191 - Second Wall
Having abandoned the First Wall earlier than planned, I stumbled into the room prepared for me at the Second Wall and collapsed.
I stripped off my equipment on the bed and closed my eyes as I lay down. Inside the wall, soldiers were rushing about, preparations were underway to await the monster army, and returning soldiers were moving to their posts.
The soldiers being sent to the rear were also taking a temporary rest.
Between the overuse of magic and the tension of being on the front line, I had reached my limit. I was sticky with sweat. Dust clung to my skin, feeling gritty—but I couldn't bring myself to care about such things as I collapsed onto the bed.
I was concerned about the fight against the monster army, but I wouldn't be able to exert my strength if I didn't rest.
Then, noisy voices reached my room.
The door was flung open with force, and in came a boisterous, smiling Monica, followed by three figures in armor—no, golems.
"Hey, you chicken coward! Monica—your Monica—has come to take care of you! It's okay to vent your battlefield-heightened lust on me! The perfect maid, Monica, will—"
"Out of the way."
Before she could finish, Monica was kicked aside, and a golem that looked like Monica—Valkyrie Number One—stepped in front of me.
"Nice to meet you. We are the Valkyrie series, and we shall accompany you until the day you die. We are your servants, far more useful than this piece of junk~"
With expressionless faces, the three of them struck a pose, waving their hands. Number One had the same blonde hair as Monica and red eyes. Her appearance was similar, I had met her when Octo kidnapped me in the labyrinth. She bore a resemblance to Monica's older sister.
The main difference from Monica was the size of her chest.
The three of them switched poses.
"Number One, with twin-tails!"
"Number Two, the black-haired Yamato Nadeshiko!"
"And what am I supposed to do, being the same model as Number Two? ...Fine, I'll go with a ponytail. Number Three, with a black ponytail! A Yamato Nadeshiko attribute with a ponytail!"
As Number Three quickly tied her black hair into a ponytail, I had started to lift my head, but then I buried my face back into the pillow.
Monica stood up, producing drills in both hands. A low humming sound echoed through the room, creating a situation where sleep was impossible.
"You inferior pieces of junk. Don't you dare try to flatter my chicken coward. I'll dismantle you right here and now!!"
Monica and the three golems faced off, drawing their weapons and taking stances. I threw my pillow.
"All of you, shut up! I'm sleeping!"
As I said this and wrapped myself in the blanket to try and sleep, the three Valkyries fluttered about in confusion. Then, Monica picked up the pillow and collected my equipment.
"Now, you pieces of junk who can do nothing but fight, go somewhere else. I alone am enough for the chicken coward."
I felt my consciousness being sucked away, and then a vibration shook the room, perhaps from a monster attack reaching the wall.
Then, a voice spoke from the orb.
Mireia-san spoke in a gentle voice.
"Honestly... Lyell, shift your consciousness into the orb for a bit."
—While the First Wall had been holding out, the Second Wall had been having special materials layered and painted onto its surface.
Alette gave orders from atop the wall while observing the scene before her.
It was the same at the rear fortresses.
The First Wall had been designed with the premise that it would be destroyed. However, the Second Wall was built more sturdily than the First Wall in order to withstand the monster army.
The wall was high, and nearly eight thousand soldiers had been deployed.
The personnel assigned were also well-rounded, including Aria, Alette and her adjutant, Crate, and Albano.
Damian had also come to the Second Wall. With automatons and golems, the combat power alone was substantial.
The monster army had begun its attack on this Second Wall.
Arrows were fired and magic was unleashed from atop the wall, the human side was resisting fiercely. However, in Lyell's absence, they were unable to operate optimally.
Where should they defend? Where should they aim?
While protected by the sturdy wall, their resistance was more disjointed than it had been at the First Wall.
On the scene, Alette was supporting Aria.
"There are too many troublesome monsters. To think there are still more after defeating that many."
Magic was blasted at a troll attempting to climb the wall. However, it was clearly overkill.
It wasn't that Aria, who had been placed in the position of overall commander, was at fault, it was simply that Lyell's presence was irreplaceable.
