Episode 5: Changes in Monsters
Two days after Mariabelle and the others encountered the strange slimes.
A big battle was about to unfold in the forest to the west, far away from the nameless village where they were staying.
"Please be careful, everyone!"
A cool voice, like that of the sound of bells, echoed through the dark forest.
The owner of the voice, the blonde priestess Jenna, steps backward and held her beloved staff, a little shorter than her own height, in both hands, raised it, and prayed to the goddess Fasalina, whose presence could still be felt when she closed her eyes and concentrated.
Praying to the goddess was something she had never missed every day in the holy kingdom of Lishlua.
Now in that prayer, she wished for the safety of her companions that were fighting instead of thoughts of peace.
Then, the gem at the tip of the staff emitted a dazzling light, and the light enveloped the more than 100 people who were holding their weapons in the darkness of the forest.
A miracle of protection.
It is a miracle that increased the target's immunity and resistance to poison and mental attacks.
It was used to prevent the paralyzing poisons used by the enemies they were facing―― goblins, orcs, and other "slimes" that take many forms.
"Thank you, Jenna-sama!"
After being enveloped by such a warm glow, Fiana, who was leading the frontlines, pulled her sword from her waist with words of gratitude.
The same shape as the mithril sword she lost during the battle with the Black Ooze.
Queen Leticia had the ice magic sword re-made for her, who was regarded as a hero among the elven knights.
Fiana responded to the queen's trust, and with a dignified expression, destroyed the slime as she held her double-edged sword in her right hand and raised it upwards.
"Let the battle commence! Now it's our turn to strike back―― everyone, charge!!"
""Ohh!!""
No one on the continent was unaware of the threat of slime.
It was the "weakest" monster that once destroyed Fonteau and left deep scars on Lishlua and Grabalt.
It used magic, gained resistance to magic, increased its numbers, and gained wisdom.
Fiana thought that their danger level was comparable to that of dragons, and with her sword in her hand, she charged into the group of monsters waiting in front of them.
Her gaze was drawn not only to goblins, orcs, and other familiar monsters, but also to lizardmen and harpies, which were rare in the forest, and a chimera-like creature with a lion's head, and snake tail, though it was only one.
"We outnumber them! Stay together and watch out for the tentacles as well as the weapons in their hands!"
"You heard her! Watch out for tentacles and mucus, and we'll kill them all quickly!"
A sharp reply to Fiana's words was given by Julia, a fox-eared beastwoman, the captain of the group of beastmen entrusted to her by Fornelis.
Her excellent athletic ability was unique to beastmen, and her swordsmanship was also remarkable, as she professed that she joined Grabalt's army because of her admiration for Fornelis.
Although she was small compared to other women her age and could not wield an oversized sword like Fornelis', the mithril long sword in her hand heated up and the blade turned red, and she used it to first reduce the small goblins and other small monsters.
The goblin-type slime was startled by the sudden attack, followed by the orc-type and lizardman-type slimes...... and finally the chimera-like giant slime at the furthest distance wagged its tail and snapped several huge trees that were nearby without any difficulty.
"Let's go! Let's kill all the slime! You know what to do, everyone!"
But even after seeing that much destruction, Julia's will to fight did not wane.
Rather, the flames of anger in her chest flared up even more, and the mithril long sword even seemed to heat up in response.
The reason for that, as a woman, she too had been attacked by the slime.
Nearly two years ago.
When Mariabelle went to retrieve the hero's sword, it was Julia who accompanied her as Fornelis' subordinate at that time.
All of their men companions were killed, and only she and her colleague Anri survived.
In accordance with her anger at that time, the golden-haired, fox-eared beastwoman slashed at every one of the slimes reflected in her red eyes, which raged like crimson flames.
For ease of movement, the equipment she wore was also light, made of monster leather.
Although she was dressed in a black military uniform of Grabalt and a mini tight skirt similar to that of Fornelis, whom she admired, her equipment was closer to that of an adventurer or mercenary than to that of a warrior.
"Haaa!!"
