Chapter 216

(3)

5.

After fending off the monster horde.

An emergency meeting was held at the Flute City Hall to assess the situation and discuss countermeasures.

There were about ten attendees in total.

The representative of the magic engineers, Professor Melt.

The captain of the guard, Owen Hiraes.

Also present were the mayor and administrator of Flute, as well as the president of Plume Academy. Most of them held important positions in Flute.

On the other hand, there were several people who didn’t quite fit into this gathering. Four young-looking men and women who appeared considerably younger than the other attendees.

They were Ulan and his friends.

“But who are those people?”

“They look like students…”

“That’s right. They’re cadets from Arsen.”

As some attendees murmured in confusion, Professor Melt jumped in first. Most people’s eyes went wide in surprise.

“What did you say?”

“Are you out of your mind?”

“We barely managed to evacuate; you want to bring in students from another country? If they get hurt, are you going to take responsibility?”

People burst into loud protest.

It was understandable.

Arsen Academy was primarily an educational institution attended by nobles from the Rubens Empire and foreign countries.

If there were injuries, it would obviously draw strong protests from those nations.

“Everyone, please calm down.”

Just then, a figure appeared to quiet the agitated attendees.

Owen Hiraes, the captain of the guard.

He looked directly at the attendees and explained the situation calmly.

“I invited the cadets to the meeting.”

“…What?”

“You did? Why?”

“The people here are heroes who made significant contributions in the defense.”

Owen, in a composed manner, detailed the exploits of Ulan and his group during the defensive battle.

He explained that Ulan was a master rank fighter and that Delia was a high mage.

“If they hadn’t been here, there would have been numerous casualties, and perhaps the castle gate would have been breached.”

“Moreover, they offered to help in combating the monsters, so it made sense for them to accompany us to the meeting.”

Following Owen’s explanation, Professor Melt also shared why he brought Ulan’s group along.

Moments later, the attendees’ complaints and criticisms faded away in an instant.

It was a natural reaction.

Who would refuse help from a high mage and a master rank fighter?

“Ahem! Then let’s get to the main subject.”

Once the commotion subsided.

The representative who called the meeting, the mayor of Flute, briefly summarized the current situation.

For an unknown reason, a large number of monsters had attacked the Northern Border. In the process, some had breached the defenses and made it to Flute.

They had barely managed to stop the monsters with the help of Ulan’s group, but since then, communication with the Northern Border had been cut off.

That was the situation so far.

“Hmm, then…”

“We can assume the Northern Border has likely been breached by the monsters by now.”

“Then we can’t just sit here!”

“We need to prepare our defenses quickly.”

Once the situation was understood, opinions quickly converged on one point: defending against the impending monster horde.

Meanwhile, the president of Plume Academy, who had been silently listening, looked at Professor Melt.

“Professor Wirathim.”

“Yes, President.”

“Can we activate the magic barrier?”

“We are currently preparing it. It will activate as soon as the monster horde is spotted.”

Flute had several magic barriers installed as a contingency.

However, since maintaining the barriers consumed a significant amount of magic power, they were usually kept inactive, only being activated when necessary.

“Understood. I’ll leave that to you.”

After nodding once, he turned to Owen.

“How about your guard, Hiraes?”

“We’re severely understrength to face the monsters.”

“Even if you add conscripts?”

“Yes, even with the support of mages, we can’t win against the monsters with our current state. However…”

“However?”

“If the cadets from Arsen join us, we might have a fighting chance.”

Owen’s unexpected remark caused the president and others to wear troubled expressions.

Forcing students who hadn’t volunteered into combat could easily escalate into an international conflict later on.

“Are the cadets here not enough?”

“A master rank fighter can take on dozens of monsters by himself, you know?”

“And we have a high mage with us, too.”

With a master and a high mage—the two regarded as strategic weapons—taking part in the defense, was there really a need to enlist the help of cadets?

As if reading their thoughts, Professor Melt and Owen shook their heads in denial.

