Escape. (17)
After all that effort coming down, there's nothing to see.
She clicked her tongue at the landscape, which was nothing but grass and trees in every direction.
A little kid on her back, a baby in her arms.
Of course, they weren't particularly heavy, but carrying burdens around wasn't a very pleasant feeling.
"Little kid, where do we need to go from here?"
"Please wait a moment."
When she poked the side of the child hanging on her back, an irritated voice replied.
It seemed she had disturbed their concentration.
Since there was nothing to do while waiting, Hallibel gazed blankly at the baby in her arms.
Brown hair and brown eyes.
No particular person came to mind.
"Since it's come to this, let's just rest for now!"
The Saintess, covered in Masu blood, shouted cheerfully.
Perhaps because the discrepancy between her appearance and tone was considerable, it was somewhat frightening.
With those movements, she certainly had reason to be confident.
Recalling the scene of the Saintess slicing through the Masu, she shook her head.
"So, how was it?"
"...How was what?"
She knew the meaning behind the other person's question, but pretended not to.
It was a puppy-like face, seeking praise.
A demon praising a Saintess? As if I would.
When she pushed away the clinging figure, they pouted.
"That's too much!"
"You're even more 'too much'. Can you move away a bit? You're getting blood on me."
The dejected Saintess shuffled her feet and sat down a little distance away.
Yes, that's better now.
Still, her conscience pricked her to just leave them like that, so she threw them a cloth to wipe themselves with.
Though their surprised expression was unpleasant.
"...I found it."
The child who was sitting stood up without a sound.
At their slightly dazed appearance, when she lightly poked their forehead, their expression instantly crumpled.
They were angry, but didn't actually swat her hand away.
Thinking that point was cute, she carried the child on her back.
At the sight of them being carried without a word, she chuckled for no reason.
"So, where do we need to go?"
"...It's further down than here."
Rin's finger pointed to the ground.
Underground.
Deep down there are the Hero and the Demon King-nim.
This time, it's my turn to save them.
Hallibel muttered to herself.
And that was the moment.
"KIIIIIIIIIIIIEK!!!!!!"
"Wh-where did that thing come from?!"
At the sight of the Masu that sprang out from the nearby bushes, Hallibel's face turned pale.
It had been a long time since she'd seen one so close, but just seeing such a grotesque creature was quite a shock.
First, I have to run.
It would be ideal if the Saintess handled it again, but she seemed a little tired.
"Let's run!"
Her judgment was quick, and her actions were even quicker.
Dodging the tentacles that whipped like whips, Hallibel gritted her teeth.
Why does it seem to be targeting us more?
When she glanced behind her, the Masu's maw was wide open.
Holy shit.
Terrified by its hideous appearance, she immediately increased her speed.
"Little kid, haven't you found the way yet?!"
"J-just a little further straight ahead..."
The child's voice was trembling.
Seeing them dry heaving a little, it seemed they were motion sick.
Just a little more, you say? How much more is 'a little more'?
At the untimely commotion, the baby woke from its sleep and began to cry loudly.
Out of breath, her ears hurt, and she was even scared.
Born as a Succubus, had she ever run so desperately?
"Succubi never run vulgarly! No matter what, they must walk elegantly with a figure-eight gait!"
"Instead of screaming, just increase your speed."
Though she bristled at the dry rebuke, she didn't throw off the little kid clinging to her back.
Still, they were guiding the way.
The fact that she only saw grass and trees no matter how far they went was a source of anxiety.
"Inside those bushes over there, there's a passage leading underground."
"...Really?"
"My life is also on the line, so there's no way I'd lie, right?"
Towards Elli, who was ahead, Hallibel shouted.
Go into that overgrown bush!
Without a reply, Elli, who threw herself into the place full of green, shouted for them to come quickly.
"Take the baby, the baby!"
A gap barely wide enough for one person to pass through.
Hallibel, who handed the baby to Elli who went in first, threw herself forward at the presence she felt behind her.
J-just a little later, and she would surely have died.
While letting out a sigh of relief, "Whew," she checked if the little kid clinging to her back was still alive and well.
Even though they were trembling, they seemed perfectly fine, without a single injury.
"...Surely it won't chase us inside, right?"
"Nah, it's so narrow here, surely it wouldn't—"
With a crunching sound, a long snout dug into the gap.
