The Laziest God Mortal Reincarnation

Chapter 89: Social Interaction: The True Examination

( Alash’s POV )

Moving one hundred and twenty-three wounded people through a monster attack was inconvenient.

Very inconvenient.

Protecting thirty-six classmates, one hundred and twenty-three wounded strangers, and Dream Haven at the same time was worse.

Much worse.

The first monster had reached us less than ten minutes after we left the infirmary.

The second arrived three seconds later.

Then approximately forty of its relatives decided to join.

Apparently family gatherings were important even inside illusions.

Mira had warned us.

That helped.

Barely.

"LEFT!"

I turned.

A creature the size of a horse jumped from the remains of a nearby building, its claws aimed directly at two students carrying a stretcher.

Golden mana moved before I did.

My barrier appeared between them.

The creature slammed into it.

Cracks spread across the golden surface.

The two students froze.

"Keep moving!"

They moved.

Good.

The monster pulled back.

I shifted the barrier upward.

Then Cedric hit the creature with enough Force to send it through a wall.

Also good.

"Alash!"

Another shout.

Right side.

Three creatures.

One barrier.

I moved it.

The golden shield crossed nearly twenty meters in an instant and expanded.

The first monster struck it.

Then the second.

Then the third.

My mana dropped noticeably.

Wonderful.

[Mana: 71%.]

’I can feel that.’

[Your mana expenditure is increasing rapidly.]

’I notice.’

[Then why are you arguing with me?]

’I require emotional support.’

[This is emotional support.]

Terrible System.

"Rear!"

I turned again.

Roland and six students were protecting the back of our formation.

A larger creature had broken through them.

Its arm descended toward a B-potential student.

Too far.

I couldn’t reach him physically.

Fortunately, that had stopped mattering years ago.

My barrier moved.

Golden light appeared above the student.

The creature’s fist struck.

The road cracked.

My barrier didn’t.

The student stared upward.

Then toward me.

"Move!"

He moved.

Excellent.

People were remarkably obedient when something large was attempting to eat them.

Perhaps I should investigate whether Zenith allowed monsters inside Fifth Residence.

[No.]

’I didn’t ask.’

[You were going to.]

Fair.

The evacuation continued.

Slowly.

Painfully.

But it continued.

Thirty-six classmates.

Still thirty-six.

I counted.

Then counted again.

Everyone.

No eliminations.

Good.

The wounded were harder.

Some could walk.

Others required support.

More than forty needed stretchers or assistance, which made moving quickly almost impossible.

But we had already brought them this far.

Leaving them because the situation had become inconvenient would make everything I’d done earlier rather pointless.

Another roar came from behind us.

I sighed.

"Again?"

Penelope glanced toward me while helping support an injured woman.

"You sound offended."

"I am."

"By the monsters?"

"By their persistence."

"Maybe they’re offended that you keep stopping them."

"Then our relationship is mutual."

She almost laughed.

Then her eyes widened.

"Alash!"

I felt it too.

A much larger presence.

The street ahead exploded.

Stone scattered across the road.

Several students shouted.

A creature climbed from the debris.

Large.

Very large.

At least five meters tall.

Thick arms.

Armored hide.

And apparently no respect for medical evacuations.

It charged.

Straight toward the center of the formation.

Where most of the critical patients were.

Of course.

"Everyone behind me!"

I stepped forward.

Penelope’s expression changed.

"Alash..."

"I know."

Golden mana erupted around me.

Not one shield.

Several.

They spread outward, joined, and expanded across the road.

A curved golden wall formed between the convoy and the creature.

My mana dropped sharply.

The monster struck.

My feet slid backward.

The barrier bent.

But held.

Every stretcher behind me remained untouched.

The creature roared and struck again.

Another crack.

[Mana: 48%.]

’Still more than zero.’

[An inspiring mathematical observation.]

The creature raised both arms.

I narrowed my eyes.

"Everyone keep moving."

Nobody moved.

I looked back.

Thirty-six classmates were staring at me.

"That wasn’t a suggestion."

That worked.

They moved.

Roland began directing the front.

Cedric and several others supported the sides.

Penelope reorganized the stretchers without needing me to say anything.

Good.

Very good.

I turned back.

The monster attacked.

My barrier absorbed it.

Again.

Again.

Again.

Every impact burned through mana.

My arms had started trembling despite the fact that they weren’t physically holding anything.

Unfortunate.

[You cannot maintain this indefinitely.]

’I don’t need indefinitely.’

The last stretcher passed behind me.

Then the last student.

Mira shouted from farther down the road.

"Everyone’s clear!"

Good.

I released the barrier.

The creature stumbled forward.

"NOW!"

