Chapter 114

El’s report about the discovery of a new monster horde had caught Harold completely off guard. In the original story, there was never any mention of a town other than Travis being besieged by monsters.

However, he hesitated to simply dismiss this as an irregular development triggered by his own actions. The most glaring discrepancy was El’s finding that "traces of modifications inside the mine shafts date back roughly ten years."

If something had been underway for a decade, that would mean it started two years before Kazuki Hirasawa ever woke up as Harold. Furthermore, Justus was only supposed to have learned of Harold’s existence five years ago, when the boy first crossed paths with the Knight Order.

In other words, it wasn't necessarily that the original story had changed; it was more likely that this plot had always existed in the background, simply occurring outside the narrative’s focus. If that were the case, there had to be a reason for Justus to be operating so secretly in the town of Burston.

(Well, that’s assuming the culprit actually is Justus...)

Harold gave himself that much of an out internally, though given the circumstances, there was almost no doubt it involved the doctor. Even without hard proof, there were things he could infer from his knowledge of the game.

In the final stages of the story, a giant flying fortress appears. To keep it airborne, there are energy portals that transmit power to it. Historically, the fortress and the portals were ancient legacies, much like the ruins, but it was Justus who had restored them to a functional state.

If such a portal lay dormant deep beneath Burston, it made perfect sense for Justus to have been working there in the shadows for the last ten years.

(The problem is, I have no idea what these portals actually look like or how they work.)

In the game, the term "energy portal" was only mentioned a handful of times. Their locations, shapes, and underlying principles were never explained. Then again, even if someone explained the physics to him, Harold probably wouldn't understand it anyway.

Several other points bothered him, but for now, he had to move forward while assuming the worst.

"Lost in thought, Boss?"

It had been about a week since El’s report. Keith, a member of Frieri accompanying Harold, spoke up as they rode their horses to the foot of the mountain and began the ascent.

Aside from Harold, the mastermind, and El, who handled the command, Keith was the group's de facto leader. Since he managed the men on the ground, it was appropriate to call him a captain. A self-proclaimed ex-mercenary, his combat skills were more than solid, and—though it felt a bit rude to think it—he was surprisingly well-educated.

Even El had remarked that finding someone like him "rolling around in the wild" was a stroke of luck. His speech was coarse, but he was undeniably capable.

"I was deciding how best to evict those fools so I don't have to listen to their mindless prattle."

"Calling it an 'evacuation' sounds nice, but at the end of the day, we’re talking about an eviction notice. You’re gonna get plenty of pushback."

"It simply means there are that many idiots incapable of grasping the situation."

Harold knew his words were harsh, but he didn't doubt the accuracy of El’s intel. If the monsters began their rampage, Burston would be wiped off the map. Even if the people survived, returning to live there would be impossible.

"Abandoning one's home to stay alive... I’m fed up with dealing with morons who can’t make such a basic judgment."

"Haha, you got that right! ...Well, for rootless drifters like us, it’s an easy call. But for folks who’ve been drunk on peace for too long, that logic probably won't fly."

"Humph."

The man had a point. No matter how much you warned people of approaching danger, if they couldn't see or feel it, they wouldn't be convinced to leave their homes on a whim. Furthermore, neither Harold nor Frieri held any official standing.

To the townspeople, they were just a suspicious group of strangers demanding an evacuation based on what sounded like tall tales. There was no reason for them to comply.

"Regardless. I need to see it with my own eyes first."

"Fair enough. Oh, look, there it is."

Following Keith’s gaze, Harold saw stone walls and buildings beginning to peek through the trees. They were finally within a stone's throw of Burston.

El had warned him that the monsters could move at any time, but it appeared the disaster hadn't struck yet. Feeling a brief sense of relief, Harold reached the town entrance.

Since the town had been carved out of the mountain, it was surrounded by impressive stone walls. Unless a truly massive monster attacked, they wouldn't be easily breached. Looking up, Harold noticed structures resembling watchtowers positioned along the top of the walls.

(I assume they plan to hold the monsters at the wall and pick them off from above?)

