The Protagonist's Party is Too Diligent

The preparation took three days.

First, we needed to replenish the ammunition used during the underground expedition. Most of the bullets Lena and I had fired were standard lead rounds, but we had also used a significant amount of Marmaros rounds we had prepared in advance.

Thankfully, processing the material didn’t take too long.

“The underground was littered with beast corpses, after all. We needed to clear them out anyway,” Charlotte explained.

It seemed that when I destroyed the device, most of the controlled beasts had died on the spot. Even those that survived weren’t in any condition to attack anyone.

Soldiers spent entire days clearing out the carcasses.

“Normally, we’d need to refine Marmaros from the remains...”

But that wasn’t necessary. Just like in the original story, the mutated beasts’ bodies already contained lumps of Marmaros in their raw state—chunks big enough to be shaped and embedded at the tip of bullets.

“It’s truly remarkable. If we could only understand how this works, we’d love to try replicating the magic ourselves.”

Charlotte shared this information with me, her curiosity evident.

Of course, even if we tried to uncover the method, those who attempted it likely wouldn’t survive. Understanding it perfectly was an impossibility.

“We also brought in the specialist you mentioned. It’s because of that device you were wearing, right?”

“Correct.”

The reinforced suit I’d worn was now in tatters. While its core structure and mechanisms were relatively intact, the external layers designed to withstand enemy attacks were bent and twisted beyond recognition. The creaking sounds from the joints suggested that some internal gears had been damaged as well.

Considering how complex the suit was—still far from being mass-produced—I didn’t expect it to be fully repaired. All I could hope for was some spare parts to patch it up.

“I heard they were quite excited to come after reading your report.”

“That doesn’t surprise me.”

I didn’t know much about the real-world Browning, aside from the fact that he was a historically significant figure in firearms development. His name was well-known enough to have his stories spread across various media, but all I knew was that he was “a legendary gunmaker.”

However, in this world, James Browning was undeniably a weapon enthusiast.

To be more precise, he was the stereotypical “weapons otaku” often seen in stories with settings like this one.

While he generally behaved sensibly and rationally, he would unhesitatingly produce suspiciously advanced gadgets whenever asked for something peculiar.

“The fact that he prioritized repairing the equipment over meeting me confirms it,” I said to Charlotte, shrugging.

“Well, that’s fine. Fixing that equipment will give us a significant advantage in battle.”

Charlotte didn’t press for more details. She already had plenty of other matters to handle.

“Is this the finalized team, then?” she asked.

“If you have any recommendations for additional members, I’ll consider them.”

“...It’s hard to say if anyone we bring along will even be allowed to enter.”

Even without Charlotte’s suggestions, I couldn’t be sure if all the team members would qualify to pass through.

...Even I wasn’t entirely certain about myself.

Considering the circumstances of my arrival in this world, which seemed tied to the goddess’s power, it would be strange if I couldn’t enter. But there was always the possibility.

“Phew.”

Charlotte closed her eyes and let out a long sigh.

Dark circles were faintly visible under her eyes. Normally, she managed them meticulously, ensuring they were nearly invisible. But over the past three days, she had been incredibly busy, primarily persuading her father to allow this operation.

“We’re set to depart tomorrow, so you should get some rest,” I suggested.

“...The same goes for you, Sylvia,” Charlotte replied, looking fatigued.

“...”

To her remark, I could only offer silence.

“Well, fine. Entering a battle while exhausted would be dangerous. Since it seems like everything is confirmed, let’s call it a day,” Charlotte said, stretching her arms above her head with a soft groan.

“...When I ascend to the throne, I’ll make sure we never conduct military operations in another nation again.”

Alice, who had been going over the final confirmations with us, sighed deeply as she spoke. I couldn’t agree more.

“In reality, tasks like these aren’t supposed to be handled by emperors or kings. It’s work meant for the soldiers who are actually sent into battle. It’s just that, this time, the soldiers being deployed happen to be us,” I said.

...Hmm.

Hearing this from someone who got dragged into this mess because of me made it hard to argue.

We reached our destination the next day.

As planned, I got plenty of sleep before departure. Even on the train ride there, I tried to stay relaxed and doze off whenever possible.

About an hour before arrival, I woke up and began meditating to clear my mind.

By the time we arrived, I felt refreshed.

Though tension lingered, I also felt strangely light.

If the story had unfolded strictly according to the original, things wouldn’t have been resolved here. Sophia, for instance, would have only joined us next year. And the Sophia we would’ve met then would have been almost unrecognizable compared to the one we knew now.

...I had no idea what had happened to her during that single year, but I wasn’t sure I’d have been able to accept her without losing my mind.

No, this was better.

Claire already knew her true identity, Alice had a clear understanding of the situation, and no one had died yet. I hadn’t even seen any signs of impending death.

So, I reminded myself: Don’t worry.

“...Impressive.”

From the capital, what we’d seen as a “pillar of light” now appeared up close as an impossibly vast and towering “wall of light.”

We spoke with soldiers who had tried and failed to enter, hearing their accounts of attempts to avoid the flames with steel plates or thick protective gear. In every case, they suffered burns as though the laws of physics had been ignored.

“Even for magic, this is over the top,” Ada muttered.

The light was said to burn people, but standing in front of it, there was no heat at all. If anything, the light felt colder than the beam of an LED lantern.

“In that case, I’ll check it first,” I said, turning back toward the group.

Alice nodded stiffly, her face tense with worry. Claire looked like she was about to burst forward and go in my stead, but Leo held her firmly in place. Charlotte watched me intently, her expression cautious.

“If anything happens, come back immediately,” Charlotte urged.

“I’m well aware of the value of my own life,” I replied.

“Hmph.”

Jennifer made a nasal sound as if she had plenty to say but chose to remain silent. I decided to ignore her.

Turning back to the wall of light that stretched endlessly into the sky, I extended my left hand and cautiously pushed my fingertips into it.

I felt nothing.

It wasn’t as if my nerves had burned away—if they had, I would have experienced a moment of pain.

My body simply accepted the light.

It wasn’t like ordinary light that would stop at the surface of my hand. This light continued as though passing through transparent glass, seamlessly flowing above and beyond me.

I took another step forward.

Still, I remained unharmed.

My entire left arm entered the light, followed by my leg, my chest, and my head. Nothing stopped me, and nothing caused me harm.

The light didn’t dazzle me or blind me. It simply existed, announcing its presence with an otherworldly glow.

Inside the luminous field, I glanced back.

My companions stood on edge, watching me anxiously. Soldiers who had witnessed others burn alive stared at me with wide eyes.

I turned my gaze forward and stepped further into the light.

Finally, I passed through the thick wall and entered the Holy Nation’s territory.

At the end of the radiant boundary that resembled a divine blessing, what came into view was—

“...”

—just an ordinary city.

Or perhaps "ordinary" wasn’t the right word. It felt eerily out of place.

For a city, there was no sign of life.

Not a single person walked the streets. No sentries stood guard. No patrols moved about. Even though the situation was clearly abnormal, no one emerged to investigate.

It was as if the entire city had ceased to function, sealed away behind the wall of light.