Cedric’s Force struck first.

Roland followed with Steel.

Fire.

Earth.

Two Wind attacks.

Then something exploded.

I did not know who caused that.

Probably someone I should remember.

The monster collapsed.

I stared at it.

Then at the System.

’See?’

[See what?]

’Delegation.’

[You personally held back a five-meter monster while everyone escaped.]

’Delegation adjacent.’

[That is not a phrase.]

It was now.

I turned toward the convoy.

Thirty-six classmates.

Still there.

Every single one.

Some injured.

Several exhausted.

One student’s uniform had been torn almost completely across the shoulder.

But nobody had disappeared.

Nobody had been eliminated.

The wounded civilians had survived the attack too, though several of their conditions had worsened from being moved.

That could be treated.

Elimination couldn’t.

I exhaled.

Penelope reached me.

"You alright?"

"Yes."

"You look terrible."

"Thank you."

"That wasn’t a compliment."

"Then I reject your assessment."

She stared.

I continued walking.

My legs felt slightly less cooperative than usual.

She noticed.

Naturally.

"You used too much mana."

"I used the correct amount."

"You’re barely walking."

"Walking is overrated."

"Alash."

"I’m walking."

She moved closer anyway.

Terrifying woman.

Still...

Nobody had disappeared.

That mattered.

More than the mana.

More than the exhaustion.

More than I wanted to think about right now.

So I didn’t.

***

We eventually reached the river Sophie had unknowingly saved us from.

At least I assumed it was Sophie.

The bridge had clearly been repaired recently.

Fresh Earth magic reinforced the stone foundations.

Frost covered several temporary supports.

Lightning marks remained along one side.

Class Three.

Useful.

Very useful.

I looked at the repaired bridge.

I would thank her.

Eventually.

Possibly.

If socially required.

Penelope walked beside me.

"Why are you staring at the bridge?"

"Appreciation."

"You?"

"I appreciate infrastructure."

"Of course."

We crossed.

By the time all five Guardian Seals were acquired, we had been moving for nearly three hours.

I was tired.

Penelope was tired.

Everyone was tired.

Thirty-seven members of Class Five remained.

All of us.

Dream Haven remained perfect.

As expected.

Then a translucent window appeared directly in front of my face.

---

LEADER COMMUNICATION NETWORK UNLOCKED

---

Five names appeared.

I stared.

Oh no.

Penelope noticed my expression.

"What?"

"Social interaction."

"You’ll survive."

"Unconfirmed."

I touched the interface.

The world around me dimmed slightly.

Not disappeared.

Just faded.

The road remained beneath my feet.

The wounded continued moving.

Penelope remained beside me.

But four translucent figures appeared in front of my vision.

Elizabeth Aurelius.

James Vellaroux.

Sophie Trohan.

Daphne Spinster.

All four.

All vessels.

All apparently seeing the same thing.

Penelope looked directly through Sophie’s projection without reacting.

Interesting.

"Can you see them?" I asked.

Penelope frowned.

"See who?"

Good.

Private.

Then Elizabeth spoke.

"Before everyone speaks at once, we should establish locations, resources, casualties, and route conditions."

Penelope didn’t react.

Better.

She couldn’t hear them either.

Apparently the network transmitted the other leaders directly to me while my own voice remained perfectly audible to everyone standing nearby.

An excellent design if the goal was making me look insane.

James frowned.

"You’re not in charge of this conversation."

Elizabeth smiled.

"Excellent. Then begin."

He stared at her.

I looked between them.

Interesting.

Penelope looked at me.

"Why are you staring at empty air?"

"Busy."

She stared for another second.

Then apparently decided she had already experienced enough Alash-related nonsense for one day.

James sighed.

"Class Two. Southern route from the broken fortress. Thirty-five remaining."

Sophie’s expression changed.

"Thirty-five?"

"Three eliminations."

His voice became slightly harder.

Interesting.

He cared.

Obviously.

But he didn’t seem pleased with himself.

"Resources?" Elizabeth asked.

"Weapons. Armor. Some shields. Not enough ranged ammunition."

Elizabeth nodded.

"Sophie?"

Sophie straightened slightly.

"Class Three. Thirty-six remaining."

James looked toward her.

"Only one elimination?"

Her smile faded.

"Yes."

"Resources?"

"Maps. Route information. Some food we found later. We repaired the eastern river bridge."

I raised one hand.

All four looked toward me.

Penelope also looked toward me.

Because from her perspective, I had apparently raised my hand at nothing.

I immediately regretted this.

"That was you?"

Sophie blinked.

"Yes."

"Thank you."

She smiled.

"You’re welcome."

Done.

Excellent interaction.

