Chapter 73
Chapter 73
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: Extermination of Evil (??), Arrival (2)
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Liv followed Kundor into the fortress. As the two emerged through the sally port, the gazes of several guards naturally turned their way.
The innate talent for sensing mana—essential for becoming a mage—transcended gender, so the gender ratio among the defensive lines was relatively even.
Even so, the mercenaries' eyes on the strikingly beautiful Liv were far from casual.
"Let's go. Don't stare."
The reason they didn't dare strike up a conversation and instead resumed scraping soup residue off the bronze floor was the presence of the Skirmisher beside her.
Those who had lost their homes, their parents, driven by vengeance against the demons or a sense of duty to protect humanity—they had gathered in the mountains, forming a massive collective.
During the time the defensive line was once breached, the capital of Penheim, Octo, was engulfed in flames. The tragedy of having to smash family corpses emerging from rubble piles with a pickaxe drew even more people northward.
Thus was born the Raviere 108 Alliance.
Fallen noble knight orders, support forces from magic towers, priests gathered from temples.
Farmers who abandoned contaminated land, hunters who felled tigers in the mountains, and adventurers crawling out of dungeons.
All who could stand on rotting earth with two legs and grip rusted spears with two arms had assembled at the final defensive line for total war.
Even among the countless warriors in the mountains, the pinnacle forces were the twelve "agencies."
Elites who received direct orders from the royal family.
Kundor, guiding Liv through the parting crowds, belonged to the 2nd Agency, the Skirmishers.
Chimera breeds created by Mizhar Magic Tower, fusing parts of demon and monster bodies.
These bodies harbored superhuman strength and reflexes beyond mortals. They wielded white and black magic freely and remained unaffected even in karma-churning Helzev.
In fact, aside from the Hooksclo Knights—the first knight order stationed in the Raviere Mountains—they knew the terrain best.
"Um..."
"What?"
"Can we... meet someone named Paris?"
The moment Liv realized she was in the Raviere Mountains, she knew she had to see her father. Fortunately or unfortunately, he gestured with his chin toward the vast canal and dense forest below.
"You're heading there anyway. Knights and mages without affiliations or whose houses are extinct can't fight up here effectively."
The fiercest walls against demon incursions could never be breached, so they were manned primarily by the elite.
Conversely, those who had lost land, houses, and family gathered in the relatively safer lowlands of Greenwood Forest.
The one who united them into a force to stand against the demons was Paris.
"Why, do you know him?"
"Just a little..."
"Well, if you've been in the north, you've probably heard of the guy at least once. Hm, doesn't seem all that special to me, but he's got good character."
As they walked and chatted, a group of soldiers appeared in the distance.
Their mismatched armor and weapons showed they were no elite troops. The moment Liv saw the first one dismount, a surge of emotion welled up uncontrollably.
Kundor waved a massive hand and called out to Paris.
"Hey~! Forest Keeper Uncle! Got another stray for you—take her!"
"Hm?"
A handsome man in his early thirties, black hair tied back just like hers. Widowed and having sent his late-blooming daughter north first, Paris cherished Liv deeply.
He slipped the arrow from his hand into the quiver on his back and greeted her with a light smile.
His demeanor was so refined, he could pass for nobility.
"Pleased to meet you. I'm Paris, leading the vigilante corps in Greenwood Forest."
"Ah, I, um..."
Emotions swirled, leaving her speechless. What should she say?
As she fumbled with her lips, Paris called to the man following behind.
"Hey, Louis!"
"Huh?"
"Uncle, who's that guy?"
"I just found another wanderer in the forest like you. Perfect timing. Let's chat over a meal."
Hearing Louis's name, Liv jolted. Memories flooded back of smashing the canteen and fleeing Pharenchia Academy.
But when she saw him approaching from behind Paris, her mouth fell slightly open.
He looked somewhat younger than the man she knew.
Even after a decade since the war, he hadn't changed much from his canteen days.
Yet the mercenaries they'd passed earlier had aged drastically in the war's fires, so Liv had assumed this Louis was from the past.
Even ten years ago, he would only be one or two years older than her current self.
'At this time... his hair was short.'
Above all, this explained how he knew her father.
"Huh?"
"...!"
When their eyes met, for some reason, his younger self looked so incredibly dashing that she averted her gaze without thinking.
Raviere Mountains. And the Great War.
