"I know the back mountain trails well. We used to hunt up there often."
A man stepped forward, his expression hesitant. "But... there aren't any suitable places to take shelter on the mountain. Hiding ourselves is one thing, but..."
His gaze drifted toward the woman behind him, who was holding a child.
The priest's face also darkened.
It was true. They had escaped the town, but they carried little food and had no proper shelter that could offer both protection and a sense of security.
Right now... they were no different from refugees...
Theresa looked toward Tifa, who silently shook her head.
Though they had brought tents when they arrived in this world, their escape had been rushed, and helping the townsfolk flee had meant traveling light.
"What if we opened a 'Gate'..."
Lainer looked at Theresa.
"No. We can't use the Gates. What if the spatial disturbance is noticed and triggers a chain reaction? We must also consider whether that dragon might seize the chance to cross through to our world."
Theresa immediately shut down the idea.
Yet, Lainer's words drew the attention of several others in the reconnaissance team.
'That's right... If we just return to our own world... we'd be safe...!'
"I will find another solution for shelter. The immediate priority is to find a location that can completely block any view from the air and help us stay hidden."
Theresa looked at the hunter who had volunteered.
The white-haired girl's expression was serious, but her complete lack of panic offered everyone a sense of reassurance.
They didn't ask how she planned to solve the problems of shelter and food for so many people, nor did they ask how she could guarantee it.
These were the least necessary questions for them, because they already saw the white-haired girl as an agent of the Lord. Her words and actions surely had their own logic and confidence behind them.
In this small town, faith was their greatest source of strength to survive. And as the Bishop who had repelled the evil dragon, Theresa was, to them, the closest embodiment of that faith.
"I understand."
The hunter, also a believer, naturally voiced no doubts.
Though the hurried trek and the kilometer or two of mountain path had left everyone exhausted, they pushed on, fueled by devout faith and the will to live, following the lead hunter's steps.
"Bishop Theresa, we..."
Tifa's tone carried worry and a note of dissuasion. She wanted to split off from these people.
It wasn't cold-bloodedness; it was a very practical issue.
They had no deep connection to these residents, to this town.
Saving them all from the dragon was already an act of extreme benevolence.
Continuing to protect them would not only force Theresa to take risks again, but even those risks might not guarantee their salvation.
They were Valkyries who protected the people—that was true. Tifa also knew how rebellious her thoughts sounded, and she was even prepared for punishment.
She didn't use 'the people of another world aren't our people' as an excuse. Abandoning civilians was an indisputable fact.
The other members of the reconnaissance team also looked their way.
"Tifa."
Theresa glared at Tifa, but seeing her ashamed yet resolute gaze, she let out a heavy sigh.
"I know what you mean... Tifa. But my decision won't change. Retreating now would provide an excuse for the next time, and our bottom line would keep slipping lower. I won't allow myself to fall into that state."
The other Valkyries felt much the same as Tifa. Some of the more extreme among them had even begun to consider whether they should forcibly take the Bishop and leave.
But in the end, they were Valkyries who had undergone training and were trusted by Theresa. No matter how much they wanted to take Theresa away, their duty as Valkyries kept them from acting on it.
"I understand... No matter what happens, I will protect the Bishop..."
Theresa very much wanted to say 'you should protect the people,' but she swallowed the words.
"Let's go."
In the end, she could only move past the topic.
However, this exchange caused the expressions of a few in the reconnaissance team to turn utterly grim. Some even rested their hands on their waists.
'Is Theresa really going to drag us all into this unnecessary danger? Is she even a qualified leader?'
'Some mastermind behind the scenes—if they'd noticed our situation, they'd have come already. It's just opening a Gate. Who would notice?'
'Coming here was a mistake from the start. We're all pawns discarded by our country! Colonel Oliver has been missing for two days. Our country has already abandoned me!'
'This has to be a Schicksal conspiracy! It's all a Schicksal trick! A trap set by Schicksal and America for every nation!'
Theresa and the Valkyries, covering the rear and keeping watch on the sky, didn't notice the state of the reconnaissance team.
Lainer saw their furtive movements, but in this tense atmosphere, everyone looked somewhat hunched and nervous. They didn't stand out as particularly odd.
Until his eyes caught one of them raising a 'Key' before his face.
"Hey! Put that down!"
Lainer, noticing the situation, immediately drew his gun and shouted.
But human reaction and speech take time—time that could never be faster than someone pressing their own fingerprint.
A colorful 'Gate,' large enough for two, materialized in front of that person. Before Lainer could pull the trigger, a second Gate opened.
"You traitors to humanity!"
Lainer's eyes nearly bulged with rage, but he dared not fire.
In these surroundings, the sound of gunfire would undoubtedly become a massive beacon, instantly revealing their location to the dragon.
He could only rush forward, trying to tackle the Gate-opener to the ground.
In the sky, Ilulu also noticed the sudden fluctuation on the ground—a surge of magical energy. It was strange, but Ilulu couldn't mistake it.
Why was there such a reaction on the ground? Was there someone among the humans who could use magic? That human carrying the cross?
Ilulu was still puzzled, but her subconscious quickly provided a convenient explanation.
Right, if she just fought her, then it wouldn't be strange if the other humans escaped, would it? After all, that was an enemy even her father would have difficulty against.
But in Ilulu's surface consciousness, she only felt that this magical fluctuation posed a potential threat. Without another thought, she spewed a blast of fire toward the source of the energy.
"Oh no!"
Cold sweat instantly drenched Lainer. Others also saw the fireball descending from the sky, and many were so frightened they collapsed on the spot.
Seeing this, Theresa had no time left for hesitation.
The Gate couldn't be opened here. The fireball would strike soon. The people still needed protection. And though she didn't know why Ilulu had suddenly attacked, to resolve this threat, the dragon also had to be dealt with.
There was only one method that could accomplish all of this in the shortest possible time.
"Judah! Zeroeth Rated Power, deploy!"
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T/N: I have a Patreon! Webnovel will get 3 Chapters Every Day, and advanced chapters will be uploaded on Patreon.
It may not seem worth it now, but maybe in the future. Who knows!
[email protected]/AspenTL
If you guys wanna check it out.