2. The Lord is with you (41)
There was a deep and wide pit at the end of the cave.
An unidentified creature appeared. It was like a creature made up of bumps glued together. It moves wrigglingly, but if you look at the limbs, it seems to be bipedal with limbs.
There seemed to be dozens of them just by moving. However, there were many creatures of the same species scattered around the pit without moving, so it was unknown how many individuals could be active among them.
And the highlight was the bizarre tree located in the center.
The tree, which seemed to be made of flesh, was wriggling and throbbing. Every time that happened, the thick blood vessels that covered the tree spurted blood.
Every time that happened, the cocoons hanging from what were presumed to be branches of the tree lit up. The figure of the shadow wriggling in agony was reflected through the thin film.
“… … What is that?”
“It’s a ‘flesh nest.’”
Yuren replied to my blankly muttering voice. The party’s eyes focused on Yuren.
He had a very interesting face. After stroking his chin for a while, he soon began to explain the ‘flesh tree’.
“According to mythology, there was once a war between humans and the Delphirems. As you all know, that’s the ‘Great War of the Gods’, right? It’s a monster from rare records of that time. It’s a terrible thing that grew out of Delphirem’s severed thumb.”
What is Shinma War?
It was a really unexpected sound. Bringing out a story in a myth that I don’t know if it’s true or fiction.
But the moment I heard that, my heart beat loudly.
The strange feeling of exhilaration that touched my heart intensified. Huh, I breathed in.
Fortunately, the party didn’t notice my change. Everyone was just focusing on Yuren’s continued words.
“Those who walk around me are ‘flesh seeds’. They guard the flesh nest, and some of them grow into other flesh nests.”
“… … You protect that disgusting tree?”
“Yeah, even though it looks weak on the outside, it’s pretty strong according to the records. At that time, the army that received the protection of the heavenly gods was said to be a reluctant opponent.”
I looked at Yuren with a question as to how those sluggish-looking monsters could protect the tree.
However, Yuren only shrugged at me once.
“As far as I know, this is the end. Since we seem to have secured enough eyewitness testimony, why don’t we go back soon?”
My mouth was closed for a moment.
What Yuren said was right. It was best to go back like this and report to the empire or the castle.
Mine couldn’t find it, but he witnessed a mythical monster called ‘Flesh Nest’. It was an achievement no one could believe.
On the contrary, it was such an amazing achievement that it was embarrassing. Without physical evidence, no one might believe it.
But among us, there was a saintess, Delphine-senpai, and Elsie-senpai. Those in power who can exert pressure on the national decision-making process, so there was no reason to take the risk of collecting physical evidence.
Before the troops were dispatched, the procedure could have been a bit complicated. However, the future in which the army would arrive here someday was a foregone conclusion.
Rather than dealing with a monster from the Age of Mythology whose habits were unknown, entrusting it to the army was a much better option. There was no need to hesitate any longer.
Even so, why don’t my lips keep falling off?
My eyes glanced down the pit. There, the flesh seeds were moving slowly. At first glance, it didn’t look threatening.
So it was even more scary.
I never knew what they would look like when they were truly frightened. The feeling of exhilaration that touched his chest intensified even more.
Heo-eok, breathed in again.
The eyes of the party, who were preparing to retreat with nervous faces, slowly turned to me.
He seemed puzzled because the retreat order had not yet been issued. I was also a question, so there was no difference between them.
But I couldn’t just trust my strange intuition and make things go wrong. I wouldn’t know if I was alone, but now I was in a position to lead all seven people.
In case the monsters at the bottom of the pit noticed, I leaned over and whispered cautiously.
“… … Everyone retreats as secretly as possible. I and Delphine will protect the rear, and we will start with Yuren.”
Then, as if the party had waited, they reorganized their formation.
Yuren guarded the forefront, followed by St. Nyeo and Elsie-senpai, followed by Celine and Seria, Delphine-senpai, and I in charge of the last.
It was in preparation for any surprise attack.
From the front, there might be another attack by the monkey demon, and from the rear, I didn’t know how those monsters would react.
Even I couldn’t figure out why they had to deploy more power to the rear.
Maybe it was because I inadvertently rated the danger of those monsters higher. I don’t know if it will be a funny judgment since I don’t see any reaction right away.
But, as always, things didn’t work out so easily.
The moment Yuren was about to enter the path leading out of the cave, my mouth hurriedly opened.
“for a moment!”
Yuren, who instinctively stepped forward, stopped moving. His puzzled eyes turned to me.
Before I knew it, I was breaking out in a cold sweat. My eyes went down the glancing pit.
The movement of the wriggling flesh seeds stopped all at once. Instead, they were glaring at us.
“… … Those bastards, are you staring at us?”
“What the f*ck.”
At my words, Yuren spat out a small curse. He was usually noble and dignified, but when he went into battle, he boasted of the kind words he learned at the orphanage as a child.
Celine’s expression turned pale, and Seria asked me with a serious expression.
“Is there any sign of an attack?”
