Just Before the Decisive Battle
I had a bad feeling.
I guess I should say foreboding――.
"Thank goodness...... you're still safe."
Kara muttered to herself on top of a small hill overlooking the royal castle of Grabalt―― a castle built on a giant tree, the largest and longest-lived tree in the land.
She had learned from Fenelieka's report that the slime had mimicked a [human] and she hurried back to the royal castle of Grabalt as soon as she left the soldiers to check on the movements in the slime castle.
"Jenna-sama, there are no slimes around."
"Thank you. We will be hurrying again from now on, so please rest while you still can."
"Ha!"
Jenna... had already returned to the front lines.
Kara is impressed that she is a mentally strong woman, even though she was violated so much by the slime.
The same goes for the elf knight Fianna.
"For those who can move, make a group of five people and be on guard for the surrounding area! We don’t know where the slime will come from!"
"Understood!"
"Please escort Fasalina-sama and Akane-sama as well! Never take your eyes off them!"
The silver-haired elf knight gave instructions in quick succession, paying special attention to the defense of the hill where Kara and the others were resting.
The enemy is a slime that is good at mimicry.
She understands that no matter how careful they are, it's never enough.
Fianna came to Kara and Jenna while giving instructions to the elf knights and beastmen warriors.
"Thank you for your hard work, Fianna-sama."
When Kara said words of thanks, Fianna bowed her head.
"No. Right now, all I can do is give instructions..."
Fianna, Jenna, and many of the women here can't fight.
The slime cannot produce mana, but they have the property of storing mana by violating women and eating men.
...The women who are violated in this way are violated until their mana is emptied and become impregnated.
The same goes for Fianna, who has powerful mana, and Jenna, who has excellent talent as a priest.
As a result, they were robbed of their fighting power, and were temporarily unable to use magic or miracles.
"I sympathize with Kara-dono's thoughts. Mariabell-sama is..."
"It's okay."
Kara interrupted Fianna's words.
She remembers when they learned about the slime that mimics a human and they were forced to retreat.
...And that was already several days ago.
"We can't leave a slime that mimics a human alone. We have to find it and kill it as soon as possible."
"I agree"
Jenna agrees.
Being able to mimic a human creates the fear that one's neighbors may turn into slimes before they know it.
And not just the figure, but also the facial expressions.
Kara hasn't seen the real thing yet, but if Fenelieka's report is true, it will be difficult to tell the difference.
"Maria will be fine―― I'm sure she'll endure."
(Hang in there, Maria...)
Actually, she wanted to go and help right away.
Kara keeps thinking about this as she mixes the aphrodisiac suppressant on the improvised desk.
Her best friend headed towards the humanoid alone in the slime castle.
Without having time to check if she was okay, Kara left the area in pursuit of the next threat.
They left behind some personnel to investigate the movements within the castle, but they could not enter it.
...There is almost no remaining slime-killing elixir, Valhari Water.
A lot of water was used to save the women who were trapped underground, as well as the goddess Fasalina and the new female hero Akane Shinomiya.
No matter how they tried, they had no choice but to retreat now, but still, the guilt of having left Mariabelle behind weighed heavily on Kara's shoulders.
But there is hope.
They were able to rescue the goddess Fasalina.
"Jenna-sama. Has Fasalina-sama woke up?"
"Yes, but it seems like being attacked by a slime was really painful for her..."
(Well, the goddess is also a woman.)
Although she thought it was rude, Kara understood her feelings.
Getting violated by a slime.
Moreover, the opponent was something that was even called the [weakest] until a few years ago.
Being violated by something like that, having her powers taken away, being impregnated with a child... maybe it's a humiliation that cannot be accepted by a race superior to humans, the Goddess.
(We don't have much time, but I guess there's nothing I can do until she gets used to it.)
There is no way to rush this one.
It takes time for the person to calm down.
"Let's be glad that we were able to rescue her safely. Now she may be able to help us."
"I see. The slime that mimics a human that was mentioned in Fenelieka's report... It would be easier if we could find out where it is."
"I'm sorry, but I don't have such a useful ability."
A cool voice mingled with the conversation that Kara and the others were having while she was making the suppressant.
The owner of the voice stood at the entrance of the tent, looking around the tent with cold eyes that showed no discernible wave of emotion.
"You have a lot of strange tools, Kara."
"H-ha..."
When she was rescued a few days ago, she had repeated convulsions even while she was unconscious, but the sound of her dignified voice that didn't give off any hint of obscenity made them feel as if their heart was gripped.
Kara unconsciously got up from the chair she was sitting on and knelt down on the spot.
...It was the same for Jenna and Fianna who were next to her.
They too are under the influence of the goddess's majesty, and are unable to look directly at her beauty.
"Is this a tool from another world?"
Fasalina asks as she picks up a glass test tube.
Kara nodded.