By the time the goblin raised its hand to strike Julia with the wooden stick in its hand, it was already in her attack range.
Even though she was in a forest where the footing was unstable, she leaned so far forward that her face almost touched the ground, and with the momentum of her forward, she ran and jumped into a group of goblins before anyone else.
Julia, who was one of the smallest members of the female troop and the beastmen, ran toward the group of slimes, which took the form of various monsters.
"Haa!!"
Julia ran on the ground creating a fissure with every step.
She turned her whole body like a top, and when she gained momentum, it was as though a flower had bloomed in the dark forest.
And where in that slender body she was getting that much power―― the long sword sliced into the mucus body a little bit with the momentum of her rotation, and after a moment of resistance, the goblin's body was cut in two, up and down.
Naturally, the slime would not die unless the "nucleus" in its mucus body was destroyed.
Unlike ordinary goblins, when the slime was cut into two pieces, the two halves extend their tentacles to each other and try to return to their original form.
But at that moment, they were defenseless.
It was a fighting style she learned in the battle against the slime.
If the slime was seriously wounded, even though it was a mass of mucus, it would be defenseless for a short time as it tried to heal it back.
Julia, while keeping an eye on her surroundings on the crowded battlefield, searched for the "nucleus" of the slime with the superior vision of a beastman, and without hesitation, crushed a stone the size of her thumb with her long, red-hot sword.
Immediately, the slime body, which had maintained its shape until then, melted and collapsed, becoming a puddle on the ground, motionless.
"Look out, Julia!!"
Just as she watched it, she heard a voice behind her.
Julia rolled forward, not caring that her beautiful hair was stained with mud or that her tight black skirt was rolled up, revealing her flashy red underwear, and a thick wooden stick held by a huge orc arm reared up where her head had been.
"Are you okay!?"
"Yes, I'm fine! Worry about yourself instead of me, Anri!"
"Mou, you always say that."
The owner of the voice, who went to where Julia had fallen, helped her to her feet.
The woman with chestnut-colored hair that reached her shoulders had round raccoon ears on her head and a long tail on her buttocks.
Anri, a beastwoman like Julia.
She, too, was a talented girl who admired Fornelis and became her subordinate.
She was not as skilled with a sword as Julia, but her physical strength alone was superior to her.
In fact, it was the fourth time they had encountered a slime in the form of a monster in the two days they had split up from Mariabelle and the others who were staying in the village.
All of them were small battles, but even so, fighting in the forest with poor footholds and visibility was stressful even for the beastmen who was accustomed to the forest.
Julia, who was a genius and a serious person, tried not to show her fatigue on her face, but even so, she felt that her legs were heavy from this morning.
However, Anri showed no such pretense and supported Julia without getting in her way in the battle, even calling out to her when she noticed the surprise attack of the orc, which Julia had overlooked.
"I'll go on the frontlines, support me!"
"Ah, mou! You're getting tired, you idiot!?"
That said, Anri's steps were sharper than Julia's, who was tired.
The orc that came toward them raised a thick wooden stick that could shatter a bone with a single hit.
Julia would avoid it, jump to the side, and launch a shallow attack.
However, Anri went at it head-on and caught the stick with a long sword thicker than Julia's.
A heavy, clanging sound reached the two beastmen's ears, mingling with the sounds of battle echoing from the surroundings.
"Kuh, heavy!"
"Just hold on to it!"
The wooden stick bit slightly into the long sword, which was thicker and less sharp.
The orc was unable to pull back the stick, slowing its movement, and Julia took advantage of the opportunity and dived into the side beside Anri.
The orc was larger than the goblin, and the "nucleus" in its body was completely hidden.
Even so, Julia stepped forward and thrust her sword into the location of the heart, and gripped its hilt with both hands.
"Burn down, you bastard!"
She put all her strength into the hand that held the hilt as it was.
Mithril was a metal that responded to the user's emotions and converted the stored mana into magic.
It was one of the few weapons by which a beastman who could not use magic could use to an enemy like a slime whose physical attacks did not work.
