Chapter 100
Chapter 100. A One-Shot Gamble
“… Everyone, huh?”
The Hero wore a smile that seemed both happy and troubled.
“See? Just as I said it would be.”
The Elf Mage with one ear raised a victorious face.
“… What do you mean by that?”
“I said, ‘If we ask for help, everyone will immediately agree.’ The Hero seemed to think, ‘No way, some of them will stay behind.’”
Hearing the Mage’s words, the Hero shrugged his shoulders, looking uncomfortable.
“I know it’s reckless. I thought that if a few would come along, I’d be satisfied.”
“Hey, hey, Hero! You better not underestimate our determination!”
“Indeed. Do you think someone would chicken out now that we’re at this point?”
“If we back down here, we’d lose all our manhood!”
“There are women here too, you know!”
The Sword Saint and the Fighting Saint suddenly looked at Barbara.
“… Now that you mention it.”
“My apologies.”
“Sorry, it was just so natural…”
“What the heck are you guys talking about?!”
Barbara yelled, and the men apologized and laughed, exchanging glances.
The usual atmosphere returned.
“Well, I anticipated this situation from the start, so—”
The Elf Mage pulled out a bundle of strings from his chest.
“I prepared a lottery. There are two ‘winners.’”
“Wait, you’re not saying we should stay behind, are you?”
“I can’t just take everyone with me.”
The Elf Mage laughed wryly at the admonishing Sword Saint.
“… The Vanguard will create chaos and draw the enemies’ attention. At that moment, the forces at this fortress will begin their retreat.”
The Priestess quietly continued his words.
“The enemy headquarters will be in such a flurry, but once our retreat is confirmed, we can expect a fierce chase from the surrounding army. For those who draw ‘winners,’ I will ask you to protect our retreat.”
The Fighting Saints and Sword Saints all twisted their faces.
“Shouldn’t it be the ‘losers’ instead of ‘winners’?”
“Even if it’s not exactly correct, it’s not far off.”
“… Just like a ‘winner,’ ho ho.”
Master Dogajin chuckled bitterly.
“Now, let’s draw. We don’t have much time.”
The Elf Mage extended the strings… the ends were tightly gripped in his hands, unseen.
“Now let’s see, I’ll take this one.”
Without much hesitation, Dogajin calmly pointed to one.
“Since we’re here, let’s draw them all at once.”
“Agreed. I’ll pick this one.”
“I’ll take this one as well.”
Everyone grabbed the strings according to their wishes.
“Which one are you picking? I think I’ll go with this one.”
“Wait, that one’s mine! I have a bad feeling about that end!”
“Just pick that one!”
“No way! That’s definitely a ‘loser’!”
“I told you this string is mine!”
“Shut up! I’ll draw for you!”
Barbara grabbed the end of the string.
“Everyone got one? Then—”
Everyone pulled the strings all at once.
—Their gazes crossed. They confirmed each other.
Dogajin’s string was white. The two that had pressed their ends together were also white. Several others were white, white, white.
But Barbara’s string was dyed a dark red.
And opposite Barbara, the large Sword Saint with the great sword pulled another dark red string, groaning, “Seriously?”
“The ‘winners’ are Barbara and Hessel.”
“Congratulations! Ugh, I got a ‘loser.’”
“This is just how it is.”
With a laugh, the ‘losers’ group entertained themselves while Barbara held a sour expression, and Hessel wore a pained look.
“I’m not suited for defense, you know? Can someone switch with me?”
“No way.”
“Embrace your fate with dignity!”
“Besides, you’re slow, so it’s perfect for you.”
“I’m glad to be spared from the danger of having you beside me, so being a ‘loser’ is a blessing.”
“Isn’t this just a ‘winner’ by another name or what?!!”
Amidst the ruckus.
“… Well then.”
With a somewhat warm and reluctant smile, the Elf Mage stood up.
“Let’s go.”
With the ease of going for a stroll.
“Okay.”
Everyone shakily stood up. Barbara clenched her fists under the table but stood up with an unfazed expression.
The Hero began placing cups on the table.
“There’s wine and water, what do you want?”
“I’ll take water. Alcohol dulls my senses.”
“I would like water too, please.”
Dogajin and the black-haired Beastman Fighter asked for water.
“I’m having wine. I never pass up free booze.”
“Ha! That’s why you ended up with cheap wine mixed with mud and got a stomachache!”
“Stop bringing up the past! Then you have water.”
“I’ll have wine too!”
The last two raucous members had their cups filled with wine as the Hero laughed.
They each raised their cups of water and wine.
“For our fortune.”
“May the gods’ blessings be upon us.”
“May the spirits guide us.”
They prayed and wished—then drank it all down.
The Fighting Saints and Sword Saints were full of vitality and resolve. Excluding Barbara and Hessel, who were confirmed to stay behind—
They left the conference room. The Hero, Fighting Saints, and Sword Saints walked together, while the resting soldiers looked on curiously. The perceptive soldiers prayed to the gods, calling out, “For our fortune!”
