Middle-Aged Man Isekai Summoning - Chapter 8

Mine

After a two-day carriage journey, we arrived near the mine's base. We observed the demon race from a distance to confirm their numbers—there were 10 in total.

(They're the same in number as us, but will we be okay...?)

However, what bothered me most was their appearance. They didn't have horns or fangs; they looked just like normal humans with dark brown skin.

The moment he saw them, Miguel, the knight captain, raised his voice, filled with anger.

"As expected, a color dyed in darkness. How disgusting! We must quickly rescue our allies from those savages!"

Yuno frowned and countered his words.

"They look like normal people to me, though?"

"That is because Lord Yuno does not know their cruelty!"

(No matter what world you're in, racial discrimination exists...)

Feeling the tense atmosphere among the knights, I happened to glance over at the distant demon race. I wondered what they were thinking, but they were simply keeping watch over the mine in silence.

Right then, Miguel spoke up again.

"As planned, let's move right before sunset."

It seems the demon race has vision that is just as good at night as it is during the day, so a night raid carries the risk of a counterattack. However, around dusk—perhaps because their eyes transition from day vision to night vision—their sight temporarily worsens. The plan is to strike during that opening.

Incidentally, a plan was brought up for Yuno to finish things at once using the Sword of Disaster, but it was rejected because it might cause the mine itself to collapse.

(Extremely powerful forces are difficult to find a place to use...)

With the plan decided, we cautiously began our move. We had Sharon-san and Iris wait in the rear, while Iris's demon beasts, the wolves, led the way. Using impressive coordination, they slipped through the gaps in the demon race's watch and guided us inside the mine.

Along the way, a wolf bit my arm for some reason, but let's ignore that.

Eventually, we found the room where the captive knights were locked up. When we opened the door, we found the knights completely emaciated. Their complexions were terrible, and they could barely even stand. We quickly freed them, gave them some water, and asked about the situation.

"The demon race... took the miners away..."

"Took them away? Where to?"

"Outside... further toward the demon territory..."

We exchanged looks.

(They didn't just occupy the place, they kidnapped the miners...? What could their goal be?)

A bad feeling crossed my mind. Just then, Miguel and the others stood up, their voices brimming with rage.

"Damn those demons! I won't forgive them!"

Their eyes were bloodshot with anger and impatience. They couldn't bear the sight of their weakened comrades and the unknown fate of the captured miners. But in the next moment, right in front of my eyes, they took unbelievable action.

"Follow me, everyone!"

"Yes, sir!"

Weapons in hand, Miguel and the knights charged outside, completely ignoring the plan.

(We finally managed to sneak in without being noticed, so why the heck are you fighting them head-on! Are you idiots?!)

We looked at each other, but we couldn't just abandon them. Reluctantly, to minimize damage, we decided to join the battle. However, seeing the scene of combat, we froze in our tracks.

The knights were fiercely exchanging blades with the demon soldiers. It was truly a fight to the death.

(That's fine... but—)

Behind those demon soldiers were weakened demon children trembling and huddling together. Small bodies covered in wounds. Clothes smeared with blood and mud. Young faces contorted in fear.

"...Children...?"

Someone muttered. In the middle of the enemy formation were children who had nothing to do with fighting. At that bizarre sight, we stood frozen.

Then, the man who seemed to be the demon leader shouted sharp instructions to his comrades.

"Prioritize helping the children who can't move escape! Return the children to our territory as soon as possible! Their families are waiting. We will protect them to the end!"

"Understood!"

That orderly command and the desperate actions of the demon race following it were far removed from the image of the "cruel demon race" we had imagined.

However, in that instant—

"Damn it! Don't let the children escape! They're valuable labor!"

Miguel yelled at the knights.

(I knew it... The miners were demon children after all.)

The worst-case scenario had been in the back of my mind. It's just—

(There were no demon slaves in the royal palace, nor had I ever heard such stories. So, I ruled it out...)

Yet right before our eyes were clearly demon children who had been forced into hard labor. Honestly, I didn't know whose side to take.

"Brave Heroes, please defeat the demon race quickly!"

The knights shouted at us in expectation. Reacting to this, the demon soldiers readied their swords.

"Heroes, you say?! We'll take down the Kingdom's Heroes first!"