"Ha. I made it based on the story I heard from the hero who defeated the Demon King."
"I see―― I know your knowledge very well."
Fasalina says so and puts the test tube back in its place.
"You created a medicine that kills slimes. Well done."
"T-thank you very much……"
Kara is not a true believer in the goddess like Jenna, Fianna, and the people who live in this land.
In fact, she even disapproved of the way she lent her strength only in times of emergency.
But even Kara hesitated to look back into her eyes and remained kneeling on the ground, unable to move without being instructed to do so.
Angelica, who had the goddess inside her, had such an intimidating presence.
"So you're saying that a slime that perfectly mimics a human has appeared."
Without worrying about Kara and the others' reactions, Fasalina pulled out a chair and sat down.
...At that moment, she realized that Akane was behind Fasalina.
A woman with black hair just like Mariabelle.
This one's hair is long, reaching down to her shoulders, and she wears glasses.
The clothes she is wearing were prepared by Jenna and others, and she is wearing a linen shirt and pants. Kara and the others had the impression that she was no different from a normal human except for the color of her hair.
"You seem to know her name, but I'll introduce her. She's Akane Shinomiya, the new hero I discovered."
"H-hello..."
When introduced by Fasalina, Akane gave a slight nod.
Kara and the others kneeled on the floor and watched.
How should she put it...
(She seems timid)
That's her first impression.
She doesn't feel the strength or strong will like Mariabelle.
However, that's because Akane hasn't gotten used to this place yet.
After all, this is a different world. There was no one else that she could call an acquaintance other than Fasalina, so that reaction was natural.
Akane didn't know what to say, so she decided to sit down on a chair near Fasalina.
However, out of concern for Kara and the others, she was unsure whether it would be better to sit on a chair or kneel on the floor.
"Um... should I stand?"
"Feel free to"
Fasalina said this without any particular concern and looked at Akane.
"Do you think you can beat that, Akane?"
"Well, um... which one?"
Akane asked, not knowing whether she was talking about the humanoid or a slime that mimics a human.
"The one I gave birth to."
"...T-that's pretty direct, isn't it?"
Akane's expression clouded as her mouth twitched at her words.
Honestly, she doesn't feel like she can win.
Having been violated, she has developed a sense of weakness, and what's more, her opponent is an even more evolved monster.
No matter what she does, she can't picture herself winning.
"Is it impossible?"
Thanks to the effects of the suppressant, she is able to speak now, but what would happen if she were violated again... just thinking about it is terrifying.
No, just remembering it makes her cower.
Above all, even as she was talking like this, she felt an aching deep inside her womb, and her legs in linen pants were unconsciously trying to rub her thighs together.
Akane's body is shamefully addicted to pleasure, and if she were to meet it, she would surely remember how good it felt.
The slime's torment was impossible against a normal human.
And a morbid pleasure using a real [aphrodisiac] that cannot exist in reality.
......Akane let out a sigh, feeling ashamed of herself.
It's really pathetic because what she gained from being summoned as a hero and traveling with a goddess was not confidence or experience, but knowledge about pleasure.
"I see, you still can’t win."
"...Did you hear what I said?"
"I hardly think your talent is inferior to that thing, although this time you were caught unprepared."
"I'm glad to hear that, but I think it was Mariabelle, wasn't it? I can't fight like her, can I?"
"You can fight like you always do. No one thinks you are the same as Mariabelle."
"...Haa."
It was irreverent for Fasalina.
Even though she was defeated once, she believes in Akane and does not doubt her victory.
(Maybe she can see the future because she's a goddess?)
That's what she thought, but then she should have known about the encounter with the humanoid.
Then, no. In that case, it was the goddess's trust, and Akane's shoulders grew heavy as she did not know how to respond to that trust.
"Even if you expect so much from me......."
"No. You will eventually have to cross swords,...... perhaps you should start by believing in your own strength first."
Fasalina's words are still difficult for outsiders to understand.
Akane thought that no matter what she said, her opinion wouldn't change, so she let out another sigh and looked at Kara and the others who kept their heads down.
"Um, nice to meet you...? I'm Akane Shinomiya."
"Ha. I'm Jenna, this is Fianna, the knight who unites the elf knights, and this is... Kara, the scientist who created the chemical solution that kills slimes."
"Scientist? In addition to magic, this world also has chemistry?"
"Ah, no..."
Kara called herself a [scientist], that she had heard from a story told by the hero before... Mariabelle's father, and that she had gotten the idea from there.
She was quite surprised to hear that this way of thinking is the basis of chemistry in Akane's world, a collection of knowledge and techniques that are built on numerous trials and errors.
Normally, if a person who grew up in a world of only magic suddenly heard about science, they wouldn't be able to understand it.
To begin with, they have different ways of thinking.
Because their way of thinking is completely different.
