After all this has happened, the conclusion is simple.
I was tied up with a rope made of vines.
The astonishment and anger on the faces of the children pierced me like a sharp spear. They surrounded me with arms raised.
Obviously, until a little while ago, we were fighting together by comforting and cheering each other on. Where did all the friendship and trust at that time go? It's hard to earn, but it's easy to waste.
Well, it's normal.
“Oh my gosh, I got caught.”
A huge pheromone bait that summons all kinds of beasts is hidden in the middle of this base, and it is about to explode, and in that case, the beasts who were wary of the uninvited human horde will sweep the camp away.
'Cause I got it all
“What the hell is this? what happened.”
Shiati muttered in a trembling voice. I shrugged her shoulders with her tied up towards her in her confusion.
“what's the matter. you all know Unless you're an idiot, you can't know, right?”
The answer I reached by myself is more certain than anything else, so there is no need to try to convince me.
Because the clues they found, the logic they woven, and the doubts they gradually built up come to a single truth.
Cento, wondering where Caropald and I had gone yesterday, traced our trail and found the rope holding the drift. When the children noticed the existence of the rope, they rejoiced as they assumed that this situation was also a test. If it's part of the test and not an emergency, then nothing out of control will happen. So, he moved more vigorously with peace of mind.
Meanwhile, Caropald formed a team and searched the camp. After drawing a map of the camp, he tilted his head when he realized that this place resembled a magic circle. While the children grunted, thinking this was a puzzle or exam, Shiati took them out to get food and water.
There was a rock under the camp, and a strange magic circle was drawn along the shallow groove. It was around the time when everyone wrapped their heads around a magic circle they had never seen before.
Just then, a black box appeared in the middle of one of the camp tents. Guessing that was a clue, the children opened the box's lid.
He didn't even know that it was a bait that summoned beasts.
The pheromone that had been buried in the bait spread. When the child of hunter parents found out what it was, he cried out to close it, but it was already too late.
In the distance, the sound of a wild beast was heard.
About one hundred and fifty students who received military training responded appropriately, but that was the limit. appropriate response.
This proves that the fact that the beast has not attacked the human horde until now is due to the innate vigilance of the beasts that have survived so far.
The horned deer spit through the camp with a bell in excitement. It was an attack comparable to the charge of cavalry. A deer the size of a house was like a giant churning two trees hanging from its head, and it took ten people to pull a snare.
A wolf, who was cautiously wandering after him, attacked him. It was only after the victims became aware of the attack of the secret hunter.
A crow and an eagle, discovering signs of a fight, roamed in the distance.
Seventeen died.
If I hadn't made the trap in advance, I would have died a lot more.
In any case, humans exerted their potential. After a united bond, proper instructions, and a fierce battle, the beasts were driven out.
A dear friend died, but there was no time to feel sorrow. The weary children sat on the floor and watched in amazement as the blood flowed from the dead children.
Blood flows down the engraved groove… The huge magic circle shone and permeated.
It would not have been seen if it had been hidden under the ground, but it was a secret that was revealed because the rock was uncovered during investigation.
While everyone was feeling an unknown ominous feeling, someone cautiously suggested. There is a risk of injury and infection, so why not take off your clothes?
The children agreed and unpacked the clothing.
And I found an ominous bright red mark on my back. The traces were so clear that I couldn't even turn my eyes away.
“No, that’s absurd… . How, such… , Nicholas, sacrificing us… .”
Everyone understood the sequence of events. The country has abandoned them, the leader they trusted is actually a wolf in sheep's clothing, and the friend who laughed until yesterday is dead with bizarre twists and turns, and they will soon be too.
Then, someone will take their death to gain strength.
“Kill it!”
someone shouted It was a boy who had his arm broken and bandaged while blocking his deer. He cursed me with his eyes red and bloodshot.
“There is no instructor here to stop us anyway! Kill him and bury him somewhere!”
“Well, then how do you explain it?”
“It’s enough to say that you stumbled and fell into the river!”
“okay! This is self-defense!”
those who cry out loud. I smiled as calmly as possible and said.
“It’s a reasonable decision. In the midst of this, it would be foolish to keep me alive, who is expected to be an insider. is not it?”
