Chapter 85

"Are you ready?"

"Yes, I'm ready whenever."

Milk and Ink, who had moved to the adjacent room through the hole, nodded at each other in front of the entrance to the storage room. Ink listened carefully and, after gauging the timing when the patrolling soldiers were not around, Milk opened the door. They stepped out of the room, being careful not to make any noise. Milk led Ink by the hand, turning right as planned and then left at the end of the corridor. The wooden corridor stretched straight ahead, with a door on each side along the way, and a T-junction at the end. Lamps were placed at regular intervals along the walls, and on a few small shelves, vases, pots, and mysterious statues were displayed. Perhaps this was the commander's hobby. The wallpaper was cream-colored, creating a warm atmosphere that one wouldn't expect in a military facility. Generally, there were no soldiers in the corridor except during scheduled patrols. The lack of security could be seen as a sign of overconfidence.

"Let's go."

"Okay, but be careful. There seem to be a few soldiers in the room to the right."

Ink supported Milk with her keen hearing. They moved forward quietly, trying to avoid making any noise.

‘Why do we have to do this border duty, and on top of that, guard a monster and a girl who can't fight?’

‘It's fine, we have free time, and the pay isn't bad either.’

‘Of course, living with such a monster...’

While listening to the soldiers' complaints, they reached the T-junction. They turned left and slowly opened the door at the end. They entered a spacious area, the entrance hall, which was open from the first floor. From the layout, it seemed to have originally been a wealthy person's mansion, repurposed for the production of chimeras.

"I can hear voices from the first floor..."

"It's okay, there's no one on the second floor."

However, if they walked along the railing, they would be seen from below. They moved on all fours, staying close to the wall. Their destination was the door on the other side of the open space.

"Are you okay, Ink?"

Milk asked in a whisper as they moved forward. In this position, she couldn't guide Ink by holding her hand, and Ink, being blind, had to move on her own.

"I'm fine, but..."

"What's wrong?"

"Someone might be coming up the stairs."

They still had about half the distance to their destination.

"Oh... they're coming."

"Uh, um..."

Two soldiers were ascending the stairs, moving slowly. However, at this rate, they would be spotted before reaching the door.

"Let's hide behind that shelf."

"Can both of us fit?"

"I don't know, but we have to try."

They quickly moved to the shelf, and Milk embraced Ink to hide in the shadow. The soldiers' footsteps approached. The sound's owner climbed the stairs and entered the second floor.

"Please, go away..."

Milk's prayer for them to move away was in vain as they approached. The goal was one of the doors they had passed. If the soldiers were heading there, they would have to pass by Milk and Ink, meaning they would definitely be spotted. Ink, with her keen hearing, felt the soldiers were already within touching distance. They approached to the limit and stopped, the sound of the door opening echoing.

"They seem to have gone in. Phew..."

Milk sighed in relief, but Ink still looked worried.

"What's wrong, Ink?"

"The soldier who went in, isn't that the door we're heading to?"

"Oh..."

Yes, that door led to the corridor where Kureina was being held. Milk and Ink had to get there.

"But... maybe it's okay."

"Why?"

"I heard the sound of the door opening and closing, so I think they went into a room along the way."

"So, if we go now...!"

They emerged from the shadow and moved on all fours again, opening the door and slipping into the corridor.

"The meal service is still ongoing, but we have to hurry."

Once the lunch preparations were complete, Kureina's room would be locked. Before that, they had to break in and inform her of their escape. From there, they would have to use force, but they had to rely on the skills of the A-rank adventurer. The right side of the door led to a dead end. They stood up and walked to the left. From there, they continued straight to the corner, where the corridor turned right. Milk hid behind the wall and peeked around the corner. The door at the far end was open, and the sound of conversation and dishes being carried could be heard from inside.

"That must be Kureina's room."

The two soldiers who usually guarded the room were inside. If they could run to the room, they would—

"Wait, Milk."

But Ink's voice stopped her as she was about to move.

"Is something wrong again?"

"Someone might come out of one of the rooms along the way."

"Which room?"

"Probably the one the soldiers went into earlier."

As they were talking, a man emerged from one of the rooms along the corridor.

"Forgot something, forgot something..."

He seemed to have left something on the first floor. He walked towards them, whistling carelessly.

"What should we do?"

"Find a place to hide."

Milk looked around but found only a shelf and a statue on top of it. The shelf was not big enough to hide them.

"Is this a failure?"

Ink was about to give up, but Milk ran to the shelf and grabbed the thirty-centimeter statue with both hands. She pulled Ink back a bit from the corner and positioned herself as if the statue were a sword.

"Milk, what are you doing?"

Ink, who couldn't see, couldn't imagine that Milk was about to hit the soldier. She knew it was a risky move, but the soldier was completely off guard. His sword was at his waist, he wasn't wearing a helmet, and he didn't expect any enemies. If she could catch him off guard, perhaps—

"If we fail, we won't be able to see Master..."

That was something she didn't want. She didn't want to die. She wanted to meet him again, to embrace him, to feel his warmth, softness, and kindness. She couldn't give up until she did.

"Whistling, whistling..."

The cheerful whistling sound approached. The soldier appeared around the corner and saw the two of them crouching.

"Huh, why are you here—"

"!"

Milk stood up and swung the statue at his head. A dull thud echoed, and the soldier's eyes went blank, almost falling over. Milk supported him to avoid making noise.

"That was quite a risk..."

"But it worked."

Ink helped support the soldier and gently laid him on the floor.

"Has anyone noticed?"

"No, not yet. There's no change in the sounds."

