CH 146

We came to this world… the 055th world about a week ago. When I remembered what kind of world this was, I ran into town as fast as I could with Tia in tow and registered as a mercenary to fight on the front lines there.

After a minimal criminal background check and a simple competency check, We were actually assigned to the battlefield three days ago. However, due to the intense battle after battle after battle, both Tia and I have been accumulating fatigue, and apart from the bare minimum explanations, we just sleep like logs. Having become somewhat accustomed to such days, we we finally able to have a leisurely conversation now

“What was Ed like the last time you were here?”

So, in response to Tia’s question as we continued eating, I looked up at the ceiling and thought back to that time.

“That time… If I remember correctly, I was walking through the forest casually when I was confronted by the presence of a tremendous amount of magical beasts behind me, and I ran for my life and reached the town just in time to fight and fought at the “Death Line” together with those guys….  and then just kept fighting in a haphazard fashion, I guess?”

“Oh, So that’s why you were pulling my hand so impatiently at that time. Well, I soon found out why.”

“Yeah, it’s impossible. I can’t do anything about sheer numbers”

I shrugged and replied to Tia, who giggled.

I really thought I was going to die at that point. I was getting stronger there, but there was no way I would have managed to go up against such a large army. Now I’d … no, I’d still choose to run away. I could fight alone with my banishment skills, but I would never be able to do it while protecting Tia. Yeah, there’s no way around the sheer numbers.

“I’m sorry, I’m getting off track here. So, about how to defeat the Demon King… have you come up with any good ideas?”

“Hmmm …………………….”

Tia’s expectant gaze, however, made me stop eating and all I could do was grunt with a frown.

“I just told you this: the sheer numbers can’t be handled by an individual. That’s why I had the Allied Forces formed at the time of Riel. But in this world, the existence of the Demon King was not recognized, so we can’t do anything unless we can prove his existence first. Or maybe we can rise to the top so that we can get command of a large army. ….”

“That’s not very realistic, is it?”

I think that a small research team could become the leader if they worked hard for a year or two in this place. However, it would take an army of at least several thousand, and preferably tens of thousands, to break through that huge army of demonic beasts.

I have no connections in this world to be a military man of that level. The right to command a large army on my own was like taking over a country.

“The most likely plan at the moment is to show the upper management the existence of my [Akashic Compass] and convince them of its performance, and then ask them to send out the army. ….”

A magical tool that no one but himself can use, presented by a man from who knows where. It was insane to believe in such a thing and to invest a number of national troops in it which could destroy the country if it failed. In fact, it would be more sane not to believe in it, and on the contrary, there was a high possibility that I would be trusted to be useful and as a result be used politically by various forces, and that my life would be threatened because of it, too.

The road leading up to the main objective, which was to defeat the Demon King, was too far and the risk we were taking was too great, so it was really a last resort to reveal my abilities to an organization rather than to an individual.

“So we’ll have to wait and see for the time being. I’d like to get to know the Hero of this world a little better.”

“The Hero is that knight who is always giving orders, right?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

The female knight who gives orders to the division in charge during the battle at the defensive wall. She was the hero of this world and her position here …..was that of a very common knight. Since the existence of the Demon King was not recognized, of course no one knew that she was a Hero.

“Hero means she’s strong?”

“Ummm, it isn’t supposed to be particularly strong. Maybe, but I think she has good commanding skills. Or maybe she’s unaware of her ability to inspire her allies? Either way, it doesn’t feel like she is standing out right now.”

“By ‘now’ you mean it’ll be different in the future?”

“Maybe.”

In the previous lap, the six months I was here, she did not rise in the ranks or attained a major position. And what happened after that was impossible for me to know at that time. Being a Hero, she must surely have something that could be a turning point in history, but sometimes we don’t immediately know what it looks like until it takes shape.

“….It feels like you are using “maybe” and “probably” a lot this time Ed, doesn’t it, ……?”

“Haha, my bad.”

I wish I could say for sure, but all I could say was that I don’t know what I don’t know. Besides, it would be so much easier in this world to just get “exiled” and leave. I think that when we joined as a mercenary, we were recognized as members of the “Hero’s Party” and under the current circumstances, if we try to leave for any appropriate reason, that would be enough to be recognized as ” banished”.

In my opinion, although the danger level was high because every day is a battle, the difficulty level of banishment was extremely low because there was no need to go through the trouble of pleasing the Hero or solving problems ahead of time so that they would not hate us.

In fact, if I was in danger, I wouldn’t even get hurt if I secretly used my banishment skill, and if the “Death Line” couldn’t be breached, then 

Tia in the rear would be safe.

“……. Sorry, I didn’t mean to be cynical. I can’t come up with any solutions either. Maybe I’m just a little tired after all?”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s my fault for not trying to find out because I didn’t really know anything. It would have been easier if I had gathered more information before, but it’s too late now.”

The position of mercenaries was, of course, low. Considering the way mercenaries were supposed to be, “accept requests for money, and if things go wrong, run away as soon as possible,” it was only natural that they were treated in a similar manner, if not as disposable and expendable items.

And if someone like that tried to gather information about what the upper echelons of the military think about what they were fighting for,…they would attract unwanted attention and face severe consequences. There was no way I would take a risk that I didn’t have to if I just wanted to get out of this world, and as a result, most of my memories of this place were of “just fighting”.

“My fault or not, please don’t say things like that! That’s right, it’s normal not to know what the future holds, so let’s just take it easy like you said. I’ll also try various things with spirit magic”

“Oh, but don’t overdo it. If you do something wrong and get kicked out, you won’t be able to return to your original world.”

“I’ll be fine. But it’s okay. I am surprisingly charming, aren’t I?”

With a wink, Tia said jokingly. Since the ratio of men, whether mercenaries or soldiers, was overwhelmingly high, Tia’s rather young and beautiful appearance invited a protective feeling, and her cheerful personality was well liked by many people.

However, since she is an elf who has lived for over 100 years, she probably knows how to handle rough men, and considering Tia’s abilities, she probably wouldn’t be easily harmed…. But I’m still concerned about it.

“Really, don’t push yourself, okay?”

“Ara, are you worried about me?”

“Isn’t that obvious? I mean, I wouldn’t go around punching my colleagues’ heads, but… when you were with My Master, you had some trouble, didn’t you?”

“Ugh. ……, yes, you’re right. I’ll be careful.”

I smirked and said to her, and Tia furrowed her brow and said, Sure, it was a place where the male ratio was overwhelmingly high, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t women here. And as for that one, I couldn’t just punch them and be done with it, so it would be best to ask her to pull her own weight.

“We’ll have to kill the monsters again tomorrow. Let’s do what we have to do and get some sleep.”

“Yeah, Oh, how I wish I could take a bath once in a while.”

After a quick cleaning up of the meal, Tia moved to her room. It was not a cheap inn by any means, but it did not have a bath. Still, Tia was the one who cleaned herself up with spirit magic, and some of the guys said her sweat smelled good …… No, this is the one I shouldn’t mention.

Now, what kind of day will tomorrow be? I hope there will be something fruitful in the future, not just slaying monsters. …. With this fantasy in my head, I finished getting ready and threw myself on the bed.