"We're... well... um... damn it!"

Though confused, Yuno reflexively readied himself in front of the approaching demon soldiers.

...

..

.

How much time had passed? It could have been 3 minutes, or maybe 30 minutes. That's how confused we were, unable to process things. But if we didn't move, we'd die.

"Haa, haa! What is the meaning of this?!"

"I don't know! Which side is right?!"

Aria and Maya continued fighting while out of breath. Though bewildered, the sounds of swords and magic clashing echoed around us. Amidst it all, Yuno shouted:

"I don't know which side is right... but let's refrain from killing the demon race!"

Everyone agreed with those words. But as for me, I had my hands full just staying alive.

"Aah! More like, I'm using everything I've got just to defend myself!"

A demon soldier swung a sword right in front of me. I instinctively pulled back.

"Old man! Look out!"

Maya screamed, and I reflexively leaped sideways. In that instant, the sword gouged the ground, kicking up dust. And right then—

"No! Help me! Let me see my mom!"

"Stop! Don't take my sister!"

"Get over here!"

Looking in that direction, there was Miguel.

He was roughly grabbing a little demon girl by her hair and dragging her along. At his feet, a girl who looked like her older sister sat trembling. She wanted to help, but she was too scared of being caught herself to move.

The older sister, shedding tears as she watched her younger sister.

The younger sister, desperately struggling and calling for help.

And Miguel, coldly capturing the child.

Something stirred deep in my chest.

(...Is our side really the right side here?)

"Someone help...!"

The trembling voice pierced my ears. And without hesitation, I decided to save the demon child.

(By the way, it's not because the older sister is cute! That's really not why!)

"Miguel! Stop it!"

At my shout, Miguel turned around with a frown.

"Lord Dai, this is a demon child, you know? They're practically the same as livestock."

Hearing him say that so cold-heartedly, as if it were obvious, heat rushed to the back of my head.

"It's a child, damn it!"

The next moment, my fist caught Miguel right in the face. With a dull thud, he staggered, releasing the child's hand.

"Now!"

I scooped up the younger sister and pushed her toward the weeping, trembling older sister.

"Hurry up and run!"

As I desperately pushed her back, the older sister nodded vigorously.

"Yes! Thank you so much!"

The younger sister wiped her tears and bowed deeply to me.

"Thank you, mister!"

(...Why call me "mister"?! No, whatever, it doesn't matter right now!)

The instant I confirmed their retreating figures fading into the distance—

"Y-You bastard...!"

Miguel stood up, glaring at me with bloodshot eyes. Trembling with rage, he drew his sword and pointed it at me.

"Why do you protect the demon race...?! Are you betraying us?!"

Miguel's blade was pressed against my throat. Yet, pushing down my fear, I raised my voice.

"Betrayal my foot!"

For a moment, silence fell over the battlefield. At my angry shout, both the knights and the demon race stopped moving, their eyes fixing on me. Taking advantage of that opening, I yelled to the demon leader:

"Hey! You! Take this chance! Quickly, take the children and go!"

The demon leader's eyes widened. He hesitated for a second, but made a quick decision.

"...! Thank you! Thank you so much!"

"Wha...! They are valuable labor to mine this area! What are you saying?!"

Miguel's enraged voice echoed. But I didn't back down.

"What's so fun about forcing children into hard labor?!"

My roaring response dyed Miguel's face in even deeper rage. Meanwhile, the demon race picked up the children and escaped out of the mine one after another.

"Damn it! Don't let them get away!"

Miguel raised his sword, but I stood right in front of him.

"You're in the way! Move!"

"I'm not moving!"

Seeing that exchange, Yuno and the others finally moved.

"Dai, don't do any more than this!"

"Old man, don't push yourself!"

"Lord Dai!"

The voices of my allies overlapped.

"Yuno, stay back! I'll handle this myself!"

I held back Yuno and the others with one hand while glaring sharply at Miguel.

"Are you prepared for this? This is treason."

Miguel spoke coldly, keeping his sword leveled.

"It's just me! Yuno and the others have nothing to do with it!"

Reacting to those words, the knights silently formed ranks and slowly began surrounding me.

"I know about you. Since your magic power is low, once you're surrounded, it's over for you, isn't it?"