“If you’re a prisoner, be quiet like a prisoner, Huey.”
The new student representatives, Shiati and Caropald, calmed the confused children. Especially angry with me, Xia Tie bit her lips and looked at me.
“day off. I didn't like you, but at least I thought you were more human than the other two. By the way… I must have misunderstood the person.”
“Are you comparing the two of them? Yes, Shiati. What are you going to do with this horrible, inhuman me?”
“I feel like I want to kill you right now.”
Now she had to convince other children, not me, so Shiati turned her head and shouted.
“If you kill me here, nothing will change. We'll tie you up, load you on the boat, and then we'll go to Hameln and pick you up. If you are the one Nicholas cherishes around you, it will be a good bargaining material.”
“bargaining?”
“okay! The taboo is Seonghwangcheong's act of turning on the lights and trying to catch him. You could ask for something in return for keeping a secret… .”
“Pu ha ha ha!”
I laughed out loud as I was tied up. As the laughter continued, the eyes of the children, including Shiati, gathered together. Attracting enough attention, I stopped laughing and said.
“Siati. Stop saying things you don't believe in yourself. Nicholas was going to kill you all and create a taboo, but I'm sorry that you caught it and went back. I'll give you 3rd level as a reward.
No way. If that were the case, I wouldn't have even started in the first place.
“No, I will kill them all. In order to bury you all along with the taboo, I will use a slightly tougher means.”
“Then what? Die to you here?!”
“What you do is your choice, but if you do, at least do what you believe in. Your choice is nothing more than a delusion that denies reality, let alone reality.”
“To say it like a joke… !”
Shiati strode over and grabbed me by the collar. She was tied up and screamed in pain as her neck was pulled, but she said without caring about my condition.
“I will kill you! It's all if you're good?! No matter how good you are, you can't decide our fate… ! I, we! It's not like I've been working hard to be your prey!”
The more he spoke, the stronger the shouts gradually became wet with sobs. Shiati, holding onto her neck as if it were stretching, shed transparent tears and resented me.
“why? After all, you can already go to the military academy! Isn't that enough? As we have already reached the 3rd level we so desperately want… ! Did you want something bigger? Did you want to be better than that? Even if you kill us all?”
After he vomited out all his resentment, all that was left was the burning emotions. Dark eyes that seem to have killed my heart look up at me.
“Then you… die. That’s fair.”
instinctively felt.
Oh, this is dangerous. If you keep going like this, you will be really swept away.
Is a taboo just a taboo? Taboo to deny the belief in humans that has been built up so far.
Shiati, who had been on the wrong side, now clenched her fists in complete hatred and despair.
… So, Historia.
This is your last chance to save me. If you don't save
I.
The fact that the trainees who had left the graduation practice were in distress was reported in an instant. Nicholas, who felt deeply responsible for the situation, ran out of Hameln Secondary Military School with only his entourage. The main force loaded the rescue boat with supplies and decided to follow Nicholas.
'He asked for help. what's really going to happen Did you even foresee this?'
Historia did not forget her promise. So the moment she found out that her graduation practice was having problems, she ran to the Hameln River with a gun on her back and rented one of her boats.
As she paddled, strange waves crashed into the river. Rather than pushing the water away, it was like a slippery slope by sinking the water surface with force.
The ferry literally glided over the river and made its way. Historia arrived at a river full of drifting water in an instant, hid her body and checked the situation.
The sight she witnessed… It was weird.
'day off? Why are you tied up? What are the kids like?'
There is no way to know how things are going. In the meantime, the boy was like a prisoner hanging on the gallows, or like the first saint who was crucified and died. She was imprisoned in everyone's envy.
The children around them seemed to accuse themselves of something in despair and anger.
She didn't know how to react to the unexpected situation, but Historia pulled out her gun.
the goal is me And Shiati by my side.
'Chiati. I don't know why you caught Huey. But, if you try to kill him, I will definitely stop him.'
It's better not to reveal it until you understand the intentions there. If it's not a big deal, we'll just skip it, and if it's a dangerous situation, it might become even more dangerous when Historia appears.
Quiet and stealthy techniques, such as stealth and stealth, are not suitable for Historia's noisy technics. Instead, Historia pointed her gun at her blind spot.
