Chapter 61

The negotiations with the Flame Hound ended in the early evening. Since there was still some time before dinner, we went to scout the facility in Lastock where the teachers were being held. This would be the first place to tackle in the next rescue operation, and if we were delayed here, it could affect the rest of the schedule.

The location where the teachers were being held is on the opposite side of Lastock from the garrison, with the town in between. The grounds are about the size of a school playground, with a two-story building the size of a classroom and a barn that doubles as a stable. The rest of the area is open, and it seems that training is conducted here. Six teachers are being held, four men and two women, mostly middle-aged, except for Mr. Furukura, who teaches science. The teachers, regardless of whether they are of the knight type or the mage type, are undergoing Seeker training.

"Lower your posture and move forward! You're completely visible like that!"

Ropes and obstacles made of boards are set up, and the training to investigate the situation ahead while removing these obstacles resembles the military training seen on TV.

"Idiots, don't show your faces recklessly! You'll all be wiped out with the kids!"

The knights of Reisenburg say that when they go into actual combat, the teachers will lead the students through the forest. The teachers, knowing that their abilities as Seekers are crucial to the students' survival, have no choice but to take the training seriously.

However, according to Bastian's investigation, this is a lie to make the teachers take the training seriously. In reality, they are to be used as decoys to walk in front of the professional Seekers. If they can fulfill their role as Seekers, they might survive, but if they fail to notice the approach of monsters, they will be the first to be sacrificed, alerting the real Seekers to the presence of the monsters. The teachers are unaware of this.

There are three Reisenburg knights at this facility, and at night, one remains on duty while the others return to the garrison. The teachers live on the second floor of the building, in individual rooms slightly larger than my boarding room, with shared toilets, baths, and a kitchen. At night, the stairs to the second floor are locked. All the windows have iron bars, and if there were a fire at night, everyone would be doomed.

Still, with only one knight on duty for six teachers, it seems a bit thin. If they were to escape, the students would be punished, so the teachers have not attempted to do so. They are not allowed to leave the grounds, so they have no idea about the outside situation and cannot even plan an escape. The thin night security is advantageous for us, so we will coordinate and prepare before the operation.

For the rescue, we will put the on-duty knight to sleep, unlock the stairs, and have Zae pull a small carriage to the garrison, where we will meet up with the classmates and move to Volzard. I have already confirmed that the key to the stairs is on the door of the on-duty knight's room, and I plan to lock the knight in the second floor.

"Still... they look so haggard and worn out..."

"They're not being treated well, so it can't be helped, I suppose."

The facilities for daily life are in place, but they have to provide their own water and fire. They use magic devices to get water and start fires for cooking and bathing, but after being exhausted by training and depleting their magic, they can barely manage the basics. Filling the bathtub and heating the water is a once-in-a-while affair.

"The bath is once every few days, and they struggle with laundry and cooking. They're not given good ingredients either."

"I see..."

My homeroom teacher, Mr. Sato, apparently used to wear heavy makeup and look young in Japan, but without makeup, he looks much older. The other teachers also appear much older, and they all look drained of energy, relying on their willpower to keep going. In this state, even if they were to be used as disposable pawns, they wouldn't be of much use.

"Fred, have you received any information about the classmates?"

"It seems they haven't been told about the incidents, like the five who didn't return from the Funa Mountains or the fifty who went into actual combat."

"Is that to prevent the teachers from being disturbed or rebelling?"

"That's likely, and they are to avoid contact with the students as much as possible."

In any case, since we will contact the teachers when there is only one knight on duty at night, I will ask Amanda to bring some supplies. I will return to Volzard, report to Donovan, and have dinner before coming back.

Before returning to the guild, I went to the site where the classmates are working on the city wall construction. This morning, even those who were resistant, like Takayama, had been persuaded by Klaus and were working enthusiastically. I was worried that there might be conflicts or arguments due to the heavy labor, but it turned out to be a groundless concern.

Kondo and the others were washing their hands and faces and chatting with the supervisors and the garrison members in a friendly manner. As usual, Gasamegane was complaining, but the new and old pairs and Takayama were also joining in, creating a sense of unity. I felt it would be better not to show my face here.

From the expressions of the supervisors, it seemed that today's work went well. At this rate, it won't be long before everyone is accepted by the people of Volzard. Kondo, the new and old pairs, and Takayama are all athletic and have higher stats than me. If they work hard, they will be recognized, and it's best for them to deepen their connections with the townspeople in my absence. However, I felt a bit of isolation since I wasn't participating.

I pulled myself together and went to the guild to report to Donovan about the Flame Hound incident. I explained the events from the commotion in front of Amanda's shop to the resolution, and even Donovan couldn't hold back his laughter when I mentioned decorating Nyan with a ribbon. Yes, I feel like I've won a point.

"So, they're back to being a trio, huh?"

"Yes, I think so."

"Understood. I'll keep an eye on them... Still, Orlando's shop...?"

"Is there something wrong...?"

"Well, to put it simply, they'll do anything for money. Be careful..."

"I see..."

If there's a problem with Orlando's shop, it will definitely be because of Beatrice. I'm not doing anything, but it's not good to be seen hanging around.

"Hmph, a woman's mistakes are a man's responsibility."

"Ah... I'm not used to this kind of thing..."

"Hehe, then you should think of it as a learning experience. Otherwise, you might cause trouble for the boarding house residents again."

"Ah... I understand."

I definitely need to prevent Beatrice from approaching and avoid being seen with her. When we meet next, I'll make it clear.

After reporting to Donovan, I returned to the boarding house and explained the situation to Amanda, asking her to prepare the supplies for the teachers.

"Really, what a terrible treatment. I'll do my best to make something good."

"Thank you. But, if you suddenly increase the volume, their bodies might not be able to handle it..."

"Got it. Leave the cooking to me."

"Yes, thank you."

Since there was still some time before dinner, I went to watch the training of my subordinates. Using Reinhardt as a marker, I flew deep into the Demon Forest.

"Reinhardt, where are we?"

"About two days' walk south from the Demon Forest."

"By the way, what's the terrain like around here?"

"You've seen the map in Camilla's room, right? The Demon Forest expands as you go south, from the rugged mountains in the north to the cliffs along the southern coast."

The map in Camilla's room only showed Old Reisenburg, the current Reisenburg, and Lanzhelt, but the north is a rugged mountain range with perpetual snow, and the south is the sea. The Demon Forest extends across the land connecting to another continent to the south, originally formed by a large influx of tree monsters, the Trolls, from the neighboring continent. The southern continent is said to be dominated by monsters, and the large influx of monsters is believed to come from there.

"So, we're moving in the direction where the density of monsters is higher?"

"Exactly."

Since they are no longer challenged by Ogres, they have moved to train for real combat with stronger monsters. This area is so deep in the forest that even skilled adventurers do not venture here. The forest is a dense primeval forest with no sign of human presence.

In the middle of the primeval forest, there is a circular area about 30 meters in diameter where no trees grow. Upon closer inspection, it seems the trees have been cut down at the base, and this appears to be the hunting ground. From the depths of the forest, the growls of Alth and the others warning the Ogres can be heard, and soon, a dozen or so Ogres appear.

When Alth and the others drive the Ogres into the hunting ground, Tsoe emerges from the shadows, wielding a kukri knife, and in an instant, the Ogres are reduced to pieces. Through repeated drills and reinforcement with the magic stones they have obtained, Tsoe's movements have become faster and more powerful, to the point where they can no longer be followed with the eye. Yes, if I were to be attacked by everyone, I'm confident I would be killed instantly.

Alth and the others also seem to have become more powerful. To avoid a gap in abilities