CHAPTER 26

I can tell it’s morning by the way how time skips. One minute I’m looking at a corpse, the next I’m waking up near the bonfire. Yep. It’s morning alright. I also have back my streak of red hair.

The solid steam is still fine. Good. No one got in last night. The corpses are still dead. I have to admit that their equipment is far better than what my Dwarvel offered. The blue armor is much sturdier than my metallic limbs. They can’t make any spike or flame, but they have blades that are better than that. The only upside is that my Dawrvel have is that I can use it for blacksmithing if I need to. The helmet is also better than my harmonica. It can filter the smokes while giving protection on the head. That’s two of my specialties that it can replace. I have no choice but to wear them if I want to fight them. At least my Steam Sapien and Cubic Leash are still unique and irreplaceable.

Then there’s the matter with smoke bombs. No matter how much we search, we can’t find it on these corpses. I wish that they saved a bit for us to use.

Another problem we have is how would the Ladies of the Lake react to us if they see us in this armor. In games, I would have room for inventory. It doesn’t seem like I have that option. Just in case. Floating words.

DETAIL CHECK
Adventurers do not have the ability
to store items unless stated by their
subclasses.

At least I asked.

“They’ll swarm this place again,” I say. “I’m sorry for troubling both of you. I’m a stranger that shouldn’t even be here.”

“It’s not a problem,” says Nostrades. “They’ll find us either way. The knights weren’t exactly known to like us.”

“It’s a miracle that we can even survive this long without being found out,” says Nostriedon. “We have to move.”

“Where can we go?” I ask.

Both of them answer. “Sorcerous Lake.”

Hmm, if that place is well-known, shouldn’t the Ambrous Knight knew about it? Shouldn’t they already searched for it? They were stuck in the sealed zone for a while. They had nothing to do but look for it.

But, they didn’t know where the Nostra brothers were hiding! There is still a chance that they cannot find the lake for some reason. I can try to rally a troop from there with my Sorcerer’s charisma! If I fail, then I can hide there without being found out by the knights!

“Sorcerous Lake it is then.”

All three of us—me, Nostrades, and Nostreidon—walk out of this underground house. With every step, I create solid steam to cover the entrance to this house. It made me realize that I can actually create steam without manifesting my exhaust horns. At least this won’t ruin my armor in disguise.

Forest. It feels good to be surrounded by it. It makes me feel calm and ready to face an unexpected boss in the wild. Come on now. I have new party members right now plus some fancy equipment. I could use a boss to test it all out.

An Ambrous Knight walks towards us. Whoever this knight is, some parts of their gauntlets do not cover their forearms. Damage, perhaps? I’m sure that I’m not the cause of that. I really hope that was caused by Salty Ray, Wanda, or Timothy. At least I know that they go down fighting. I can see something on the back of his armor. Something wooden.

He stops several meter from us.

“Identify yourself,” says the knight. He sounds like a man.

Okay. How do I give ourselves an alibi that doesn’t sound far fetch? Charisma! Go do your thing!

“We were affected by a memory spell,” I say. “We don’t remember who we are.”

“Is that so?”

“No matter what they did, our loyalty to the Ambrousian Empire won’t falter!”

“Then, how did you survive the ambush?”

“We don’t know. Our memories of the events are gone.”

“How many platoon from the mainland will come to Bread Village?”

“We don’t know.”

“Why don’t the other two speak?”

“They’ve been silenced by the enemy. They cannot speak for a while.”

The knight tilts his head. Come on. Go inspect the other two so I can backstab you later!

“Analysis complete.”

That’s not his voice! That came from his armor! These armors can analyze people?!

“Submissing Freedom is not detected. Commence extermination.”

There’s a way to detect that?!

Barbed wires appear from the exposed part of the knight’s gauntlets. The barbed wires wrap both of my arms. This guy is the Barbarian that I saved from Nostrazeus! He was brainwashed by Ambrousian Empire!

No matter! Even if my arms cannot move, I still have my cubes! I launch the cubes at his—

He grabbed the cubes! The cubes cannot penetrate his hands! I also cannot move the cubes!

His barbed wires are pulling me. His arms don’t move, but the barbed wires become shorter and shorter. His body must’ve given him the ability to store the barbed wires inside him.

I am using everything I got but my body is getting closer and closer to him. Is this the strength of a Barbarian? Why can’t I have one in my team?

I use Steam Sapien to create steam around me. Unfortunately for me, this helmet can actually see through it. Flour! I forgot! There is only one hope left! I have to hold my ground for it!

Yes! It worked!

Nostrades and Nostreidon stabbed the Barbarian from the back!

I can control my cubes back! The cubes penetrate his hands then hit his head! His helmet breaks apart from the impact. His consciousness is absent from his eyes. The Barbarian stops pulling me. Phew! I thought I was a goner. I can… something is dissolving into the air. Whatever it is, it is on his back. His wooden… oh.

Baseball bat.

Before I can do anything, his hand is where my heart should be. I still have one more shot after this, but how can I defeat him?