Hey!　Open it now!
Don't push it, you piece of shit!
'There's a monster in here!　You're just going to leave us to die!
Please!　Just let the kids in!


　The number of people pounding on the barriers put up by the Babenberg family was at least 10,000. In the hours since the knight had reported the refugees from the south to Chrystia, the numbers had been growing larger and larger.

　From the fact that the names of multiple cities were mixed in with the voices shouting, it seems that the refugees did not come from a single city. Perhaps they had met up with each other on the way, but Chrystia was thinking about the possibility that Stampede had led the refugees here.

　Chrystia knows that there is an intelligent monster in the Stampede this time. And she also had a suspicion in her mind that monsters existed that mimicked creatures that turned into humans or lived with humans.

　In order to formulate a countermeasure for this, Centria explained that she was currently preparing to accept them and temporarily blocked the area, but the numbed refugees were pounding out barriers as if to vent their anxiety.


(Whoa, monkey stampede?)


　As Tsutomu looked at the scene of people desperately pounding on the barriers, Tsutomu thought inwardly, Xeno, who was next to him, looked like he was trying to do something about it and was holding between his eyes.


'Tsutomu-kun. I understand how you feel, but still, don't blame them. It was the Stampede's fault that it originally started.
It could be said that the cost of procrastinating is just beginning to mount up.


　The deportment and family structure of the refugees, and the fact that most of them had come to Centria on foot, showed that they were not well off. Moreover, they have little baggage and probably have no more food left. That's why they seem to be making a lot of noise about letting us into Centria instead of heading north to the King's Landing like this, but there could be monsters mixed in with them.


'Well, it's better than the people in the labyrinth city who didn't respond to the evacuation because they wanted to see the explorers. But it doesn't change the fact that those people didn't respond to the evacuation advice from the royal capital and didn't choose to run away either.''
'I won't deny it, but those men just didn't know if the choice was really right. It would be unfair to blame them for that. Besides, now that we've walked here on foot out of danger?
'To come to Centria all at once like this, those refugees must have been led well by the Stampede for the most part. It's not that they didn't act on their own. Besides, if they were led by the Stampede, it's not surprising that there were monsters mixed in among them.
''Then there's a possibility that there are people who took refuge in King's Landing who were also among those who took refuge in King's Landing beforehand. ........Hm?　If that's the case ... doesn't it taste rather tasteless?
We can't wait for the end of humanity, can we?
Don't talk to me like that.... You'll be in trouble.


　To Tsutomu, who seems to be at ease, Zeno pulls back his usual antics and looks serious. Tsutomu looked like he was going to spit on the engagement ring on his ring finger as if he was praying, and then he looked at the labyrinth-controlled team that was preparing to distribute food for the soup kitchen with no interest.

　Cristia had started preparing for the soup kitchen right after the refugees arrived, and she had already completed a large amount of hot meals. She seemed to be trying to fill the bellies of the people outside first to calm them down, and with a triangular cloth wrapped around her head, she was busy handing out the food.


'Hmm. I think a soup kitchen is a good move, but it's not a move that will solve the situation. Chrystia-san wouldn't be the kind of person to delay a decision, but I wonder what she plans to do in the end.
''You can't just leave them outside. You don't even look like you have the energy to head to the capital. I don't have any choice in the matter.
''But it's odd that the refugees aren't injured. If you go to the trouble of guiding them all the way to here, you might as well send the injured to the enemy's territory and reduce our resources while you're at it.


　Xeno looked a little dumbfounded by Tsutomu's sloppy words, then lightly held his head.


''You're an outsider, are you?''
'Any human being could come up with something like this. The rest, well....
How about we tell those refugees to go after the monsters?　And if that happens, from the standpoint of the Babenberg family and the Labyrinth Conquerors, we'll have no choice but to include them.


　As Tsutomu crossed his arms and was considering his next move, such a suggestion was thrown at him from behind. Xeno looked disgusted as he saw Leleia looking at the refugees, scratching her green hair behind her ears.


'You too, Leleia?'
Any dragonborn could come up with something like this.
Amira is a........ah, a divine dragonborn. Then it makes sense.
..........
Just kidding.


