The group split into several smaller units in search of the culprit who manipulated the walking corpses.
“Ah, are you alright?”
Lauren, running beside me, looked at me with concern. Honestly, I was really struggling. The wound on my side, which had been cut earlier, throbbed painfully, and my stomach, which had been kicked, still ached dully. Unpleasant sweat beaded on my forehead.
“V-Veronica, could you slow down a bit? I-I can’t go any faster.”
Veronica, who had been leading the way, frowned and looked back at me.
“Hmph, what’s this? You can’t run?”
“Hiroaki-san was injured in the earlier battle. He has a gash on his side.”
Veronica clicked her tongue and came back to us.
“Fine, you stay here then. Hide behind some trees or something.”
“No, I’m going. I’ll be fine. It’s more dangerous to be left behind, and it’s better to be with everyone.”
The road to the hospital was eerily deserted. Perhaps all the walking corpses had headed towards the barricades. But that didn’t mean there were no others remaining.
“I see. Well, no choice then. Hop on.”
Saying that, she turned her back. Huh? Is she going to carry me? I can walk, it’s not like I can’t.
“…Ah, um…”
Hmm, did I just hear something?
“Um, Hero-sama…”
There it is again. Where is it coming from? Lauren and Veronica were looking around too. Then, we discovered a figure near the base of a nearby tree.
“Kalm, what are you doing over there?”
Kalm was huddled at the base of the tree. Why was she here? She had left earlier saying she had something to do.
“Um, I was looking for you to discuss something with my superior, but I couldn’t find you. Before I knew it, lots of corpses were walking towards me, so I hid here.”
So she had gone out to report something to her superior.
“What were you going to discuss?”
“I heard there was some commotion in town, and I wanted to get instructions on what to do about everyone.”
And then she got stuck here while searching.
“Haa, I’m so glad I met you, Hero-sama. Ah, but if you’re out here, that means everyone has left that mansion, right? Ahhh… I’m going to be killed by my superior…”
She clutched her head and her eyes welled up with tears.
“Hey kid, let’s go. Now.”
“Right, well, we’re going then. You can climb trees, right? If it gets dangerous, do that.”
Unlike me, she was half harpy, so her bird-like legs should be able to grip branches.
“W-Wait for me~ I’m coming too~”
She followed us, her eyes glistening with tears. She was carrying a sword, so maybe she could fight.
“You can come, but I can’t promise I can protect you. Are you sure? We’re heading to the hospital.”
“Eh? The hospital is, wasn’t it…? But it’s better than being left here.”
She noticeably made a disgusted face just now, but if she says so herself, there’s nothing to be done. Veronica looked even more displeased.
As we proceeded up a gentle slope, a large hospital came into view. In front of the building, where many people must have bustled, only carriages without horses were abandoned. The sound of leaves rustling on the ground seemed unnervingly loud.
“H-Hieee~ So scary. Um, isn’t it better to call for reinforcements first?”
Ignoring Kalm, Veronica pushed ahead.
