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HELHEIM SCANS
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After the group of 48 left with their stakes in a desperate mission, Euphemia, who had been observing the movements of the demonic guerrillas, issued the next command.
“Everyone, take a rest, leaving only the minimum personnel required for interception and defense.”
The children, who had been gripping the controls tightly under the Emperor's orders, finally let go.
In truth, there was no longer any point in controlling the turrets.
The demonic bombardment destroyed most of the weapon modules, except for the main gun and a few intercept turrets.Rather than expending their focus trying to hit the advanced demons flying beyond the demonic clouds (who, according to Larze's speculation, had grown stronger by absorbing lower-ranked entities) with their remaining weapons, it would be better to prepare for the inevitable assault on the deck.
Thus, the crew in the control room headed to the battle-ready room.
The room was filled with supplies prepared for the imminent battle.
Noubelmag and the blacksmiths crafted additional auxiliary weapons and gear, as well as maintenance materials, herbs cultivated directly by Arpheus, and alchemist potions.
Protective clothing and masks were also available, more than sufficient for the number of people.
After briefly inspecting the items, the crew gathered in small groups or isolated themselves in corners, each reflecting on the upcoming battle.
“…This feels really strange,”
Karen muttered as she let go of her bowstring after testing it a few times.
Evergreen, who was with her, asked,
“What does?”
“Just… I feel weird. In a few hours, we'll be seeing the Demon King's Castle with our own eyes.”
Luke, who was always by Evergreen's side, joined the conversation.
“…If the operation goes well, that is.”
“The operation will go well. The professor is going personally. The problem is….”
Karen's black eyes swept across the quiet battle-ready room before fixing on the ceiling.
Even through the thick armor and barriers, the powerful demonic energy of the demons could be felt vividly.
“It’s us. We have to hold out. Even if the strike team successfully detonates the stakes, if the main force is annihilated… Ugh, damn it. Forget I said that.”
“Karen….”
Seeing Evergreen’s worried expression, Karen forced a laugh and waved her hand dismissively.
“Before I say anything more useless, I’d better go feed Shadow. You two enjoy your time together.”
With that, Evergreen and Luke were left alone.
The other children, perhaps out of respect for the couple's time, deliberately kept their distance.
“…….”
“…….”
They put down the weapons they had been fidgeting with meaninglessly and looked at each other.
Crimson eyes met emerald ones.
Soon, without anyone leading, both smiled faintly.
Evergreen was the first to speak.
“Like Karen said, it feels strange.”
“Yeah. I’m more nervous than when I took on my first solo contract.”
Evergreen's eyes gleamed with interest.
It was rare for Luke to bring up his days as a mercenary.
She asked cautiously,
“What was the contract?”
“It was nothing special… Just to find and bring back someone who had disappeared.”
His first solo contract.
It was, in fact, one dictated by the mercenary group's rules.
The mission was to track down a deserter, capture them, and then bring them back to camp, where they would be executed in front of everyone.
He remembered the night before he set out, unable to sleep, tossing and turning with mixed emotions.
His explanation omitted crucial details, but Evergreen pulled Luke’s head into her arms and gently patted him for some reason.
“You must have gone through a lot.”
“…Evergreen.”
“This is a secret, but… do you remember when the pre-orientation happened 4 years ago? Remember?”
Luke shook his head.
He had been on a mission at that time and hadn’t attended.
“I got lost after going to the bathroom and wandered around for ages. I would have missed the entire pre-orientation if it weren’t for the servant I ran into. I was such an idiot.”
Luke chuckled softly.
Evergreen laughed along.
“That’s too bad. If I’d shown you the way back then, I could have made a move on you early. Wouldn’t that have made the start of the school year more fun?”
“Dream on. The old you would have thought, ‘Who’s this hick?’ and ignored me. You were always grumbling.”
…At least, that was how he was until the auction house incident.
Back then, he thought of his peers as nothing more than flowers grown in a greenhouse and believed he was the only one who had lived through misery.
But as it turned out, they all had scars and pasts as painful as his own.
He had learned a lot and had grown to resemble them through that process.
“…Can you forget it?”
“Nope.”
“Please.”
Evergreen's eyes narrowed playfully.
“I’ll think about it if you kiss me.”
“That’s easy.”
With that, Luke, who had been leaning on her shoulder, turned his head and kissed Evergreen on the forehead and then on the lips.
Evergreen chuckled as if she couldn’t believe it.
“You used to be so nervous, taking up three minutes just to do that. Time sure flies.”
“Evergreen… please.”
Evergreen smiled softly.
Luke's head shook with her laughter, and soon, the tremor grew more intense.
Evergreen ran her hand through Luke's jet-black hair.
“Anyway… that country bumpkin who used to get lost in big buildings is now marching right up to the Demon King’s Castle.”
“…So how do you feel about it?”
“Well… you said you were nervous. I guess….”
Evergreen placed her hand over her heart.
“My heart is calmer than I expected.”
Luke tilted his head in surprise.
“Why?”
“Hmm, maybe because I’ve already achieved everything I wanted?”
“Everything you wanted?”
“Remember the dream?”
The illusionary artifact the hero used during freshman year.
Of course, he remembered.
“Back then, because I was the first to undergo the counseling, everyone asked what kind of dream I saw.”
“Yeah, I remember.”
On the other hand, Luke had been the last to be counseled due to Ravias' summons.
“I told them I saw a peaceful Solintail.”
“Yeah. A place with no monsters attacking every day, no villagers crying over lost children, no smell of burning corpses… just a beautiful meadow with a gentle breeze. I had a long, peaceful conversation with the professor there. At the time, I thought I was just homesick, but in hindsight, that was my dream and my wish.”
Her voice, filled with nostalgia for those days, made Luke listen in silence.
