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＜ 16. Prisoner and Hero (3) ＞
After walking for a while, my embarrassed mind calmed down a bit. Andrea was able to look at the situation more objectively .
When you fall on the battlefield of a power battle like this, you are also given a clue to infer information about that battlefield. Andrea hurriedly searched her pockets .
Indeed, a worn-out note was in his arms. The handwriting was quite bad, but not to the point of being unreadable .
‘ To think of the temple only as an opportunity to catch a portion. No matter how mercenary you are, I sometimes worry that you are missing out on something important because you are blinded by money. Anyway, when you arrive at the Helios army base, show this seal and letter to the centurion. He will instruct you on what to do .’
The content itself was not much different from clues seen on other battlefields. Andrea quickly realized what kind of setting and what kind of battlefield she had come to .
‘ I’m a mercenary who goes to help Helios to make money… The background of this battlefield is the crusade where Helios and Nelas fought each other .’
Then a thought popped into my head. Andrea had never been to this battlefield, but there was a way to find out a lot of information. Because it was Andrea’s colleague who experienced this war more vividly than anyone else .
‘… Is there such a wonderful coincidence? ‘
I was embarrassed for a moment and couldn’t remember it, but I could call Marco right next to him no matter where he fell. Andrea took out ‘Summon Marco’ from her deck and used it .
Stepping on the green summoning circle drawn on the floor, Marco appeared. First, I had to ask if he knew about Trisha and Emilia’s whereabouts .
“ Marco, were you with Priest Trisha or Emilia by any chance ?”
Marco shook his head. Andrea bit her lip and wrinkled her brow. Unlike when entering the rift, it seemed that each person who entered this place fell into a completely different position, regardless of whether they were accompanied or not .
“… Anyway, the two must have fallen here somewhere, so I’ll have to look for them. By the way, do you know where this is, Mr. Marco ?”
Marco didn’t answer. Looking at it, Marco’s appearance was not unusual. A body that trembles minutely, a gaze that looks all over the place, lost in its direction, eyes that look both exalted and terrified .
Andrea was about to ask why, but Marco struggled to keep his mouth shut .
“ This is… near where I was taken prisoner .”
“…!”
“ The Campus Plain… yes, it was here The front lines of a long-stalled crusade .”
Marco looked up and looked at the distant horizon. He couldn’t believe that he had returned to this place. He let out an open sigh and continued talking.
Marco .
“ But with all the priests on our side killed in battle, the tide of battle turned… I had to hold out until reinforcements arrived from the Holy City, but Nelas called in mercenaries who dealt with strange powers and nailed it. In the end, most of the remaining Helios forces were either killed or taken prisoner …”
“… that’s unfortunate .”
“ No, what. I’m fine now. Isn’t the past something that can’t be helped? “
He tried to pretend nothing was wrong, but his face still showed confusion. It would have been inevitable if anyone came to a place where their lives were twisted .
“ By the way… are we really back to the days of the crusade? Aside from how that is possible… by any chance, if this past changes, could it affect the future as well ?”
Marco’s eyes were filled with weak hopes and expectations. I thought that maybe I could change the future of being captured and enslaved. If so, I thought that I would return safely to my wife and daughter. Andrea felt sorry for having to trample on those expectations .
“… not really. This isn’t a real battlefield from the past, it’s just a replica. Whatever happens here has no effect on the outside world .”
I expected it to some extent, but I couldn’t help but be disappointed. However, if history were indeed changed by this battlefield, it was obvious that the world outside would periodically be in chaos .
Marco smiled bitterly and asked another question .
“ Yes, by the way… According to what I heard before coming here, we should help us defeat some force, but can we decide that ?”
“ No, it is decided upon entering .”
“… I don’t think we should help them defeat the Nelas guys, right ?”
Fortunately, that wasn’t the case. Andrea handed over a note and gave a rough explanation of how they went to Helios .
Then Marco is visibly relieved. After all, if he had to help those who sold him into slavery and kill his old comrades, Marco would have gone mad .
With the general situation sorted out, it was time to leave. Marco didn’t know all the geography of this plain, but he knew exactly which direction to go to the garrison. Andrea thought it was right to go there .
’ Well, we don’t have the technology to track them, and if we wander aimlessly across this vast plain, we will never find them. If they both have ideas, they’ll find a place where people gather first .’
Even if he wasn’t there, at least he could hear rumors. Where people gather, all kinds of information gathers .
The destination was decided, so there was no need for further hesitation. Two people get up from their seats .
On the way, Andrea asked Marco to tell him the details of the battle here. Marco diligently explained, recalling his memories. Andrea listened and pondered how best to use the information .
*
The reunion with Emilia took place even before reaching the garrison. In a pretty bizarre way .
How long did they walk, they met people for the first time since coming to the battlefield. Since it was a flat terrain, it was noticeable from afar. Long cloth clothes that came down to the bottom, small armor that could only barely protect major organs, and long leggings. Those were the costumes of Nelas-kun .
Marco was wearing the same outfit as Helios. A situation in which conflict would arise just by encountering each other. Andrea puts on her gauntlet, and Marco pulls out his hammer .
But when I looked at it, I noticed something strange. Andrea and Marco were steadily approaching, while the other side did not move at all, only occasionally squealing. As if it was stuffed .
