CH 37.2

When Walm arrived at the treatment center, there were countless injured people gathered under the tent. It wasn’t just those who were injured by Walm. Some were injured in daily battles with the Highserk Empire.

“Healing magician-dono, this guy has a serious injury”

“It’s a serious injury, but it’s not too late. Please carry him all the way.”

At the destination, incense mixed with medicinal herbs was cooked in addition to the deadly odor that could make you cry and cause nausea.

“Please lay him there”

The soldiers who carried Walm immediately return to the burning camp. Maybe to extinguish the fire or carry another injured person. He was a very disciplined guy.

About twenty dying people lined up and all of them were severely burned. They would have never thought the villain was lined up side by side with them. It was an ironic sight. 

Walm relaxed himself, and turned his consciousness to the operating table. The healing magician cut off the adhered clothes and cleaned the wounds with skillful hands. What was amazing was the mana and healing ability of the healing magician who healed wounds.

The recovery speed was also amazing. Extensively lost skin and blood vessels were joined together and regenerated. The healing magician was young and looked like just in her late teens. Her long hair was tied up and tucked into the hat. Judging from the appearance, Walm was certain that the girl must be the last of “Three Heroes” of Craist. The girl might be someone who came from his old previous world. He understood that, but it didn’t make Walm happy. After all, right now, they were “enemies” who were killing each other now, if he was foolishly getting carried away by the happy feeling, it might end with his head rolling on the ground.

“Ayane-sama, the next patient.”

It was Walm’s turn and he was put on the operating table. Embarrassingly, his armor and clothes were taken off.

“Bruise on the whole body, burns and lacerations on the right abdomen, three ribs broke, and fractures on all of his left fingers.”

The woman, who might be an assistant, searched for the injuries that Walm suffered, one after another.

“I’ll start”

The girl declared so and held her hand over Walm’s wound with a serious look. It felt warmer than the healing magic he ever felt, and the pain was relieved at quite a fast pace. 

I see, with this kind of healing magic, soldiers can jump into the battlefield without hesitation. She is an obstacle that must be eliminated for Highserk Empire.

However, Walm was nothing but an injured soldier. He wasn’t ordered to kill her either. Right now, he was just a patient who received treatment. If he harmed the girl now, he might lose the life that he had a hard time keeping. He wanted to avoid doing such a risky move if circumstances allowed, also he wanted to pay her back for treating his wounds if he could.

“Thank you, Healing Magician-dono. My body is so light as if the injuries are all a lie.”

“I’m glad to hear that.”

After less than 10 minutes of treatment, Walm thanked the girl from the bottom of his heart. She laughed a little like a shy girl. The operating table was cleaned and the next patient was immediately placed. Walm left the treatment room and headed for a corner where many injured people gather.

“…..ch”

Walm clicked his tongue lightly. The female knight he battled before and the remaining “Three Heroes” came to the treatment center.

“Good. It seems that the user of 《Demon Fire》 hasn’t come here.”

“Well, when I heard that Johanna-san was attacked, I almost got a heart attack.”

“If I didn’t make a blunder, the damage wouldn’t have spread.”

“That surprise attack, no one expected it, it’s not because of Johanna-san.”

A black-haired boy comforted the female knight. 

Just keep talking like that…

With such hope, Walm kept walking.

“But even though he had been injured so much, for him to still alive. I’ve never expected that.”

The remaining distance was about five steps. Cold sweat flowed from Walm’s forehead.

“The warehouse is on fire and there is no sign of the fire will be extinguished soon. The darkness has helped him to hide himself too.”

The party passed by Walm. He kept telling himself in his mind to not suddenly speed up his legs.

“Hmm?”

“What happened?”

“I saw a soldier with familiar features, but I don’t have someone I know any of the Ferrius soldiers.”

“Maybe it just someone looked like an acquaintance?”

“Yeah, perhaps that’s the case.”

“You, the Ferrius soldier there. Have we met somewhere before?”

Of course, it won’t be that easy… 

Walm seemed to hate the fate that came at him as it pleased. Thinking that his voice had been heard. He had no choice but to change the voice like a defeated soldier.

“…Perhaps, I was, in your sight, when you were attacking the layer.”

Hearing his own bad voice, Walm wanted to ridicule himself. But, He didn’t lie.

“Well, I attacked some layers with Ferrius soldiers. I might have seen you there. By the way, you closed one of your eyes, what happened?”

“I was hurt by the magic of the enemy.”

“What a disaster. But, at least your head didn’t get crushed. So, luck is still with you.”

“Thank you, very much”

“I’m sorry to stop you suddenly.”

“No, I’m happy, to get a chance to talk, with the Knight of Craist.”

Walm tried to keep calm and moved forward, thinking that he had done well this time. What he needed to do was, to escape after he saw a gap.

“Where is the “Three Heroes”!!?”

A messenger soldier jumped into the treatment center. Called “Three Heroes”, without even moving his eyes to Walm.

“I am here”

“Ah, Johanna-dono is also with you!!? Immediately go to help Gran-sama, there are many Highserk soldiers in the layer!!”

“Did the front can’t hold them!?”

Walm focused his ears. From what he understood, The Highserk soldiers should have abandoned the layers, leaving only the last one.

