Chapter 8 – Tracking the Hero (1)

Just as opening a gate to cross dimensions was nearly impossible, closing it didn’t seem to be an easy task either. The gate had started closing a while ago, but remained open until all team members returned.

Unlike our team that returned safely, some of the advance parties didn’t make it back. Especially, none of the advance parties that headed north, where the hero’s group was said to have gone, returned.

Those remaining had no choice but to agree with the mages’ claim that this was a trap set by the Demon King.

When no more advance parties returned, people looked to the remaining officers and imperial nobles.

The dead and severely injured had already been sent back to our world through the gate.

Those left here were the recently returned advance party members, a few mages, and lastly, the lone remaining imperial noble.

We all looked at that noble.

Originally, the hero should have been in command, but since the hero was also missing, the remaining noble had to make the decision.

“With the heroes absent, we should wait for instructions from headquarters… but it seems we don’t have time for that.”

As everyone looked at him, the noble gazed at the gate with a grim expression.

The gate had shrunk to less than half its size, now barely large enough for one person to pass through.

“There doesn’t seem to be anyone here with a higher rank than me, a count…”

He appeared to be a high-ranking person, but an imperial count, no less.

Still, it was fortunate.

Perhaps because he was a noble who accompanied the hero, he wasn’t one to avoid responsibility.

“Then, as time is short, if there are no objections, I, Count Rihart, will take temporary command.”

Most of the people here were soldiers and knights who had fought on the front lines for a long time.

No one was likely to object to the reasonable words of a high-ranking noble.

“According to the mages, the Demon King’s gate connected to this world will disappear soon.”

Even without the noble’s words, the gate was visibly shrinking in real-time before our eyes.

Honestly, most people here probably wanted to return immediately.

“Fortunately, the mages have succeeded in analyzing the gate. They’ve assured me that although it will take time, they can create a new gate connected to this world even after this one disappears.”

The mages at the gate nodded at his words.

I breathed a sigh of relief.

I had been worried that the connection to this world might be severed, but that didn’t seem to be a concern.

After all, the gate connecting the elves’ world and our world was also created by our mages and the elves based on the Demon King’s gate.

Having created one before, they should be able to do it again.

Moreover, there was no way the greedy nobles would give up on such a new frontier after discovering it. They would surely open a new gate soon.

“So, are we returning now?”

I heard the mountain soldier Hoffman mutter beside me.

However, unfortunately, it didn’t seem like things would go as he said.

If that were the case, the high-ranking noble wouldn’t have been rambling on like this.

As I listened to his next words, it was as I expected.

“While we could all return now and come back after reopening the gate, unfortunately, it seems some of us need to stay behind.”

At his words, everyone’s expressions darkened, but no one objected immediately.

“We need living people to remain here as targets for reopening the gate, but…”

Targets… Like human coordinates to find the intended dimension and location?

But surely that wasn’t the only reason?

“We also need personnel to search for the hero’s party that hasn’t returned yet.”

As expected, it was because of the hero.

Unlike the other missing advance parties, the hero’s group couldn’t be abandoned.

“If this is a trap as the mages say, the target of the trap must be the hero’s party. However, even if they’ve fallen into a trap, I believe they are still safe.”

The count’s words were logical.

Throughout the ongoing battle with the Demon King, we had heard rumors of the hero’s party being in danger or going missing more than once or twice.

Each time, the hero’s party had overcome the crisis and returned safely, just like in novels or movies.

“Therefore, we need people to stay here to support the heroes and serve as the destination for the gate beside them.”

That’s why the count, and indeed everyone here, didn’t think the hero was dead.

Of course, I was inclined to think they might be dead.

Still, I didn’t disagree that someone should stay behind to check on the heroes.

“I’d like at least one party to remain and join up with the heroes.”

It was a reasonably rational decision to leave just one party behind, not everyone.

However, it turned out that our party was the one chosen to stay.

“Among the returned advance parties, yours is the only one I can trust with this task.”

The count approached us and spoke with a solemn face.

“Leave it to us. We’ll join up with the heroes as quickly as possible and wait for the gate to be created.”

Our shiny knight responded, pounding his chest at the count’s words.

“Is that alright with the others?”

Having heard the knight’s answer, the count asked the other party members as well.

“We’ve seen another world, we can’t just go back now.”

The mage’s eyes sparkled at the prospect of staying.

“If it’s an order… I guess we have no choice.”

Hoffman, the soldier, nodded with a sigh.

And the elf, uncharacteristically furrowing his brow, spoke up.

“One of our kind must remain to find our kin who are with the hero’s party.”

