Chapter 28
When morning arrived the next day.
Joshua finished his preparations and came down to the first floor.
The number of survivors had decreased significantly.
Morning was the best environment for exploring outside.
"If you step outside, that day will be your memorial day."
I felt a stinging gaze from behind me.
It was the student named Roden, who had been defeated by me yesterday.
"You are planning to go to the laboratory, aren't you? Do not even think about it."
"Why not?"
"Because the moment I see you, I will eliminate you immediately."
He glared at me with an agitated face.
Joshua sighed.
Was this supposed to be a threat?
I lifted my leg and kicked his calf hard.
Roden screamed and rolled on the floor.
"Aaargh! My leg! You bastard."
Roden took out a dagger from his pocket.
Just as he took a stance to swing it.
"Hey."
The knight predictably blocked his way.
Even during the quietest hours, at least two knights guarded the hall.
They did not like disturbances occurring inside the Tower.
Because they would lose the trust of those they were protecting.
"Were you not the guy causing trouble last night too? Was your name Roden? You are a habitual offender huh."
"Ah, wait a minute! That bastard hit me first."
"Then why do you pull out a weapon instead of settling it with your fists, you sneaky cheater?"
The knight indicated the dagger he was holding with a glance.
Roden quickly hid it behind his back.
"I do not care if you stab or kill someone. I’m just telling you to do it where we cannot see. We receive tribute in exchange for protecting people. But if a murder occurs inside the Tower? People who think there is a problem with the security will all leave, won't they? Then the tribute will also disappear."
"......Understood."
"If you throw a wrench in our work, I will kill you. I will kill you very painfully. So act cautiously. This applies to you too."
The knight also looked at me while speaking.
I slowly nodded my head.
"If you understand, go."
Roden, despite being kicked in the leg, disappeared without being able to offer any resistance again.
I barely managed to suppress a laugh that almost erupted.
"You should be careful too."
The knight said, warning me without returning to his post.
"I will keep that in mind."
"Go about your business."
The knights' vigilance had increased.
If someone else tried to pick a fight, it would be best to ignore them then.
I headed towards the main entrance.
I exchanged a brief greeting with the guard stationed there and stepped outside.
Tania was already waiting outside.
"Hello."
"You came out early huh."
She tightly clutched the staff I had retrieved for her in the dormitory.
"I practiced. To be able to shoot a slightly larger fire with a little more accuracy."
She showed a bright smile.
Her attitude was as if showing off her success.
Furthermore, she seemed to be seeking praise from me.
"I hope the results of your practice will show in actual combat."
"I will try my best!"
"Did you get permission from Lady Lucille?"
"My sister was against it at first. But when I told her that senior would also be going, she gave her permission after some deliberation. She added that you would not fight a battle you could not win."
Lucille's personality would not tolerate actions that would separate her from her family.
The fact that she conceded her stubbornness and let her go meant something simple.
I was recognized by her.
I felt a little burdened.
Because the expectation she held might be beyond my actual skill.
"Do not trust me too much. I am not always right, you know."
"You mean I should think and act for myself, right?"
"Yes."
Talleon and Gavinu arrived shortly after.
"We are sorry for the delay."
The two readily accepted when I suggested heading to the laboratory.
Nevertheless, I needed to remind them of the danger once more.
"We just came quickly. Then let me confirm one more time before we leave. The journey we are embarking on now is several times more dangerous than guarding the dormitory. Talleon knows well what it means for a survivor to wander the wasteland."
Talleon recalled the events in the village.
The corpses of people lined up in the underground tunnel were the first thing that came to mind.
It felt like the piece of ham he had for breakfast was about to jump out of his throat.
"Monsters are everywhere. And survivors as dangerous as those bastards are everywhere too. The outside is hell. Nevertheless, the reason we must go out is clear. It is to survive."
It was an absurd world.
They had fled hell to survive, but paradoxically, they had to face hell to live.
They had to accept the contradiction.
The three people were silent.
Only faint sounds of gulping could be heard one after another.
"What, did you have a group too?"
A group followed us out.
It was Roden's group.
Even after being humiliated, he did not hide his hostility toward Joshua.
