Chapter 287: Tough Guys (9)

"There, this should hold up firmly for a while now."

"Thank you, mage."

Soya smiled awkwardly at the gratitude from the soldiers at the rear relief station. Walking with a staff, she was of no help with the relief activities at all. All she could do was maintain and repair the facilities near the relief station and cooperate with the mages of the Magic Tower to enhance the siege weapons.

The morning of her second day arriving at the battlefield with Sieri was passing by just like that. She had long since forgotten the fact that she was a lord's wife upon arriving here. As a nun of the Archdeity Church, she treated the wounded, moved bandages, and squeezed out and discarded blood and pus. Soya could only stamp her feet anxiously while watching her.

"You've worked hard."

When lunch arrived, a brief time of rest also came to the relief station. To be exact, it was a shift change. The afternoon shift, having swapped with the morning shift including Sieri, changed the bandages of the collapsed patients, cast heal on them, and threw away the blood-soaked bandages. Moans continued endlessly. Sieri looked back at the barracks several times as she trudged out. A sense of satisfaction lingered on her tired face.

"You've worked hard."

Soya said that and handed her water. Sieri smiled and accepted the water bottle. As she flopped down next to Soya, Soya also grabbed the fence and carefully sat down. Placing her staff beside her and stretching her legs out made it bearable to sit. As Sieri drank the water, she could feel Soya's gaze looking at her worriedly.

"Soya. I am fine. This is something I used to do in the Southern territory anyway. There was a time when the Demon King's monsters attacked and I couldn't sleep for a week, only doing relief station activities. Compared to then, this is very comfortable."

Since she said she was comfortable, Soya had nothing to say. This time, Sieri asked a question.

"On my way here, I saw the mages constantly staring at you, Soya. Are they people you know?"

"Uh... there are probably a lot of people who know my face. Because I'm famous in a somewhat weird way."

Of course, she was just famous. Those mages glaring disapprovingly at Soya right now were humans who had neither the authority nor the justification to pick a quarrel with her. Because Soya was no longer affiliated with the Magic Tower, but affiliated with the territory. Sieri asked again.

"By any chance, is it uncomfortable to face them?"

"I just have to avoid them. They're people who have no reason to directly pick a quarrel anyway."

This place was a battlefield. If someone picked a quarrel and oppressed a person who came to volunteer for relief, they would inevitably be battered by public opinion. A court-martial was surprisingly fair and impartial, so it would not grant forgiveness for the oppression of a volunteer. Sieri spoke.

"Soya. Thank you."

"Pardon?"

Flustered by the sudden gratitude, Soya asked back. Sieri looked at Soya and grinned.

"Thank you for listening to my stubbornness. If my lord says anything to you, I will definitely protect you."

"...Please do."

The rear relief station was extremely safe in such a one-sided battle. Soya could only pray that Lusius wouldn't come back and fire her.

****

When Elsi opened her eyes, neither Lusius nor Eve were there. In her panic, the fur all over her body stood on end as she gently wagged her tail and stealthily backed away. Her eyes pierced through the darkness, looking in all directions. A familiar scent drifted through the pitch-black underground. It was a body scent of her own kind that only beastfolk could perceive.

"Cleric? Mermaid? Hero?"

Elsi called out their names one by one, searching for them, but no one answered. Elsi looked on the verge of tears for a moment before shaking her head again. Elsi was stupid, but she knew that beings called mages caused phenomena that couldn't be understood. And she also knew the fact that the space she was currently in was not the secret passage she originally was in.

She began to rack her brain while examining the surrounding terrain. Listening closely, she could hear the sound of the wind flowing. The wind blowing from the front was trapped underground, swirling around. Where there was a breeze, there was a path. Elsi began to walk forward, following the wind.

[Beastfolk wench! Serve the Demon King at once!]

A booming voice echoed from somewhere. Startled by the loud voice that seemed to hammer right into her ears, Elsi quickly pulled her body back and lay flat on the ground. She equipped a claw on her hand and scanned her surroundings, but nothing was visible.

"Who is it?"

At Elsi's question, Cutlass laughed loudly.

[Hahahahaha! Stupid beastfolk! Serve the Demon King! If you surrender now, I will promise you the position of general in our Demon King's Army!]

"Where are you?"

[Surrender! Beastfolk!]

Elsi ignored Cutlass's words and was absorbed in finding the source of the voice. She knocked on the wall surface and touched her ears once in a while, doubting whether she was hearing auditory hallucinations. When she tried to dig into the wall after scratching at it, Cutlass, unable to watch any longer, shouted out.

[Stupid beastfolk! This is called Magical Engineering! It is the delivery of a voice through magic!]

"I know you're planning to deceive me and launch a surprise attack like that. Reveal yourself."

Elsi shook her head and spoke resolutely. To Elsi, an entity like a minion of the Demon King was someone she must never trust.

[Believe me when I speak! Beastfolk! So will you surrender! Or will you not surrender!]

"Reveal your face. I don't talk to someone who doesn't reveal their face."

[Did I! Not! Tell you! That I! Cannot! Reveal my face! I am using! A talking machine! Remotely!]

