Chapter 460 – Unusual Getaway.

“S-sir…”

“What is it now?”

“T-this creature, I don’t think it will last for much longer, it’s been running for almost a whole day…”

Roland concentrated on the soldiers gaining ground behind them, casting spells, and setting traps along their path. Despite his efforts to create distance, the pursuers consistently closed in. The primary obstacle was their wagon’s speed. The lizard creature pulling it simply wasn’t fast enough. It was good at maintaining a steady pace, but pushing it beyond that taxed its endurance. Roland cursed under his breath, realizing that eventually, the mounted knights would catch up to them. He needed to think of something and needed to do it fast.

“Keep it steady, Vico.”

“Y-yes, Sir.”

The boy nodded but it was clear that he was starting to panic. At first, it appeared that his spells were effective, but the relentless pursuit began to wear him down. As the soldiers spread out to the sides, they became much more difficult to handle. The traps had a limited area of effect, as did his spells. It felt akin to battling a hydra; for every obstacle he managed to overcome, two more emerged to take its place.

‘My mana reserves are running low, using so many spells is too taxing, and even the runes on this armor are starting to burn into the mithril, what can I do?’

To aid in his decision-making, Roland brought up the map of the area while simultaneously scanning the surroundings with his own eyes. He knew they weren’t far from his territory, but at their current pace, they would need more time. By his calculations, the enemy soldiers would likely catch up to them in around thirty minutes, potentially surrounding them once they did.

They faced a steep hillside, with the road beginning to incline. Roland speculated that some of the knights may have maneuvered around the hill and were possibly lying in wait on the other side. Reaching the summit could mean being trapped between the two forces. While there was a chance to break through, it was risky. The wagon could falter and once their momentum was stopped, they would be easy pickings for their pursuers.

‘This isn’t that far, If I could just go in a straight line and avoid the soldiers on the other side, then it could be possible…’

His mind raced at a superhuman rate as he made all the calculations. The plan formed in his head and there was one way of them reaching the end of the road in one fell swoop. It was a problematic strategy but after examining the wagon they were in, he was inclined to believe that it could work.

‘This wagon was made from mostly metal to hold the slaves inside, it should theoretically last through the spell.’

At that moment, Roland stood atop the wagon, gripping his staff tightly in his right hand. The wagon boasted a somewhat rectangular shape, its roof arching overhead, creating a faint oval surface upon which he could stand or walk. It reminded him faintly of a train cart from his old world, and it seemed sturdy enough for what he was about to attempt.

‘I’ll probably need to use the shield as the conduit and a few of the golems, but it should work…’

“Vico, hold it steady like before, don’t worry about the beast, we won’t need it for much longer. When you are close to the top, tell me.”

“Okay, Sir!”

After a brief moment of deliberation, Roland made his decision. Vico, who still held the reins to the exhausted lizard beast, simply nodded in response. Though the boy appeared confused by Roland’s statement, he seemed to trust in his judgment. Meanwhile, the other kids remained huddled inside the slave cart, occasionally peering out of small holes meant to allow some fresh air into the stuffy interior. A precaution probably only there, to keep the captured people from suffocating.

“…”

Roland maintained his silence, unsure of how to approach speaking to the frightened children. Thanks to Vico, however, they no longer seemed to fear him. To them, he was beginning to appear as a savior, and he was determined not to betray that trust. Thus, to start off his plan, he placed his shield on the floor and did it precisely in the center of the wagon. Some of the children looked puzzled as he retrieved another shield from beneath his robes, and their confusion only deepened as strange cube-shaped objects began to float out.

‘Let’s get to work, I only have around half an hour to do this.’

First, Roland activated the enchantments on his robe, causing it to retract onto itself. The magic allowed it to transform into a belt and in turn revealed his fully armored form. Though he was reluctant to be seen like this by Theodore’s men, inside the cart, he was shielded from unwelcome gazes. The children, however, could now see him clearly, and their young eyes were captivated by the glowing runes and magic before them.

“Step back a bit, it will get warm in here for a moment but bear with it.”

After holding his fingers together, Roland conjured something akin to a controlled blowtorch. Despite his efforts to shield the area, some heat still seeped through, but the children remained undeterred, their eyes fixed on him as he melted the corners of his shield into the floor. Once complete, the shield was fully connected to the lesser steel of the wagon, forming the central platform for his plan.

Roland pressed on with his task, retrieving a spare runic hammer that would aid him in inscribing everything with traces. With time ticking away, he wasted no time in swiftly moving around the cart, hammering key areas. With each swing, he created more trace routes for the runes that needed to cover the entire structure of the cart for his plan to work.

As Roland meticulously inscribed the runes onto the wagon’s surface, he could feel the pressure mounting. Time was ticking away, and the enemy soldiers were drawing closer with each passing moment. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he worked with unmatched focus. The children watched in awe as the intricate patterns of the runes began to take shape, their young minds unable to comprehend the full extent of Roland’s magical prowess. To them, he seemed like an archmage from the tales they had heard, who wielded powers beyond their wildest imaginations.

After the last runic trace was forced into place, Roland took a step back to survey his handiwork. The wagon was now adorned with a complex network of runic traces that connected to the shield in the middle. It wasn’t his best work, nor would the metal hold for long but this would have to do. He nodded in satisfaction and it was just in time as Vico called out to him.

“Sir, we’re almost at the top and w-we are slowing down…”

“That’s fine, you did well Vico. Now go back inside, I’ll take it from here.”

The boy looked quite exhausted as he was forced to stay up all night. As Vico retreated into the wagon, Roland let the robe expand over his body once more. With his runic armor covered again, he moved to the coachman’s seat. There he was able to see that his assumption was correct and they were indeed facing a large group of knights. They were positioned at the foot of the hill, and their leader stood out by wearing a distinctive helmet adorned with a large comb.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

‘It’s that Commander I’ve met, this explains why they were able to organize so quickly. I guess, this is it… I really hope this thing lasts through it, otherwise this might get bloody…’

Roland did not wish to face these people out on the field. While they only numbered in the thirties, killing brought him no joy. Moreover, even if he managed to defeat them all, the reinforcements approaching from behind would likely catch up, potentially exposing his true identity and causing trouble for Arthur. Nevertheless, Roland remained determined not to give up. He held onto the belief that his contraption would ultimately lead him back home.

“Everyone, hold onto something and don’t let go, this might get a bit bumpy!”

*****

“Sir Alphonse, we can see the wagon, it’s coming down the hill!”