The Protagonist’s Party is Too Diligent – 5
EP.5 Raging Flames (5)
One fortunate thing was that the map of this world was the same as the one I had in my head. Of course, not the entire map of the capital was in my head. The capital’s map was just for decoration in the actual game, and only the important parts for the story were implemented.
However, those ‘important parts’ were mostly important regions in the empire. In other words, they were places that could be considered landmarks within the empire.
At the center of the capital was a massive castle—the Imperial Palace. While it wasn’t so enormous that it could be seen from everywhere in the capital, it was visible from most parts of the central area. In the game, almost every region set in the capital had a specific angle where the castle was visible.
Millennium, the company behind the game, wasn’t known for its graphics, nor did it have the technology to create an open world of the entire capital. However, they paid great attention to detail for the fans, designing each region so that a specific angle of the Imperial Palace was visible.
In the game’s map menu, the imperial map in the game was meticulously designed so that each area logically fit together. Even though some areas were blocked by transparent walls, at least the visible parts were designed to give the impression that traveling through those places would lead somewhere meaningful.
And I had explored those areas many times, whether it was for multiple playthroughs to find specific events, hidden notes or NPCs placed by the developers. Additionally, since I was running a blog series on game strategies and related stories, I had to examine the details more closely.
Aside from the poorly managed slums, the capital was well-maintained, considering the era. You could find your way by following the signs along the main roads.
However, there was one problem—
“Hey, you kids over there!”
—The capital wasn’t particularly kind to street orphans or homeless people.
It wasn’t that the passersby were unkind. Their gazes were similar to how people in my world looked at the homeless. Some looked with pity, while others wrinkled their noses and kept their distance.
But one key difference was that the concept of human rights hadn’t fully developed in this world.
The capital attracted many foreigners, making cleanliness important. As a result, they tried to control any “unsightly” elements on the streets as much as possible. And if those “unsightly elements” weren’t just litter but people with legs moving around, it was the police’s job to handle them.
“Hey, don’t run! Stop right there!”
So, whenever I spotted the police, I would grab the children’s hands and run frantically.
Of course, getting caught by the police meant being sent back to the orphanage. I had tried lying about having parents a few times, but it never worked. We would be dragged to the police station and handed over to the shabby orphanage a few days later.
And every time, I would reset time.
The baron’s house wasn’t that far, but getting there was the problem.
“Sister, I’m sleepy…”
We had come out onto the streets in the middle of the night. While people were running around in fear of the fire spreading to their homes, no one paid much attention to us. But the children didn’t have the stamina to walk for hours without sleep.
Even as a five-year-old, I struggled to keep up. After walking for about an hour, my legs felt stiff and tired. Mentally, I was also exhausted from setting the house on fire. With short strides and frequent breaks, it took even longer.
Initially, the children were relatively quiet, but as the breaks became less frequent, they started whining more, and I grew more exhausted.
“…Alright, let’s rest here.”
Eventually, we would stop to rest every hour or so. Usually, we found a dark alley where we were less likely to be seen.
Though it was smelly and damp, as long as we weren’t noticed—
“Hey, you kids. Who gave you permission to be here?”
—if we weren’t noticed, we could rest for at least an hour.
I looked up at the intimidating man with a long scar across his face who was tapping my legs with his toes. I mumbled in a weary voice.
“…Let’s move again.”
*
One fortunate thing was that my ability didn’t seem to have any limits. I could always reset time and start over from the most advantageous moments. When I turned around and saw that some children were missing. When we encountered thugs while resting in an alley. When we got caught by the police. When a resident reported us.
Over and over, I reset time until I found the most ideal outcome.
The actual time we spent walking was probably about half a day. We arrived in front of the baron’s house just as the sun was rising and people were starting to come out onto the streets.
But to me, it felt like several weeks had passed.
Resetting time restored my physical energy. Even without sleep, my mind cleared. My legs regained strength, and the pain in my feet disappeared.
But my mind didn’t get any rest. No matter how comfortable my body felt, I just wanted to collapse and rest, to give up on everything. Maybe I could afford to abandon one or two children? Even if we got caught by the police, maybe we’d end up in a decent orphanage? Maybe that rough-looking person was actually kind-hearted?
Every time such thoughts crossed my mind, I reset time again.
It was somewhat better to rethink things while my body was at least in a more comfortable state. It felt like trying to clear an incredibly difficult action game without missing a beat, or in some ways, like attempting a real-time TAS (tool-assisted speedrun). Either way, it was exhaustingly tiring.
But…
“…I did it.”
Yes, I did it.
I muttered as I looked at the name on the mansion’s main gate in front of me.
Baron Grace’s Estate.
In this world, in the Aetherna Empire, barons did have territories, but they were not particularly large. Moreover, a baron’s land was often part of a larger noble’s territory rather than their own land. All land in the empire was fundamentally owned by the emperor, and thus noble territories were also nominally managed by the emperor.
