Move on!　Quickly!

Hey!　That's my stuff!　You can't just move out of the way!

Hurry!　We're closing the gates!　Give up your stuff and get inside!

'Guards, that's not going to happen!　If I leave that thing behind, I'm broke!

'My wife!　My wife is gone!　Wait!

f*ck you!　What if the demons come over here!

　Aldis and the others arrived at the West Gate, which was in a state of confusion.

　Peasants interrupted their work in the fields to try to get through the gate in a hurry. Merchants trying to push their wagon loads into the safety of the city. The guards want to close the gates as soon as possible, so they rush the people.
　Here and there they are pushing and shoving each other, and shouts and screeching are heard.
　A small number of people were seen trying to escape from Leitin and head west, further disrupting the flow of people.

'Feng, you made it in time,'

　Ted breathes a sigh of relief when he reaches the side of the gate.

　The chaos in front of the west gate is terrible, but at least the gate is still open.
　Even though Aldis and the others are skilled mercenaries, they won't be able to stay here if the gate is closed.
　They won't fall behind the beasts and demons that appear in the grasslands, but as humans, we need to rest and sleep, and above all, we don't have much food on hand.

'Oh no, the gates are about to close. Let's hurry up, Ted!

I guess I'd better. There's a small herd coming this way.

Ugh, he's here already.

　Ted frowned as he followed Aldis's gaze.
　It must have overflowed from the herd surrounding the east gate. The shadow of the beast running on four feet was approaching.

　The guards guarding the gate also noticed it and quickly formed a line and took up a position to intercept it.
　However, behind them, there was still a line of people waiting to pass through the gate.
　If this continues, they will be in danger, as they don't have the means to fight.

Prepare to intercept!　Don't let them through the back!　We will endure until we contain the inhabitants!

　An elderly soldier, who looks like a commander, raises his voice.

''But captain!　We're not alone in this: ......!

　A soldier beside me stifles a word.
　The number of soldiers deployed under the guise of escorting evacuated residents was less than a hundred.
　Moreover, unlike the mercenaries who regularly put themselves in battle, Leytin's army, which had been in peace for a long time, had few soldiers with actual battle experience.

　It was true that there were more soldiers than the herds of beasts that were closing in on the western gate.
　However, defending the defenseless residents from the swarm of beasts was far more difficult than simply defeating them.
　In addition, the number of the approaching beasts was quickly increasing. If that number exceeded two hundred, the outcome of even pure victory would be in doubt.

''Don't say it.''

Captain ......

'I know what you're asking. But we are proud members of the Leytin Army. If we don't protect and defend our people here and now, what is the purpose of our existence?

　The first soldier, called the captain, looked around at his men. But the soldiers' faces remained blue.

I'm sure you're right. You usually look so gracious, it's times like this when you need to show your strength.

　The leader of the Byakuya no Meisei, who had been listening with an absent-minded face, interrupted from the side.

''Well, Ted, you're meddling too much ......

　Behind him, Norris blurted out with a smile that didn't resemble a dumbfounded tone.

'Mercenary, huh?'

　The soldier who was standing next to the captain turned a surprising look at Ted.

''I'd like you to lend a hand if you can, but there's no request from the state. You're not going to move without a ...... reward, are you?　You guys,

Oh, well, don't be so sure. I'm just trying to help you buy some time.

　No wonder the soldier rolled his eyes at Ted's words.
　A mercenary was going to work for free. That was a bit different from what a soldier knew a mercenary to be.

''You decide to do that again on your own: ......

　Orphelia shows a dumbfounded expression.

　Of course, neither Norris nor Orphelia would disagree with Ted's decision, despite what they say.
　Deep down in their hearts, they are proud of their leader, who, despite his seemingly brutal appearance, cannot leave the needy and the weak behind. This was the party that Ardis knew as the "Byakuya no Myojo".

''What do you mean by that?　You don't think your people are going to help us fight off the beast?

　The elderly captain steps forward from behind the soldier with an incredulous look on his face.

"Of course I don't have any intentions of being an abandoned pawn, but I could at least buy some time to close the gate.

...... I can't give you a reward for your efforts, can I?

　It seems that Ted's true intentions are not known, and the captain has confirmed it as a reminder.

I don't mind. You can at least buy me something to eat, right?

How's that coming?　...... All right, I'll give you the best meal you've ever had.

　The old soldier's age-old face flushed.

'Alright, it's settled. Norris!　Orphelia!　Aldis!　That's why. We'll have to sweat it out a bit before we go back into town!

　The tough guy looked back at his friends.

