Chapter 14
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 14
Chapter Title: Heading to the Frontlines
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In the Dawn Fortress, there were a few key pieces of information a gatekeeper needed to know.
Unlike the previous village, a pass was mandatory here.
Being the frontlines, it was tough for anyone without verified identity to get in.
I'd boarded the Fleta Merchant Guild thanks to Kyle's letter of recommendation, so I was fine.
The Fleta Merchant Guild was one of the Empire's top large merchant groups, even if not the absolute best.
And body searches were compulsory.
The pass included personal details, but you had to list every item you carried.
Even a small ornament could be weaponized for terrorism.
Hence the need to check for unauthorized goods.
On the frontlines, any variable could be deadly.
One inspection slip-up, one mistake, and lives were at stake.
I reminded myself of this inwardly.
I'd resolved to treat every moment like my life depended on it.
"Take out your pass..."
"Ha... hands up!!! Open the door if you don't want to die!!"
Painfully enough, the west didn't even grant me time to think.
This western sector saw at least one random event daily.
There were positive ones now and then... but like right now, nearly all threatened my life.
"Ah, no. G-give me the key. Hurry!"
Just like that.
The man roughly pressed the knife to my neck, threatening me.
His hand trembled violently.
This was already the third time today.
My life threatened three times a day.
Why were people so fond of my neck?
If this had been the first threat today, I might've panicked.
I was human, after all, no matter how many games I'd played.
But thankfully, thanks to the Hero and Saintess, I wasn't even tense.
Compared to them, this barely qualified as a crisis.
And this was the west.
The place I knew best.
"I-I'll give it right away."
I deliberately let my voice shake.
You'd freak out with a blade at your throat, normally.
I pulled the exit key from my pocket and handed it over.
"Hey, you... wait. Wh-what's that on your glove?"
The man spotted my left hand pulling out the key and freaked.
Glove? He meant the rune?
"Damn it. Y-you gatekeeper, you're one of them too?"
He snatched the key and spat.
What did 'them' even mean?
The rune on the glove was the Hero's handiwork.
Was that why she'd insisted on gloves?
"You... stay put. Move before I get out, and you're dead. Don't. Move. Your. Hands!!"
The man kept threatening in his shaky voice.
I had no plans to budge anyway.
He eyed the glove's rune warily the whole time.
Glancing at me suspiciously, he unlocked the exit.
- Creak.
Finally, the door creaked open.
- Bang!
"Aaack!"
The instant it swung wide.
A cannon blast erupted from the man's head, hurling him backward.
Wasn't that overkill?
His body twitched, unable to rise.
Soldiers' razor-sharp spear tips encircled him at once.
"Drag him out."
A soldier dusted his hands and ordered.
Several troops pinned the man in seconds and hauled him off.
Wow... efficient.
The soldiers wrapped it up with crisp precision.
True to form near the front, discipline was ironclad.
That guy was surely a west newbie.
He'd passed other gates that way, no doubt.
Western inspections dragged on basically.
Tons to verify, body searches mandatory.
No skimping like in remote villages, so over seven minutes standard.
Exit popping open right after start?
Screamed inspection glitch.
What just happened was routine for western troops.
Why not post guards inside or arm gatekeepers, right?
Sadly, impossible.
Gatekeepers carrying weapons? Illegal.
Gates were sealed boxes by design.
Past gatekeepers routinely shook down entrants for cash or groped women.
Entrants faced armed psychos in a lockbox.
Hence, no weapons for gatekeepers.
No extra soldiers inside for the same cause.
"Gatekeeper, sir, any injuries?"
"None."
The soldier who'd decked the man approached.
"What happens to him now?"
"Prison transfer first, then interrogation, likely."
Hmm... that guy's words nagged.
He knew the glove rune too well.
Hero hadn't clued me in specially, and I wasn't keen to chat...
"Mind if I handle the interrogation?"
"Pardon? You, personally?"
The soldier hesitated, troubled.
"Suspicious talk mid-inspection. I'll draft the report myself."
"If that's why..."
Needed a pretext, yeah.
Interrogation mishap? His headache.
He eyed me sidelong.
Honorifics meant he'd heard from Hans.
"I'll brief the supply officer myself."
"Alright... end of shift, I'll escort you to the prison."
"Much appreciated."
Mentioning Hans sealed it.
Connections paid off.
Kyle, thanks—this is all your rec letter.
Slave dreams don't touch networks like this.
Milk 'em while you can.
I shut the door and sank into the chair.
"Haa... soul-sucking from day one."
Still, random event out the gate? Overkill.
That one was easy, truth be told.
Unlock without fumbling, done.
Aim wasn't gatekeeper kill.
Smuggle in.
Barring major events, randoms wouldn't ding Life Points.
"Huu..."
Deep breath. Sat. Rang the bell.
Had to grind.
To outlast the Hero.
"Fl... orian... right, Florian. Wake up."
A gentle voice pierced Florian's ear.
A hut, wall punched through.
One soldier rope-bound.
Bulky men faced Selena.
"Slave quarters, they said... this stench."
Selena pinched her nose at the alleyway reek.
"Uh... wh-what...? Who're you?"
Florian snapped awake then.
Panicked, he thrashed.
"Questions first. Hmm~ You... cut a deal with that slave, yeah?"
Selena's words turned Florian to stone.
How? How'd she know?
Florian's pupils shook wildly.
No direct collusion, but ignoring Kyle's scheme lumped him in.
"No, never..."
"Know it all. Evidence too—no dodging. Your boss beside you, same."
Selena beamed.
Elf eyes stabbed his heart.
Parties wouldn't slip. So, what's left...
Florian bowed his head.
"No... way."
The letter to the Hero.
Hero letter went to this elf?
Florian shuddered.
His mind blanked other options save that missive.
Sole evidence left: the letter.
Grabbed him direct—not Kyle, not Anderson.
Selena had zilch else, but Florian couldn't know.
Just a what-if letter.
Not to screw Kyle.
Tears welled in Florian.
Today: Kyle's capital return.
One letter from him? Likely canned.
Worse—Kyle jailed.
No letter then.
Rot in bumfuck forever. Cheers, Florian.
Kyle's grudge echoed.
Hallucination, yet sweat poured.
Harming Kyle: eternal guilt.
Fix it.
Give 'em what they crave.
Florian looked up.
"Wh-what do I do?"
Not shipped off yet? They wanted more.
Mouth corner twitched skyward.
Bargaining chip.
Selena spoke.
"Where'd the slave go? Diverted where?"
Elf sought Anderson, shockingly.
Perfect. All fixed.
"Anderson bolted."
"What... bolted? Slave? You're military?"
Selena gaped.
Slave flees, troops idle? Absurd.
"I-I know where. Swapped his ride."
Florian spilled to Selena.
Info dump to Fleta Merchant Guild.
East route vigilante rumors.
Steered guild westbound.
Anderson missed Hero, but westbound now for sure.
"Anderson... likely west now. Dawn Fortress area."
"West? Frontlines???"
Selena scratched her head.
Plan: bully troops, swap Anderson out.
One slave swap? Trivial for her.
Subordinate-ize him after...
Fouled up.
Western front: lockdown central.
Smuggling a slave? Nightmare.
"Haa... gag him tight..."
Selena craved that thrill again.
The zap at hand-touch.
First-love signal, maybe? Longed-for.
Differed from friends' tales... but hers alone?
Liked Anderson? Jury out.
Nah, probably not.
But...
236-year elf: maiden spark.
Feel it anew. Decide then.
"We're going. West."
Selena marched to the front—for one man.