If it were a duke’s territory, it would be both the emperor’s land and the duke’s domain. The same applied to marquess or count territories. Of course, titles were inherited, so an individual might hold multiple titles, making things more complex.
Barons were ranked below these titles. If the emperor granted the baron’s title directly, the baron’s land would be both the emperor’s and the baron’s. If it was granted by a duke or count, it would be the emperor’s land and the duke’s or count’s domain, as well as the baron’s territory.
Thus, a baron directly appointed by the emperor could wield significant power depending on the circumstances. However, it didn’t necessarily mean they always matched the power of a duke or count.
The Grace family held a baron title directly granted by the emperor.
Naturally, in the noble faction versus emperor faction conflict, they were staunchly on the emperor’s side. This dynamic shifted as the game’s story progressed, eventually flipping entirely by the end, but that was far in the future and not relevant now.
For reference, the Grace barony’s land was all the property beyond this fence. While it was enormous for a private estate, it was quite small when considered as a territory. This was understandable, given it was part of the emperor’s land within the capital.
“…”
But how was I supposed to get in?
There were no guards at the gate, but the gate was firmly closed.
Of course, no one would let just anyone into a noble’s estate, even if it wasn’t heavily guarded.
Still, there was a way.
The Grace couple was known for never letting anyone pass if they were deemed unfortunate, and outside the game, they were often mocked as easy targets by players.
So, the goal was to get noticed when the baron and his wife came outside. Then, they would either take us into their orphanage or, if not, send us to an orphanage run by someone with a verifiable identity.
The problem was, the baron’s estate was in the middle of the capital.
Standing here would surely get us caught by passing police.
“…”
Was it time to use my ability again?
As I sighed deeply, the children who had been looking up at me tilted their heads in confusion.
Well… it’s almost over now.
*
Still, given the experience of hiding around the streets up to this point, hiding wasn’t too difficult.
The most important thing was to avoid the gaze of the police and not get reported by the public. It didn’t matter if we didn’t sneak through the alleys. As long as we didn’t get caught by those we needed to avoid, that was enough.
As I saw the baron and his wife appear, I muttered to myself.
‘Ah, they’re coming out.’
I stood at the very back of the group. It was more efficient to shepherd the children from behind rather than leading from the front since I couldn’t afford to lose even one child.
“Let’s go. We just need to get to those people. Once we do, it’ll be over.”
“Really? Is it really okay?”
Claire asked, looking at the couple who appeared to be a wealthy, well-off pair. I nodded in response.
I remembered the couple’s faces. Although they were represented by 2D illustrations and models based on those illustrations, their appearance was exactly as I recalled.
Their blue hair, which could not exist in reality, the well-groomed mustaches and sideburns. The impression of youth rather than middle age, as seen in the game. The wife beside him had similarly blue, wavy hair and very clean skin.
Seeing them walk out arm in arm, I quickly followed the children.
“Come on, let’s hurry.”
The couple had no guards.
In fact, they didn’t need any. They were powerful enough to casually split a carriage in half with their sword skills. They wouldn’t be surprised or scared if we approached them. That was why there were no knights stationed at their estate.
I urged the children along. Though they had been somewhat anxious at first, they eventually moved toward the couple. These children had survived various dangers with my help. Over half a day, they had built a certain level of trust in me.
Growl.
I heard my stomach growl from skipping breakfast. The children were probably just as hungry.
Just as I was starting to relax…
Suddenly, my mouth was firmly shut. I was so startled I couldn’t even make a sound.
The children, having heard my instructions, continued walking forward. But I couldn’t move. My legs had somehow been lifted off the ground.
Someone was hugging me from behind.
What was this? Did a pervert popped out from the back alley? Logically, considering the appearance of my body, it wouldn’t be surprising to attract a pedophile’s attention.
Again…
“Ah, ah, wait. Calm down. I won’t do anything bad.”
I stopped moving when I heard that voice. It was a pretty young voice, like someone who had just gone through puberty. Probably mid-teens?
‘I recognized that voice.’
As I stopped struggling, the hand covering my mouth relaxed a bit, though it didn’t fully let go.
“You’re clever. That baron will definitely take in those kids. They’ve been talking about expanding the orphanage lately.”
In the distance, the kids were almost near the baron couple, and the couple turned around when they heard the kids approaching.
“Oh, I’ll get caught if I stay here.”
My vision suddenly changed. The man turned around while holding me in his arms. He then quickly ran off, taking me far from the spot.
…Ah.
It seemed that I wouldn’t make it to the orphanage. If this man had been following us from the start, no matter how many times I reset time, I wouldn’t be able to escape.
Well… at least the children arrived safely. They would grow up in a proper place with proper care. And Claire would be safe as well. She wouldn’t have to experience that terrible past.
And I, too, would probably be safe if I followed this man. At least he wasn’t a crazy murderer who kidnapped orphans on the streets to kill them.
It was a shame that I won’t be able to see how Claire grows up though.