Miguel's sarcastic voice jabbed at my ears. I deliberately smirked back at him.

"Are you stupid? Did you think I came forward without a plan?"

For a moment, Miguel's eyebrow twitched.

"...Indeed, I have heard that you are a clever man. Everyone, stay alert!"

"Sir!"

The knights' tension heightened all at once.

(Truth is, I totally came forward without a plan! Oh crap... What do I do?!)

Alarm bells rang in my head. Cold sweat trickled down my forehead.

(Should I apologize while the bluff is working? ...No, there's no way he'd forgive me. W-What do I do?!)

Cornered, I reflexively activated Earth Magic. Hardening the soil at my feet to form a rock, I threw it at the knights with all my strength.

"Take this!!"

I shouted as the rock flew through the air.

"Wha! Ready yourselves!!"

The knights all raised their swords in unison, focusing their attention on the rock.

"...Nothing's happening?"

The rock was just a rock. It didn't explode, nor did it have any magical effect. While they were distracted by it, I sprinted away at full speed.

"Alright! Now's my chance!!"

"Wait! Don't let him get away!!"

Angry shouts flew from behind me, but I ran for my life.

[The Cliff]

Where I fled to was, predictably, a cliff. Below, a muddy torrent swirled violently.

(This... If I jump, will I die? Or if I'm lucky, will I survive?)

As I looked down at the roaring river and weighed my options, Miguel and his men caught up to me.

"We've cornered you... There's nowhere left to run!"

Miguel pointed his sword, and the knights surrounded the area.

"Below is a raging torrent! Even if you jump, there's no life for you. But either way, you will die for the crime of letting the slaves escape!"

(Hmm, can I manage to cross the river with magic? ...No, I don't have magic like that.)

I racked my brain, but no good ideas came up. Just then, the knights began chanting a spell.

"O, our—"

(Oh crap!! No time to think!)

"Screw it!!"

Without hesitation, I leaped off the cliff. Cold water wrapped around my body, and I was swallowed by the violent current. The river's flow was faster than expected, with rocks sticking out here and there.

(This is... impossible. I'm definitely going to hit a rock and die.)

Just as I prepared for the worst—

"Old man! Grab on!!"

Maya's voice echoed from above. Looking back, she had jumped in right after me. The next instant, she cast a spell.

"Aqua Shield!"

A water-like magic circle encompassed us. Even as we were swallowed by the torrent, the barrier of water acted as a cushion, softening the impact of hitting the rocks. Bouncing along the rocks, we were carried down the river.

(...Amazing, so this is Maya's magic.)

Before I even had time to feel relieved, we continued drifting along the river.

[The Forest]

Leaving ourselves to the current, we eventually arrived at an unfamiliar forest.

"Haa... haa... Maya, thank you... saved my life."

Catching my breath, I looked at Maya beside me. However, even though she had just come out of the river, she was staring at her smartphone screen with a face of total despair.

"It finally hit zero... My magic power can't handle this anymore..."

"What's wrong?"

"I have to replenish magic power into this smartphone, or I can't use magic spells. The way to replenish it is either using my own magic power or absorbing the mana in the air."

"Then shouldn't you just replenish it now?"

I tried to say it optimistically, but Maya shook her head with a blank expression.

"This world has extraordinarily little mana, so basically we have to use our own magic power. But..."

Maya trailed off.

"Old man, what's your magic power level?"

"Me? Mine is at the very bottom, E-rank."

"...I see. Mine is even lower than yours: 'F'."

"HUH?! You're a Sage, right?! Don't tell me you don't have any magic power?!"

"Yeah. That's right. Because I lacked magic power, I developed a technique to absorb mana at high efficiency and high speed, which got me all the way to becoming a Sage. But now, there's no mana to absorb either. So I've just become a regular person with zero magic power."

"..."

Maya continued with a dry laugh.

"People back home used to call me the 'Sage of Zero.'"

Her tone sounded more like resignation than despair.

(This is bad... This is way too unexpected. Now I have to escape this unknown forest with a Maya who can't use magic...)

Enemies might be pursuing us, and there's no telling what dangers lurk in this forest. I stared at Maya, swallowed hard, and spoke:

"W-What should we do...?"

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