And finally, Andrea and Marco, who arrived in front of their noses and confirmed their faces, couldn’t help but distort their faces in great embarrassment .
The entire body was pierced with large stone needles. All vital points were avoided, but the number was not small. The posture I thought was standing still was actually nothing more than being supported by a stone needle .
This alone was bizarre enough, but what was even more bizarre was that the puncture wound, which should have been bleeding, had completely healed. Without pulling out the stone needle, of course .
“ Look! Me, please help me .”
The human who was fixed on the stone needle barely screamed. Even though it was obvious that Marco was wearing Helios’ uniform, he seemed to have added words because he was not in a position to cover hot or cold food .
Andrea told Marco to stay away and asked Nelas what happened .
“… Uh, I became like this because of a certain woman. He looks like a priest, so I thought I’d just do some checkups. It’s difficult for a priest to help Helios… Ugh, I didn’t know that you would blow away such a sharp stone .”
“… I don’t think it’s over just by blowing away the stones ?”
“… He said sorry for attacking me and healed me. However, since he was still pierced by a stone, he healed as it was. There were no witches at all… Now you can’t go anywhere until you take this off .”
It looked like the skin and stone needles were stuck together and became one. Only Emilia could do such a thing. However, as the author said, Emilia was not a great person to launch an attack without hesitation .
’ It must have been that this bastard made a serious threat under the guise of being interrogated. Priest Emilia responded by stuffing this bastard here so that there would be no remorse .’
It was a fact that had been forgotten for a while. Emilia looks so weak that she can’t kill a single ant, but she can be extremely cold towards a ‘certain enemy’. This Nelas soldier picked the wrong opponent .
Andrea soon pretended to cut the stone needle and save the soldier. Then, naturally, I asked which direction the woman had gone. The soldier, relieved that he would soon be freed from this restraint, informed him without any doubt .
“You went over there. It hasn’t been long since you left .”
“That ’s right, thank you. Then see you later .”
“ Huh? uh, what? Hey, look! I have to take this off and go !”
Andrea and Marco turned their backs on Nelas soldier’s screams and walked towards Emilia’s direction. I felt guilty as I listened to the desperate sound of squealing .
‘ What… The probability of that is low, but he wasn’t a bad guy, so if I’m mistaken, I’ll come back later to free him .’
It wasn’t a lie to say that he had just left. In less than ten minutes, Andrea and Marco really caught up with Emilia .
A lot of stiff shoulders, a very tense look. Hearing the footsteps, Emilia looked back and almost burst into tears when she confirmed that the person behind her was Andrea .
“ Andrea !”
Emilia rushed over as if to be embraced at any moment, but then took a step back shyly, probably thinking that she was too ignorant. Andrea burst out laughing .
” I’m glad you’re safe, priest. Are you not hurt anywhere ?”
“ Yes, yes. I’m fine. By the way, weren’t you with Trisha-sama ?”
“… that’s… that’s the question I wanted to ask the priest .”
Andrea informed Emilia of the general situation so far, within the limits of her understanding. The party is all scattered, we have to make the Helios army win, the current destination is on the way to the garrison .
After hearing the story, Emilia also told what she had been through. As expected by Andrea, the Nelas soldier tried to harm Emilia. As soon as he found out that he wasn’t a priest from Nelas’ side, he pulled out his sword and tried to stab him. I was immediately stopped because I was pierced by the Stone Needle, but .
“ In war, the power of the gods wielded by the priests was the best weapon. So both sides were very sensitive to the enemy calling the priest .”
Marco explained why the soldier acted the way he did. Andrea and Emilia nodded .
Andrea’s party, joined by Emilia, headed for the garrison as originally intended. Hoping that Trisha would have come to a place with a lot of people on her own. If Trisha didn’t come to the garrison, I would have to search outside without a deadline, but that was a problem to think about when I went there .
After walking for about an hour, I finally saw the garrison in the distance. A tall watchtower, a wooden fence, and a red flag depicting the sun fluttering in the wind. The landscape is bathed in vermilion from the setting sun .
Marco was suddenly soaked in melancholy. The names and figures of the people who were supposed to be there passed by one by one. Those who rolled through the mud together and fought together with their backs. Sooner or later they all die, or become enslaved and disappear .
But while Marco was immersed in emotion, Andrea and Emilia witnessed something unbelievable .
“ Huh …?”
“ Eh ?”
Hearing the continuous voice, Marco followed Andrea’s gaze and looked forward, wondering what was going on. Then he too took a deep breath and had no choice but to open his eyes wide .
A man standing guard in front of the garrison. I was dozing off and waking up repeatedly. He was an ordinary soldier who didn’t seem to have anything special, but there was a reason he couldn’t just ignore it .
Short brown hair, not very large, not even a full beard yet. However, the overall impression of the face was similar enough to be recognized at a glance .
As he kept dozing off and going back and forth, the soldier who was standing guard with him reprimanded him .
“ Bruno, what if I fall asleep while on guard duty ?”
“Look at me. I didn’t get a wink of sleep last night because I stayed up all night .”
The Marco of the past, who couldn’t even guess what his future would be like, was in front of them .
＜ 16. Prisoner, and Hero (3) ＞ End