Brainwashed Then Woke Up To Find My Childhood Friend a Hero

21. Interlude Part Gora 2

As I carried Elg, a demon girl emerged from the rubble. The moment she laid eyes on Elg, she burst into tears and clung to him, whispering, “Papa… Papa.” For a moment, I regained my composure, thinking, “Did he marry a demon…?” but then I reassured myself, “Well, he is a dark knight after all.”

We couldn’t linger here for long, so I lifted both Elg and the demon girl. The girl, with her demon-like strength, clung to Elg, and I briefly worried she might finish him off in his weakened state. Suddenly, I tensed up at the sound of footsteps approaching from the front.

But I strained to listen for a familiar voice.

“Gora-san!”

I spotted a man at the forefront of the resistance members running toward me, waving his hand.

“Wide!”

I was surprised yet relieved to see him.

Behind him, the elite members of the resistance came to check on our safety.

I handed over Elg and the girl clinging to him to them. As I glanced at the elite struggling with the stubborn demon girl, I conveyed to everyone that we should head to the designated meeting point.

We all ran together.

Suddenly, I found myself thinking about Ayla.

I wanted to confirm Ayla’s safety, which I had entrusted to Wide.

“Is Ayla okay?”

Wide, taken aback by my sudden question, replied,

“Yes, she seems to be fine as long as she rests.”

Hearing that brought me relief, but Wide had something more to say.

—

“You’re in worse shape than Elg, you know! You’ve got scrapes and bruises all over your body—counting them would be a hassle!”

Wide said this with a hint of anger, and I couldn’t help but chuckle a little; it had been a while since someone had spoken to me like that, not since Ayla.

“This isn’t something to laugh about!!”

Hearing that only made me laugh more.

◇◇◇

Before long, we regrouped with the members of the Resistance. It was somewhat amusing to see the shock on their faces as they took in the sight of me and Elg, both covered in injuries, along with the demon girl. After receiving first aid from the medical team, we set off towards our escape. We had taken down all the guards, so all that was left was to run. Once we got out of here and headed for the mountains, our comrades outside had disguised themselves as a merchant caravan with a wagon prepared for our escape.

After that, we made our way out without any hitches from the entrance. The lack of magical energy and the fact that personnel were deployed abroad today were significant factors in our success. We had successfully escaped. Whether it was from joy or the thrill of gaining our freedom, we were enveloped in an unbelievable excitement.

Perhaps due to this excitement, our feet wouldn’t stop as we headed for the mountains, where we would meet up with the comrades who had prepared the wagon for us.

The comrades who spotted us were surprised but teary-eyed, embracing us. It made sense; those here were the women and children who couldn’t participate in the battle.

Many in the Resistance had wives and children. It had been a long time since they had seen each other, so it was only natural. I looked up, nodding to myself in understanding.

However, we couldn’t afford to linger, so before we could share in the emotional reunion, we began to move. By that time, Ayla had returned and was working tirelessly to organize the Resistance.

I was yelled at by Ayla to keep the injured quiet and rest! and was ushered into a medical wagon along with Elg and the others.

The next day came, and I wanted to help with something, but due to the overprotective girl, I was scolded to stay in bed! After eating and sleeping, this routine continued for about three days until one day.

“Gora—! Elg has woken up!”

I heard Wide’s shout, and I dashed towards the sound. It didn’t take long for me to spot Wide.

Through the wagon window, I could see Elg sitting up.

“Elg!! You’re awake!?”

I couldn’t help but shout in an enormous voice. Elg covered his ears at my loudness, and I could hear Ayla’s laughter from behind.

Elg responded, still chuckling, “Yeah, thanks to you, I had the worst awakening.”

Hearing that made me laugh heartily. Then Elg asked about the current situation. As I recounted everything that had happened, Elg bowed his head.

“Thank you, Gora, and I’m sorry for the trouble I’ve caused.”

Seeing Elg bow, I laughed heartily but conveyed my honest feelings.

“Don’t worry about it! Brother! Thanks to you, we managed to escape! There’s no way we’d abandon the benefactor of everyone here!”

I threw my arm around Wide’s shoulder as I spoke.

Wide, with a slight wry smile, agreed, “Of course! We owe our lives to you coming here!”

Wide responded, a bit surprised.

—

“Is that so? Well, that’s good to hear.”

Elg replied as he settled down.

Then, unexpectedly, he asked, “By the way, does that mean Wide was a member of the Resistance?”

Wide seemed to ponder this for a moment before asking.

We laughed as we reminisced, sharing stories about ourselves. Through these tales, we reaffirmed that we were indeed true companions.

Time passed, and the sun began to set.

Holy Kingdom Arc