Chapter 27: Monster’s true nature

“No way, it’s outrageous to approach that forest. No one should go over there. Sooner or later, we had to leave this land. That’s all…”

“……I’m sorry, I understand your feelings. But can you guys wait a little longer? I don’t know how fast the soil erodes but I think we still have few more days to spare. In that few days, I’ll stop it.”

“S-Stop it?…. Even the Knights can’t eradicate that monster. Recently, whenever a monster comes out, the gray land also expands rapidly. It seems to stop now but if monsters come out once or twice, the field I manage will be done for.”

Even in such situation, he still stayed here. To endure it once more and wait for a few more days, I know I’m asking for something impossible…

But, I know that the root of this erosion is in that forest which we can’t just lay our hands on. If we can somehow do something about that, it will definitely get better.

 “…Presha-san, Dite-san. After this, what goes ahead is…”

“Don’t tell us to go back just because it’s dangerous. Certainly, we are captains significant for fighting Zirconia. But I don’t know how far the damage will spread if we leave it here. If monsters start to appear around the fortress, that would be a catastrophe.”

“I can’t absolutely say that there’s no such possibility. If there is one valid clue, it should be that they are weak against fire. To avoid damaging the precious crops, we need to be careful…”

Dite-san continued to speak as if there was no option to go back.

 “I’m very sorry but, when your packing your luggage together to leave this place, do you have anything that can be burned? I want to use a fire arrow.”

“Ye-Yes… Are you really going to that forest? No matter how many Knights you have, it’s still too dangerous. Please don’t overdo it…”

“If I was totally left with no other option, I will consider retreating then. To give up without even approaching things is a Knights shame.”

In response to Dite-san’s answer, the man didn’t say anything more. He was not in the least happy to leave here. There are many other farmers who lived here for a long time now, not just this one. They were all similarly forced to leave the land they used to live in.

What’s going on in that forest…? No, it’s not an ordinary forest. In that forest, there are strange plant that grows even in gray land… Still, plants are plants.

If there is fuel to make a fire arrow, we can use the match that I use to disinfect needles. I asked if it was popular in the west, it was said that I could buy it if I went to the city –I’d like to ask Raquel-san’s permission to go to the city once this problem is solved.

 “Well then…everyone, are you ready? I don’t know when a monster will come out, so we’ll walk from here. It’s said that horses are also weak against that monster.”

“Then, I’ll keep it here. Knights, please be careful…”

The man prays for our safety. We walked more cautiously when we reached the point where the land was gray.

―The forest is still far away. However, as if to block our way, rumbling sound echoed out– It makes me think that it was the soil in front as it was moving up and down.

Something breaks through the soil and jumps out from several direction at the same time. It’s a nightmare-like sight that jumps out to the cloudy sky.

“Uh….It’s huge… if many more monsters like this appear at the same time….”

“Earthworm monster…? Either way, we have no choice but to kill it… Haaa!”

Presha-san boldly swings her spear and confronts the monsters that attack from the air with a snake-like movement. Certainly, with this color and creature-like movement, everyone would be mistaken and think that the enemy is an “animal”.

No… it’s not an earthworm, let alone a snake. It’s a plant that has transformed to attack people…!

“Kuu!… there’s no response at all!…uh-, Kyaaaa….!”

“–Presha-san!”

“Presha… uh-, Not good! It would hit that child…Uh-”

The plant monster that appeared under her feet caught her legs, and Presha-san hang in the air. –If this goes on, she could be thrown violently against the ground.

“Release…..this thing…..Dite-san-, shoot! I’ll be fine!”

“—Dite-sama, it’s dangerous!”

“Kuu…!”

One after another, plant monsters jump out of the ground –Lendl-san pushes Dite-san who barely escapes from being captured. At this time, Presha-san is entangled by the second and third plant monster, completely robbing her freedom.

As I thought, it’s a vine-like plant monster that has its own will… Then, it doesn’t make sense to attack that vine. There are other places to aim for. Even if the opponent is a monster, I can hear the “voice” if it is a plant.

Where does that voice come from?

I listened closely and concentrate. While doing that, the ground breaks one after another, rolling up the gray soil, and the plant monster attack us once more.

(―Punishment for those who have abandoned the sanctuary. In the name of the sacred tree, I shall pass my judgment.)

I could hear it… that’s the main body…!

“Dite-san, the monster is in the back! Aim around the roots of that!”

“Ugh-…..S-something is there, right? Uh-…..I believe you…!”

While avoiding the enemy’s attack, Dite-san places an arrow on the bow, draws it, and shoots around that place.

“―Release Presha, you monster!”

A running arrow shoots through a purple vine, which unlike others, is barely moving.

“It’s hold has loosen…!”

Presha-san, who has landed on the ground, runs away quickly. Indeed, at the speed of a carnivorous beast that catches its prey, Dite-san’s arrows struck, the arrows stick out of the body of the plant monster.

 “―Yaaaaaa!”

At the end, Presha-san jumps and sends out a spear so as to push it to the ground –then in my ears, I heard the sound of the plant monster’s death agony.

“…..Haa, haa… Amazing… I just did exactly as to what Glass-sensei said, we won…”

“Presha-san, that’s impressive…..b-but, please wait a little before you turn around!”

“E-eh……?”

While being suspended and restrained by the vines, it happened at that moment–Presha-san’s armor came off, and the armor underneath was also severely torn.

“…I’m really glad it didn’t catch me.”

“W-When you say such thing… if this goes on, Presha-sama’s heart will be left with a scar.”

“Urgh… I-I feel something weird….It’s rubs against the skin and it’s irritating, it feels terrible…”

In this case, the one who will treat her will of course be me –maybe because the plant monster’s surface was rough, Presha-san has scratches all over her body. The happiness we felt when we defeated the monster was now gone.

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