Chapter 57

Summary of the previous chapter:

Lily, in heat.

Even from a distance, I'll try to wear her down. Like Hyakuretsu or something.

3

In the corridor of the floor we were staying at in Cheria Fort, there were always members of the Allied Knights stationed. Lily and I, having left our room, headed to Siren's place with one of the knights accompanying us.

We walked down a desolate corridor.

The thick stone walls were partially collapsed in places, and occasionally, shattered wall materials lay scattered on the ground. This area had yet to be repaired.

"Ah, by the way."

Lily suddenly spoke up as we walked.

"Before we left the room, Rose said she had a request for you, sir."

"A request?"

"Yeah. She said she wants to see more magic stones."

The magic stones Lily mentioned are stones that can cause phenomena similar to magic, such as producing light or water. Each has unique patterns carved into it, and some require special training to use, but the advantage is that even those who cannot use magic can activate them by channeling magic power.

However, it seems that their effects are quite limited, and apart from a few simple magic stones in circulation, there are almost no craftsmen who can engrave them, making them very expensive. Some are even kept secret, and there are those whose manufacturing methods have been lost, like the magic stone that protected the mountain cabin I visited before.

"Rose... Come to think of it, she did show some interest in magic stones."

After the Cheria Fort attack, which ended with the death of the main culprit, Tenji, and Kudo's escape, Rose, who returned to the fort with us, showed interest in magic stones. As a Magical Puppet with the ability to create magical items, it's not surprising that she was curious about unknown technology. Yesterday, she had taken apart and examined the magic stone used for the room's lighting.

"She wants to see other types of magic stones besides the lighting ones. If possible, she said she'd be happy to see unprocessed ones."

"Unprocessed? Maybe she intends to try engraving them herself?"

"Preferably, but if that's not possible, just seeing them would be fine. She also mentioned that there are a few other things she's curious about."

"Rose is usually more straightforward. This is quite vague."

"She seemed unsure herself. Perhaps because she's unsure, she wants to ask you to verify it."

I nodded in agreement.

"That makes sense. I'll ask Siren about it after our talk, if that's okay."

"Sure, I'll leave it to you."

While we were talking, we arrived at the room at the end of the floor where we were staying.

We passed a few knights coming out of the room.

The girl who had seen them off turned to us. The single blue eye of the elf girl with an eye patch recognized Lily and me.

"You've come, Takahiro-sama. Good morning."

"Good morning, Siren. You look busy."

"Thank you. The commander is the one who's busy, but I'm not. I've just finished giving the day's instructions. ...How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine. How about you, Siren?"

"Thank you for your concern. I haven't experienced any particular discomfort so far."

Siren smiled, but I couldn't feel reassured.

We had both survived the same ordeal, but the situations we faced were entirely different. After all, she had been killed in the battle two days ago. She had crossed the line and seen the other side.

After that, she awoke as an undead monster due to her strong willpower, and though she had fallen into a mindless ghoul, she regained her self-awareness and was now smiling here.

The tragic undead king Karl, who, according to legend, remained a rational king even after becoming a powerful undead monster called a lich, is now treated as a fairy tale. However, Siren's existence proves that such a case is possible.

Siren is now a being between a lich and a ghoul, a so-called "demilich." This is unprecedented, and ongoing observation is necessary.

"It's fine. As you can see, I can now summon a sprite."

Above Siren's head, a sprite that looked like a child's clay figure was floating.

Among the elves, there are those called "sprite users" who can handle sprites as a racial special skill. Siren is one of them, and the floating sprite is one of the sprites she has contracted.

She had said that her magic power was unstable and she couldn't summon a sprite immediately after becoming a demilich, but it seems she can use sprite magic again after just two days. This shows her exceptional skills as one of the top knights in the northern forest, where vicious monsters roam.

"However, I can barely summon them, and I can't rely on them for reconnaissance yet. I need to adjust gradually in this regard."

"That's fine if things go smoothly... If there's anything, let me know. I might be able to help."

