My Desertion Would Be Faster Than Heros' Obsession-Chapter 64Vol 2. .2

"The Fairy swarm isn’t a monster... so why is it considered a side effect of dark magic?" ƒгeewёbnovel.com

"When we traced back where the swarm originated, we found that it came from the former hideout of a dark sorcerer who was arrested not too long ago. Considering that Fairy swarms usually only appear in spring, the fact that they’ve emerged at this time of year strongly suggests dark magic interference."

It really felt like dark magic was woven into every part of my life. And never in a good way.

'So this is what they mean by a side effect of dark magic....'

Just like how I had sacrificed my most precious memory as the price for using a dark magic artifact, that dark sorcerer must have used dark magic and, as a consequence, unleashed an absurd number of Fairy swarms.

Dark magic always came with a price.

And of course, we were the ones suffering from it. XX!

"They say dark sorcerers have been getting bolder lately. We’re going to have our hands full for a while."

'...XX, April, good luck.'

It pissed me off every time I found myself rooting for April, but damn it, someone needed to smash this world apart....

While I silently shed tears of frustration and prayed for April to go on a rampage, Yuri began explaining how to deal with the Fairy swarm.

"We absolutely cannot let them get inside the buildings. That means we need to seal off all entrances completely."

But as she spoke, her expression took on a distant, nostalgic look.

The way she spoke about Fairy swarms wasn’t like someone encountering them for the first time, so I asked curiously,

"Yuri, have you dealt with a Fairy swarm before?"

"Of course...."

Yuri’s voice carried a rare heaviness.

"It was about half a year before you enlisted, Salvia. And back then...."

Her eyes suddenly turned somber.

"April was there."

"Ah...."

I instinctively mirrored her expression.

I knew very well how much of a clean freak April was and how much she absolutely hated bugs. And she had been caught in a Fairy swarm?

"April made sure there wasn’t a single gap in any of the entrances. She personally checked every inch to make sure there were no openings...."

I didn’t even want to imagine what happened to any unfortunate recruit who left even the tiniest gap.

"And she was about six times more irritable than usual...."

"That’s... ridiculous."

April, six times more irritable than usual? At that point, could she even be considered human? That was a walking calamity.

Yuri solemnly nodded.

"That’s why we must block every possible entrance this time, too. We will protect this building with the same thoroughness as April."

"Y-yes, ma’am...."

...Was it possible that the original Salvia in the novel died while trying to prepare for the Fairy swarm? No, no, no matter how I looked at it, these things were monsters....

***

D-1902 until discharge.

War had been declared on the bugs, and all training had been suspended.

Instead, we spent that time securing the armory and supply storage. Every door and window was taped shut with no gaps left unsealed. We even blocked the ventilation ducts.

Next was the dining hall. All the kitchen staff relocated to the squad’s main building.

And finally, we began sealing off our living quarters. Every window and vent was shut tight, and Yuri meticulously checked every bathroom drain with an eagle-eyed glare.

Once our food supply for the next few days was secured, we prepared to shut the last remaining door to the squad’s building. Guard duty was still in effect, so it wasn’t completely closed yet.

"Ugh, I’m exhausted...."

After all the taping, my arms were sore as I walked down the hallway, massaging them.

With work done and training canceled, I could technically rest in the dorms, but honestly, I’d rather be training.

'I really don’t have time to be dealing with this.'

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Sure, the Fairy swarm was a serious issue, but I had something way more urgent to worry about—my death.

"Ishina."

I called out to him with a serious face, and he turned his head to look at me.

"What is it, Salvia?"

"What do you think I should improve about myself?"

"What?"

"I mean, what areas should I work on?"

Earlier, I had wanted to ask Ishina about Patty, Matty, and Jason’s situation, but the way he looked at me with that suspicious gaze made me change my mind.

He probably saw right through me and suspected I was up to something again. Which was so unfair....

'But whatever. Patty, Matty, and Jason’s problems are theirs to deal with.'

I should focus on other things. Like, for example, not dying. I needed to figure out my weaknesses.

And Ishina was sharp. Maybe he could give me some advice.

"Haaah...."

