Six.
That was the number of monsters lying in wait, having dug pits in front of the oasis.
A momentary calm before the storm. Horten, having received magical scroll treatments, mounted his horse again.
Luke Yeager was being briefed by another knight.
"These creatures, they dig pits and wait for their prey to fall in, not particularly strong, but the real challenge is maintaining balance on the sandy surface. They're uncommon, but you handled it well."
As the knight clapped Luke on the shoulder and moved on, Luke scratched his nose, then boasted to Helmut.
"Did you see me out there?"
"Yes."
Helmut hadn't intervened. When Luke had rushed forward, he simply covered his back.
'Their magic was too insignificant.'
He hadn't stepped in, assessing the situation as manageable without his intervention. After all, it was his principle to act only against significant threats.
"And yet, you're getting paid a lot to just lounge around."
"There are those earning more than me who are also just standing by."
Helmut gestured towards the commander. Even he hadn't stepped in when his own kin was nearly killed. The salary mentioned in the Palma Knight Order documents Helmut had seen for the commander was astronomical.
"Anyway, it's good everyone's safe. I was shocked seeing someone fall into that sand pit."
"Your speed was commendable in saving him."
"A comrade's in trouble, am I supposed to just leave him because we don't get along?"
Watching him smile, Helmut felt odd.
If it were him, he would have left without hesitation, possibly even taking the opportunity to eliminate an inconvenient presence. But Luke was not Helmut.
'Is this what it's about?'
This humaneness that Darien spoke of seemed fully present in Luke.
The teachings Darien imparted on Helmut were ingrained in his being.
Luke, having just reached adulthood, was influenced by his upbringing and what he inherited from his grandfather.
Despite Darien's low regard for his own son, who couldn't endure the rigorous training and fled, he had properly passed on his teachings to his grandson.
Luke Yeager was the successor Darien had cultivated, embodying not just his swordsmanship but his attitude as well, albeit with a more agreeable personality.
"Why are you looking at me like that? I was pretty cool, right?"
'...Except for this aspect.'
Helmut turned his gaze away.
'I could never be the ideal successor Darien envisioned.'
Even if his skills and talents were sufficient, Helmut wasn't accustomed to bearing responsibilities.
Though somewhat refined through group living, Helmut was fundamentally cold, shaped by his life in the Faeh forest, merely choosing to follow Darien's teachings consciously.
'But saving Luke Yeager could make it possible for him.'
It seemed like settling his debt to Darien completely.
And by establishing Luke in his stead, not as Darien's disciple but as Helmut himself, he could live freely and happily.
'Is this a good outcome?'
He increasingly felt compelled to save Luke, a burden he knew he should avoid.
"Train hard after this extermination."
To carry on Darien Difert's legacy.
"...What are you talking about?"
Luke gave him a puzzled look as Helmut walked past him.
Soon after, the Palma Knight Order set off again towards the oasis.
Upon arriving, they dismounted and surveyed the surroundings.
The village was a disaster. Buildings had collapsed, leaving only fragments of walls.
The villagers had vanished without a trace, likely consumed by the monsters, though bloodstains buried in the ground hinted at their fate.
Yet, the monsters themselves were nowhere to be found.
"Look at this."
Discovering something in front of the oasis, the Palma knights frowned.
It was the form of a giant scorpion. They almost drew their swords at the sight. Someone murmured,
"It's just a molt."
A faint magical aura lingered around the reddish molt left behind as a sign of invasion, bringing the creature's existence vividly to mind.
Some knights stepped forward to examine the molt.
"It's not dry. It was shed recently."
"Has it been quiet these past few days because it was molting?"
"Don't touch it. It might be poisonous."
"As if mocking humans, it attacked the oasis and retreated. Leaving just a few behind to make it seem as though they were still around."
"The water hasn't been contaminated."
"Monsters doing this? It's unusual."
"What should we do?"
The vice-commander sought the commander's opinion.
Commander Ciceros pulled out his compass. It reacted to the molt's remaining magic. He ordered calmly,
"Let's start with a search of the area. If there are more left, it's best to deal with them."
Given the village's state, survivors seemed unlikely.
After the search, the commander decided their next move.
"We'll rest here, then move to the next village."
Other oasis villages were not far off. Since many had fled to Deseer, they needed checking.
With humans' flesh tasted, the monsters' next target was obvious.
As they rested in the ruined village, a message came through the vice-commander's magical device. His expression darkened as he listened.
After ending the conversation, he immediately reported to the commander,
"Commander! We've found where the monsters are heading. They're gathering towards Deseer."
The surrounding Palma knights looked at him, a murmur running through the group.
"The monsters have lost their minds? Not another oasis village but Deseer, a city?"
"When the old Scorpion was alive, maybe, but not since."
The monsters' power had waned since then. They knew to fear humans, making an attack on Deseer particularly surprising, even in their frenzied state.
Deseer was fortified against monster invasions with sturdy walls.
While better off than this desolate oasis, support was still needed.
"It seems the attack will start soon."
"And the red scorpion?"
"It hasn't shown itself. It seems not to be hiding but rather, it's not nearby."
After a moment's contemplation, the commander made a decision.
"Vice-Commander Dassim and twenty others will immediately return to Deseer. Deseer is a city; we must quickly clear the monsters to prevent damage. The rest will stay here."
"Any idea where it might have gone?"
"It's playing a diversion. The attack on Deseer is likely to draw us back there. We'll wait and see here."
Being closer, it made sense to support nearby oasis villages from here. With the commander and ten elite knights remaining, they could handle most situations.
The reason the old Scorpion was formidable wasn't that it could directly defeat the Palma Knight Order in battle but because it chose favorable battlefields and knew when to strike and retreat.
"Who should stay to assist you, commander?"
Commander Ciceros selected those to stay. The wounded Horten, horseless Aleck, and about twenty other Palma knights immediately set off for Deseer.
Naturally, Helmut and Luke Yeager remained. Helmut scanned those who stayed.
'Luke Yeager's friends have all returned, leaving behind those close to the commander.'
If something happened, even without direct involvement, they would provide testimony favorable to the commander.
'It's going smoothly for him.'
But it seemed he wasn't planning to act just yet.
They spent the day at the oasis, waiting for news from those who had returned.
By dawn the next day, the message came: the monsters had been cleared, and the red scorpion had not appeared.
Deseer had suffered minimal damage.
"We'll move to the next village immediately."
Helmut watched the expressionless commander. There was nothing to read from his face. For the commander, now was the prime opportunity.
It was time to tell Luke Yeager the truth.