The Small Giants
People usually picture giants as towering, colossal beings first and foremost.
That makes sense.
After all, they crush everything beneath their feet with that overwhelming size. …It wasn’t entirely wrong. Most giants did possess that trait.
But there are always exceptions.
I nodded as I pulled the cart along.
Small giants. The ones the true giants used as living shields. They possessed the same pure white bodies, yet their forms were small like humans—hence the name. They had played a major role in breaking humanity’s resistance.
…How in the world did they get inside Edelbein?
I couldn’t fathom it.
Still, I never knew they could be used this way.
I nodded again. This was practically the role of scouts. It was difficult to imagine the same creatures who always revealed themselves openly and charged head-on would employ such tactics. …In all my previous loops, I had never even discovered this usage.
Their individual combat strength cannot be called exceptional.
Even so, they weren’t weak enough to ignore. …Given my current physical condition, if a fight broke out, it would undoubtedly become a brutal struggle.
Thud.
Back at the cabin, I flung the cart aside outside and threw myself onto the bed.
…Haah.
A sigh slipped out on its own.
…I never expected something like this at this stage.
…True enough.
It was the first time I had learned of it. Despite all the countless loops I had lived through, this was entirely new. And it isn’t even my first visit to Edelbein.
Edelbein was the place where humanity’s downfall began. Naturally, I had spent numerous regressions trying to prevent that very catastrophe. …Which is also how I knew the location of this cabin.
That was why I could settle in this relatively safe spot and observe the process of the collapse.
But this fact was completely new to me.
I nodded. There was no other plausible explanation.
In a way, returning to this timeline turned out to be a winning move.
Of course, my initial thought had been to simply return to the future, but still—if I hadn’t come back to this time, I would have given up on dealing with the giants and never considered observing the situation like this.
Exactly.
I groaned and pushed myself up from the bed. Through the window, I could see the cart heavily loaded with supplies.
Right. I wonder why.
Maybe hiding my face with the hat had helped. Or perhaps there was something different about me compared to the others. …There were many possible answers.
…Hmm.
I ran a hand through my hair. …What now? New information had come to light. I could act on it or continue observing according to the original plan.
Continuing to observe as planned also…
A sharp wind whistled past. My head snapped toward the outside.
…Yes. No choice now.
There were no options left.
The reason I had decided to settle in this cabin was to observe Edelbein’s downfall, but that wasn’t the only reason. The biggest factor was that no one would come looking for me here.
This cabin lay deep in the forest, far from Edelbein itself. Therefore, it was safe to assume almost no one knew of its existence or would ever visit. In other words, it was the perfect place to avoid prying eyes, and even if something happened, the chances of discovery were extremely low.
I’ll have to fight.
I drew my staff. There wasn’t much mana left, but I had no choice. I could no longer run. I was already a rat trapped in a corner. Even so, I refused to simply lie down and die.
Since it’s come to this, I’ll extract as much information as possible.
My staff moved. Boom!
The cabin door shattered.
Hissing smoke billowed thickly. My eyes gleamed coldly.
“How did you know?”
A sneering voice pierced through the smoke. Soon, a small giant rose from the haze.
…Haah. I couldn’t land a significant blow.
It had been a surprise attack—one of only two major spells I could still cast. There had been no delay between incantation and impact, and it had struck cleanly. Yet all it left on the giant was a tiny scratch. …It wasn’t enough.
…Tsk. I clicked my tongue.
“Hey, can’t you talk?”
There was no need to answer. …Not that I could anyway. I kept the staff hidden behind my back and prepared my next strike as the giant advanced.
Then—Boom!—my attack flew.
“Whoa, you were hiding something like that?”
Tsk.
The giant had evaded. Even though I had shielded the spell with my body, I couldn’t completely destroy its shoulder. One of the giant’s arms now dangled limply. Regeneration began immediately. With a sizzling sound, the limp arm started knitting itself back together. The regenerative ability was terrifying.
I felt exactly as Zeno did. …If only I had aimed for the moment of regeneration. At this rate, I couldn’t even get close. The giant, fully healed, swung its arm.
“That was dangerous for me too~”
A relaxed smile. Then its expression twisted.
“You really make me want to kill you.”
Its face was the stuff of nightmares.
Boom! The giant charged straight at me.
To put it simply, I was no match. I moved and fired off smaller spells, but they were useless.
…In a way, it was only natural.
My remaining mana was nearly gone. I couldn’t cast any large-scale killing spells. On top of that, …this giant is far from ordinary.
“Ptui. Close one. You’re no ordinary guy, are you?”
Even after taking every attack I had squeezed out with my last dregs of mana, the giant still stood strong. Despite landing two solid heavy hits, it remained on its feet. Meanwhile, I was the one who had been beaten repeatedly, now rolling pathetically across the floor.
A high-pitched ringing filled my ear. I had already gone deaf in one.
…This is bad.
My condition was deteriorating rapidly. Further resistance was nearly impossible.
Step. Step. The giant approached my fallen form. It wrapped both hands around my throat.
“…Kuhk.”
“Now we’re getting some sound out of you, huh?”
The giant sneered. …My mana was almost completely depleted.
Still, I suppose I should be satisfied with the information I gained.
First: At least five months before the giants’ main appearance in Edelbein, small giants were already infiltrating and scouting while disguised as humans. Second: This one appeared to be a special specimen. I would need to fight alongside proper allies to stand a chance. I had obtained these two pieces of information.
…It wasn’t satisfying. But nothing else came to mind. My vision gradually blurred. …Ugh. Breathing was becoming impossible.
…Yes, Zeno.
I barely managed to answer.
In a mind that felt ready to drift away, I focused on Zeno’s voice. …Because right now, Zeno was the one capable of the clearest judgment.
There was no time to hesitate. I slowly moved my hand. The trembling was impossible to hide.
“Hm? What are you trying to do with that hand? You don’t even have any strength left, right?”
The giant’s mocking voice rang out. I wrung out the last of my mana, and a small explosion of light filled the cabin.
Then—
Stab.
—came the sound of a blade piercing deep into the giant’s body.
“Based on the circumstances, the student who purchased the house near Edelbein is indeed Yohan.”
Claire spoke, head already bowed before Aria.
“I see. It does seem that way. I’ll have to go myself.”
Aria tapped the documents lightly and nodded.
“You intend to go personally?”
Claire asked, lifting her gaze.
“Yes, it has to be me. If I send someone else and they don’t return, that would be troublesome, wouldn’t it?”
Aria set the papers down and took up her staff.
“Besides, a few spells will get me there in no time. I’ll be back soon.”
“Understood. I will manage the Magic Tower in your absence.”
“Thank you. I appreciate it.”
Aria gave her staff a light wave. A circular magic circle bloomed before her, revealing a blue meadow beyond. Claire bowed once more as Aria stepped through. In moments, both the circle and Aria had vanished. It was a breathtaking spell no matter how many times one witnessed it.
I pray you obtain the results you seek.
Claire quietly left the office.