Chapter 76
Chapter 76
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 76
Chapter Title: Extermination Evil (??), Arrival (5)
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Fortunately, a few days after the first battle ended, Liv got back on her feet without any major aftereffects from her injuries.
I hadn't been too worried from the start. She had always shown incredible mental fortitude as a student.
Even after being bitten by the Iron Hound, she hadn't shown any fear and had boldly asked me about her father.
If she had started developing a phobia of monsters or blood, it would have been incredibly tough for me, the one watching over her.
The real problem lay elsewhere.
"We need to set up patrols, so everyone gather around."
At Paris's words, people began grabbing their weapons one by one. Whether day or night, the forest was no ally to humans.
Monsters that could hide even a single footprint, and demonkin that could pierce through the darkness. Vigilance was essential to minimize damage from them.
"We'll assign times and zones. I'll hand out maps, so avoid areas where demonic corruption is spreading and hold your position during your allotted time. Louis, you'll be with Miss Melvis here..."
"We'll go that way."
"W-Wait a..."
Paris stopped Liv, who was about to leave with me.
"Why? What's the problem?"
"Well..."
I could fully understand his hesitation, even if he couldn't bring himself to say it.
Among the Greenwood Forest self-defense group's members, there was no one as strong as me or as skilled in magic as Liv. Our presence had noticeably changed how not just people here, but even the Federation, viewed us after the battle.
From a leader's perspective, Paris undoubtedly wanted to deploy our forces separately. Especially for patrol duty—splitting up was far more efficient than sticking together.
"Speak up, Pa... Paris."
"...It's nothing."
But when it came to facing Liv directly, Paris backed down. I wondered if it was because of her noble status, so I asked him later, and his response was something else.
— She reminds me of my daughter somehow, so it's hard to push back against her stubbornness.
In any case, Liv and I ended up on patrol, spreading out a mat in a peaceful forest glade bathed in afternoon sunlight.
She had fully leveraged her position as the self-defense group's top mage to snag lunchboxes from the kitchen staff and patted the spot next to her.
"Sit here."
"We have to keep watch."
"I've set up a life-death barrier nearby. I'll know right away if any enemies approach."
"..."
I couldn't win against her. As we sat side by side enjoying the idle time, I found myself lost in nostalgia for my days at the canteen.
Even though it wasn't that long ago, it felt like ancient history.
"Ah, this is nice. I wish every day could be this peaceful."
"..."
"Louis?"
"...Ahem."
I gently pushed away Liv's head, which had been leaning on my shoulder.
She was clearly adapting well to the current reality. She was behaving appropriately for a battlefield where she had to take down enemies with magic.
I was the same, in a way. But in my case, I kept slipping back into the mindset of my past days on the battlefield.
My senses were sharpening day by day, and my emotions were growing colder. It wasn't just because I was focused solely on the demonkin spawn in front of me.
The Raviere Mountains. And the Grand Canal.
The story's ending was already set.
The Four Great Calamities.
Knight of Lost Souls, Hecate the Mad Evil.
Blood Sea Necromancer, Izarez the Extreme Evil.
Empire's Harlot, Antiope the Seductive Evil.
And Carvios the Extermination Evil, who had turned the Raviere Mountains into a sea of fire.
These weren't just somewhat strong demonkin. My comrades and I had never taken down even one of them single-handedly, despite their archduke-level or higher power.
No, that wasn't all. We'd suffered repeated defeats just to kill a single one, devising unique spells and strategies to counter them.
'We did take them down one by one, in the end.'
Izarez fell to Terra's magic, Hecate to Whitelett's sword. Carvios and Antiope died by my hand directly—though the latter was later confirmed to still be alive.
History didn't change. If we faced Carvios, they would all die.
No, even calling it a fight was arrogant. Crushed was more accurate. There was only one thing I could do to stop it: sharpen myself further, reclaim my former self.
"Gonna hit the bathroom for a bit."
"Oh..."
There were too many headaches piling up. Even if I faced Carvios, could Paris and the self-defense group hold off the accompanying demonkin? The Federation would surely retreat again this time.
How could I save everyone, including Liv? No answers came to mind.
'He ran off again...'
Liv felt unsettled. To her, this Louis was quite different from the one she remembered.
Kind in subtle ways, definitely more handsome than before, but somehow impatient. She could understand it—he'd been through far longer wars than her.
Still, it stung all the same.
"How far did he go?"
As time passed without him returning, Liv cautiously scanned the surroundings.
When a comrade vanished in the forest, a monster ambush was the first suspect—but she knew Louis's skills well, and no enemies had tripped the life-death barrier.
As she stood to place stones on the mat to keep it from blowing away, a small girl appeared before her.
"Can I eat this?"
"W-What are you!?"
She instinctively drew her wand from her waist and aimed it, but the girl with leaf-green hair ignored it and pointed at the lunchbox.
"I'm hungry. Can you give me one, Liv?"