And yet, in a single generation, Kara has transformed her thinking and is spreading it to the people around her.
"Kara-san is smart."
"Is that so?"
Akane honestly thought so when she heard Kara's story.
She was sure geniuses were people like this.
"So, what are you planning to do now? Any thoughts?"
"Yes. I am planning to return to Grabalt's royal castle."
"Why?"
"...A slime that mimics a human. It's probably targeting one of the countries, Grabalt or Fonteau."
She said probably, but Kara and the others were sure.
This is because there are no slimes disguised as monsters in the Grabalt Forest.
This is because they gather in one place and act as a group.
And that action had only happened once before.
When the Demon King was still alive, monsters that were not supposed to act in groups came together as one army and attacked a country.
First Fonteau, then Grabalt.
When Lishlua learned of the attack, they prayed to the goddess and were protected by a barrier, and the hero used Lishlua as his base and went around subjugating monsters.
"I see"
"I'm not saying we're going to follow that, but if it appeared in Grabalt Forest, then the closest one would be the World Tree, and the next closest would be Fonteau's Royal Castle... Lishlua, which is protected by a barrier, would come after that."
Kara explained, then stood up after saying so.
She spread out a map on the desk.
The continent is surrounded by an ocean on all sides, and in the center of the land is a huge tree. The map is a simplified one with the place names of Fonteau and Lishlua written on the east and west sides of it.
It can be seen that geographic information is not that well-developed.
Although it is difficult for Akane, a modern person, to see the map, she is grateful that she can see it with her eyes instead of just words.
"We're currently in this area, and the royal castle of Grabalt is here. If we hurry, we can arrive by noon tomorrow."
"There are a lot of injured people... We plan to entrust the injured to Grabalt and then build a defense line."
Fianna, who continued Kara's explanation, choked on her words at the injured ones.
Very few people actually suffered serious wounds such as lacerations.
In this case, the injured is someone who has been affected by the slime's mucus... an aphrodisiac.
The women are no longer able to fight, and the men retreat before they are killed.
Although it was such a huge battle, it is a relief that the actual death toll was surprisingly low.
"If we use something called a suppressant, wouldn’t it be possible to return to the front lines immediately?"
"We don't have enough ingredients for the medicine. I have told my subordinates how to prepare it, so if we can secure them in Grabalt, they will recover quickly."
However, due to the season, she was not sure if those materials could be gathered......
Even though they collected as much medicine as possible before a big battle, they still didn't have enough.
Kara is not sure how much she can collect additionally from there.
But it has to be done.
The hero Mariabelle is absent, and the hero's holy sword has been taken away... the only things that can resist the slime are the mage's magic and the [Valhari Blessed Water] devised by Kara.
"Excuse me!!"
While Kara and the others were discussing the future, Julia, a fox-eared beastman, entered the tent.
Fianna and Kara had a bad premonition at the sight of her impatience.
"A swarm of slimes is heading towards Grabalt's royal castle!"
"What direction are they coming from?"
"It's the west! Some slimes are also heading towards Fonteau, but there are only a few there!"
"I'll head out to check it! Jenna-sama, Kara-dono. The two of you hurry up and get ready to head to Grabalt!"
After Fianna said that, she ran out of the tent.
Kara did as she was told and packed up the tools in the tent and handed the small amount of suppressant she had made to Julia to deliver to Fornelis and the others who were still suffering from the effects of the aphrodisiac.
Jenna, like Fianna, left the tent and instructed the knights to prepare for retreat.
The goal is the royal castle of Grabalt.
――That is where the decisive battle will take place.
"Fasalina-sama, Akane-sama! Please both of you get on the horse!"
"U-um... I've never ridden a horse..."
"Me neither."
"I'll prepare a carriage. It's a bit cramped because there's a lot of luggage, but please be patient."
While Jenna was giving instructions in quick succession, Kara came out of the tent with only the necessary tools.
"I'll hurry and tell Grabalt about this crisis. And get the horses to Fonteau as soon as possible!"
"Yes! Kara, be careful!"
"Jenna-sama too―― Fasalina-sama, Akane-sama, it will shake a little, but please be patient."
Kara said that, and after helping Fasalina and Akane get onto the loading platform, she sat on the driver's stand of the carriage and started to drive the horses.
"Ha! Hurry! Run!!"
"Kya!?"
Akane, who was sitting at the back of the carriage, screamed, but Kara did not slow down.
A horse-drawn carriage runs along a slightly paved road in the deep forest.
...Kara looked behind her for the last time.
To be exact, in the direction of the slime castle.
(Maria, I will definitely help you. So please be patient for a little while.)
This is not a parting.
Believing so, Kara drove the carriage to do what she could.
Goddess Fasalina and the new female hero Akane.
To deliver these two, who will surely become the trump cards of humanity, to a safe place.
To convey the new crisis.
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