Chapter 42 - Academy Field Trips Always Come Under Attack (6)

Oscar stood leaning against the wall, his sword planted in the ground.

“This is just absurd.”

He roughly wiped away the blood running down his forehead and surveyed his surroundings. He couldn't see a thing.

Forests were dark to begin with. Prizhenkaya's forests were especially so—eerily dark, with barely any light even at midday. Naturally, buried beneath the earth under such a forest, he would have trouble finding a light source. That much he could understand. But...

“Why is there a cave under the forest? This goddamn country.”

Oscar gave an incredulous laugh and lifted his sword. The impact had broken one of his legs. He could probably walk if he leaned against the wall, but even that would be difficult.

'Should I wait for help?'

He was a student. Naturally, a major accident during class would bring a rescue team. Besides, he still had three orbs tucked inside his clothes. Each was supposedly a magic item with a location-tracking function. Unless there was a problem, staying right here would be the safest choice...

'Did those two get out?'

That was the problem. Having three orbs meant he had stolen at least two from other students. He had defeated two classmates and taken their orbs. It was an exam; he hadn't had much choice. But now that this had happened, he was at a loss. Hadn't he effectively taken their tracking devices? If those boys were buried under all this earth, they wouldn't be rescued.

Oscar sighed. The pain rising from his broken leg was horrific. But...

“I have to save them.”

He wiped away the blood and opened his eyes. Green irises gleamed in the darkness.

He had to save them. Because they were his classmates? Because he was a good man? Because he was the son of Gilles Vert, a hero of the Hero's Party?

No. Because he was a knight.

A knight of Thilles did not abandon the weak in the face of hardship. He recalled what his father, the Lord Protector, had taught him from childhood.

* * *

“Aaaah!! Help!! Isn't anyone there?!”

“Help!! We're trapped under here!!”

What a racket. Ivan clicked his tongue as he walked through the tunnel.

In tunnels where visibility was severely limited, the loss of one sense naturally heightened hearing. That was why you mustn't shout inside a tunnel. Especially on the front lines.

Not only would it serve as an excellent beacon for enemies farther down the tunnels, but screams spreading in every direction would echo off the walls and destroy your sense of direction. Getting lost that way only heightened the fear. Humans weren't made to live in darkness.

Untrained people panicked in such circumstances. They screamed again, lost their bearings again. The vicious cycle inevitably continued.

CLICK.

Listening to the screams, Ivan drew his pistol. He closed his eyes and walked on. One step. Then another. Never hurried, but never leisurely, either. Straight ahead, with strides as precise as if measured with a ruler.

He counted every step he took. His stride was exactly eighty-six centimeters. By counting his steps, he could trace his route from the point of entry on a mental map.

Officers of the Extermination Unit had to master field triangulation as well as map reading. Oscar's last confirmed location, Isabelle's location, and the point where he had jumped down. Plotting those three points without error allowed him to walk with certainty even through this sprawling maze of tunnels.

“Help!!”

The screams were close. He walked on with his pistol raised, aiming at waist height. Given the average height of a Dwarf, that put his aim right at head level. Of course, aiming a pistol at a Dwarf's head wouldn't be enough to kill one. The bastards were too damn tough.

“Is someone there?”

“Here!! We're here!!”

“What's your name?”

“Petrick!! Wait, does that matter?!”

Of course it mattered. Ivan gave a faint smile at the voices coming from the end of the tunnel.

That awkward way of speaking—a Dwarf. They were roaming the tunnels in search of their target. He could sense them moving away again after hearing the stranded student's voice. Right. So they weren't targeting every student.

“Lucky.”

That boy Petrick had survived because he had given his name first. The Dwarves in the tunnels were probably looking for Oscar or Isabelle.

Enrique was in the area, so they couldn't afford to linger. Vampires also had excellent night vision; fighting Enrique in a tunnel was about the worst way to commit suicide. At least those two students wouldn't be killed by Dwarves.

“Where are you going? Where are you?! Help!!”

“Shh. Quiet.”

Ivan had reached the shouting student before the boy noticed and clamped a hand over his mouth. He felt a gasp beneath his palm, along with wet sweat, tears, and other bodily fluids. Gently patting the boy's shoulder, he whispered.

