I Became a Prisoner in the Game After Defeating the Final Boss Chapter 91
“Did you confirm it yourself?”
“Yes.”
Edric's expression hardened to an extent incomparable to anything before.
“I can't deny this is the worst-case scenario among those we feared.”
“What will you do now?”
“First, we must return to the Winter Castle. And we'll have to request support not only from the Imperial Household but also from the nearby territories.”
“Even so, will the nobles obediently provide soldiers?”
“What choice do we have if they don't? Unless they plan for us all to die together. And if there are any such disloyal individuals, I will deal with them myself according to the laws of the land.”
Of course, a mere special task force commander wouldn't have such authority, but the Edric I had seen until now was someone fully capable of it.
Should I say he was the-kind of person who, if he set his mind to it, could either receive that authority directly from the emperor, or act with private sanctions regardless of any authority?
As I was having various thoughts about the person named Edric, he spoke.
“By the way, you. To think you faced the King of the DemIC Realm and managed to come back alive.”
“I nearly died about a hundred times.”
“Still, it's a relief you don't seem badly hurt.”
“I was lucky.”
“How could luck work against the King of the Demonic Realm? That too must be skill. Well... we'll talk more about that later. For now, let's hurry.”
“Yes.”
Even though we had just escaped the demonic beasts' encirclement, we were still inside the Demonic Realm.
Meaning we had to keep moving diligently at least until we got out of the Demonic Realm.
That's why we picked up the pace again.
Ooooooooooh──
Kung! Kung!
Throughout the entire run, the roars of demonic beasts and the sounds of vibration struck my ears.
As if to carve it into me, so I wouldn't forget what was happening in the Demonic Realm right now.
Because of that, not only Conlan, who had been trying to run a little more relaxed, but also Albino and Alicia resumed running at full speed.
Of course, no matter how much willpower one had, it couldn't overcome the body's limits, so Albino, whose physical abilities were relatively lower, was the first to hit his limit.
“Ugh……!”
“Hey, whitey! You're not thinking of collapsing already, are you?”
“……Shut up.”
Letting Albino fall behind like this wasn't a good thing, so I activated the power of the Orb of Water.
[The ‘Orb of Water’ activates its power according to the wearer's will.]
[The ‘Orb of Water’ deploys ‘Restorative Waters’.]
A lightly spreading water mist.
As the Orb of Water's power was unleashed, the special task force members' wounds and stamina began to recover slowly, centered on me.
Normally, I wouldn't have wasted the Orb of Water's power like this, but given the situation, I couldn't afford to save it.
“Hmm? My body feels lighter for some reason.”
“This is…….”
Albino's gaze turned to me.
“I'm not going to say thank you.”
“Who asked you to?”
“Hmph.”
Such a dishonest guy, anyway.
In any case, thanks to that, they seemed to regain some composure, and color gradually returned to the faces of the special task force members who had been gasping for breath just moments ago.
Conlan also regained his composure and, as always, started talking nonsense.
“By the way, that guy Vell looks even more energetic than before. Did he eat something good in the meantime?”
“Hoo... You moron. Look at the gust of wind wrapped around his body. That's assisting his movements. Just when did he get something like that... The more I learn, the more absurd he is.”
“Huh? Now that you mention it, it does seem that way. There's definitely something.”
As expected of Albino with his wide range of trivial knowledge, he seemed to have recognized the power of Hermes's Gale Boots swirling around my entire body.
Well, it didn't really matter.
While Conlan and Albino were chatting about such useless topics, the end of the Demonic Realm gradually began to appear in the far distance.
We had entered the outskirts of the Demonic Realm, an area where relatively low-level demonic beasts were distributed.
‘Looks like we're almost there.’
However, it was still too early to rejoice.
We had barely succeeded in reaching the outskirts of the Demonic Realm, but it was right to assume the real crisis started from now.
‘In the worst-case scenario, the Winter Castle could fall.’