His ability to grasp the whole situation and his transmission of information were abnormal. He had mastered multiple support-type skills, and his instructions had been precise.
"I wish he had just given instructions from the fortress."
She knew it was impossible, but the battlefield without Lyell had suddenly become a place of fragmented resistance.
The knights and soldiers of Zein would likely follow Lyell's orders. He was the hero who had reclaimed Zein with only a few hundred men. The people of Zein would also fight for Lyell. That was how popular Lyell was in Zein.
However, the knights and soldiers from Rolfis's side were different.
They felt a certain amount of gratitude. But only a certain amount.
The provincial residents also felt some resistance to fighting alongside the soldiers of Zein. Alette herself felt resistance to fighting shoulder-to-shoulder with people who, until recently, had been trying to invade.
Had it not been for the decision of the upper management, she likely would have opposed it.
In fact, many of the knights had opposed it. Why should they risk their lives for Beim?
While they certainly felt gratitude, many knights could not understand the reason for going that far.
Alette, who had heard the thinking of the upper management, had also wanted to oppose the deployment upon hearing it was to pay off debts. However, she didn't find the idea of Beim squeezing them for massive debts in the future any more appealing.
Moving subordinates who were reluctant and fighting desperately against the monster army, Alette glanced at Aria from the corner of her eye.
(She lacks experience. She's excellent as a single soldier or leading a few people, but as a commander, it's impossible, isn't it?)
Perhaps realizing her own lack of experience, Aria had a frustrated expression.
A soldier's chest was pierced by the claws of a griffon that had descended upon the wall.
"I'll—"
As Aria tried to leap forward, Alette stopped her with a hand.
"The commander does not move!"
"But Lyell—"
Lyell could give instructions and be active on the battlefield. But that didn't mean Aria could do the same.
"It's impossible for you. A commander should remain composed."
Aria had shown her strength to the soldiers by winning against the Land Dragon. However, it would be problematic if Aria, who lacked command ability, ran around. It was better for her not to move.
"Dispatch the knights. Restrain it and buy time!"
The killed soldier had been a soldier from Rolfis. Feeling bitter, Alette continued to issue instructions one after another.
Aria slammed her fist against the nearby wall—.
Inside the orb.
I was staggering in the room with the round table, beckoning in front of the room of my memories.
The other successive heads of the family were not there.
I wanted to hear the evaluation of my performance on the battlefield, but no one appeared.
"Um, there are various things I want to ask..."
When I said that, Mireia-san approached me and pushed my back with both hands, shoving me into the room of memories.
"It's fine, it's fine!"
Pushed into the room of memories without being heard, I passed through the door to a place where warm sunlight and a soft breeze carried the scent of plants.
There was a single large tree, and a sheet was spread beneath it.
It was a scene I had seen somewhere.
Pushed forward, I walked up the hill to the shade of the tree, where Mireia-san was sitting on the sheet, lightly tapping her lap with her hand.
"Here."
"...Eh?"
While I was unable to comprehend, Mireia-san shrugged.
"A lap pillow. This big sister Mireia will give Lyell a lap pillow. It's noisy outside, so you'd want to sleep in a quiet space like this, wouldn't you?"
Told this, I decided to resist. Partly because it was emotionally embarrassing, but more so because a war was happening outside.
Was it okay for me to be relaxing here? That was how I felt.
"Um, I—"
Then, perhaps sensing everything from my expression, Mireia-san pulled my hand and hugged my head. My face pressed against her chest, but for some reason, it felt gentle. My heart didn't race.
"Rest for now. Lyell, if you stay too tense, you'll wear yourself out. You just need to let your guard down moderately. I wonder why the men of the Walt family are always so stubborn."
As Mireia-san giggled, I let her give me the lap pillow.
The breeze felt pleasant, and I felt as if I were about to remember something. As I closed my eyes, I began to feel comfortable.