They were clearly prepared for a siege. When it came to external threats, the town had the advantage of experience.

The real problem, of course, was that this time the threat was going to erupt from the inside.

"I’ve been waiting for you."

As soon as they entered the town, they were greeted by a man in his late forties or fifties. Harold didn't recognize his face, but he knew who he was instantly.

"One of El’s people, I take it."

"Yes. Though your numbers are smaller than I was led to believe."

"If a small army swarms a desolate town like this, it’ll draw unwanted attention."

Harold didn't want the townspeople on high alert from the start, so he had split his forces into a vanguard and a rearguard. The twenty men in the vanguard had entered the town separately at staggered intervals to maintain a low profile.

Of course, time was of the essence. In the worst case, he would have to hold the line alone until the rearguard arrived to help with the evacuation. However, given that it had only been two weeks since the Harrison mansion raid, it was unlikely the plot had progressed that far ahead of schedule.

The rearguard also had the task of gathering necessary supplies. The vanguard had only brought what they could carry immediately, which was far from enough.

"Enough talk. Guide me to the mine shafts at once. You, go regroup with the others and stand by."

"Understood."

"Roger that. Stay safe, Boss."

"Humph. Who do you think you’re talking to?"

Naturally, this was Harold-speak for "thank you." Keith was used to it by now and, without so much as a grimace, headed toward the designated meeting point where Giffelt’s influence was strongest.

"This way, then."

The man led Harold toward the mine shafts.

Once he was sure they weren't being followed or drawing eyes, Harold spoke up.

"What’s the status of the monsters?"

"Still active. When we first found them, they were mostly stationary, only growling now and then. Now they’re shrieking and intimidating each other."

"It’d save us a lot of trouble if they just slaughtered one another."

"Normally, monsters of different species and habitats would do exactly that."

The fact that they weren't doing so suggested they were being managed. Based on Harold’s experience, these kinds of problems never solved themselves easily. The only silver lining was that since he already expected a disaster, the mental toll would be lower when it finally hit.

"Whatever. What about the plan to collapse the entrance before they move?"

"Even if we ignore the cost, we don't have the time or the manpower to fill it in. And we can’t exactly do it without the town’s permission."

"What if I use magic?"

"With your reputation, you could certainly bring the entrance down. But because the shafts were extended without any proper engineering plans, there’s a risk you’ll trigger a chain reaction that collapses the ground right under the town."

In the worst-case scenario, the entire town would be swallowed by the earth. It was too high a risk to take before the people were out.

Still, he couldn't just sit around and wait for the monsters to pour into the streets.

"We’re here. This is one of the shaft entrances."

They were on the outskirts of town where the houses were sparse. A rectangular hole framed in timber was cut into the stone wall that hugged the mountainside. There was a fence to block entry, but it looked flimsy at best.

Unsurprisingly, the town’s defenses hadn't been built to stop something coming out of the mountain.

"You there! What are you doing!?"

Just as they were about to step inside, a voice stopped them.

Harold turned to see a woman a few years older than him, wearing glasses, her wisteria-colored hair fluttering in the wind. She was standing with her hands on her hips. She wasn't a character from the original game.

Her eyes, already sharp and determined, narrowed further as she marched toward them.

"You were about to enter the shaft, weren't you? That is strictly forbidden. It’s dangerous."

"Yes, we’re well aware. That’s why we’re here—to investigate that very danger."

"Investigate the mine...? I haven't heard a word about this."

"It isn't exactly a matter for public record. However, we do have authorization from the town."

The man reached into his coat, pulled out a document, and handed it to her. It was likely a permit obtained under some official-sounding pretext. Being one of El’s kin, the man’s preparation was seamless.

"This is certainly legitimate... but why now, of all times?"

"Personally, I think it’s long overdue. I assume it was simply pushed to the bottom of the pile once the mine closed."

Harold leaned against the stone wall with his arms crossed, watching the exchange. He figured things would go faster if he let the professional handle the talking.

However, when the man turned to enter the shaft with a polite "If you'll excuse us," she stopped them again.

"Wait."