Siren, as an undead monster, originally had a human personality. Her situation is quite different from that of Lily and the others, who are monsters with wills. I can't call her one of my subordinates.

However, her existence is similar to that of my subordinate monsters, and I might be able to help if something goes wrong.

Moreover, even if she's not one of my subordinates, I want to help her. I like this noble elf girl enough to feel that way.

"Thank you."

Siren smiled and moved on to the main topic.

"So, you've come today to hear about the current situation at the fort, right?"

"Yes. I was told by the commander that the general plan would be set by today. Can you also tell me about that?"

"Understood."

Siren nodded and began to explain the current situation at Cheria Fort.

"First, the burial of the dead is expected to take a few days as planned. The military is mainly in charge, but there are limits to the number of personnel available, and we need to be careful about the existence of ghouls."

"That's understandable. ...Have there been any ghouls?"

"Two people turned into ghouls yesterday. Both were dealt with. The allied knights arrived quickly, so the damage was limited to a few people."

"I see."

I wondered if things would have been different if I had been there.

...It would have been difficult. A case like Siren's is rare. Moreover, if I had tried to contain the ghouls until I arrived, it would have only increased the damage. That would be counterproductive.

Siren's case is an exception. I had to accept that.

"The rate of ghoul creation is known to increase over time, so we need to reduce the number of potential ghouls as soon as possible. It's frustrating that we can't give them a proper funeral, but..."

"Is there anything we can help with?"

"No, that's..."

Siren's expression darkened, and she hesitated.

Lily nudged me with her elbow. It seemed I had said something thoughtless.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to cause trouble."

"...I apologize."

"Don't apologize. It's not your fault, Siren."

I scratched my head. Just because I wasn't bothered by it didn't mean she wasn't. I needed to reflect on that.

"Besides, I think it's important to know the current situation. Since it's a good opportunity, can you tell me how the survivors in the fort feel about me?"

The people in the fort know that I have the ability to lead monsters.

The allied knights who fought with us know this, and a few others have seen us moving around the fort. It was no longer a situation where we could hide it.

To the people of this world, monsters are the greatest enemies.

They are the object of fear rooted in human instinct and the anger and hatred of those who have lost loved ones.

Therefore, in this world, the elves, who can produce sprite users, have been persecuted as a sub-species of monster users and traitors to humanity.

There is no way the residents of this world do not have a deep-seated aversion to monster users, and such feelings cannot be changed overnight.

Siren, as an elf sprite user, probably understands this situation the best. She smiled with a lowered brow.

"To be honest, I think they are confused. The ability to make monsters allies is something no one has ever heard of, even if you are a hero from another world."

The word "confused" made me think of a scale, unstable and swaying.

If I tried to stabilize it with a clumsy move, it might tip over. I couldn't act rashly...

This was also one of the reasons I had taken on the task of disposing of the monster corpses.

While the allied knights, who follow the commander's will, could work alongside the imperial soldiers, we couldn't do the same.

We had taken over an entire section, which the allied knights were guarding, not just as VIP treatment. The allied knights were a buffer between us and the fort's soldiers.

"This is a unique ability that only Kudo and I have among the many transfer students in this world. It's understandable that it's hard to accept. I was prepared for this from the beginning, and in that sense, it's better than I expected."

In other words, this world is not yet ready to accept me, who leads the monsters like Lily.

Humans are not heartless robots. They have their own values. Trying to force them to accept me would only cause confusion and make everyone unhappy. That would be nothing but selfishness.

As long as we don't do anything strange, they will leave us alone. That's enough for now.

"Actually, I thought there would be more resistance."

"Many people were rescued by you and the others after the battle."

Siren was right. Two days ago, after confirming that Kudo had left, we, along with the allied knights, rescued the survivors in the fort. Lily had used healing magic on some, and Gerbera had pulled others out of the rubble. Naturally, they had screamed.

"In a sense, everyone in the fort has been saved by you and the others, as you defeated Tenji and drove Kudo away. While I can't say that no one harbors hostility towards you, it's a very small number. We can protect you within our capabilities. I feel guilty that we can't do more."

