Volume 5, Chapter 23 – Chatting in the Tent (1)

That day was spent clearing the rubble of Fu Yie Village, and by the time the soldiers finished repairing the fences surrounding the village, the sun had already set.

As for the lumber, we had no shortage of it, as the General tended to fell a massive amount of trees every time he entered combat.

Starting tomorrow, we will split into two teams: a mountain hunting team and a base-building team that will clear the remaining rubble and establish a stronghold.

We are on the mountain hunting team, and we plan to focus our efforts on subjugating the Undying Beasts to the northwest of the base.

The base-building team’s job is to protect the three people we rescued, as well as create a camp to accommodate the second wave scheduled to arrive in a few days.

To ensure the camp’s safety, they will be tasked with civil engineering work, such as reinforcing the village fences and digging dry moats to limit the routes beasts can use to enter the village.

Consequently, although Lu Diu-san is one of the people being protected, he has been pressed into this labor now that his injuries have healed.

Incidentally, the second wave is quite large, numbering around 300 people. This includes the logistics corps, who aren’t particularly combat-capable, so the base needs to be prepared to a certain level before they arrive.

Truthfully, I think it would be faster to build the base first since I have my Storage, but the General is eager to start the mountain hunt.

Moreover, I feel a sense of guilt because Fu Yie Village was wiped out due to my poor judgment. Therefore, I decided to follow the General’s lead this time.

It is now night, and we are resting inside a tent.

Our tent is pitched near the center of Fu Yie Village, which has been completely cleared of rubble and turned into an empty clearing.

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Next to us is Yihua-san’s tent, and beside that is the tent for Lu Diu-san and the rescued children.

The General, however, has no tent.

To be honest, I don’t understand the point at all, but apparently, he intends to sleep while keeping watch at the village entrance.

In addition to his usual spear-axe, he took about ten swords that I had enchanted with Purification Magic.

I wondered if he was actually awake since he’s capable of switching weapons, but he insists he is sleeping.

I have absolutely no idea how that’s possible, but I’ve forced myself to accept that the General is just that kind of person.

“Still, I wonder what those Undying Beasts actually are?”

Chris-san spoke up in response to my curiosity.

“Fiene-sama, I feel that the black haze-like substance was similar to the power Shizuku-dono used when she was being manipulated by Suikyou. Shizuku-dono, do you remember anything?”

“My apologies. I have no memory of that time whatsoever. I am truly sorry for having pointed my blade at all of you…”

Shizuku-san says this with a look of genuine remorse. Her ears are drooping apologetically, which is quite adorable.

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“It couldn’t be helped since you were under the Enslavement Curse Mark. I’m just happy you’re safe.”

“Exactly! And thanks to that, I got to eat lots of delicious food!”

Chris-san nods along.

“Fiene-dono… Lumia-dono, and Chris-dono as well… I am most grateful.”

Shizuku-san’s ears are still drooping, but her tail is wagging happily.

“But now that you mention it, they might be a bit similar. Though, back then, Shizuku-san was shrouded in much more of that black haze, using it as a barrier or for attacks, whereas those beasts just simply revive after they die… Plus, Shizuku-san didn’t heal even when she was badly injured… Ah, ugh…”

For a moment, I imagined Shizuku-san’s head being cut off and then regenerating, and I felt a sudden wave of nausea.

Chris-san gently held my hand.

“Fiene-sama, are you alright?”

“Ah, yes. I’m fine. I just had a strange thought. Let’s continue.”

At my word, Chris-san continued the conversation.

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“Regarding the fact that the injuries didn’t heal, it’s possible that it was because Fiene-sama used the power of Kirinagi to dispel that black haze.”

“I see. That might be the case. It’s thanks to that that we were able to stop Shizuku-san.”

“Yes. But it really was a good thing we recovered Kirinagi. Although, at the time, it was on Shishou’s instructions…”

“Was that so? Shishou…”

“Tessai-san seemed to know that Kirinagi possesses a special power. Besides, I heard something like Kirinagi’s voice.”

The moment I said that, the three of them spoke over me simultaneously.

“Eh? Kirinagi spoke?!”

“Amazing! Onee-sama talked to a Sword Spirit?!”

“Fiene-sama, is that true?”

“Eh? Eh? Um, I don’t know if it was a Sword Spirit, but I suddenly heard a voice. So I figured it was probably Kirinagi’s voice.”

Taken aback by their intense reaction, I managed to answer.

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“And based on the general gist of what it was saying, I thought I should give Kirinagi to Shizuku-san. That’s how it happened.”

“Hmph! If Onee-sama had talked to it, I would have thought there might be a Sword Spirit!”

Oh. So that’s what Lu-chan was getting at.

For a second, I thought she actually believed Sword Spirits existed. In the first place, I can’t see any spirits other than Riche, so even if a Sword Spirit existed, there’s no way I’d be able to converse with it.

“I see. I must express my gratitude to Kirinagi.”

“Apparently, Kirinagi was quite furious about being separated from Shizuku-san. Oh? Come to think of it, didn’t Tessai-san say it had cursed many people to death?”

“Haha. Kirinagi is famous for having a violent temperament. I hear it has cursed many daredevils to death since long ago.”

I mean, he’s saying this way too casually…

“Fiene-dono, if one is a normal human, they may not be able to wield Kirinagi, but they will not be killed. One will only be cursed to death if they are truly evil, if someone without the qualifications stubbornly tries to force it to be their own blade, or if they forcibly steal it from its original owner. They must have been quite reckless…”

As Shizuku-san said this, her eyes drifted off into a distant gaze.