Yuusha-sama no Oshishou-sama Vol 1 Chapter 17

Overture(Part 1)

At the break of dawn, the students were split into four groups, as instructed by the knights.

Wynn was out in the fourth group, while Locke was in the third, and Cornelia was in the second.

“What! All three of us are in different groups?”

“It can’t be helped. Since it seems that the division of groups was decided by our grades.”

Locke, who had seen the rosters of the groups, grumbled.

It was natural for the groups to be divided.

The students gathered at their respective gathering place, while the knights in charge discussed their preparations.
When they finished, they joined their respective groups, then the groups would depart the fort towards the forest.

“Did you sleep well last night?”

Cornelia, who came from from the second group’s rendezvous point, called out to Wynn, who was waiting for their departure.

“Yes, I did. Since I am used to hard floors, there wasn’t any problem. How about you, Cornelia-san?”

“I have the special skill of being able to sleep anywhere.”[1]

“I’m so jealous of you…”

Many of the other students, on the other hand, were unable to get a wink of sleep the whole night, and had haggard expressions on their faces.

There was also the fact that they were nervous, but sleep deprivation starting on the first day would become part of the challenge of the mission.
Though virtually all of the students in Wynn’s group were in a similar state, for Wynn, it was somebody else’s problem. he was concerned about not holding the group back.

Either way, they would have to face monsters and demonic beasts.

This was an aspect which practice didn’t have; They would risk their lives on this mission.

“Everybody on Wynn-kun’s side is in a similar situation…”

Seeing one of Wynn’s group-mates yawn, Cornelia murmured in an amazed tone.

“Even though they will soon be knights, they still feel like nobles… Due to their lack of a sense of danger, it would be good if we didn’t pay a high price for it.

“Cornelia-san said a lot.”[?1?]

“There are various reasons…” [?2?] Wynn-kun should stay safe, and let’s both do our best!”

After waving her hand while smiling, Cornelia turned back to her group.
The second group’s knights had returned and given the assembly signal.

“Hey, there was a good atmosphere going wasn’t there?”

After seeing Cornelia off, this time, it was Locke who showed up.

“What are you talking about?”

“Don’t play dumb. It’s about Cornelia-san.”

Locke patted Wynn’s shoulder while smirking.

“I heard the story about your practice match together, but I didn’t think it was to the point that you could talk with each other so easily.”

“… Is that so? Isn’t it normal?”

“If Leticia-sama saw this, what would she say, I wonder?”

“… …”

Wynn glared at Locke, who was snickering irresponsibly.

“I was just kidding. Well, if it’s you, you’ll be fine. Just don’t try to recklessly gain achievements.”

“Ah, of course.”

Locke’s face turned serious at those last words, then while waving his hands, he returned to his group.

‘He didn’t have to say that.’

Certainly, if he did well, it was a good chance to get a recommendation to become an apprentice knight.

Picking up his bag stuffed with provisions and camping equipment, Wynn fired himself up.
The four knights in charge of Wynn’s group were walking.

“No need to wait anymore. Let’s go.”

At those words, they marched towards the forest together.
This was the subjugation mission’s overture. [3]

Together with the four knights, the fourth group finished their final check on their equipment, and then left the highway and walked towards the forest.

At first, they had set off in a good mood, chatting with each other, but slowly, the lively atmosphere was swallowed, and it fell silent.

As soon as a monster appears, they would subjugate it. And in the unlikely case that were none, they would return to the fort and meeting up with the other groups.

Of the knights in charge of the fourth group, one was transferred from the capital, while three of them were from the fort.

In the front line, led by the squad captain and senior knights from the fort, while the students were being lined up, the vice-captain and another person were walking in the very rear.

The vice-captain observed the situation from the very back, while paying attention to his surroundings.

‘It seems that they were unable to sleep well last night.’

All of the students were gradually hanging their heads and looking at their feet.

It can’t be helped that the students were inattentive due to fatigue.
They were still inexperienced apprentice knights, who would gain experience alongside the full-fledged knights. They should be forgiven for that much.

On the other hand, the full-fledged knights, even the captain, were making sluggish steps for some reason.

