The Case of Being Reincarnated as a Heretic Mob Character in an Eroge Where Everyone is Extremely Determined - Chapter 24

Chapter 24: Humanity’s Foolishness

Having parted ways with Joanne and the other Executives, I was thrown onto the road leading to the city of Daskell.

My mission was to infiltrate the city perfectly and to teleport five Executives into the heart of the urban area.

By wreaking havoc in Daskell, we could thwart the Orthodox Believers who were moving to reclaim Metashim, and if we could force them into retreat, it would likely result in a victory for the Heretic side.

The city was densely populated with civilians.

The Orthodox Executives would probably fear Daskell becoming a battlefield and turning into a sea of flames like Metashim.

In that sense, it’s fair to say that their actions during combat would be greatly limited.

On the other hand, we could rampage without concern, which would give us the upper hand once the battle started.

If civilians were caught up in the fighting, Pork’s despicable thorny vines would exert tremendous pressure.

We could use marionettes disguised as living humans as shields, or conversely, we could sow panic by mixing zombies among the survivors.

Given that the magic and abilities of the Heretic Executives often involve trickery and deceit, it’s clear that being on the side that causes chaos allows us to be quite bold. Although we might be slightly inferior in terms of frontal firepower.

Skillfully blending with the cover and terrain, I approach the town of Daskell.

So far, I’ve been able to advance without any particular problems, but the closer I get to the outer walls, the more the surveillance intensifies.

From atop the circular outer walls that encircle the town, I can tell that a considerable number of soldiers are keeping a vigilant watch. About ten orthodox soldiers are within my field of vision.

Having closed-in to a certain distance, the likelihood of being detected has dangerously increased.

(I’ll need to come up with some kind of plan from here, or I’ll be spotted)

While lying prone in the bushes, I let out a heavy sigh.

If all the orthodox Executives had assembled and were on high alert, this mission would undoubtedly have been impossible.

However, I can’t find any summoned beasts in the sky above the town or on top of the walls.

It seems that the summoner Executive—Ziata Commod is not present in this town.

Her absence is good news for me. She possesses summoned beasts with keen eyesight.

Plus, there’s the possibility of being sniffed out by the scent of blood.

It was a significant advantage to discern Ziata’s absence.

Additionally, the fact that the Orthodox Executive in charge of monitoring the outer edge is nowhere to be found is quite the favorable wind at my back.

It seems they are more vigilant about the interior of the city.

They probably intend to leave the exterior to the regular soldiers.

(…Hm? It looks like the Orthodox soldiers are all reacting with surprise… Could that woman be—?)

As I moved along the outskirts, I saw the figure of a woman descending near the entrance of the city.

A sister who looked like the very picture of purity, with her long silver hair fluttering in the wind. (TL/N: ‘Sister’ here is something like Church’s sister. He’s not calling her sister as in oneesan or something like that.)

She had a cool and dignified air about her, with a beauty that seemed to emanate from within.

Her identity was unmistakable: she was Celestia Hotthound, the seventh-ranked Executive of the Orthodox Church.

“Is there anything amiss here?”

“Celestia-sama, thank you for your hard work!”

“So far, there are no abnormalities!”

—This is no time to be mesmerized. What should I do if I miss this opportunity?

But it’s not like the security is so lax that I can just waltz in through the front entrance.

There are four soldiers at the gate and dozens more patrolling the outer walls.

Even if the four at the gate look away from the outside, Celestia and the soldiers on the walls are bound to notice my intrusion.

In the end, unable to fully capitalize on the chance provided by the Celestia patrol, I was forced to continue hiding.

(Did I mess up…? No, it’s probably too much to just jump out in front of Celestia. I should look for another plan.)

I gave up on finding a gap to sneak into the city and began to consider a different approach.

Climbing the wall is out of the question.

Well, I could probably do it if I tried hard enough, but I don’t have the necessary tools.

Besides, even if I managed to climb up, I’d just get caught by the soldiers. There’s absolutely nowhere to hide at the top.

Maybe I could disguise myself as one of the orthodox soldiers?

The thought crossed my mind, but it was difficult since the soldiers were operating in pairs.

