Chapter 32
On our way to the Veritza Fortress, we realized how big the battle was inside the fortress. We now can see several pillars of fire coming from the direction of the fortress. You can hear the fire sounds quite clearly even if loud sounds are coming from the fortress.
If the noise that can be heard outside of the fortress is already like this, I dont want to imagine what happened inside the fortress.
The people inside the fortress also started to move. With a loud bang, the drawbridge started to fall. Simultaneously, the wooden double door also opened. With this, the people inside the fortress can get out and cross the canal. I dont know if they did all of this because they knew reinforcement is coming or because they simply want to escape.
Not long after, a sea of people rushed out of the fortress. Judging from their outfit, they are not combatants. It also doesnt seem like Marquis Knap let them out to fight.
Cut the chain!
Yes!
Someone! Bring me an ax!
If there are any intelligent demons inside the fortress, they will try to pull up the bridge. If that happened, its not only going to trouble the people escaping the fortress but also will trouble Mazell later on.
Thats why in the name of emergency the bridges chain should be cut so it becomes a fixed bridge. I can come up with as many excuses for cutting the chain as I want later.
The escaping people are guided by Viscount Davraks troop using torches. Interestingly, people choose to go to a brighter place. Viscount Davraks troops burned more torches the farther it was from the fortress. This is because once humans eyes are accustomed to the light, they become unable to see their dark surroundings.
Guiding the non-combatants and placing them around the combatants make the rank inside the combatant become confusing so unexpectedly striking a balance between the two is difficult.
After the non-combatant is far enough from the fortress, its the turn of Baron Bavraks troop to calm them down and take care of them.
Baron Bavraks troop sure gets the shorter end of the stick but I will have them endure it.
Augens troop go to the right side of the bridge! Barkeys troop, you guys go line up on the left side of the bridge! Prepare the crossbows!
Yes!
The first shoot will be done under my order! Everyone, match my words!
Understood!
If Max has a large build, then Augen has an average build and average height while Barkey is someone who has a sharp impression and is taller than Max.
Max didnt come with us so these two became the commander of my troop in his place. Both of them are in their thirties but Augen is older and has more experience compared to Barkey.
Even though Augen is older than Barkey, he has a young spirit. Augen is one of the knights who seems to be having fun bullying the training knights at the group fighting training while Barkey is more of a cool person.
Somehow I have become used to commanding people older than me. Technically Im the older one if you also count my previous life. Though the fact that I constantly had stomachaches didnt seem to change.
Ready
Another wave of people who are probably part of the labor force for the renovation came out of the gate. Behind them are shadows of beings that didnt seem to be humans.
The flame constantly burned inside the fortress makes it so I can only see a silhouette, but I know from the game that our opponents are skeleton warriors and living dead. As expected, this is their battlefield.
Shoot!
Following my signal, more than twenty arrows rained down on the demons. Crossbows are great because even if youre not used to firing them, their accuracy is still high. It might be strange coming from the person who ordered the troop to shoot crossbows but Im a bit surprised that arrows worked on skeletons.
On the other hand, I can also hear some surprised voices coming from the troop.
That the corpses and skeletons are moving?
Its the first time I actually saw them
Calm down! Look, they can also be defeated with our weapons!
After Augen said that, he proceeded on commanding the orderlies to reload the crossbows. The orderlies hurriedly executed his orders. I guess this is fine. Though the troop is surprised they are not afraid.
This is how normal people would react. Despite having heard of the oracle about the demon king revival, until they saw demons theyve never seen before with their own eyes they will still feel that the revival is far from their reality.
All this time only demonic beasts have appeared in the vicinity of the capital but starting from this incident at the Veritza Fortress many types of demons will start to appear.
If I dont remember it wrong, the last boss of the battle at the Veritza Fortress is one of 3 Generals, Dreax. He was one of the weakest bosses to the point that the small fry that appeared in the latter half of the game are all stronger than him. I wonder how he even becomes one of the 3 Generals.
Still, the revived 3 Gatekeepers of the 4 Doors are pretty tough. To the point I want to complain to the developer that revived enemies should be weaker, not stronger. Speaking about revival I remember that the defeated 3 Generals will also revive in the game, though the 4 Heavenly Kings wont.
Anyway, this isnt important but why do the people here use German names but call monsters using English names? Thats a mystery.
Lets return to the battle. As people kept rushing out of the fortress, I contacted Fogto-san to ask for the mages help. Fortunately, he came almost immediately. Must be because the mage team is just waiting while supporting the refugee.
I heard you wish to talk to me?
Thank you for coming. There is something I wanted to ask the mages for help with.
I said I want the mages to go to the right side of the hinge so the doors wont close. Fogto-san seems to be surprised by my request. Well, thats natural.
Wont this become trouble later?
If there is an intelligent demon inside the fortress, it might shut the door to trap the remaining people inside. If that happens the people inside will get massacred so its better to just destroy the hinge to prevent the escape route from being sealed.
Its a sound reason but theres actually another reason why I want the hinge to be destroyed. I want to make it easier for Mazell and others to go inside the fortress later. In the game, getting inside the enemys base is easy but in reality, I dont know.
Logically, I dont think the demons will easily let us enter their bases. I wonder if the reason why the protagonist easily entered the demons bases is that the demons again pulled their punch. I mean, from the game standpoint its a hassle to make every protagonists battle in the demon bases an infiltration mission.
I understand.
I will make sure that the report says this is done under my order.
To further convince Fogto-san I said I will take all responsibility. Not that I have any intention to throw the responsibility to the mages.
With that, the mages focused their magic to attack the hinge. An explosion occurred and one side of the door became slanted but the door itself didnt fall off. After that, my troop shoots out another round of arrows. Fogto-san saw how the battle unfolded and showed a doubtful expression.
They didnt come out from the fortress.
Maybe their commander ordered them to take control of the fortress from the inside.
I also feel its strange but I thought that the demons just wont step out of their field like in the game. I wont say that here though.
Or maybe, in reality, the inside of the fortress is the limit of Dreaxs control of the demons. As I was thinking about that, several people once again rushed out of the fortress. They look like knights ah I got a feeling that they are troublesome people.
If my feeling is right I will just throw them to others to handle. For now, lets focus on helping everyone escape.
Hey, you guys! Whos your commander!? Wheres he?
After they crossed the bridge, one of the knights arrogantly shouted those words at us. I wonder if that young guy with good physics that dressed neatly in the middle of this group of knights is their commander.
We are a Zeavert troop but our highest commander is Count Shandel. If youre looking for him, hes over there.
Barkey answered that rude guy calmly, while Fogto-san was dumbfounded. Must be because these guys attitudes arent like people who just escaped.
With the face as if saying we had no business with mere underlings the group of knights left us and went to the main camp.
Um
We will go and support other refugees. Augen, Barkey, prepare the crossbows. Its time for us to change with the other troops.
Yes!
Understood.
I ignored Fogto-sans confused look and continued to prepare to intercept the enemies. In reality, the Zeavert troop cant be the only troop that keeps intercepting the enemies.
I still need to think about the perfect timing to change with the other troop so my brain is overloaded. Lets just push off the troublesome people to others.
This chapt𝙚r is updated by fr(e)ew𝒆bnov(e)l.com