Fort carmine

"It won't be necessary. The knights already present and I are more than enough. If I went with additional knights, we would lose time, and I believe the people of Fort Carmine are in a difficult situation. I will go first, then I will send a support and supply unit."

"What consideration!" The ministers seemed slightly less nervous in front of a more reasonable Chreíos.

"The knight you entrusted to me, here present, I would like him to protect me this time!"

"It is an honor," the cleric responded without hesitation.

The king carefully observed Chreíos' entourage. The image of the kneeling knight before him came to mind. When the hero had been summoned, this knight had been assigned to watch over his needs.

Now, was he trying to get rid of him? The king had a rather stark view of the situation. It was well known that the hero's cleric had had some disputes with him at first, but over time, the hero proved his strength, and the cleric's disdain turned into admiration, forming a pseudo-bond of trust.

But the king was not deceived; he sensed that he had just lost another piece to the hero's hand.

"Do as you wish. I hope he will be part of the hero's team that you will soon gather."

It was a genuine sarcasm from the king, but also a way to test the waters. Chreíos understood without a word and turned to leave.

"That's enough, I'm leaving!"

The cleric bowed before the king and followed Chreíos.

Sigh.

As he watched the hero leave the room, the king sank deeply into his throne, his expression darkened.

He ordered everyone to leave, leaving him alone with the Prime Minister.

The knightly order he had sent also exited the room, but they were not far away; after all, it was no ordinary order.

"We deceived everyone to gain a double-edged political power," thought the king, deeply lost in his thoughts.

The summoning ritual was supposed to be conducted in collaboration with all the kingdoms of the world to prevent certain powers from monopolizing all the glory. But the Celestial Kingdom was in a dire situation. To remedy this, the king had decided to alienate all the other kingdoms and summon the hero—a political tool, a symbol, a deterrent weapon.

"And now, this weapon has become uncontrollable."

Even if all the kingdoms wanted to turn away from Celeste, they couldn't, given the current situation. After weighing the pros and cons, the king had made his choice.

But now, he wondered if it had been a mistake.

"Your Majesty!?" The Prime Minister stepped slightly closer to the throne to inquire about the king's state.

"Yes, I'm fine. Prepare compensation for the family of Gedrick Maxwell. He died courageously alongside the hero."

"Really?"

The king did not answer.

"It will be done."

Fort Carmine

"Sir, we are almost at Fort Carmine."

Two horses galloped at full speed. The hero and his adjutant, Knight Gedrick Maxwell, were approaching Fort Carmine.

"Gedrick, scout the area. We'll meet at the fort."

There was no need to specify that this was a reconnaissance mission, a form of situational assessment.

"Understood," Gedrick replied. They split up, and Chreíos headed alone toward the fort.

In the distance, one could see that the knights were exhausted. Defending the fort was no easy task. The monsters weren't particularly strong, but their numbers made the situation overwhelming. If the fort fell, it would likely be due to exhaustion and lack of supplies.

Upon seeing the hero approach, the guards' expressions immediately improved.

"Chreíos!"

"Chreíos!"

"Chreíos!"

The knights chanted their champion's name as if casting a spell, celebrating their most reliable ally—the hero who could meet their expectations. The hero made his way through, crushing monsters in his path.

Gedrick took advantage of the attention on the hero to move stealthily and explore the area.

You have slain a goblin. EXP +5.

You have slain an orc. EXP +7.

You have slain a goblin skeleton. EXP +3.

You have slain...

You have...

You...

The experience gained from these monsters was merely a drop in the ocean. The hero had to either eliminate the entire horde or slay higher-ranked monsters to level up.

After driving away the monsters near the gate, the knights opened it to welcome their champion. Gedrick joined him shortly after.

Once inside the fort, a brief lull settled over the battlefield as the monsters withdrew. An emergency meeting was organized to prepare for the next wave.

"Sir Hero, thank you for your help. Your presence here has greatly motivated the troops. We are grateful to you."

In the meeting room, Captain Nasios began by expressing words of gratitude to Chreíos.

"Don't worry. As a hero, it is my duty. Besides, who would refuse free EXP?"

Chreíos gave a slight smile, barely noticeable to those around him.

"EXP?" Nasios repeated, perplexed.

"Don't mind it. Now, define your strategy."

Everyone sat around a table. At the center was a map of the surroundings, including the fort and its vicinity.

Chreíos was there with Gedrick, along with four other men, including Nasios, the officer in charge of the fort.

"From the information I received, I don't think the fort can hold out until the next supply convoy arrives. The men are exhausted," Nasios explained.

Everyone bore a serious expression. Until now, Fort Carmine had never faced a monster wave. It was designed for human conflicts, not to fight monsters. The sudden siege left them no time to organize an offense.

All of this was likely linked to the demon that was disturbing their minds. The importance of this place was becoming increasingly evident.

"The wave is probably led by an intelligent monster. After all, these creatures seem familiar with the concepts of charges and retreats. Moreover, the areas they target are strategically vital," Nasios added.

"What can we do to fix the situation?" someone asked.

"You have only a single brain cell among you," the hero thought as he observed the people before him. "Normally, I would have offered you as sacrifices to the monsters, then reclaimed the fort alone by killing the leader of these creatures."

"Hmm?" Captain Nasios tilted his head slightly, puzzled, while Chreíos briefly pondered his plan.

But well, consider yourselves lucky to have witnessed the courage of this man, the hero continued, winking at Gedrick. No one knew what Gedrick thought of it, but he nodded as if he fully shared Chreíos' thoughts.

Which was certainly not the case.