　Seeing Tsutomu, who shrugged his shoulders at Leleia, who had closed the distance with a straight face, and returned it with a shrug, Xeno put his fingertips to his forehead and sighed ostentatiously.


'It's fine that you took off your thick mask, but I'm not too impressed with your mannerisms.
'This is what clan leaders are for. They feel more comfortable with someone uglier than they are.
Yeah?　Mr. Tsutomu?
'No, you don't think anything of being called ugly by an ugly man, do you?　I guess I'm just a true ugly person who can't lift myself up without putting others down.
I'm not ugly.
'Oh..... I see.
..........
Hey, stop putting your hand on the sword.


　Leleia's hand is on the rapier's hilt as she gets angry at Tsutomu, who looks like he's figured something out. When Tsutomu pointed this out, she clicked her tongue and then let go of her hand. That tongue strike had an air of resemblance to that of Amira.

　As a distraction from the wide-eyed Leleia, Tsutomu returns his gaze to the refugees who are drinking a soup full of ingredients that have been cooked until the tomatoes lose their shape.


'Well, maybe we'll have a monster chase. Chrystia-san may decide to cut them off, but the Babenberg family is delicate. I think it's a move that's well thought out.''
''........I suppose. In this situation, the Kanchelsia family might have been better. If it was that head of the family, they would have cut down their livestock as if they were slaughtering them.
I know.
You guys should probably avoid public speaking at all costs.


　For some reason, Tsutomu confidently stretched his chest to Zeno, who shrugged his shoulders as if to say he didn't want to be with these two anymore.


'Of course. I can only say so much because it's someone else's business, and saying too many disturbing things in public will only bring down morale.
'Haha. Doesn't my morale take into account?
Xeno doesn't confuse ideals with reality. I know who I'm not supposed to talk to.


　Tsutomu thinks it's best not to talk about these black topics, especially with Hannah. Perhaps she would make a lot of noise for nothing, as she would take it seriously. As for the others, Garum, Daryl, Korina, and others would have the same reaction as Xeno, but they would be understanding, if not convinced.


Kyah!


　And so, as Tsutomu and the three of them were talking, a woman's scream suddenly rang out from outside the barrier.


''It's a monster!　There's a monster out there!


　It seemed that an insect-type monster had appeared from under the ground, and the area was in a state of panic.


''Help me!
Please let me in!　I have a son too!
"You've got to be kidding me!　Open it now!


　Tsutomu shook his head in resignation as he watched the scene as if it were a zombie movie.


'Huh, I guess it's a hit. What are we going to do about this?''
Oh, I think I opened it.


　The head of the Babenberg family seemed to have opened the gates while finely maneuvering the barriers so that the refugees wouldn't fall into dominoes in a hurry. Seeing the situation, Tsutomu sighed heavily and then produced the Undine in his pocket.


''For now, we'll ask Chrystia-san to give us instructions as well. Leleia will come with me. Xeno, can you go and get everyone in the inn together?
Yes, sir.
I can't imagine what it would be like to be dealing with someone who thinks the same way you do.
No, this was Leia's idea. I had nothing to do with it.
'We don't have time to waste anymore. Let's get going.
Okay.


　Xeno immediately ran to the inn where the Clan members of the Infinite Circle were staying, while Tsutomu and Leleia lightly argued with each other as they headed to where the Maze Control Squad was.


　oo


　As a result, the more than ten thousand refugees got together in the direction of separating and isolating the area of Centria, and the Infinite Circle group that came later was instructed by Chrystia to take out the monsters outside.

　The insect-type monsters that had sprung up outside were not that strong and there were not that many of them, so they were quickly eradicated. Then, as an emergency measure, the refugees were brought inside the barrier, but with more than 10,000 people, it would take a lot of time to check each one of them. We're going to be able to have a look at a few of them.

　Checkpoints were being carried out slowly but it would soon be night. They proceed with their investigation by burning the light with their magic tools, but they gradually start to complain.


'Are you telling me to sleep on the ground like this? You've got to be kidding me.
Is the food ready yet?
Oh, you just couldn't resist?
Woooo!
"Ugh, that stinks!　You peed your pants!