"That's a lie. It's obvious you'll stab me in the back if I let my guard down."

[Aaaaagh! You crippled moron of a beastfolk! Think about it! Who has oppressed the beastfolk until now! Who are the cruel entities that enslaved, imprisoned! And tried to exterminate the beastfolk! Why are you trying to stand on the side of humans, ignoring the grudge of your race! Beastfolk! Join our side! I will grant you endless, resilient strength and! The honor to serve the Demon King!]

"I refuse."

[If you refuse, I have no choice but to subdue you by force! Aaaah! A weapon that has inherited the power of the Demon Realm! Roy! Subdue that arrogant beastfolk and drag her before me!]

"Roy?"

Along with Elsi's muttering, a blue ocular glow emitted light from the opposite side. Elsi reflexively pulled her body back. A beastfolk with a massive build pounced into the spot Elsi had dodged from. Bursting muscles, terrifying teeth, and sharp claws so threatening they made one wonder if daily life was even possible came into view. That was already a monster of the Demon Realm rather than a beastfolk. Elsi frowned and spoke.

"Roy, you say. It's the exact same name as a beastfolk I know. I dislike such unpleasant pranks. That is not Roy."

"Uwoooooooh!"

Roy roared loudly, drool dripping down his chin. He scratched the wall surface with his claws and straightened his back. His muscles twitched threateningly, causing Elsi to cringe in disgust.

"Disgusting."

"Uwoooooooh!"

[Hahahahaha! Stupid beastfolk! How is it! To become stronger, Roy accepted our contract by himself! Beastfolk! I heard your race pursues strength! There is no need to kneel to humans anymore! With us! Let's create a paradise! A paradise without humans! I mean let's create a paradise where demons, beastfolk, and! Mermaids coexist together!]

"Certainly, I also hated humans."

Elsi opened her mouth to speak.

[Ooooooh! Are you saying you will surrender!]

"Uwoooooooh!"

Roy roared. It was a cry that somehow seemed joyful. Elsi continued her words.

"But right now, I like the cleric more than I hate humans. When I'm next to the cleric, my heart feels warm, and a strange sense of happiness I didn't know during my tribe days swells up. If I take the Demon King's side, the cleric will be sad. I like the cleric. So I refuse to take your side."

"Uwaaaaaaah!"

Roy started to roar. He frantically scratched at his own face, appealing to his agony. Elsi flinched slightly at the sight and took a step back. Cutlass shouted.

[Aaah! You are making a stupid choice! Look at Roy! Can you not see the Roy who gained strength for you! The Roy who swore an oath to protect you!]

"Something like that is not Roy. I do not believe the words a demon says."

"Uwaaaaaaah!"

Roy roared even louder. Neither his bursting muscles nor his strong teeth were of any use. It was already too late for Roy. But Roy was too fragile to accept that truth. He continued to let out screams while tearing at his own face.

"Uwaaah! Uwaaaaah! Uwaaaaah!"

[Just! Believe me! When I speak! This guy is indeed Roy! The Roy who contracted with us to give him strength! Because he likes you! Do you! Not even feel pity! For that man! Acknowledge him, even if it's just empty words!]

"I don't believe the words a demon says. That is not Roy. It is just a monster. I dislike demons. I like the cleric."

"Uwaaaaaaaaagh! Aaaaaagh!"

His struggling as he tore at his face grew even more intense. The skin on his face was ripped off, and blood was streaming down. Elsi looked at the sight with pity but shook her head.

[You crippled moron of a beastfolk! That is Roy! I'm telling you to believe my words! The Roy who received strength because he loves you!]

"It is not Roy. There is no way Roy would love me. Roy was just a close younger brother. I like the cleric."

"Aaaaaagh! Kkuwaaaaagh! Kkeuaaaak!"

[Stop tormenting Roy! You wicked beastfolk! Is he not in agony! Can you not see that man's agony!]

At that moment, Elsi recalled something Lusius had said a very long time ago. It was a story with the nuance that demons were afraid of clerics. Suddenly remembering those words, Elsi glared at Roy and spoke.

"Seeing you in agony at the statement that I like the cleric, you must definitely be a demon. So I will torment you more. I like the cleric. I like him very much. Even yesterday, I was hugging the cleric all day long. When I hug him, the cleric playfully caresses my hair."

"Aaaaaagh! Kkuwaaaaagh! Kkeuaaaak!"

[You cruel beastfolk! Stop it! Stop! Roy! Get out of here at once! I cannot lose you here!]

Roy tried to turn his body. However, because the wounds on his face were so severe, he couldn't move properly. Elsi drew her claw and slowly approached him, speaking.

"If I let you go here, there will definitely be victims. Even I can see that you are strong. So I am going to kill you right here before I go."

"Uwoooooooh!"

[Escape! Escape!]

Elsi looked at him with a bloodthirsty expression. Seeing that expression, Roy froze. He stopped his movements, staring at Elsi with a dazed expression. Elsi did not miss that opening. Before Roy could move again, she severed his head and landed lightly on the floor. Slice, the severed head rolled softly on the floor and muttered like this.

"E...... El...... si......"

However, Elsi did not look back.