Chapter 225 - A Joyous Return
The first to return to where I was waiting alone was the Young Master, who had been attacking from the other side of the wall. It makes sense that he was the first to come back, given that they were the closest and in the smallest group. However, the soldiers of the Legisamo Cartel are far from easy opponents.
When we encountered them during the McDallian Family's troubles, even Valeria had a tough time dealing with their durability. Now that I know more about the enemy, I can handle them as a matter of course, but it’s still impressive to see how quickly my team deals with them.
I can’t help but think about the state of the enemy soldiers. It’s surprising that they can maintain enough rationality to drive vehicles while under the influence of drugs. Considering they can still function as a unit, it’s not that strange. The drugs must grant them various useful abilities as soldiers, but they come with terrifying side effects. They are pitiful, in a way.
I can’t afford to feel sorry for the enemy, but I should also be careful about getting too used to the regular use of restorative and magical potions. While they don’t have the side effects that the enemy’s drugs do, there’s a risk of dependency. Maybe it’s time for a discussion. I’d like to hear everyone’s thoughts on the matter.
Anyway, it’s time to get to work. I can hear angry shouts and cries in the distance as I start by removing the wall and deciding what to do with the remaining enemy vehicles. They’re blocking the road, and there’s a forest right next to them, so there’s no place to move them. Sigh, it’s a hassle, but I’ll have to clear some space in the forest.
Eliminating the enemy soldiers isn’t a problem. They’re tough and feel no pain or fear, but my team is on a whole different level. They’ve grown a lot during this journey, and their knowledge of the terrain gives us an advantage. I’m confident we won’t struggle, let alone fail. There are no negative factors.
I push the thought of the enemy out of my mind and start looking for something to use. I was thinking about using one of the spare weapons I brought, but the Young Master, who had the same idea, silently took out an axe and started walking.
"Looks like we’re on the same page. I’ll help too."
I reconsider taking someone else’s tool and decide to let the Young Master handle the cutting while I deal with the cleanup. There’s no one or any monsters around here, so I can focus on the task at hand.
I immerse myself in the work of environmental destruction, ignoring the tragic scenes unfolding in the forest. I break the fallen trees into manageable sizes with my strength and throw them as far as I can to clear some space.
The work itself doesn’t take long. With the Young Master efficiently cutting down the trees, I just need to throw them away. There’s no need to be neat, so I finish the job quickly.
Once I’ve cleared the necessary space, the next step is to move the enemy vehicles. After a quick search to make sure there’s nothing useful left, I throw them into the forest with sheer force. It would drive any environmentalist crazy, but there’s no gasoline or non-biodegradable materials. The vehicles are mostly made of metal and monster materials, which are natural and will eventually return to the earth. So, there’s no problem.
In a world overflowing with nature, there are few who complain about such things, especially on an abandoned road where no one will see.
After finishing the cleanup, I wait for a while, and the others who were guiding the natural threats back also start to return. They’ve completed their tasks successfully.
"It was nothing."
"The branches covered the cracks, and they fell right in."
"The carnivorous plant vines are tough, even for the strongest. If we got caught, we’d be in trouble too."
"The poisonous plants were more dangerous than expected. It felt like our bodies were melting."
"The swamp was terrifying. The ones who got stuck sank while struggling."
"The monster nest was pretty gruesome. They were bitten all over and eaten alive."
"Once we guided them into the nest, there was an eerie sound that wouldn’t stop, and no one came out."
…Yeah, right, it sounds like a dangerous forest. It’s impressive that they managed to explore it safely. I’m both impressed and amazed. They’re definitely reliable.
Traveling off the abandoned road is extremely dangerous and requires the knowledge and skills of a group like ours. The members of the Legisamo Cartel had zombie-like durability and enhanced physical abilities, but it wasn’t enough to handle the severity of the environment.
Hmm, maybe if we make the abandoned road impassable, it would force the Empire to give up on their invasion…
There are also swarms of insect-type monsters and the undead’s domain. Just passing through the abandoned road, the Crimson Knights, and the Clad Family have accomplished something great.
The abandoned road, or rather, the southern forest of the continent, seems to be a truly dangerous place. Really, it’s only now sinking in.
"…Well, good work. I hope this means no more pursuers. We just need to wait for the knights to arrive, and then we can head back."
"I’d like a smooth ride home."
"Me too. I’d rather not go through the same ordeal again."
We all agree that it’s best to pass the responsibility for any more trouble to the others. We wait for about two hours.
The group we were waiting for arrived while the sun was still high in the sky. It was a large group of familiar military vehicles.
From what I can see, it looks like they didn’t suffer many losses. If they can safely navigate the return journey, it will be a good outcome.
