Chapter 76

In the midst of cherry blossoms dancing in the wind, Misaki opened the old diary and read the words of promise written there.

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"Move faster! Hurry!"

"Hey! That's my luggage! Don't just move it without permission!"

"Hurry! We're about to close the gate! Leave your luggage and get inside!"

"Guard, that's not fair! If I leave that, I'll go bankrupt!"

"My wife! My wife is missing! Please wait!"

"Don't be ridiculous! What will you do if the monsters come here!"

The West Gate, where Aldis and the others had arrived, was in utter chaos.

Farmers, who had stopped working in the fields, were trying to get through the gate. Merchants were trying to push their cartloads into the safety of the city. The guards, eager to close the gate as soon as possible, were urging the people to hurry.

Everywhere, people were pushing and shoving, and shouts and screams were flying back and forth.

A few people were also trying to escape west from Raytin, further disrupting the flow of people.

"Phew, we made it."

Ted, who had reached the side of the gate, let out a sigh of relief.

The chaos in front of the West Gate was severe, but at least the gate was still open.

Even if Aldis and the others were experienced mercenaries, if the gate were to close, they would not be able to stay here.

They wouldn't be overtaken by the beasts or monsters that appeared on the grassland, but as humans, they needed rest and sleep, and their food supplies were limited.

"Trouble, the gate is about to close. Hurry, Ted!"

"That's a good idea. A small group is coming this way."

"Ugh, they're already here?"

Following Aldis's gaze, Ted grimaced.

They must have overflowed from the group surrounding the East Gate. The shadows of the beasts running on four legs were getting closer.

The guards defending the gate also noticed and immediately formed ranks to prepare for the attack.

However, behind them, a line of people still waited to get through the gate.

If things continued like this, the defenseless people would be in danger.

"Prepare for the attack! Absolutely do not let them through to the back! Hold out until the residents are accommodated!"

A senior soldier, who seemed to be the commander, raised his voice.

"But Captain! We can't do it alone!"

A nearby soldier faltered.

The number of soldiers deployed to protect the evacuating residents was less than a hundred.

Moreover, unlike the mercenaries who were accustomed to battle, the Raytin army, which had enjoyed a long period of peace, had few soldiers with combat experience.

Indeed, there were more soldiers than the group of beasts approaching the West Gate.

However, protecting the defenseless residents from the beasts was far more difficult than simply defeating them.

Moreover, the number of approaching beasts was rapidly increasing. If their numbers exceeded two hundred, the outcome of a straightforward battle would be uncertain.

"Don't say it."

"Captain..."

"I understand what you're trying to say. But we are proud members of the Raytin army. If we don't protect the people and serve as a shield here, what are we here for?"

The senior soldier, called the captain, looked around at his subordinates. However, the soldiers' faces remained pale.

"Right. You act all high and mighty, so you should show your strength in times like this."

The leader of 'Morning Star of White Night,' who had been listening in, interjected from the side.

"Ted is meddling again..."

Behind him, Norris muttered with a smile that didn't match his exasperated tone.

"Mercenaries?"

A soldier standing next to the captain looked at Ted with surprise.

"I would like to help if I can, but there's no official request from the country. ...Without a reward, you won't move, right?"

"Well, don't jump to conclusions. I'll help buy some time."

It was understandable that the soldier was surprised. Mercenaries offering to work for free was not something he was used to.

"Again, you make decisions on your own..."

Orphelia looked exasperated.

Of course, neither Norris nor Orphelia opposed Ted's decision, even though they complained. They were proud of their leader, who, despite his rough appearance, couldn't abandon those in need. This was the 'Morning Star of White Night' party that Aldis knew.

"What do you mean? You're not going to help repel the beasts?"

The old captain stepped forward, looking incredulous.

"Of course, we don't intend to be expendable, but we can buy some time until the gate closes."

"…I can't offer a reward on my own, you know?"

Seemingly unsure of Ted's true intentions, the captain pressed for confirmation.

"Don't worry. Can you at least buy us a meal?"

"Hmm, you play that card? ...Alright, I'll treat you to the best meal."

The old soldier's weathered face broke into a smile.

"Alright, it's settled. Norris! Orphelia! Aldis! That's the plan. Let's go back to the city after we've worked up a sweat!"