Evergreen’s hand gently stroked his hair again.
…and he, too, felt a strange sense that he would miss this moment dearly one day.
“It’s all thanks to you. Everything.”
“Evergreen.”
“I never imagined you were serious when you said you’d handle my contract for free.”
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HELHEIM SCANS
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Luke handed over Ravias’ mercenary group three years ago to one of his subordinates.
With just one condition.
Evergreen continued speaking calmly.
"If we fail this mission, peace will vanish like a mirage. But for now, the mere fact that no bad news has arrived from home is enough to let me breathe easier."
"That's a relief."
"Yeah. After all, that was the whole reason I enrolled in the academy in the first place."
Evergreen let out a soft sigh before continuing.
"It's a bit pathetic, isn't it? To be so relieved just because things have improved for my territory."
Luke quickly shook his head.
"Why would you say that? You've fought hard for everyone."
"I'm not a hero like the professor, Luciel, Ban, or the others... and maybe I lack your broad-mindedness."
It was then that Evergreen's tone changed.
"But at some point, I started to have other desires."
Luke slowly straightened up at that.
"...What kind of desires?"
"The desire to see your dreams come true."
"My dreams?"
Evergreen took Luke's hand and spoke.
"The vision you saw in your dream. Standing beneath the triumphal arch, being celebrated as a hero... with more and more people recognizing your achievements, receiving everyone's love and respect in the light."
Luke was momentarily at a loss for words.
It was because Evergreen remembered something they had talked about in passing with such vivid detail.
"You said you felt embarrassed, calling yourself a dreamer, but I actually thought your dream was amazing. You always felt like a flower blooming in the mud to me."
Amazing... a flower blooming in the mud?
That kind of praise suited others far more than him.
It was just a childish wish.
A projection of his desire not to die as a mere mercenary, as Ravias had wanted.
Luke awkwardly shook his head.
"Evergreen!"
Karen appeared, panting, with Shadow in tow, waving her hand.
"Lord Gilhaim wants to see you for a moment."
Gilhaim was the leader of the elves dispatched from the great forest.
Since they were both archers, it seemed he wanted to discuss strategy with Evergreen.
Evergreen smiled faintly as she stood up.
"I'll be back."
"...Okay."
Watching Evergreen's figure fade into the distance, Luke murmured to himself without realizing it.
"My dream changed a long time ago."
...And he would strive to make that dream come true.
.
.
.
The full-scale assault by the demons began three minutes later.
* * *
Swoooosh—
Beneath the camouflage created by the Crown of Governance.
The assault unit advanced toward the stakes like ghosts.
Tat-tat-tat—
Though they were sprinting at full speed with heavy equipment, the wet ground made almost no sound.
A massive, grotesquely shaped structure towering in the center of the 48th sector loomed over them.
"Ten minutes to the target."
Heavy black raindrops pounded relentlessly on the camouflage.
As expected of an artifact meant to ensure the emperor's safety, the camouflage blocked a significant portion of the demonic energy.
Amidst the harsh and sharp friction sounds, only the rhythmic breathing echoed.
"Increase speed."
At the Hero's command, the assault unit quickened their pace.
Larze and Izaro at the rear also accelerated their flying magic.
As the tension built, as if it were about to burst, Larze's slow voice pierced everyone's ears.
"It's started."
At those words, the assault unit's eyes all turned to a single point, as if on cue.
Avalon.
Of course, they had advanced far enough that the distance was considerable, but none of them had the limitations of ordinary vision.
Each one's mana surged into their eyes.
Swoooosh—
In that moment, when only the sound of rain was loud, like the calm before the storm, a sharp, piercing sound rang out.
Screeeeech—!
Demons of various sizes descended like lightning, tearing through the black clouds.
Boom-boom-boom—!
Some of the turrets activated, forming an anti-aircraft barrage, but it was not enough.
Amidst the flashes of cannon fire, fierce shadows flickered.
It looked like a bird of prey, swooping down to snatch its prey.
"Looks like the legion commanders have arrived too."
Even in this thick storm of demonic energy, the two intense presences could be nothing other than them.
The 4th Legion Commander, Meragon the Priest of Solitude, and the 5th Legion Commander, Astaon the Scholar of Madness.
...BOOOOM!
A faint explosion, accompanied by a flash of light so bright it was visible even from this distance, erupted from Avalon's deck.
The battle had begun.
For the assault unit, who had left behind their loved ones, it was a scene that made it difficult to move on.
"...Don't worry. Once we start detonating the core, over half of them will come rushing over here."
It was only after Larze's non-consoling consolation that everyone could turn their eyes away.
She set aside her usual playful demeanor and spoke in a businesslike manner.
"Don't forget. It'll take about an hour to properly rig the core to explode."
Even with the help of the Hero and Izaro, who had replicated the essence of the magicians, that was the best they could do.
In the meantime, the rest of the assault unit had to protect them at the entrance to the stake.
"That's not all."
The Hero took over Larze's words and spoke up.
"Rigging the core to explode is just the beginning."
It was the start of their escape plan.
"We need to be out of the blast range within ten minutes. Even at full speed, it's going to be a close call."
And they had to do this while cutting through the demons and monsters swarming at them.
After that, they had to break through the demon realm on foot and catch up to the advancing Avalon.
It was a series of impossibly difficult operations stacked on top of each other.
But the faces of the volunteers showed no trace of despair or resentment.
Only the determination to succeed in this mission.
"......"
The Hero gazed at each of them, silently reciting their names.
Larze.
Izaro.
Maktania.
Zion.
Leciel.
Arpheus.
Yussi.
"Alright, then..."
The Hero's eyes focused forward again.
"Let's go in."
The entrance to the stake was right in front of them.
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HELHEIM SCANS
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