Behind the fortress, they made final equipment checks.
“Let’s bypass the half-surround and plunge into the forest. Once we encounter the enemy, well, we’ll make quite a scene, so I think it will reach your ears.”
“… Yes.”
The Hero spoke to the Priestess. He had a calm expression, while the Priestess appeared desperately trying to maintain her composure.
The conversation continued, yet they stared at each other—
“… Master.”
Ignoring the two, Barbara called out to Dogajin.
“Hmm. Time to stir things up a bit.”
The wise wolf from the Beastman tribe bared his fangs in a grin.
“It’s a glorious stage to make my martial name resonate. My arms are itching.”
Despite feeling profound trust for Dogajin, Barbara felt her heart tightening.
They hadn’t been companions for long—but she had learned a lot from this old man.
“I wished to join you.”
“So did I. Well, if you make it back, let’s fight together again.”
Dogajin extended his fist.
Barbara smiled widely and bumped her fist into his.
“Hey, how about we bet on who takes the Demon Lord’s Prince’s head?”
“Count me in. What’s the bet?”
“The loser has to do a naked dance in a tavern!”
“Ha ha, you said it! I’m looking forward to seeing your dance!”
Despite knowing they were about to risk their lives, the duo continued to joke around.
The Sword Saint meditated, eyes closed with his hand on the hilt of his curved sword.
The Sword Saint polished a small shield attached to his left hand with a towel.
The Fighting Saint stretched carefully, loosening his body.
The Fighting Saint was sprawled out on the ground, enjoying the sunlight—
“Please cast an invisibility spell over everyone.”
The Hero spoke quietly, turning his back to the Priestess.
“… Yes.”
The Priestess readied her staff.
The waiting Fighting Saints, Sword Saints, and Elf Mage gathered in one spot.
The Priestess began to chant the spell. Gathering her strength diligently, filled with all her magical power and prayers…
The appearances of the Heroes started to blur, fading away—
“—Goodbye, Sharl.”
The Hero said over his shoulder.
The Priestess’s eyes widened in shock.
But the incantation ended and the magic activated.
The figures of the Heroes vanished. No sound of their footsteps, no presence left—
“…”
With tears streaming down her face, the Priestess crumbled to the ground.
Barbara exchanged glances with Hessel, who was left behind.
Realizing she was the only one left, Barbara strongly hugged the Priestess’s shoulder.
Let her cry a little. But—
“Now, you need to hold it together.”
The fortress soldiers were beginning to prepare for retreat.
“We still have things to do!”
We can’t afford to wallow in sadness.
“… Yes…!”
The Priestess nodded, wiping her tears as she shakily stood up.
†††
—The men wrapped in the veil of the invisibility spell moved as a group.
“… Was that okay?”
One of the Sword Saints quietly asked the Hero.
“What do you mean?”
“You should have pulled her close and given her a kiss or something.”
“That’s not the kind of relationship I have with her.”
The Hero shrugged.
“Seriously?”
“I thought for sure that’s what it was.”
The duo raised their pinky fingers in unison.
“… It’s just that, you never know when you’ll die.”
“I think this was for the best,” the Hero said, and the Beastman Fighter smacked his forehead.
“You never know when you’ll die, so you should have picked your moment!”
“Absolutely.”
“You really…”
“You crossed the line there….”
“Wha, what?”
Suddenly receiving disapproving glances, the Hero looked puzzled as he ran.
“If you were that close, couldn’t you have done a little more?”
Another Sword Saint said to the Elf Mage, who twitched his remaining long ear in annoyance.
“Try being in my shoes, having to deal with that every day. The more I pushed, the more she pulled away—what was I supposed to do?”
With an expression of disbelief, the others shot him a look, while the Hero shrugged in frustration.
“I’ll call out to you again when we get back.”
But turning to face forward again, the Hero proclaimed,
“I know it’s reckless. But—I’m not going to just go and die.”
His words were powerful.
“Yeah, I hear you.”
“Let’s wrap this up and head home.”
The duo spoke defiantly.
No, everyone was smiling defiantly.
They made a broad detour around the fortress’s half-surrounding line and plunged into the forest.
Huff, with a snort, Dogajin at the lead sniffed the air.
“… I smell cats.”
“They seem to be lying in wait.”
The Beastman Fighter nodded.
“Shall we proceed ahead?”
“Please.”
“Then I’ll take the right side.”
“I’ll take the left.”
With a whoosh, the sounds of the wind were left behind as the duo of Fighters disappeared.
“Whoa!”
“Wow, so fast!”
The two Sword Saints gasped in astonishment. Even though they were already running at quite a speed, the Beastmen, especially the Fighters, moved as if they were in another dimension.
“Impressive.”
The Hero grinned.
“… We can’t fall behind.”
That’s right, we can’t afford to fall behind.
(We’ll hold back this invasion. And everyone—)
—Especially her, to escape safely.