“No matter how strong a high mage is, their magic supply is not infinite.”

“Besides, a master is still human like us. If they fight for a long time, they will tire and feel fatigue too.”

Their words were logical.

A high mage could only cast their Meteor Shower spell three times at most, and the master would naturally become fatigued after prolonged fighting.

However, there was one thing they overlooked.

“You’re wrong.”

“…Huh?”

“I don’t get tired.”

That was because Ulan was a monster.

Due to the Kazan’s enchantment he gained from the Trial of the Hero, along with the multiple elixirs he’d consumed so far, Ulan’s stamina had far exceeded that of an ordinary person.

And as a result.

Ulan confidently stated the truth.

“I’ve never fought until I was tired.”

“……”

Ulan’s casually shocking statement was followed by Delia, who had been silently listening, stepping forward and speaking up.

“Ulan’s, right.”

“What do you mean…?”

“Other, cadets, aren’t, needed. If, I and, Ulan are, here, monsters, are, no challenge, at all.”

With a calm tone that felt like a confession of truth.

Their confident response left Melt and Owen with awkward expressions.

“Cough! Understood.”

“Then we’ll hold off on mobilizing the Arsen cadets and prepare for battle as planned.”

The magic barrier and troop preparations were completed.

With that, their readiness was perfect. The mayor of Flute nodded seriously.

“Good. Then until the reinforcements from the capital arrive, let’s all do our best to defend Flute against those monsters.”

Just as countermeasures were finalized.

Before the meeting could conclude, a voice interrupted.

“Um, excuse me.”

A clear voice bloomed like a flower.

It was a voice they hadn’t heard throughout the meeting. Everyone turned to see a black-haired girl raising her hand.

“Can I say just one thing?”

The girl, who had maintained silence until now.

Noa Darshen sparkled her eyes as if she had something important to say. People tilted their heads in curiosity.

“Who are you…?”

“Oh, sorry for the late introduction.”

Realizing she hadn’t spoken a word during the meeting, Noa bowed her head.

“I am Noa Darshen from Arsen Academy, a sorceress from the same tribe as Ulan.”

After her polite introduction.

Everyone refocused on her.

“Yes, Cadet Noa.”

“What do you want to say?”

“I was bothered by something a soldier said during the defense earlier.”

“A soldier said something?”

Noa nodded.

The soldier had three pieces of information to relay.

First, there are enemies besides the monsters.

Second, the fortress is about to be breached.

Third, they need to fight the enemies before they reach the city to minimize damage.

After sharing this information with the group, their reactions were lukewarm.

“Oh, we heard that report too.”

“If there are enemies besides the monsters, it can only be one.”

“It probably means that a number of monsters from the Eastern Jungle have mixed in as well.”

Since it was unlikely that the monsters would move alongside humans, the only candidate left to identify was the monsters.

“Also, the third point seems like a simple hypothetical based on just the castle gate being breached.”

“So they’d charge into the city, and of course the damage would be significant.”

They could interpret it that way.

However, that was a complacent thought. Noa shook her head and offered a different perspective.

“No. I think differently.”

“Hmm? How different?”

“The soldier from the Northern Border was covered in blood, desperately holding on to his consciousness, squeezing out every last bit of strength to report this.”

But she didn’t think he intended to convey something easily apparent.

As Noa spoke, the others seemed to realize the oddity and began to murmur among themselves.

“Hmm, now that you mention it…”

“Your point does hold some weight.”

“But then, who are the monsters working with? Also, why would they abandon the advantageous foothold of defense?”

Questions erupted from various corners.

Noa smiled awkwardly as she replied.

“Well, that’s something we’ll have to find out from now on.”

This was a development not even in the original story.

Naturally, Noa couldn’t possibly know.

However, she had a few clues she could speculate on.

‘So…’

First, she wanted to lay the groundwork thoroughly and begin piecing together the clues bit by bit. But there was no need for that.

