First Mission (4)
As usual, Karen was reviewing documents in her office.
"I can see the end of it."
Things were going smoothly.
The New Year's plans were already drawn up, and the year-end settlement was nearing its close. Even taking it easy, it looked like she'd finish around lunchtime.
"It's only quiet at times like these."
Karen lifted her head and looked around the office. An empty, silent room. It had been a while since she'd felt this bored.
But why was it that he was never around at times like these?
Life was truly unfair. He was the man who came by every single day to get on her nerves, so why did she feel so disappointed today of all days?
Maybe she should have sent him away when she was busy.
Just as that thought crossed her mind—
Knock knock—
"Come in."
It was Heily. She spoke in her usual neat, composed voice.
"A report just came in from the guard at the entrance. There's a disturbance at the northern wall."
Karen's brow furrowed. If it were something simple, they wouldn't have reported it this way.
"Did you hear what happened?"
"Yes. From what I was told, there's a dispute among people affiliated with the guild. Two individuals who returned injured from outside the wall are holding the others back."
Heily continued.
"And they supposedly heard something about 'the knight ordered it,' but due to the blizzard, communications are poor, so it's uncertain."
"A knight?"
Karen's eyes widened.
She hadn't thought it was anything major. Occasionally people who had been attacked by magic beasts and were terrified would act strangely. Ordinarily, sending the knight order to restrain them would resolve things smoothly.
But the word "knight" that Heily had mentioned stuck with her.
Could something have happened to him?
Karen rose from her seat.
"Understood. I'll go take a look myself."
"Yes, I'll help you prepare."
The northern wall.
Ordinarily a place with very little foot traffic. But right now, it was as noisy as the restaurant district.
"Come on, isn't that enough already?!"
"We have absolutely no intention of backing down! It's all for your own safety, so just trust us!"
An argument was in full swing.
Darwin and Carlson had hurried back to the wall, hoping no more victims like themselves would appear. Fortunately, when they arrived, the guild people hadn't yet gone outside the wall.
The rumor had surely already spread throughout the entire guild. Darwin and Carlson had to block the people who had come after hearing it.
"Don't you even think about going there!"
Carlson spread both arms wide, blocking them with his whole body.
They were people in similar circumstances to themselves. Not particularly strong, but people who had come after hearing the rumor, hoping to make a quick fortune this time. Unlike Carlson's group, there were quite a few of them — but against the countless magic beasts they'd seen then, numbers meant nothing. If they let them go like this, they'd only be massacred.
"Haah."
Among them, a man who appeared to be the group leader let out a sigh.
"Listen, Carlson. Up until now I've been listening out of old friendship, but what I'm hearing is really too much!"
He pointed at Darwin, who had lost an arm.
"Yes, Darwin. It's terribly unfortunate that you lost your arm. Still, though it's not our place to say as people who still have our bodies intact, these things can naturally happen when you're a magic beast hunter, can't they? We also keep that risk in mind every single day when we leave the wall."
Darwin shouted.
"I told you it's not that level! When you're about to throw your life away, giving up one arm is getting off extremely lucky!"
"Enough!"
The group leader shouted. There was desperation in his voice.
"These are our lives."
"...What?"
"Even if we're staking our lives, we should at least have a chance, shouldn't we? These people came to seize that opportunity. They all came prepared."
Carlson's lips twitched.
Humans had a strong tendency not to believe anything they hadn't seen with their own eyes. Had their words not been fully conveyed? They still hadn't grasped the danger. Hope lingered in their eyes.
Still, they had to stop them.
But—
"You went there for the same reason, didn't you? So please, just let us go."
They couldn't open their mouths. How desperate that feeling was — because they had been the same.
"Holding this kind of event just because it's the end of the year."
"Let's catch them quick and throw a party."
Another group passed by beside them. What you'd call the strong ones — young people ranked in the upper tier of the guild. They glanced this way and went on their way.
Carlson's group couldn't stop them.
"...Then we'll be going as well."
The weaker group started moving too.
Was this as far as they could go?
Just then.
"All of you. Wait a moment."
A figure appeared along with a carriage bearing the crest of House Agnes.
It was Karen.
Everyone who recognized her immediately showed proper respect.
"Hmm?"
Her gaze fell on the injured Carlson and Darwin. Even from their outward appearance, the injuries were serious.
"You two need treatment first."
