The Revenge of the Soul Eater

The Unusual Changes of the Forest

 

  About half a month after Miroslav joined『Blood Spraying Sword』, a messenger of Duke Dragunaut came to visit me from Horus, the royal capital.

 

  The content of the message was about how he’s going to send Claudia over soon.

 

  At first, I tilted my head after I heard that.

 

  It hasn’t even been a month since the battle against Jijinbou.
I felt like the duke made the decision to send his beloved daughter over to me way too quickly.

 

  The one who provided the answer to why he’s doing that was Miroslav, the daughter of the Sauzar company that has its headquarters in the royal capital.  

 

   She told me about the rumors her company collected there in detail.

 

  According to the rumors, it seems that the chaos caused by the previous incident has only died down in the city, as there was still a storm blowing in the royal palace.

 

  Even the wedding between crown prince Azar and the Ad-Astera Empire’s princess Sakuya has been delayed.

 

  The first ones to oppose that marriage were the nobles in the anti-imperialism faction.
Among them, there seem to be some who are planning to bring the marriage between Azar and Claudia that was once called off back on the table as well.

 

  Duke Dragunaut is probably trying to let Claudia escape from this kind of political stagnation, Miroslav explained.

 

  When it comes to an unmarried princess(Claudia) being allowed to move in with a man who’s single(Sora), most would link it to future marriage.
It’s practically an engagement.

 

  It’s not normal for a duke’s daughter to marry an ordinary adventurer, but many people know that the adventurer in question is the rumored dragon rider.

 

  …From a third party’s point of view, me getting married into Duke Dragunaut’s family would be a natural course of events.

 

  W-well, that’s just from their point of view though; it’s not like we really got engaged.
But if I can become a shield that protects Claudia, I suppose I can call it an honor.

 

  There’s no man who doesn’t want to be a knight who protects a princess.

 

  If I’m unlucky, the radicals in the anti-imperialism faction might even send an assassin at me…but I can just devour them if that happens.
Yeah, no problem there.

 

  And so, I have been getting ready to welcome Claudia in, but there was one thing that was bothering me.

 

  In the past few days, there have been frequent occurrences of monsters appearing around Ishka.

 

  The adventurers’ guild seems to have been very busy responding to them, so some requests were brought to my clan as well.

 

  Each time that happened, I brought Lunamaria, Miroslav, Ciel, and even Suzume with me to subjugate the monsters so that she could gain some experience, but the number of monster attacks has been going up instead of down.
The appearance rate was clearly not normal.

 

  Most of the monsters and demonic beasts appearing are the species that live in Titis forest, so I think something unusual happened there.

 

  Since they are showing up on the roads that connect Ishka to the capital too, something like Claudia’s horse carriage being attacked by them could happen at this rate.

 

  After I thought about that, I decided to ride Clau Soras to go to the Titis forest.

 

  Like the time with the basilisk before, I have to respect the possibility that a big shot has appeared, chasing the monsters out of their homes.

 

  With this opportunity, I decided to stock up on some jiraiaooks fruits in case of emergency.

 

  According to Suzume, the jiraiaooks tree bears fruit from spring to summer.
It would probably be a good idea to get some while I can.

 

  And so, while I was considering such things, Suzume spoke out in a timid voice.

 

  「Um, Sora.
I have a favor…to ask you」

 

  「Sure, I’ll do it」

 

  「……? I still haven’t said anything…yet?」

 

  「No matter what it is, I won’t say no to your request」

 

  When I replied with a serious look on my face, Suzume blinked 2, 3 times, and then she made a troubled smile. 

 

  I was speaking from my heart, but it seems that she took that as some kind of joke.

 

  That makes me a little sad, but this is where I use a smile to smooth things over as the one who is older.

 

  Despite the trouble I’m having, Suzume opened her mouth again.

 

  「If you’re going to go get some jiraiaooks fruits, I want you to bring me with you…」

 

  「Hm? The Titis forest is dangerous, you know――Well, I guess you don’t need me to tell you that.
Is there something on your mind?」

 

  「……Once…I want to take a look at the village one time.
I’m curious…about what happened to my home」

 

  After I heard that, I knitted my brows slightly.

 

  The Kamuna village that Suzume lived in was right by the sea of blight that the basilisk produced.

 

  Since I used fire to burn down the sea of blight, I’m almost certain that the homes in her village were also burnt down. 

 

  Suzume was present at the time as well, so she should be aware of that――But I can understand her feelings of wanting to check what had become of the place she was born and raised in with her own eyes.

 

  Maybe she never told me those thoughts until today because she didn’t want to cause me trouble.

 

  I could see that’s how she feels with a glance even if she doesn’t say anything right now――but I’m sure that even she couldn’t keep still after hearing that something was wrong in the forest.
If things go badly, she would never be able to go back to her home again after all.

 

  「――Alright.
I’m going to say this beforehand though, riding on Clau Soras is not a comfortable ride, you know? Are you going to be okay?」

 

  When I told Suzume the truth that would definitely put Clau Soras in a bad mood if he heard me, Suzume pursed her lips tightly.
Then, she made a fist and nodded as she said “I’ll do my best!”.
She’s so cute.

 

  「A…Ahem! Alright then! Make sure you hold on to me tight then!」

 

  「Okay!」

 

  When I raised my voice in a panic after almost blurting something weird, Suzume tilted her head slightly and answered me in a loud voice.

 

◆◆◆

 

  After Suzume and I straddled Clau Soras together, we came to the King of Flies’ nest that is on top of a cliff.

 

  On our way here, I was distracted repeatedly from feeling the size of her two bulges on my back, but it was only until Titis forest came to sight.

 

  Right now, as I stood on top of the cliff, there wasn’t even a shred of frivolousness inside me. 

 

  「……Oh wow」

 

  Even when I look down from above the cliff like this, I can’t see any major changes in the forest’s scenery.
For example, there wasn’t anything easy to spot like an expanding sea of blight.

 

  Despite that, I can feel that something is clearly “wrong”.

 

  The reason is the sounds.
There is a low reverberation like an underground rumbling coming from the entire forest.
Monsters everywhere are howling as if they are responding to that sound.

 

  The painful screams that are mixed in there occasionally are probably death cries of the monsters that lost in their fight against other monsters.

 

  Monsters and demonic beasts seemed to be all running around the forest regardless of where their home or turf is.
And when they run into each other, they immediately start fighting――The situation wouldn’t have become like this if that isn’t the case.

 

  A state of frenzy.
Those words came to my mind.

 

  The situation of the forest wasn’t this bad even when the basilisk appeared.

 

  Suzume was snuggling up to me as she stood beside me.
It shows that even for Suzume, who has lived in this forest her entire life, the situation right now was unusual.  

 

  Damn, I messed up. I tsked at myself in my mind.

 

  Honestly, I didn’t think that things would be this strange inside Titis.
I would manage somehow if I was alone, but Suzume is in danger.

 

  Since she rarely asks me for anything, I ended up saying yes to her too easily, but I should have left her in Ishka.

 

  When I thought of bringing her back to Ishka immediately――

 

  My left hand was enveloped by a soft sensation. 

 

  When I took a look, Suzume had grabbed onto my left hand with both of her hands.
Her light crimson-colored eyes were filled with a pleading light that was silently telling me “Please take me with you”.

 

  After a few seconds of silence, I let out a small sigh.

 

  There was no way I could win against that look.