Penelope’s eyebrows rose.

"Who are you thanking?"

I held up one finger.

Later.

Daphne spoke before anyone could expect additional conversation from me.

"Class Four. Thirty-five remaining."

Elizabeth looked toward her.

"Two eliminations?"

"Temple collapse."

"And resources?"

"Mana crystals."

James immediately became interested.

"How many?"

"Enough."

"Specific."

"No."

I liked her.

Elizabeth’s mouth almost moved.

"Daphne."

"Approximately four carts."

"That’s useful."

"I know."

Then everyone looked toward me.

Ah.

Terrible.

Elizabeth spoke.

"Vortex?"

"Alive."

Penelope slowly turned her head toward me.

James closed his eyes.

Elizabeth’s expression remained patient.

"Your class."

I looked back toward the students moving along the road.

Roland.

Cedric.

Mira.

Lena.

Everyone.

"Thirty-seven."

Silence.

James looked toward me.

"None eliminated?"

"None."

Sophie’s expression brightened.

"Seriously?"

"Yes."

Daphne’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"How?"

I considered the last hour.

Monster claws.

Cracked golden barriers.

Mana exhaustion.

A five-meter creature attempting to turn half my convoy into decoration.

"Barrier."

James frowned.

"That’s it?"

"Mostly."

Elizabeth studied me more carefully.

"You protected the entire class during the attack?"

"And the wounded."

Another silence.

I disliked these.

They generally meant people were about to ask more questions.

Sophie smiled.

"That’s impressive."

"Thank you."

Penelope looked at me again.

From her perspective, I had just said Barrier, followed by mostly, followed by and the wounded, then thanked empty air.

She was beginning to look concerned.

Understandable.

Elizabeth continued.

"And resources?"

I looked around.

Wagons?

No.

Weapons?

Very few.

Medicine?

Some.

Patients?

Many.

"Wounded people."

Daphne frowned.

"Those aren’t resources."

I almost answered.

Then stopped.

Penelope couldn’t hear Daphne.

Good.

That meant there was no reason to drag her into the conversation.

"They’re what we have."

Daphne considered that.

"Fair."

Elizabeth asked, "How many?"

I looked toward Penelope.

"Current patient count?"

She blinked.

"What?"

"How many?"

"One hundred and twenty-two who still need assistance. One died before we left the infirmary."

Right.

The soldier whose heart had already stopped.

I looked back toward the projections.

"One hundred and twenty-two."

James stared at me.

"You brought one hundred and twenty-two wounded people?"

"Yes."

"All of them?"

"Most."

Technically one had died before the evacuation.

Details.

"Why?"

I looked at him.

"They were there."

Apparently this was insufficient.

Elizabeth intervened.

"Medical resources?"

"Medicine. Three healers. One apothecary. Several people with first-aid experience."

Sophie nodded.

"So each class was given something."

Elizabeth understood immediately.

"Yes."

She looked between us.

"Transportation and food."

James answered next.

"Weapons."

Sophie:

"Information."

Daphne:

"Mana."

Then everyone looked toward me.

"Medicine."

I sighed.

"The Hermit deliberately separated necessary resources."

Elizabeth’s eyes sharpened.

"So no class possesses everything required for the final stage."

"Assumption," Daphne said.

Elizabeth looked toward her.

"Strong inference."

"Better."

James shifted his attention toward the map Sophie had projected into the communication network.

"Routes converge here."

Sophie pointed toward a valley roughly two hours from the Citadel.

"If everyone maintains their current pace, Classes Two and Three can meet first."

Elizabeth studied it.

"Class One is northwest. Daphne?"

"South."

I checked my own position.

East.

Excellent.

We were spread almost perfectly.

Which meant cooperation would require walking.

A great deal of walking.

The Hermit truly was evil.

"Class Five will be the slowest," Elizabeth said.

"Yes."

"Because of the civilians."

"Yes."

"You could leave them."

Penelope couldn’t hear her.

But she noticed my expression change.

I looked at Elizabeth.

She wasn’t being cruel.

Not exactly.

She was testing the decision.

Calculating.

I knew that kind of expression.

"If we leave them now, they probably die."

"They’re constructs."

"Probably."

Elizabeth became quiet.

Her eyes changed slightly.

Interesting.

She had clearly encountered the same question somewhere during her own route.

Then she nodded.

"Agreed."

James looked between us.

"So we’re taking civilians now?"

Elizabeth answered.

"I have eighty."

That made me blink.

"You too?"

Her smile tightened slightly.

"I encountered similar complications."

I looked at her.

Then at the projections.

"Understandable."

Sophie laughed.

Daphne closed her eyes.

"Wonderful. Two classes have adopted the kingdom."

