Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash vol. 1

21. Paper-thin Innocence

Merry looked up, loosening her lips a little and narrowing her eyes slightly.

Had that just been a smile?

It was so reserved, Haruhiro couldn't be sure. But he thought it probably had been. Haruhiro regretted that it had vanished so quickly. I should have burned the vision of it into my memory.

"Got it," Merry nodded. "I'll never let a comrade die again. I'll protect your lives, so you can feel safe."

"Good," Haruhiro stuck out his right hand, and everyone placed their own right hands on top of his.

"Fighto, ippatsu!"

After their usually rallying cry, Merry cocked her head to the side. "...I've always found it odd, but why is it fighto, ippatsu?"

The other five laughed a little. Then they focused themselves, going over the plan.

Going over the plan. Yes. They were going over it.

Haruhiro and the others had been preparing for this day. There was no need to formulate a plan from scratch. They would need to make adjustments to account for the additional enemies, but the main thing they needed to do was keep the plate armor gob and hobgob, which were incomparably stronger than the other goblins, in check. This was their highest priority.

They would finish the two guard gobs as quickly as possible, then take down their main targets. They had discussed strategies for how to overcome the plate armor gob and hobgob over the course of many planning sessions. They could do this. They would definitely win.

Like always, Haruhiro led Yume and Shihoru in first. Ranta, Moguzo, and Merry followed behind at a distance.

The first trial was getting within twelve meters, the approximate range of Sleepy Shadow. There was a wall that provided perfect cover until they were fifteen meters away, but past that point would be difficult. Still, through studying the layout, they had learned that if they circled around to the other side, there were the ruins of a building within ten meters of the two-floor building that they could just barely hide themselves in.

This was the place. Here was where the attack would start from.

When Haruhiro gave the signal with his hands, Yume readied her bow and activated Quick-eye, while Shihoru grasped her staff and steadied her breathing.

It's finally time. We'll take them down. The plate armor gob and hobgob. They killed Manato. I've done my best not to think of this as revenge, as avenging him. That's because I felt like hatred would muddy my thinking and make my hands go astray. This isn't about a grudge: they're enemies. Strong enemies. A wall we need to transcend.

Haruhiro poked his head out from the ruins. "—!" He didn't so much suck his breath in as stop breathing. He hurriedly pulled his head back in. It had been looking. The plated armor gob was looking his way.

"...Were we noticed?" But why? Had they detected them before? Had he just been found? Or was it a coincidence? Had it just happened to be looking this way, and then its eyes met with Haruhiro's? He didn't know, and that wasn't what was important.

Haruhiro stuck his head out once more, immediately lowering it again. He breathed heavily. The plate armor gob had a crossbow, and it was aiming this way.

"...Wh-What do we do?" Yume loosened up on her bowstring. Shihoru's face had gone stiff and very pale.

Did Ranta and the others, who were at a spot not far away, understand the situation? They were hiding in the shadows, and Haruhiro couldn't see them from here, so he didn't know.