Chapter 29: Versus the B-class! [2]
Our base was a somewhat large groove, and in the middle of it, a red flag just about as tall as the average person was standing.
Besides it, our two commanders were currently presenting the plans they had come up with. Though it was more like Mike was talking while Robert just stood awkwardly on the side.
"I will now start to present the strategy that we have come up with! Both I and Robert agreed that making a complicated plan will only lead to mistakes, and therefore we have decided to divide our group into three."
'I wonder just how much thought he put behind this.'
I had no idea how, but even yesterday when I spoke with Mike, or rather he spoke with me, it was clear that there were a lot of things he couldn't tell me, and I wasn't sure why that was. Almost as if the teachers had some way of knowing if he said something he wasn't allowed to say.
But he had still been able to tell me what he wanted me to do.
"First of all, we will be making two core groups. Five students will defend our flag, and five students will go out and try to capture the B-class flag. Lastly, two students will make up a third group, and this group will be our scouts."
At this point, I could see that some of the heads started moving around a bit, solely due to the mention of that last group. Because naturally, no one wanted to be a part of it, something Mike was also well aware of.
"I think we should start by designating the scouts. Of course, I'm not going to force anyone. So, are there any volunteers?"
A moment of silence swept the air as no one was all too keen on volunteering for something like this.
There were two primary reasons for that. First of all, it was very likely that the scouts might get caught and eliminated while looking for information about the enemies' whereabouts. Secondly, even if the scouts successfully completed the surveillance of the area, they were still never in a position to actually fight and therefore they would likely get a lower grade.
Unlike the defenders and the attackers, who were bound to make contact with our enemies at some point, that was the opposite of what scouts wanted to do. Adding on to that; as we didn't even have a way to do long-distance communication, it was a very useless proposition from the start.
It should be self-evident that if the scouts have to go out, gather information, and then return to the base over and over, it would end up being an extremely inefficient process.
However, as Mike never had any intentions of actually using the scouts, it wasn't as if he cared much.
'Do you have to make it so obvious by looking directly at me?'
Raising my hand, I couldn't help but internally criticize the red-haired man whose eyes had now been locked on me for an uncomfortable amount of time.
As I raised my hand, our very mediocre acting session began.
"Alex, are you sure? It's not..."
"I'm sure, Mike. Even if I'm not that good at fighting, I want to at least do something that might be useful for us. Please let me do this."
Mike pretended to slowly accept my words, making sure to take a moment before he spoke.
"...okay. Then, Alex will be one of the two scouts. Do we have any other..."
Without letting him finish his sentence, I once again spoke, this time with a gentle smile on my face.
"Umm... If it's possible, and if he's okay with it, I would very much like it if George came with me. As I am a mage, it would be good if I had someone who could act as a vanguard in case something happens."
The reaction was another bout of silence, with everyone looking at a very surprised-looking George who didn't seem to be able to understand what was going on.
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[Act 1, chapter 3: Progress!]
New mission:
- Follow Mike into the park and listen to what he has to say. [Clear]
- Go along with Mike's Plans. [Clear]
- [Locked]
Penalty:
- Death
==========
For all intents and purposes, Mike's plan was an incredibly shitty one, but as the mission hovering beside me told me to go along with it, I just had to wait to see what would happen.
If it had been up to me, I would have never come up with such a childish plan, as there was no way in hell that George would just suddenly...
"I understand. I'll join you as a scout."
'George? Are you an idiot?'
I didn't even have time to pretend to be relieved before Lya intervened, showing off a rare side of her.
"George, you shouldn't be a scout! You're too strong for that! Let me go instead!"
But the hero merely shook his head in response to the dark-haired beauty's words, "No, it's fine. I'll go with Alex."
'Something's up...'
Mike's plan was a very simple one. It wasn't as if I didn't realize that I was also going to be put in an awkward situation, but in his mind, I should have been too scared to say no, while George was merely tricked into a situation where he wouldn't be able to show off.
But from what I had seen so far, George shouldn't be this stupid. And if he wasn't this stupid, that meant that he had something in mind as well.
In those clear-blue eyes, I frantically searched for an answer, but there was nothing for me to find. What I did notice, however, was the change in the mission panel beside me.
*Bing!*
==========
[Act 1, chapter 3: Progress!]
New mission:
- Follow Mike into the park and listen to what he has to say. [Clear]
- Go along with Mike's Plans. [Clear]
- Lead George to the designated location.
Penalty:
- Death
[Map]
==========
'I truly don't get to choose much during this mission, do I?'
The missions that I was receiving were quite different in that during some, I had a lot of freedom, as well as pressure, to think of ways to complete them. Other times, such as now, I didn't have much choice but to simply follow along with the instructions that were given to me.
"Then, George and Alex will act as scouts. Please check the map that Robert has while the rest of us starts to structure the other two groups."
And thus it was decided that I and George would be the first ones to go out from our camp in an attempt to find out what kind of strategy the B-class was going to deploy.
==========
Sneaking through the forest, neither of us had said a word to each other yet, partly due to the fact that we were trying to be quiet, and partly because none of us knew what to say.
As I was currently walking a bit ahead of George, trying my best to subtly lead him to the designated point on the map that the mission panel had given me, I couldn't even see what kind of face he was making.
What I did know, however, was that he was currently keeping an insanely close eye on me.
'I wonder where we will end up?'
The role I was playing at the moment was of a cowardly student who had no choice but to listen to the bully unless I wanted to get hurt. But that part had already been completed.
The only reasonable explanation that was left was that Mike must have another part of this plan, a part that I didn't know about.
'But it's not like he would know I had a map telling me where to go.'
Some might say I was overthinking things, but I didn't particularly enjoy being the one kept on a leash, even if one could say that it was ironic as my whole life here was dictated by these missions.
And these missions were currently taking us on a slightly different path than the one we had been briefed on by Robert. Something that didn't go unnoticed by the hero who finally put his hand on my shoulder, making me stop in my tracks.
"Alex... Where are we going?"
'Good question. Too bad I don't have an equally good answer.'
Meeting the blue eyes of someone who obviously didn't trust me a lot, I put on my business-like smile as usual.
"We are going to the stream that Robert showed us. It's just that I thought it would be a good idea to walk around it instead of..."
"You're lying."
It didn't feel great seeing the hero put his hand on the sheathed sword hanging by his waist but it wasn't nearly enough for me to give up on trying to survive. Even if he looked incredibly menacing at this moment.
"I'm not lying, it's just that...."
"Get down!"
Before I knew it, I was lying down in a small bush after George pushed me. At the same time, a shrill sound reverberated through the air as something flew over our heads.
Ahead of us, four youths clad in the same white uniforms as us suddenly appeared. Two men and two women, all looking at us with faces that told the story of some people who weren't about to let us go peacefully.
'This... is going to be a problem, isn't it?'
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