NOVEL WEB Chapter 104 - Three Teams
Three Teams
“We’re going to split into three teams: the guild standby team, the Nemo investigation team, and the High Elf Village infiltration team.”
The standby team would mainly be defending the guild. The investigation team would be monitoring and investigating Nemo’s movements. And the infiltration team’s role was obvious.
“Saura, Ludo, Juma, you’re on the standby team.”
“Ehhh!? I wanna fight too, Don!”
Juma-kun, whose name was called, protested. It was true that having Juma-kun, the assault captain, on defense was strange.
“Listen, we’re supposed to be aiming for negotiations, not a war, right? We can’t take a battle maniac like you! You’re out of the question for investigation, so all that’s left is the standby team.”
“Th-That’s true, but…”
He was right. Taking Juma-kun would be like saying that we were there to pick a fight. Well, that was true, but our goal was to bring back Yenna-san, not to wage war. We didn’t need to fight unnecessarily. …Though with us trying to retrieve a High Elf from the High Elf Village, it wasn’t clear who was in the wrong!
“Well, we’ll count on you if it comes to a fight. Protect the guild, okay, Juma?”
“Ooh! Leave it to me!”
Juma-kun’s so easy to handle…!
“Next. Kei, Schlie, and I will be the investigation team.”
“The Don too?”
Schlie-san’s question was probably what everyone was thinking. We’d all assumed that he’d be going to the High Elf Village, on the infiltration team.
“Yeah. It’s about time we exposed that guild’s true nature. We were asked to do so by the nation, a while back. I’d been meaning to get to it. This is the perfect opportunity.”
They were asked to do it by the nation!? Judging from the way he said it, it seemed like he’d been putting it off… is that okay? It’s not, right, not usually. I’m sure he was using his position as Don of a Special-grade guild to postpone it.
“And finally, the infiltration team, Ash, Kron, and Nika. We’ll be sending Nika. He’s tough, sincere, and a good guy. A bit rough around the edges though.”
“You flatter me, Don!”
I see, so the Demon King will be handling the High Elves. It made sense, he was going to rescue his wife, and Kron-san would be going with him. There shouldn’t be any problems.
“It can’t be helped, but agh! My work’s going to pile up again…!”
That is, except for Kron-san, holding her head in her hands.
“Finally, Gil, you have a different task.”
Come to think of it, he hadn’t given Gil-san any instructions. I wonder what it was?
“Protect Meg. Risk your life to do it. Honestly, everyone else will have their hands full with their tasks. So, you focus solely on protecting Meg.”
“…I accept.”
Protecting me… I was certainly reassured knowing Gil-san would be by my side. I couldn’t just say that I didn’t need protection. I was the weakest, the smallest, and the target. And since everyone was trying to protect me, I wanted them to.
“Gil-shan, please take care of me.”
That’s what I needed to say, right? Gil-san smiled faintly, patted my head, and then said, “Leave it to me.”
“But… how are we going to get into the High Elf Village…?”
Dad muttered, crossing his arms. Well, yeah. After twenty years of investigation, they’d concluded that it was impossible to even find the entrance. It wasn’t like a solution would suddenly appear.
But we had to figure this out, or the three teams would be pointless.
“We could wait for Schelmelhorn to come out of the village, huh.”
“That’s our only option. He’s the only one who’ll be coming out. Well, I guess that’s worth being blown all the way here, Juma.”
“But there’s no telling when that will be. And he’s not going to do anything that’ll reveal his true intentions, I’m sure. Even if we captured him, he wouldn’t let us into the village. And more importantly, capturing him is a near impossible task.”
Dr. Ludo, Dad, and Saura-san were exchanging opinions. We’d never see Yenna-san if we just waited.
Everyone fell silent, lost in thought.
…Everyone’s so kind. No, they’re just avoiding it. To protect me.
Because, right? You know what the easiest solution is. But everyone’s too kind to say it, to suggest it. Because it’d put me in danger.
That’s why I had to be the one to say it.
“Take me… with you.”
My voice resonated clearly in the silent meeting room. In everyone’s hearts. They all looked sad, they all held their breath. Fufu, so you knew, huh?
“If I, a High Elf, am with you, we should be able to find the entrance. It’s easy! It’s all about lineage, wight?”
I looked at Dad and asked this. His eyes wavered. Alright, one more push!
“I’ll be tarwgeted no matter where I am. And Gil-shan will protect me! He’ll wisk his life!”
I looked at Gil-san, “Right?” He lowered his eyebrows, seemingly exasperated, and ruffled my hair. “Of course.” Fufu, that’s what Saura-san had said.
“I want to shee the place where I was born and waised. I want to meet Mama-shan.”
I added this for good measure, and then I smiled. I wanted to tell them that I wasn’t scared, that I’d be okay.
“…You’re so small, but you’re a fine guild member. But I know someone like you, so I’m worried. She’s the type who would sacrifice herself for others.”
Dad knelt before me and said this. Ah… he was talking about Megu, right? He’d said the same thing to me before. And back then, I’d replied:
“…It’s not a shacwifice. I’m just doing what I can.”
—So, Dad, just worry about me and take care of me!—
Dad’s eyes widened slightly.
“You’re… never mind.”
He’d started to say something, but then stopped. Yeah, it’s fine. I’ll tell you everything, once this is over. Just wait until then, Dad.
“Gil. Can you still protect Meg, even so?”
“Do you really have to ask? Don, just who do you think I am?”
Ooh, that was so cool! As expected of Papa!
“It’s decided, then. Meg will be on the infiltration team with Gil! Don’t screw up, you hear!?”
Everyone answered Dad’s declaration. I was actually scared. My legs were probably trembling. But everyone was doing this for me, for my mother. I had to trust Gil-san, my friends, and myself.
Let’s do this, I thought.