The quality of this metal was inferior to that of Fornelis', but the effect was the same as it burned the mucus.
The blade of the mithril sword, which was even more deeply red-hot, sent up a plume of smoke that burned the orc's mucus, creating a cavity around it.
She was lucky.
When she aimed at the creature's weak spot, its heart, she found the "nucleus" hidden near it.
"I found it!"
Julia plunged her right hand, protected by a hand armor and the miracle of protection that Jenna had provided before the battle began, into the hole without hesitation and took the "nucleus".
The mucus had acted like a normal monster, but now that it had been deprived of its "nucleus," it would extend its tentacles from any part of its body where it could move freely in an attempt to recover it from Julia.
However, the tentacles did not reach the beautiful blonde fox beastwoman's skin just in time, as Anri grabbed Julia by the collar and pulled her backward after he had forcefully popped the oak stick.
"Mou, you stupid brute woman!!"
"I helped you!?"
Saying that, Julia threw the "nucleus" to the ground.
The huge body of the orc, which had lost its "nucleus," deformed and extended its tentacles toward the "nucleus" that had fallen to the ground.
Before the tip of the tentacle touched it, a beautiful swing from a long sword reached it.
The sharp attack shattered the "nucleus" without missing its target, and the slime in the shape of an orc, which had deformed by extending its tentacles from all parts of its huge body, trembled greatly and collapsed.
"Hooray!"
"Stupid! You have time to be happy!?"
When Anri shouted as Julia brightly expressed that she had safely defeated her enemy, Julia hit her with her voluptuous body and they both fell to the muddy ground together.
Immediately after, the huge body of the chimera ran over their heads.
Julia's blonde hair, heavy with mud, was shaken by the wind pressure from the huge body.
"Everyone dodge!!"
"Kuh."
"Whoa!?"
The beastman warrior and the elven knight who were in its path were caught up and blown away.
They flew through the air, fell to the ground, rolled, and stopped when their backs smashed into a tree.
When the warrior priests led by Jenna tried to get close to them to check their injuries, the snake's tail poked its fangs out as though to repel them.
"Haa!!"
But.
Before the fangs could reach the warrior priest's neck, there was a sharp flash.
Even in the dark forest, a silver color flashed, and the chimera reacted to the attack by pulling back its serpent's tail.
"Fiana, sama..."
"Please wait for a little while―― I'll deal with the Chimera."
The woman who intervened was a female elf with stunning silver hair.
The elven knight Fiana, dressed in white robes and armor that prioritized ease of movement, turned undaunted to face the chimera, whose charge alone had slowed down the humans and beastmen's forces.
The exact opposite of Julia's sword.
The chimera flew back in caution as she held up the magic sword, with its impressive blue blade that took the heat from its surroundings just by being there.
"Whoa!?"
"Everyone, prioritize dealing with the smaller demons! Don't get in Fiana-san's way!"
A voice from a distance, faster than Julia, who is used to fighting, could stand up.
Jenna, who was supporting everyone with the miracle of the goddess, instructed the warriors to make it easier for Fiana to fight.
The aim was clear.
No matter how skilled Fiana was in swordsmanship and magic, she would have a hard time against the chimera with its huge body as she looked at it, the huge mouth that could swallow a human being whole, and huge claws that could snap off the huge trees around it with a single strike.
So, they must first clear out the small fry in the way so that she could fight with all her might.
At the same time, she would pull out the elven knights who were with them, though not many, from the frontlines and have them prepare their magic.
The plan was to stall them, isolate them, and then froze them with ice magic.
The slime's greatest weakness was fire magic, but if they were to burn down a chimera so large, the fire would spread to the forest at the same time.
"You heard her, everyone! Elves, stand back and prepare your magic! Beastmen, step forward and cut up those slimes!!"
"All right!!"
"Don't get in Fiana-san and the Chimera's way, just focus on avoiding them!!"
When Jenna supplemented Julia's instructions, Fiana understood her intentions.
"Don't let them kill anyone!!"
"――――!!"
As though in response to Fiana's declaration, the chimera opened its mouth wide.