"Temporary adoption," I said.

Penelope looked toward me.

"Who did you adopt?"

I ignored her.

Later.

James sighed.

"Fine."

Elizabeth’s expression became serious again.

"We have wagons."

My attention sharpened immediately.

"How many?"

"Twelve, though several are currently carrying supplies and civilians."

Very good.

"We can redistribute at convergence," she continued. "Class One can transfer wagon space to Class Five."

Daphne spoke next.

"Class Four can reduce weight during difficult sections."

James nodded.

"Class Two provides escorts."

Sophie pointed toward her map.

"I’ll find the fastest convergence route and identify anything dangerous between us."

I stared at them.

That happened quickly.

Far too quickly.

Five people who had barely spoken before today were now reorganizing several hundred people across an artificial kingdom.

Strange.

The System spoke quietly.

[Akashic resonance increasing.]

’I noticed.’

[The four fragments are responding to sustained interaction.]

’We’re discussing wagons.’

[Apparently the Akashic Key supports logistics.]

I almost smiled.

Elizabeth continued.

"We should also redistribute resources after convergence. Weapons to classes lacking them. Medical supplies where necessary. Mana crystals for high-consumption roles."

Daphne’s expression changed.

"Limited mana crystals."

Elizabeth smiled.

"Naturally."

"You were going to ask for more."

"I haven’t asked for anything yet."

"You were thinking it."

James looked toward Sophie.

"Do they always do this?"

"We’ve known each other for less than a day."

"Fair."

I looked toward Elizabeth.

"Anything else?"

"Casualty priority."

I frowned.

"What?"

"If we encounter another large-scale attack before convergence, the classes carrying civilians cannot defend effectively while maintaining transport. Class Two should move toward the central position after meeting Class Three."

James nodded.

"We can do that."

Sophie added, "My scouts can stay ahead of the combined group once we meet."

Daphne crossed her arms.

"Class Four’s mana can support emergency defense."

Elizabeth looked toward me.

"And Class Five maintains medical support."

I considered it.

Simple enough.

Efficient.

Disturbingly coordinated.

"Fine."

Elizabeth glanced around the network.

"Any objections?"

I raised one hand.

She looked toward me.

"What?"

"I would like a nap."

Penelope’s head snapped toward me.

James stared.

Sophie laughed.

Daphne closed her eyes.

Elizabeth smiled.

"No."

I sighed.

"Then no objections."

The connection disappeared.

The four projections vanished.

The road returned to normal.

Penelope was already staring at me.

"What?"

She remained silent for several seconds.

Then:

"I have a question."

"One?"

"Several, actually."

"Unfortunate."

She pointed toward the empty space in front of me.

"Was that the other class leaders?"

"Yes."

Her eyes narrowed.

"So for the last several minutes, you were actually having a conversation?"

"Yes."

"I couldn’t hear any of them."

"I noticed."

"I could only hear you."

"Also noticed."

Penelope stared.

Then started counting on her fingers.

"You said ’alive.’"

"Relevant."

"Then ’thirty-seven.’"

"Also relevant."

"’Barrier.’"

"Very relevant."

"’Wounded people.’"

"Accurate."

"’Medicine.’"

"Still accurate."

"You thanked someone twice."

"Sophie repaired the bridge."

Penelope glanced behind us.

"The bridge we just crossed?"

"Yes."

Her expression softened slightly.

"That was nice of you."

"I possess manners."

"Debatable."

I ignored that.

Then her eyes narrowed again.

"You also said, ’Temporary adoption.’"

"Context."

"And then you asked for a nap."

"Very important context."

She closed her eyes.

"You coordinated with the other four leaders and ended the conversation by asking for a nap."

"Correct."

"Why?"

"I was tired."

She stared.

I stared back.

The System spoke.

[Your bond-building strategy remains questionable.]

’They spoke to me.’

[An impressive achievement.]

’Progress.’

[Delusional.]

I looked toward the road ahead.

Roughly two hours to convergence.

Thirty-six classmates.

Every one still present.

One hundred and twenty-two wounded people who still needed transportation and medical support.

Four other classes carrying resources we needed.

Four people carrying fragments of the Akashic Key.

And apparently, by the time we reached the Citadel, all five classes would have to function together.

I looked at Dream Haven.

It remained tucked safely beneath one arm.

At least one thing in my life was reliable.

"Everyone keep moving."

The order traveled down the convoy.

Penelope smiled.

I immediately became suspicious.

"What?"

"Nothing."

"That’s never true."

She walked several steps ahead.

Then looked back.

"Come on, Leader."

"Don’t."

Her smile widened.

Terrible woman.

I followed anyway.