“Hey, Saias, where are you going?”
We had finished supporting Cruse and were about to head back when I noticed Saias heading in the opposite direction from where we had come.
“I’m heading out to support the Third Squad on the mountain. Look there—the monsters aren’t just targeting the gate; some are branching off toward the peaks on either side. The left side, where the Third Squad is stationed, has a gentler slope, and it’s swarming with monsters. A fierce battle is already underway. If I don’t go, they’ll simply rise again as undead, and the battle line will collapse. …Besides, Lloyd took all the credit back there. I can’t very well return while the pride of House Revenant remains tarnished.”
He mumbled the last part, so I couldn't quite catch it, but his first point was sound.
The other units likely couldn't use Ki, so we were exactly who they needed. Plus, I might finally get a chance to see Saias’s Bloodline Magic this time.
“In that case, I think I’ll go too.”
“What?! Y-You intend to come as well? If so, you should head toward the Fourth Squad...”
“There’s no fighting going on over there, is there? Come on, let’s hurry.”
With a seemingly reluctant Saias in tow, we set off toward the mountain.
◇
“By the way, your name is Bills, right? It’s surprising to see a savage like you following a kid like Lloyd so obediently, aru.”
As we traveled, Tao struck up a conversation with Bills.
“Hah, the boss can be a bit of a softy. I’ve gotta see for myself if this brat has the caliber to lead my men—yours truly does, y’know.”
Tao burst out laughing at Bills’s heavy sigh.
“Ahahaha! Bills is surprisingly a hard worker, aru. But there’s no need to worry. You’ll understand Lloyd’s greatness soon enough, ne.”
“I hope so… Oh, looks like the next battlefield is in sight.”
Just as Bills said, traces of combat began to appear. The fighting on the mountain seemed far more intense than it had looked from a distance; corpses were strewn everywhere. If left alone, they would just turn into undead, so we aimed to rendezvous with the Third Squad while incinerating the remains along the way.
“Hey, isn’t that them?”
Bills, who was walking ahead, spotted a unit engaged in combat. A small group of soldiers appeared to have been cut off from the rest and were currently surrounded by a swarm of monsters.
“Tch, fine then, you small fry. Men, let’s kick some ass!”
Leading his bandits, Bills charged forward and plunged into the monster horde in an instant.
“Kuh, we mustn't fall behind!”
Saias hurriedly rushed in to join the fray as well. Attacked from the rear, the monster swarm collapsed immediately and began to scatter.
“Are you all okay?”
When I called out to the soldiers after the fight, they hurriedly bowed their heads in a panic.
“Master Lloyd! Thank you so much for saving us from such a dire situation!”
“Tch, we’re the ones who saved you, you idiots.”
“O-Oh, is that so! My apologies!”
“Boss, the soldiers are actually thanking us! Gyahaha! This feels great!”
Ignoring the boisterous Bills and his men, I got straight to the point.
“More importantly, where is the main force?”
“…The main force is currently retreating. We were serving as the rearguard, but we were pinned down by the enemy.”
The soldier spoke as if he were swallowing a bitter pill.
“Hey, hey, we’re already near the summit, aren't we? If you fall back any further…”
“Yes. The main force is currently at the top of the mountain… at the Absolute Defense Line.”
Looking up, I could see white smoke rising from the peak.
◇
“This is the Absolute Defense Line! I repeat! This is the Absolute Defense Line! You must never let them through! Defend it to the death! Do not let them pass, even if you die! I repeat…”
“Whoa, he’s really fired up, y’know.”
As we approached the summit, the shouting became clear. Captain Freugel of the Third Squad was barking orders repeatedly.
“Captain Freugel!”
“Oh, you’re safe! …And who might these people be?”
“They are the Seventh Prince Lloyd’s unit. They saved us when we were surrounded.”
“What! Reinforcements have arrived?! This is a godsend! Heeeeey! Everyone, reinforcements are here!”
“Uooooooh!”
The soldiers let out a massive cheer, though honestly, there aren't even two thousand of us. I didn't think we could really be that much help.
“Come, this way, please. You must be exhausted. Please, rest while you can.”
Guided to a tent, we were presented with a surprisingly luxurious meal.
“Guf-guf, you guys are eating some good stuff. You’ve got plenty of leeway, y’know.”
“Mof-mof, this is Orc meat, aru! Depending on the type, monster meat can be a top-tier ingredient, ne.”
“…You two, at least try to savor it while you eat.”
Ren of the Poison Moth had apparently helped prepare it. Having been trained by Sylpha daily, her cooking skills had become quite impressive.
“You’ve improved, Ren.”
“Ehehe, really? Ehehehehe.”
Leaving the blushing Ren aside, I turned to Freugel.
“…So, I’d like to hear the details of the situation?”
“Yes… At first, we had the advantage thanks to the incline, but we were gradually overwhelmed by the enemy's numbers. We were driven back bit by bit until we were pushed all the way up here. We’ve been trying to hold our ground by sheer force of will, but…”
“Hah, if spirit alone could protect things, no one would have any trouble.”
“I have no excuse. I finally understand why Lord Shneider told us to focus solely on defense.”
Freugel slumped his shoulders dejectedly at Bills’s blunt remark. In truth, the Third Squad’s numbers had dwindled significantly. Compared to the amount of monsters we had seen on the way up, it didn't look like a force that could possibly hold out.
“I mean, if Lloyd got serious, couldn't he just wipe out all the monsters instantly?”
“That’s impossible, Ren. I’ve deployed quite a few Magic Soldiers, so I can’t use anything too powerful.”
“…Is that so?”
For some reason, she looked at me with suspicious eyes, but it was the truth. Since I was maintaining so many soldiers, I couldn't use Multiple Synthesis Magic or Large-scale Magic, which meant Wide-range Annihilation was off the table. Even the Multi-Magic Barrier I kept active was down to only three layers. I could still manage Supreme Magic, but even that was weakened; I’d only be able to wipe out a few hundred monsters at once.
“No, I think that’s more than enough…”
“In the first place, there aren’t many people who can even use Supreme Magic properly at all.”
For some reason, Grimo and Jiriel were looking at me with expressions of utter disbelief, but it must have been my imagination. As we spoke, Freugel bowed his head to me.
“Master Lloyd! You have Mars Birgitte, the man called the Empire's Strongest Strategist, under your command, do you not? If it is him, surely he could find a way out of this predicament! Please, will you lend us your strength?!”
“Ask Mars, huh…”
When I had left the main unit, Mars had told me something.
—If you ever find yourself in need of my wisdom, please rely on Bills. I have trained him as a military strategist from the ground up, and he has his own experience as a bandit to draw from. In a mountain battle, I am sure he will be of more use to you than I ever could be.—
…Could he have foreseen things turning out like this? If so, Mars was truly a terrifying man.
“Hey, Bills. How would you handle this situation?”
“Hmm, let’s see…”
Bills scratched his head and thought for a moment before a smirk played across his lips.
“If it were me, I’d abandon this place and retreat—I suppose.”