Of course, since the Winter Castle was aware of the current situation and had begun preparations, the possibility was quite low, but one always had to keep the worst in mind.
Only then could one respond without despairing if the worst-case scenario really did occur.
Moreover, wasn't the Twilight Troupe, along with the King of the Demonic Realm, in the background of this incident?
‘If the worst happens, I'll have to consider abandoning the Winter Castle and fleeing altogether.’
The Winter Castle was still quite a useful place for me in many ways, but I had already resolved several reasons why I needed to be there.
I had obtained the Orb of Water that was sealed in the Demonic Realm, and I had also grabbed several pieces of equipment and items from the temporary warehouse.
Although the supply of Ascension Stone Fragments through mutant hunting was unsatisfactory, that was something that could be fulfilled somewhere other than the Winter Castle.
‘It's a bit troublesome, but it's not like there's no way to escape the life of a wanted man.’
Of course, the best method was still to get through this incident safely and then be legally discharged from the Winter Castle.
Even if there was a way to escape being a wanted man after deserting, that too was quite troublesome, and turning someone like Edric into an enemy didn't sit well with me.
“Ugh... The end is finally in sight.”
“Everyone worked hard.”
As I ran while thinking about this and that, the end of the long, long forest finally came into view.
We had reached the end of the Demonic Realm.
“Hoo... Are we finally out.”
“Ugh, I thought I was going to die.”
“Stop exaggerating, with that big body of yours.”
“What's that got to do with anything? You were gasping like you were about to pass out yourself.”
“Is that the same as that?”
“What's different?”
Albino and Conlan gasped for breath as if they had only just survived, and bickered as always.
Meanwhile, Alicia, who had finally broken her silence, shifted her gaze to me.
She had an air about her, as if she had been desperately holding back something she wanted to say until now.
“Vell, are you okay?”
“Yeah. You?”
“I'm okay too. But…….”
Alicia gently looked back.
We had managed to escape the Demonic Realm for now, but the ominous feeling coming from it still didn't fade easily.
Soon, the fires of war would engulf the Winter Castle.
What Alicia was worried about was probably because of that.
“Will it be okay?”
“It likely won't be.”
Just then, Edric cut in.
“Sorry to interrupt, but I'll head to the Winter Castle first. You all should return without being late.”
“Understood.”
“As your commander, I apologize for not being able to accompany you to the end.”
“Not at all. It's an urgent situation.”
“Thank you for understanding. Well then, I'll see you at the Winter Castle.”
As soon as we were out of the Demonic Realm, Edric left only those words and shot off toward the Winter Castle first.
At his incredible speed, incomparable to when he was moving with us, Conlan's jaw dropped.
“……I knew it, but he's really a monstrous human.”
“I agree.”
Edric breaking away from the returning formation was a common occurrence, but this time, the weight of it was quite different.
Albino's gaze turned to me.
“Ah, and... I heard the King of the Demonic Realm has awakened. Is that true?”
“Yes.”
“……This is the worst. If that comes to the Winter Castle, everything will be over.”
Albino added.
“Still, you plan on remaining in the Winter Castle, don't you?”
“For now.”
“Hmm... A strange answer, for you. Didn't you stay in the Winter Castle because you had a special purpose?”
“What good is any of that if I die?”
“Hmm, it's such an obvious answer that I'm rather taken aback.”
“What do you take me for?”
I sometimes feel this, but I think Albino has a very big misunderstanding about me.
It was more comfortable for me not to clear up that misunderstanding, so I left it alone, but should I say I sometimes want to point it out.
‘Well, not that I plan to.’
Before I knew it, the form of the Winter Castle came into view in the distance.
Seeing that we arrived faster than I thought, it was worth running so diligently.
“It's the Winter Castle.”
“We're finally here.”
Conlan said, scratching his neck aggressively as if fed up.
