Chapter 120: The Lord is With Us (41)
Chapter 120: The Lord is With Us (41)
At the end of the cave lay a deep, wide pit.
An unidentified creature caught my eye. It looked like a mass of lumps stitched together. Though it writhed as it moved, its limbs suggested it was a bipedal quadruped of some sort.
There appeared to be dozens of them in motion. However, the pit was also littered with many more of the same creatures lying motionless, making it impossible to tell how many were actually active.
But the true centerpiece was the grotesque tree situated in the very middle.
The tree, which seemed to be made entirely of raw flesh, was pulsing and writhing. With every beat, the thick veins covering its surface surged with a blood-red light.
Whenever that happened, cocoons hanging from what appeared to be branches would glow. Through the thin membranes, I could see the silhouettes of figures twitching as if in agony.
"…What is that?"
"It’s a ‘Flesh Nest.’"
Yuren answered my dazed murmur. The group’s gaze shifted toward him.
He looked intensely intrigued. After stroking his chin for a moment, he began to explain the ‘Flesh Tree.’
"According to myth, humanity once waged war against Delphirem. As you all know, that was the ‘God-Demon War.’ This is a monster described in rare records from that era. A terrifying thing that grew from Delphirem’s severed thumb."
The God-Demon War?
It was a completely bolt-from-the-blue statement. To bring up a story from mythology that might not even be true.
Yet, the moment I heard those words, my heart gave a heavy thud.
The strange sense of exhilaration that had been nipping at my heart intensified. I sucked in a sharp breath.
Fortunately, the others didn't notice the change in me. They were all focused on Yuren’s continuing explanation.
"The things wandering around it are ‘Flesh Seeds.’ They protect the Flesh Nest, and some of them eventually grow into new nests themselves."
"…They protect that disgusting tree?"
"Yeah. They might look weak, but according to the records, they’re quite strong. It’s said that even the armies blessed by the Heavenly God back then were reluctant to face them."
I looked at Yuren with doubt, wondering how those sluggish-looking monsters could possibly protect the tree.
However, Yuren simply gave me a shrug.
"That’s the extent of what I know. I think we’ve gathered enough eyewitness testimony, so why don't we start heading back?"
I fell silent for a moment.
Yuren was right. The best course of action was to return now and report this to the Empire or the Holy Kingdom.
We hadn't found any Fiends, but we had witnessed a ‘Flesh Nest,’ a monster from the Mythical Era. It was an achievement no one would easily believe.
In fact, it was almost too incredible an achievement, which was a problem in itself. Without physical evidence, people might not believe us at all.
But our group included the Saintess, Senior Delphine, and Senior Elsie. These were powerful individuals who could exert pressure on the state's decision-making process. There was no reason to take the risk of collecting physical evidence.
The procedures for deploying an army might be complicated. However, it was a foregone conclusion that an army would eventually arrive here.
Entrusting the task to the military was a far better option than facing a monster from the Mythical Era whose habits were completely unknown. There was no need to hesitate any longer.
And yet, why wouldn't my lips move?
My eyes kept flickering toward the bottom of the pit. Down there, the Flesh Seeds were moving with slow, heavy steps. At a glance, they didn't seem threatening.
That was what made them even scarier.
I had no idea what they would look like when they became truly dangerous. The exhilaration thumping against my chest grew even more intense.
I took another sharp, ragged breath.
The eyes of my companions, who had been nervously preparing to retreat, slowly turned toward me.
They seemed puzzled that the order to withdraw hadn't been given yet. I was questioning it myself, so it was only natural they were too.
But I couldn't let things go wrong by relying solely on a strange intuition. If I were alone, it would be one thing, but I was currently leading a force of seven.
Fearing that the monsters at the bottom of the pit might notice us, I leaned forward and whispered cautiously.
"…Everyone, withdraw as stealthily as possible. Senior Delphine and I will guard the rear. Yuren, you lead the way."
At my command, the group reorganized their formation as if they had been waiting for it.
Yuren took the lead, followed by the Saintess, Senior Elsie, then Celine and Seria. Senior Delphine and I took up the very back.
It was a precaution against a potential ambush.
There might be another attack from the monkey-like Demonic Beasts ahead, and there was no telling how those monsters behind us would react.
I wasn't even sure why I had assigned more combat power to the rear.
Perhaps it was because I had unconsciously rated the danger of those monsters higher. It might seem like a foolish judgment since they weren't reacting at all for now.
But as always, things didn't go smoothly.
The moment Yuren was about to step into the path leading out of the cave, I spoke up urgently.
"Wait!"
Yuren, who had been instinctively stepping forward, froze. He turned a puzzled look toward me.
Before I knew it, I was breaking out in a cold sweat. My eyes darted toward the bottom of the pit.
The writhing movements of the Flesh Seeds had stopped all at once. Instead, they were all staring directly at us.
"…Those bastards are glaring at us."
"For fuck's sake."
Yuren let out a small curse at my words. He was usually refined and elegant, but when it came to combat, he showed off the rough vocabulary he’d picked up in the orphanage as a child.
Celine’s face turned pale, and Seria asked me with a serious expression.
