Chapter 42
Chapter 42
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>Translator: Lord First
>Chapter: 42
>Chapter Title: Voices in the Dark
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*
Oskar stood leaning against the wall, his sword planted in the ground.
“This is utterly absurd.”
He roughly wiped the blood dripping from his forehead and scanned his surroundings. He couldn't see a thing.
A forest is dark by nature. The Pritzenkaya Forest, in particular, was unnervingly so, where seeing the light was difficult even in broad daylight.
So, it was only natural that finding a light source would be difficult when buried in the earth beneath that forest. He could understand that much. However…
“Why is there a cave under the forest? This crazy country.”
Oskar let out a hollow laugh and picked up his sword. One of his legs had been broken in the impact. He could probably walk by leaning on the wall, but even that wouldn't be easy.
‘Should I wait for backup?’
He was a student. A rescue team would surely be dispatched for a major incident like this during a class.
Besides, he had three more beads in his possession. He’d heard they were magical tools, each equipped with a location-tracking function.
Therefore, as long as there were no other issues, staying put would be the safest choice, but…
‘I wonder if those guys got out.’
That was the problem. Having three beads meant he had taken them from at least two other students.
He had defeated two of his classmates and taken their beads. It was a test, so it couldn't be helped, but now that things had turned out this way, it was disconcerting. It was as if he’d stolen their location trackers.
If those students were buried down here in the dirt, they wouldn't be rescued.
Oskar sighed. The pain shooting up from his broken leg was excruciating. But still,
“I have to save them.”
He wiped away the blood and opened his eyes. His green eyes glinted in the darkness.
I have to save them.
Because they were his classmates? Because he was a good person? Because he was the son of Gilles Vert, a hero from the Hero's Party?
No.
Because he was a knight.
A knight of Tilles does not abandon the weak in the face of hardship.
He recalled what he had learned from his father, the Lord Protector, since he was a child.
*
“Aaaah!! Help!! Is anyone there?!”
“Help us!! We’re trapped under here!!”
How noisy. Ivan clicked his tongue and walked through the tunnel.
In a tunnel with extremely limited visibility, when one sensory organ is blocked, the sense of hearing is naturally amplified.
Therefore, one should not shout inside a tunnel. Especially if it’s a frontline.
Not only would it serve as an excellent beacon for enemies on the other side, but the screams scattering in all directions would echo off the tunnel walls, disorienting one's sense of direction.
Getting lost like that would only increase fear. Humans were not made to live in darkness.
Untrained people would panic in such a situation. They would scream again, lose their sense of direction again. It was a vicious cycle.
-Click.
Ivan listened to the screams as he drew his pistol. He closed his eyes and took a step.
One step. Then another.
Never rushing, but not leisurely either.
With a stride as precise as if measured with a ruler. Straight ahead.
Counting every step he took—his stride was exactly 86 centimeters. Therefore, by counting his steps, he could map his movement from the point of entry onto a mental map.
An officer of the Annihilation Squad must master map reading and field triangulation.
Oskar's last known position, Isabelle's position, and the spot where he had jumped down.
By plotting these three points without error, he could walk with confidence, even in a maze-like network of tunnels.
“Help!!”
The screams were close. He moved forward, pistol raised and aimed around waist level.
Considering the average height of a dwarf, it was aimed right at head level. Of course, he couldn't kill a dwarf by shooting it in the head with a pistol.
Those bastards were tough as hell.
“Is anyone there!”
“Here!! We’re over here!!”
“What’s your name!”
“Petrick!! Does that even matter right now!?”
Of course, it matters.
Ivan smirked at the voice coming from the end of the tunnel.
That awkward accent—a dwarf. They were currently moving through the tunnel, searching for their target.
He could feel them moving away again after hearing the stranded student's voice. Right, so not all the students were their targets.
“You’re lucky.”
The one named Petrick had survived because he’d given his name first. The dwarves in the tunnel were likely looking for Oskar or Isabelle.
Enrique was in this area. Thus, they couldn't afford to waste much time. Vampires also had good night vision, so fighting Enrique in a tunnel would be the worst form of suicide.
So, at the very least, those two students wouldn't be killed by the dwarves.
“Where are you going! Where are you?! Help me!!”
“Shh. Quiet.”
Having approached the screaming student, Ivan clamped a hand over his mouth. He felt the gasp, the dampness of sweat, and the tears—bodily fluids—beneath his palm.
