Wasn’t This Supposed To Be a Strategy Game? Chapter 74

Thirty minutes later, just as Eden had predicted, the sound of footsteps approached the storage room.

Clank.

The heavy sound of a lock being undone echoed through the space. At last, the tightly shut iron door creaked open. Two men stepped into the storage room, raising a lamp high to illuminate the rows of cages within.

“No issues.”

Just like they had seen during the day, the cages were filled with exhausted children, huddled and silent, waiting for their impending death.

Soon, these children would be offered up as sacrifices to monsters.

“Let’s start by moving the ones in here.”

“Damn it, how are the two of us supposed to haul all these brats? They could at least assign us a mage!”

“You idiot. Like they’d waste a precious mage on something like this.”

Grumbling, the men approached the cage where Ella was held.

“But seriously, do you think this really boosts the monsters’ magic power?”

“Yeah, the experiments are already done. It’s confirmed—apparently the younger they are, the purer their soul, and the better the results.”

The men, showing no shame or hesitation, chatted about horrifying things as they began to unlock the cage.

The children no longer had the energy to cry or beg to go home. They merely curled into themselves, limp and lifeless.

“Hm?”

“What is it?”

“One of ‘em looks off. Hey, kid. You sick or something?”

One of the men crouched down and poked at a child lying curled up, clutching their stomach.

“What does it matter? They’re gonna be monster chow anyway. Just leave it.”

“Don’t be stupid! If the meat’s bad, the monsters get sick. That’s why we’ve been taking care of them so far!”

“What? Damn it.”

The men grew serious and rushed over to the limp child.

As the two men bent down to get a closer look at the child who seemed unwell—

A shadow silently appeared behind them, raising a large metal club high into the air—

CLANG!

“Agh!”

The first man collapsed instantly, struck hard in the back of the head. The second man, who had just reached out to check the child’s forehead, gasped and turned around in alarm.

“What the—!”

CLANG!

The ruthless metal club came crashing down on his forehead.

“Gah!”

As both men collapsed to the floor, Eden—her arms numb from the force of her swings—shouted urgently:

“Now, kids!”

Right on cue, the children burst out of the already-unlocked cages and swarmed the fallen men.

In their hands were all sorts of miscellaneous junk they’d gathered from the storage room—now being swung wildly, striking the men again and again.

“Ugh…”

Eyes rolling back, the dazed men couldn’t resist. Within moments, they were tightly bound.

Eden and the children shoved them into one of the cages and locked it firmly.

It had been a gamble, based on the fact that only two men came to check on the children and that any sick ones were always taken to a physician.

A razor-thin success.

“Let’s go!”

There was no time to celebrate. Eden quickly led the children out of the warehouse. If they wanted to meet Asmun quickly, they needed to get to the deck.

“This way!”

Eden kept her voice low as she guided the children. But with over twenty of them, stealth was limited.

Soon, she spotted men stationed at the stairwell. She quickly pulled the children back and ducked down.

‘Damn it…’

Eden bit her lip hard.

‘Where is Asmun right now?’

She had never needed him more, but the lack of noise in the ship meant he hadn’t arrived yet.

If they were caught now, it was over. They had to find another route.

“Let’s head back.”

Just as Eden whispered this to the children—

A shadow fell across her from behind. The children’s faces turned pale with terror.

“Well, well. What do we have here?”

Gasp.

At the chilling voice, Eden’s spine stiffened. She turned—and saw a grim-faced man grin, a gold tooth glinting in the dark.

“…Ah.”

Swallowing hard, Eden barely got the word out as the man raised a brow.

“What’s that, sweetheart? How’d you get in here, huh? And the brats—”

Before he could finish, Eden threw a punch straight into his face.

“Run!”

The children bolted. Eden followed right after them.

“That bitch—! Intruder! Catch her!”

The man staggered, then roared and blew a horn from around his neck. A piercing noise echoed through the ship, and chaos erupted.

More men began rushing toward them from the lower decks.

“Eeeek!”

Children screamed as more of the thugs appeared from the opposite side.

“Into the storage room!”

Eden spotted an open door and shouted. The children scrambled inside.

“Kyaaa!”

Lifting a frozen child onto her back, Eden dashed in after them.

Just barely making it inside, she slammed the door shut and latched it quickly. Immediately, fists pounded against the door.

“Break it down!”