But no screams rose.
There was no time to raise a sound to the slime.
As a sharp ripping voice and an unspoken roar rose, the battle between them began.
Fiana held her sword in her right hand and conjured magic in her left to create a barrier that served as a shield.
The shield, which appeared to be a distorted translucent space, had no weight, partly because it was made of mana.
If the right arm raised by the chimera were caught head-on, Fiana would be crushed by its weight alone―― so she deflected the attack by using her invisible shield.
"Kuh, strong!!"
But just as she deflected the attack, her left arm goes numb.
With her golden eyes twisted in anguish, however, Fiana did not stop.
She dived into the chimera's bosom and thrusts the shining blue ice sword into its belly.
"――――!!"
There should be no pain.
However, the Chimera looked up to the sky and opened its mouth wide as though in anguish, then twisted its body and forcibly pulled out Fiana's sword.
At that moment, part of its abdomen froze, and the frozen mucus collapsed from the shock by forcible pulling out the sword.
However, once the frozen part was gone, its mucus filled the wound.
As that happened, the mucus-body chimera regained its movement again and began to walk in a circle with nimble steps, as though wary of Fiana.
It was the movement of a wild beast aiming at its prey.
――It was different from the slimes that attacked Fonteau.
It was a movement that showed only the instinct of a beast, not its intelligence.
But it was also troubling to Fiana.
Whether it was a wolf smaller than herself or a gigantic chimera―― in terms of movement and athletic ability, it far surpassed the elves.
But to compensate and surpass them, there was wisdom. Knowledge.
"Fiana-sama, please don't overdo it!!"
"I'll support you in a minute!!"
"Don't worry about me! Concentrate on protecting yourself and supporting others!!"
As she said that, Fiana held her invisible shield in front of her as though to warn the chimera.
Immediately after, a flow of mana that she, an elf, had felt―― the lion's head on the chimera, the snake's tail, no, the horns emitted a pale light.
Lightning magic.
It was a magic of a higher rank than fire or water, which not many elves skilled in magic arts could use.
The knight who had been fighting since the time of the Demon King, Fiana read that its magic was coming, then put her mana into her invisible shield, and started running toward the horns, which emitted a bluish-white light.
The battle was instantaneous.
The lightning approached Fiana at the speed of light, but the mana in the invisible shield distorted the trajectory of the lightning and sent it falling to the ground.
The mere touch of that powerful magic would have burned the flesh of her entire body and evaporated her blood.
However, Fiana, unafraid of it, stepped forward, and as she drew strength from the blue magic sword, she watched the moment when the momentum of the magic that continued to be released, slightly weakened, and conversely, she put the lightning magic into the blade.
The moment the ice magic was cut off, the mithril sword caught the lightning magic.
"Haa!!"
The fact that the chimera used high-level magic that even Fiana, who had hundreds of years of combat experience, could not use showed the high level of magic skill of the slime species.
But on the other hand, if they had a vessel to catch the magic called mithril, it would also be their advantage.
Fiana charged with her sword, which was imbued with lightning, and the chimera, sensing the danger, leaped backward.
"Now!!"
At the moment Jenna gave the order, the elven knights, who had moved back and were preparing their magic, released ice magic.
The chimera also sensed the flow of mana and immediately jumped to dodge the attack, kicking the ground once more.
However, the knights' magic was not aimed at its body, but its legs.
The chimera completely dodged the magic raining down, but a few knights released ice magic like a snake crawling on the ground, freezing its two back legs.
"――――!!"
The chimera's massive body stopped for a moment.
Immediately, it struck, crushing its hind legs and...... trying to regenerate that part of its body.
"Eat this!!"
In that instant, Fiana jumped up and thrust her mithril sword, which glowed pale with lightning magic, into the lion's mouth, which opened menacingly.
A moment later.
Reacting to the slime's mucus, the lightning spreads throughout its body, instantly burning it to the ground.
The chimera's huge body crumbled and melted as a white smoke emitting a strange odor rose.
The impact of the lightning shattered the "nucleus" in the mucus.
