Chapter 29

Today is the day to finally carry out the first rescue operation.

After contacting Donovan and the chairman last night, I returned to the boarding house without training in the middle of the night and went to bed early to prepare for today.

Thanks to that, I woke up feeling refreshed, and I felt a surge of energy in my body.

When I left my room to wash my face at the well behind the boarding house, Maisa was standing in the hallway with her arms spread wide.

"Good morning, Maisa, is something wrong?"

"It's no good, Kent, you're not allowed to go past here!"

"Huh? Not allowed to go past here?"

"Absolutely not! Look, hurry up and go!"

"Umm... okay..."

What on earth is going on? Besides, I don't have any business going to Maisa's room...

I went down the stairs and greeted Amanda before heading to the well.

"Good morning, Amanda."

"Ah, good morning, Kent. Breakfast will be ready soon, so go wash your face."

"Yes, ah, by the way, is something wrong with Maisa? She said this area is off-limits..."

"Ah, that's because she doesn't want anyone to see the map she drew on her futon last night."

As soon as Amanda answered in a loud voice, Maisa came running down the stairs with a changed expression.

"Mom, why did you tell Kent! I specifically asked you to keep it a secret!"

"Hmph, at your age, if you wet the bed, you should feel ashamed and reflect on it."

"Kiii... Mom, you're so mean..."

"Kent, Maisa will be banned from Jibura for a while."

"Ah, that's right, we should do that."

"No, no, I absolutely refuse! Jibura ban? No way! Kiii... How dare you, Kent!"

"Uhh... But I don't wet the bed..."

"Kiii... I hate you, I hate Kent!"

"Look, look, we're having breakfast, and if you keep making such a loud noise, everyone will know Maisa wet the bed."

"Nya... No, no, absolutely not! If you talk about it outside, I'll kick you out of the house."

Maisa, with her face flushed red and her hands waving around, was energetic this morning.

"It's okay, Maisa, I won't talk about it outside, don't worry."

"Really? Really, really? I mean it."

"Yup, it's okay. After all... such an embarrassing thing, I can't tell anyone, right?"

"Ukiii... Stupid, stupid, stupid Kent!"

Even though I got poked by Maisa, after coming to Volzard and training so much... Gufu, no, what was that punch with a twist at the waist...

"Look, look, hurry up and eat, or it won't be cleaned up. Look!"

"Hmph, remember this, I'll get you back someday..."

"Guh... No, no, isn't that enough revenge already?"

"Hmph..."

After receiving the waist-twisting left and right body hooks... Ah, I'm glad it wasn't after eating, I almost threw up.

Feeling frustrated, I glared at Maisa's puffed-up face and enjoyed my breakfast with a smirk.

Now that I've had my fill, I'll gather my resolve and start the rescue operation.

"Amanda, I'll be helping Donovan with his work and won't be back for two or three days, so don't worry."

"Ah, I understand. So you'll be back on the day of Earth?"

"Probably around then, but you don't need to prepare meals for me until the day of Earth."

"Alright, I'll have something ready when you return, so don't hesitate."

"Thank you, I'll be going now."

"Alright, be careful."

After leaving the boarding house, I disappeared into the shadows on my way to the guild and moved to the Lastock garrison.

At the training ground of the garrison, my classmates were lined up, listening to Camilla's lecture.

"We are training you rigorously so that you can survive and earn credit, but it seems some of you still don't understand your situation."

From a platform about a meter high, Camilla folded her arms and looked down at the students with a condescending attitude.

It was completely unacceptable.

"If you don't take training seriously, it means you're confident, so I'll send you to the real battlefield as you wish."

As Camilla spoke, everyone held their breath, and some of the girls started crying.

"Quiet! Don't disrupt the line! Those whose names I call, step forward! Kazuki Nitta, Tatsuya Furuta, Yusuke Yagi, Tomoko Kobayashi, Akemi Sakurai."

The five chosen for today's real mission were Kazuki Nitta, Tatsuya Furuta, Yusuke Yagi, Tomoko Kobayashi, and Akemi Sakurai.

'Wow... the old and new duo, the fake glasses, and the mismatched sisters... The selection is so accurate, it's surprising.'

'Lord Kent, are these the well-known ones?'

'Yeah, not as much as Funayama, but they're famous in the grade for their quirks.'

Kazuki Nitta is on the baseball team, and Tatsuya Furuta is on the soccer team. Despite being in different clubs, they are both hot-blooded and enthusiastic, earning them the nickname "old and new duo."

Yusuke Yagi is a newspaper club member who uses sophistry to corner his opponents. Since his articles are mostly gossip and fake news, he is known as "fake glasses."

Tomoko Kobayashi is a volleyball player, standing nearly 180 cm tall and broad, earning her the nickname "Jai."

Akemi Sakurai is a tennis player, standing about 150 cm tall but with a muscular build, earning her the nickname "mini-muscle."