"Wait a minute, that red-haired child looks familiar... Could it be, Tania Rainwood?"
Roden's eyes widened upon recognizing the girl.
He could not possibly fail to recognize her, who was from a prestigious family and the top prospect of the academy.
The students belonging to his group murmured.
Joshua and Tania were a combination that did not fit together at all.
"Do you know me?"
Tania replied with a dull voice.
"Haha, how many people do you think attend the academy and do not know you? But why are you hanging out with that guy? As you well know, Joshua Pallarion is the biggest troublemaker on campus."
"And?"
"Do you still not understand even after I have told you this? If you get involved with him, you will not survive situations you could have. Come over here. We can help you."
Joshua remained still.
The answer Tania would give was predictable, even without me stepping in.
"I will be the one to judge what kind of person my Senior is."
Tania said coldly.
"......Senior? Haha, you shouldn’t be so formal with that guy."
"Hah, I cannot listen to this anymore."
Tania showed a look of disbelief.
She turned her body, as if she had no intention of dealing with him any further.
"Let us go. I am done talking."
She grabbed Joshua's sleeve and strongly pulled him along.
Joshua was flustered and was dragged along.
"Tania, you are being tricked! Damn it!"
Roden gathered his magical power and shot an electrical discharge.
The launched discharge landed right in front of Joshua, leaving scorch marks.
"Magic!"
Talleon and Gavinu reflexively drew their weapons.
Tania was also enraged.
She gripped her staff and summoned a fireball above her head.
"Roden, what are you doing? This was not part of the plan!"
"Shut up! I have a plan too."
Joshua turned his body around.
He felt like a time bomb about to explode at any moment.
He would have preferred it to end with yesterday's fight.
If they went beyond this, there was only one conclusion.
"Let us make a bet. You are also planning to go to the laboratory, right? The person who arrives first gets to take one thing they want from the other group."
I stopped and thought about the proposal he offered.
Increasing the number of enemies was not good.
However, there are also enemies that arise regardless of one's will.
[Cool] recommended accepting.
[Clever] advised increasing the reward instead.
There was no option not to accept.
If I could not turn back, I had to make the choice that would benefit me the most.
Including eliminating the opponent.
"Are you serious about doing it?"
"Do I look like I am joking?"
"I am not asking as a joke either. There is no second chance. So answer carefully."
Roden seemed intimidated and took a step back.
That seemed to ignite the fuse, and the boy became agitated.
"I will not say it twice either."
"I will accept if you change just one thing."
"And that is?"
"Let the reward be everything, not just one thing."
Roden swallowed hard.
He felt a chill run down his spine momentarily.
His nose and calf, where he had been hit by me, ached.
"Are you serious?"
"I am serious. Surely, you are not planning to propose it first and then refuse, are you?"
Roden racked his brain.
The opponent was only 4 people.
In contrast, his side was 9 people.
Moreover, they were all composed of high-grade students, 4th grade or higher.
The opposing group, except for Joshua, were all low-grade students.
"Is he crazy? This is clearly to our advantage."
"Hey, what are you so confident about, troublemaker?"
"Ah, I get it. You are trying to impress Tania and win her favor, aren't you? So transparent."
"Hurry up and say yes."
The anxious comrades started instigating him after hearing the conversation.
One of them stepped forward and threw a copper coin.
"That bastard!"
Talleon, who had been watching silently, became enraged.
The expressions of the other two comrades were similarly distorted.
"Do you know what that action of yours means?"
"Of course. Do you think I would do it without knowing?"
Knights throw a glove when challenging an opponent.
Similarly, in this world, the meaning varied depending on what was thrown.
The copper coin symbolized downfall.
It was a mockery of Joshua's status being degraded to a commoner.
In a world where social status held great significance, there was no action more insulting than this.
"I had to do this much so your leader could not back out, you know."
Talleon gripped his weapon, ready to fight immediately.
"Put it away, Talleon."
"But!"
"Do not worry. That is nothing."
Joshua smiled lightly.
He did not even need the help of [Cool].
To him, who was accustomed to modern culture, the culture of this era was only unfamiliar.