Judging by his expression, contrary to what he said, the elf with the hero’s party seemed to be an important person.

As the other team members agreed to the count’s words, the count finally turned to me.

And he bowed his head to me.

“Will you stay? I beg you. Please help the heroes.”

Was the count close to the heroes?

But to bow his head to a mere free knight like me?

Surely he doesn’t know about my past life?

I looked around with a bewildered face, but except for the elf, no one else seemed particularly surprised.

“As expected of the Skeleton Slayer.”

And I heard Hoffman muttering.

I scratched my head.

I never imagined the rumors would reach even an imperial count.

It was difficult to refuse when such a high-ranking noble was bowing his head.

Of course, I had no intention of refusing anyway.

“I understand. In return, I hope you’ll provide proper rewards later.”

At my words, Shiny glared at me.

He probably thought it was unbecoming of a knight’s dignity.

But I’m not a central noble, I’m a free knight doing this to live well.

Fortunately, the imperial count didn’t get angry at my words.

“There will be great rewards for your achievements so far, but… I’ll ensure ample rewards for this task as well.”

Oh, were my achievements more recognized than I thought?

Then there’s no need to stay, is there?

However, unfortunately, I had another reason to remain in this world.

The clothes with Koreanl writing that the corpse was wearing.

I needed to confirm if this world was the Earth I had lived in during my past life.

* * *

Once it was decided who would stay, people started moving immediately.

People crossing the gate one by one.

While we watched people crossing the gate, the mage peeked into my bag.

“Fortunately, we have two people with space expansion equipment.”

The people with space expansion bags were the battle mage and me.

“Really?!”

“You have a space expansion bag?!”

At the mention of me having a space expansion bag, not only Hoffman but also Shiny seemed quite surprised.

That’s because space expansion bags were so expensive that even Shiny, the noble young master, couldn’t afford one.

A space expansion bag plastered with magic.

Even I wouldn’t have been able to obtain one if it weren’t for this war.

“It’s fortunate we have space expansion bags. We’ll leave all the food and weapons we brought here for you to use with the heroes.”

Looking at the items brought with the intention of creating an advance base, it seemed we wouldn’t have to worry about food for a long time.

But even though we didn’t need to worry about food, we still needed to check.

“How long do we have to wai… I mean, how long will it take for the gate to be created again?”

At my words, the mage tilted his head and started calculating.

And before the mage could speak, our mage muttered the date first.

Much more precisely.

“62 days.”

“…If there are no special problems, it should take about 60 days for the gate to be created again.”

I glanced at our mage.

Our battle mage was clicking his tongue as if he had said something unnecessary.

It seemed our mage was more skilled than I thought.

Anyway, about 60 days meant two months.

It was the time we had to endure here, cut off from our world.

“From now on, I’ll cast a simple target spell, so please don’t resist the magic I cast.”

After answering my question, the orthodox mage raised his staff and cast a spell.

Small magic circles appeared above the team members’ heads, and I felt mana seeping into my body.

As the mage said, I didn’t resist the mana.

The mana continued to push in and settled deep inside my body.

Once the mana settled, the mage erased the magic circles he had cast and spoke to us.

“It’s done now. You may not feel it, but magical markers have been inscribed on each of you. These are targets to aim for when creating a gate connected to this world. It’s magic maintained by the mana of living beings, so please try to stay alive as much as possible.”

Contrary to the mage’s words that we wouldn’t feel it, I could clearly sense the mana embedded in my body.

Of course, it took some effort to sense it, but if necessary, it seemed possible to erase or extract this mana.

There didn’t seem to be any need for that right now, though.

After casting the spell on us, the mages also crossed the gate.

After that, the soldiers, knights, and the rest of the advance party all crossed the gate, and finally, the count remained and looked us over.

“Join up with the hero’s party as quickly as possible. Seeing that the advance parties that headed north didn’t return, you who are tracking the hero’s party might also be in danger.”

It was a bit different from what I thought, but as it was already decided, there seemed to be no need to say anything.

After giving his final instructions, the count jumped into the shrunken gate.

The gate had now shrunk to about waist width. It was impossible to cross without jumping in.

After he left, only our team members remained here.

We who remained stared at the gate for a long time until it completely disappeared.

As time passed, the gate disappeared normally.

There wasn’t even a trace left in the space where the gate had been rippling.

We moved immediately.

We opened the space expansion pouches of the mage and me, and filled them with the items the count had mentioned.

As the ground emptied, the elf spoke up.

“I’ll take the lead. The scent of our kin is still present.”

We set off northward in search of the hero who had fallen into a trap.