Chapter 208: Academy Heroine's Right Diagonal Back Seat
Chapter 208
"Citizens, please remain calm and evacuate according to the instructions!"
"Everyone, please move to the nearest shelter!"
As the elite heroes began their operation to subjugate the high-level demonic beasts, the evacuation of citizens was taking place in the outskirts of the city, just in case.
Honestly, I expected it to be easier than before.
This time, there wasn’t a situation where the teleportation gate was blocked, nor were there demonic beasts inside the barrier threatening the lives of citizens.
But that was a miscalculation.
"A... what was that sound earlier?!"
"Mommy, I’m scared...!"
"Ugh, calm down! Don’t push like that—people are getting hurt!"
"How can we be calm right now?! I saw it! That gigantic monster outside! Is it really okay?!"
The evacuation procession was nothing short of chaos, with shouts and screams everywhere.
There were people collapsing to the ground in fear, trembling, and others who seemed to have lost their senses, unable to follow instructions properly. How could evacuation go smoothly under such circumstances?
The citizens were more panicked than ever before.
It was frustrating enough to drive me mad, but I soon realized why.
Despite having undergone emergency drills and experienced real-life evacuations, these people were in this state because of one thing.
[■■■■■■!!!!]
"Eek-!!!"
The sporadic roar echoing intermittently was the cause of everyone’s panic.
Even children trained to overcome fear would shudder at that sound. How could those who hadn’t built up any immunity to it react any differently?
Just as one’s body freezes involuntarily upon encountering a predator, the citizens had lost their ability to think normally due to the roar of a being far more powerful than themselves.
The only relief was that this area wasn’t designated for the demonic beasts to pass through, so even if time was being wasted like this, it wasn’t a significant problem.
It was pure hell for us, though, having to calm people who were screaming in fear and drag those who were cowering under blankets out to evacuate.
...Moreover, the truly difficult ones to deal with weren’t even those who were uncontrollable.
“...Hero-nims, are you really going to protect us this time? It hasn’t been that long since the last incident. Are you trying to get me killed like my mom was back then?”
The hardest ones for us to handle were those who, due to distrust in the heroes, outright refused to follow orders.
Whether they meant to or not, the words of the wounded were sharp and cut deep, leaving a mark on those of us who had to listen.
But still, none of us running around trying to evacuate people would blame them.
Because every time we heard such words, we were the type who couldn’t help but think, “If only we had done a little better, could we have saved this person’s loved one?”
So, all we could do was do our best now to prevent such a tragedy from happening again.
“...You don’t have to believe in us.”
“...Yeah, I don’t trust people like you.”
“However, I hope you can at least trust heroes like Captain Yoon Si-woo or Mr. Tellos, who are fighting demonic beasts at this very moment. They are risking their lives to protect you.”
“...”
And the best way to deal with such people was to drop names like Yoon Si-woo or Tellos, just as she did.
The trust those names commanded was different. Even if they were grumbling, they’d comply with the evacuation once those names were mentioned.
Watching the history teacher calmly manage to integrate another troublesome person into the evacuation line, I spoke in admiration.
“...You’re impressively composed. Aren’t you worried, with the demonic beasts right there?”
“There’s no need to worry. Captain Tellos is handling the beasts headed this way.”
At my question, the history teacher replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, grinning widely.
“Maybe you’re nervous, but I’ve worked under him for a long time. I can’t imagine him losing, no matter what the opponent is—whether it’s a high-level demonic beast or anything else. That’s why I can stay calm and focus on my duty. Even if it’s laughable that my duty is to evacuate citizens, as if something might go wrong. I mean, he’s not going to lose.”
I chuckled and nodded at her words.
Indeed, he didn’t seem like the kind of person who would lose to anyone.
Knowing there was someone so reliable protecting our backs helped calm my anxiety a little.
Just as I was about to return to helping with the evacuation,
[■■■■■■■■!!!!]
A sound, as if a demonic beast were crying out in agony, echoed from somewhere.
It was a chilling sound that anyone could tell was filled with pain.
As I wondered what was going on, I saw the barrier, which should have been invisible, rippling in the distance.
From that sight, I could roughly understand what was happening.
As planned, one of the demonic beasts was passing through the barrier.
Hearing the beast’s anguished cry, my face stiffened involuntarily.
Because I knew exactly how that beast was feeling.
The horrific sensation of every ounce of strength draining from your body, like wringing out a rag.
Honestly, it was a feeling I never wanted to experience again.
As I shuddered, remembering that sensation, a question suddenly came to mind.
Why would that demonic beast endure such pain to cross the barrier?
No matter how many prey were in the city, would you normally walk through fire just to get food?
Even a slight touch would have caused an instinctive aversion, so why?
As I pondered if the demonic beasts had some purpose that compelled them to cross the barrier no matter what,
[─────────────!!!!!]
A sudden, sharp cry rang out, and I hastily turned my head in the direction it came from.
Not towards the outside of the city, but towards the inside.
I hiccupped, feeling a shiver run down my spine.
My heart pounded wildly, but my blood felt cold.
...Just now, what on earth was that—
“...What’s wrong? You’re sweating bullets all of a sudden.”
Lost in thought, I blankly stared at the history teacher, who had spoken to me with concern.