Even if I managed to take down two at the same time, it seemed impossible to do so without the other soldiers noticing.

Once I had returned to a place where I could calm down, far removed from the outskirts of the city, I took out the tool that Aaros had handed to me upon departure from my pocket.

(A strength that I can make the most of precisely because I don’t possess healing magic or means of recovery…)

I pondered Aaros’s words.

His statement was not a bad hint. He’s not the type to just throw out meaningful remarks and leave it at that.

Perhaps hoping that I would find the answer, he gave me a ‘lighter’ as a gift, saying, ‘Please make use of it.’

If the path to the correct answer is paved this well, even someone as dense as me could eventually reach it.

I am known to Celestia, and it’s possible that other Executives have shared information about me, so he must be suggesting that I alter my face with burns or cuts before infiltrating.

As usual, he demands something ruthless. Sweet-talking people into a corner from which they can’t turn back and compelling them to act is a typical tactic of Aaros.

In addition to disfiguring my face, there’s another fact that seems to be working in my favor.

In their vigilance against the Heretic, it seems that the Orthodox Executives have forbidden civilians from entering or leaving the city of Daskell for a certain period.

Even with the grand cause of reclaiming Metashim, travelers and merchants would dislike being confined to the city.

When I was observing the city earlier, I noticed civilians trapped inside complaining to the Orthodox soldiers. The atmosphere was dangerously close to that of a riot about to erupt.

If those on the inside are complaining, it’s only natural that those coming from the outside will have complaints as well.

If there are merchants or travelers who arrive in town unaware of the situation, they would be indignant and confront the soldiers, demanding to know ‘Why can’t we enter the city?’

In other words, if there are merchants or travelers trying to enter the city, there’s a high probability that a clash with the Orthodox soldiers will occur.

Taking advantage of the commotion to break through the soldiers’ wall, one might be able to infiltrate the city amidst the crowd.

After disfiguring my face, I’ll go around the city looking for peddlers and the like.

If I see a carriage and a crowd, it’s as good as certain that my plan has succeeded.

(…Now, shall I infiltrate by blending in with the civilians?)

I took out the knife and lighter that I had stuffed in my pocket and prepared a bandage to wrap around my face.

Then, biting down on a random piece of cloth, I looked around to make sure no one was nearby.

As a tip to ease the pain and fear of self-harm, ‘act as soon as you think of it.’

Torture is something that takes time, so theoretically, the opposite should work. Before thinking too much about it, I just need to psych myself up and get it over with.

“Ouch! Fire is indeed hot…”

Carefully avoiding the eyelids, nasal cavity, and the inside of the mouth, I carved up my face and seared it with fire to stop the bleeding.

Then, I wrapped the still-damp wounds with bandages, creating the appearance of a severely injured patient on the brink of death.

Anyway, once I summoned Joanne and the others, my face would heal, so I made sure the scars were severe enough to make me unrecognizable as Oakley.

…The only problem is when the compassionate Orthodox Executive sees my wounds and can’t help but cast healing magic on me.

If my face were to split open, that would be the end of my life.

I absolutely want to avoid being found by someone like Celestia and getting treated.

I checked my reflection in a puddle and felt relieved that it looked just right.

The robe that I had snagged on branches was tattered, and the gloves I had put on to hide my hands added to the convincing atmosphere.

From any angle, I looked like a severely injured civilian.

(The method of infiltration allowed only for the weak… Well, not having a recognizable face makes it easier to blend in with the general populace, a privilege of being a background character… I slightly felt complicated about it, though.)

The timing of the transfer is left to my discretion.

I’ve made it a point to signal by cutting off Joanne’s finger and letting it touch the ground.

With the impact transmitted through the ring finger, Joanne and the others lurking in the underground center of the city will disintegrate their bodies as if put through a blender.

Then, the five Executives who are transferred in will proceed to destroy the city with relentless speed.

If I were to choose a summoning location, perhaps it would be in the darkness of an alleyway.

If I were to sever a finger on a main street and attract attention, I might be quickly dealt with by an Orthodox Executive who just happens to pass by.

After all, the mobile fortress exists as an extension of a surprise attack.

However, does this mean I have to summon five naked men and women?

