For Promotion
A newly appeared centipede-type monster.
Although its size is large, it’s not a particularly difficult opponent to defeat.
However, the poison it spits from its mouth is strong enough to dissolve even a knight’s armor, and poisonous needles cover its entire body.
As the one directing the scene, the plan I devised was to first use Amira’s magic to restrain it.
This would instill the monster with the awareness that it could be attacked from a distance, narrowing its range of movement. This is a standard tactic.
Anyone in the knights order would basically use the same approach unless they were a very inexperienced rookie—at least, that’s what I thought. But Latasha completely ignored this basic rule and charged straight at the monster.
“That idiot! What is she thinking?”
“That’s way too reckless!”
Gary and Elina were both shaken by Latasha’s incomprehensible action.
At first, I panicked, thinking it was suicidal... but the moment I saw the expression on her face as she faced the monster, memories from the past came flooding back.
—There was a time when I had that same expression.
Charging in without thinking just to get promoted... I once did the same and got seriously injured, almost ending my path as a knight. Since then, I’ve tried to avoid recklessness no matter what I do, but it seems she hasn’t reached that stage yet.
“Anyway, support Latasha! Gary! Elina! Cover her!”
“Got it!”
“Understood, senior!”
I couldn’t just abandon her like this.
Gripping my holy sword, I ran after her.
“Haaaah!”
A roar that shook off fear and fired up her spirit echoed through the mine. Even if she managed to defeat the monster alone here and get recognized by the Knights Order, it was obvious she’d next take even more reckless unilateral actions—and probably keep doing so until she died.
That kind of fighting won’t get you anywhere.
I learned that firsthand and regretted it.
But that was only because I happened to survive. If I had died back then, I would have been regretting it for all eternity even in the afterlife.
I didn’t want Latasha to end up like that.
With that one thought driving me, I chased after her, but—
“Shaaah!”
The centipede monster noticed Latasha’s presence.
Its roar was far louder than her earlier shout—this caused her fighting spirit to drop sharply, and the reality of the fear she had been avoiding suddenly filled her entire vision.
“Ah...”
Her feet stopped.
But if she stopped there, she’d just become a target.
“Latasha!”
I ran desperately, reaching out to save her.
Please—reach her!
What do you think about this chapter?