　It is nearly impossible to control a group of ten thousand people, a group of those who are not educated and wealthy. The behavior itself was not a problem as the head of the Babenberg family used barriers to guide them, but even among them, there was a lot of foul-mouthed cursing and violence. The commotion grew as some of them couldn't wait and began to leak because there weren't enough toilets to go around.


Calm down. We're doing a soup kitchen now, and we're building more toilets.
Stop fighting.


　He is a bit of a knight to searchers, but he is sincere in dealing with the refugees who complain about him. The searchers are better at fighting monsters, but the knights are more adept at dealing with people. With the response of the knights, who are equipped with solid weapons and armor, the commotion was extinguished.

　And after a night, the background investigation of the refugees progressed in the morning, but the results were not very good. A man with golden hair blowing in the wind knocked on Centria's barrier in such a situation.


''Oi, open up!''


　When Leon said that after reporting back to King's Landing and returning to Centria, the barrier opened like an automatic door. As Leon went under the barrier, he looked at the large number of refugees with a curious look on his face.


''What is it?''


　Leon, who had just arrived in Centria after running through the night from the King's Capital, didn't know about the refugees who were being quarantined. So when he approached the group of people undergoing a checkpoint, wondering about the group, a girl called out from among them.


''Ah!　It's Leon!


　A young girl wearing an unseasonably black scarf squealed with joy when she spotted Leon. The girl is also one of the refugees and is quarantined, so she presses her face against the transparent barrier like watching fish in an aquarium. Seeing the girl, Leon approached her with a good-humored look on his face.


You know me very well, young lady. Girl, you know your stuff, don't you?
My mom's a fan!
Oh, yeah?　I'm so grateful that such a beautiful woman is a fan.
"...I'm not her mother.


　The female knight next to the girl told Leon with cold eyes. That guy's shoulders slumped in disappointment, and Leon looked at the refugees and then questioned them.


'So, why are you inside the barriers?
"...these people were evacuated from the south yesterday. They are currently under checkpoint and have been temporarily quarantined inside the barriers.
I see.
You report in immediately. This side of the border is under quarantine. You are a distraction.
'Give me a break! We've been running all night on this one, you know?
He's a pain in the ass.


　The female knight in the barrier stared at Leon with a stern look, but she seemed to be reluctant to talk about the situation in front of the girl. It's a good idea to be able to have a good idea of what you're going to be doing with your money.


Well, then, it can't be helped. So, I'll see you again after the checkpoint is over.
'What!　I don't want to be a part of it!
Well, I guess I'll just have to stay on then.


　The female knight looks at Leon, who looks mischievous even with the girl who is not yet old enough, with white eyes. Then the girl squeezes her right hand into a thin line and shoots at Leon, who has his hand on the barrier.


Yay!


　In an instant, the girl's hand blade, which turned black like an insect shell, broke through the transparent barrier and grabbed Leon's left hand. Leon and the female knight were horrified at the girl who easily broke through the barriers of the Babenberg family.


''Gotcha!''
...Oh come on. What's the meaning of this one?


　Even though the barriers are weaker than the barriers put up in the labyrinth city, even Leon would have a hard time breaking them. Leon couldn't hide his surprise that the girl had pierced it with her bare hands.

　After that, the girl, who cut down the barrier with her altered left hand like slicing butter with a hot knife, walked up to Leon.


'We have a monster over here!　Come quickly!
"Golden Blessing.


　The female knight immediately raises her voice, and in an obvious anomaly, Leon also steps back while increasing his own AGI with his unique skill. But the girl who is holding her own left hand is following without letting go.


''Quick!''
Tut!　What the hell is this?　You're not gonna miss!


　It was as if his own hand and the girl's right hand had been assimilated, and the restraints showed no signs of coming off. Furthermore, something like a white thread began to emerge from that right hand and cover Leon's left arm.


'Come with Mina. I need to be quiet or I'll stay, okay?


　Leon's face paled as he saw the clothes on the girl's back poking through the clothes like a chrysalis, and a number of long, slender arthropods sprouting out of it.