However, he knew what that action symbolized.
He had insulted Joshua's family.
Family was paramount, and insulting them was the same as having his parents insulted.
"I will remember you."
"Haha, you think I’m scared?"
He shrugged his shoulders and stepped back.
The boy's comrades in the back chuckled and praised his action.
Roden also gave himself over to the atmosphere.
"So, what is your answer?"
"Fine, I accept."
"Good."
Joshua smiled.
Roden frowned.
They were the ones who should be happy that this challenge was established.
Yet, he seemed happier than anyone else.
"Why are you not running?"
"What?"
"It was a match where the person who reached the laboratory first wins. Do you have time to hesitate leisurely?"
It was an obvious provocation.
His other comrades criticized me, saying I was pathetic.
But Roden could not join in their chatter.
It felt like he needed to run even one step further, instead of mocking me.
* * *
"Is it okay to go slowly?"
Tania replied in an anxious voice.
They had started at the same time, but the opponent's group was no longer visible, even from the back.
How far ahead were they?
She could not hide her anxiety.
"The basic principle is the formation, regardless of the situation."
"I know that, but......"
"We will meet again anyway."
"Huh?"
"There are three paths heading in the northwest direction where the laboratory is located. They are probably unable to make a decision at the crossroads."
"No way. Even if they take a long time to deliberate, it would not take more than five minutes."
Joshua shrugged his shoulders.
"You will see."
Tania soon swallowed her words.
The opposing group, whom she thought had gone far away, started to become visible.
They were deliberating at the crossroads, just as Joshua had predicted.
"Shit, they chased us."
"We wasted 20 minutes right here!"
The group who saw us went wild.
Joshua sat down in a spot not far from them and took out a piece of bread.
It was an item that had mold on it, but he had purified it so it was edible.
"Let us rest for a moment."
"......Is that okay?"
Talleon sat down next to him, glancing at the opposing group.
The other two also moved accordingly.
"That bastard intends to follow the path we clear and gain an advantage."
"What a sneaky guy."
Joshua replied, chewing the bread.
"Do not worry, we will not take the direction you advance in."
Among those paths, there was one that was both quick and relatively safe to the laboratory.
They would not be able to choose that path.
People lacking information are bound to focus only on the immediate situation.
"The right path! We must go right."
Roden said.
His comrades nodded as if his judgment was correct.
No zombies were visible on the right path.
There was not even a suspicion that zombies might be there.
It was entirely rational that he chose the right.
"We are going right."
Roden said, as if seeking confirmation from Joshua.
"I will take responsibility for what I said, so hurry up and go. We will finish eating what we are eating and then leave."
"Let us see how far that composure will get you."
Roden's group started moving again.
And a few minutes later, they completely disappeared from sight.
"We missed them again."
Tania muttered regretfully.
"Shouldn't we have gone right? It seems there are no monsters there."
She said that and looked at the other two paths.
Faint groaning sounds could be heard.
The unique stench of monsters was noticeable.
"The right path is not it. We will go straight ahead."
"Straight ahead?"
Tania asked back in surprise.
The center path was the worst of the three options.
The right path, which showed no signs of danger.
The left path, which had abundant signs of danger.
And the center path, where monsters were brazenly lurking.
Tania turned her gaze again.
A small group of monsters was roaming, searching for prey.
"They are clearly walking around."
"We will kill them. We might be able to pass by if we are lucky."
"I personally don’t understand."
“That’s understandable."
Joshua agreed.
From her perspective, he must look like a madman for insisting on taking the path swarming with zombies.
"If you just get past the beginning there, it is surprisingly easy after. And there is a resting place in the center, and a location where we can lure the bastards."
Tania and Gavinu tilted their heads.
They focused their eyes and looked at the center.
Despite the morning light, the places he mentioned were not visible.
"You may have doubts, but just trust me."
Talleon interjected.
The boy had experienced Joshua's extraordinary nature in Triden Village.
The underground tunnel, which people in the village would not know about.
Furthermore, he had clearly understood the structure inside of it.
"You will soon see the Messiah."
Unlike the two who were worried, Talleon savored the bread Joshua had given him.