Ambush of the Double Digits

Thanks to the Beast King’s generosity, we had managed to secure a second carriage.

The first was occupied by the usual group—myself, Fee, Elu, and Luna—along with Emilina. Fritz took his place on the driver’s seat. The second carriage carried Lark and Gale, but rather than horses, it was decided that Ram would pull it.

No matter how you looked at it, the arrangement was poorly balanced, but there were deep-seated reasons for this lopsided distribution.

When I first boarded, Fee and Elu had followed me as a matter of course. I had expected that much, but for some reason, Luna had also latched onto me and refused to budge. Furthermore, since the number of people in our party capable of actually driving a carriage was limited, the duty inevitably fell to Fritz.

“Do you honestly intend to throw me into a cage alone with those beasts?” Emilina had asked, her voice trembling.

Left with no other choice, we squeezed her into our carriage as well. That left the self-proclaimed Single Digits alone in the second vehicle. Since there was a non-zero chance they might try to bolt if left to their own devices, we entrusted them to the one person they feared most: Ram.

“I’ll do my best to carry the food—I mean, the luggage, mee!”

Ram was clearly motivated, though she likely viewed the Ninth as nothing more than a mobile buffet. Then again, depending on the inflection, it almost sounded like she was referring to herself as the meal. Better not to comment on that, I thought, opting for the kinder path of silence.

“Well, it’s going to be a long haul,” I said. “Just do your best and don’t overdo it.”

To ensure we could keep pace with Ram’s speed, our own carriage was pulled by the Giant Doll Luna had summoned.

“I’m not losing to some overgrown puppet, mee!”

“Luna will win.”

I had no idea what kind of competition they were having, or why.

“Just... drive safely, alright?”

“Leave it to me, mee! I’ll speed with maximum safety, mee!”

With that paradoxical declaration, Ram exploded into a dead sprint.

“I’m gonna die! I’m gonna dieeeee!”

Lark’s scream echoed from inside the trailing carriage, but Ram ignored it entirely as she blurred into the distance.

“...Going,” Luna whispered.

At her command, our carriage lurched forward. The interior was relatively stable, but the scenery outside began to whip past at a terrifying velocity.

Inside the borders of the Empire, the Double Digits had been deployed to every conceivable entry point. Following the decree of the First Rank, they were on high alert, waiting for Yuri’s inevitable arrival.

Several of them had been stationed in Noblebark, the closest town to the Beast Kingdom’s border. However, the Double Digits were not exactly the type to follow orders with quiet obedience.

“Word is those brats the First Rank mentioned are passing through here soon,” one said.

“For real? I thought they said nobody knew which way they were coming from?”

“That’s why you’re stuck at Ninety-seventh Rank forever. You need to broaden your information gathering, moron.”

The Ninety-seventh Rank scowled at the rebuke. “Like you’re one to talk! You’re still only Ninety-first Rank. There isn’t that much of a gap between us!”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. How naive. A six-rank difference is a chasm you’ll never cross.”

“Damn you... one of these days, I’m going to wipe that smirk off your face!”

As the Ninety-seventh Rank seethed, a High Ranker—the Eighty-first Rank—approached to join the conversation.

“You lot, are you keeping a proper watch?”

“Obviously. We’re doing enough work for you, too.”

“Cheeky as always. But I’ll allow it.” The Eighty-first Rank gave a predatory smile. “I hear these targets are the ones who took down the Single Digits.”

“W-Wait, really? If they’re that dangerous, shouldn’t we just stay out of their way?”

“No. The three of us are going to cooperate and take them down ourselves.”

“Impossible! No way! They beat the Ninth! We don't stand a chance!”

“If we fought them head-on? Certainly. But what if we lure them into dropping their guard? We could manage that, couldn't we?”

“I... I don't know...”

“Are you really going to throw away a chance to rocket up the rankings? These people beat a Single Digit. That means if we take them out, any one of us could realistically claim a spot in the Single Digits ourselves.”

“T-That... that does sound good. Fine! I’ll do it!” the Ninety-seventh Rank declared, his greed finally outweighing his fear.

The Ninety-first Rank gave a reluctant nod. “...Fine. I’ll provide the minimum amount of support necessary.”

For some reason, his Sixth Sense was screaming at him to stay as far away from this operation as possible. He decided he would stick strictly to a backup role.

“Coward. Fine then. We’ll get ready to bait them!”

“Haha! This is it. I can finally see myself as a High Ranker. I can’t wait.”

The two began their preparations in high spirits, moving to intercept Yuri’s party just outside the town limits.

“Ah, there! I see them!”

“Get into position. Remember, act like normal townspeople.”

“I know, I know.”

They watched as a carriage approached with incredible momentum. It was moving so fast it looked like it would flatten anyone in its path, but they assumed no one would actually enter a town at full tilt. Surely, the driver would slow down.

However—

“Wait... aren’t those guys part of the Double Digits?”

“Umu. It would appear so.”

The Empire’s scouts had failed to account for one thing: that two of the Single Digits were currently riding along as allies. Unaware of the trap, the giant, white, fluffy mass of wool barreling toward the town didn't slow down. It didn't even acknowledge the men. It simply consumed the Double Digits in its path, continuing its charge toward the gates without losing a fraction of its speed.

Seeing that they were about to plow straight through the town wall, I was forced to use my Earth Magic to bring the whole chaotic mess to a violent, grinding halt.