Chapter 251

As one Violet headed towards the convention center with Sister Sophie, another me sneaked between people walking toward the danger zone.

It seemed that monsters would gather where people congregated.

With the movements of the monsters having temporarily eased, there wasn’t much danger at this moment.

The individuals who had ventured into this perilous adventure in unfamiliar territory were of various types.

There were senior students from various academies, adamant about bringing weapons despite warnings from others.

Or hunters eager to seize anything valuable in the unexplored Erosion Zone.

“Is this okay?”

According to a Violet at the exhibition hall, there were also some trying to stop their companions from leaving.

Considering it was a dangerous place, they would surely be hesitant to move carelessly.

“But hunters have their pride!”

Indeed, in the world of the Crimson Scholar, the job class known in the global server as “Yeager” was somewhat insane in its own way.

Quite the opposite of our Violets, who are innocent and delicate smiley girls.

“Only forward!”

No matter how awakened one is, depending on personality or ability, they could find violence burdensome.

In fact, normal people wouldn’t engage in hunter antics by entering a dungeon with a sword in the first place.

In this world, where physical strength is paramount, on-site jobs are preferred, but many still favor safe office work in a warm rear area with air conditioning and heating.

“You don’t wrestle with ugly monsters!”

“Work-life balance is great!”

There were surprisingly many roles for such people. They could work in educational institutions, or if like Daphne, they possessed healing abilities, they could serve as doctors.

If one were smart, they might end up like Aunt Ennis, currently meeting Doctor Yurik at the detention center after earning a doctorate.

“Is a doctorate really related to working with a soldering iron? Seems like there are a lot of skilled jobs among professionals.”

“What can you do? Public servants and politicians rotate among certain families.”

We thought the reasons hunters risked themselves generally boiled down to two things.

Money.

And other things equally as important.

“Is this really okay? I heard from people near the barrier that Restraid has arrived… You know how knights can be.”

“Hey, the principle is to seize relics first. They can’t snatch what’s already claimed right before their eyes.”

Many came chasing money, but there were others searching for something else.

“Ariel? Where are you?”

“Excuse me, could you take a look at this picture? It’s my friend, she suddenly disappeared… If you see her, please let me know!”

It seemed there were quite a few others whose families or friends had vanished due to the incident besides us.

Though their ages, genders, and outfits varied greatly, their direction was similar. After all, it’s better to be on a main road than in a narrow alley where you could be surrounded or easily lost.

“Hey, look at this. This statue could be worth something.”

“Oh, that’s a Sacred Heart Monastery goddess statue. Toss it, things like this are overflowing in the antique market. It doesn’t even feel magical… It’s worthless… Look for real relics!”

Two hunters rummaging through antiques, slipping into each building.

“It must be a relic, right? How much do you think it’s worth?”

“It’s just a rock. Toss it!”

Students bickering over a rock that felt magical.

“Hey, buddy! If you’re not busy, keep an eye around. Didn’t you hear about those pinned ghouls who got their heads blown off near the barrier?”

“Mind your own business. If they die, that’s their fate. Can’t you take care of yourself?”

“What? Tsk…”

Even while grumbling, there were those watching the windows and rooftops nearby.

Observing the various actions of people, I fell deep in thought.

This spot had just moments ago been where our Violet search party had been chased, yet now it was eerily quiet.

“Really peaceful.”

“Ugh! Why aren’t we appearing after killing all those monsters just now?”

As I pondered whether monsters might be discriminatory against beautiful girls, a sudden scream resounded.

“P-Please! Help! Someone save me! Help me!”

“M-Monster! A monster is chasing us!”

From far off on the main road, silhouettes ran toward us. People began to murmur and panic.

A group was fleeing this way. No, more accurately, they were running from a horde of monsters behind them.

“Everyone, get ready to fight!”

With someone’s shout, everyone moved in an orderly fashion without hesitation.

It seemed everyone was seasoned in violence, preparing to face the horde in their own stances.

“Get down! Lay flat!”

A loud-voiced man shouted, and those being chased immediately dropped to the ground.

-Pi-pi-ping!

-Bang! Bang!

Bolts and large-caliber rounds rained down on the approaching horde of monsters.

“Let’s go!”

“Crush them all!”

After a volley of gunfire, we charged in, albeit clumsily, but with vigorous determination from the awakened ones. While other students dragged away the fallen, spears and swords flew through the air. The monsters scattered and fell.

At that moment, a little girl, looking like she was in elementary school, caught my eye.

She seemed sluggish, tripping as she tried to follow. Then a black shadow leaped overhead her.

“Meow!”

The Pelinot, with its grotesquely ugly face, was closing in. This horrifying visage made me instinctively scowl.

“Die! Ugly cat!”

“Meow!”

-Swish!

The Pelinot was cleaved in half and fell with a thud. I hurriedly pulled up the girl and dragged her away.

“Are you okay, kid?”

“Y-Yes… Thank you!”

Before long, the battle ended.

While some were rummaging through the corpses of the monsters, the faces of the missing persons searchers lit up as they viewed those who had been chased.

“Oh my… We found you! What happened? You were supposed to have disappeared!”

“Ariel, are you okay?”

It seemed the identity of those being chased was indeed the missing persons they were looking for.

Those who met their missing family or friends were joyful, while those who couldn’t were disappointed.

“What happened?”

When people asked, those who had gone missing answered with trembling voices.