Ivan gently patted the boy's shoulder and whispered.
“The ones who just asked for your name are the ones who dug this tunnel.”
“...Mmph?!”
“That’s right. You were about to die. So you need to be quiet.”
“Phew…! W-who are you, mister?”
“A rescuer. Now, quietly. Do you have your bead?”
“Oskar took it!”
Right, it was never going to be that easy.
Ivan clicked his tongue and asked.
“Is Oskar nearby?”
“Yes, the ground collapsed almost right after we lost to him…”
“Can you walk?”
“Yes, yes!”
“Take this.”
Ivan took a bead from his waist and handed it to the student.
“Go about ten meters in that direction… at least that far, and you should see the sky. Climb up there and wait for rescue. Enrique will find you soon enough.”
“Th-th-thank you!”
“Quiet. The enemy is still nearby.”
Ivan patted the boy’s shoulder a couple of times and moved on.
*
“What’s your name!”
“Petrick!! Does that even matter right now?!”
Good. A rescuer.
Perfect. I can get out with them.
Thankfully, it seems both of them are alive. That’s a relief.
Oskar let out a sigh and staggered to his feet. He was about to shout for help when he suddenly closed his mouth.
Something’s strange…
‘He asked for a name… and then silence.’
There was no reason to whisper. If there were other students nearby, he should be shouting to let them know the rescue team was here.
So, for the sound to suddenly stop was odd. Oskar’s instincts screamed a warning.
“Hey! Is anyone else there! Any other survivors?!”
“…”
Oskar swallowed hard and strained his ears.
After that man’s shout, the voices of the two students had completely vanished.
A single hypothesis formed in Oskar’s mind.
-What if the existence of a cave like this under the Pritzenkaya Forest wasn't normal?
Come to think of it, the walls were too smooth for a natural cave. If this wasn't normal, what if someone had dug a tunnel to set a trap?
Then, the man who was currently shouting as if he were rescuing students…
‘An enemy.’
Oskar gritted his teeth. Fighting an unknown enemy in the pitch-black darkness, where he couldn't see an inch in front of him, was foolish.
Even more so with a broken leg.
‘It’s better to just wait.’
In any case, he had the location-tracking magical tool. Since Enrique was here, a rescue team would arrive soon. He just had to wait until then.
Oskar clenched his jaw and gripped his sword tightly.
“Me!! Over here!! Help me!!”
“What’s your name, student?!”
Another shout echoed from far down the tunnel.
Another survivor was screaming.
This is driving me crazy.
Oskar pushed himself up. He let out a deep sigh, squeezed his eyes shut, and swallowed his hesitation.
Then, his eyes snapped open as he shouted.
“Oskar, son of Gilles Vert, the Lord Protector of Tilles, is here!!”
Damn it. It was obvious, wasn't it? If these people were meticulous enough to set such a trap, they would naturally aim for a high-value target.
And the most valuable target in the Pritzenkaya Forest was none other than himself.
There was Isabelle, of course, but it was hard to say she held greater value. Her father was missing, after all, while his own father was still the Duke of Tilles.
Naturally, if they were to kidnap someone, kidnapping a duke’s son was the better choice. The same held true even if they weren't kidnappers. His father had made far more enemies than the Hero, Maximilian.
Therefore, it was highly likely that he was their target. The fact that they had been asking for students' names from the start had been suspicious.
“Found you.”
A low voice echoed. Oskar clenched his teeth and raised his sword.
Is this the right thing to do?
Who knows if risking my life like this will even be recognized? Who will even know?
“I’ll know.”
Good deeds must be a lantern for oneself alone.
The highest virtue of goodwill is self-sacrifice, regardless of others' recognition.
A knight of Tilles never abandons the weak in the face of hardship.
Oskar ground his teeth and held his sword straight.
*
‘Gilles Vert raised a fine son.’
Ivan watched the scene and let out a slight smirk.
He walked slowly, raising his pistol.
One step at a time. Not rushing, but not leisurely either. Counting each step, maintaining a precise stride.
He raised the pistol, the sights aimed around waist level.
He listened for the heavy footsteps, calculated the length of the stride to infer the target’s height, and adjusted his aim.
He waited for the footsteps in his audible range to come within effective firing distance.
He confirmed Oskar's position to stay out of the line of fire. Directly in front.
Aim, hold breath, and…
Fire.
-Bang—!!
*