When I arrived at the Village Entrance, there were about ten mounted Knights. I saw them talking to the villagers who had arrived at the entrance earlier.

…Are those Adventurers the people behind you?

It seemed they had been explaining the situation. The Knight, who had been listening, turned his gaze towards me as I approached and questioned the villager.

The villager turned around and replied, “Yes.” The Knight then thanked the villager and spoke from atop his horse.

It seems you’ve defeated the Monsters…

I couldn’t just ignore it.

I replied, looking back at the person. I didn’t recognize him at first because he was wearing a helmet… but the peeking hair was crimson, and I recognized his features.

You are…

Immediately after I spoke, he dismounted first.

My name is Shelk Foro. I am a Knight of the Alastin Kingdom… a Human who has led this troop. Thank you for saving the Village.

He was a Knight with a deeply chiseled face, and he was the Knight who became a companion in the game. In other words, he was one of the Knights between whom I had to choose.

I had expected a moderately skilled Knight to come, but his direct arrival was unexpected. However, it’s highly possible that the Kingdom’s Side also sensed the signs of the Demon Race’s advance, so it’s safe to assume he came here to investigate.

If there’s anything we can do…

Your assistance is appreciated. First, please tell me in detail about the Village’s situation. In particular, I’d like to know about the specifics of the Monsters.

He wants to know about the Monsters, so he did come here to investigate.

Understood.

I readily agreed and began to speak. My explanation wasn’t very eloquent, but when I mentioned that all the Monsters were Kobolds, Shelk’s face stiffened.

I see. Thank you for the information. I’d like to pay you a reward if possible, but unfortunately, we are currently at war, and it’s highly likely that we cannot provide proper compensation.

That’s fine. We didn’t fight for a reward anyway.

As I responded, I considered the meaning of meeting Shelk.

Regarding the war, I had envisioned scattering and protecting the Knights. In the game, besides Knights and Soldiers, hired Warriors also joined, so I planned to participate in the front lines with them, preparing to respond at any time near the Knights.

However, if I meet Shelk here and can form a connection with him, there might be other effective methods… Of course, this would involve Sofia making contact with the Humans in the Castle, so there’s a risk of her identity being exposed.

Explaining the situation and having them arrange something is one option… No, it’s better to decide what to do after checking the situation in the Capital City. It might also be good to ask around a bit about the Castle, using my encounter with him as an opportunity.

Also, Sofia seems to be pondering whether to speak to Kanan, the King… It wouldn’t be too late to investigate the Castle’s situation and then decide what to do.

We are thinking of heading to the Capital City.

When I told him our plans, Shelk replied, “I see,” and said,

We are hiring Warriors to strengthen our forces. If it’s you and your companions, you would be of great help to us. If you don’t mind, I’d like you to fight alongside us. Of course, we will provide appropriate compensation.

Understood… I will enter the Capital City and think about it.

Shelk told me, “Please do,” and entered the Village with the other Knights. After seeing them off, Sofia and the others arrived, passing them by.

The person who seemed like a Captain looked strong.

Sylvie commented. Kuuza also nodded in agreement.

Perhaps these kinds of attacks are happening all over the place.

When I mentioned the details of the Monsters, his face stiffened.

At my remark, Sylvie and Kuuza looked convinced. I continued to speak to them.

They might be getting various pieces of information and sensing signs that the Demon Race is approaching. The Knight who was just here, the Captain, might also be here to investigate.

That seems highly probable.

Sofia also nodded. She has a disguise device, but she doesn’t seem to be wearing it yet.

Sofia, just to confirm, that Knight should be fine, right?

Yes. As long as I don’t meet Kanan or the General… It would be dangerous if I met someone of a minister’s rank, but I don’t think it would come to infiltrating the Castle.

You never know. With the War with Demons, it’s possible we might have to fight inside the Castle.

Sylvie’s words. Then Kuuza chimed in, echoing her.

In such a situation, the Capital City would be on the verge of falling. If Monster attacks are frequent in the surrounding areas, few Humans would evacuate from the Capital City. In that case, the Town would also suffer damage–

I understand without you saying any more.

Sofia said. The War with Demons—she carries that bitter experience in her heart.

I watched my companions and thought—even in the game, the defeat condition was when the Castle Gate was breached. The Capital City of the Alastin Kingdom, located on flat land, is surrounded by City Walls on all four sides. If those City Walls are breached, it’s over—that’s how it must be.

I’ve played fifteen times and been involved in this event many times, but I’ve never been defeated. The difficulty itself wasn’t that high, but what would happen in an actual war?

Also, having saved the Village this time, I’ve realized that numbers are the biggest problem. How many soldiers do the Knights have, and what is the number and quality of the Monsters? Even if it’s an easy victory for people like Sofia, it will undoubtedly be a formidable foe for Soldiers with little combat experience. How will the Alastin Kingdom confront this?

“…Let’s hurry to the Capital City.”

I eventually spoke. My companions all agreed—we decided to leave the rest to the Knights and press on.

Several days later… we finally arrived at Lahaito, the Capital of the Alastin Kingdom.

The City Walls are white, which I believe means they used a material resistant to magic. The view of the white City Walls from a distance is very good, but perhaps because war is imminent, the air feels heavy.

“The key, after all, will probably be defending the gates.”

Kuuza remarked, looking at the sturdy Castle Gate.

“I remember this Capital City having Castle Gates on all four sides, right?”

“Yes, that’s correct.”

Sofia replied to Kuuza’s words—she currently has the hood of her cloak pulled low over her face.

“East, west, north, south… if the Monsters attack, they will definitely surround us… but the fighting style will change depending on whether they concentrate their forces somewhere or attack evenly.”

“The Monsters are probably Kobolds… but I wonder if the Soldiers will be alright.”

Kuuza commented, looking at the spearmen guarding the gate.

“Not all Soldiers would have combat experience. However, the Alastin Kingdom also has an image of being strong due to the presence of the Sacred Sword.”

“I don’t think the quality of their troops differs much from other Nations.”

Sofia spoke again, providing an explanation.

“However, there’s definitely a reason why they’re often said to be strong. The most famous among them is the General.”

“I’ve heard his name too.”

Sylvie said. I also nodded, pulling the name from my memory.

The General who will die in the upcoming war—his name is Bosro Mubain. Despite being in his fifties, his skill has not waned, and he is a strong general whom the people of the Nation trust.

In this battle, he also needs to be protected… but I remember he was supposed to die fighting a Monster. The Demon Race is aware of his name, so they must have sent a powerful Monster to defeat him. If he is defeated, then the Monsters must possess considerable abilities.

Perhaps that will be a major obstacle. I should deal with this—just then, I heard voices from the direction of the Castle Gate. They seemed to be deep in conversation, but—

“…Ah.”

Sofia was the first to speak. As I wondered what was happening, the situation near the Castle Gate began to become clear.

…I thought, ‘no way.’ Or rather, in this case, would it be ‘speak of the devil’?

The person whose name was just mentioned—General Bosuro—was seen standing in front of the Castle Gate.