“When I came to, I was here.”

“When I opened my eyes, monsters were chasing me right in front! So I just ran…”

Everyone responded in unison that they had no memory of what happened.

Sister Sophie, too, had said that when she regained consciousness, a swarm of monsters suddenly appeared, so perhaps these people had experienced a similar situation.

“Fascinating.”

“These people must have been lucky!”

It seemed that inter-dimensional transitions were truly dangerous. In the worst case, some must have landed right in the midst of monsters.

As I turned to leave, the girl remained, anxiously looking around.

Apparently, she didn’t know anyone among the search party.

“Don’t you have any family?”

In response to my question, the girl answered in a shaky voice.

“I-I don’t know. I came to the exhibition hall with my mom and dad, but… when I opened my eyes, no one was there…”

Her brown eyes trembled with fear. I felt a pang of sympathy.

“Yikes, she might be an orphan!”

“Let’s take her to a safe place. Fifty-Fourth Clone! Report and transfer her.”

Her unstable dark blue hair swayed as she stood there.

To reassure her, I carefully extended my hand to pat her head.

It always soothed me when Daphne or Sister Adela did the same.

In that instant, something strange happened.

It started with an unsettling shiver, muscles feeling stiff.

A strange noise rang in my ears, and my head oddly throbbed.

“Ugh, what’s this?”

Annoyed, I shook my head vigorously. The unpleasant sensation soon faded away.

“What’s going on?”

For a moment, irritably, I noticed the girl was staring at me with frightened eyes.

I must have looked like a madperson shaking my head around.

To calm her, I took out a chocolate bar.

“Want some?”

“Thank you…”

Having said where I was going, I immediately handed the girl off to the Fifty-Fourth Clone.

While patrol duties continued, I brought the girl back to the convention center.

If I hand her directly to her parents, I might receive a reward of thanks.

“We are the lost child guardians!”

“Child Protector Violet!”

As I retraced my steps, I grew curious about the girl’s name.

To find her parents among the crowd in the safe zone, I needed to spread the word, “We’ve found the missing child of Mr. and Mrs. So-and-So!”

“What’s your name?”

The girl murmured in a small voice.

“…R-Reli.”

“What did you say?”

She replied slowly, enunciating clearly.

“My name is Ariel.”

“Ah, that Ariel Group!”

Upon hearing my answer, the girl’s expression darkened.

While the child and the Guardian of Freedom, Violet, carried the adorable girl Ariel, we were scheming something else.

It was because the movements of the monsters seemed suspicious.

It was clear something was happening within the Erosion Zone, but what exactly, and what were they plotting?

The previously missing persons began to appear one after another around this time.

The pattern was the same. As the search party scoured the dangerous area, people began to run toward us one by one, chased by monsters.

“Geez, that’s odd.”

Interestingly, there was a notable number of Non-Awakened among them.

How they survived was beyond my comprehension.

Nonetheless, the movements of the monsters were unusual.

Considering they had previously attempted to abduct me alive, it was necessary to get directly captured or bait them into leading me to their lair.

“Monsters go wild when they see humans.”

I steeled my resolve. I would deliberately throw myself as bait to the monsters.

After a while of searching for monsters, I wandered around the vicinity and observed their dynamics.

Fortunately, I spotted a small group of monsters patrolling the streets; a Skullcat leading a peculiar bunch of unnamed monsters.

Scanning my surroundings, I quickly conjured a Hibernating Violet.

Then, I deliberately raised my gun and pulled the trigger. It was to attract the monsters’ attention.

-Tatata-tat!

“This way, you fools!”

The provoked ones roared angrily and charged toward me.

“Eeeek!”

The Violet wielding the gun threw herself into the fray, immediately getting torn apart.

Another Violet swiftly placed the Hibernating Violet’s body flat on the ground and hurriedly dodged.

“Let’s run!”

The monsters approached the peacefully resting Hibernating Violet. Perhaps they intended to eat her. If they aim to drag us like before, that would be nice.

“Growl…”

The monster confirmed there was no particular threat and roughly grabbed it.

Then, it started to run off in a certain direction, growling.

“Lucky me…”

So far, everything was going according to plan. I hadn’t expected it to feign so easily.

Those hiding nearby watched the captured Hibernating Violet from a safe distance.

Step by step, we cautiously followed their movements, gauging their direction and distance.

It still seemed quite a way to their hidden lair.

“I’m gonna get abducted! Whoa!”

I was curious why the monsters were taking me along.

Was it their primal instinct to deal with awakened ones intruding into the Erosion Zone?

Or was there some other ulterior motive?

Though the situation was perplexing, my curiosity and anxiety spurred us on.

I soon prepared to infiltrate the enemy’s den.

Before long, the Hibernating Violet lay in the middle of an empty building. It was a small building with the symbol of the Sacred Heart Monastery.

The monsters quietly vanished, leaving the Hibernating Violet behind.

“Wait? Are these really monsters?”

Our expectations had been right on point. Monsters don’t operate this way. They were clearly under someone’s control.

As soon as the monsters left, Violets began to infiltrate inside and outside the building, equipping machine guns while hiding explosives and incendiaries.

“Okay, commence ambush!”

I didn’t know who the identity was, but whether it’s some cult leader or demon king, they’d be wiped out.

Thus, we awaited the unknown opponent.

Surrounding us were gradually increasing sounds of skirmishes. Why was it so noisy?