kscans

Chapter 188 - Reckless

Night.

We returned to our tent.

Our discussion with the general had yielded nothing new—just status reports and speculation. After that, we stood guard on the front lines, but the monsters never came. And so, everyone returned to their respective posts.

Inside the tent, I called the goblin over. "I have something to ask you. How many monsters were there where you came from?"

To this, the goblin replied with an apologetic look, {I... don't know. They just... appear.}

Tina’s face soured. "This is troubling. If they are multiplying on their own, we should assume their numbers are still growing. This is no time for optimism."

I agreed. The last thing I wanted was to think we’d thinned their numbers this morning only to find out we hadn't made a dent. But it was strange. If that were true, their forces would keep growing while ours dwindled.

They had to know that much from their nighttime scouting, yet they showed no intention of pressing the attack. They just fight in this one spot and then leave. That’s it.

"Tina," I said, "any idea what they’re trying to do?"

It was a sudden question, and she was at a loss. "Honestly, I have no idea. Normally, I can make predictions based on the enemy’s actions, but we have too little information this time. I can’t even begin to speculate."

She was throwing her hands up.

"Well then," I said, "I guess all we can do tomorrow is more of the same. Luckily, for us, the high-rank ones have been showing themselves. If we can take down a few more of them, maybe something will change."

I wasn’t sure if I believed my own words.

It was knowledge from a game—the pattern of clearing a certain number of missions to trigger the enemy’s next move. Of course, reality doesn’t work that way. But it was all we had to go on.

Tina nodded. "It’s true, we don’t have any other options. Let’s get some sleep. We’ll need it for tomorrow."

She yawned and climbed into bed.

This wasn’t like the usual Tina. She must have been truly exhausted. The goblin crawled under its bed, and I got into mine as well.

A moment later, my consciousness faded, and I fell into a deep sleep.

Night.

The Kingdom’s Royal Capital.

Soldiers stood guard at the main gate, their eyes vacant. The relentless fighting that had started in the morning and continued until noon had left them with a weariness too deep even to voice.

One soldier asked, "Sir, why do you think the monsters suddenly retreated?"

An older soldier replied to his tired-faced subordinate, "Who knows. This is a first. It’d be great if they were gone for good, but they’re still camped out over there. This whole situation sucks."

He was so drained he barely had the energy to speak.

In a clearing far from the capital, the monsters had gathered, remaining eerily quiet. Some were sitting, some standing, others pacing. The atmosphere was baffling.

One thing was certain: this was not normal monster behavior.

Just then, a voice came from behind. "Good evening. We’ve brought you a late-night snack."

A maid had arrived with bread and coffee.

The two soldiers accepted it gratefully. Maids dispatched from the castle were currently tending to the soldiers at the front gate and the garrison.

It was a thoughtful gesture from Her Majesty the Queen, and the soldiers were overjoyed. In a place filled with nothing but grimy men, these shining flowers were a true blessing for the eyes. Their help with medical care and even just bringing food was enough to re-energize the men. Such simple creatures, really.

The maid asked, "How are things at the moment?"

The older soldier, his tone now oddly polite, replied, "There’s been no movement at all. It feels like they might not do anything until morning."

The soldier next to him added, his voice more lively than when he was talking to his superior, "That’s right. Even when they move, they don’t leave that area. It’s like they’re following orders. Frankly, it’s creepy."

The two soldiers shot glares at each other. It couldn’t be helped. It’s a man’s instinct to want to look cool in front of a beautiful woman.

The maid who saw this giggled. "Ufufu. You two seem to be in high spirits. Please keep up the good work."

At her smiling words, the two soldiers declared in perfect unison, ""You can count on us!!""

Royal Castle. The Chancellor’s Office.

Queen Olivia and Chancellor Alphonse were poring over the situation reports, their heads aching. The battle had started in the morning with a surprise attack that destroyed a section of the castle wall. It would be stranger if they weren’t worried. Repairs on the wall were being rushed, but even at top speed, it would take two or three days. To make matters worse, the fighting from morning to noon had slowed down the work efficiency.

"For now, it seems no other suspicious objects have been found," the Chancellor said. "They’ve thoroughly checked all the usual barrels and crates, but there’s no sign of any more explosives."

The Queen let out a sigh of relief. "I see. Given the scale of that destruction, it’s only natural to assume there might be more. In that case, we can probably assume that was the only one they planted."

