Extra S*ave Saves the Crown Prince Chapter 23

Evening, with the sunset fading. In the center of the Enafork encampment, people were gathered in a noisy crowd. This was because there had been an order for every non-combatant to assemble without exception.

 

“Today, we will conduct a mock drill in preparation for the event that a Beasts appears inside the fortress. This is a direct order from His Highness, who wishes to minimize casualties, so treat this as the real thing and stay sharp, everyone!”

 

A Thorn Knight stood atop a tree stump. Next to him was the knight who had introduced himself as “Baslow,” so I focused on hiding myself as much as possible behind the crowd.

 

『Nice to meet you!』 That hearty voice still echoed in my ears. He might not remember my face, but since he was one of His Highness’s closest aides, I had to be careful.

 

“If a Beasts appears inside the fortress, the flag will be waved up and down.”

 

The flag bearers, who had been waiting atop the fortress, moved the flags up and down in response to the signal. Instead of waving them side to side, the motion was strictly vertical. In sync with that, a drum sounded with a thud!

 

“Understood? Make sure to watch and remember that signal!”

 

Everyone listened to the knight’s words, holding their breath. That signal was directly tied to their lives, so it had to be memorized.

 

“I get how you feel, but being this close is a bit much.”

 

Someone whispered in front of me, and I froze for a moment. That oily voice. I must have ended up behind him while trying to hide among the people. I had tried so hard to avoid him. What a disaster.

 

“Lord Rond, you’re here too.”

 

All that talk about knight training and whatnot, I didn’t expect him to be standing here among the non-combatants.

 

“I told you, I’m still in training.”

 

Perhaps he read my expression, as he offered an excuse on his own.

 

“The moment you see that signal, you will exit the fortress through that door. To prevent a rush, everyone must form a line and move in order.”

 

On the outer edge of the fortress was a small door, just big enough for one or two people to pass through at a time.

 

“Gasp!”

 

“We’re supposed to go outside the fortress?”

 

The crowd buzzed, each person adding a word. The priests, slaves, and attendants here had never once set foot outside the fortress.

 

“Focus! If a Beasts appears inside the fortress, it may actually be safer to go outside.”

 

“Um, Sir Knight! What about the injured?”

 

A priest raised a hand and asked a question.

 

“The knights will separately escort the medical unit. Only those gathered here need to move.”

 

“Yes, understood.”

 

“All right, everyone return to your previous positions. When you see the signal, calmly gather at that door. Once again, this is a drill.”

 

Everyone dispersed, dazed but tense. I, too, returned to the herb storeroom, sticking close to the others to avoid catching Baslow’s eye.

 

“Priest.”

 

“Oh, Sez.”

 

“Are you all right?”

 

Oment, who always wore a relaxed and smiling expression, was for once stiff-faced. Perhaps he was nervous since this was his first drill.

 

“Oh, of course. I’m fine, really.”

 

Even his voice sounded a bit unnatural.

 

Bwooooooo.

 

As promised, the horn sounded. When Oment and I stepped outside, we saw the flag moving vertically. Even though I knew it was just a drill, my heart raced. Perhaps because it was also a drill for the knights and soldiers, everyone quickly scattered to their assigned positions.

 

“Move as quickly as possible.”

 

As the priests and I walked out slowly, the knight guiding us urged us to walk faster. The door was on the fortress’s outer edge, so we had to walk to a place we didn’t usually visit.

 

One of these barracks must be where the Crown Prince is staying. I glanced around as we walked.

 

“Sez. Are you looking for me?”

 

Why did I keep running into him? Even without seeing his face, I could tell who it was just by his voice.

 

“No need to worry. I can protect myself.”

 

If that’s true, why are you standing here among the non-combatants?

 

“Don’t stop, keep walking.”

 

When the attendant who reached the door first hesitated, the line quickly started to bunch up. Since no one had ever been outside the fortress, everyone seemed reluctant. Not just the attendant—everyone’s face was stiff with the same thought.

 

At the knight’s urging, people quietly formed a line and exited one by one. I was near the back, so I could only go out after most had already left. Since this was just in case the inside of the fortress became dangerous, we didn’t go far but huddled together near the door.

 

Enafork was surrounded on all sides by high mountains, except for the fortress itself. Between the ruins of buildings, black ash was piled everywhere. These were the remains left after burning Beasts. The wind still carried the scent of blood.

 

What’s that?

 

In the center of the lowest area, a tall building wall remained. Vines had climbed up that wall, making it the tallest structure I’d seen since coming to this world. Was it a tower or something like that?

 

Now, only ruins remained, making it hard to guess what kind of building it had been. With just the wall left standing alone, it looked even more desolate.

 

“Aren’t you scared?”

 

Oment followed my gaze to the wall.

 

“No.”

 

“Really? Most people seem to dislike or fear it.”

 

Looking around, I saw everyone’s faces frozen. Most people couldn’t even look toward Enafork. Especially Rond, who stared at the door with a face white as a sheet.

 

“They were said to be especially fond of high places. That must be a remnant of that.”

 

Oment, like me, was gauging the height of the wall. The way he said “they” felt odd. Enafork was a city where the Epilo tribe lived, and they had all gathered here before being wiped out.