''Haha, it can't be helped!

What's the 'why'? You should at least listen to us for a minute.

Okay.

　To the good-natured leader, all three replied.

I'm sorry, man. I'm sorry, thank you. It would be a great relief to have two sorcerers on your side.

　Looking at Orphelia and Aldis' outfits, the captain seemed to have decided that they were both sorcerers.

''How much time do I need to gain?''

　Aldis turned to the captain and asked.
　Even as we are doing this, the herd of beasts is closing in on us. It's not a time to take a long time to confer.

It's only 15 minutes away.

　The captain sees the line of people rushing to the west gate and decides that.

'All right. Fifteen minutes.'

　Aldis ducked as if there was nothing else to check.

　If you look, the herd of beasts was coming quite close.
　The fast-footed 'Grasswolf' and 'Coyote' carnivores formed the lead group, followed by the 'Snatch' and 'Green Knife' behind them.

　The number of them is roughly two hundred. Considering the number of shadows that continue to increase, there are probably more beasts gathered there than when Aldis and the others checked the east gate.
　The beasts that overflowed from the east gate are flowing along the city walls to the west gate.

'Aldis, take the left; Orphelia, take the right.

Okay.

　Ted quickly motioned to the members of the group.

"Norris, I want you to use your magic to finish off the guy who lost his head. I want--

'Don't go rushing in. I'm just buying time until the gates close.

I know. You, Aldis, don't overdo it!　All you have to do is buy some time!

...... Hey, what does Ted think of me?

Aldis!　I'll tell you all about it later!　They're coming!

　Ardis, who was interrupted from speaking, lightly clicked her tongue and faced the approaching herd of beasts.
　It's not yet reachable by bow and arrow, but it was already within the range of the attack magic.

''Fierce Red is born in the trajectory of the fierce flame, the breath of the old dragon ---- Purgatory Flame 《Ferno Resta Ganov》!

　The flames created by Orphelia hit the crowd of coyotes.
　I'm not going to be able to avoid the sudden appearance of scorching heat, the bodies of the burnt-out coyotes fell to the ground one after another.

''Amazing ......''

'So this is the power of advanced attack magic: ......

　The soldiers who have witnessed the destruction caused by magic for the first time are amazed.

　Of course, there are sorcerers in Leytin's army as well, but they don't often show their destructive power in a peaceful world.
　Unlike swords and arrows for training, they can't use offensive magic against their allies in exercises.
　It was no surprise that most soldiers who had never been in a battlefield would see advanced attack magic for the first time, let alone beginner level magic.

''Shining azure dances across the land of endless colors and illusions, eternal time and silence ---- storm of the far north, [Toloa Shusu Follote]!

　The next thing Aldis unleashes is a frigid wind that freezes everything in place.
　A gust of white snow wrapped the herd of glass wolves.

　The glass wolves that were running as fast as they could, freeze their limbs and cower in place.
　In no time at all, their entire bodies were encased in ice and they stopped moving.

''Oh!　This would be a great place to start: ......!

　The faces of the despondent soldiers brightened at the overwhelming disadvantage.

　But the swarm of beasts continued to rush in without ceasing.
　The magic of Aldis and the others reclaimed it two or three times, but soon Orphelia began to show signs of fatigue.

''Ha, ha ....... It's about time for you to reach your limit. We're just one more time for the advanced level.

I'll be fine!　We're almost done housing the residents!　Just give me one more minute!

　The captain who had confirmed the evacuation situation raised his voice.
　Around him, soldiers were holding swords and spears in their hands, holding off the beasts that had dodged their magic.

　Even though it was an advanced attack magic, it was difficult to cover a wide area at once.
　The beasts that escaped a direct hit from the magic are also killed one by one by Norris' bow, but a few still reach the soldiers.

''Keep those beasts away from the sorcerers!

　The soldiers were encircling Aldis and Orphelia, guarding the line of people taking refuge.
　Ted quickly buries the occasional "Beast King" or a beast that seems to get past the soldiers' defenses.
　Thanks to the work of the Star of the Midnight Sun, the soldiers were always able to confront the beasts with an overwhelming majority.

''Alright!　Looks like the evacuation is complete!　We're retreating too!

　It seems that the evacuation of the population is finally over.
　Ardis and the others begin to retreat as the captain gives the order to retreat.
　Aldis offers a shot of purgatory fire as a substitute for a leftover, and then quickly runs from the West Gate to the city of Leytin as the soldiers retreat.

　When the chasing beasts were chased away and the western gate was closed by the guards, the sky in the west was already dyed a bright red.