"Ah, as expected of Fiana-dono!!"
"Be on your guard! First, we must exterminate the slime! Rejoice only when we have secured the surroundings!"
One of the elves was praising her, but Fiana interrupted him.
She knew.
If she let her guard down other than when it was absolutely safe, that one moment could lead to a fatal defeat.
In addition.
"The Chimera had the ability to use magic that was impossible for it to use! Even though they may be goblins or orcs, they may still be capable of using those! Be careful and take them down!!"
Yes.
The chimera was indeed a monster that could use magic, however, it was not so skilled in magic that it could use lightning magic, which even a knight as good as Fiana could not use.
She had been painfully aware of that over the past few days, but if she thought about it, the slimes in the form of goblins and orcs seemed to have slightly more strength than they used to in her memory.
At the same time, their movements were very slow, perhaps because they did not use "tentacles," the slime's basic weapon, and walked on two legs.
There was such a sense of discomfort, like a child who had just learned how to walk.
She finally understood the nature of the strange sensation that had been bothering her during the two days she had been separated from Mariabelle and the others.
(Something's a little...... off, a little more than the monsters I know.)
The discomfort Fiana felt with the slimes in the form of monsters.
It was "strange" and did not match the knowledge she had learned from years of battles.
Fiana was able to notice that discomfort through the chimera's magic, which was clearly different from the information she remembered.
"Fiana-sama, the slimes that were in the area have been wiped out!"
As the silver-haired elf knight realized that fact, Alfira, a purple-haired female knight who had been leading the knights in a different direction from Julia and the others, returned to report.
Julia and her team were checking to see if the "nucleus" of the slimes had been completely crushed by using their superior vision.
"Thank you, Alfira. Jenna-sama, the injured?"
"The chimera's earlier assault, combined with those who overstepped to take down the orcs, makes six."
"Can they walk?"
"If we can find somewhere open and treat them, we can...... but fighting will be difficult."
"I understand."
Fiana felt that the morale of the troops had been too high, partly because they had thought it was all a goblin-like small fry until now.
So when a strong enemy like the chimera appeared, they thought they could win, and they went too deep into the orcs, which they had been able to beat.
(It's my responsibility......)
Normally, it was the job of the captain in charge of the troops to stop their willingness to go too far forward, but she realized that Fiana herself was in a hurry, aware that the goddess Fasalina had been captured.
She sighed and tried to calm herself down.
In the meantime, she went through the enforcement process and prioritized the injured, the objective, and the current location in her mind.
"First, let's leave the forest. We will treat the wounded and set up a camp."
"No, we can still fight!"
So said the wounded elven knight.
But he had difficulty standing on his own...... apparently, his right leg was broken and was hurt.
Other misperceptions were even worse, and he was unable to raise his voice.
"No. We don't even know where Fasalina-sama is yet. We can't make any progress by rushing...... along with treating everyone, resting our bodies, checking the map, and figuring out where to go next."
"Yes, I agree. We have been walking through the forest for the past two days without a break, as though we were on a forced march...... If we don't take a break here, there may be more injuries at the next battle.
Jenna agreed with Fiana's words.
When the elven hero and the saint who had traveled with the heroes agreed, no one could disagree.
"Alfira, gather the elves to the rear guard. Carry the wounded. Julia, you will lead the beastmen to the vanguard. Those of you who are familiar with the paths of the forest, please lead us outside."
"Yes!"
"Please leave it to me!"
Fiana gave these instructions, and then she too joined the beastmen in the vanguard.
If another battle was to break out, it would be better to have a larger force.
Besides, Fiana still had some strength to spare.
Fatigued, to be sure, but feeling that she could do a little more.
(If you can fight, you have to fight.)
They could not afford to have any more injured people.
It was their mission to find the goddess Fasalina―― not to rescue her, but to find her whereabouts first.
They could not afford to further reduce their precious forces at that stage.
The mission to search for the goddess had just begun.
As Fiana renewed her determination, after walking for a while, they were finally able to exit the forest.