She looked completely calm, with just a hint of worry for me.
How could she look so unperturbed?
If she’d heard that sound just now, there’s no way she could look so composed.
Completely baffled, I asked her.
“...D-didn’t you hear that sound just now?”
“Sound? Ah, you mean that beast’s cry earlier? Don’t worry about it. That’s just the sound of the beast weakened as planned when it crossed the barrier. That’s why it was crying in pain.”
Demonic beast, that’s not what I’m talking about.
Something much more ominous than that,
Something much more terrifying, horrifying, filled with hatred, resentment, and bitterness.
A chilling cry demanding to be freed from here.
How could they not have heard it?
I looked around, my teeth chattering in fear and my breath coming out in ragged gasps.
But all I saw were people trembling in terror, seemingly unsettled by the roar of the demonic beast.
It was such a peaceful scene, far more serene than I had imagined, and I gulped.
Normally, everyone would be losing their minds, going mad with fear collectively.
It was as if no one had heard that sound.
Lost in confusion for a moment, I had to accept the reality before long.
Apparently, I was the only one who had heard that sound.
By this point, I had to wonder if it was just a hallucination, but the cry was too vivid to dismiss as a mere delusion.
Maybe, because of my peculiar nature, I had managed to overhear it.
The intent that being had conveyed to its subordinates.
If that were the case, it would explain why those demonic beasts were trying to cross the barrier even at the risk of their lives.
Glancing towards the center of the city, where the sound had come from, I violently shook my head as the thought occurred to me.
I mustn’t think of such ominous scenarios like, “What if it gets out?”
If it ever got out, the world as we know it would truly end.
It was an entity so dreadful that I could declare that with certainty.
All I could do was pray that such a thing wouldn’t happen.
I had to believe that Yoon Si-woo and the other captains would stop it as planned.
Even as I tried to convince myself, my hands were trembling slightly.
Amidst this, the history teacher, who had been watching me worriedly, spoke.
“It seems like you’re really tense because of the situation. How about taking a short break? Once we evacuate the people in this building, this area will be pretty much done.”
“...I’m sorry. I’ll just go to the restroom and wash my face quickly.”
Honestly, I was struggling a bit, so I asked for her understanding and headed to the restroom in the corner of the stairs.
Looking in the mirror, I saw my face drenched in cold sweat.
It made me chuckle bitterly to see how nervous I had been.
Splashing icy cold water on my face, I felt a bit more awake.
I used a small flame to dry my face roughly, took a deep breath, and stepped outside the restroom, opening a window to take a deep breath.
“Huh?”
Without realizing it, I let out a sound.
This building wasn’t too far from the academy.
It was even further from the barrier compared to the location of the academy.
But why did the demonic beast look bigger now than it did earlier when I was looking from the academy?
An icy sensation ran down my neck, and I hurried outside.
Outside, I saw the teacher who had been busy evacuating people from the building.
I rushed over to her, driven by urgency.
“...Um, teacher. I’m not sure if it’s just my imagination, but earlier from above, it seemed like the demonic beast was approaching the city. There weren’t any plans to lure the demonic beasts to this area and capture them, right?”
The history teacher tilted her head at my question before laughing heartily and answering.
“Haha, you thought the demonic beast was coming closer? Well, during a fight, the battlefield might shift a little this way. But if you think it’s coming too close, it’s definitely just your imagination. Captain Tellos would never lose to such a beast—.”
The history teacher’s face, smiling as she spoke, suddenly stiffened as she looked in a certain direction.
When I turned to look at where she was staring, my face also froze.
Far away, beyond the low buildings at the outskirts of the city,
A demonic beast’s head was peeking out.
From what I remembered, there was no way we should be able to see it from this spot.
The demonic beast was far too close to the city to be mistaken.
As a dreadful thought flashed through my mind, the history teacher muttered in disbelief, as if thinking the same thing.
“No way… Could it be that the Captain...?”
And as if to confirm that “no way,” the demonic beast, which had moved so close to the barrier that its neck and body could be seen over the buildings, curled its mouth into a twisted grin.
Even without eyes, it was clear it was smiling, slyly.
Right after that, the demonic beast’s head pierced through the barrier.
[■■■■■■■■■!!!]
The demonic beast howled in agony.
Yet, despite the pain, it stubbornly pushed its head and then its body through.
Sparks, or something like that, suddenly shot out from the shimmering barrier.
At that sight, I recalled something I’d heard from Dwight.
“If you try to eliminate too much magical energy at once, it can cause an overload, resulting in a malfunction.”
At the same time as I remembered that, I heard a low, droning sound.
Like the kind you’d hear when a computer’s power supply failed.
[■■■■■■■■■!!!]
The demonic beast roared once again.
But this time, its roar was not of pain but filled with a sense of accomplishment.
“Ahh...”
Against the backdrop of the history teacher’s voice, now filled with despair to match the demonic beast’s cry, I stared blankly into the void.
At the empty void where something that was always there had now disappeared.
The void.
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TL Note: Rate us on NOVEL UPDATES
Well, the citizens in this novel are really annoying!!!!
ReplyDeletejust like a REAL LIFE citizens no? haha
DeleteFlags everywhere
ReplyDelete