The emergency rm rang, but no one woke up from their sleep upon hearing it.


    After all, it’s impossible to wake up again if you’re already awake.


    Everyone stayed up all night with open eyes. The news that the knolls wereing again kept them on edge.


    The beasts and monsters returned once more.


    This time, it was different from before.


    The creatures filled one side of the wilderness, and among them were objects they hadn’t seen before.


    Two or three of them were approaching, carrying long objects under their arms.


    These were long tools with holes in the middle.


    Unlike before, they weren’t charging recklessly, they had some semnce of order. There were dozens of such organized groups.


    Deutsche, recalling what he learned from a military veteran mercenary when he first joined, tried to estimate their numbers.


    He bent his fingers to form a circle and used it to count the knolls, estimating how many such circles would cover the entire area.


    ‘Twenty.’


    Roughly twenty per circle, and about fifty circles in total? It seemed to be around that number.


    Mixed among the knolls and hyena beasts were ghoul hordes creeping around.


    It was a horrifying number, even more than yesterday. Yesterday was already a nightmare.


    Everything was dreadful, but the most terrifying part was what they were holding.


    Those long, hole-riddled tools.


    “Ladders?”


    The word slipped out involuntarily.


    Deutsche Pullman felt a sense of dread.


    The knolls had broughtdders.


    Monstrous knolls used weapons. Therefore, if taught, they could use tools.


    What was more astonishing was that it was evident these were hastily made objects.


    ‘They madedders?’


    No way, why the hell did the knolls makedders?


    There must be a sinister mastermind behind this, someone pulling the strings.


    ‘The cultists.’


    The thought made him even more anxious. Of course, the immediate problem was thedders.


    Whether hastily made or carefully constructed, if thosedders started piling up against the walls, the quality of thedders wouldn’t matter.


    “Boiling oil!”


    Deutsche shouted instinctively.


    “Do you think we have that?” came the vige chief’s retort.


    There were some stones left to throw, but not many. They had quite a few arrows, but could they fend off the roughly thousand monsters with those?


    When they were all bunched up under the walls, shooting would hit them. But there were only twenty archers.


    They couldn’t pour boiling oil like in a siege.


    Should they collect and pour filth?


    Would hitting them with excrement drive away the knolls or hyena beasts?


    Not a chance.


    They had to hold out for seven more days for reinforcements, but could they make it?


    ‘If only we had enough stones.’


    With only twenty archers and the entire vige pitching in, what would happen?


    Once the stone-throwing was over, they couldn’t really use the vigers as any sort of fighting force.


    Sending these vigers into meleebat would be like throwing rare steaks to the knolls.


    They couldn’t haul enough throwable stones from the quarry in just one day. Theycked the means and manpower.


    Even if they carried whatever they could, it wouldn’t be enough. They couldn’t stop them that way.


    ‘No chance.’


    If thedders went up, it would be over. The difference in numbers was clear, even if they tried to stop them with arrows and rolling stones.


    Even if the cultists pulled some tricks, if they cast a curse, how could they resist?


    They’d be lucky if everyone didn’t copse on the spot.


    Deutsche himself had no real means to resist such curses.


    This was just a small pioneer vige, it wasn’t something a former mercenary leader could handle alone.


    To be honest, Deutsche wanted to run away.


    Yesterday’s victory was already a distant memory.


    The craftsman they brought in to build the wall had joked about naming it the ‘Mad Encrid Wall’, hadn’t he?


    What a joke, they couldn’t eveny the foundation stones properly.


    At this rate, this ce would be a colony nest for the knolls. It would be their vige. A vige for knolls? The thought was maddening.


    Eventually, arge-scale hunting party would be organized, and they’d easily burn such a vige to the ground.


    But what about those who would die and lose their homes in the meantime?


    Deutsche had invested everything he had in this pioneer vige. If it was taken, he’d be left with nothing. He’d have to start from scratch, swinging his sword for a living again.


    So, should he run away? Is that really what he should do?


    ‘If I run, where would I go?’


