At any rate, as long as the monsters were around, there was a possibility they could show up on the road and attack the carriage Claudia was on. So I decided to mount Claimh Soras and head to the forest on my own. Much like the basilisk situation, I suspected some larger monster had chased the smaller, weaker ones out of their habitat, forcing them to flee. I also thought I’d restock on Jirai Ao Ochs fruit while I was at it. According to Suzume, it took an entire season for them to grow, so it’d be best to get them while I could, just in case I needed them later.
As I was about to leave, however, I heard Suzume’s timid voice behind me. “Er, Sora...I have...a request.”
“Consider it done.”
“Huh? But... But I haven’t even told you what it is yet...”
“Whatever it is, if it’s a request from you, I couldn’t possibly refuse,” I said seriously.
Suzume blinked a few times, then smiled awkwardly. I’d really meant it, but apparently she thought I was joking. That depressed me a little, but to save face as her senior, I masked it with a smile.
Oblivious to my inner turmoil, Suzume spoke up again. “I was wondering...if you’re going to the Jirai Ao Ochs, um, could you take me with you?”
“Hm? Are you sure? The forest is pretty dangerous. Wait, I don’t have to tell you that, do I? Is there something there you’re curious about?”
“Um, well...I just wanted to see my village again...and check if my house is still standing.”
My brow creased a little. Kamuna Village, Suzume’s former residence, was where the basilisk spreading the Sea of Rot had been nesting. I’d used fire to burn the basilisk, rot, and everything around it to a crisp, so no doubt the village dwellings and such had burned along with them. Suzume had been with me at the time, so she should’ve known that as well...but at the same time, I could understand why she’d want to see the state of the home she’d been born and raised in for herself. Perhaps she hadn’t mentioned it until now because she thought she’d be a bother.
“I don’t mind, but just to let you know, Claimh Soras isn’t exactly a comfortable ride. Are you sure you’ll be all right?” If the wyvern in question had heard me, it surely would have sulked, but that was the truth.
In response, Suzume pursed her lips and squeezed her fist. “I’ll endure it,” she said.
What a cute reaction! “Ahem! All right, if you’re sure! Just hold on to me and don’t let go!” I said quickly and in a higher tone than intended.
She tilted her head a little at my behavior but responded with spirit. “I will!”
And so, Suzume and I boarded Claimh Soras and flew over to the cliff face where the Lord of the Flies’ cave was. I felt two large mounds press up against my back along the way, which was blissful, but only until Titus Forest came into view. After all, there was nothing blissful about the current state of the forest.
“Again, huh?” I said with a grimace. Looking down from the cliff face, the forest didn’t seem all that different. There was no dramatically spreading rot or any other immediately obvious anomaly. But there was a strange noise. Sounds like low roars were rising up from all over, most likely the cries of monsters. Some even sounded like dying screams, as though they’d lost to whatever creature they’d been fighting.
It sounded like monsters were running all around the forest instead of staying within their habitats or territories. And the monsters were attacking one another the moment they crossed paths. That was the only possible explanation for the noises I was hearing. In other words, they were going berserk.
Not even the basilisk’s appearance had caused such turmoil. Suzume, standing beside me, leaned into me as though needing comfort. After living in the forest so long, she had to have noticed how abnormal the situation was as well.
Shit! I messed up. I cursed inwardly. Truth be told, I hadn’t thought Titus could have gotten this dangerous. It would have been one thing if I’d been alone, but I’d brought Suzume with me. Of course, I couldn’t have refused her request when she hardly ever asked anything of me, but I should have left her behind regardless.
Perhaps it’s not too late to take her back, I thought. But then I felt a soft sensation around my hand. She’d grabbed it with both of her hands. Her light pink eyes gleamed with pleading as she looked up at me, and I could tell she wanted to stay.
After a few seconds, I finally sighed. I couldn’t win against those eyes.
I entered the forest with Suzume, more or less carrying her in my arms. At first, I’d planned to harvest the Jirai Ao Ochs fruit before heading to her village, but given the current state of the forest, I went straight to the village out of consideration for her.
Just as I’d expected, the place was in ruins. Debris of what used to be houses was scattered everywhere, all burned either black or to ash. The houses that were still standing looked like they’d been ravaged and ransacked by monsters. None of the dwellings retained their original shapes.
Suzume looked at the devastation in sorrow, then walked toward the village’s edge. Curious about where she was going, I followed, until she stopped at a plot of land with small stones lined up in the ground. It seemed the Sea of Rot hadn’t affected this place. Perhaps it was being protected by some barrier I didn’t know about. It wasn’t until she knelt in front of one of the stones, closed her eyes, and began to pray that I realized it was the demonkin village’s cemetery.
Both her parents were probably buried there. According to what she’d told me before, her father had gone missing when she was very young, and her mother had also died long ago. Even with the barrier protecting the village, it had to have been extremely difficult for a young girl to live on her own in the depths of Titus Forest for so long. And her parents had to have realized that as well. When I thought about how they must have felt, having to leave their child behind in such an environment, I couldn’t help but bow my head too.
At that moment, however, I sensed a presence. Shaking off my sentimentality for the moment, I scanned our surroundings. I heard multiple roars in the distance, and they sounded like they were getting louder. Were they reacting to my human smell? Or maybe Suzume’s demonkin mana like the basilisk had? Either way, they were clearly coming in our direction. While I would have liked to have let Suzume talk to her deceased parents at length, it seemed that wasn’t going to be possible right now. Reluctantly, I called for her to come back to me. She was already standing and looking in my direction.
“I’m sorry,” she said, looking like she was about to cry. “I got you into trouble after all by wanting to come here.”
“No, this isn’t your fault. Don’t worry about it. Besides, if I give it my all, these monsters won’t even be a threat,” I said as confidently as I could manage to try and reassure her.
That said, it wasn’t a lie. If I used my Shinsou, I could take out any monster in the Titus depths while still having the leeway to protect Suzume. But I hesitated to stain these demonkin graves with monster blood and guts. I’d already confirmed the abnormality in the forest, which was my goal in coming here, so it might be wiser to retreat. I would have liked to have thrown up a barrier to protect her parents’ gravestones, but unfortunately I didn’t have that ability. But come to think of it, back on the mountain, Miroslav had been using a device that generated barriers. I’d be sure to bring one with me next time I came.
With that thought, I picked Suzume up again, imbued my entire body with vigor, and dashed off.