Welcome to Hell!

Chapter 98: The Carnela Port Recapture Operation (5)

The exhausted land, having used up all its strength, had become dry and crackling, resembling the sand I often used. The imperial soldier said it was terrible, yet in its absence of undulations or weeds, it appeared fitting for establishing a camp. After halting the advance at night, it took the imperial soldiers a relatively short time to pitch their tents.

We swiftly set up our own tents and appeased our hunger with the hard bread provided. Subsequently, we divided into three groups and further subdivided them to maintain surveillance of the surroundings.

“It still gets chilly at night… but this temperature is just right for me,”

“Yes, it feels refreshing,”

The two people on guard duty with me were Linardo and Thuru. There was a reason they were chosen. It was because these two were the ones heading towards the battleship with me and the flying demons.

I had conversed with the two of them multiple times through previous training, and we didn’t have any animosity towards each other. However, considering the mission where we had to entrust our lives to one another, we decided to carry out this simple task together beforehand.

It was nighttime, but this didn’t matter to us, as our night vision served us well in times like these. With no obstructions in sight, our guard duty was excellent, and we couldn’t see or sense any signs of the enemy. It seemed unlikely that we would be subjected to a nighttime ambush.

“Hey, Thuru. Aren’t you nervous about the upcoming mission?”

“Well, um, I don’t think I’m really nervous,”

Following Linardo’s abrupt question, Thuru shook her head in her usual mellow tone. Despite the perilous nature of the mission, there was no trace of anxiety in Thuru’s demeanor. It seemed like she had nerves of steel beneath her calm appearance.

“What about you, Linardo?”

“Not nervous in the slightest… I wish I could say that, but look,”

Linardo said, showing his hands to Thuru. His hands were trembling ever so slightly. It was evident that the trembling wasn’t caused by the cold. After all, such cold wouldn’t affect someone like Linardo, who was a demon.

“Fighting for my life doesn’t scare me. In fact, it’s almost exhilarating. Especially the thrill of overcoming a close battle, it’s the best feeling. And even the prospect of dying in combat doesn’t frighten me. I’ve long surpassed the phase of being terrified by such things. But…”

Linardo clenched his fists tightly, and even his clenched fists trembled slightly.

“If we mess up, our comrades might die. Their lives… their fate rests on my shoulders. It’s the first time I’ve been in a position where lives other than my own are at stake. It’s pathetic that I feel nervous, isn’t it?”

After saying that, Linardo let out a weak laugh. He was an exceptional warrior, focused on defeating enemies with his spear. Charging into enemy lines and taking them down was his style.

Constantly fighting on the most dangerous frontlines, it could be said that he faced the greatest risk to his own life. However, he had never before assumed the responsibility of commanding everyone’s lives or acted as a shield to protect his allies like a heavy armored warrior would. The mission to destroy the battleship would be his first battle where the fate of his comrades was in his hands.

Right then, Thuru gently enveloped Linardo’s clenched fists with both hands while wearing a smile on her face. Shaking her head, she assured him that it wasn’t pathetic.

“Linardo, you have a strong sense of responsibility. When I use my shield to protect everyone, I’m also always nervous. If I make a mistake, it could result in injuries for the people behind me.”

“How do you overcome it?” Linardo asked.

“I don’t really overcome it. I’m just always desperate. I become so desperate that I act before I even have time to think,”

With a sunny smile and a chuckle, Thuru concluded, “I’m not very smart.” After gazing at her face directly for a while, taking in her current expression, Linardo noticed something. The trembling of his hand had ceased.

Instead of teasing him about his trembling, she acknowledged that it stemmed from his strong sense of responsibility. She provided her own solution, or so it could be called. And with that, Linardo muttered softly, “I’m no match.”

“You truly… No, this is one of your flaws that I fell in love with. Hey, Thuru,” Linardo said.

“What is it?” Thuru replied.

“After this mission, will you become my wife?”

“…Ehh?!”

Thuru momentarily couldn’t comprehend what Linardo had just confessed. However, it didn’t take long for her to grasp its meaning, and her face turned crimson red.

Now, at what moment should I make my presence known? Actually, a while ago, I indicated with a gesture that I would scout the surroundings a little further before stepping away. It was during that time that they started having that conversation.

Even though I was lacking in understanding the intricacies of human emotions, I still couldn’t possibly disrupt the current atmosphere. And so, I held my breath and patiently waited for the opportune moment.

◆◇◆◇◆◇

As the morning broke, the Imperial Army’s advance continued, and after a while, they eventually spotted the food storage facility that Mika and Rinne had previously sneaked into. There were no defensive measures in place, and no signs of life could be seen. It stood there as an empty husk.

