Chapter 182.2: Towards the Fragment (3) Part 2

The leader stopped his horse. The others did the same.

The leader shouted,

"Laurie! Just look ahead and run!"

Startled, Laurie belatedly pulled on the reins.

"Leader!"

"If you stay here now, we'll die together! If you don't want a dog's death, then find a way to escape!"

Laurie scanned her surroundings. The wings being swallowed by monsters on both sides. The main force being rushed by dog-like creatures.

They would surely die. The possibility of returning alive was a slender one to begin with, but to die without even properly carrying out the mission.

It was a worthless death, simply thrown to the monsters as prey.

To attach even a few lines of meaning to their deaths, she must live. She must live, confirm the glacier, and escape. Of course, even that had a slim chance of survival, but it was better than staying here.

Run, Laurie. Run.

Pull the reins in your hand, hurry.

"...No."

Laurie extended both arms forward. Along with it, the surrounding monsters fell. The wings got a breath of fresh air, and the approaching dogs also fell, tripping over those in front.

Drip-

Blood dripped down Laurie's lips.

Laurie couldn't abandon them.

She knew it herself. What she was supposed to do as a secret agency member. That this was just a temporary reprieve.

And she also knew. That her disposition was ill-suited to that of a secret agency member.

The secret agency would do anything for the Empire's benefit. The reason Laurie had continued doing the job until now was because the so-called benefit was directly connected to the lives of the Imperial citizens.

Laurie had done dirty work to save people. She had killed people to save people.

Escaping alone, running away to save herself in exchange for a few lines of information, even if it was life-saving information, was never in Laurie's consideration.

That is to say, she...

"You want to save everyone, don't you?"

"Huh?"

Laurie let out a small shriek, her hair standing on end.

That voice, she had heard it somewhere before, and instinctively, her body was filled with 'fear'.

Rumble---!!

Something crashed down from above, landing directly onto the oncoming pack of wild dogs.

"What?!"

Laurie could not tell what had fallen because it all happened too quickly for her to see.

She tilted her head back and squinted her eyes, finally able to see what it was.

A gigantic building. A three-story tall building had fallen out of the sky onto the flat land where there was nothing just moments ago. The wild dogs were crushed under the weight of the building, writhing in pain.

"W-what the heck?"

"Is that a monster too?"

Laurie glanced at her surroundings after hearing voices coming from both of her sides.

They were the voices of uninjured survivors of the horrific massacre by the monsters. But now, those monsters are gone.

They were all lying dead around the camp, arrows piercing their heads, chest, and necks.

'Did they take care of the monsters on either side of the troop, as well as the wild dogs approaching the main camp, all at the same time?'

And without harming any humans?

Laurie knew instantly who had done all this. There was no mistaking it after seeing that giant building. But she couldn't believe it.

That the torturer who locked her up for a month without giving her anything to eat or drink, was capable of doing something like this...

"I'm afraid I don't have enough strength to save everyone."

The voice that interrupted her thoughts came again.

It was still irritating, and she wanted to beat him up if given the chance, but it was equally terrifying.

"...Frondier."

Laurie raised her head and glared at him.

Frondier was floating in the air, looking at Laurie with a smile from in front of the building that had fallen from the sky.

"We don't have time to talk. Hurry up and take your people inside."

"...Inside there?"

Laurie looked at the building that Frondier was pointing at with his thumb. Of course, it was a place that held no fond memories for Laurie.

"Do you want to die here?"

"..."

Laurie bit her lower lip and looked around. All the monsters in the area were wiped out in an instant.

It was astonishing, but it also meant that more monsters of the same number would soon be coming for them. The horses were frightened, and the troop's morale was dismal.

"Leader, let's go into that building."

"Is this okay?"

"It's not okay, but it's the only way."

The leader saw Frondier floating in the sky.

Laurie momentarily forgot, but in this world, the mere fact that a person is floating in the sky is enough to suggest the extent of their power.

It's too vast a plain to be standing on a thread, and floating at that height isn't possible with 'levitation' magic.

Above all, considering the situation before and after, the monsters being wiped out and that building suddenly appearing must be due to that man.

"Everyone! Lead the horses and enter the mansion!"

Following the leader's command, the members of the dark group hesitantly headed into the building. They were mindlessly riding their horses when suddenly, something made them look back.

The horrifying scene where they had fought the monsters just moments ago. There were bodies of humans everywhere, and some were still breathing.

Though the injuries were severe, there were stocked medicines and healers here, so it might be possible to save them if enough time was given.

...But this is no place for such naivety. The monsters will soon attack again, and we must enter that building as quickly as possible.

"Move all the injured."

"?!"

That's when Frondier spoke. Everyone looked at him in disbelief.

Frondier scanned the surroundings and said,

"I'll give you three minutes. Move everyone by then. After that time, the door will close. I don't care whether they're alive or dead."

Three minutes? With the monsters about to pour in again, how can he give us three minutes?

How exactly is he going to give us that time,

Vroom-

Then, the people saw it. Spears suddenly appeared around him floating in the air, spreading out widely and arranged in a circle.

Zap!

And when Frondier swung something like a hammer, lightning surged, running along the spears. The lightning connected all the spears together.

It was the completion of a temporary barrier to protect the humans.

"It's three minutes."

The time limit was set again. People snapped to their senses and hurriedly moved. They moved the injured and lined up the horses, quickly getting them inside.

And among the group trying to sneak into the workshop was Laurie,

"Laurie."

Startled.

Frondier unmistakably called her out.

Turning her neck like a rusty machine, Laurie saw Frondier looking at her with his usual smile.

"I guess you'll have to settle the accounts for their lives."

...Settle the accounts?

Why me?

I don't have any money. How am I supposed to settle the accounts for all these people's lives by myself?

"Don't worry. You'll definitely be able to pay it back. And only you can do it."

Frondier spoke as if to reassure, but Laurie was anything but reassured.

Even if I don't know how I'm supposed to pay it back, nothing but ominous thoughts filled my mind.