Monster no Goshujin-sama - Volume 12 - Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Flight’s End ~Rose’s POV~

Thanks to our master’s intervention, we just barely pulled through this crisis. We didn’t have time to feel relieved, though. We had to continue running from the Maclaurin Provincial Army; our goal hadn’t changed.

After taking a short break, Shiran uttered in a tired voice, “The wounded are an issue...”

We’d had to treat the wounded first. It would also be difficult for them to travel with their injuries hampering them, so we’d had to slow down. Sadly, that wasn’t even the only problem.

“All these stupid little attacks are way worse than that,” Lobivia murmured, her body covered in bandages.

Just as she said, the pursuit force had attacked us several times since then. We’d been prepared, of course, so we’d fended them off properly every time and hadn’t suffered any more casualties among the elves. On the other hand, we hadn’t been able to deal any significant damage to the enemy. Their pursuit force was likely composed of the elite, those capable of acting independently of the main army. We couldn’t shake the feeling that the Holy Order was lending a hand in this effort.

What’s more, they only ever targeted the elves and never pushed too far. The group of elves made for a large target, so it was relatively easy to attack them from afar. The pursuit force never drew close, though; they just repeated what basically summed up to harassment. Even when we tried to counterattack, they were split in two, so the other unit would close in from the opposite direction to threaten the elves.

“Fuck! They’re such a pain!” Lobivia grumbled, ruffling her red hair. “I could crush them if they just came at us head-on!”

“Kuu...” Ayame whined weakly in agreement.

“The enemy’s acting in a way to make sure that doesn’t happen,” Gerbera said, shaking her head slowly.

She looked fed up with this too. They could attack whenever they wanted, while we had to keep on guard at all times. It exhausted us greatly. Even Gerbera, who was unaccustomed to protecting so many people at once, was at a loss about these attacks that had hounded us for over a day, so the mental burden on the elves had to be immeasurable.

“Their goal is clearly to stall us,” Berta groaned. “We’ve already lost half a day. It wouldn’t be surprising if the enemy’s main force catches up to us before the day ends. If they reach us before we get to the Mist Barrier, it’ll all be over.”

I didn’t want to accept this, but I couldn’t deny it either. If the provincial army caught up to us, it would be impossible for us to protect the elves and our master. Everyone knew this, hence our gloomy expressions. The mood in the air was disheartening.

“In any case, all we can do is work together and try our best,” I said, gathering the eyes of everyone around me. “It’s just a little farther to the Mist Barrier’s edge. If we can make it that far, it’ll work out one way or another.”

When we all acted depressed, the air around us only got darker and darker. That would make it harder for us to do the things that we were normally capable of. It was important to properly assess our situation, but we had to keep focused on the light at the end of the tunnel, just as our master did.

Fortunately, I couldn’t feel fatigue. Any damage I suffered in battle could be remedied by swapping out parts. There was no burden on my body, so I had it relatively easy. Thus, it was my role to encourage the others.

“Let’s think about what we should do next,” I suggested.

“You’re right,” Shiran said, understanding my intent and jumping aboard. “Now that it’s come to this, there’s no helping it. Let’s push all the way to our destination without any breaks.”

“All at once?” I asked, somewhat shocked by her suggestion.

“Yes. If we only need to reach the Mist Barrier, then everyone’s stamina should hold out. The villagers will probably use up all the energy they have left, but even if they have any to spare, it won’t help us if the army catches us.”

“I see...”

She had a point, but there was a problem with this plan.

“But Shiran, in that case, once we reach the Mist Barrier, the elves will be too exhausted to move anymore,” I said, pointing out the flaw. “If we don’t go far enough in, I’m pretty sure they’ll still catch us.”

“That’s true. It’s very likely they will,” Shiran said. “But in the Mist Barrier, we’ll be able to take the initiative.”

“Ooh!” Gerbera exclaimed. “You mean we can counterattack?” Her dark expression was suddenly brimming with light.

“Yes,” Shiran answered. “If they’re going to catch us either way, we’ll have better odds in the Mist Barrier.”

“Hmm. I see. Not bad. Not bad at all,” Gerbera said with a fearless smile.

Gerbera was sure to have quite a lot of pent-up resentment. She welcomed a proper fight.

After thinking it over a bit, I also agreed. “True, inside the Mist Barrier, the pursuit force won’t be able to launch long-distance attacks on us as they have been. That way, we won’t need as many of us to protect the elves. There’s still a risk, but considering the likelihood of being overrun by the army, we’ll have a chance this way.”

In the end, we were simply delaying when they caught up to us, but this way, that delay was meaningful.

“When that time comes, we can rely on Lobivia, seeing as how she can move inside the barrier freely,” I added in understanding.

“That’s the idea,” Shiran confirmed as we both looked at the little dragon.

“Mm. I know the insides of the Mist Barrier,” Lobivia said, her lips pulled tight.

