For Better Or For Worse

"It's Lilith. Not Meredith. Please do remember my name right even if I am just a servant."

She said as she appeared from behind Juri, seemingly offended with a smile.

I had noticed her make her entrance for a while now but it seems like it was only Juri who was unable to see her coming as she talked about Lilith.

She a demon of timing.

"J-Just in time! We were just talking about how you would like to accompany me to assist the search team your Lord had sent out."

"No."

It was just a brutal rejection. I already told her no but it was not just about the trust.

It was about Jai's identity of being a beastmen.

She was hiding it, and thus why would I take a risk of someone directly connected to a Kingdom that believes in human supremacy?

Even Lilith knew what she was doing. Letting Juri help her in that area would just be more troublesome.

"More importantly, Lord Grantt must attend to his duties. He cannot fight nor leave this town. For now, that is."

Lilith suddenly placed a stop to our conversation with Old Man Jay, pulling me by the arm towards the exit.

How could she just do that? I couldn't let just Marcus be. He might be skilled enough but he was just a kid. He was just 16, the same age as I am physically now.

"What? Lilith, Marcus is out there! I just can't stand by and—"

I brushed her hand off, shouting atop my lungs. But just as she turned around, a loud slap echoed in the large room.

"Do you distrust Jai?"

"..."

"Do you distrust her?!"

"No!"

"Then, let her do her job. You have one as well and that is barely unimportant like those two. This town is relying on you and you must decide the direction it will take!"

"..."

"You're wasting your energy on something you don't have control of. I need you to focus, Grantt."

From a scold to an audible concern, her voice softened as she held the very cheek she slapped.

It was visibly red but I didn't think that my fortified body would still react to such a weak slap.

Although, she was right. If I were to just weigh on one problem, I wouldn't have time to see the other important things.

I should keep my cool. This isn't like me.

Grantt Maximilian. Is this a part of you merging into me? Your vulnerability to such situations? I won't let you change parts of me. Not like this.

"You're right. I should... just wait."

Waiting for Jai to return would be the best choice for now.

I shouldn't act too hasty with that. Jai had said she had friends and so, maybe she had a way to commune with her fellow beastmen.

"Old Man Jay, thanks for the information. Sorry for bothering your business."

"No worries, young Lord. Marcus is one of our finest soldiers in this town, we'd be more than happy to oblige to recover him."

I made such a scene of even planning to head out myself. What a useless act I did there.

Anyways, there is almost no work for me to do in the mansion already. Why would Lilith go here and fetch me?

"Why did you need me though? There must be a reason why you had to fetch me yourself here."

She slowly lets go of my arm, walking two paces forward as she turns around just before the exit.

"Monsters are approaching us from the west. It's a horde."

"What?!"

"W-What?!"

I had another voice from behind react the same yet stutter. It was Juri, her eyes were widened as her voice rose with shock.

"That's impossible! Hordes only appear from the upper countries. They can't cross the rivers!"

A horde. I've read this from a book in the Mansion's library.

It is a group of monsters that will keep on running and destroying everything in its path. If they continue to travel, they can gather more making it harder to defeat.

I've never seen a monster ever since I've transmigrated here. This will be the first I will have to face one.

But considering what Juri had said if Hordes only appear in the upper countries where they are connected to the Demon Kingdom unless the Hordes had learned to swim, then the Kingdoms before us had failed to stop them.

"This could be the work of Khan, redirecting them here! Those bastards never stop at it!"

Juri from behind shouted as she dashed up to both of us.

"Allow me to help you! I might be just a councilor of the Kingdom but I can fight."

If there is a Horde incoming, I can't be picky about who will help.

I could only gather my strength and contemplate these regrets some other time.

For now, we need to face this problem we have!

"Alright. Old Man Jay, have everyone evacuate to the west side of town! I'm counting on you."

He only nods at me before breathing in and out slowly.

Juri seemed to be at first confused as to why did I assign him that important task.

"Wait? Why him?! You have to inform everyone! You can't expect him to handle it on his own!"

Juri was truly left in the dark. Everyone else was already moving while she was there only trying to wonder why.

I didn't have to explain it to her.

Since Old Man Jay's got it covered.