Even though there was an eerie silence, there was a possibility that something was lurking inside. The Imperial Army decided to send a unit to secure the facility, just in case. And it was Karelvo who volunteered for the task.

He boasted proudly that his team of demons possessed heightened senses, allowing them to detect any hidden presence, regardless of its whereabouts. Given Karelvo’s strong claims and undeniable confidence as the Emperor’s guest spiritualist, they entrusted him with the mission.

“It seems that his excellency the General, being wary of the presence of traps, originally intended to send a specialized unit for reconnaissance and trap disarming.”

“But we have to be cautious when it comes to that spiritualist, who enjoys the Emperor’s favor,”

Marcellus and Decius informed us, who were in the rear, about the situation. In order to showcase the usefulness of his demons, Karelvo was able to express his opinions to the leaders of this legion… The authority of the Emperor in the Empire is truly formidable.

In my mind, I asked Mika if there was anything inside that facility. He slightly widened his eyes and then shook her head subtly. It seemed that Mika also concluded that there was nothing. Sacrificing unnecessary lives during the river crossing escort and rushing towards capturing the base… It feels like we’re just spinning our wheels.

Dooooooo!

“What was that sound!?”

“I heard it coming from that facility… Smoke is rising.” Decius said.

While contemplating such thoughts, we heard a loud explosion coming from that facility. Just as Decius had mentioned, even without straining our eyes, we could clearly see thick black smoke rising from the facility, reaching towards the sky.

It appears that traps were indeed set in that facility. I could hear the cries and shouts of Karelvo’s demons, who were inside the facility, in my ears. It seemed that panic was spreading within the Imperial Army as well. However, there were also those who moved swiftly to respond.

A group of about a hundred individuals made their way towards the facility, where the intermittent explosions continued. Could it be a rescue team? It must be tough for them to be tasked with cleaning up Karelvo’s mess.

“There have been multiple explosions, but do you think there might be a spiritualist lurking inside? I don’t sense any spiritual power… Could it be because we’re too far away?” Decius asked

“No, that’s not it. Didn’t you hear Asumi’s story too? It seems the Republic possesses substances that can cause explosions without using spiritual arts. I believe they mentioned something like gunpowder. It used to be used in firearms… Wait, what’s with that expression on your face?” Marcellus said.

Ah, now that I think about it, that prisoner… I remember Asumi talking about something like that. It’s difficult to listen when I hear voices overlapping each other. Plus, since Mika remembers every single word, I didn’t have to make an effort to memorize it, which made my recollection hazy.

Marcellus quoted Asumi’s words, but Decius narrowed his eyes at him, sending a suspicious glance his way. Marcellus seemed to flinch as if he had something to hide.

“Asumi, huh? I’ve been thinking for a while now, Vice-Captain, but the two of you seems quite close,” Decius remarked.

“It’s better to approach her in a friendly manner if we want her to share information, rather than being confrontational or strictly business-like, don’t you think? Besides, she’s not such a bad person…” Marcellus said.

“Even if she’s not a bad person, she’s still an enemy. And the moment she becomes unable to provide valuable information, she becomes expendable. Do you understand that?” Decius said.

“…!”

Marcellus grabbed Decius by the collar, pulling him closer in a cold way. Marcellus was furious to an extent I had never seen before. We watched in astonishment at the scene unfolding before us.

However, Decius remained completely unfazed. On the contrary, his gaze turned even colder as he glared back at Marcellus. The other Imperial soldiers were in a state of confusion, unable to intervene and halt the confrontation between the two.

“…I’m sorry. Your point is valid,” Marcellus said.

“No, I went too far with my words.”

The argument between the two seemed like it might escalate into a physical confrontation, but when Marcellus regained his composure and released his grip, we witnessed a tentative resolution. Both Marcellus and Decius acknowledged their own faults and offered apologies. With the tense atmosphere diffused, everyone silently breathed a sigh of relief.

However, Decius’s words seemed to have cast a shadow over Marcellus ‘s mind. His expression grew stern, indicating that he was troubled by something. Marcellus was a kind-hearted person, not harboring prejudice against demons like us. On the contrary, he advocated for improving our treatment and even approached higher-ups on our behalf. He must be contemplating how to save Asumi.

If there’s anything I can do to help, I would gladly offer my assistance. But for now, I want them to focus on the imminent battle unfolding before us. I hope that their lack of concentration doesn’t lead to the loss of my comrades. Lost in such thoughts, I gazed vaguely at the smoke rising ahead.