Chapter 198: Escape from the Imperial Capital (2)
We were pursued by Imperial soldiers and had to join our comrades who were besieged in a building by some imperial forces. It crossed my mind that we might have inadvertently led enemy reinforcements to them. Perhaps it was time to stand our ground and confront the forces behind us.
Because we were running while fighting, the Imperial soldiers attacking our comrades noticed us as well. Tigar, leading the charge, was already in his demon form, and it was clear that both of us approaching them were demons. The soldiers near us quickly readied their weapons… but their gazes were fixed beyond us.
“Hey! Coming from behind are…”
“Hmm? Who’s that over there?”
“”Enemies!!!””
“What?”
The Imperial soldiers recognized each other as enemies, and their gazes were filled with killing intent. The ones chasing us were soldiers under Remus’s camp, while those besieging our comrades seemed to be the royal capital’s defense forces. We were no longer their primary concern.
Both groups seemed more intent on fighting each other than hunting us demons. This worked in our favor. Tigar must have also realized that the Imperial soldiers in front weren’t focusing on us, so he took a big leap to the side while still carrying his greatsword as a precaution. I also wrapped my tail around Marcellus and Decius and followed Tigar’s lead in the jump to safety.
Still, I wondered how the Imperial soldiers were distinguishing each other. The answer became apparent to me quickly. The soldiers under Remus uniformly wore red feathers on their chest armor; this was likely a tactic to avoid friendly fire. It was an effective and easily identifiable method.
“Don’t let the demons escape!”
“Boss!”
“Break through!”
“Right away!”
However, the numerous Imperial defense soldiers in the capital diverted some of their forces towards us. Tigar and I didn’t want to waste time and effort engaging them, so we ran straight towards the building with all our might.
It seemed our presence was noticed by our comrades. From the building, intense spiritual arts and arrows were launched in support, halting the pursuing soldiers. Taking advantage of this, we leaped into the building through a hole I had smashed with my tail.
“Are you all safe?”
“Yes, we are. Sharl, I need your help with Marcellus. He’s badly injured.”
“This is serious…! I’ll attend to him immediately.”
“Please take care of the commander.”
Having lowered the two I had been carrying with my tail to the floor, I called for Sharl. She was the leader of the demons capable of healing spiritual arts in our unit. Marcellus’s injuries were life-threatening, and it was crucial to have her treat him.
Upon witnessing Marcellus’s grievous state, having lost both his legs, Sharl gasped at the severity of his injuries. However, she knew what she had to do. Taking Marcellus from Decius, she began administering proper treatment with the help of her subordinates.
“Decius, can we discuss your decision to join us after we escape?”
“Yes. Now is not the time for that.”
I hadn’t yet heard their decision about joining us. But it wasn’t the time for leisurely inquiries, and more importantly, we couldn’t ask for Marcellus’s opinion. It had to be postponed.
“Zald, Mika, are we all set?”
“Everything’s in place, but…”
“We’re sorry. In our haste, we may have left some traces behind.”
I see. It seemed that by prioritizing quick preparation, the two of them had exposed their tails to the imperial soldiers. I had been unsure why they were fighting them, but understanding the cause brought me a sense of relief. If the cause had remained unknown, I might have feared that the empire had ways to track demons.
Moreover, the two of them were in a hurry to prepare because they didn’t know when we would return. In other words, the risk of being discovered was partly our responsibility. Since I was grateful for their work, there was no reason to reprimand them.
“So, that’s why you guys were surrounded. But since you managed to defend yourselves successfully, there’s no problem. Sorry for being late. And… it’s been a long time, Asumi.”
“A-Aah. You seem more spirited than I imagined, Boss.”
Asumi, who had regained her sanity and freedom due to the spreading nullifying waves of the tool, looked pale when I addressed her. It was clear to all that her distress was due to Marcellus’s injuries.
It was well known that the two harbored fond feelings for each other. And here, her beloved was wandering on the edge of life and death with serious injuries. It would be cruel to tell her not to be worried.
“Boss, what are we going to do now?”
“The battle outside is getting more intense.”
As I searched for words to calm the restless Asumi, Tigar and Zald sought my opinion on our next move. I peeked outside through a hole while concealing myself behind a wall. Outside, imperial soldiers from the two camps were fighting fiercely, as if aiming for mutual annihilation.
The soldiers under Remus were individually skilled and accustomed to combat, which boosted their morale. However, the imperial capital’s defenders outnumbered them. Also, since they were on the defensive side with no escape, their fighting style was desperate, like a fight to the death.
“Waiting until both sides are exhausted could be an option… but let’s make a forceful breakthrough.”
“Hahaha! I knew you’d say that, Boss!”
Both sides’ morale was extremely high, which meant that nearly all the soldiers’ attention was diverted away from us. Although spiritual arts had been directed at us when we first entered the building, now I couldn’t feel any watchful eyes on us.
Considering the possibility of reinforcements coming now is the time when the enemy’s strength is at its lowest. With both sides engaged in a bitter struggle and having no capacity to deal with us, it was the perfect opportunity to act.