 

I knew the setting from the Original Story, but seeing it with my own eyes made it feel even lonelier.

 

“Can we go back in now?”

 

“We’ll go in soon, so wait.”

 

Rond couldn’t stand it and asked the knight. He really, truly hated being here. For ordinary people, this must be a place they’d never want to come.

 

I looked around Enafork. The fortress was on higher ground, making it easy to look down over the whole city. I felt no familial attachment, but knowing that people with the same abilities as me once lived here sparked a bit of curiosity.

 

Did the mother who gave birth to this body live here too?

 

Did they know their city would become a ruin full of Beasts corpses?

 

Did they open the dimensional rift knowing that?

 

Why did they have to open a dimension where Beasts lived?

 

I looked carefully, hoping for a clue about the rift, but felt nothing at all. This is why you have to read a novel all the way to the end. Since I only read the parts with the male lead, I retained nothing about the setting.

 

“All right, let’s have the front row go in first.”

 

The knight stood by the door to guide us back inside. Since everyone was already eager to leave, they hurried in one after another.

 

“Huh…?”

 

I felt the flow of air change. A chill ran up my body as if I’d been caught in cold rain. Suddenly, it felt like the ground beneath my feet dropped away. I remembered feeling this way just a few days ago.

 

Bwooooooooo-!

 

The horn sounded loudly. Biting my lip, I looked up to see the flag moving vertically. It was the signal that had started the mock drill.

 

“Aaaaaaah!”

 

Those who had entered first screamed and poured back out. Their disorderly retreat caused those waiting at the door to be knocked down and trampled.

 

“It’s a Beasts!”

 

“What’s going on! What happened!”

 

People were confused, hearing the flag and drum.

 

“The drill has become real.”

 

Oment and I locked eyes. He was looking at me with an unusually grave expression.

 

Crash! Bang!

 

Something was being violently destroyed inside the fortress. The drill had been to prepare for a Beasts appearing inside, but now it had become reality. Some people crouched with their ears covered, some were injured at the door, and everyone else was frozen, unable to do anything.

 

‘He must be at the front again.’

 

In this place where battles broke out almost daily, he lived his everyday life. Fighting Beasts that could appear at any moment—was there ever a moment he could rest in peace?

 

I clasped my hands together and once again desperately, desperately wished for his safety, for him not to be hurt.

 

.*. *. *. *. *. *.

 

Late at night.

 

When we returned inside the fortress, no one said a word. If this hadn’t been a drill, some of us might not have survived.

 

I was among the last to go in, and as expected, the acrid smell hit me first. They were burning the Beasts corpses.

 

“Gasp!”

 

Rond, who had rushed in first, sank to the ground with a gasp. Passing by the ruined barracks, we came to where the Beasts corpses were being gathered. It was the same place where everyone had assembled for the drill earlier. There, the Beasts corpses were burning fiercely.

 

They were so badly chopped up that it was hard to tell their original forms, but I could see a lump that seemed to be a face. One eye glowed red in the flames. Even knowing it was dead, the moment I met that eye, my whole body froze.

 

Some Beasts had skin as hard as wood, others had soft, squishy skin. More than half had already burned, but their size was still evident.

 

“Ugh!”

 

Some people gagged at the sight. On the outskirts, away from the Beasts, soldiers were lying down. They looked more like the dead than the wounded, lined up so neatly.

 

Seeing them, my legs gave out even more than when I saw the Beasts. Smoke blew my way on the wind, so I covered my nose and mouth with one arm. The sting brought tears to my eyes, blurring my vision. I just crouched there for a moment, not knowing what to do first even though I knew I had to do something.

 

Sensing someone’s gaze, I looked to the side and saw a priest watching me. Normally, he would have asked if I was all right and helped me up, but he just stood there with a stiff face before turning away.

 

He must be going to help the wounded. I forced myself to stand and follow.

 

“Your Highness.”

 

It was then. At those two words behind me, I froze on the spot.

 

The people beside me suddenly bowed their waists. It seemed he had appeared behind us. I was frozen, staring at the burning Beasts.

 

“It seems Divine Power is needed. Except for those in critical condition, gather the priests so that everyone can receive it.”

 

His voice gave instructions that spiritual comfort was needed.

 

“Yes, Your Highness. But…”

 

I wished he would just pass by behind me, but at the same time, I wanted to hear his voice more. It had been so long since I heard it that it seemed to cling deep in my chest.

 

“Your Highness, um, your arm is bleeding…”

 

His arm is bleeding? I wanted to turn and look, but I clenched my fist and held back.

 

“I want you to gather them now.”

 

“Yes, understood.”

 

A brief silence fell, and in the end, Oment answered first. What was going on? Was he hurt? But I couldn’t check, so I could only bite my lip. I couldn’t move forward or back, just waited for him to pass by.

 

“Are you going to stay there?”

 

Oment’s worried voice. I must have looked strange, standing there without turning around. No, please, just pass by now. I’ll follow soon. Once I’m sure he’s gone, I’ll follow. Please, just leave me as I am for now.

 

All my nerves were focused behind me. Had he gone? Was he moving somewhere else by now? He must have left, right?

 

“Sez?”

 

Oment’s voice came, a step closer.