The lead vehicle of the Crimson Knights slowed down and stopped at our meeting point. The captain and others got out of a vehicle a few back and approached us.
"Did you wait long? It seems you were pursued… by the Clad Family?"
They can probably guess what happened by looking at the cleared forest and the abandoned vehicles.
"That’s right. They brought the Legisamo Cartel with them, but we came back first."
"Good to hear they’re safe. We’ll keep moving. We can’t rest yet."
"You’ll be in the lead and rear. We’ll take the middle. Count on you."
"Understood."
The blue-haired captain is concise and easy to deal with.
With the responsibility for any further trouble passed on, we finally have a more relaxed journey home. The return trip is slow, as they’re cautious about accidents and monster attacks.
Once the tension of the journey is off our backs, we have plenty of time to chat and the day passes peacefully. The elite Crimson Knights also seem to relax once their mission is complete. This is a good opportunity to bond with the female knights, and I take the chance to make new acquaintances.
After a lively dinner, most of us go to bed. We’re allowed to rest, even though we’re not on watch.
The next day, the tension returns as we approach the Forest of the Underworld. According to Mia’s Heaven’s Eye, we could enter it at any moment.
While the Crimson Knights do their job, we wait to re-enter the domain of the dead. We continue to make steady progress without any significant issues.
The tension is palpable, and frustration builds as we wait for the darkness to set in. The Forest of the Underworld is in a state of Eternal Darkness, so we should notice any changes immediately during the day. But it hasn’t happened yet. Everyone’s wondering when we’ll enter it.
"…That’s odd."
Mia, who can track our position with her skill, murmured.
"What’s wrong?"
"Based on our route, we should have already passed the area where we fought the Skeleton Dragon on the northern route."
The Skeleton Dragon was on the northern route, and we’re on the southern route. The distance between the two isn’t clear, but we’ve reached the point where Mia is suspicious.
"We might not need to be so vigilant. The Crimson Knights are handling the alerts and dealing with any trouble, and we’re far enough behind the lead vehicle that they’ll warn us if anything happens."
"Right… let’s take a break."
"I’m starting to feel sleepy…"
We need to relax a bit. With a small group, we can’t afford to let our guard down, but now is different. We can’t just let Liliane drive while the rest of us sleep, but we can take it a bit easier.
In the end, we make it through the day without any issues.
There’s something I’m concerned about, but I decide not to share it with the Crimson Knights. Their relaxed attitude is a stark contrast to our own. It seems we won’t be passing through the same area as before.
The central part of the southern continent is known as the Forest of the Underworld. This is a common understanding, but the Forest of the Underworld we experienced is clearly different from what the Crimson Knights know. The true Forest of the Underworld is definitely on the northern route.
The Crimson Knights and the Clad Family have been traveling the abandoned road without experiencing the same difficulties. It’s hard to accept that only we had to endure such hardships. It was a tough journey.
Even if I complain, it’s unlikely they would believe us without experiencing it firsthand. The information we have is valuable and should be handled carefully.
I remain silent, but I can’t help feeling frustrated. We continue our journey the next day.
The abandoned road is a straightforward path with no detours. The Crimson Knights cleared the road on their way out, so there are no obstacles. The occasional monster is easily dealt with by the vehicles, so we don’t even need to stop.
Six days into our return journey, we encounter large groups of monsters four times, but the elite knights handle them without any losses. It’s a smooth and uneventful trip.
We finally return to the Kingdom of Brenark, with a significant and proud victory.
It’s been about forty or fifty days since we left Exembra. The time has blurred, but it feels like a long absence.
We part ways with the Crimson Knights heading to the Royal Capital and speed towards Exembra. The vehicle’s speed increases, and we finally see the familiar outer walls in the distance.
"…We’re finally home."
During our absence, a lot has happened. Exembra is still in a state of chaos after the major turmoil.
I believe we can overcome any challenges with Siegrune and the rest of the team, but I’m curious about the current situation.
Caroline, who used to run the red-light district in the Royal Capital, will likely be with us, and I look forward to seeing her again.
It would be nice to see everyone’s faces and get some rest, but I doubt it will be that simple. I have a feeling that someone like Frederica will immediately assign us more work.
Even if there are challenges waiting for us, I’m just happy to be back home!
We’re finally back home.
This long expedition is finally over. It really was a long journey. We left in Chapter 192 and returned in Chapter 225.
Checking the update history, Chapter 192 was posted last December, so it took us seven months in real time! Looking back, it was a very long time indeed.
In Exembra, there are many unfinished tasks and related small episodes planned. We’ll start with the recent events in the city and the Kikyo Society’s situation, followed by various fun episodes.
Thank you for following this journey, and I look forward to the next episodes.