However, it was not a very open area.
There was a place in the deep forest where there were only a few trees, and it was open enough to see the sky.
But even so, there was enough space for about 100 people to rest if they set up their tents correctly.
"All right, it's a little early, but let's camp here for the day."
"Here?"
When Anri spoke to Fiana, Julia, who was standing next to her, poked her with her elbow in the side with a strong force.
"Yes. Today, we prioritize the treatment of the injured and recover our strength. If you have enough stamina left, be on guard and watch the surrounding area. Others should treat the injured and prepare the camp."
"Alright―― All those who can move, gather here!"
When Alfira called out, those who could move, including Julia, gathered around.
The number was about 30 people.
A little too many.
"It's just a perimeter check, so we only need about 10 people. Shall we divide into three units?"
"I understand."
When Fiana said that, they split into Fiana's unit, Julia's unit, and Alfira's unit.
The purple-haired female knight, who was a woman but was dressed in knight's full-body armor, went to the east, the blonde-haired beastman with fox ears and tail went to the west, and the silver-haired elven knight went to the north to make their rounds.
"Come here if you're tired! Once we've carried the wounded, we'll prepare the tents ready next!"
"Carry the wounded this way! Ah, and those of you who are tired, get over here!"
The rest of them set up the tents, with Anri leading the way, while Jenna gathered the injured and those who were badly fatigued.
The right person in the right role.
Everyone did what they could to secure the camp and proceed to treat their companions.
It was over when the sun was slightly tilted from mid-sky, a little late lunch, and no further exploring was done for the day to regain their strength.
The wounded had no serious injuries like broken bones, only bruises, and concussions.
Fiana was informed in the tent that they would be able to move tomorrow, thanks to Jenna's miracle of recovery.
"With this, it looks like we can proceed deeper into the forest again tomorrow."
"Yes.... but."
Fiana and Jenna's hearts grew heavy as they remembered the chimera, the giant monster they fought during the day.
It was not just the Chimera.
Monsters like lizardmen and harpies, which were not normally active in the forest.
It could be said that it was because the slime altered their existence, but there was a part of them that felt strange.
The slimes in the form of monsters imitated what the normal monsters did.
The sight of monsters swarming together and fighting for territory was not so unusual in the days of the demon king.
Both Jenna and Fiana knew that.
The still young Alfira, Julia, Anri, and many of their companions did not know and were surprised at first.
But.
Lizardmen were active near swamps, and when it came to harpies, their habitat was near the sky, such as mountain tops.
Their activities mimic those of normal monsters, but something was clearly different.
Or was it more accurate to say that something was off?
"The slime is still very creepy. They are evolving more and more."
"Yes. So we must reduce their numbers as much as possible."
Julia nodded at Alfira's words.
Anri and the others in the kitchen prepared a simple meal of dried meat, vegetables, and bread, and placed it on the table inside the tent.
"Please come in. It's a simple, ready-made meal."
"I don't think so. Thank you for the very fine food...... Anri-san."
"You are good at cooking, right? Since you've got a big appetite."
"Julia, you're terrible..."
Hearing the light-hearted exchange that was common for friends, Fiana picked up one of her special sandwiches, feeling slightly less tense.
"So, about tomorrow..."
"How shall we proceed? Shall we split up the troops again?"
"Yes. There were some large monsters like the chimera, and I'm thinking of leaving about 30 people in this camp, what do you think?"
Fiana looked at Jenna and Julia as though seeking their opinion when she said that.
They were moving west from the village where they left Mariabelle and the others.
On the map spread out on the table were several red circles, which indicated the location of the ruins in the Grabalt's Forest.
The ruins, though, were mostly weathered and uninhabitable.
However, since the slime would turn even the inside of a building covered in dust and mud into a nest regardless, even such a place of no value to mankind must be checked.
That was one of the missions given to Fiana and her team.
They searched for the place where the slime and the female mage who was accompanying the slime were.
Normally, it would have been more efficient to gather information in the village, as Mariebelle did, but rather than that, they chose to expand their search area and move quickly because the being they were looking for was the "goddess".
