The Extra Wants To Live

The gnoll, whose ankle tendon was torn, was unable to move as quickly and powerfully as before.

However, it used its enormous height and weight to crush the soldiers' defenseless backs, sweep them with its arms, crush them with its hands, and tear them apart with its claws.

Bordeaux and the knights belatedly rushed to the gnoll, but the ranks had already disintegrated.

As the gnoll wreaked havoc among the soldiers, Carl, overwhelmed by a mixture of anger, frustration, and guilt, struggled to comprehend the chaos unfolding before him.

All his efforts, all his commands seemed to have led to this moment of devastation. And in the midst of it all, Corbin's sacrifice weighed heavily on his heart.

"Shit! Shit!"

Carl crawled forward, even with trembling ankles.

The large gnoll ignored whether the knights stabbed their spears or not and focused on ruthlessly attacking the soldiers and breaking their ranks.

Everything was falling apart. In that split second, just one mistake!

Carl, who was crawling on the floor, realized at some point that he could stand.

The ankle that was just broken was throbbing and trembling, but he could definitely move.

Gradually, Carl, who was trying to get up, gasped and looked down at what was in his hand--the sword that Bordeaux had thrown away.

Carl hesitated for a moment.

However, trusting the instinct that had guided him until now, he gritted his teeth and stood up with both swords on the ground, holding Bordeaux's sword with his left hand.

"Off...!"

Carl, who touched the ground with both swords, stumbled once, and soon began walking, using both swords alternately as walking sticks with every step.

Carl could feel something writhing inside his body. Come to think of it, after eating the Frostwind Corpse Flower, very little of that strength remained in his body.

"Aaaah!"

Carl screamed and ran at a speed and force that was clearly beyond what was allowed for him.

Carl leaped with all his might, passing by the knights trying to stop the gnoll.

Phew...

This time too, Carl seemed to hear his heavy breathing.

Plop!

Two swords were deeply embedded in the gnoll's back. One sword dug into its right shoulder and protruded from its right chest.

Carl tried to do something more. However, he was unable to move due to the immense fatigue and helplessness that came over him in an instant.

The gnoll twisted its body in pain, and Carl was flung away helplessly.

Through the inverted vision, Carl could see the beautiful autumn sky with sunlight seeping through the branches and leaves.

Clap!

Just before rolling on the floor, Carl was hugged by someone and landed safely.

"Milton!"

Bilford's voice and the terrible smell of blood. Carl, who was carefully lowered to the ground, realized that Bilford had killed the large gnoll alone, even though his vision was blurry.

Excellent, it lived up to his expectations.

Carl realized that he was now fainting due to his experience in the first battle.

Bilford would definitely finish the fight without any gaps. And Catherine would not lose either.

Carl lost consciousness as he heard the voice of Milton, who had abandoned the soldiers' protection and rushed towards him, catching him as if he was about to fall.

* * *

Carl's mouth was dry and a bit painful. His head felt dizzy, and his hands and feet felt limp.

"Uhm...," he murmured. However, when the last scene he remembered came to mind, Carl opened his eyes with difficulty and looked around.

"Master Carl," Milton said, tactfully putting a wet cloth in Carl's mouth.

Carl mumbled, moistened his dry mouth, and stood up with Milton's support.

Milton carefully removed the cloth from Carl's mouth. Carl realized that he was in the village by the sound of an axe.

"...What happened?" Carl asked in a rough voice. Seeing that he was alive, Carl didn't think they had been defeated.

"The battle has been won. But the damage was so great that we could not advance, and we also lost sight of the great red gnoll that Lady Catherine was dealing with," Milton replied.

Carl closed his eyes tightly.

He had blown the opportunity.

At that moment, if Bordeaux and the knights had attacked the gnoll in response to Corbin's attack, the formation would not have collapsed, and the soldiers' losses could have been greatly reduced.

"...What did you do with the bodies?" Carl inquired.

"Sixty-three people died, and thirty-nine bodies disappeared. The bodies of all remaining soldiers were recovered, but the body of the gnoll had no choice but to be left unattended," Milton answered.

It was a mess. Horrible.

"How much time has passed?" Carl asked.

"It wasn't long after we returned to the village after the post-war settlement. The sun has just set," Milton replied.

"I need to go out."

Instead of trying to dissuade Carl, who had just woken up after fainting due to injury, Milton politely helped him up.

"Where is my armor?" Carl asked.

"Please wait a moment."

Milton put on the armor for Carl, who had not yet come to his senses, and shook off the cloak he had messed up before wrapping it around Carl's shoulders.

Milton then lifted Carl's helmet, from which all the red tassels had been removed, and handed it to him.

Carl went out with Milton's support.

The sky was dark, and the inside of the fence was bright with torches.

"Prince Carl has woken up!" the soldier who discovered Carl shouted loudly.

Then, with the sound of soldiers murmuring, people flocked to Carl.

"I'm fine, so do your work!"

Carl stood with his hand on Milton's shoulder and spoke loudly. He couldn't show himself as weak.

The soldiers were relieved to see Carl appear to be fine. However, they did not step away and only glanced at Carl.

"Where is Lady Catherine?" Carl asked.

"Please come this way," a soldier guided him.

It was uncomfortable because everyone was following them around.

Only after Carl told them to step back once more did the soldiers return to their positions.

"Lady Catherine," Carl called out.

"Lord Carl, is it okay for you to wake up already?" Catherine asked.

"I am okay. How is Sir Bilford?" Carl inquired.

"No problem," Catherine spoke confidently.

However, looking at her distorted and torn armor, she must not have been in a very good condition right after the battle.

"Sorry. I lost him," Catherine bowed her head and apologized.

"It's because I failed to maintain the formation," Carl replied.

"...,"

Catherine pursed her lips at Carl's words.

Carl had done a really good job. It wasn't his fault.

However, if Carl said it was her fault and kept asking more, it felt like she was grabbing Carl's book.

"Where is Bilford?" Carl asked.

"He's looking around the wooden fence," Catherine replied.

"What about Bordeaux and the knights?" Carl continued.

"Encouraging the soldiers... He must be doing it," Catherine answered.

Encouraging... Carl said nothing more.

But somewhere in his heart, he felt regret for Corbin.

Although he was a commoner knight with no skills, character, or background, he was a man who risked his life for Carl at that moment and was able to fight so bravely.

"What do you think will happen in the future?" Carl, who had let go of his regrets about Corbin, asked calmly.

Catherine closed her mouth and thought about it before speaking.

"I think it will attack tonight or early morning. He's a smart gnoll, so he won't give us time to rest."

These were the words of Catherine, who had fought against the red gnoll herself.

Carl nodded and spoke while holding his head, whose dizziness had not yet subsided.

"Tell the soldiers to prepare well. I just need a little... I'll take a little rest and then go out."

"It's best to get some rest," Catherine advised.

"No, I can't do that," Carl replied.

Carl stood upright, spoke, and sent Catherine away. After Catherine left, Carl sat down weakly in his chair.