“It seems that the enemy uses this chance to attack back. They invaded from the underground tunnel. Even at the last layer, the Jaff Cavalry Battalion has turned to counterattack. Now hundreds have invaded from the tunnel, but the invasion doesn’t seem to stop. Gran-sama wants to crush the entrance with magic.”

Hearing that, Walm remembered there was a time he wondered as to why the embankment on the 6th layer was high and from where the soil to build it came from. Walm had an experience of digging the ground. However, even from all of his experience of digging up empty moats, trenches, and spider holes, he didn’t think it would be enough to make such a tall embankment. Walm never thought it was the soil from the construction of the underground tunnel.

Walm would have welcomed the appearance of the friendly army with a leap, but fate was a shit. He understood that the people near him had the power to crush the entrance. 

Walm conflicted. If left unattended, hundreds of soldiers would be killed. 

Should I prioritize my own life?

“OK, I’m heading right away.”

―― Walm intended to tell himself, that he had worked hard until now, that he had fulfilled his duty. But, he spontaneously opened his mouth.

“Excuse me?”

Walm himself thought he was such a stupid guy. But if he didn’t do that here, he wouldn’t be able to call himself a soldier.

“What is it? Now is not――”

The female knight changed her soft eyes and looked sharply at Walm.

“You, what happened to your eyes? And your voice?”

Walm changed his bad voice back, and opened his closed muddy eye.

“Well, nothing much. I was just wondering if I could take the healing magicians and the injured as hostages.”

“Johanna-san, that person is!”

Yuuto noticed and tried to prepare his stance. 

Walm changed his tone and shouted.

“Don’t move!! If you pull it out, the whole area will be wrapped in blue flames.”

All the gaze in the treatment center gathered at Walm with murderous intent.

“You’re the user of 《Demon Fire》? You dare to take hostages so broadly huh?”

Johanna blamed Walm for broadly exposing his canines.

“As you’ve guessed.”

Walm was wondering if he should hit them in surprise, but there was no doubt that his mana would drop rapidly if he used 《Demon Fire》. In that case, there was the excellent knight and “Three Heroes” who had high mana even if the soldiers were cleared up. It was unclear if he then could suppress them in such circumstances.

However, if he said broadly that he held a hostage, the movement would be decided naturally. Walm was surrounded, but he had no intention of entrusting the initiative.

“Why don’t you be quiet here for a while, I don’t want to burn the non-resisting injured and the healing magician who healed my wounds.”

Walm said the truth. As a soldier, Walm had no intention of killing a person just by following his grudge, but in the course of the battlefield, targeting the one he had a grudge with, or the close relatives of that person… he didn’t want to admit it but he was for sure think it would happen. It didn’t mean, that he wasn’t willing to avenge his companions, he just thought that killing them when the situation flowed that way, would be the best.

“You, must be a coward.”

Listen to the words of a boy called Yuuto. Walm felt that the boy’s anger had grown, but he wouldn’t want to have such a discussion here. Johanna tried to provoke Walm who kept ignoring them.

“Do you think we can’t stand the demon fire?”

“Sure, some people can endure it, but well, most of them can’t.”

It would be profitable to restrain multiple enemies with maximum strength. Even if the restraint failed, the injured and the healing magician would be burned down. Walm might die, but among the female knight, the brown girl, and the black-haired boys, one of them might be killed too.

“Instantly, the skin will be sore and the exposed nerves will feel pain even in the water. Water will start spilling from the eyeballs, the trachea and lungs will burn and, you will roll on the ground. Well, many of you know that.”

Walm said to the injured who had been burned. The more people who tasted the demon fire, the paler their faces and the more they trembled.

“What a terrible way of killing.”

“It’s terrible. I know. But, you guys are like that too. My squad members were detained, their eyes were hollowed out, and killed.”

“The Order of Reharzen will nev――”

“Then who? The other Craist soldiers? The soldiers from the other three countries? Who gives a f*ck about that. From my point of view, it’s something you guys did.”

The surrounding soldiers that completely swallowed the situation, were in silence, unlike the hustle and bustle of the ones a little far. The sound of spit, the sound of rubbing cloth, and even the slightest sound remained in the ears.

Walm had already earned a few minutes. All he had to do was wait for the Highserk army to overrun the layer, he just needed to keep doing the silly questions and answers. 

It was the messenger of the Craist soldiers who broke such silence. Perhaps because he was a soldier who had the information, he couldn’t stand the feeling of frustration, and with a sudden action, he instantly pulled out his sword and slashed at Walm.

Walm lowered his hips, pulled out the longsword with his right hand, stepped one of his legs, and used 《Strike》 to slash the soldier together with his sword. When Walm jumped back, the female knight and Yuuto also pulled out their swords. Guard soldiers were also rushing in all at once. Walm didn’t know whether it was intentional or not. Still, it was the fact that they made a move at him.

“Yeah, that’s right”

Threats make no sense unless it’s carried out to some extent. If you hesitate, you’ll be seen through and defeated. 

Walm shed the remaining mana, and the《Fire of Hell Gate》 responded.

“Wai――”

The only sad voice of the brown girl who didn’t pull out her weapon reached Walm, but the humanity left in Walm wasn’t enough to make him hesitate. 

The Healing Magicians was wondering about the ruckus and opened the tent entrance a little to peep. At that moment, the treatment area was wrapped in 《Demon Fire》.