Just a short murmur revealing my name. However, the impact of this revelation was far from small.
“Crazy…!” Someone cursed, as if in shock.
“No wonder he was doing those things so naturally, like breathing.” Someone else was understanding.
“But wait a minute, isn’t this a big deal? If he’s Baron Bjorn Yandel, then surely…” And then there was someone showing caution.
I quickly continued speaking before any unnecessary words could come out. “The rumor about me being an evil spirit isn’t true, so don’t worry. I can’t tell you the details, but after an agreement with the royal family, I faked my death and it was announced that way.”
Of course, this wasn’t the truth. However, perhaps it was a somewhat plausible excuse, as the members showed a more composed reaction than I had expected.
“Now it makes sense. There’s no way they would entrust such an important position as the expedition leader to an unknown adventurer…”
“So that’s why the Blood Spirit Follower was following him.”
“Actually, it was hard to believe that a man like him would suddenly die in the labyrinth.”
“But what on earth was the situation that led them to spread the false information about him being an evil spirit…?”
Perhaps it was their innate adventurer’s spirit, but even in this situation, the members showed curiosity towards me, but now was not the time to explain such things kindly.
“I’ll explain it someday, when the opportunity arises. That’s not what’s important right now.”
As I firmly cut off the commotion, James Kalla, who had been gaping, finally came to his senses and asked me.
“Schuitz. No, Bjorn Yandel… No, Baron Bjorn Yandel!” It’s kind of cute how flustered he is.
“I, I don’t understand. Then, what reason would the royal family have to use you as a discardable piece?”
I chuckled at his question. “Well…” There are many parts I can guess.
“An adventurer hero who gained a noble title after decades for saving many lives.” It’s a bit much to say it myself, but that’s who I am.
“Wouldn’t it be much better for them if I just disappeared quietly? Especially if they have to retract the announcement that I was an evil spirit.”
“Ah…” James Kalla nodded in agreement. But the truth is, this isn’t the end of it.
I can’t tell them about that suspicion yet. Perhaps the Marquis knew I was an evil spirit long before. No, he definitely did. Yet, the reason he sent his son in the middle of the night to check if I was an evil spirit or not was… ‘Just to deceive me.’ Those who think they are deceiving others find it hard to believe they are being deceived themselves.
“Well, that’s the end of my story.” I said, looking around at the members. With a look in my eyes that asked, ‘So, what about you guys?’
“As compensation for this, I received a promise from the Marquis. But, he… it seems he had no intention of keeping that promise.”
It started with Lavien. “I… I was sent into a coma and only regained consciousness thanks to the ‘agent’ of the Tovera Church [a religious organization]. In return, I was bound to the church. If they were looking for a mage to use as a discardable piece, there would be no better choice than me.”
Versil Gowland. “Last year, my granddaughter died. There’s no proof, but it was by a knight belonging to the Marquis family. I’ve been searching for that knight ever since. Maybe they knew that and approached me.”
Our team’s psychic, Didi the Elder. “I accidentally found out that the Master of the Magic Tower was colluding with the royal family. I needed power to make it public, and that’s why I joined the expedition, needing a lot of money. But, it seems he already knew about me.”
Leard Ashd, a mage from the Lengman School, where the Master of the Magic Tower exists as a master. “Wait a minute! I, I really don’t have anything! My life’s motto is to live a long and thin life!” What is he saying? I know, and the heavens know, that you’re an evil spirit. I guess his secret was exposed somehow. I quickly skipped over Sven Parav’s, the goblin mask, unfair cry.
After that, every time our eyes met, the members flinched and confessed their personal circumstances. “……” Of course, there were those who remained silent. However, they were only keeping their mouths shut because they didn’t want to reveal their flaws, and they also had expressions that suggested they had some idea of what was going on. As this unexpected confession time continued, someone shouted out in what seemed like unfairness.
“Wait a minute! I, I… there’s no reason for me to be abandoned by the church!” It was a priest from the Kaislan team named Periton Eriabosti. “T, this is definitely some kind of mistake. I, I only thought it was for the good of the people and applied when they were recruiting applicants…” It wasn’t a lying voice. No, it probably wasn’t a lie in reality either. I spoke with genuine sympathy.