Last time, Kath had brought us all the way to Draconia. This time, we would be relying on Lobivia to guide us through the dense fog. The Mist Barrier had a similar effect to our master’s Misty Lodge, but its benefits were restricted to dragons.

“We’ll be relying on you when that time comes,” Shiran said.

“Got it,” Lobivia growled.

She had plenty of fighting spirit left, and it wasn’t just her either. Everyone’s expressions had brightened. The idea of a counterattack had been very effective at restoring morale.

“However,” Shiran continued after seeing everyone’s reaction, “now that we’ve come this far, the enemy has likely guessed what we intend to do. Even if they don’t know that we can move freely within the Mist Barrier, they at least recognize how troublesome it’ll be if we make it there. We can expect even more attempts to hinder us. Please keep focused.”

Her words spoke to how severe things were, but nobody was disheartened.

“Very well. Let’s prove that we can protect everyone!” Gerbera said, clenching her fists.

“What we must do hasn’t changed,” Berta added calmly. “On the contrary, if they try to stop us more proactively, they may show an opening.”

“Hmph. It’s a pain when they pick at us from afar,” Lobivia joined in, hyping herself up. “If they mess up and step in too far, then I’ll chomp their heads off.”

“Kuuu!” Ayame yipped cheerfully.

We had the willpower, and at this rate, we would accomplish what we had to, so I fired myself back up to face the task at hand.

◆ ◆ ◆

After that, we finished our short meeting and returned to our own jobs, but right before splitting up, Shiran called out to me.

“Thank you very much, Rose.”

“What for?” I asked as she walked over to me.

“The mood changed because of what you said. Thanks to that, we’ve restored morale.”

“I didn’t do much,” I replied, shaking my head. “Gather everyone together, settle their feelings, and decide on a plan. My master, Lily, and Mana have done so until now, but none of them can move at the moment, so we must do something about it ourselves. All I did was poorly imitate them.”

I could only fight at close range, so there wasn’t much I could do in this situation. I actually felt guilty that trying to raise everyone’s spirits was all I could contribute.

“Even if it was just an imitation, it doesn’t take away the value of what you’ve accomplished,” Shiran said. “In truth, I think it was pretty impressive. Imitating Takahiro, Lily, and Mana is something only you could do in the first place, having been with them since the very beginning.”

“Is that so? It’d be nice if that were true.”

“It was a splendid feat, Rose.”

I didn’t really feel I had accomplished anything. Shiran looked tired, but the smile she gave me was full of strength. It was this aspect of her that had stopped the group from scattering in an instant. We were fortunate to have her with us.

“It’s just a little farther. Let’s give it our all,” she said.

“Yes,” I replied with a firm nod.

◆ ◆ ◆

When last we’d come to the Dark Woods covering Aker’s northern border and the Mist Barrier that surrounded it, we’d gone through the relatively open lands of northern Aker. This time, we wanted to hinder the enemy army chasing us as much as possible, so we’d cut through the Woodlands covering western Aker.

Quite some time had passed since our short rest. The elves were getting more and more fatigued, starting with the children, who had very little stamina. Some could no longer walk, so they rode on a cart that Gerbera pulled instead.

It was about time we reached the Mist Barrier. We’d expected to come under attack, but until now, that hadn’t happened. That only increased the tension in the air.

“With the Mist Barrier right before us, there’s no reason for them to hold back...”

If they launched a long-distance attack on us, we’d have to stop. Now that we were this far, surely our enemy would disregard their own safety and do everything in their power to stall us, yet...

“Why aren’t they attacking?” I asked.

“Perhaps they mistook our destination,” Shiran said as she walked by my side.

As the one giving the elves instructions, Shiran had a far keener eye on our surroundings than everyone else. Lobivia and Berta protected the front of the group, while Gerbera and Ayame handled the back. Unsuited to protecting a group, I guarded my master’s manamobile while assisting Shiran.

“Or perhaps it means they’ve taken up a simple fortified position,” Shiran added. “In that case, it would take time for them to get ready and lie in wait for us as close to the Mist Barrier as they could get.”

“I see.”

“Or maybe they set up a trap.”

“A trap? Berta is watching the front, so I’m pretty sure she’ll detect anything of the like. Either way, we should inform her of the possibility.”

“Good idea. Can I ask you to tell her for me?”

After our conversation, I parted ways with Shiran and moved past the limping elves at the front of the line.

“What is it, puppet?” Berta asked.

“I have a message from Shiran.”

I went on to tell her about what we’d discussed.

“Hmph. Very well. I’ll keep an eye out.”

Berta acted curt, but she was devoted to any task given to her. Besides, she was actually the type to care for others. After throwing the exhausted elves a glance, she turned back my way.

“We only have to hang on for a little while longer,” she said. “Once we’re past this forest, we’ll be at the Mist Barrier, correct?”

“Yes. That’s what I’ve heard. We should be coming upon the wetlands of the Mist Barrier.”

