CH 58

Morning has come without any incidents.

According to Luilui, the orcs should be going after the people that ran away, so we should be all right.

Big sister says we should be especially vigilant from the morning until the sun sets.

Trisha is also awake, so we start preparing breakfast together.

I don’t know what will happen if we leave this to the men, so we take the initiative and start cooking. I say we, but it’s mostly just Trisha, with me helping.

After we are done with breakfast, we split into two groups that alternate between keeping watch and reinforcing the inn’s walls. It’s also important to take breaks.

We all move very briskly under Mister Locke’s instructions. No one complains, and I think working helps relieve people’s anxiety.

It would probably be safer to return to the last town we passed through, but we can’t, since the others went out to rescue the people that were taken.

I know what big sister is like, and I know that leaving those people to their fate wasn’t an option. Some of the other passengers objected to this, and insisted that we should go back to town, but relented after big sister and Mister Locke decided to stay.

All it took for them to be quiet was for Mister Locke to say they should go back on their own if that’s what they really wanted.

The weather is nice today, and all I hear is the sound of wood being hit. I hope it stays this peaceful.

But this faint hope is broken before lunch.

Mister Elk, who is keeping watch, raises his voice.

One of Mister Locke’s fellow party members, Mister Drake, runs toward the watchtower.

I interrupt my lunch preparations, and move to the second floor to look out the window.

Is that smoke? I focus my eyes, and see a wagon running this way.

The canopy is in tatters. Ah, it stopped.

The wagon is slanted. I can see one of the wheels is broken.

People start coming out of the wagon and running this way.

Ah, one of them fell, but no one is stopping to help.

They’re running straight towards the village, but they stop where we stayed before.

Are they confused because we’re not there?

I can hear screams, and see the person that fell is still there.

What is that person looking at? I follow their gaze, and see a dark shadow.

The shadow is growing bigger and bigger. They’re orcs.

The people that ran towards the village also see this, and start panicking.

What should we do? Should we call out to them?

If the orcs keep chasing them like this, we might be fine.

I don’t know. What should I do?

It’s completely quiet inside the inn. It seems like everyone is trying to stay silent.

One person starts running away from the village, and the others do the same.

But just as they are about to go, someone notices me.

They change course, and run this way.

They look up at the building surrounded by the wall, go to the gate, and start banging on it.

The dull noise echoes, and I can hear them shouting too.

Mister Locke steps on a platform to talk to the people on the other side, and I can hear them hurling abuse.

It’s actually incredible. Do these people not understand their situation?

Mister Locke calls Mister Isaac and Mister Drake, who come running. Apparently they’re going to open the gate.

As the gate opens, they all push each other aside as they rush to get in. I know they’re desperate, but it’s still a very ugly sight. Among them, some complain and ask why we didn’t let them in sooner.

Once they’re all inside, the gate is closed again.

There’s a total of fifteen people, and Mister Isaac and Mister Drake restrain two of them.

They’re the ones who were complaining, and they’re resisting.

Ah, one of them is hit. I hear the dull sound from here.

Mister Locke is saying something, and everyone meekly listens.

They leave the two that are bound, and take the others inside.

I hear screams, and remember the orcs.

I turn to look, and see the person that was left behind being beaten.

The orcs stop, and the person being beaten isn’t moving anymore.

Looking at this fills me with fear, and an indescribable feeling of anxiety.

Why? I’ve fought several orcs in the dungeon before.

I keep telling myself this, but the anxiety doesn’t go away.

Why is that? I keep asking myself.

…I know… Big sister isn’t here. The people that fought alongside me aren’t here.

That’s why I feel anxious.

Why didn’t we go with them?

Of course, I know the answer. She was worried about the people staying here.

I stayed here because Mister Locke and the others can’t use magic, and Trisha because someone might get hurt.

All I can do is believe she will be back, and not die until then.

This is what I keep telling myself.