“Not yet… Yuren, step back slowly.”
Yuren heard those words and slowly stepped back.
Then the flesh seeds regained their normal movements like ghosts. He began to roam again and play in the pit.
I reported the situation to the party, who were still nervous.
“It’s wriggling around again.”
Saying no to my words, Elsie covered her forehead with her hand. Among them, he was the most knowledgeable person in magic, so it seemed that there was something that came to mind after hearing me.
“… … It seems designed to send a signal if it runs away.”
“Then what should I do?”
Uncharacteristically for her, there was a bit of nervousness in Delphine-senpai’s voice. It seemed that even she could not keep her composure in the face of the monster of the Age of Mythology.
Senior Elsie let out a deep sigh. A faint fear shone in her blue sapphire eyes. The voice itself, however, was irritating.
“What should I do? Standing in a line based on that line, we have to jump out with all our might… I heard that there is no mechanism for maintaining confidentiality in such a secret place, but it seems that he tried to catch his guard and stab him in the back. A f*cking mine. ”
Of course, he did not fall out of swearing at the person who is presumed to have created this situation. Elsie-senpai looked at me with a slightly frightened look.
As soon as something difficult happened, he looked like a puppy, sending out sad eyes.
I put a bitter smile on my face and reassured Elsie.
“Don’t worry, senior Elsie. Because I can run with a senior at least.”
“… … Yes?! Oh, hug?!”
Elsie-senpai must have been taken aback by my words, so she flinched and jumped up and down.
Before that, I waved my hand up and down as if to calm down and restrained him.
There was no need to stimulate the flesh seeds by making big movements. While thinking so, I persuaded senior Elsie.
“You can’t carry it on your back, can you? If an attack comes from the rear, I might get hurt, but I have no choice but to run with it. Of course, if you really hate Elsie… … .”
“Oh no! Joe, good! hug me! No, hug me!”
Senior Elsie answered urgently as if she was afraid that I might change my mind.
I don’t know why, but I think it’s because it gives me a similar sense of security to stroking my hair. It was an irrelevant story to me.
It was enough for me to ensure the safety of the party. And of the two, I was the one who was the best at improvising, so it was right for me to bear the burden a little more.
That moment when I was about to nod my head.
“… … Then what about me?”
A hoarse voice pierced me. My eyes turned to the epicenter.
was a saint She was glaring at me with a sad look on her face.
“Then who should I hug?”
As if asking what that meant, I replied in a nonchalant manner.
“You can hug Yuren.”
Then, the eyes of the saintess and Yuren secretly met. Yuren smiled mischievously and spread her arms, but immediately the saintess sat down with her hands clasped together as if in prayer.
“Ah, Lord! You’re trying to make the girl you love the most misunderstand that she’s having a bad relationship with her sister, whom she’s already close to. What to do with this little lamb… … .”
“Then I will carry you.”
The voice of the saintess, who had been reciting a prayer full of pretense, stopped. Then, soft pink eyes that opened quietly stared at the person who handed over the proposal.
It was Celine. She was looking at the saintess’ sheep with disapproving eyes, but smiled brightly when she met the saintess’ gaze.
“I can hug you. Since it’s between women, there’s no misunderstanding.”
“But, Sister Celine’s strength is… … .”
“I am confident in the amount of mana. Your strength must be stronger than Ian’s brother, right?”
The eyes of the speechless saintess slowly turned to me. I nodded as if it were true.
In the end, the saintess died as it were.
I wondered what I was going to do in a situation where every minute and every second was regrettable, I shook my head and gave instructions.
“Then I will carry senior Elsie, and Celine will carry the saintess. All prepare to retreat.”
Then, as I approached, Elsie looked at me with a brightly colored expression. That feeling of being excited, yet hesitating whether or not you’re nervous.
It was then that Delphine-senpai stepped out.
“… … I will carry you.”
Stand tall, and my movements stopped. My field of vision contained Delphine-senpai.
She was looking at senior Elsie with a wavering look, but soon smiled relaxedly.
“I will carry Rynella with me. are you the foreman? I have to give instructions while managing the rear, but it bothers me.”
“… … Are you okay?”
Knowing the bloody relationship between Delphine-senpai and Elsie-senpai, I asked that question, but Delphine-senior only smiled.
“Then, leave it to me.”
He hesitated for a moment, but Delphine’s opinion was more reasonable.
In the end, I was bitten by senior Elsie as she approached me. Then the joys and sorrows crossed.
Elsie’s face, which had been filled with anticipation, suddenly cracked. Seeing that, Delphine smiled even more joyfully, and the saintess asked with admiration.
“Well, then I… … .”
“I said I was going to hug you.”
Even that faded away at Celine’s one boney word.
I shook my head.
Even before the retreat, there was already an uproar. Aren’t you all nervous?
My eyes went down the pit once more.
Those wriggling lumps kept getting in the way. It was like piercing the optic nerve with a needle.
My heart was beating. too rough
Saintess is the funniest character