The bold move had succeeded. Milk's hands were tingling and trembling from the fear of hurting someone, but her desire to see Flamm was stronger. They wanted to see him so much that they could even hurt others. This realization was a bit frightening, but she was also happy that her heart was so deeply affected by "Master."

"Let's go."

"Okay!"

This time, they ran to Kureina's room. First, a servant who was serving the meal noticed their presence but, not expecting any escapees, was only stunned. If the servant had shouted, the plan might have failed, but that was a matter of hindsight. As soon as Milk entered the room, she called out loudly:

"Kureina!"

The forceful call conveyed her intention. Kureina had been thinking about it all along. If she could rescue Milk and Ink, she wouldn't have any trouble with the soldiers. Kureina stood up, kicked the floor, and instantly moved into the soldiers' embrace.

"Ha!"

Her palm strike caught the man's chin.

"Ugh!?"

The shock lifted his body and his consciousness. Before he hit the ground, Kureina approached the other soldier.

"Damn, get—"

As he tried to call for help, Kureina rammed into him with her back.

"Haah!"

To Milk, it looked like a simple collision, but the soldier's body flew away and crashed into the wall, collapsing.

"Kureina is so strong..."

"I did some training in the capital, you know."

Although she had a break from training due to childcare, her martial arts skills were still formidable. After disposing of the two soldiers, Kureina approached Harom and picked her up.

"Mom, can we get out of here?"

"Y-Yes, let's go back to the capital. That's why they came, right?"

"Yes, once we're outside, there will be people to help us."

"Okay, let's go!"

They left the room, ignoring the terrified servant. They passed through the corridor and entered the entrance hall. There were soldiers below, but this time they ran through without hiding.

"Harom, go with the sisters."

"Huh?"

"I'll take care of things first."

Kureina jumped over the railing and landed on the first floor with a small thud. Several soldiers focused their attention on her.

"Get—what!?"

She leaped and kicked the face of the soldier she made eye contact with. The other soldiers drew their swords. Kureina faced them without hesitation, taking them down one by one with her fists and feet.

"How can she be so strong!?"

The soldiers were confused. The kingdom had underestimated her, thinking of her as a retired adventurer focused on childcare. While Kureina was buying time, the three others descended the stairs to the first floor.

"Truly, a worthy companion of Gadio..."

"I can't see, but I can tell she's amazing by the sounds."

"Mom is so strong!"

Milk and Ink smiled at Harom's proud comment. When everyone gathered at the first-floor entrance, Kureina stopped fighting and headed for the exit. She didn't bother with the door; she kicked it open with force. The cold wind from outside and the gazes of the waiting chimeras greeted them.

"Is it really... going to be okay?"

Even Kureina was intimidated. However, they had to trust Neigus.

"It's okay, let's go outside!"

Milk said firmly. Kureina hugged Harom again, and Milk led Ink out of the facility. At that moment, the chimeras, with their sharp claws, lunged at them. From a distance, lion-type and dragon-type chimeras prepared to cast magic. If those spells hit, they would be obliterated. But then—

"We're flying, be careful not to bite your tongue!"

A blue-skinned woman descended from the sky at high speed. A small blonde girl was clinging to her back. She immediately enveloped everyone in a wind cocoon and flew away from the scene.

"Mom!"

Harom clung to Kureina, who was still worried. Kureina hugged her and stroked her head, but she was genuinely anxious.

"Are you sure it's going to be okay!?"

"Uwah, uwah, uwah!"

"I don't understand, but I feel weightless..."

As they reacted with confusion, Sera spoke to Milk and Ink.

"Hey, Milk and Ink, it's been a while!"

"Yeah, it's been a while."

"Sera, I'm glad you're safe. Master was really worried about you."

"Neigus helped me, so I'm fine."

"What do you mean by 'so I'm fine'? I worked hard, you know?"

Sera's usual comment made Neigus pout.

"Are you Neigus? Thank you for your help this time."

"Let's skip the formalities. We're not out of the woods yet."

As they rose at an incredible speed, the chimeras with wings on their backs pursued them.

"Wow, this is quite a sight."

"Mom, why are you smiling...?"

"When things get this intense, humans can only laugh."

Kureina's words made Neigus smile wryly. Indeed, the situation was so desperate that laughter was the only response.

"If I survive this, I'll—"

"Don't say silly things and focus on the attack!"

"I know! Tornado Illegal Formula!"

A swirling gale was released from her outstretched palm. The magic, enhanced by the excessive consumption of mana, was powerful. It not only blew the enemies away but also cut them into pieces with invisible blades. However, the damage was not fatal, and most of the approaching enemies retreated. But none were killed outright.

"Normally, they should be torn apart."

Even if they were A-rank monsters, the approaching chimeras had stats that surpassed them. Their durability was also exceptional. However, there were still options. The Tornado spell had a wide range but relatively low power.

"Kyaa!"

A wolf-type chimera approached Milk. If Neigus used a spell with a narrower range and higher lethality—

"Crimson Sphere Illegal Formula!"

A sphere of wind was released. It expanded to perfectly encase the wolf-type chimera and shredded its body like a blender. The mechanism was similar to the Tornado, but the difference in power was clear. The chimera was dismembered, and its core, a black crystal, fell to the ground. Neigus continued to use the same spell, taking down the approaching chimeras one by one. However, the lion-type and above were harder to kill with a single hit. She also had to manipulate the wind cocoon to avoid large-scale magic attacks from the lion-type and dragon-type chimeras. Gradually, her composure was wearing thin.

"Damn, I thought I was pretty capable..."

If Neigus couldn't handle it, there might be no one who could. The chimeras were that powerful. Despite her efforts, Neigus finally reached her limit. A wolf-type chimera slipped through the gaps