But after scanning me from head to toe, Ishina let out a long sigh and said,

"Start tying your hair properly, stop letting your shirt collar fold in, and for god’s sake, tie your shoelaces properly."

...That was not what I meant.

"Yes, sir...."

"I know you hate hassle, but you should at least dress properly...."

The way he said it felt suspiciously like nagging, so I mumbled a small response. Then, sighing again, he gestured for me to come closer.

And just like during the march, he reached out and deftly tied my hair again.

It wasn’t that I didn’t know how to tie my hair—I was just too lazy to bother.

"Oh."

I touched my hair and admired his work. It was surprisingly professional.

"Why are you so good at this? Do you have a younger sister?"

"No, not really...."

Ishina opened his mouth,

"I was an only child, but I always wanted a little sister. I even practiced tying hair so I could explain to my parents why we needed one."

"Oh."

I widened my eyes, intrigued. His childhood story wasn’t even in the original novel.

"Why did you want a little sister?"

"Mm, it wasn’t anything deep. I guess I just wanted one like most kids do."

Ishina’s expression softened slightly as if recalling the past.

"There were already plenty of boys to play with in my neighborhood. They were loud as hell, so I figured a little sister would be different."

"Ah, I see."

"In the end, I never got one, though."

Ishina gave a small shrug. Then, looking at me, he sighed again and said,

"...Honestly, I think that was for the best."

"Huh? Why?"

"Back then, I didn’t know any better, but now... I have a feeling she would’ve been insufferable."

"...Haha."

"Seriously. Absolutely insufferable."

***

"Haaah...."

I stopped in my tracks as I spotted Jason stepping out of the men's restroom with a heavy sigh.

The dark circles under his eyes had grown even deeper. About half as bad as Taro’s?

...Was it really okay to leave things as they were? Would those guys ever really get along on their own?

"Hey, Just Jason, you doing okay?"

"Ah, Salvia... Yes, I’m fine...."

"Your batchmates haven’t caused any disasters today, have they?"

"Not yet...."

And the moment he finished speaking, El came sprinting down the hallway, eyes wide, shouting at the top of his lungs.

"Hey! Just Jason! Get a hold of your batchmates! Those two idiots tripped over each other, fell flat on their faces, and passed out!"

"...What?"

Jason's face instantly went blank with shock.

Then, after a brief pause, his expression brightened unexpectedly as he murmured,

"If they’re unconscious... then they can’t cause any accidents for at least an hour...."

...I wanted to say something, but his relief seemed so genuine that I decided to let it slide.

"Yeah, at least you’re Just Jason."

I patted his shoulder. It truly was ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) a blessing that Jason wasn’t a walking disaster himself.

Right now, we were at "two problem children and one responsible one." If Jason had been a mess too, we would’ve been stuck at "problem child, problem child, problem child," and everyone would have suffered.

It was genuinely a relief that at least one person existed to keep Patty and Matty in check. Well, would exist, eventually, in the original timeline. Not quite yet, though.

And just at that moment, Dream came sprinting down the hallway like a gust of wind, shouting at Jason.

"Just Jason! A Fairy must’ve gotten separated from the swarm—it managed to get inside the building! And it went into the room where Patty and Matty were passed out! The two of them just woke up screaming their heads off!"

"...Life...."

Jason muttered bitterly.

I had no words of comfort to offer, so I simply walked away.

The bugs were doing a fantastic job playing the role of tormentor in his stead.

***

Beyond the mountains, smoke began to rise.

The moment the senior soldiers spotted it, they sprang into action.

"Emergency! The Fairy swarm has appeared!"

"Seal all doors!"

Rising smoke was a warning sign—the unmistakable signal of an approaching Fairy swarm.

The moment the news spread, even the squad leader and the noncommissioned officers came rushing out to give orders.

We followed their commands, double-checking every window we had sealed over the past three days and locking up the last remaining door.

And finally, with all exits secured—

Thud thud thud!

A noise echoed from the windows.

Every now and then, something slammed into the glass.

Each time it happened, I flinched.

The sound of something massive hitting the windows sent chills down my spine.

The swarm of insects had arrived.