"Thank you. ...By the way, are there any who are dissatisfied with the allied knights?"

"The third allied knight regiment was selected by the commander, and I was the deputy commander, an elf. There were no dissatisfied people from the beginning. ...Thanks to which, the commander is treated as a bit of an eccentric elf lover in some circles."

"I see. So that's what attracts both Siren and Kanzaki?"

I shrugged.

Siren smiled in agreement and looked at me with a calm gaze.

"What do you plan to do from here, Takahiro-sama?"

"What do you mean, 'what do I plan to do'?"

"Once the burial of the dead is complete, we will abandon Cheria Fort."

I took a small breath at Siren's words.

"I see. The commander has made a decision."

"Yes. Currently, among the survivors, only about two-thirds can move normally. Those who can fight are even fewer. Even if some harbor ill will towards you, they are too exhausted to act on it."

Healing magic is not all-powerful.

For example, Lily's third-tier healing magic can reattach severed limbs under good conditions, but it's useless if the limbs have been eaten by monsters. This third-tier is the highest level of magic that the people of this world can achieve. It seems that only Siren can use it in Cheria Fort, and she has lost her ability to use healing magic since becoming an undead monster. Many cases were beyond treatment, and many people needed rehabilitation, not to mention fighting.

"Moreover, the betrayal of Tenji, who was well-known to the soldiers, was a significant blow. Some are still confused, thinking that a hero would never do such a thing."

"But it's the truth."

"Yes. We saw it with our own eyes, and some of the survivors from the inner wall are in the military. That's why many are devastated."

We transfer students are treated as heroes in this world.

Heroes are the hope of this world and almost a religious support for the people. The reality of this world is so harsh that one must believe in a tangible hope called a hero to survive.

If a hero uses their great power selfishly against us, it would be shocking and confusing. It's understandable to be disheartened.

For now, the aftereffects of the battle and the threat of ghouls are keeping them going, but it's uncertain what will happen once that ends.

Thinking about it, it might be more surprising that they are still able to do their jobs. This is probably due to the commander's leadership.

She didn't give the soldiers a chance to kneel and hang their heads, but instead encouraged them, saying, "Are you still a warrior who protects the human world?" She must be trying to get them to retreat as quickly as possible while they can still move.

"The fort's facilities are almost completely destroyed. Large-scale repairs are needed, which would require thousands of people, several years, and a detailed reconstruction plan. We can't do it with the people here now."

"Of course, it's impossible to defend this vast, hole-riddled fort with just a hundred or so people."

"Yes. Messengers have already been sent for reinforcements, but it will take three to four days by horse to reach the nearest town, and even more time for the reinforcements to arrive. Staying here any longer will only increase the damage."

"That's why you're retreating."

Siren nodded, a shadow of worry in her expression.

She had fought to protect Cheria Fort, the wall of the human world, with her life. Abandoning it must have been a heart-wrenching decision for her and the other knights.

"Fortunately, the number of monsters in the vicinity has decreased for the moment. Within ten days, new monsters will come from the surrounding areas, but for now, evacuation should be possible."

"Kudo brought the monsters together. That should reduce their numbers."

"Yes. If the fort becomes a residence for undead monsters, reconstruction plans will be impossible. We will bury the dead, but once that is done, the commander has decided to leave the fort."

Siren took a deep breath, a slight tension hardening her expression.

"At that time, the commander would like you to come with us."

"Of course, if you need help, I will cooperate."

I understood why she had asked about my future plans.

About five hundred people will be moving as part of the Cheria Fort survivors' evacuation.

The road through the forest is somewhat maintained and safe for military use, but it's impossible to completely avoid encounters with monsters. Considering that the safety was maintained by the fort's forces, the danger on the way cannot be denied. If we are there, we might be able to reduce the damage.

However, Siren smiled with a hint of embarrassment when she heard my words.

"Of course, I would be happy if