"Is there any sign they're about to attack?"
"Not yet… Yuren, try backing up slowly."
Hearing that, Yuren slowly retracted the foot he had been about to plant.
As he did, the Flesh Seeds uncannily returned to their normal movements. They began to waddle around the pit once more.
I relayed the situation to the group, who were still tense.
"They're back to wriggling around."
Senior Elsie let out a groan and covered her forehead with her hand. As the person most well-versed in magic among us, it seemed my words had triggered a realization.
"…It looks like they’re designed to trigger a signal if we try to run away."
"Then what should we do?"
There was a hint of uncharacteristic agitation in Senior Delphine’s voice. It seemed even she couldn't maintain her composure in the face of a monster from the Mythical Era.
Senior Elsie let out a deep sigh. A faint flicker of fear danced in her blue sapphire eyes, though her voice itself sounded merely annoyed.
"What do you mean, what should we do? We have to line up at that boundary and then bolt for it at full speed… I was wondering why such a secret place didn't have any security measures to maintain confidentiality. It looks like they wanted to catch us off guard and stab us in the back. Fucking Fiend bastards."
Naturally, she didn't forget to curse the party presumed responsible for this situation. Senior Elsie then looked at me with slightly frightened eyes.
The way she sent me a pleading look the moment trouble arose made her look like a puppy.
I gave a bitter smile and tried to reassure her.
"Don't worry, Senior Elsie. I can carry you and run."
"…Wh-what?! C-carry?!"
Senior Elsie seemed startled by my words, her body flinching as if she were about to jump.
I held up my hands and waved them up and down to signal her to stay calm.
There was no need to provoke the Flesh Seeds with large movements. With that thought, I tried to persuade her.
"I can't exactly give you a piggyback ride, can I? You might get hurt if an attack comes from behind, so I have to carry you in my arms. Of course, if you really hate the idea…"
"N-no! I-I like it! Carry me! I mean, please carry me!"
Senior Elsie answered urgently, as if afraid I might change my mind.
I didn't know why she was acting like that, but it seemed she felt a sense of security similar to when I patted her head. It didn't matter to me either way.
As long as I could ensure the safety of the group, that was enough. And since I was the most capable of improvising among us, it was right for me to take on more of the burden.
Just as I was about to nod my head...
"…Then what about me?"
A sulky voice poked its way in. My eyes turned toward the source.
It was the Saintess. For some reason, she was glaring at me with a disappointed, half-lidded gaze.
"Then who is supposed to carry me?"
As if asking what she was talking about, I replied with a nonchalant attitude.
"You can just have Yuren carry you."
At that, the Saintess and Yuren’s eyes briefly met. Yuren opened his arms with a mischievous smile, but the Saintess immediately clasped her hands as if in prayer and began to sink to the ground.
"O Lord! Are You truly testing Your most beloved virgin with such a trial, risking the misunderstanding that she shares an improper relationship with her dear younger brother? What is this poor lamb to do…"
"Then I'll carry you."
The Saintess’s voice, reciting her heavily affected prayer, cut off abruptly. Her pink eyes slid open slightly to peer at the person who had made the offer.
It was Celine. Having watched the Saintess’s antics with a dissatisfied look, she met the Saintess’s gaze and gave a bright smile.
"I can just carry you. We're both girls, so there won't be any misunderstandings."
"But, Sister Celine, your physical strength is…"
"I'm quite confident in my mana capacity, you know. I'm probably even stronger than Ian when it comes to raw power."
Speechless, the Saintess’s eyes slowly drifted toward me. I nodded as if to confirm it was true.
In the end, the Saintess’s spirit completely deflated.
Wondering what on earth they were doing when every second counted, I shook my head and gave the orders.
"Then I'll carry Senior Elsie, and Celine will carry the Saintess. Everyone, prepare to retreat."
As I stepped forward, Senior Elsie’s face lit up with joy. She looked expectant, yet hesitant and nervous.
It was then that Senior Delphine stepped in.
"…I'll carry her."
My movements came to a halt. My gaze fell upon Senior Delphine.
She was looking at Senior Elsie with a reluctant expression, but soon a relaxed smile played on her lips.
"I'm saying I'll carry Lainella. You're the team leader, aren't you? You need to manage the rear and give orders. Having her in your arms would be a distraction."
"…Will you be okay?"
Knowing the hostile relationship between Senior Delphine and Senior Elsie, I asked the question, but Senior Delphine only gave me a thin, smiling squint.
"Just leave it to me."
I hesitated for a moment, but Senior Delphine’s suggestion was more rational.
Ultimately, I backed away from Senior Elsie. At that, their fortunes reversed.
Senior Elsie’s face, which had been full of anticipation, practically cracked. Senior Delphine’s smile grew even more delighted at the sight, while the Saintess asked hopefully.
"Th-then what about me…"
"I said I was carrying you."
Even that hope was extinguished by Celine’s pointed remark.
I shook my head.
It was a mess even before the retreat had begun. Was no one else feeling the tension?
My eyes turned toward the bottom of the pit once more.
Those writhing masses of lumps kept bothering me. It felt as if needles were pricking my optic nerves.
My heart was pounding. Violently.