I see Shiati and me through the sight of the gun. I'm still unharmed, and even tied up, I have a bright smile on my face.
As usual, his playful face almost relieved his tension, but he calmed his breath and aimed again.
'I can't hear well. As you might have guessed, someone seems to blame Huey for dying… .'
No matter how much I say I'm a leader, would I just use that to tie people up there?
Historia, who had reached the same question, tilted her head, and while aiming at Shiati, tightened her whole body muscles.
However, he did not rush or shoot.
Shiati is also Historia's motive. If the opponent was an enemy or a beast, he would immediately give him a wind hole, but once it was spherical, his hands were hard.
Of course, that wasn't the only reason.
'day off. now you know The only thing you can trust when driving is your own strength. You need to pay a little more attention to Qigong.'
If I felt threatened with my life, I would realize the importance of qigong and focus more on it. That thought left me alone for a while.
It was late because of that. I am fully saturated with hatred and despair for the military.
Me and Shiati had a conversation. A boring time passed. Wherever the serious mood went, the conversation was fluent and the expressions I made were colorful.
To Historia, it seemed that I was just enjoying the situation itself. It wasn't wrong though.
'what. You need my help, right?'
I needed help. not now.
'So, if you've learned qigong from the beginning. If only I hadn't wasted time on the children who would betray you without even knowing how to thank you. You don't have to be tied up. Shit, it makes me anxious.'
The body is not tied. Because you can't tie me with a rope like this.
Unfold the hands tied behind the back. It is a clumsy knot tied with stiff vines. The vines were untied, and their arms rose above their shoulders as if they had been tied. The bewildered children were startled, but I reached out and calmed them down.
'Aren't you even tied up? Gradually, I feel like I'm becoming an idiot.'
For Historia, it was all spherical in motivation. No matter how trivial it is, he is also in the category of motives. She didn't feel the need to attack them.
It was when Historia, who had relaxed, resumed breathing that had paused for a moment. Someone's voice was heard from nearby.
“Wild boar woman.”
shudder. The gun went back in an instant. Where her muzzle was pointed, Rankart stood expressionless.
He was looking at Historia and me alternately with a mysterious, unpredictable face.
Historia lowered her gun and asked.
“Oh, Mr. It's a surprise. What are you?”
“That’s what I’m going to say. It's me, the advance team that started with Nicholas, so I'm here. you are? What are you?”
“I am a latecomer.”
“How are the latecomers already?”
“You are slow. What should I do if I come later than I, who was rowing?”
Rancart just found a ferry and a large oar by the river and murmured.
“Crazy, you wild boar… .”
Still, the fact that Historia would come here was unexpected. It was also the reason that Rankard followed Nicholas.
'This wild boar is moody like a beast, and he pays more blatant attention to Huey whether it is in heat. It must be dropped before gluttony occurs.'
“This is the order of Commander Nicholas. Huey's problem will be solved by the instructor, so you're out for a while.”
“solution? What solution?”
'To check if the gluttony was successful, and to deal with any leftovers yourself. However… What the hell is this situation right now… .'
Historia murmured towards Rankart, who was lost in thought.
“Again, again. Don't roll your head that doesn't work. Why don't you talk straight without making silly tricks with your head without talent?”
“It’s an idea that you don’t have, you bastard.”
After spewing out abusive language between them, Rankart replied angrily.
“I have to sort this out. I won't say more than that. Even if you tell me, you won't understand.”
“Why, all of a sudden? Do you have anything to hide?”
“okay.”
When Rancart readily agreed, Historia smirked out of absurdity.
“… her. That's right. Then you won’t want to fall for it any more.”
'tt. It's annoying because he's stubborn and doesn't persuade. Even if you want to get rid of them by force, if you fight here, there will be no final decision. then.'
“It’s for Huey.”
“What? What about Huey?”
“I don’t know if you know, no, I just don’t know. This assessment is actually a test prepared for Huey. If you're watching, the meaning of the test fades.”
“A test?”
“okay. With this, this one, Huey will go one step further.”
Wow. That's not wrong. Because it was a place for me.
The mention of me calmed Historia's anger. She looked at me and Rancart alternately, pondered for a moment, and then clicked her tongue slightly when she saw me now freed.
