Antagonist Protection Service-Chapter 200 - Refuge In A Ruined World (2)

200: Refuge In A Ruined World (2)

200: Refuge In A Ruined World (2)

Interrupting my grim musing, a cheery voice resounded.

“Oppa…!”

The two of us reflexively turned our heads as someone came running over.

Hardly slowing down before reaching us, the girl leaped into the Protagonist’s chest with a forceful hug.

Even my eyes widened at the incident as I watched the Protagonist double over from the impact, barely able to catch the aggressor in his arms and taking a few steps backward to stabilise.

“Gh-?!

S-Sehee, what did I tell you about jumping at me like that…”

“Hehehe, it’s fine~!

Anyway, you deserve it―I woke up this morning and you were gone!

You don’t know how worried I was…!”

“Haaa…”

Sighing greatly like that as if he was troubled, I felt like I could read the Protagonist’s mind at that moment.

‘He’s probably thinking something like “that’s exactly why I didn’t tell you”, right?

Hah.’

Gently settling her down, it appeared the girl noticed me only then as her face turned shocked and she hurriedly hid herself behind the Protagonist’s body, whispering into his ear.

“H-hey, Oppa, who’s this…?

He looks scary…”

Of course, thanks to Heightened Senses, I could still pick up what she was saying.

“Haa…

This is Enki.

He’ll be helping out with defence from now on.

Enki, this is Sehee.

She’s annoying, but she helps out with various things.”

“Ah!

Annoying?!”

Observing the banterous exchange between the two, I felt like I probably shouldn’t get too close to the girl while I was here.

The same went for everyone else.

I was only here to collect a satisfactory amount of mana crystals.

The moment I was done with that, this whole ‘Sanctuary’ would be ruined.

‘Best not give them that kind of psychological damage on top of destroying their already-endangered lives…’

I feel like I’ve done that plenty enough already.

“One thing before you go!

That tent over there is the mens’ sleeping area; there are a bunch of free beds, so just pick one whenever you can.”

Just as I started walking away, the Protagonist called out to me.

Sparing a glance towards the tent he gestured at, I curtly nodded before continuing on my way.

The first thing I wanted to do was gain a proper understanding of the Sanctuary’s layout, which would happen with time, and secondly, an understanding of what the land outside the Sanctuary was like.

Needless to say, I already more or less knew the strip leading from the entrance, and a little bit about the city on the side we came from, but that was all.

Climbing the many stairs that led to the top of the Sanctuary’s walls, I walked along the top and looked out into the wasteland, not minding any of the half-dozen or so golems that also patrolled, each occasionally passing me by.

Behind the Sanctuary, the flattened strip continued into the distance, only coming to an end where the city ended, replaced with rolling hills and more greenery, as well as what seemed to be a river, and even mountainous silhouettes in the distance.

Now that I could see it properly, the same sort of hills also lay in the opposite direction in front of the Sanctuary, but no mountains.

Meanwhile, the left and right sides belonged to the same destroyed city, and because some of the piles of rubble were so tall, I still couldn’t see over the whole thing even from the wall.

‘Still, the city’s pretty damn big…

I’m not sure where the game takes place, but if it’s on Earth, it must be somewhere in Korea, considering the Protagonist…’

However, there was one place that looked like it might be tall enough to peek inside the Sanctuary from the outside―a multi-storey car park almost ten floors high.

Somehow, even in this apocalypse, it was still standing tall, albeit abandoned and seemingly in as terrible a state as everything else.

Perhaps that was thanks to the sheer amount of concrete used in its construction that gave it that sturdiness.

‘…I’ll have to keep that in mind.’

Feeling like that was enough for now, I noticed the sun beginning to set and headed back down the wall.

Thereafter, it seemed the time had arrived for dinner as I noticed people exiting a tent with a tray of food, sitting down on old chairs and stools near the training area next to a fire.

Feeling my own stomach rumble as I observed them, I thought to get something myself, then paused.

“Wait…

Tch.”

Realising I’d have to take the Villain’s Vizard off, I clicked my tongue.

I couldn’t risk the Protagonist discovering I wasn’t who he thought I was, just in case he became suspicious or exiled me from the camp.

Well, it’s not like he would be able to do that if he tried, but I simply mean I would have to end the Contract right there.

“Haa…

Guess I’ll eat by myself then.”

It was something I was used to doing the rest of the time anyway, so it wasn’t a big deal.

Just as I moved to grab some food from Storage, I abruptly turned my attention to the Sanctuary’s front gate.

‘Already?

No…

It’s different from the aliens.’

My eyes narrowed.

I thought it was strange for enemies to appear right after I had checked from above and not noticed anything, so it can’t have been the aliens.

…But, just because they weren’t aliens, didn’t necessarily mean they weren’t enemies.

Leaving the food in the Storage alone for now, I walked over to the entrance, sliding open a small rectangular hatch that seemed to be used to see what was outside the entrance without opening the gate.

―At least, I would have done so if we had something like that.

All of the walls surrounding the Sanctuary were solid concrete, and the gate itself was made of thick metal and barricaded further with steel girders.

There was no way they had something like a peep hole in their own door, as even that bore risk.

Still, both my instincts and logic told me they weren’t aliens.

I also felt like I would be able to easily tell by the sound, which was a simple collection of muffled footsteps.

Not only that, but the sun was already beginning to set.

If there was anyone trying to make contact at this time, it couldn’t have possibly been anyone good.

“Is something wrong?”

At that moment, the Protagonist’s voice resounded behind me.

Turning my head to face him halfway, I simply gestured at the gate with my thumb.

“Rogues.”

Saying just that one word elicited an expression of understanding, and the Protagonist’s face turned serious.

“…Can you deal with them?”

At that, I paused for a moment.

I didn’t expect him to just ask me straight away, but maybe that was obvious…

‘Ah, I guess he’s getting a bit too greedy.

I mean, their life signals don’t even feel much comparable to the little gremlins on the Fifth Floor, but…’

Sporting a small smile behind the Villain’s Vizard, I asked the Protagonist a simple question.

“Will you compensate me?”

If I could get a little something extra out of it, then well, why not?