A nostalgic place and a nostalgic time.
The stench of rotting corpses and the groans of the wounded.
A dead sky, drained even of its blue by excessive aura magic.
It would have been nice to see old comrades too. But at this point, they're probably charging toward the Demon King's castle, yelling "Forward!"—impossible to meet.
Instead, I met the very Liv I'd come seeking. And unexpectedly, her father, Paris.
At the mess hall in the outpost on the forest outskirts, Paris sat us down and urged us to eat.
"Here, eat up. Louis, you too."
"..."
"..."
Only the clink of spoons against wooden bowls filled the space between us three.
Liv avoided looking my way as she ate her soup. I had no idea what to say to her either.
Should I start with smashing the canteen? Or apologize for kicking her out and locking the door...?
As I pondered how to break the ice, Paris, unable to bear the awkwardness, asked Liv,
"Oh, by the way, I haven't heard your introduction yet. What's your name?"
"Pardon? Ah, well..."
Liv hesitated, startled. She wouldn't reveal her real name outright, would she?
In wartime, suspicions of spies abounded. To avoid being mistaken for a doppelganger or witch, it was best to hide that she was Paris's daughter.
"My name is..."
As expected, Liv gave a false name.
"Lev Lavre."
"Pfft...!"
Was that really the best she could do?
I coughed, wiping soup from my mouth, drawing stares. Paris gave an awkward smile, as if he'd misheard.
"Ha, haha! Quite a unique name. Sounds a bit like my daughter. Any family name?"
"Um... Baron Woodgreen."
"Woodgreen... Never heard of it."
Her cheeks flushed—probably realized how ridiculous it sounded. Still, Paris seemed to accept it.
"Countless noble houses fell during the war. Understood."
Conversation flowed easier after that. Paris showered me with praise, clearly taking a liking. Just hours earlier in the forest, I'd punched out a charging monster barehanded.
"Louis, it's a relief a fiery warrior like you came north. That thing sent several hunters to their graves in the past month—real headache."
"Oh? Didn't know."
"Did you see it, Baroness Lev? On the way here, that massive rhino corpse being hauled? This guy's handiwork."
"Ah, yes. Truly impressive."
"With skills like that, the Alliance might ask you to man a wall section, but I'd prefer you stay in this forest with us."
"Yes, yes. I feel the same."
"Ahem, what do you think, Louis? If the war ends smoothly, maybe my daughter someday..."
"No way!"
Clang!
Her spoon hit the floor. As Paris and I turned, Liv scrambled back into her seat, babbling.
"N-no! Not that it's bad, I mean, it would be nice! But I'm here now, so..."
Perhaps deeming her as quirky in behavior as her name, the topic shifted back to the front lines.
"I'll guide you along the canal tomorrow. As you see, barracks are full, so grab a personal tent over there."
As sunset neared, Paris excused himself busily and left. After he was gone, nearly empty-handed, we received essentials for living in the Greenwood outpost.
Canteen, flint, compact tent, some hemostatic herbs.
Most foraged in the forest for self-sufficiency except during invasions, so it felt like a survival kit.
As I awkwardly tried to speak, bundle in arms, Liv beat me to it.
"Did you... come alone, without your comrades?"
About ten years ago, yeah.
"Comrades?"
"Yes, your... I mean, Louis's."
Odd formality. Calling me by name suddenly. Maybe deeply disappointed by the canteen incident? Then it hit me—she was interpreting this differently.
No way she knew I'd come to Batudis investigating the Demon Priestess, then followed her blindly into Baldur's Nightmare.
No wonder she wasn't shocked seeing me. Just thought I was one of the Raviere folks active now.
I could spill everything, but it'd likely make things awkward again.
From experience, Liv kept heading to dangerous spots like the 12 Alliances or Alkaid Tower.
If Adella had three priors for theft, Liv had two sedition declarations and waterboarding.
And now she'd reached the continent's most perilous Raviere Mountains, achieving it.
Phantom murder. Death here might not let you out—who knows? Until I found escape from this nightmare, I'd protect Liv no matter what.
But if she distanced herself again, impossible.
At least until we got out—
"My comrades are elsewhere for now, Li... Baroness Lev."
Back to my younger self it was.
"I see. You can drop the baroness, call me... Louis."
Honestly, her not recognizing me was a bit funny—I wanted to savor it a little longer.