more gunshots, the sounds soon ceased. Small, weak monsters emerging from the river could easily be dealt with by a few magic infantry.

“Platoon, mount up! The vanguard will be replaced by Unit B.”

After contemplating for a few more hours, he grabbed his sore bottom and mounted the horse. He vowed that when he arrived in Paris, he would definitely take the time to explore every nook and cranny.

#

“Good heavens.”

“I-Is this Gran Bière?”

The members of the Magic Platoon each muttered a word. Gran Bière. Like any other city, Gran Bière also had a large river flowing beside it. The river that allowed the city to exist was now flowing with crimson liquid instead.

Outside Gran Bière stood a massive medieval-built fortress wall. The sturdy walls, which had guarded the city since its fortress days, were adorned with battlements in various places. There were even some spots where one could wonder how blood had stained the heights. Had people been thrown around like toys?

“Platoon leader, what are we going to do?”

A Platoon A leader, Ernest, asked Claire. They had run non-stop to convey information that evil creatures, presumed to have originated from Saint-Margot, were infiltrating the entire Frankia territory along the river, but their efforts seemed to have been in vain.

Their plans to change tired horses in Gran Bière and to send a pre-report to Paris were now ruined. Claire pondered while looking at the entrance to the seemingly inhospitable city. Should they enter, or simply ignore and pass by?

“Even if we don’t enter the city, we need to rest here for a bit. The horses are tired, and so are we, Captain.”

Clare turned her gaze away as I spoke. It seemed that she had just realized that she was barely keeping herself alive with restorative potions, and she gave an order.

“Let’s take a break here today. But move away from the river first.”

It would take another 1 or 2 minutes to get away from the river, but for now, it was a distance the horses could handle. Once again, the area around the river was no longer a safe zone. Especially with a devastated city like Gran Biel nearby.

It didn’t take long to find a somewhat decent place to camp. Near the city, anywhere was well maintained, but the problem was the bodies. Even around the city, it was easy to find the bodies of those who had tried to escape when Gran Biel was attacked. The soldiers had gathered the bodies near the campsite. We didn’t have the resources to bury them properly, so we decided to offer a brief prayer. I thought I could quietly contemplate from the side.

“Isn’t this something that should be done by Captain C, also known as Saint Marian Roche?”

“Uh, what?”

Captain A said something unnecessary. This was clearly something Clare, the highest-ranking officer, should do, but everyone’s attention was on me, so I had no choice but to step forward hesitantly.

“I don’t really know prayers.”

“Captain C grew up in a church orphanage. You must have picked up something, right?”

Ugh, I had no choice. Looking around, everyone seemed ready to pray, their eyes sparkling with anticipation. I even felt a sense of expectation that some kind of miracle might occur.

I didn’t particularly harbor ill feelings toward the so-called “divine” reason for being born female. Maybe I did in the past, but after living for 17 years, such memories tend to fade.

However, I have an aversion to praying to the entity I face. When I escaped from Sasha’s sanctuary, I recalled the first time I called upon a god in 17 years, and I didn’t know if I would summon it again this time. “Isn’t it good to call upon a god? They give new abilities for free?” It can’t be that simple.

“Our life, resurrection…”

Combining words that sounded holy with ones I’d heard in the orphanage, I crafted a plausible prayer. Satisfied, I opened my eyes with a content smile, but the response was peculiar. What did I do wrong this time? I don’t hear a voice in my head at least.

“Looks like a real saint.”

“Yeah, that’s why she’s survived meeting those monsters until now.”

The soldiers murmured. I just recited a prayer, so why are they talking about a saint again?

“Um, sir, there was a halo behind the squad leader. At first, I thought I was mistaken…”

Vigo quickly informed me of my bewildered expression. Apparently, there was a halo over my head. Unless I unknowingly went bald, this was undoubtedly another effect created by the “god.”

It seems they’ll go to any lengths to raise the total amount of faith. However, I had no intention of moving in the direction guided by the “god.” Even though my goal is to succeed and live safely and comfortably, I had no desire to achieve that while cosplaying as a saint.

In this way, I would simply become a mere avatar, wouldn’t I?

“You probably saw it wrong. Isn’t it just the sunlight reflecting off the metal part of the cap?”

I waved it off nonchalantly, but Vigo pointed to the sky. Following his finger, I had to click my tongue. Not only was the sun hidden behind thick clouds, but its light was barely visible.

The soldiers gathered to organize the sanctuary. Some went to gather wood, some tied up the horses, and others dug shallow trenches.

“Marianne, C Company, uh. Got a nosebleed?”

“Ugh. Nosebleed!”

Strange. I had a nosebleed not too long ago. Maybe my mucous membrane weakened without me realizing. I’ve been under a lot of stress lately. I quickly wiped the flowing, sticky blood with my cloak.

“Disgusting, use this.”

Claire handed me a white handkerchief soaked in water from her canteen. Even as a soldier, nobility is still nobility. She carries a handkerchief around.

“Thank you.”

The handkerchief, used to wipe my nosebleed, was quite stained. There was more blood than I thought. It was already ruined to give back. “Lieutenant Claire, I’ll wash and return the handkerchief.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m just a bit tired. It’s okay. Please continue what you were saying.”

Claire looked somewhat dissatisfied. But she couldn’t do much about just a nosebleed. Perhaps deep down, she wanted to tell me to rest. But she can’t afford to treat only me specially.

“Tonight, C Company will take care of the camp rotation. Rest up early since there’s not much time left until night.”

I never did well at night. Something always happens at night. Tonight didn’t seem like it would pass uneventfully either.