Tomoko and Akemi are best friends and fierce defenders of girls, known as the "mismatched sisters," and are feared by the boys.

However, even these five, when called to this place, seemed to understand what it meant and did not try to argue with Camilla.

After looking down at the five, Camilla smiled slyly and spoke.

"Rejoice, you are the first to be honored with a real mission. Enjoy the Demon Forest and struggle to survive."

"But, but, if we're missing, then..."

"Objections are not allowed. Quickly prepare and depart! The rest, start your usual training!"

Fake glasses tried to use his sophistry, but was quickly shut down by Camilla.

Camilla is annoying, but the roles are different.

The five were loaded onto a covered wagon and sent off to the Demon Forest.

Some of the girls watching were in tears.

Just that alone is a big difference from when I was sent.

The cargo area of the covered wagon, dimly lit, allowed me to move with it by hiding in the shadows.

Yes, the dark attribute is really convenient.

The five on the wagon looked like the end of the world, silent and speechless.

A knight watching over them smiled slyly and spoke.

"What happened to your usual bravado? It's too late to be scared now."

"Shut up, I'll kill the monsters and meet the quota, so just watch me!"

"Hmph, with your current magic, you can't even take down a single goblin... Just do your best to struggle."

"Tch... So annoying..."

Tomoko responded bravely, but Akemi, her partner, was pale and trembling.

Usually, Akemi would confront the boys, but now, facing the monsters, she was completely terrified.

The old and new duo had their arms crossed and eyes closed, but their legs were trembling.

Yusuke kept touching the stem of his glasses with his right hand and looking around nervously.

From the garrison to the drawbridge is a short distance, and once across the bridge, it's an area dominated by monsters.

After climbing a poorly maintained slope, we reached the place where we were summoned.

From there, it was a long descent, but the road was rough, and the wagon shook violently, causing Yusuke to almost bite his tongue.

Still, compared to walking in slippers, it was much easier.

The wagon stopped just before the Demon Forest.

"Alright, everyone out!"

"No, no... Please, I'll train properly, just take me back..."

Akemi's terrified words seemed to reflect the thoughts of all five.

The knight, clearly enjoying the situation, spoke with an annoying smile.

"Obey, everyone, get out of the wagon now!"

As the knight spoke, Akemi, like a puppet, stood up stiffly and got out of the wagon.

'Lord Kent, that's the effect of the slave bracelet.'

'Yeah, they don't seem to be moving of their own will.'

The five were lined up near the wagon and given thin swords and knives.

After distributing the weapons, the wagon quickly returned.

The remaining knight, still on horseback, began his instructions.

"Listen up, you're about to enter the Demon Forest. Form your formation and proceed. I'll be watching from behind."

"Wh-What? We have to go first?"

"Of course, whose real mission do you think this is? The quota is three goblin magic stones per person, fifteen in total. Let's begin!"

"No, no... This is impossible, I can't do it..."

"Akemi, stay strong, I'm here, I won't leave you."

"Tomoko... I'm scared..."

Akemi was in a panic, and Tomoko was trying to calm her, but her face was pale and she was trembling.

"Tch, what are you doing, getting scared now... Come on, don't resist, everyone, move forward into the Demon Forest!"

The five, their bodies taken over, moved stiffly into the Demon Forest.

Yusuke gripped the hilt of his sword and looked around nervously.

The old and new duo seemed calmer than Yusuke but were still tense.

"Alright! I'll go in front with Nitta. You three, form a line with Akemi in the middle and follow behind."

Furuta took the right front, Nitta the left front, Yagi the right rear, Akemi in the center, and Kobayashi on the left rear.

'By the way, Reinhardt, are there any goblins around?'

'No, not yet.'

I also looked around in the shadows, but there were no signs of monsters nearby.

"Be careful! Don't let your guard down!"

"Don't miss any unnatural movements in the bushes!"

The old and new duo, leading the way, called out to the three behind them as they moved forward.

They must have been thoroughly intimidated at the garrison, as all five were swallowing hard, drenched in cold sweat, and nervously watching their surroundings.

Yes, just watching them is exhausting.

The knight, about 20 meters behind the five, was on horseback, watching the surroundings.

Since they were already in the Demon Forest, the knight's face showed tension, but not as much as the five, who were on high alert.

This is the difference in experience.

The five cautiously moved about 200 meters into the forest.

It's about time for goblins or kobolds to appear.

The knight, who had been watching, was now about 40 meters behind.

"Hey, stop!"

It was Nitta who called out.

"Can you see that...?"

About 70 to 80 meters ahead, a single goblin was visible, apparently injured and constantly on guard.

"It's just one, perfect, let's take it down."

"Right, let's do it. You three, stay here and watch the surroundings."

Furuta told Yagi and the others to stay behind.

"Should we cast a spell?"

"Yeah..."

"Mana, oh Mana, ruler of the world, gather, gather, flow through me, flow, flow, flow, Mana, flow through me, become power!"

It seems the old and new duo are going to take it down.