“Then I express my regret. You were just unlucky to get caught up in this.”
“Wait! Unlucky to get caught up in this—”
“There are others besides you who are in a similar situation, aren’t there?” For example, Erwen and Amelia are like that. Pasible Eric Colson, a knight who has been a subordinate of Kaislan for nearly 10 years, is like that. Rick Juggusta, James Kalla’s childhood friend, is also in that situation. Well, they got caught up in it because they chose the wrong friends, so they’re less wronged than this woman.
“That… !” The priest, who seemed truly innocent, lowered her head. No, it wasn’t just her. As expected, the atmosphere of the expedition was close to a funeral home.
“Really… were we abandoned?” “If it’s come to this, we can’t not believe it…” “Then… even if we make it back alive, the royal family will try to kill us somehow?” “Damn it all!!” Like kites with broken strings, their eyes began to shake with anxiousness.
“Are we going to die? Really? Like this, here…?” Some were in despair. “I… I have something I must do!” Some were in anger. “…There’s something that doesn’t make sense logically! Then what happened to Pike Neldain?” Some were expressing their doubts and clinging to a sliver of hope. “If they were planning to abandon us all, there’s no reason to put in a spy to ruin the mission!” Ah, that. That’s a part I’ve also pondered. There were two possible scenarios I could think of. The first was that the guild master didn’t want to give up the achievements to the Marquis. Because I’m the expedition leader. If we destroy the Eye of the Sky and we are all annihilated, most of the achievements we made would go to the Marquis, so what if he wanted to prevent that? ‘It’s a very possible story. If we lost all our food in Ice Rock, we wouldn’t even be able to get past this place and would all die.’ That possibility definitely exists. But… Tuk, tuk. It’s better not to talk about this. I soon made a decision. It’s enough for me to worry about the worst. So… “Why someone sent a spy.” The fact that the spy’s backer is the guild master is only known to the team leaders. Let’s say what’s needed now.
“Isn’t it simple?” Perhaps the very words that all the members want to hear. “There’s someone in the city outside!” I said to everyone in a powerful voice. “Someone who doesn’t want us to be pointlessly consumed in a place like this!” Even if it’s a false hope. “Someone who will help us and stand against the royal family if we just make it back alive!” We have to move forward. Because we’re still alive.
***
A room where all the windows are closed, not a single ray of light coming in. That’s the current situation of our expedition. It’s half intentional on my part. [If we miraculously escape them, what will change? A future where we go back to the city and laugh? Do you think there will be such a thing?] When he said those words in front of the members, I didn’t stop him. [……I am Bjorn Yandel.] I spoke that name, which was no different than a death sentence to them. [Really… were we abandoned?] [If it’s come to this, we can’t not believe it…] I took the lead in the situation and erased hope from the minds of all the members. It was like closing each and every window in the already dark room. The reason for doing such a thing is simple. Those who paint a golden future crumble easily. So… A faint light seeping through a slightly open window gap. I judged that was enough for now. At least, it would be enough to make everyone look in one direction and move forward.
“We can live if we go back…?” “But… we don’t even know who that person is? Will that person really have that kind of power…?” They clearly saw the light. They might doubt if they saw an illusion. But that one thing is certain. That’s why… “Everyone, listen up!” Now, all I can do is try to encourage them somehow. Let’s crawl through the darkness towards the light. We don’t know if there will be a cliff or something else at the end. But at least let’s check it out. “I am Bjorn Yandel!” I say my name. And ask. “Have you heard of it?” The members answered. “How could we not know that name?” “An adventurer who became a noble after decades.” “When the news of his death came out, there was such a commotion.” Their voices were weak and listless. The more they were like that, the more energetically I shouted. “It’s good that you’ve heard of it! I won’t make it long! Our current situation is the worst!” “Behind us, there are unnecessarily strong bastards chasing us, and in the city, there are wolves waiting for us!” “But…!” “I’ve never given up once in my life, and that’s the same this time.” I say to them. “I, Bjorn Yandel, swear on a warrior’s heart.” I can’t dare to say that I’ll save everyone. “I’ll do the hardest work.” “I’ll do the dirty work that no one wants to do.” “I’ll walk into the bloody places first, and if someone has to get hurt, I’ll get hurt.” “So…!” I politely asked. “Follow me.” A sound that was small, but definitely resonated in everyone’s ears. “……” “……” But there was no answer. Should I say they’re just busy looking at each other? Even after saying it so earnestly, they’re still like this. Ha, they’re really making me angry. “If you’re going to throw your lives away in the gutter anyway, then throw them away on me!!” Do I have to shout to be heard?
