Let’s Block the Ruined Route in Advance Chapter 106

“I need coffee. Coffee.”

 

After a few more battles, Verotanis’s special squad was now more than just a support unit, but a separate unit.

 

Those who weren’t cut out for it left, and those who remained became increasingly bonded and began to function as a unit. But the familiarity of combat didn’t make the fatigue go away.

 

“I could live.”

 

“I told you to drink potions.”

 

Cordelia glared at Eileen as she sipped her iced coffee.

 

“Potions don’t taste like this.”

 

Eileen savored the strong caffeine rush as it washed through her system. Memories of her previous life, when working overtime was the norm, flooded back.

 

Knowing the truth hadn’t changed their routine for now. For now, they were more concerned with averting the impending catastrophe than tracking down Urzar and his changed plans.

 

Magi and the schemes Nox had gathered over two hundred years were just as vicious and deeply ingrained.

 

“Let’s go, we’re supposed to be in thirty minutes.”

 

Lucian, sword sheathed, approached Eileen and Cordelia, followed by a heavily laden Laquerta.

 

“Uh, we’re going together this time?”

 

“Yep. It’s a stronghold type demon, so we decided to build a barracks outside its stronghold.”

 

“I’m sure it was hard to heal the wounded last time.”

 

Eileen is used to battles. Which is to say, she’s also used to injury and loss. Though they were still students and had been mobilized for relatively low-risk tasks, there were still some who had been seriously injured, including the loss of limbs.

 

“If you get cut, make sure you bring it out. I’ll need to glue it back on.” Laquerta said with a serious face.

 

“Can you just tell me not to get hurt?!”

 

Eileen slapped Laquerta on the back, then regretted it when her hand hurt.

 

‘It’s a stone, it’s a stone!’

 

It was a playful conversation, but the content of it was heavy, and they held their tongues; it seemed like a distant memory of splashing around in the water and playing pranks on each other.

 

“Eileen, go over there.”

 

“Uh-huh.”

 

A battle ensued. Eileen, now skillfully controlling her abilities, cut off the creature’s breathing. It didn’t touch her directly, but Star’s senses could clearly feel something explode.

 

‘It wasn’t that long ago.’

 

It was funny how she’d gotten used to the smell of blood and demonic gore.

 

“That’s awful.”

 

Eileen shook her head, trying to shake off the tingling sensation in her fingertips. She wanted to remain as calm as possible for the battle ahead, but she couldn’t help the shadows that were suddenly falling.

 

When the last demon was safely disposed of, someone let out a groan they’d been holding in.

 

“Ugh.”

 

A student rolled on the ground, clutching his thigh after a spider-like creature tore off some of his flesh. The wound had been skillfully tended to by the mage from the tower, but the pain was excruciating, as if it had been poisoned.

 

This is what it looked like. Prioritizing the targets in front of him, moving in a prescribed order, even as his companion writhed in pain.

 

Eileen thought she was getting a little tired as she watched him disappear on the other man’s back.

 

“Eileen.”

 

A face popped up from beneath the bowed head.

 

“Whoa!”

 

Eileen jumped, startled, and Felix grabbed her arm.

 

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

 

“Awww. No, no, what’s wrong?”

 

“I was just calling you?”

 

Eileen’s face lit up in question, and when she looked at him strangely, Felix met her gaze and smirked. Feeling a little drained, Eileen pushed Felix’s cheek.

 

“There, there, there.”

 

“It’s soft, isn’t it? You can touch it some more.”

 

“What?”

 

Felix slid his hand up the back of Eileen’s hand and onto his own cheek. Eileen’s face flushed as a full, white, smooth cheek cupped in her palm.

 

“Let’s get out of here!”

 

Felix, who had been watching Eileen with amusement as she shoved past him, slowly followed her, and Cordelia, who had been watching the whole thing from behind, clicked her tongue.

 

It was funny how he could slaughter a demon without a care in the world. Cordelia glanced back to see Lucian staring darkly in the direction they’d disappeared. Sighing heavily, Cordelia walked over to Lucian and lightly kicked him in the shin.

 

“Ack, what is it?!”

 

“Revenge from a past life.”

 

“What?!”

 

Spewing unintelligible words, Cordelia strode ahead of him.

 

“Come on, let’s go home without you being pathetic.”

 

It was a small price to pay for what he had done, but it was beyond Lucian’s comprehension now. Lucian grumbled and followed Cordelia.

 

 

***

 

 

“I’ve arranged for you to be housed in Roswin, close to the clearing, until your next mission.”

 

Eileen and Laquerta’s eyes widened at Albert’s words.

 

“Roswin?!”

 

“Baron Roswin is definitely around here.”

 

“Hooray, that means we can meet Andrew.”

 

Laquerta snorted, his excitement evident in his eyes. It was late at night, as the moon was setting, when they arrived at the Roswin estate, excitedly packing their bags.

 

“Welcome.”

 

Baron Roswin himself came out to greet them. Eileen and Laquerta searched eagerly for Andrew, but for some reason, he was nowhere to be seen, with only his wife and firstborn son standing behind him.

 

“I don’t suppose he’s already asleep.”

 

“Has he been away for a while?”

 

When he didn’t show up for the late dinner that followed, their suspicions deepened.

 

“He’s not coming.”

 

“I see.”

 

Eileen and Laquerta sipped their dessert cocoa somberly.

 

“Good morning, Lucian, the Duke of Gaudium.”

 

Baroness Roswin and Liam, the family’s eldest son, approached their table. Lucian rose in one smooth motion and returned the greeting.

 

“Thank you for your hospitality, Baroness.”

 

“You must be very fortunate to have such a brilliant son, Duke. This is Liam, the eldest, who, due to circumstances, was unable to attend Verotanis, but I am told he is a very bright boy.”

 

Liam stepped forward and bowed. He looked like Andrew, but with sharper eyes, and Lucian shook his hand.

 

“Nice to meet you. Oh, by any chance, is Andrew not at the manor? We were on a side activity together in Verotanis, but I didn’t see him today.”

 

The Baroness’s eyes widened at that.

 

“Ah, ah, so you knew our Andrew, my dear, why didn’t he tell me that. Ho ho.”

 

Wringing her hands, the Baroness glanced at the maid behind her.

 

“Bring him in, I’m sorry, he doesn’t like to be moved, it’s just that he went into his room to sleep early and I didn’t bring him out.”

 

At that, Eileen and Laquerta exchanged glances.

 

Andrew was enthusiastic enough to be the head of Verotanis; there was no way he would not come to see his friends just because they were bothering him.

 

“Goodbye, then…”

 

The Baroness left first, and Liam followed her with an unreadable expression. It was late in the evening when Andrew arrived at the dining hall, long after all the other students had gone back to their dorms.

 

“Andrew!”

 

“Sorry, you’ve been waiting a long time, haven’t you?”

 

Andrew entered the dining hall, smiling as cheerfully as ever. Eileen, relieved to see him looking as unharmed as she’d feared, stiffened slightly at his smile.

 

‘Are your clothes…’

 

Andrew was wearing a large robe. It was a good quality suit of fine fabric, but it left his arms looking like they belonged to someone else.

 

‘It looks like it might fit that Liam I saw earlier.’

 

No one asked if Andrew was uncomfortable, but the perceptive Andrew could tell from the silence that his friends had noticed something.

 

“I didn’t want to be found out like this, but I guess it’s the way it is.”

 

This level of embarrassment and shame was something he was used to by now.

 

Andrew Roswin Biggie. Smiling everywhere.

 

The boy in the mismatched suit smiled forcibly.