I can give the robe to Joanne, but… I can’t prepare clothes for five people, and I wonder if that’s going to be alright.

Well, I have a feeling that Aaros will somehow take care of the clothing issue. Though I don’t know for sure.

I took a wide detour around the city’s outer walls and began looking for a group of civilians stranded at the city’s entrance.

Then, at a different entrance from earlier, as expected, I saw people clashing with the Orthodox soldiers.

“Hey, what’s the meaning of this!? You’re saying I can’t enter the city!?”

“M-my apologies, we have a certain reason…”

A merchant accompanied by a large number of carriages and attendants was ranting at a soldier with great fervor.

I wonder what the cargo is. Food, perhaps, or clothing, or maybe something else.

Regardless, after a long journey, being told ‘you cannot enter the town for a while’ would certainly make anyone angry.

In this world infested with magical beasts, traveling from town to town is quite a life-threatening endeavor. Merchants, in particular, take great risks.

Behind the merchant, travelers and common folk are pressing in, hoping to catch some spillover… benefits.

There are about fifty people in total, all of whom are trying to enter the town.

Unnoticed by anyone, I slip into the crowd of commoners from behind and hold my breath.

Judging by the merchant, he seems to be someone of considerable social standing.

Perhaps he is affiliated with the trading company that sells various items in the original work.

Conversely, among the commoners, there are those like me with bandages wrapped around their bodies.

Perhaps they were attacked by magical beasts and injured. Most likely, they have come to Daskell hoping to find an Executive of the Orthodox faith who can perform healing miracles.

While the merchant and the soldier’s back-and-forth continued in a stalemate, finally, it seemed the soldier gave in and ran off to get permission from the Executives who must be on guard throughout the town.

Well, the Orthodox side will probably reject the merchants’ wishes.

They must know well that half-hearted measures are what widen the wounds the most.

But the ignorant masses are foolish. They will surely complain, asking why ‘we are not saved, why only we are not allowed into the city’.

That’s why this turmoil drags on. Even if the Orthodox explain that it’s for the retaking of Metashim, the common people who don’t know the details of the heretical Executive’s abilities and magic will only tilt their heads in confusion.

In their minds, they can’t connect ‘preparations for the retaking of Metashim’ with ‘being banned from entering or leaving the city for several days.’

In front of the gate, where the atmosphere has become such that a riot seems likely to break out, I deliberately stagger and fall to my knees on the ground as if to express, ‘Ah, I’m at my limit.’

(…I feel like I’m being perfectly manipulated in the palm of Aaros’s hand…)

The merchants point at me, crumpled and squatting on the ground, and shout something.

—They probably just want a reason to justify themselves.

‘Despite the sight of an injured person suffering over there, you guys won’t let us into the city’. Perhaps that’s the sentiment.

Then, a relatively healthy-looking civilian, pointing at me and the other injured, grapples with the Orthodox soldiers.

The tense atmosphere that seemed ready to burst finally breaks.

Seeing that the Orthodox can’t maintain their strong stance, the merchants, with the power of the crowd, begin to force the gates open.

(…It’s over)

Finally, the crowd, caught up in the momentum, opened the gate and started to invade on their own.

Once it gets to this point, it becomes impossible to control, with people wanting to enter the city and those wanting to leave clashing against each other, leading to a deadlock.

Somehow, I managed to slip through them and successfully infiltrated the city of Daskell.

It seems that the military and organizational strength of Kenneth Orthodox is indeed formidable, but it wasn’t perfect in controlling the populace.

Above all, they probably couldn’t have anticipated the foolishness of the masses.

These merchants will die because of their own selfishness.

After all, a Heretic with the equivalent power of five Executives has slipped into the city.

(All that’s left is to summon them in the city center. However, I don’t know how many Executives are patrolling the city. Let’s proceed with caution.)

This is all preparation to gain the trust of Aaros and his group, climb the ranks of the Executives, and initiate a rebellion to exterminate the Heretics.

I told myself this as I prepared to be overwhelmed by an endless sense of guilt.

…..

(TL/N: Disfiguring his own face to infiltrate a city? I already knew it from a few chapters ago, but the author is unhinged with his depiction of cruelty compared to other JP authors…)