The tough-looking man turned to his companions.

"Hehe, can't help it."

"What do you mean 'that's the plan'? At least listen to our opinions."

"Alright."

Three different responses flew to the well-meaning leader.

"Thank you. I appreciate it. With two mages on our side, there's no better support."

The captain, seeing Orphelia and Aldis's attire, seemed to have judged them as mages.

"How much time do we need to buy?"

Aldis asked the captain.

The beasts were getting closer even as they spoke. There was no time for lengthy discussions.

"About fifteen minutes, I think."

The captain made this judgment, looking at the line of people rushing to the West Gate.

"Got it. Fifteen minutes."

Aldis turned around, as if there was nothing else to confirm.

The beasts were already quite close.

Fast-moving carnivores like 'Grass Wolves' and 'Coyotes' formed the vanguard, followed by 'Snatches' and 'Green Knives.'

Their numbers were roughly two hundred, and considering the increasing shadows, there were probably more beasts than when Aldis and the others had checked the East Gate.

The beasts that had overflowed from the East Gate were flowing along the city walls to the West Gate.

"Aldis, take the left. Orphelia, take the right."

"Got it."

Ted quickly gave instructions to the members.

"Norris, use magic to finish off the ones we miss. I'll—"

"Don't charge in. We're just buying time until the gate closes."

"I know. Aldis, don't overdo it! We're just buying time!"

"...Hey, what do you think I am—"

"Aldis! No more talk! They're coming!"

Interrupted, Aldis lightly clicked his tongue and faced the approaching beasts.

The range for arrows was still out of reach, but they were within the range of attack magic.

"Fierce red, born from the ancient dragon's breath of fierce flames—Inferno Flame!"

Orphelia's flames struck the coyote pack.

The coyotes, unable to avoid the sudden burst of intense heat, fell to the ground, charred and burned.

"Amazing..."

"This is the power of advanced attack magic..."

The soldiers, who had never seen such destructive magic, were amazed.

Of course, there were mages in the Raytin army, but in a peaceful world, they rarely showed their destructive power.

Unlike training swords and arrows, it was impossible to use attack magic against allies in drills.

It was natural that most of the soldiers, who had never been on a battlefield, were seeing advanced attack magic for the first time.

"Shining blue, dancing in the eternal silence of the colorless land—Arctic Storm!"

Next, Aldis unleashed a freezing cold wind that enveloped the Grass Wolves.

The Grass Wolves, running at full speed, were frozen in place, and soon their entire bodies were encased in ice, rendering them immobile.

"Wow! This is it...!"

The faces of the soldiers, who had been disheartened by the overwhelming disadvantage, brightened.

But the beasts continued to pour in without end.

Aldis and the others' magic cut them down twice, three times, but eventually, Orphelia began to show signs of fatigue.

"Ha, ha... I'm almost at my limit. I can only do one more advanced spell."

"It's okay! The evacuation is almost complete! Just hold on for one more minute!"

The captain, who had confirmed the evacuation status, raised his voice.

Around him, the soldiers were holding back the beasts that had evaded the magic with swords and spears.

Even with advanced attack magic, it was difficult to cover a wide area at once.

The beasts that avoided the direct hit were taken down one by one by Norris's bow, but a few still managed to reach the soldiers.

"Don't let the beasts get close to the mages!"

The soldiers formed a protective circle around Aldis and Orphelia, guarding the line of evacuating people.

Occasionally, a 'Beast King' or a beast that broke through the soldiers' defense was quickly dispatched by Ted.

Thanks to the work of 'Morning Star of White Night,' the soldiers were always able to face the beasts with a numerical advantage.

"Alright! The evacuation is complete! We're retreating!"

Finally, the evacuation of the residents was complete.

The captain gave the order to retreat, and Aldis and the others began to fall back.

Aldis left a parting gift of Inferno Flame and quickly ran into the city of Raytin, following the soldiers as they closed the West Gate.

By the time the gate was closed by the guards, the western sky was already dyed a vivid red.

2019/08/11 Typo correction: "遅れを取る" → "後れを取る"

2019/08/11 Typo correction: "兵士の元へ" → "兵士のもとへ"

*Thank you for reporting the typos.