***
“If there’s anyone who understood, get ready. We’ll be leaving in one minute.” After saying that, I turned my back. Immediately, someone followed me. “Mister, let’s go together!” Erwen Fornachi di Tersia. “That’s a relief. If the departure was delayed any further, I was going to leave by myself.” Amelia. My precious companions who would follow me even if I went into the fire. “Jun, in the end, what you said back then was right.” Next was Kaislan. “Even in the moment when everyone is collapsing, he alone will stand firm. I don’t know what’s at the end, but I will follow that back.” Soon, Kaislan stood behind me. Next was Akuraba. “I never intended to give up here from the beginning. There have been many situations worse than this, right? If I had given up every time, I wouldn’t be standing here now.” After Akuraba, Jun stood, and when James Kalla joined, the members began to get up one by one. “Bjorn Yandel… he’s more reckless than the rumors say.” “Hehe, I thought he was going to say something cool, but in the end, he just shouted at the top of his lungs.” “We’ve rested enough, so let’s go again.” “He said he’d do all the dangerous work, right? If we hesitate after hearing these words, we can’t call ourselves adventurers.” “Besides, we can’t die here…” “Wait a minute! Everyone, don’t just stand around randomly, let’s get into formation! Into formation! Okay?” Before the minute I said was up, all the members were behind me. It wasn’t a particularly touching scene. Even if they stood in front of the railing with the intention to die, the fact that humans are beings that agonize until the very end. From the start, even if I had just left alone, they would have all followed. But… “Yandel! So when are we leaving?” “Hey you… what kind of manners are those to a commander…” “Geez, you’re worried about everything. We’re all going to die anyway if something goes wrong, right?” There’s a saying that the same thing can sound different depending on how it’s said. The listless eyes that looked like they couldn’t even cut down an orc properly began to regain their vitality. They were afraid of being left alone. They didn’t want to be abandoned again, especially after already being abandoned once. So, if they had followed reluctantly, it would have been a change that could never have been brought about.
“Okay, then there’s just one more thing to take care of before we leave.” “Take care of?” Sven Parav, who was next to me, tilted his head with uneasy eyes, and I completely ignored him and headed towards the sled. Then, a warrior urgently approached me. “Wait! You’ve been pulling it alone until now, right? From now on, we’ll pull it together…” What is he saying? When did I ever say I was going to pull it? “Wait a minute… why are you taking the food boxes off the sled?” “It seems like we can fill our bellies with this much and go.” “……Huh? Fill our bellies? Then what about the rest…?” What do you mean what about the rest? We have to throw it away. Whoosh-! I dropped the two sleds that I was barely dragging over the cliff. The cliff was so deep that it took more than ten seconds before a faint thud-! sound could be heard. “……C, crazy!” “What the hell are you doing!” What am I doing? Why are those guys moving faster than us? “If we move while pulling the sled, we’ll be caught up by them soon.” “Y, yes, but… even so, the food…” “What’s the problem? Until we get out of the Eye of the Glacier, the food in our backpacks should be enough.” “B, but! What are you going to do after that!” It was a reasonable question and concern. Even if the Eye of the Glacier section ends in two days since the load has been reduced, we still have to survive for another 8 days until the labyrinth is closed. However… ‘Geez, they’re getting worked up.’ Do you think I did it without thinking? Before the agitation grew any further, I quickly shared the plan I had made. “When we get out of the Eye of the Glacier, monsters will appear, right?” “Monsters…?” “Wait a minute, you don’t mean… !” I didn’t deny their question. “Yes, from there, we’ll use distortion magic to obtain meat.” For some reason, it seems like the agitation has grown even more with these words. “It seems like he’s saying it seriously…” “I’m going crazy.” “Um… I… I think it’s better to just die here.” This is the best way.