“Hmm. Now that I think of it, the best time to attack us would be right as we come out of the forest.”

“Why is that?” I asked.

“Our fatigue has reached its peak. With our destination right before us, we’re likely to relax our guard. I doubt they’d let such weakness pass. Hmph. Well, the wind is in our favor. If any soldiers are lying in wait, I’ll be able to tell by their stench.”

“Please let us know.”

With my message passed, I returned to Shiran and informed her of what I’d discussed with Berta.

“I’ll go tell Gerbera too,” I offered.

Just like that, I went up and down the whole line. While I was at it, I checked that the elves who were out of Shiran’s sight were still there. No matter what the situation, we had to be prepared.

Time went on.

We kept going.

No attack came.

Were they really lying in wait ahead of us? We remained on edge the whole time, and then...

“Oooh!”

A cheer broke out at the head of the group.

“We’re out of the forest!”

We were starting to exit the forest, meaning we were at our destination. If the enemy was going to attack, now was the time. But Berta, who should’ve been on maximum alert at this point, gave no warning.

“No attacks and no ambush...?” I muttered in disbelief.

Was such a ridiculous thing even possible? With the Mist Barrier here, the enemy had no reason to wait until we escaped into it, yet they were nowhere to be seen. The elves at the front steadily moved forward.

Had we overthought things? No attack came. Nothing happened that would make anyone scream. It was the definition of quiet—so very quiet.

Before I knew it, the cheering had stopped. No sound came from the elves who’d exited the forest. Something was wrong.

“What happened?”

I quickened my pace. The elves had come to a stop right outside the tree line. I caught up with them quickly, and after stepping past the trees, I came into the wetlands we’d visited before, just as expected. There was no sign of the pursuit force. No arrows came flying at us, and no magic assailed us. No soldiers waited for us in fortified positions. No traps blocked our way. There was nothing. A gentle slope of damp soil simply spread out before us—and that in itself was abnormal.

“Where’s the Mist Barrier?” Lobivia mumbled in a daze.

Yes. No dense fog obscured our vision. Looking off into the distance, I could see a faint mist hanging over the area, but it was nothing like the Mist Barrier we knew of. We couldn’t hide from our enemies in this, but even more important was the unexpected sight before us.

“There’re...traces of it. This ain’t the wrong place. This is where the Mist Barrier should be...” Lobivia mumbled, limply falling backward like a helpless child. “What...happened? These’re really just traces. I can feel just a little of the magic, but this is like...”

Her normally unyielding expression was sorrowful, and her face was pale.

“L-Lobivia...”

I didn’t know what to say to her. I didn’t know what was happening, and I didn’t know what we should do.

“This feeling is...” Lobivia suddenly began.

Her eyes shot wide open. I wondered what she was thinking, when in the next second, she ran off on her own.

“Lobivia! Wait!”

My voice didn’t reach her. Lobivia seemed so small in the distance already.

“I’ll bring her back! Keep an eye out here!”

We couldn’t let her go alone. That said, even if there were no signs of nearby enemies, we couldn’t all go after her and leave the elves on their own either.

I ran after her immediately. Lobivia was faster than me, but she was injured, so I managed to barely keep up with her.

“W-Wait! Lobivia!”

I called out to her over and over, but she didn’t appear to hear me, so all I could do was keep on her.

After a short while, Lobivia cried, “There!”

I followed her eyes and spotted someone collapsed facedown on the ground. It was a woman, her long red hair splayed across the damp soil. She wore similar clothes to Lobivia, but her arms were outside her sleeves, and her clothes were dyed with dark dried blood.

“Kath!” Lobivia screamed, running over to the woman and holding her up in her arms.

“Kath...?” I echoed.

She was one of Lobivia’s older sisters, the one who’d guided us to Draconia. I was confused by the mention of her name and ran up to join them. The woman was, without a doubt, Kath.

She had a large wound that had soaked her clothes in blood. The reason she wasn’t wearing her clothes properly was probably because she’d transformed into a dragon. I figured that, after fighting with something, she hadn’t had the time to put her clothes back on and had collapsed here.

How could I not be bewildered by what I was seeing? Kath was supposed to be in Draconia, hidden deep within the Mist Barrier. Why was she lying on the ground over here?

“Kath! Kath!” Lobivia cried with grief.

Hearing her voice, Kath’s eyelids fluttered, then slowly opened.

“Lobivia...?” She looked up at her little sister’s sad face. “Aah... It really is you. Thank goodness... I’m glad I got to see you again, Lobivia...”

She raised a trembling hand and stroked her little sister’s cheek as if to make sure she was really there. Lobivia gripped her hand in return.

“Kath, what’s with that wound?” she asked urgently. “What the hell happened?!”

“Right... There’s something I must tell you.”

Kath’s voice was full of sorrow, and it had a ring of lament to it, as if the hands of time could never be turned back.

“Our settlement was attacked.”