At Karen's gesture, the knight order members behind her escorted them away.
"Y-Your Ladyship!"
They looked like they had a lot to say.
"I'll hear the full story later. Hurry and get treatment first."
"...Yes."
The two reluctantly nodded and disappeared.
That left the remaining people.
"I've been hearing rumors lately that magic beasts have surged in the northwest direction. Just in case, I'll ask — were you planning to go there?"
The people exchanged glances. You couldn't lie to the lord of the territory. But if they told the truth, there was a high chance they'd be banned from leaving.
When they hesitated and said nothing, Karen spoke.
"Hmm, looking at you, it seems you were all planning to go. However, I'm sure you all know what I, as the lord, have to say? As lord, I cannot send you to a dangerous place. Even if it turns out to be a false rumor."
They reluctantly nodded at Karen's words.
"I'm sorry, but I'd like everyone to head back for today. My guard knight has headed that way to verify the facts, so we should know the results by tomorrow."
These were words spoken by the lord herself who had come in person. They had no choice but to obediently return.
"...So the story about Her Ladyship's guard knight going out himself was true. We should apologize to them."
"Ah, what a shame~ We should have gone sooner. Still, well, when Her Ladyship says so, there's nothing we can do."
They each muttered to themselves as they returned to the guild.
"Haah."
After they disappeared, Karen berated herself for her complacency.
To think there would be this many people trying to go there after hearing the rumor about the surge in magic beasts. Thinking about it logically, she had completely dismissed the idea that anyone would want to go bearing such risks. She should have immediately posted a ban notice at the guild.
Her thinking had been shortsighted.
Karen sighed again and looked at the wall.
Hopefully nothing had happened.
Deep down, she was worried about him.
"Damn it. How far are these bastards going?"
The footprints stretched on endlessly. The direction was north. He'd been following these footprints continuously since parting with them, so it was about time he caught up. Given how long this was taking, they must have been moving without rest as well.
"Haah, the trip back is going to take forever."
The blizzard grew even fiercer. Never mind the cold — even his vision was getting blurry.
Just as the footprints were beginning to be covered by snow—
"Huh?"
The sky cleared brightly. The weather here was completely different from where he'd come from. Over there a blizzard was raging, but here it was sunny.
Was this the eye of the storm? It was a truly curious phenomenon.
"More importantly, where the hell is this?"
From a certain point, the footprints lost their regularity. It was as if they'd each gone their own way, heading home. And the ruined buildings visible before his eyes — unlike the scattered ones he'd seen so far, they were clustered together.
Somehow they looked like a village...
Saaaaaaaah—
...It didn't seem to be his imagination.
Orion immediately drew his sword.
In the distance, a black object rose with a bone-chilling sound. It wore a robe, and inside was so pitch-black that its form couldn't be discerned. The arm sticking out from the robe was so pale blue it was grotesque.
The staff held in that hand. When it raised it toward the sky, the roars of magic beasts rang out from the surroundings.
"GROOOOOOOOOAAAAAH—!!!!!!!"
A roar loud enough to make one's ears ring. It seemed like various magic beasts were mixed together. Orcs, minotaurs, lycanthropes...
"Oh, shit!!"
There was no time to identify the magic beasts. Countless magic beasts burst out from all over the ruined buildings.
"Did that thing bring all these bastards here?!"
CRASH—!!!
Wooden clubs, axes, and sharp claws all surged forward at once. The spot where Orion had been standing wasn't just caved in — hard chunks of stone went flying into the sky.
Whoosh—!!!
The magic beasts approaching Orion fell one by one, spraying blood. But forgetting even the fear that came from instinct, they kept charging.
"I'm definitely getting hazard pay for this."
They were the same magic beasts as always. Nothing particularly different about them. Except there were just too many. Kill one, and two charged. Kill two, and three charged. As a result, Orion had no choice but to retreat while searching for a solution.
"If I just take that one out, things should work out somehow."
He had no confirmation. But anyone could see that the magic beast in the black robe was controlling these things.
Orion changed direction and leaped toward where the black robe was.
"GROOOOAAAH—!!!!!!!"
Immediately, two minotaurs leaped up and blocked Orion's path.
"Kh..."
The black robe still standing in the exact same spot. Truly infuriating. Not moving at all — did that mean it had room to spare?
Orion pointed his sword at the black robe.
"I'm definitely taking you down before I leave."