'… Rancart I don't like this guy, but he's a guy that's sure to get his job done. He's holding Huey half way, so there's no harm in doing it. What if the superintendent came over there? The situation must be over.'
Historia nodded and stood up from her seat with a long gun draped over her shoulder.
“… I warn you, don't order me. I'll figure it out.”
“If you have the power to respond, eat the beasts that wander along the riverbank. It’s perfect for you.”
The intended purpose of separating Historia has been achieved. Rancart muttered like that, and still looked at me with a confused face.
'It's not that I refuse to eat. Yet he did not accept it. What the hell are you trying to do, Huey… ?'
“Don’t say nonsense!”
While the two of them finished their conversation, I had untied the rope by myself and had finished persuading the children.
Shiati shouted out loud as if she wanted to deny my words.
“… no. Shiati… . no.”
The other representative, Caropald, who was listening to me, closed her eyes and shook her head.
“If you think rationally… Huey gave us a hint. Even though he knew of the net's existence, he informed everyone, and told us to dig up the secrets of the camp. Hugh was the first to jump in, close the box with the pheromone bait, and throw it into the river. And if Huey hadn't told us to set up the trap in advance, more people would have died. If he wanted to kill us… .”
more.
Or they'd all be dead. Caropald finished explaining.
And the silent majority agreed with him.
We spent the whole day in the same place. Because I knew I didn't have time to decorate anything because I always gave orders and worked all day and night. He persuaded me because he saw my actions.
Shiati wasn't stupid enough to believe it either. I was just more angry than that. Losing something to be angry about, Xia Tie clasped his hands and shouted.
“then! Then, what! What the hell… !”
“Are you curious? I'm curious too. To be honest, I didn't know what was waiting until I came here.”
This is the clear truth. I thought there was going to be gluttony, with drifts and bait camps and pheromones to trigger gluttony.
It was successful, but there were victims. Anyway, I got over it. However, this is the first hurdle.
The real malice that tried to kill everyone is now approaching.
“There is only one person who can give you this answer.”
“who… ?”
“General Nicholas. The head of the Hameln Secondary Military School, who planned all this.”
A man in uniform with a warm and strict impression came to mind in the minds of the children. He was passionate about education, devoted his time and effort to the children, and never starved or injured, even when beaten and corporal punishment. He could be said to be a relatively personable person.
But for now… It just looked like a monster covered in human skin.
“Come on, let’s get ready, guys.”
I know Nicholas. He is a good educator, but that exists only as a characteristic of a military officer. His education is for the country. Education is the field cultivated by the country to create talented people for the country.
He seemed to think that I, who had some of that power, would be better than a hundred clumsy people.
In short, it was definitely wrong.
Because I'm a better person when I'm in a hundred. Even if they unite their powers, it is no different than tearing up a book and using it as firewood.
The guardian of knowledge is a library full of good books, not a librarian who guards it. To tear up a book and set it on fire for the librarian is no different than a public affair.
Of course, the librarian will be most angry than anyone else if he commits the atrocities of using books as firewood.
“The box with that pheromone bait opened on its own after a few hours. I don't know, but that time is probably the decision time. By the way, will Commander Nicholas do something like this and just let it go? Predictably, Superintendent Nicholas will be here soon.”
“Second, the headmaster… ? directly?”
“okay. This practice, the net for tying up drifters, the camp where taboos are hidden, and the pheromone box that will explode someday… If the man who prepared this tomb himself does not come to visit, the word taboo is meaningless.”
There was no certainty. He would not have been able to assert that he had not read the thoughts of Historia and Rancart a while ago.
Anyway, now that we have the information, we should prepare.
“When Superintendent Nicholas comes to visit, what are you going to ask? How to welcome, greet, ask and answer questions. We have to prepare in advance.”
Looking around the eyes abandoned by the military and out of focus, I lowered my voice and told everyone.
“So that you can understand and listen to the story.”
I know, but you don't
Leaving behind all doubts, despair, and disappointment. The children stood up immediately. They held the hand that had buried the body of a friend a while ago and looked up at me.
I spoke loudly to everyone.
“First, shall we make a trap?”
as a means of conversation.