"EVERYONE EVACUATE TO THE EAST SIDE OF TOWN NOW! THIS IS NOT A DRILL! ALL ADVENTURERS PLEASE PROCEED TO THE EAST GATE! THEY WILL BE REWARDED ACCORDING TO THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS!"

He shouts out as a small magic circle appears in front of his mouth. It was as loud as it can get, resounding even in the skies above us.

Juri's eyes were widened from that effect, it was like listening to someone shouting at a mic at the concert, covering the whole town with it.

In this town of almost a thousand residents, everyone recognizes that voice when they hear it.

There will be questions, but there will be no hesitation for them to follow that voice.

"Amplification Magic?! I thought only the lineage of royal town criers in the Kingdom has that kind of Unique Magic?!"

We were already running outside towards the west gate of Hellsburg. Juri was behind us, only looking back repeatedly as she continues to wonder about such unimportant things.

"You said you'll help us. Then fight!"

Lilith whistles with her finger, calling the other servants who carried an extra weapon for Juri.

I handed it to her, but she immediately stuck out her hand, refusing to take it.

"What? I thought you were going to help us?!"

I asked as the ground begins to rumble slightly. I could see the Horde from afar as they trample unto the drylands, causing dirt and smoke to appear.

It was a huge number, maybe over a hundred, it was.

"I don't need that. I have my own."

She said that but, I don't see any.

However, she places her hand at her waist as if there was a sword sheathed beside it.

Abruptly pulling as it suddenly materializes right in front of our eyes.

A blue blade that was longer than any of our blades, reflective and shiny.

It was not only that but the sheath that appeared along with it had been garnished with a golden pattern that resembled a dragon, climbing into the opening where the blade goes.

"I might be inferior to you in magic, but I am also a titled magic swordsman. Perks of serving under the King directly."

She chuckles, standing herself as we prepare for battle.

Against the horde was I, Lilith, Juri, and the other maids that could fight.

Almost every maid I had were capable of fighting, however, I needed them to guide the residents and protect them.

"I care less about being of use to the King. You lot had abandoned us once, and I fail to see that the Kingdom will never do that again."

I expressed this town's anguish. I will never hold back even if she is a direct councilor to the King.

"I'll just pretend that I never heard that."

Juri only smiled at me.

She wasn't just holding in nor keeping her composure. There was just no sign of resistance from the way she accept my words.

A sad smile that she possessed, without a choice but to accept the reality we are all in.

I see now.

She had no choice. She was just following orders.

"I'll be damned if you don't."

I could only chuckle right back at her, remembering the fading past that I had.

The feeling of forgotten nostalgia.

Just how long did I isolate myself as the top in my past world?

"They're getting closer!"

Lilith shouts after casting red magic circles that appeared in front of her.

"Aren't you going to wield your blade?! They're getting closer now!"

Juri shouted at me as I stood still.

I completely forgot that I had this at my waist when I don't have the experience that the old Grant Maximilian had other than his memories.

He makes it looks so easy to do but for me to take the wheels is just, unbelievable!

I could just say an outright "No!" but Lilith is here! I can't do that.

"D-Don't let them get close to the walls!"

I took the step forward, running towards the Horde. I just had to make sure that I can eliminate the incoming monsters before they reach me.

However... why do I feel like I can see a transparent text from the distance.

It's getting clearer but numbers had begun to appear as well.

That's not important for now! I must cast something!

"Intermediate Earth Magic: Excavate!"

Imagine a seven feet deep, seven feet wide chasm that stretches out for one kilometer horizontally!

Just as I thought of that, the ground right in front of me collapsed, forming that exact visualization that I just did.

It was like a square canal that had been cut cleanly yet there was sand that began to fill it in from the sides as the upper land collapses.

I screwed it up! I didn't consider that the ground below was still sand!

"Grantt! Watch out!"

Just as I turned my head up looking from the ground I had cast, there was a huge shadow that was cast on me.

"A-Ah."

I had assumed that monsters in a Horde were just a massive number of small ones but...

There was a five-foot-tall worm that had its teeth sticking out from its circular mouth. It had many sets of teeth, rotating in different directions as I inspect it slowly.

My feet were planted on the ground, and my head went blank.

I was scared for the first time in this world.