    There was nowhere to go. Even if he took the mercenaries and escaped through the quarry, where would they head next?


    Should they cross the border?


    Yeah, right. An unnned journey would be akin to suicide.


    Yet, his long experience as a mercenary told him that running away offered the better chance of survival.


    “Damn it.”


    The curse slipped out instinctively.


    Just then, a voice spoke up nearby.


    “What was that guy’s name again?”


    “Deutsche.”


    The voice belonged to the hero of the previous night, the crazy toon leader with ck hair and blue eyes.


    The madman who had single-handedly charged into the knoll horde and sliced through their leader.


    “Deutsche, open the gate a bit.”


    Encrid spoke.


    Deutsche’s brow furrowed, mirroring the turmoil inside him. Beside him, Krais spoke in a clear, prepared voice.


    “Remember, themand authority lies with my toon leader. Follow the orders immediately, Chief of Security.”


    He was merely stating what needed to be done and what needed to be protected, but the effect was clear.


    Krais didn’t use an arrogant or forceful tone.


    The timing was perfect.


    Is there any other option? Look at thedders, isn’t this the worst momentpared to when they first arrived? And what about the cultists? You don’t have a choice.


    In summary, it was an escape route.


    By relinquishingmand, Deutsche could avoid responsibility.


    From Krais’s perspective, Deutsche Pullman was a stubborn but decent man.


    ‘It would have been easier if he had given up earlier.’


    Security of the pioneer vige? What’s the point of that title?


    Future nning? This is a gamble. How many pioneer viges have fallen like this?


    Especially in such a tangled situation?


    If it were Krais, he would have already looted the vige with his mercenaries and fled.


    Seriously.


    Of course, Krais couldn’t do that.


    If he did, Encrid’s hand or foot might be a de against him.


    After all, the toon leader was genuinelymitted to saving people.


    Thinking about it made Krais a bit uneasy. The guy had a knack for doing strange things.


    Just look at this situation, he was still up to something odd.


    It was right after the emergency rm had rung.


    “Only Lua, Esther, and I will go out.”


    “Where to?”


    “Outside the walls.”


    This was what Encrid had said amidst the ringing rm.


    Krais had seriously wondered if Encrid had hit his head during the fight yesterday.


    “You know you almost died yesterday?”


    Encrid nodded.


    “It was a close call.”


    Does this guy not care about his own life?


    “Eyes on me.”


    Just as Krais thought that, Encrid opened his mouth. Not wanting to get hit, Krais averted his gaze.


    “What if we’re unlucky today?”


    “We have Lua, don’t we?”


    No matter how impressive the Frog is, is Lua some kind of Knight? No, she’s not, right?


    No, she’s not. So it’s dangerous.


    “Find something to do yourself.”


    This was as far as Encrid went. That was the end of the conversation. After that, Krais had to think for himself.


    ‘The front-linebat will be done by just one human, one Frog, and one panther.’


    What could the remaining people do?


    They could cheer.


    ‘They could also shoot arrows appropriately.’


    Krais dismissed the fleeting thoughts. It was time to think of immediate tasks.


    “Then, as I assumemand, I order you to open the gate.”


    Krais spoke.


    Encrid was already at the gate, chatting with Lua and Esther hurrying along beside them.


    “Don’t die.”


    Krais muttered to himself. If the toon leader died, it would be difficult for Krais to survive as well.


    Krais didn’t think Encrid was a foolish person.


    ‘He must have a n.’


    As absurd as it seemed, Krais trusted him. He remembered Encrid’s back blocking his path in the middle of a battlefield.


    They barely survived that time.


    The toon leader then and now were iparable.


    It wasn’t just about the promotion from Squad leader to toon leader.


    His skills had improved. His ambition to be a Knight seemed more achievable with how rapidly he was improving.


    “I said to open it! Disobedience will be punished by beheading, Deutsche Pullman!”


    Krais’s voice was now forceful, a tone he hadn’t used earlier.


    He wasn’t a mercenary leader nor Encrid.


    He was just a weak human, so he needed to rely on authority.


