Death March — Fixed

“Tek here, it’s nice to have a lot of useful tools, but relying too much on them make you unable to notice oddness with your own eyes--thus mistakes can occur very easily. This happens in daily life and work, no matter the world you are on.”

Just before Liza and Arisa’s shift is over, enemies enter the range of my map. There are three Monsters called Shadow Stalkers, they are level 12 and have Innate Skills: ‘Physical Damage Received: 50%’ and ‘Stamina Drain’--If I have no way to counter it, they might be formidable enemies for the girls; even with their name, it doesn’t seem that they are undead.

Luckily their speed isn’t that fast, they will probably arrive in around an hour--maybe the Mage has run out of flying-type Monsters.

After sorting all of that out, I turn and look down at my chest.

I had thought that something has been putting pressure on my stomach for a while, and it turns out that it’s Pochi and Tama; they have climbed up onto my stomach and now lay there, sleeping on their bellies--I really don’t want to move them, they are so cute. 

But, I have to--so I carefully pick them up and place them next to each other as I get up. They make sleepy noises of displeasure, without waking up, and curl up, hugging each other.

When I get to where Arisa and Liza are sitting and keeping watch, Arisa turns and speaks with a grin, “What, can’t you sleep, master? Do you need me to help with thaat--?”

Liza looks up from her sitting position, “Are you having, trouble sleeping, Master?” She speaks a little slowly--obviously tired, but forcing herself to stay awake.

I should let her sleep for the time before the enemies get here.

“I decided to change with you two, so it’s fine for you to go and sleep.”

“Is it okay? Wasn’t the next turn going to be Pochi and Tama?” Liza asks, strangely, a little more awake when she heard my words.

“I’ll have them do the watch duty with Lulu early in the morning.”

Arisa approached and leaned against me, closing her eyes.

I notice Liza watching me.

“Feel free to do the same,” I talk quietly, so as to not disturb Arisa.

Strangely, she looks a little nervous, before getting up and coming over, leaning onto my other side--she seems a little tense, but soon shuts her eyes as well.

The feeling of both girls against me, is a little less distracting than when Pochi and Tama were cuddling me.

I continue watching the map, staying as still as possible, so as to not wake the girls; though I move occasionally to put sticks onto the fire. It’s still fifty minutes until the Monsters arrive, nothing has changed on the Monster’s side since I last checked, other than their position of course.

“--I’m thirsty.” Mia says as she walks up behind me and hands me a water bottle--it seems that she has woken up and wanted to come over, possibly wanting to talk.

She stands nearby and watches me, as I carefully shift position, still supporting the two girls--before picking them up carefully and carrying them to the sheet. Liza moves instinctively to Tama and Pochi, still asleep; while Arisa grabs onto Lulu and hugs her like a body pillow.

When I get back to the fire, Mia waits until I sit, before she sits next to me.

“Why?” Mia speaks in a small voice, her large emerald eyes meeting mine.

“Why am I protecting you from the Mage? There isn’t really any deep meaning to it--you were just in the right place at the right time, and it won’t cause too much trouble for us.” I speak with a reassuring smile.

“It’s dangerous.”

“Well, not really--if we are careful--as long as the Monsters are as weak as, or only slightly stronger than today.”

“Mize, and the others--died.” She looks, and sounds, sad.

Come to think of it, whats the relation between the Elves and the Ratmen?

“Where do you know Mize from?”

“Forest.”

“Bornean Forest?”

“Yes.”

Connecting the story from the few more words that Mia eventually lets out, it seems that Mize was saved by Mia’s parents when he was dying and surrounded by Goblins outside the forest 10 years ago. Mize then then stayed in Mia’s parent’s house for a while.

He was taught various things alongside Mia, when they were teaching her subjects ranging from languages, to Magic, to martial skills--so they became acquainted.

It seems that the red helmet that he was wearing was a painted Mithril product that was given to him by Mia’s parents.

This was probably the reason Mize called her Princess, it was more of an affectionate address.

“Did you get attacked by the Mage when you were visiting Mize’s hometown together with him?”

“No.”

After asking her from several different angles, I understood the rough situation.

It seems that Mia was abducted from her hometown in the forest by the Mage, and held captive in a Maze, in a mountain. The Mage then forcibly made her into the ‘Master of Mazes’ with a forced Contract ceremony.

Even if she’s called the ‘Master’, she was nothing more than a proxy for the Mage, forced to just sit in the Master Room for around half a day.