At the Masu's teeth digging in near her thigh, Hallibel hastily retreated.
"...First, let's go inside. We'll figure out the rest later."
Leaving the Masu struggling to widen the gap behind them, they hurried their steps.
Seeing that it widened the further they went in, it seemed that if the Masu could just break through that small gap, it could easily invade as well.
So, first, save the Demon King-nim.
She didn't know what was ahead, but it had to be better than that disgusting thing behind them.
"Why is your expression like that?"
"No, well... I smell something familiar..."
Elli, who sniffed and wrinkled her nose, frowned.
A familiar scent.
A scent she often smelled in the temple long ago.
At the scent wafting from far behind her, her stomach turned.
"No, that can't be..."
Shaking her head, she threw herself towards the light ahead.
For now, saving Ariel-ssi was the priority.
***
For Bel, happiness was like something forever out of reach.
Since the day she lost her parents, it was like a distant illusion she couldn't even dream of.
But that was her misconception.
Along with an unexpected being, a demon, her parents returned.
Unlike when she last saw them, they were much smaller, but they were definitely her parents.
'Now we'll be together forever...'
She no longer wanted to care about demons or other members of her own kind.
Her body and mind were exhausted, and now she just wanted to immerse herself in happiness.
"That guy who usually had a gloomy face, is smiling today?"
A swaggering voice was heard.
The image of the scoundrel who had made her shut herself in her house flickered before her eyes.
She was so intoxicated by her parents' scent that she failed to notice the scent of that damn bastard.
...Should I run?
But if she ran away recklessly, he would surely chase her with suspicion.
What if she didn't run?
Whichever choice it was, the truth was she didn't like it much.
"Why are you suddenly like that?"
"No, if the guy who always had a scowl on his face suddenly has a relaxed expression, wouldn't anyone be curious?"
In front of this guy, she always cowered.
Was it because of childhood memories, or because she thought she couldn't win?
She felt the coldness of the blade tucked in her arms.
If he just came closer, she could press the blade against his face.
But if that happened, she would have to separate one of the babies from her arms.
'...That, absolutely not.'
She gritted her teeth.
Matching the opponent's approaching steps, she slowly backed away.
What the hell is 'kin'?
Leaving these kinds of bastards alone, is that loyalty among kin?
She couldn't accept it.
"And, where did you steal that baby from?"
"...I didn't steal it."
It wasn't stolen, but rightfully returned.
Ariel-ssi also gave permission.
Although the last look she saw was soaked in sadness, she definitely nodded her head.
'But, what if that's not it?'
What if she was forced to give her parents to me because of me?
That's because it's a baby she gave birth to herself.
They are my parents, but they are babies Ariel-ssi gave birth to with pain.
Even I, born to my parents, am this sad and happy, so how much more painful and sad must it be for Ariel-ssi, who gave birth to my parents?
In a moment of deep guilt, Bel's movements stopped.
And that time was enough for the opponent to snatch the baby.
"It's a baby that looks damn similar to you, isn't it?"
"G-give it back!!"
The baby, caught by the damn bastard, burst into loud cries.
She tried to reach out and grab it, but he only raised his arm even higher.
Why, why are you doing this?
I just barely got them back, why are you tormenting me again?!
"Will you reach it like that? Try reaching out a little more!"
"...Drop dead."
"...Huh?"
"Die already!!"
She couldn't take it anymore.
Even if it meant living a life chased by her own kind, she felt she absolutely had to kill the bastard in front of her.
The blade, drawn in an instant, shot towards the opponent's throat.
Surely if it went like this, she could tear that thick neck and get the baby back.
"...!!"
But that didn't happen.
It wasn't a matter of the opponent blocking or dodging.
It didn't even reach his neck in the first place.
No, it couldn't reach his neck.
Because the opponent's neck had already been gone for a long time.
Wadeuk, Wadeudeuk, Wadeuk!!!
"Hik..."
A spine-chilling sound echoed everywhere.
The Masu, which had chewed and eaten the thug's head, bones and all, was drooling from its maw.
'I have to run...'
That thought came to her instinctively.
And she had tried to do so.
If it weren't for the baby lying on the ground, she surely would have.
"KIIIIIIIIIIEK!!!!"
"...Kkht."
I can't run.
The only remaining method was to hold out until other members of her kind arrived.
Please, may she survive until then.
Bel gritted her teeth.