“I want to rest as soon as we get back... but that seems unlikely, right?”
“Well. If we're lucky, we might be able to get a nap.”
“Damn it. That's something, at least. I really hope so.”
“It's better not to get your hopes up too high.”
“Ugh.”
Albino said.
“Look over there.”
Black smoke rising.
Unlike its usual appearance, which seemed to depict winter itself, the smoke rising from all over spoke of the Winter Castle's current situation.
The Winter Castle was currently preparing for war.
A very harsh war, just like the northern climate.
***
When I finally finished the long, long journey and returned to the Winter Castle, the first thing that greeted me was the growth of my stagnant body.
[You have endured a grueling journey that challenges the limits of a human!]
[Stamina increases. (+1)]
[4 → 5]
[Torn muscles recover and grow.]
[Strength increases. (+1)]
[4 → 5]
[You have broken through the limit!]
[Your level increases. (+1)]
[3 → 4]
‘Hoo…….’
Perhaps as a reward for all that hardship, my stats had risen for the first time in a very long while.
Considering how difficult it originally was to raise stats in the World of Justice Online, my current growth rate was truly enormous.
‘Still, it's unsatisfactory.’
No matter how much my current growth speed differed from the normal level, it was still far from enough when I considered the events bearing down on this world.
‘I have to get stronger.’
Faster, more.
Only then could I survive in this damned world and get closer to this world's truth.
‘That aside…….’
I shifted my gaze to the scenery inside the Winter Castle.
Small ice fragments glittered and fell on the snow, and the frozen trees swayed in the cold wind, wailing.
Everything seemed submerged in silence, but within it, I could feel the breath of tension and preparation.
“Ha!”
“Haap!”
The ceaseless sound of training pierced my ears, and the soldiers in training looked as hard as ice.
Conducting training when war was just around the corner was tantamount to a declaration that the Winter Castle would mobilize all available forces.
“You all go on ahead. I'll go see the commander.”
After returning to the Winter Castle, all the 4th Special Task Force members returned to the barracks, and I went to find Edric.
There was no need to make a separate report at a time like this, but it was because I had a conversation I needed to have with Edric.
Knock, knock-
“Come in.”
Unlike my expectation that he would be absent given the timing, Edric was in his office.
As if he had been waiting.
“You're here sooner than I thought.”
“Conlan kept raising a fuss about wanting to go back and rest quickly.”
“Haha, that sounds just like Conlan. Did everyone return safely?”
“Yes. Nothing unusual happened.”
“That's a relief. I was worried inside after leaving you all like that and returning alone.”
“It's a needless worry.”
“Haha, thank you for saying so.”
Edric laughed heartily as always.
However, the fact that his laugh sounded somewhat heavy, unlike usual, was probably not just my imagination.
“How is the situation?”
“Hmm, I suppose I can tell you. I reported the fact that the King of the Demonic Realm has awakened to the Margrave, and the Margrave, taking this very seriously, personally sent envoys to the Imperial Household and the nobles. However, while the Imperial Household might be different, the nobles won't send soldiers until an official imperial order is given. Even though they know they won't be safe if the Winter Castle falls.”
“Is it going to be alright?”
“To be honest, it's not a good situation, but doing what must be done is a soldier's duty, isn't it? It's also the reality that we have no choice but to rely on that support, even if it's just a pretense.”
From those words, I could read one of Edric's true feelings.
An uncomfortable, heavy truth.
“You believe the Winter Castle will fall if support doesn't arrive on time.”
“I'd like to say there's no way that will happen, but with the King of the Demonic Realm awakened, it's also the reality that we must consider even that.”
Edric added.
“And the 4th Special Task Force will be assigned one of the most dangerous missions.”
“What kind of mission is it?”
At that question, Edric's voice became incomparably grave to how it had been until now.
“If, by any chance, the King of the Demonic Realm reveals himself at the Winter Castle, it will be the mission to eliminate it.”