"The first generation worked too hard, and the second generation also struggled. The third generation risked their life to protect the territory. The fourth generation desperately managed the territory. The fifth generation seemed to have endured especially much. Big brother—the sixth generation also struggled with various things. Broad was relied upon and worked himself up... no, that's not it. He probably did it because he thought it was necessary."
While receiving the lap pillow, I had my head stroked. Feeling a sense of nostalgia, I listened to Mireia-san's story.
"...Lyell, you could have given up. You didn't have to push yourself this far."
I whispered softly.
"I can't go back anymore. I have to push forward."
Mireia-san, perhaps noticing my feelings.
"Is it painful when people who fought for you die?"
"Many died because of me. And from now on... many more will die."
When I decided to fight Celes, I determined to protect. But it was also a fact that many people were dying because of me.
Sometimes, I stop understanding. But I am not permitted to stop here.
However, Mireia-san gently admonished me.
"But you decided to fight, didn't you?"
"...Yes."
"Then you must rest when you can."
And as my consciousness faded, I heard Mireia-san's voice.
"Lyell, I look forward to hearing your answer. Whether you will put someone else in the lead, or stand up yourself. We are looking forward—"
I couldn't catch the end. However, I remembered this nostalgic feeling.
(That's right. It's the feeling of being spoiled by Mother... had I forgotten even this feeling?)
In that place where a warm, refreshing breeze flowed, I fell asleep.
When I woke up, the room was already dark.
As I sat up, I heard the sound of breathing in the darkness.
Creating a light with magic in my left hand, I saw Miranda there. Miranda, who resembled Mireia-san, seemed to have been giving me a lap pillow.
As a vibration echoed in the room where I was, I became concerned about the situation outside.
Water was prepared nearby, I took it and poured it into a glass and drank it all.
As Miranda also woke up.
"Oh, good morning."
She greeted me with a slightly sleepy expression. I thought about asking various things, like why she was here and why she had been giving me a lap pillow, but I offered Miranda some water.
After Miranda took it and drank, a vibration once again reached the room.
"It feels like we're being pushed back quite a bit."
Using the skills—Map, Search—I checked the surrounding situation. Just as I thought I had rested too long, Miranda got out of bed and stretched.
Wearing only a shirt over her underwear, she looked utterly defenseless.
"Well, it'll be tough for Aria alone, so shall we do our best too?"
When Miranda said that with a smile, I apologized.
"Sorry. Novem is in the rear. Clara is a porter, focusing on transport. I had Eva move to the rear, and Mei is moving to prepare for the next step..."
Shannon was helping Novem in the rear.
In the rear, the reorganization of the personnel who had been moved back was underway. They would likely be sent to this wall soon. Though, the personnel deployed to this wall would also likely be sent to the rear soon.
Miranda gave a little devilish smile.
"Well, just leave it to the reliable Miranda-san."
That's what she said.
When I smiled, Miranda smiled too.
"That helps. Once Eva and the others return, I'll have them step back. That's when the real work begins."
Then, Miranda approached me. Wrapping both arms around the back of my neck, she brought her face close.
"By the way, the skill's effect has worn off, so could I ask for a favor?"
Told this, I averted my gaze slightly and nodded, and Miranda smiled. Our faces drew close, and it ended up with me being kissed.
From the orb, the successive heads of the family, who had been watching in silence, began booing.
In turn.
"Passive as always. You should learn from Lyell-san."
"Learn how to create more of a mood, Lyell. It's pathetic to leave it to the other person."
"...Don't do that in front of the soldiers. If I see you flirting on the battlefield, it won't just stop at feeling murderous."
"However, to think that you must kiss when the effect is interrupted... there was a story that the manifestation of a skill is also related to the person's own desires. Lyell, did you actually aim for this?"
What kind of timing do these people have to speak up? Being kissed while being hugged by Miranda, I suddenly felt embarrassed.
As Miranda's tongue entered my mouth, Mireia-san's voice sounded.
"Lyell, put your hands around her waist more. Hug her! Hug her tight!"
Mireia-san was totally into it.
I began to truly doubt if she was the same person as she was just a moment ago.