"Is there something else?"

Harold finally snapped. He knew staying quiet was the smart play, but his anxiety to see the interior was mounting. His irritation bled into his voice, making him sound even more abrasive than usual.

"I’m coming with you."

"Denied. That makes no sense."

"It makes perfect sense. I happen to be a member of the town council."

"...What?"

The woman looked to be in her early twenties. No matter how depopulated the town was, it was rare for someone that young to hold such a position.

Either she was exceptionally talented, extremely popular, or she had serious political connections. Regardless of how she got the job, having her on their side might provide the "final word" he needed if things went south.

"Besides, investigating a mine as massive as Burston’s with just the two of you would be quite the chore, wouldn't it?"

She was essentially saying, "I don't trust you." The man looked at Harold, silently asking for a decision.

The man understood the risks and rewards. Since the choice was left to Harold, he didn't hesitate.

"Fine. Follow us. But if you fall behind, I’m leaving you where you stand."

---

Fiona Gwyn watched the two men warily, tracking their every movement. They were incredibly suspicious.

The idea of a mine investigation wasn't entirely unbelievable, but the fact that the news hadn't reached her—one of the few active council members—was a red flag. Furthermore, they were too few in number and poorly equipped for the task.

The middle-aged man carried nothing but a lamp and a map. The tall youth, who looked even younger than her, carried nothing at all. Moreover, the youth was wearing a black coat that was clearly of high quality—hardly the kind of gear one wears into a dusty mine.

(Are they working for the Mayor or the Deputy Mayor? Even so, I don't see why they’d keep it a secret... if it’s just a safety check, they’d usually brief the council.)

Fiona knew she could be a bit stiff and difficult, but she wasn't the type to let her emotions override a logical necessity. If this really was a danger assessment, she wouldn't have objected. The Mayor should have known that.

(If they’re hiding it, there’s either a secret involved, or it’s so urgent they didn't have time to talk... Or both.)

When people talked about the "danger" of the mines, Fiona’s mind immediately went to the collapse ten years ago—the one that had claimed the life of her father, a miner.

But the Burston mine had been closed for years. For someone to be worried about a collapse now suggested that something significant was weighing on their minds.

Filled with unease, she followed them. They didn't stop to look around; they simply forged ahead, heading deeper and deeper underground.

"If I may ask a question..."

The man with the lamp spoke up without turning around.

"What is it?"

"Forgive me, but I was wondering how old you are, Lady Gwyn. You seem quite young for a member of the council."

"I’m twenty-one. My election was largely due to the influence of my uncle, the former mayor."

Two years ago, when her uncle retired, Fiona had run for his seat. It hadn't really been her own idea, but she loved this town and understood that the older generation was desperate to keep young people like her from leaving.

She had been surprised when she actually won, but once she took the job, it was in her nature to give it her all.

"Enough about me. How far do you plan on going?"

"...Don't you think it's strange?"

The youth replied with a question of his own. Unlike his polite companion, his manner was incredibly abrasive. Fiona bit her tongue and asked him to clarify.

"What's strange?"

"The width of this shaft."

Fiona looked around and realized he was right. Compared to the entrance, the tunnel had become much wider and taller. Even if they were carving out a staging area, this scale was excessive.

"Furthermore..."

The youth reached into his coat. Fiona’s eyes widened as he pulled something out. In the flickering lamplight, she saw the cold glint of steel.

"W-What are you doing!?"

"Quiet. Just watch."

For a terrifying second, Fiona thought she had been lured down here to be murdered. But the youth ignored her entirely and slashed at the tunnel wall. Seeing that he wasn't aiming for her, she regained her composure and peered at the rock he had struck.

When Fiona realized what she was looking at, she was struck with pure bewilderment.

"What... is this...?"

The youth’s skill in slicing through solid rock so effortlessly was shocking, but what lay behind the rubble was even more staggering.

Fiona knew these mines; the walls were supposed to be raw bedrock, occasionally braced with timber. But behind the rock wall was something that didn't belong in a mine—a perfectly constructed, artificial wall of bricks.