Chapter 86: Last Minute Decisions

Han was aware that he was the weakest link at the moment but he seemed to hold command over their plans and nobody raised their arguments against it—but it was a wonder why Ellynn was even asking him on what she could do. She knew what he was capable of.

So she had more reasons to doubt him than others.

Still regardless of such things and what she was asking of him...he was more wary of her safety than making use of her as a strategic position in the looming fight. And though he hadn't exactly explored the depths of the game itself, he had a feeling that a [ Player ] was still able to bounce back through danger compared to an NPC like her so he asked, "If I ask you to rendezvous back with your father, would you do it?"

Green eyes widened for a moment before her lips curled into a deeper frown, "I'm not a child. You're more of a child than me so don't ask me to leave."

And so her age was finally revealed.

Despite the looming threat over their heads and the premonition of a terrible beast that might lay waste to the city, he couldn't help but grin for a moment and shake his head. "Well, you shouldn't have asked me what to do to begin with if you had no intentions of following them."

"Then I'll stay with you then, Han." Ellynn's shoulders relaxed for a moment as she stared off into the distance, she had no weapon in hand but she looked ready despite of that. "I won't ask you how you know my father, but although he has his confidence in you, I can't exactly share the same sentiments."

Somehow it felt like he was in some major point if this had been a linear story within the game as he scratched his cheek, "Thank you I think?" She was a lot more expressive now that they weren't inside the Academy. "I'm a tad nervous on what this fight would actually turn out."

Questions swirled in his mind, conflicted about asking them with her but they weren't here to chitchat underneath the night sky—danger would arrive and that might have been the reason why his quest hadn't been fulfilled despite all six of them gathering earlier. Han summoned the quest log and stared at it once again:

[ Special Quest! Man On A Mission ]

Six Players All Gather In One Place

Either Fight Together Or Put Them Back In Their Place

Despite What The Creators Hoped For All The Different Races

The Bloodshed Continues, A War Endlessly Rages

He realized it a little late but the mission rhymed 'place' by using it again, he fought back the urge to snicker as he focused on the second line. He had assumed that it meant that it would become a battle royale kind of event, he would have to fight against the other [ Players ] or he had to go along with their whims. And he had feared that fighting together meant allowing the [ Light Elf ], [ Tiefling ] and [ Shadow Elf ] to have their way and attack everyone in the City of Gloria.

But instead they had to fight against a common foe.

So where was it— a light erupted in the city.

.. .

"Yes, I'm leaving, sorry for worrying about a defenseless girl in an alley. You should get yourself home." Timothy had already been at the exit of the alley, already thinking of what direction he should head to find the idiot.

And yet the words of the girl had made him stop in his tracks.

"What if I don't have any home to go back to?" She uttered them with no hint of any shame or remorse. She said it as if she was simply stating that she had just finished a meal or that an apple was color red.

But it was enough to make an awful memory flash through his mind.

The shrieks of monsters in a village accompanied with those of their close neighbors and friends. Two people inside a small house but only one of them survived until the end as a necklace was pressed into their hands. It was still fresh in his memory and made him glance back at the young woman standing in the alley.

Did they share the same fate?

She was dressed better than him, at least as much as he could tell from the cloak that hung around her shoulders. It was quickly darkening in this alleyway as a flash of coldness sprung above them and he quickly gazed up to see a figure hurtle across the building. He panicked for a moment but compared to him who had been shocked, the girl was already slinking back into the alley, worry and fright apparent in her face.

She was hiding.

Timothy didn't want to feel bad for her, as far as he could tell, she seemed to have been in a better position than him. But he wasn't that blind enough to hate someone just because of that, especially with the way that they said that they didn't have any place to return to. He rubbed his face as he tried to ignore the memory of blood in his hands as he looked more firmly at her, "You should know that running away is not a solution."

The young woman blinked at him before glaring at him, "How can you make a conclusion like that? For all you know, I might be mistreated and abused from where I came from so this is the only option."

And she made a point.

He couldn't deny that such a plausibility was reasonable as well. But her choice of phrasing was still cryptic enough, in the end he raised his hands. Arguing with a stranger he just met, and a woman at that would do him no good. Besides, hadn't she just told him to stay away from her? "If that's the case then I hope you luck, maybe you can approach the authorities here or something for help?"

"No, that wouldn't work."

Timothy sighed and tried to take another step back into the streets, he had other problems he needed to take care of, "Well, staying in a dark alley won't do you any good. Best you find a place to stay, it's probably dangerous to stay here."

"...are you just abandoning a young lady like me in distress?"

He should have expected that they'd pull something like that on the last minute. Though she had been resolved to have him at a considerable distance, she finally considered that this was no place for someone like her despite the coverage it offered. He sighed, "You know, I'm new to this city so there's not much help I can give you. I'm sorry, but you should look for someone else."

That was the reasonable course of action.

"W-What if I can pay you?"

.. .

Jeanne Orleans and Owen Liddell were quick to move as soon as the [ Healer ] had agreed to let them leave. And though the number of people who were in need of assistance were much more than a singular person being kidnapped, she wasn't going to abandon one in exchange for the ninety-nine.

Guilt stabbed itself through her chest—the kidnapping had happened so quickly.

She had been cornered and nearly battered down by both the [ Shadow Elf ] and [ Tiefling ] at that time but she had seen a glimpse of the boy arriving with a flag but she decided to pay no heed to it. Every moment and second were necessary in the battle, she could hold on until the reinforcements came. But then within a minute or two the ones she had been fighting were quick to retreat despite them already winning. They had grabbed ahold of one of the City's citizens.

And so she and her fellow [ Professor ] moved towards the gates.

But something changed in the atmosphere as the expression of the man beside her changed, a sound of crackling began to emerge all around them. Not at all as ear piercing as something akin to thunder but it was similar to the gears of an old clock that were once again turning.

The [ Cleric ] blinked for a moment as she turned to her friend in question, he knew more about this. "What's happening?"

"They're activating the city-wide barrier." Owen Liddell slowed down to a full halt. Glancing back towards the Kraelonia Academy in the distance, a thoughtful expression on their face.

He seemed to be withholding important information from her.

"W-What?!" Questions formed in her mind but she shook her head. She needed to concentrate. Resolve hardened her gaze as she tugged the man's hand, "Then let's hurry, we need to get out fast."

"You're aware of why the City is opening this barrier right?" Owen's hand tightened around hers, his gaze narrowing at her for a brief moment.

"Of course I know!" She frowned, "But there's a boy outside that has been kidnapped and if we don't do anything—nevermind." She plucked her hand away from him and shoved him backwards, surprise flickering on the man's face. She seized the chance and activated her [ Binding Lights ].

If the man wasn't willing to lend a hand then she'd do it by herself.

Leaving no time to waste, she ran towards the gates.