“The ones who just asked your name dug these tunnels.”

“... Mmph?!”

“Yes. You nearly died. So keep quiet.”

“Phew...! Wh-who are you, mister?”

“A rescuer. Now, quietly. Do you have an orb?”

“Oscar took it!”

Right. Of course it wouldn't be easy. Ivan clicked his tongue and asked,

“Is Oscar nearby?”

“Yes. The ground collapsed almost right after we lost to him...”

“Can you walk?”

“Y-yes!”

“Take this.”

Ivan took an orb from his belt and handed it to the student.

“Ten meters that way... Walk at least that far and you should see the sky. Climb up there and wait for rescue. Enrique will find you soon.”

“Th-th-thank you!”

“Quiet. The enemy is still nearby.”

Ivan patted the boy's shoulder a couple of times and moved on.

* * *

“What's your name?”

“Patrick!! Wait, does that matter right now?!”

Good. A rescuer. Perfect. He could leave with them. Luckily, both boys seemed to be alive. That was one less worry.

Oscar sighed and staggered forward. He was about to shout for help when he suddenly shut his mouth.

Something was strange...

'He asked their names... and then nothing.'

There was no reason to whisper. If anything, assuming there were other students nearby, they should be shouting to announce the rescue team's presence. So this sudden silence was odd. Oscar's instincts sounded an alarm.

“Anyone else? Is anyone else there? Any other survivors?!”

“...”

Oscar swallowed and listened closely. The two students' voices had cut off after that man's call.

A possibility occurred to him. What if having a cave like this beneath Prizhenkaya's forest wasn't normal? Come to think of it, the walls were awfully straight for a cave. What if this wasn't normal at all—if someone had dug these tunnels to prepare a trap? Then that man shouting as though he were rescuing students...

'An enemy.'

Oscar clenched his teeth. Fighting an unknown enemy in darkness so deep he couldn't see an inch ahead was foolish. Especially with a broken leg.

'I'd be better off waiting.'

After all, he had location-tracking magic items tucked inside his clothes. With Enrique here, rescuers would arrive soon. He only needed to wait until then. Oscar gritted his teeth and gripped his sword tightly.

“Here!! I'm here!! Help me!!”

“You there, student! What's your name?!”

More shouts came from far down the cave. Another survivor was screaming.

This was maddening.

Oscar got to his feet. He heaved a deep sigh, squeezed his eyes shut, and swallowed back several moments of hesitation. Then he opened his eyes and shouted,

“Oscar, son of Gilles Vert, Lord Protector of Thilles, is here!!”

Damn it. Wasn't it obvious? Anyone meticulous enough to set a trap like this would naturally be after a high-value target. And the most valuable target in Prizhenkaya's forest could only be him.

There was Isabelle, of course, but it was hard to argue that she was more valuable than he was. Her father was missing, after all, while his remained a duke of Thilles. Naturally, a duke's son made the better kidnapping target. The same held true even if the enemy wasn't after hostages. His father had earned far more grudges than Maximilien, the hero.

In other words, there was a very high chance that he was their target. The fact that they'd been going around asking students' names had been suspicious from the start.

“Found you.”

A low voice rang out. Oscar clenched his teeth and raised his sword.

Was this the right thing to do? Who knew? Even if he risked his life doing this, who would ever know? Who would acknowledge it?

“I will.”

Goodness must be a lamp for oneself alone. For its highest virtue was self-sacrifice, regardless of others' recognition. A knight of Thilles never abandoned the weak in the face of hardship.

Grinding his teeth, Oscar held his sword upright.

* * *

'Gilles Vert has a fine son.'

Ivan smiled faintly at the sight.

He slowly advanced, raising his pistol. One step at a time. Neither hurried nor leisurely. Maintaining a precise stride, counting every step.

Pistol raised, sights at waist height. He listened to the heavy footsteps, calculated their stride to estimate their owner's height, and adjusted his aim. Then waited for those audible steps to bring the target within effective firing range.

He located Oscar and shifted to keep him out of the line of fire. Straight ahead. Aim, hold breath, and...

Fire.

BANG!!