“Are we going for a forceful breakthrough? Well, with the large wagons, sneaking out quietly seems impossible anyway…”
“I’m aware of the risks. Right now, our priority is to escape as quickly as possible.”
“Understood. We’ll follow your lead, Boss. The wagons are this way.”
With that, Zald led me to the first floor. Only Zald and I were to go down, while the others continued to keep watch from the second floor, ready for any change in the battle situation.
On the first floor, large figures like Shuu and Apao, along with strong children like Leo, were guarding the entrance, ensuring that we weren’t infiltrated from the first floor.
The entrance was in a state of disrepair; this was likely a remnant of the fierce combat. The door and surrounding walls were blown away, and in their place, the bodies of imperial soldiers were piled up, serving as a makeshift barricade. It was a grim but effective strategy, likely to deter the guards from dismantling it.
Not only the entrance but also the interior of the first floor had significantly changed since I last saw it. All the walls had been destroyed, and two large, sturdy-looking wagons were housed in the space that had been forcibly created.
“Boss, welcome back, Bumoo~.”
“Heeheein~! Are we departing? Is it time to leave?”
“Yes, it’s time to go.”
“”Alright!””
When I informed Shuu and Apao that it was time to depart, they each loaded their weapons onto their respective wagons. After removing some fasteners from their armor, they tied themselves to the wagons with thick ropes extending from them and transformed into their beast forms.
This method allowed them to attach themselves to the wagons without needing help from others. Moreover, after much trial and error, we had adjusted their armor so that it could be used even in their beast states by removing certain fasteners. This enabled them to quickly switch to hauling the wagons even immediately after combat, and the presence of armor reduced the risk of injury.
Given that they were entrusted with the heavy task of pulling the wagons, their safety was a priority. I also made sure to prioritize them when it came to food. Well, as they were originally an ox and a horse, as long as we could secure grass, then there wouldn’t be a problem.
“How much can we load inside?”
“There’s no space left in Shuu’s wagon. But in Apao’s, we’ve made room for the children and the severely injured who can’t fight due to their wounds.”
“That’s excellent.”
This meant that Shuu’s wagon would carry only supplies, while Apao’s would also transport our comrades. Therefore, Apao’s wagon should be the priority to protect. I made my decision.
“Alright. Shuu will lead, and Apao will follow in the formation. Those who can fight will defend both wagons fiercely. Tigar and Asumi will take the sides, and Zald, you take the rear.”
“Alright. I’ll make myself useful, at least during the escape. And you, boss?” Zald asked.
“I’ll be at the front, carving a path. Since I won’t be able to watch the back, I’ll leave it entirely to you to guard it.”
The formation was arranged to prioritize the protection of Apao’s wagon, which carried more important contents. The responsibility of repelling pursuers at the rear fell to Zald. Given that Tigar was still fatigued from battle and Asumi might be distracted due to her concern about Marcellus, I deemed Zald to be the most suitable for this crucial role.
My role was to lead and clear the path of enemies. I was in peak physical condition, and my spiritual power had returned to some extent. Creating sand pincers was within my capabilities; those were a tool that could handle almost anything except figures like descendants of gods or monsters like Karelvo after he turned into a demon. But surely, there wouldn’t be any such creatures around… right?
“However, boss, are you sure you’re okay? Ever since you’ve returned, you’ve been in constant battle…”
“That’s the same for everyone. Don’t worry about it.”
“It’s natural to worry, isn’t it? Even if I know how strong you are, I still care about my comrades.”
“I’m really fine. Well… after we escape, I’ll take some time to rest.”
“That sounds good. Then, I’ll go call the others from upstairs.”
With those words, Zald went up to the second floor. As I waited for everyone to come down while remaining vigilant outside, I felt someone tugging at the hem of my jacket.
“What’s up, Lappy?”
“Mm. Here.”
It was Lappy who had been pulling at me. When I asked if she needed something, she held out a spherical object with great care. The sphere was milky white, and two blue jewels nestled side by side resembled eyes.
No, I knew what this was… or rather, who this child was. Looking directly into the gem-like eyes that were the eyes themselves, I spoke in as gentle a voice as I could muster.
“Acht, right? Have you heard of me?”
“Yeah. I know you. I’m connected with big brother Eins and the others.”
This sphere was Acht, the luminous crystalline lifeform that was entrusted to me by Aiwass. It seemed Acht had awakened while I was away; he awoke much earlier than I had anticipated.
I had thought Acht’s awakening was still a long way off, so I hadn’t mentioned anything about Acht to the others. This must have been confusing for them. I would have to apologize to everyone later.
“So, I have many things I want to talk about, but things are a bit hectic right now. Can it wait until things settle down?”
“That’s fine. But when that time comes, I want to play a lot.”
“Sure. We’ll play together as much as you want.”
I gently stroked Acht. The fact that I was entrusted with Acht by Aiwass meant I couldn’t end things here. I resolved even more firmly to ensure everyone’s survival and escape.
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