Chapter 54
Chapter 54
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 54
Chapter Title: Border Area Disturbance (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
One fortunate thing was that Kerman Fortress wasn't all that far from here—at least by Bunny Tribe standards.
At their speed, they could run there in one or two hours. The problem was the rest of us: me, Elfin, and Lenis.
If the Bunny Tribe members started sprinting at full speed, there was no way our physical abilities could keep up, even if we dropped dead trying. But we couldn't just send Ravi alone to the Kerman Fortress where the clash had already begun.
So I chose a method that would let us all move together, even if it put a heavy burden on one person.
"Elfin, with your abilities, you can summon a huge plant big enough for all of us to ride on, right? Carry us on that and move together. As fast as possible. Can you do it?"
"I can, but... Ravi, how far is it to Kerman Fortress?"
"Not too far. About 70 kilometers."
"That's insanely far!"
Elfin freaked out upon hearing the distance that was "not too far" by Bunny Tribe standards.
"I could manage it, but summoning a plant over that distance, maintaining it, and moving it would use up every last drop of my mana. Hell, even that might not be enough... And even if I make it, I'll collapse the moment we arrive and won't be able to do a damn thing."
"That's fine. If something needs doing after we get there, the rest of us will handle it. Just focus on getting us there. Please."
"Wha..."
Elfin's eyes went wide at my words, her mouth opening and closing repeatedly as if she wanted to say something.
Then she scratched her head irritably, wiping the sweat from her forehead.
"Ugh... Urgh... Aaargh, fine! You keep confusing me like this... Okay, okay! But don't expect me to squeeze out any mana through sheer grit when we arrive! Pouring mana nonstop over that distance is pure hell!"
"Got it. You don't have to make it all the way—get us as close as possible. Then you can rest."
"Grr... Alright, here we go!"
Elfin slammed both hands onto the ground, and a massive plant stalk erupted from the earth like a living tentacle—big enough for all of us to climb aboard.
We all clambered on top, and Elfin placed her hand on the stalk before taking position at the front.
The giant stalk surged forward like rolling waves at Elfin's command, the scenery whipping past us at incredible speed.
It was slower than the Bunny Tribe at full throttle, but that pace would have drained their stamina massively, so Ravi and Baren waited patiently without complaint.
As time passed, Elfin sweated more profusely, her breathing growing ragged.
It seemed to be consuming a ton of her stamina along with her mana, but since it wasn't an injury, Lenis's healing magic couldn't help.
"Hah... Hah... Damn it..."
Her arms began trembling pitifully as the strain mounted, and the stalk's speed gradually slowed.
Unable to watch any longer, Lenis placed her hand on Elfin's back and quietly channeled her mana.
"Hah... Lenis...?"
"Just stay still for a bit. I'm sharing my mana. The efficiency is awful, but better than nothing, right?"
Among us, Lenis had the most mana, thanks to wearing two mana-related pieces of equipment.
In the actual game, you could share mana with allies who were running low, but the ratio was abysmal—nearly 1:5—so people just chugged mana potions instead.
The issue was that real-world mana potions were incredibly rare, and with Arborness burned to the ground, they were even harder to come by now.
In the end, Lenis—the one with the most mana—had no choice but to shoulder the inefficiency.
Elfin's breathing steadied a bit, and she wasn't sweating as heavily anymore.
"Thanks, Lenis."
Lenis blushed faintly at Elfin's gratitude and tilted her head up proudly.
"Hmph, ahem. No need to thank me! As someone versed in noble~tte~ obligations, I couldn't just stand by when I had spare capacity and someone nearby was struggling. It's only natural!"
Lenis, who melted at praise but hated admitting it, pretended to be nonchalant.
But knowing her personality well, I realized this was the perfect time to shower her with compliments.
"Thanks, Lenis. Without you, Elfin would've collapsed from exhaustion. I don't even know how to share mana—having you here was a godsend. I'll repay you later."
Her face flushed even redder under the barrage of direct praise.
"I-I said it was just the obvious thing to do! You think flattery like that will make me happy or something?!"
You're thrilled, though.
Then, in a quieter voice, Lenis added one more thing.
"And the repayment... I've already gotten it in advance..."
"Huh? What was that?"
I'd heard it perfectly but pretended not to.
"N-Nothing! I need to focus on mana recovery too, so don't bother me!"
