Reincarnated into a Game As the Hero’s Friend

After leaving the palace, I returned to the mansion, then I went to the capital’s relief station. It’s a place affiliated with the church where the injured people from the Veritza Fortress incident are now receiving their treatment.

The number of people we rescued from the fortress reached 3 digits but most of them are non-combatants. There are only several dozen knights. Can I say this is because of Marquis Knap’s devotion?

By the way, the knights and nobles have their own treatment facility. As for why they have separated facilities and what’s the difference between the two facilities, you can probably guess.

In the game, a night at an inn is enough to fully recover your injuries but I guess that won’t happen in reality. This is also one of many differences between the game and reality.

Or maybe, the reason why the hero party can recover just by spending a night in an inn is that the God of this world just favors the hero party? Though it is strange for someone to recover from their injuries by only spending a night in an inn unless you have a recovery potion.

Anyway, I went to the relief station to gather information from the people there. The sight of the relief station makes me remember that some nobles said they lost because their opponent is about 30% stronger than them. After all, losing to a weaker opponent will make them lose face.

“Welcome to the relief station.  What brought you here?”

“I am Welner von Zeavert. I wish to talk to the people who were injured at the Veritza Fortress incident.”

“I see.”

“Here is a donation for the relief station.”

I handed the receptionist a bag full of money. This is the reason I returned to the mansion first before coming here. No matter what I did, I will receive better treatment if I show some ‘sincerity’ first.

“Thank you very much. Then, please follow me.”

The receptionist guided me to a room of people with minor injuries. I mean, I can’t talk with heavily injured people who are groaning in pain right now.

“I’m Welner von Zeavert. No need to mind your manner.”

I stopped the people who were going to stand because a noble came. I also don’t want to do a troublesome thing like manners.

“Sorry for coming here without notice. There are several things I need to ask you all.”

“Please feel free to ask.”

I ask them about the enemies’ appearance and their number. I also ask them about one of the most important questions, the internal structure of the fortress. I feel bad for making them remember the unpleasant incident but collecting information about the enemy is important.

I will be able to find out about the fortress interior just by looking at the fortress’s blueprint but there might be some changes done by Marquis Knap that only the people who were in the fortress knew. Plus, I don’t know if the kingdom will allow me to take a look at the blueprint.

I also ask them about where the doors are placed, where the demons attacked before the doors can be installed, and which rooms become temporary storage rooms during the renovation.

My conclusion after hearing about their answer is that the type of demons that appeared in the incident didn’t differ much from the game. As for their strength, I also don’t know.

I created a rough map of the fortress’s interior according to all their answers. This map might become incorrect if the demons decided to enlarge some doors or make some changes to the fortress but I don’t think they will do something like that.

But this rough map is different compared to the map of the fortress in the game. Probably because the game’s map is based on the fortress when it was supposed to be used by people, not based on a fortress that just finished its renovation.

According to the rough map, the fortress has toilets. One of them is located in the northwest corner. This is good. Though I doubt the demons will use the toilet

“Sorry for troubling you all. This is a gift for your trouble. Keep our conversation a secret, ok?”

I handed out silver coins to every person in the room. This should be enough to cover their medical expenses. I heard the kingdom will also give them some money but I doubt it will be enough to cover the entirety of their medical expenses.

The money is also a bribe so they can keep our conversation a secret. It’s going to be troublesome if patients from other rooms swarm me for silver coins after all. It’s for my own self-defense.

It might be easier for me to get information if I gave them the money first before I asked them but doing that might put unnecessary ‘service’ to their information. Their information might become unreliable.

I wanted to double-check the information I got by asking from the patients in another room but mid-way, I stopped my track. I see a familiar person or rather a familiar character treating the injured.

Right. It isn’t strange for that guy to be a member of the hero party in this time period. Wait. That means I need to stop him from leaving. With that thought in my mind, I approached him.

“Excuse me. Will it be alright if we talk for a bit?”