“Re-reporting!”

“A messenger from the Northern Border has awakened!”

Suddenly, a figure burst through the door.

He had brought good news.

It was the news that the soldier from the Northern Border, the one who knew all the truths, had awakened.

With that, Noa breathed a sigh of relief, as she no longer needed to deduce the identity of the enemy. After all, she would be able to hear the truth once he arrived.

Shortly after.

Knock knock!

There was a somewhat weak knock, followed by the door of the conference room bursting open. The person who appeared was a messenger wrapped in bandages from head to toe.

“Greetings. I am Sergeant Luka Cedric from the Magic Sword Corps attached to the Northern Border.”

The Magic Sword Corps.

These were an elite unit existing only in the Endrak Kingdom, comprising skilled individuals proficient in both magic and martial arts of grade 2 and below.

Once Luka’s brief introduction concluded.

Questions immediately poured in from everyone.

“I heard there are enemies besides the monsters.”

“Can you tell us what that is first?”

“Yes, of course. That is…”

Just as he was about to continue his report, Luka’s pupils widened, and his breath became shallow, as if he was recalling the memories of that time. Professor Melt and Owen helped steady him.

After a brief moment, once he recovered, he revealed what the enemies besides the monsters were.

“……Undead.”

Walking corpses, Undead.

The moment they heard that word, Noa and Ulan narrowed their eyes. They felt as if all the scattered puzzles were finally coming together.

The power of the Abyss sensed in the Eastern Jungle.

The Lord of the Abyss emerged into the world.

The Undead that appeared alongside the monsters.

Given the connections between all the clues, there was only one possible conclusion. Ulan and Noa muttered in small voices simultaneously.

“Lord of the Immortals.”

“It’s the Lord of the Immortals.”

The moment the identity of the enemy was revealed.

Ulan growled like an enraged beast.

He wanted to rush into the Eastern Jungle and confront the being immediately.

Meanwhile, Noa’s expression darkened.

‘Ugh! Of all things, the Lord of the Immortals.’

Now she understood why Luka said fighting outside the city was the only option for victory.

Because if one were to fall victim to the curse of immortality he spread, they’d swiftly decay, taint their soul, and become an Undead.

‘And if you’re bitten by an Undead…’

The curse would transfer as well.

In other words, it meant that the numbers of Undead would exponentially increase as if one were infected by a zombie.

They were the worst enemy to fight in proximity to a city.

If even one Undead afflicted by the curse of immortality entered the city, it would only be a matter of time before the curse spread.

‘So, when facing the Lord of the Immortals, the correct approach is to fight with a small elite group.’

Not to mention, the presence of a Saintess was absolutely essential.

Of course, the curse could not be lifted until the one who cast it was eliminated, but stopping the progression of the curse was indeed possible.

‘But right now…’

Laurea was not here.

As that thought deepened Noa’s expression into a darker shade of despair, those who heard Luka’s report showed expressions of disbelief.

“Tch, that’s impossible.”

“You must have misseen it.”

“If it’s Undead, that’s the cursed monster used by the Desert Order; do you even understand how far apart this place is from the desert?”

This wasn’t a nonsensical response.

For those who didn’t know the Lord of the Abyss, that might be the best assumption to make. Just then, Luka pulled something out of his backpack.

“So, I brought evidence.”

A blue swirling crystal ball.

It was a magical device often used at Arsen Academy, a Video Recording Device.

As magic was infused into it, soon the scenery recorded within the crystal ball unfolded on the wall of the conference room. At the same time, everyone’s eyes widened.

“……!?”

Shock, confusion, horror, fear, and various emotions surged forth.

The reason was simple.

The number of monsters that had attacked the Northern Border reached into the hundreds, even thousands.

A heavy silence descended upon the room.

It was only natural.

The horde of monsters that had attacked Flute just moments ago seemed trivial in comparison to that overwhelming number.

Chapter 50. Everything is going according to plan.