Chapter 46

On the morning of the live combat training, the trainees were lined up on the training ground at Lastock Barracks. Since the evening before yesterday, when I learned that live combat training would take place, I spent the entire day running around to prepare for today. Now, I'm watching the trainees from the shade of a tree on the training ground.

Camilla will soon give her instructions and read out the names of those participating in the live combat. However, several of the trainees are seen with a faint smile on their faces. The knights, all carrying whips about fifty centimeters long, are glaring at the trainees. The training ground is filled with a tense atmosphere, and without the slave bracelets, a brawl would have certainly broken out.

In such a tense atmosphere, Camilla, who had climbed up to a platform overlooking the trainees, seemed to lack her usual vigor. Until now, the trainees would have looked up at Camilla with fear, but today, many of them are smiling with a hint of contempt. Camilla's expression was a mix of shame, anger, and frustration, but once she started speaking, she was still Camilla. She straightened her back and spoke with a stern voice.

"Today, we will conduct live combat training in the Demon Forest. Fifty participants will be involved."

The trainees, who had been smiling faintly, were now wide-eyed with shock. I feel bad for them, but until the rescue operation is complete, I can't let Camilla and the others know about my existence, so I've kept the information about the live combat to the committee chair.

"Having taken the rumors too seriously, they seem to have become quite overconfident. Let them experience the severity of live combat with their own bodies!"

Some of the girls panicked and started crying, while the boys looked anxious about who would be chosen.

"Quiet! I will now read out the names of the participants. Those called should come forward quickly!"

A knight, taking Camilla's place, stepped up to the platform and raised his voice. The trainees held their breath in silence.

"Shuichi Takayama!"

When the name of the clumsy hero was called first, a murmur went through the crowd. Since it's well known that Takayama is highly regarded, some are optimistic that everything will be fine if he participates, while others are pessimistic, thinking it must be dangerous if he has to participate.

According to the information gathered by Fred and Basten, the purpose of this live combat is to maintain discipline, and since a large number of participants are involved, it seems they plan to bring everyone back alive. In other words, they will make the participants experience some danger and perhaps get injured to scare them, but they won't create a situation where anyone dies. However, since all five participants in the previous live combat died, the trainees seem to think a total wipeout is possible.

"It's okay, I'll protect everyone, so there's no need to worry!"

When the clumsy hero declared this, the girls let out a cheer. Despite his reluctance to participate in live combat, now that he's in, he's acting like this... it's a bit annoying. After that, the remaining forty-nine participants were called forward. With fifty out of two hundred, that's one in four. If we can rescue all of them, it will be a significant step forward.

"Wait a moment, I want to participate too!"

The committee chair, whose name was not among the fifty, raised her hand and tried to step forward, but Camilla rejected her.

"No! Holy Maiden, you will remain here."

"Why? Why can't I participate?"

"It's obvious. A healer has no place on the front lines."

"But... if I go with them, I can treat any injuries immediately..."

"The front line is not a place for healing! Do you have any means of attack?"

"No... I don't..."

"Hmph, if someone without offensive capabilities wanders the front lines, it only puts their comrades in danger. Do you want to be a burden to your allies?"

With that, the committee chair had no choice but to back down, but her actions were all for show. Since she couldn't participate, I had already caught the information in advance and informed the committee chair. Last night, it was difficult to calm her down when she pouted about wanting to participate.

Hugging her tightly and promising to come back for her... I even said something like a clumsy hero, and thinking about it now, my face gets hot. What? Did you kiss her? That's a secret.

So, the committee chair knows she can't participate, but if she doesn't publicly protest, she might be suspected.

"Kent... the Holy Maiden is quite a good actress, isn't she?"

"Yeah, I think so too."

Perhaps this acting is a way for the committee chair to release stress. The fifty selected participants boarded two carriages and headed for the Demon Forest.

"There's Takayama, so with this many people, it should be fine, right?"

"Last time it was a group of orcs, right? Do you think they'll appear again?"

"Five or six of us could beat them, right?"

Not only the number of participants, but also the group and team compositions were designated by Reisenburg. Takayama, the clumsy hero, leads one group, and Jotaro Kondo, a judo club member, leads the other. Kondo is not what you'd call a pretty boy and is rather quiet, so he's not popular with the girls, but he is responsible and hardworking, which is why he caught the knights' attention.

"Joe, what do you do if a monster appears?"

"Well, let's have the mages attack from a distance, and the knights protect them."

"Should we finish them off with close combat after weakening them?"

"No, if possible, let's end it with ranged attacks. We don't know how strong the monsters are, and if they're stronger than we imagine, it could be dangerous."

"That's true... so close combat should be the last resort?"

"Yeah, that's right."

Kondo's group seems to prioritize safety. On the other hand, the clumsy hero's group...

"It's fine, I'll scare the monsters away with a single magic attack."

Yeah, as expected, most of the girls and some of the boys are reassured, but most of the boys and some of the girls look worried. Most of the boys are probably jealous, but some of the girls are worried about whether it will go well. Among them are Honmi, the sword maiden, and Sagara, also from the kendo club. Perhaps their experience in martial arts makes them more aware of the danger.

Like the previous live combat, the trainees were dropped off at the entrance to the Demon Forest and will proceed on foot, while the knights will ride. Initially, the group led by the clumsy hero will go first, followed by the group led by Kondo. Ten knights will accompany them, with each group assigned to a specific team.

The formation of the first group is with the clumsy hero leading, followed by a cluster of girls, surrounded by boys. The second group, which follows, basically protects the girls in the center, with knights surrounding them regardless of gender. The knights will follow the groups they are assigned to, with five knights between the first and second groups and the remaining five knights following the second group.

The group walked along the road for about thirty minutes and then entered the forest on the right side. They plan to walk straight for about an hour, then turn left 90 degrees and walk for another hour, turn left again, and return to the road. Once they return to the road, the first and second groups will switch, with the second group leading and walking on the left side of the road to return to the original location. While walking on the road, the trainees were chatting, but once they entered the forest, they even held their breath.

"Reinhardt, what kind of monsters are around here?"

"Well, a group of orcs like last time is rather unusual. Most are goblins or kobolds."

"Can a group of twenty-five handle it?"

"Unless they encounter a particularly large group, it should be fine. In this area, there are usually only fifteen to sixteen in a group, so there shouldn't be a problem."

I was almost eaten by a group of seven, but with twenty-five people in two groups, it should be fine. About thirty minutes after entering the forest, the clumsy hero raised his right hand and stopped the march. There were furry creatures gathered in the trees ahead.

"Kent... eighteen kobolds..."

According to the report from Fred, who had scouted, this is an average group of kobolds. Kobolds look like four-footed werewolves and can appear comical from a distance, but up close, their sharp claws and fangs and bloodshot eyes make them truly monstrous. This time, the trainees were downwind, so the kobolds haven't noticed them yet.

"Everyone, wait here..."

The clumsy hero stepped forward five paces and began to chant loudly.

"Mana, Mana, the Mana that governs the world, gather, gather in my hand and become fire, dance, dance, let the fire dance and become a fireball!"

No, if you shout that loudly, you'll be noticed for sure. The kobolds all raised their heads and looked at Takayama.

"Uryaaaaa!"

Still, the fireball the clumsy hero launched hit the group of kobolds, and