“I have just finished treating this patient so, of course,” That man with great build and gentle expression answered me. Yeah, it’s definitely him.

He’s Elrich Kluger. One of the members of the hero party.

Elrich Kluger is a monk, a rare job among many games that existed at that time. According to the game setting, he’s a monk in the midst of his training journey. He can both heal and fight so he’s a big help in the early part until the middle part of the game.

After Laura’s mana became stronger, she can use attack magic so Elrich became a heal-focused character. His intermediate level of healing saved me many times in the game so I was grateful to him… Well, that doesn’t matter now though.

“My name is Welner von Zeavert.”

I introduced myself a lot today. If this world had business cards, mine would be all out [1] This is what would happen if you went to a place for the first time.

“My name is Elrich Kluger, a monk on a training journey.”

“I see that you have treated the injured. As one of the nobles of this kingdom, please allow me to extend my gratitude.”

He was surprised by my bow. I guess he was surprised because I didn’t act like a noble and I also didn’t act like someone my age.

“Please, no need for gratitude. Still, pardon me for saying this but…”

“I do not act like my age?”

Or maybe I don’t act like a noble. I know that. Technically I’m an old man inside so I did act like my age a.k.a like an old man.

“Well, personally, I have a good impression of you.”

“Thank you for saying that. By the way…”

I ask him things like the situation of the injured and the shape of their scars in succession. Knowing both of these things can help identify the weapons that the enemy used and things we need to be careful of when facing the same enemies. I also asked him many things that I need to know and noted only his frank opinion.

“I see. Thank you. You have been a big help.”

“I am happy to be of help. Anyway, as expected it’s trouble for the fortress to get taken.”

“Yes, well, it has been quite a bit of a problem.”

Since the information is bound to be leaked, I told Elrich about Marquis Knap’s death or rather about the Marquis’s situation after his death. Elrich’s expression quickly becomes warped.

“So he said their next target is the capital. You cannot remain calm after you hear that even if you wanted to.”

“You are right. I have never expected the demons to do such an inhuman act.”

After I said that, Elrich became silent. Good reaction. Now, I hope he will take my bait.

“If it is alright with you, may I hear the story in more detail? I might be able to offer you my help.”

Yes! He took the bait! That’s what I think inside but I can’t show it here. Well, it’s not like I have any confidence in my acting skill so I just opened my eyes wide as if I was surprised.

“I will be grateful if you are willing to help but will it be fine?”

“Yes. I cannot just do nothing after hearing your story.”

As expected of a member of the hero party. He’s a diligent person. It’s a good thing for me though

“I understand. Sir Elrich, have you decided where to stay for tonight?”

“I have reserved a room at an inn for tonight.”

“I see. Well, it is already quite late so I wonder if Sir Elrich will be willing to talk with me again later? If you do not mind, I also hope you can meet my friend.”

“I will be happy to. Then, let us meet again later.”

Good. With this, I can definitely make him meet Mazell. I was relieved inside but I try to not show it on my face.

In the game, After he saw how most of the knights were dead because of the demon outbreak, Elrich stopped at the capital. He wanted to do something in the stead of the knights. That’s where he met Mazell.

But since we won the battle against the demon outbreak, Elrich loses his reason to stop at the capital. I’m scared that many things might just fall apart if I let Elrich just continue his journey so I must stop him at any cost.

If there’s an invincible force that will force the game storyline on its right track no matter what happens then It’s fine even if I don’t do anything but I’ve just realized how dangerous it is to put too much trust in the fact that this world is a game.

I returned home with these thoughts in my mind. Then, when I got home I was surprised by Father’s words.

“Welner. I know it’s abrupt but you need to take a leave from school again tomorrow because I need you to lead soldiers.”

“Huh?”

How did things become like this?

♦

T/N: Money move the world :V

[1] A Japanese worker carried a holder full of business cards. They will give it when they introduce themselves to a client. ↵