I woke up to the alarm on my wristwatch.
…Nineteen thirty. I managed to get some sleep, at least…
I had slept in the front seat of the Pioneer, so my body ached. Next time, I really need to train myself to sleep anywhere.
It was completely dark now, with only the campfire casting a faint glow around us.
I considered lighting the area with a portable battery, but if it was too bright, it might make the Roselan overly cautious. I wanted to finish this tonight, so it had to come and attack.
I took a canned coffee from the cup holder and drank it all at once to wake up my sluggish mind.
「It’s already autumn」
The sound of insects was different from summer. Well, it wasn’t the chirping of bell crickets either.
「…Nnngh…」
Mebi woke up as well, so I gave her some milk cocoa to help her wake up.
「Has it come out yet?」
「Not yet. Eat something once you’re fully awake」
When we’re at home, I prepare the meals, but when we’re out, everyone buys their own. If I provided everything, I’d run out of money. I also needed to clearly separate exterminators and contract workers, or it would cause trouble once our numbers grew. I had decided all that in advance.
I didn’t have much of an appetite, so I washed down a nutrition jelly.
It would be more than five hours before midnight. This was going to be a long night.
Once my head was fully awake, I went to check on Kainzel-san.
「You were already awake?」
He had placed an LED lantern on the ground and was maintaining the second-generation G3.
「Yeah. I was just driving today, so a short nap was enough」
I envied that. I was exhausted just from driving.
「I’ll switch with Mishinie and the others」
「Yeah, got it」
I went to Mishinie and told her we were switching shifts.
「Leave the cleanup and such to us, so let about half of them rest properly」
「You really think the Roselan is going to attack, don’t you」
I don’t have any special intuition, but there was no sign of goblins nearby. It felt like they were keeping their distance out of caution. That had to mean they were wary of the Roselan.
「This feels like the kind of situation where it will come. I just don’t know when」
I can’t say I know exactly how far it will go, but I’m certain it will come. The Roselan will attack without fail.
「Well, if Takato says so, I’ll believe it」
「Thanks. You get some proper rest too, Mishinie. We’ll handle the Roselan」
The preparations and the plan for that were already in place. Once it showed itself, we would kill it for sure.
「Got it. I’ll rest properly then」
I returned to Pioneer Two, took out a monocular telescope with night vision, and mounted it on a tripod to watch the western side.
I had debated using a helmet-mounted night vision device, but buying that would drop my savings below two million yen. That made me uneasy, so instead I bought three units using a seventy percent discount sticker and kept the cost down to three hundred thousand yen.
「Mebi. Go take a look around」
「Okay」
Mebi has excellent night vision and a keen sense of smell, so I didn’t give her a night vision device. She’s more mobile without it.
Before long, Ladarion woke up, took her assigned position, and started eating snacks. Seriously, this girl has zero sense of tension.
After that, time passed quietly.
It was nine o’clock. It was so quiet that I was starting to feel sleepy. I should’ve slept a bit more if it was going to be like this.
The monocular telescope showed nothing but the night scenery, and the insects kept chirping.
「──00. Heat signature at nine o’clock. One target. It’s a Roselan」
Kainzel-san’s voice came through the radio.
I turned the monocular telescope toward the nine o’clock direction and increased the magnification. I could see a humanoid figure. You’re coming from the road?
「Most likely a scout. Don’t make a fuss」
「02, understood」
As expected of Kainzel-san. He really is dependable. If I were a woman, I’d probably have fallen for him.
About fifteen minutes later, the scout Roselan left the area.
「00. It’ll come soon」
「02, acknowledged. 01, get ready」
「01, acknowledged」
Thirty minutes after that, two heat signatures that looked like Roselan appeared from the west. No, one more was coming from the road on Margrave Koraus Territory side.
「00. Two on the west. One confirmed from Margrave Koraus Territory road」
「02. Confirmed two on the west. One also approaching from the Rydand side」
「01. I see the two on the west」
So four in total. They’re said to be about three meters long, so four should be enough. Well, there are probably some that won’t join the attack.
「Takato. There was a Roselan by the river」
Mebi returned without a sound. I already knew, so it didn’t surprise me.
「Leave that one to you. But don’t fire until we start attacking. If it crosses the line, then you’re clear」
「Got it! Leave it to me!」
Mebi was full of enthusiasm. She seemed happy to be entrusted with it.
「Safety first. Life comes first, okay」
「Yeah. I know!」
The Roselan on Margrave Koraus Territory side stopped and watched us.
「02, 01. Get ready」
I took up the 9,000-lumen LED light and aimed it toward the two on the west and the one on Margrave Koraus Territory side.
「01, understood」
「02, understood」
The Roselan that had been watching us began to move.
「Combat start!」
I switched on the LED light. The trees hid their bodies, but the light marked their positions. That was enough even if we couldn’t see them.
Ladarion returned to position, raised a Benelli M4, and alternated shots at the two. Once he emptied it, he swapped to the second Benelli M4 on his back and continued firing alternately.
At the same time, Kainzel-san and I fired at the Roselan coming from the road. The VHS-2 couldn’t finish it off, so we swapped magazines after emptying them. Even sixty rounds weren’t enough to kill it, but we did stop its movement.
I started the Pioneer’s engine and turned on the lights to illuminate the west side. Kainzel-san also switched on the Pioneer’s lights once he had either killed or immobilized his target.
「Ladarion! Go support Mebi! Mishinie! Keep watch on the surroundings!」
I issued orders to Mishinie, who should already be awake, swapped magazines, and moved toward the Roselan that had come from the road.
At least forty rounds had hit it, yet the Roselan was still trying to flee into the mountains. Adventurers who face things like this with swords are way too incredible.
「Sorry about this. Die so that I can live」
I put thirty rounds into the Roselan’s back.
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