About an hour and a half later, the plant stalk carrying us reached Kerman Fortress, and Elfin collapsed from exhaustion.
"Hah... Hah... I-I really can't move anymore..."
"You did great. Rest now. We'll handle the rest."
Lenis and I supported the limp Elfin from both sides and carried her toward the rear medical tent.
The Bunny Tribe guards at the fortress's rear outpost gripped their weapons warily at the sight of strangers, but Ravi sorted it out.
"Lower your weapons! These are my comrades!"
"P-Princess?!"
"Princess Ravi is here! Everyone, welcome the princess!"
"Medical team! My friend Elfin here drained every last bit of her mana bringing all of us to this fortress—she's completely exhausted! Hurry and give her emergency care, prepare recovery measures!"
"Y-Yes, ma'am!"
At the words "friend of our princess," the Bunny Tribe medics immediately took Elfin from us and rushed her to a field tent.
The medical tent was filled with injured Bunny Tribe warriors groaning and bleeding—not a small number—which made it obvious this was no peacetime situation.
Baren, the captain from another unit—not Kerman Fortress—urgently grilled the soldiers to grasp the situation.
"I heard the communication crystal linking other outposts to Kerman Fortress went dead! What's the current status!?"
"B-Baren Captain! Welcome—"
"Skip the formalities! Things look dire—where's Harper?"
"Captain Harper is up front. The imperial bastards framed us for killing their soldiers, sparking a skirmish. Right after, all communication crystals to other units went offline..."
"Damn those imperial scum...!"
Baren bolted toward the front lines first, with me, Ravi, and Lenis following close behind.
As we neared the border's foremost line, the scene was utter chaos.
Explosions boomed everywhere alongside deafening cannon fire, stretchers carrying bleeding wounded rushing to the rear.
Ravi and Baren sped up in shock, and upon reaching the barricade, we saw Carrot Duchy soldiers clashing with imperial troops.
Baren crouched briefly before leaping onto the barricade. Ravi scooped Lenis and me under her arms and vaulted up the same way.
Before I could marvel at the Bunny Tribe's astonishing physical prowess—leaping meters high with two people tucked against her sides—we faced a barrage of welcoming shells.
"Dodge!"
"Gasp!"
The panicked Lenis whipped out her staff and fired mana arrows at the incoming shells, detonating them mid-air in a flash.
Harper, the Kerman Fortress captain directing soldiers from atop the barricade, was baffled to see Baren from another base.
"Baren? How the hell are you... Urk! P-Princess!"
Harper dropped to one knee upon spotting Ravi, but she yanked him back up.
"Harper, is it true the imperials started attacking, claiming we killed their soldiers?"
"Yes, that's right. Their provocations had been escalating lately, pissing us off big time. Then suddenly they accuse us of murdering five of their troops, fly into a rage, and start shooting without a word."
"It really wasn't us, right?"
"Absolutely not! None of our forces were anywhere near the time and place they mentioned! We suspect a monster attack, but with the tense atmosphere lately, they won't listen to reason..."
I immediately activated Eye that Pierces Truth.
Among the imperial soldiers unleashing attacks our way, two stood out starkly.
One was too far back for a clear read, but the other was near enough in attack range.
Clad in standard imperial gear that hid physical traits, they couldn't fool my eyes.
Spotting two far more tainted by black energy than the grunts I'd seen in Aldebaran, I summoned a Light Saber and called to Lenis.
"Lenis! Among the imperial soldiers aiming the third cannon from the left, grab the one in the middle!"
"Ugh... Too many people, it's confusing... Fine, got it! But why are you ordering me around!?"
Lenis grumbled but locked on target and cast Slow.
The imperial soldier sensed the change in his body, panicking as he tried to shake off the debuff.
In that moment, I swung my Light Saber vertically with full force. The blade aura pulverized the ground as it hurtled toward him.
Boom!
A massive explosion rocked near the imperial cannons, but the target soldier didn't die.
The soldier in imperial gear had blocked with a long private sword utterly unlike standard issue, dropping it to the ground.
Through his shattered helmet, bright red hair cascaded down.
"So you slimy bastards are here after all."
"You son of a bitch... Who the hell are you?"
The imperial soldier—no, Blood Rose Sophia, executive of the Ebony Shadow Mercenaries—glared at me with burning eyes.