"H-How do you know my name? And how did you get here..."
Monster? Illusion?
Uncertain, Liv hesitantly pushed a sandwich from the lunchbox toward her and asked without lowering her wand.
"What's your name? Why are you here?"
"I got lost."
"Lost? Want me to take you back to the camp?"
"Nah."
The girl shook her head.
"I don't need to go back. I've already decided to stay in this forest."
She stuffed the sandwich into her mouth and stared intently at Liv.
"What about you, Liv?"
"Me?"
"Yeah. Do you want to go back? To where you were before?"
Where she was before. Did she mean outside Baldur's nightmare? Liv hesitated at the strange girl's question.
She knew full well how dangerous this place was. The red envelope from Mareil said everyone in this forest died without escape.
But—
'If I leave now, I'll never uncover the truth about Father's death.'
The dishonor Paris had shouldered. And what exactly happened in the mountains. Liv still felt she needed to stay.
"No. Not now."
"I see?"
The girl devoured the rest of the sandwich and said bluntly.
"Then you don't qualify."
"What?"
And in the next instant, she vanished without a trace.
That evening, Paris confirmed that Louis and Liv had returned from patrol. Unlike when they left, both looked grim.
"No incidents. We just fixed some broken traps scattered in the forest."
"Good work."
"I'm off then."
"Wait, Louis."
As Louis entered the command tent to return the map and leave, Paris grabbed him.
"What?"
"Don't you need a sword?"
Louis's exploits from the previous battle had spread across the mountains through many witnesses. He didn't seem like a pure mage, so Paris figured a sword would suit him better than bare fists.
Paris placed his entire sword sheath from his waist onto the table.
"It's a fine piece. Called Modred the Cleaver. It belonged to a captain who led a major knight order in the Federation long ago. I couldn't draw out its true power."
"What power?"
"They say the stronger the user's rage, the bigger the storm it summons around them."
Maybe because his heart wasn't ruthless enough, it did nothing for him. Louis stared at the sword silently for a while, then smirked.
"Sounds like it's saying I'm a total bastard."
"No, I didn't mean..."
"Don't need it."
"Huh?"
Surprisingly, he turned down the offer.
"I wasn't planning to leave just because I don't take it."
"..."
"You should keep it for now. I don't want accidents from unnecessary variables."
"What does that mean?"
It was hard to grasp the implication, but Louis stood up without lingering.
"I'll request one if I need it later. That's all, right?"
"Yeah..."
"See ya."
Bam!
Was the offer too obvious? Louis left without looking back. As Paris gave a wry smile and re-sheathed the sword, a knock came.
"Come in."
"Excuse me."
A familiar, beautiful voice. He knew who it was immediately. As Liv entered, Paris stood and poured her some hot tea from the kettle nearby.
"What brings you here, Baroness Woodgreen?"
"Just call me Liv."
"Ahem, I couldn't..."
Was it because she resembled his daughter yet had that occasional steely edge? To Paris, the young woman before him was a bit unnerving.
Still, as a noble and the forest's top mage, he couldn't ignore why she'd come personally.
"What is it? Anything uncomfortable? If roughing it is too hard, I can give you a spot in the command tent."
"That's fine. Actually, there's one permission... no, something I want to ask."
Her eyes looked so serious that Paris nodded unwittingly. Tension hung thick enough to keep him from touching his cooling tea.
"Go ahead."
"Yes, then..."
Liv took a small breath and asked.
"What do you think of Louis?"
"Pardon?"
It was an incomprehensible question.
"What do you think of him?"
"Uh, well... He's a reliable friend. Origins are unclear, but his skills are top-notch."
"So the thing you said last time—was that sincere?"
Last time? He couldn't recall.
"About marrying off your daughter when she grows up, Father... Paris."
"Oh, that. Hm..."
It had been a light joke, idle chat. But after Louis just refused the sword he'd offered, Paris's opinion of him had risen further.
Not just skilled, but loyal too. His speech was barely better than those mercenary thugs, but he wasn't the type to stab you in the back when things got tough.
In these uncertain times with no end to the war in sight, if something happened to him, having Louis by his daughter's side would be reassuring.
"Yes, I'd probably allow it."
"Really?"
"Yes. Not that I'd actually arrange a child marriage, but to show how much I trust him..."
"Thank you."
Liv bowed deeply, startling Paris. Her shoulders trembled with a choked voice.
"Really... sniff... you think that way..."
"Are you alright? No, what..."
Moments later, a refreshed Liv stood, finished the remaining tea, and dabbed her mouth.
"Paris."
"Y-Yes!"
"One request?"
"Yes, anything! Just say it!"
Paris was ready to grant whatever she wanted if it meant escaping this baffling young lady.
"That tent you mentioned earlier—it was pretty worn out."
"I see. I'll get you a new one right—"
"No."
Facing his stiff expression, Liv's cheeks flushed slightly as she flashed a mischievous smile.
"Just get rid of it."