It had already been nearly a week since they received the report.
According to the information they received from Lishlua, it had been more than ten days since the last report from Angelica, the priestess who was acting as the vessel for the goddess, had ceased.
There was not a moment to spare.
If the goddess was attacked by the slime, violated, and gave birth to a child, it would be a great shock not only to the followers from Lishlua but also to the people of this continent who believe in the goddess.
In addition…….
"We need to divide our forces and secure our retreat. We need to make sure that when we return to the village, we'll do so in the shortest possible time."
"Yes. I wonder if reinforcements have already arrived at Fornelis' side?"
It was also important to create a relay point between where they were going and the path they came from, in case they have to go back.
By separating the troops, they could reduce the risk of being wiped out, and they could use it as a simple resting place when they return in a hurry.
And if they found the goddess Fasalina, they could use it to guide Mariabelle and the others.
In that sense, Fiana was thinking of leaving a large number of people at this location, as many as 20% of the troop.
The numbers were not that large.
If the slimes were increasing, 30 people would be a very small number.
But right now, people all over the continent understand the danger of the slime, and the priority was "survival".
They were determined to escape before they were wiped out and to pass the information on to the other group.
If one thought about it, the 30 people were a safe number from the standpoint of not being "annihilated".
......However, that was the commander's idea.
If a battle with the slime occurred and only a few could retreat by sacrificing their comrades.
As an individual, she would like to have the numbers to be able to retreat without sacrifice or win the battle as they did today, but in the deep forest, which was suitable for surprise attacks, with an enemy whose total number was unknown and was further evolving, it was difficult to do so.
That was one of the factors that troubled Fiana, but then again, she was the commander.
In order to prioritize her objective―― the rescue of the goddess Fasalina, she had to choose the best course, though not the best, of several options.
"I think that's fine."
"Yes, I have no objection."
Jenna and Julia support Fiana's idea and move on to talk about who to leave next.
They decided to leave the troops to protect the relay point to Alfira.
Fiana's second-in-command, a trusted female knight.
Although she could not use magic, with her combat experience, knowledge, and fear of slimes, she would be able to get her men away and pass on the information to them in case they were attacked by a horde of slimes to annihilate them all.
The battle against the slimes must be won.
But if they could not win, Fiana thought it would be more appropriate for the commander to be someone who had the courage to escape.
It was an opponent that defeated her, even though she had let her guard down.
The threat of the slime was ingrained deep into her mind.
"I understand."
"I ask that you take it easy. The search for Fasalina-sama has just begun―― I don't want to lose a capable subordinate for nothing at a place like this."
"Yes! I will defend this place to the death to live up to your expectations."
She thought she was still stiff in these areas, but she was an excellent knight.
She was serious and kept a close eye on her subordinates' behavior, but she also had a flexible side.
Fiana, who understood that she was still a young woman, had been observing her behavior closely since Alfira started working with her.
How should she treat her subordinates so that they do not dislike her, trust her, or give her a break?
She knew that it was rare to have a commander who was liked by all.
However, she should say that she was aiming to be a commander who was trusted by her subordinates.
Fiana liked the way Alfira looked for what she could do and what she could not do.
The purple-haired human female knight responded with her chest out in order to earn Fiana's trust.
"Alfira, relax a little more. If you are tense, your men won't feel at ease either, will they?"
"It is important to remain tense, but also to relax so as not to worry your subordinates, Alfira-san."
"Uu... I understand."
However, the overly forceful words were rebuked by Fiana and Jenna, and Alfira tried to relax as she was told.
Exhaling slowly, she relaxed her whole body and then stretched her chest again.
This time, too, her back was straight, but her whole body did not seem unnaturally tense.
"Yes, that's fine. If you have a problem when we're not here, just take another deep breath, okay?"
"Yes."
"Fufu―― Julia has to be careful too, right?"
"Uu... Cough*. My troops are fine with you being too relaxed for nothing."
"I'm serious here...... Then, I'll leave this place to Alfira-dono. We're going west again tomorrow?"