Eden pressed the children against the far wall and bit her lip.

The latch was buckling. It looked like it would snap at any moment as the men outside hammered relentlessly.

If that door opened—it was all over.

“Asmun…!”

Just as Eden cried out in desperation—

BOOM!

A deafening explosion erupted. Smoke filled the air. Eden’s eyes flew open.

Asmun—?!

The men who’d been right at the door were suddenly hurled away, crashing into walls as if by some invisible force.

She nearly cried with relief.

Through her tear-filled eyes, Eden saw a silhouette standing amidst the fog.

As the mist cleared, the figure came into view—glaring coldly at the fallen men.

Eden called out his name in a breathless whisper.

“Hegenti…”

Only then did Hegenti’s gaze shift to her. Eden blinked, unable to believe her eyes.

No matter how many times she blinked—it was him.

“How… are you here…?”

While she stood stunned, the men began crawling back toward them.

“You bastards—!”

But before they could even reach Eden or Hegenti, they were lifted clean off the ground—as if grabbed by an invisible giant—and slammed viciously into the walls.

“Urgh!”

They dropped, limbs broken, unconscious. Not a single breath or groan was heard.

Where moments before the warehouse had echoed with chaos, now there was only silence.

It had happened in an instant.

“….”

Having cleared the area, Hegenti now turned to Eden, who stood speechless for the first time—staring at the display of his power.

“…Eden.”

Hegenti quietly said her name. Eden didn’t even register that it was the first time he’d spoken it aloud. She only stared, stunned, into his eyes.

“You… how did you…”

In his once-cold grey eyes, a faint shadow of hurt now flickered.

“…You didn’t keep your promise.”

Eden’s dazed expression deepened.

“What…?”

“You said you’d come back.”

He looked at her with the wounded gaze of something abandoned by its master.

“It’s a full moon tonight.”

“……”

“I’m in pain today.”

His soft voice stabbed at Eden’s conscience.

“…You really didn’t come.”

He murmured. He must have waited for her—even up until tonight.

“I-I mean…!”

“……”

“As you can see, I’m kind of in the middle of something…”

At her stammered excuse, Hegenti looked at the children behind her. They were frozen, more frightened of him than they’d been of the thugs.

“……”

Their eyes met. The children gasped and huddled deeper behind Eden.

But Hegenti seemed uninterested. He quickly looked away from them and back at her.

None of it mattered anymore. He had seen her again. That was enough.

As he stood there, Eden suddenly reached out and touched his forehead.

“But are you okay? I mean… it’s a full moon, right?”

“……”

“Whew… No fever. Did you take the medicine I gave you? That’s why you’re doing okay, isn’t it?”

Hearing her fuss over him, Hegenti’s expression softened.

He placed his large hand over hers, still resting on his forehead, and gently clasped her fingers.

“I missed you.”

Eden’s eyes widened. Hegenti looked at her, waiting for an answer.

“…And you?”

Eden, sweat running down her back, barely managed a reply.

“…I missed you too.”

Satisfied, Hegenti’s lips curved into a soft smile.

Hegenti… smiling? The sight was so unfamiliar, Eden’s eyes went wide in disbelief.

Ding.

『【★】Hegenti’s Affection Level Reached 90!

: Hidden information has been unlocked as a reward!』

A profile window appeared beside him.

『Hegenti

Intelligence: 60
Combat Power: 60
Authority: 0
Magic Power: 99
Divine Power: 0

Traits: The Empire’s greatest Grand Sorcerer, living in seclusion in the northern fortress for 50 years.
Victim of a fraudulent contract.』

‘Victim of a fraudulent contract?’

Eden frowned at the unfamiliar new trait—then suddenly spotted a figure creeping up behind Hegenti and shouted:

“Hegenti! Behind you!”

Before he even turned, the man with the raised sword was lifted into the air and slammed hard into the ceiling.

The impact broke through the ceiling panels—splinters rained down—but not a single piece touched Eden, Hegenti, or the children.

“….”

Eden stared, completely dumbfounded, forgetting the danger entirely.

Hegenti had cast a transparent shield around them.

He had effortlessly neutralized a dozen armed men and left the warehouse in ruins—without even breaking a sweat.

And through it all, Eden’s hand remained firmly in his grasp.

A chill ran down her spine.

‘He really is… the Grand Sorcerer…’