    “Y-yes, sir.”


    Deutsche responded, relinquishing his duties and responsibilities as the former chief of security.


    “Cut off the heads of those who don’t obey.”


    He directed this to Deutsche, though he didn’t actually expect anyone to be beheaded.


    Of course, that didn’t happen.


    Soon, the pulley creaked, and the log gate began to open.


    Encrid, Lua, and Esther stepped outside.


    It wasn’t a reckless charge like yesterday. The knolls and hyena beasts, though awkwardly formed, maintained some order, while a mass of ghouls approached from one side.


    Somewhere among them, the cultist was hiding.


    Before a force that could be called an army, only three stood.


    Seeing this, Krais felt a dry mouth. He swallowed hard, avoiding the gaze of others.


    Whatever they did, he had to support them from behind.


    “Bring all soldiers skilled in archery.”


    The archers.


    “ce stones around so they can be thrown easily.”


    The vigers and everyone else began to move ording to Krais’s orders.


    Using the log barricade as a makeshift wall, they prepared to face the approaching enemy force.


    * * *


    Encrid was relieved that Krais was managing things, freeing him from worrying about it.


    ‘If it weren’t for the treasure, this would have been a lot of trouble.’


    Had it not been for some map-rted task, Krais wouldn’t have been involved in this mission.


    In that case, Encrid wouldn’t have brought him along.


    Handling misceneousmands and other minor tasks would have fallen on him if not for Krais.


    Deutsche Pullman, whether a ive or one-eyed, looked like someone who had lost his courage.


    ‘He looks like someone just waiting to die.’


    It was a look he had seen often, one of a broken spirit.


    After observing this, Encrid stopped paying attention. He focused on his sword, himself, and the new insights he had gained.


    It was time for that.


    As he stood before the log gate, the dream fromst night came to mind.


    The conversation with the ferryman, as vivid as a brand in his mind, his reaction, and the events that followed.


    “You used a trick.”


    The ferryman showed no emotion when saying that.


    ‘It just happened that way.’


    These words were spoken in his mind.


    The ferryman seemed to understand.


    The ferry bobbed up and down, even though there were no waves.


    It seemed to reflect the ferryman’s current mood.


    How dare you? A trick? Such deceit?


    Yet Encrid felt at peace.


    “Bound byws, wandering through time, you will regret this, this is not the end.”


    The ferryman recited some verse as a warning, but Encrid merely acknowledged it.


    What use was there in pondering words he couldn’t understand?


    Even now, and in the dream, he only dreamt of tomorrow.


    That was the end of it. The ferryman vanished, and then the nightmare began.


    He dreamt of being trapped in a well, seeing the moon shining above but unable to climb out, day after day.


    In the dream, Encrid wed at the walls until his nails cracked, peeled, and broke, but he couldn’t reach the top.


    That’s why he had thrashed about in his sleep.


    “What kind of dream was it?”


    Lua asked as the log gate opened.


    “It was a dream where the moonlight was beautiful.”


    It wasn’t untrue. The moonlight shining above the well was beautiful, intoxicating even in the dream.


    It was moonlight that required no drop of alcohol.


    “It doesn’t sound like a nightmare.”


    “Does it?”


    They exchanged a few nonchnt words.


    “Caw.”


    Esther made a sound as she looked at the open gate. ncing down, Encrid felt Esther staring up at him.


    “I’ll need your help again today.”


    Esther was no ordinary panther. That much was already clear.


    Then, what about himself?


    “Whew.”


    He took a deep breath and recalled what he had learned.


    Oh, there was something he needed to check first. He almost forgot.


    “Lua.”


    “Speak.”


    “Show us what you can do.”


    How well would a provoked Frog fight? Remembering this fact, he spoke.


    Grrrr.


    Lua’s cheeks puffed up.


    “Alright, I’ll show you.”


    The Frog spoke first, then dashed forward, kicking off the ground and sending dirt flying like a fountain. How reassuring it was to see.


    He was curious.


    How well would a provoked Frog fight?


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