Anri, the raccoon-eared beastwoman, asked that while looking at the map on the table.
Julia, trying hard to hide her slightly sulky expression, followed Anri's words and moved the carved wooden piece indicating the location of their unit to the west.
On the map, there were several more ruins beyond.
"No. I think we should head north first."
"North? That being said, there is only one ruin there."
Fiana said there was one ruin in the northern part.
But it was the largest ruin in Grabalt.
The underground ruins where the "Hero's Sword" was once stored.
At the same time, legend has it that the goddess Fasalina used it as her resting place when she created the land, making it a valuable site not only for the goddess but also for the humans living on the continent.
"Yes. I heard from Fornelis-dono that she had a battle with a slime in that ruin before."
"......Yes. Anri and I were in that battle."
"...,,,"
Julia, who was a bitter look, and Anri said nothing, a slight shadow blotting out her modest smile.
That battle was a nightmare for them.
The basement of an old ruin.
The ceiling and floor collapsed. They tried to escape by dragging their companions, who were poisoned and unable to move, but their companions were killed, and Julia and Anri were violated.
They had underestimated the slime.
They thought they would be safe as long as Fornelis was there.
Because of that naive thinking, they were defeated.
No, the slime was better than them, but if they had not been so naive, they might have been able to save their companions.
Feeling regret, the two continued to be violated.
For days. Until they were rescued.
They were violated, gave birth to a child, were violated by the child they gave birth to, and gave birth to another child.
Many may be broken by that hell, but Julia and Anri still took up their swords and were here.
To kill as many slimes as possible.
To protect their companions.
The blonde beastwoman with fox ears and tail recalled that sentiment and quietly moved the carved wooden piece on the map over the abominable ruin.
Frankly, the first impact was too strong, and the emotion that Julia and Anri wanted to avoid the ruins was on their faces as they remembered how they were violated.
"But checking the north side would end the search on this side, wouldn't it?."
"Yes. I thought it would be more efficient to check each and every one on each side rather than looking around many sites?"
There was only one ruin to the north, as far as they have been able to find.
If that was the case, it would be safer to secure the north side and then proceed with the search for the surrounding area.
"I understand. The structure inside the ruin has been badly collapsed and changed, so it may be difficult to explore inside......."
"Is that so?"
"Yes. When the slime appeared...... to block its progress, Forneris-sama blew up part of the temple, so......"
"......That woman. She's still reckless. I wonder what she was going to do if she was buried alive."
"Haha... but we were safe."
"Jeez. Fornelis has always been a pushover, but I guess she hasn't fixed that habit."
Jenna said and sighed at the fact that she still hadn't gotten over that habit after more than twenty years of traveling together.
It was not a bad habit.
Or should she say explosive force?
Fornelis, when cornered, often surprised Jenna and the others with her unpredictable behavior.
Her character was the exact opposite of Jenna and Leticia, who try to think things over calmly, but not once or twice did she escape danger with an action that surprised them both.
Rather, it was an intuition peculiar to beastmen, similar to the intuition of the hero's prediction of the future.
Jenna felt that it was the best option for survival.
The best way to survive was to think about things...... and try to find a way to survive, which was a feeling that Jenna still did not understand.
"Has Fornelis-sama always been like that?"
"I thought she had become a little milder since she started leading men at Grabalt. She was calm when we recaptured Fonteau."
Recalling that, Jenna sipped water in a leather bag she had fetched from a nearby river.
The water was a little warm, probably due to its contact with her body heat from being lowered to her waist.
Afterward, she ran her fingers through her magnificent blonde hair and looked at Fiana.
"Now that we've decided on our course of action tomorrow, shall we rest too?"
"Yes, that's right. Tomorrow is another tough day. Everyone, please take your time and rest your bodies. But don't let your guard down―― you never know where the slime might be lurking."
They were in the camp.
Even so, Fiana told them not to let their guard down.
Their opponent was a slime with wisdom.
There was even a possibility that it could appear directly inside the tent, digging into the ground, by surprise.
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