He had already entrusted the vanguard to his subordinates, so he marched on in silence.
Even though at the beginning, the students had asked self-important questions.

While thinking bitter thoughts, he observed the surroundings from the back. Then, to the left of the group, was a thicket.

The students were not paying attention, bur even the knights haven’t noticed.
The shadow aimed for one of the students, slowly creeping closer, and when it was around five to six meters away, it immediately accelerated!

“…Eh?”

At last, the student who was targeted finally noticed the shadow.
An exhausted sound leaked out, and the shadow leapt out as he watched —

— Shit, there’s no time!

As soon as he saw the shadow, he had already began to move towards it, but the students in front of him blocked his path.

While the other knights and students haven’t moved–
The vice-captain’s eyes saw a silver light be absorbed by the shadow —

With a loud shriek, the shadow jumped aside, writhing in pain.

With a hair raising scream, the black shadow tumbled to the ground while thrashing about, knocking two students away.

After turning once, then twice … it got up, raising its voice into a howl.

At first glance, it seemed to be a rat.
However, it was the size of a wolf, and was covered in reptilian scales, a grotesque rat-like figure.

— Monster.

“Uwaah…” “Uwaaaaah!?”

Advancing from a thicket n the middle of a treacherous terrain, and a dark, dense forest, while the students’ stamina and spirits were exhausted, was a dreaded encounter with monsters.

The students fell into a panic — “Stop panicking!”

The vice-captain thundered a command.

“Hold up your shields, draw your swords! Is this how you aim to become the Empire’s knights?”

As if struck by lightning, the galvanized[4] students held up their shields and drew their swords.

‘Yes, though they are agitated, it should be fine.’

Once they prepared their stances, they outnumbered it.

The vice-captain didn’t attack again, and observed the situation as the students encircled the monster.
His eyes were caught by a youth standing in front of the demonic beasts.

‘That student is the cadet that Aldo paid attention to.’

The silver flash from before was him throwing the short sword, cutting through the air.

The short sword deeply embedded into the rat-like monster’s right eye.

While letting out an angry growl, the monster gnashed its fangs menacingly.

Though they had somewhat backed away, the students’ swords wounded the demonic beast’s skin.

“So that’s the cadet called Wynn.”[?4?]

Suddenly, one of his subordinates was standing next to him.

“Ah. It’s merely that Aldo-san has his eyes on him.”

Up until now, the students had a solid advantage.

Wynn stood in front of the demonic beast, while two people moved to the left and right behind it.
The two people standing in the back specialized in attack magic began to chant magic.

Rather than specialize in fighting against humans, his style specialized in fighting monsters.
Stabbing at an opponent’s weak points, it was an adventurer’s fighting style.

According to Wynn’s instructions, they repaired the formation.

It was to the point that the nobles were able to recognize his judgment.

“That lad, he still has energy to spare in this fight.”

“… It’s regrettable, isn’t it?”

The fact that he was devoted to distracting the monster, while also paying attention to the surroundings, speaks volumes of his experience fighting monsters.
At that age, he might be imitating an adventurer.

“Soon, it will be a good time for our plan. What should we do?”

The vice-captain looked up at the sky.

Therefore, encountering a monster from the beginning was helpful.

Especially that Cadet Wynn — no — beyond the weapon in his hands, there were many uncertain factors. [?5?]
Though the thick branches and leaves blocked the sunlight, the sun was slowly reaching its zenith.[5]

“How far is the fort, and how far are the other groups?”

“It is as planned.”

Nodding at the subordinate’s report, he would wait and see what the captain did.
As if grading them, he stood behind the students and watched the course of the students’ battle.

The battle was headed towards the end.

Letting out a soft whine, the monster fell to the ground, then the two students stabbed at it with their swords.
The demonic beast’s death cries resounded.

“If we’re doing it, we must do it now.”

Matching the vice commander, his two subordinates also slowly drew their swords.

He softly crept behind the squad captain, who was proudly looking at the students’ battles…

“Ah… Gah…”

In one motion, the vice-captain’s sword pierced the captain’s back, and exited his chest, and fresh blood spurted out.

Chapter end