"Still, it was a clever idea to dispatch the maids who had free time at the castle," the Chancellor remarked, approving of his sister’s plan. "It boosts the soldiers' morale and allows us to get status reports more smoothly."

"They are already exhausted beyond measure," the Queen explained with a wicked smile. "There's a kind of fatigue that food and sleep can't cure. So, if we give the men a little something pleasing to the eye, their recovery will improve, their lips will loosen, and they’ll give us more polite and detailed reports."

The Chancellor realized once again that he was no match for his sister’s cunning. Just then, there was a knock on the door.

A maid entered. "Pardon the interruption. The Knight Captain wishes to have an audience."

The Queen and Chancellor exchanged glances.

"There is no reason to refuse," the Queen said. "Show him in."

The Chancellor had the same look on his face.

The maid closed the door, and the Knight Captain entered. "Forgive my intrusion at this late hour. Thank you for granting me an audience. I have a request for you, Your Majesty."

His face was earnest. "Go on," the Queen said, her tone regal. "What is your request?"

"Yes! In order to end this conflict, I believe we should charge into the monsters’ encampment!"

At his bold declaration, the Chancellor interjected, "I cannot approve that proposal. Captain, you saw the monsters’ movements yourself. Furthermore, with a being present that can even alter the weather, a rash move would result in catastrophic losses for us."

Despite this explanation, the captain pressed on. "But if we remain on the defensive, I don’t see how the situation will improve! If such a powerful being truly exists, then all the better! We should muster all the Kingdom’s strength and subjugate it!"

His words were filled with passion. However, the Queen countered, "At present, we have not confirmed the existence of such a being among the monsters. Moreover, we have received intelligence that the Republic, the Church, and the Empire are also under attack. The weather has changed in their territories as well. This means the powerful entity is not necessarily here in the Kingdom. Do you have any questions?"

Her expression dared him to object. The captain faltered. "Th-then, what if we defeat the being that commands the monsters here? No matter how many there are, if we take down their leader, surely we can at least stop the damage to the Kingdom?"

His voice had lost some of its conviction. This time, the Chancellor replied, "What you say is reasonable. However, we have yet to confirm a leader. In a normal Monster Uproar, the commander is obvious because it stands out. But this time, there are too many conspicuous monsters to identify a single leader, and we don’t understand their movements. To be blunt, it’s a complete unknown. A reckless charge would only deplete our forces. You understand what would happen after that, don’t you?"

His voice was laced with anger.

Of course, the captain understood. Once their stamina and morale were depleted, they would be trampled. Not just them, but the citizens as well. The captain fell silent.

The Queen, seeing this, said, "Do you understand? Then return to your post. You still have work to do."

At that moment, the door opened.

The captain left without another word.

After he was gone, the Chancellor sighed. "Haaah… I understand his way of thinking, but I wish he would consider the current situation and the future a little more. I suppose it’s cruel to ask that of those fighting on the front lines, though."

It was the same for the Queen. It’s one thing to command from the rear, but to ask those who risk their lives on the front lines to think about the future is nothing short of cruel. They are on the brink of death, not knowing if they will live to see another day.

"Be that as it may, this should make the captain more cautious," the Queen said, though a flicker of unease crossed her face. She quickly brushed it aside. "Now, let’s continue where we left off."

Meanwhile, the Knight Captain stormed down the hallway, his mind consumed by rage. He was furious that his proposal had been rejected. He had feigned understanding, but inwardly, he was seething with dissatisfaction.

"Damn it," he muttered. "I thought if I achieved something great here, I could impress Her Majesty and the Chancellor. What powerful being? What unknown? In the end, they’re just cowards. Well, they were born from that spineless king. No matter what they do, they’ll always be cowards."

He whispered the last part to himself. If anyone heard him, he would be executed for treason. He knew that.

As he walked, an idea began to form. "Wait a minute. If there really is such a powerful monster, and I find and defeat it, won’t that at least get rid of the monsters in the Kingdom? If that happens, the people’s support will rally behind me, and I can oust the incompetent, cowardly royal family! I’m the head of a noble house, too. If I gather enough allies, it’s possible. Yes! I can become the king of this country!"

"So, I’ll use that puffed-up Glad to keep the main gate pinned down. Then, I’ll have the A-rank adventurers clear out the small fry. That will undoubtedly draw out the high-rank, powerful being. After that, I just need to lead the knights in at the right time to finish it off. Yes, that’s it! I need to start gathering my allies at once!"

He broke into a run, his heart soaring with joy, completely unaware of the fool he was about to become.