According to Mia, the Maze’s abilities seem to be weak, and she seemed to be some kind of key or catalyst--improving it, allowing it to manufacture Monsters at a much faster pace.

“Did Mize come to help you?”

“A coincidence.” Mia denies, shaking her head.

When I inquire for more details, it seems that she executed an emergency escape command through the Maze’s Core when there was the chance, at the time the Mage went back to his room.

When I said that she knows the controls well, she replied that it was in the Elven language--perhaps she pushed something like a button that had Elven written on it.

When she was teleported out of the Maze, she escaped to the nearby Ratman village and reunited with Mize there.

“The village was burned because of me--it’s my fault.” Mia spoke in a choked voice, tears beginning to fall from her eyes.

“It’s not your fault.” I wrap an arm around her shoulders and gently squeeze, giving her a reassuring hug, my other hand stroking her soft hair.

In times like this, anyone would want to be comforted, even if it’s merely words of comfort.

It seems that some subordinates of the Mage, who came to look for Mia, seem to have burned down the village as a lesson. Those subordinates seem to have been killed by Mize and his friends in a counterattack--but most of the villagers were dead by then.

This was why she couldn’t stay in the village, why Mize and his subordinates were going to escort Mia to meet an Elf in Seryuu City.

And then, as they were making their way down the mountain--

“We were attacked.”

“By the Flying Ants right?”

“Yes.”

From then on, it seems that it’s the same as I have seen.

Mia sat quietly and stared into the fire, leaning against me as I still held her shoulders--her shoulders trembled occasionally, and I saw the occasional tear fall from her lowered eyes, dripping onto the grass.

***

Meanwhile, the Shadow Stalkers have stopped at the site where the Flying Ants were decimated by Arisa’s Unique Skills during the afternoon.

I probably should wake everyone soon.

Releasing Mia, I stand up and walk over to the Light Hotplate, calling to Pochi as I send Magic Power into it.

 

“Pochi.”

 

Pochi, who’s sleeping, curling into a ball around Tama, reacts; her ears twitching. After a second, she wakes up and gets up, rubbing her eyes and looking sleepy.

 

“Uuu, food?”

 

“Nope. Wake everyone up, I feel some presences from the forest.”

Among the girls, Pochi is the easiest to wake up--the most difficult being Liza.

“It’s not morning, but wake up.” Pochi says, stepping on Tama’s stomach and knocking on Arisa’s head.

Lulu gets up when she hears Pochi’s voice.

 

“Liza wake up too.”

 

Liza’s body is swaying from the shaking, but she’s only groaning without waking up.

Tama gets on top of Liza’s stomach, to assist Pochi.

However, while still half-asleep, Liza catches the two and hugs them.

 

“Mugyu.”

“Wake up?”

 

Looks like the two will be like that until Liza wakes up.

Arisa walks over to the bonfire while yawning widely and stretching--her clothing is pulled tight and shows off the outline of her body.

Lulu also yawns, but she puts her hand over her mouth and does it cutely.

Arisa finishes, and looks at my face with a grin, before asking, “Is it enemies?”

“They’re still far away, but there are three coming.”

“Judging from your atmosphere, they’re not powerful?”

I quickly tell her the types and characteristics of the enemies.

“They’re not undead, right? Then, they should be easy prey for Mind Magic.” When she gets to the bonfire and sees Mia who is sitting next to me, having cheered up, she smiles at the other girl.

Then she grins, “Hey, you have me if you want to do it with someone!”

I raise an eyebrow at her and smile, “And I will take you up on when I get free time, but--”, I drop the smile before continuing, “I was just hearing about her situation.”

“Oh yes, please do, master.” She speaks with a smile and nod, before asking, “but why is she clinging to your arm?”

Luckily, there is no jealousy or anything in her tone, just curiousity and amusement.

Well, come to think of it, Mia has been clinging to my right arm before I knew it. I thought that we had separated after I activated the Light Hotplate earlier--and I really don’t mind it.

Mia releases me after it’s pointed out by Arisa.

‘I didn’t hug him.’

“I didn’t hug him, she said.”

“That’s a lie, I saw you separating just now--Hey, hey, I have no issue with it.” Arisa says with a grin, holding her hands up placatingly after getting a little drawn into the pace of the conversation.

I receive a cup of tea from Lulu, who seems to have made it before I even noticed.

When I sit down again, Mia casually sits next to me and sidled up to me--am I thinking too much when I think it’s kind of cute--

 

“Liza, here.”

“Nya, my tail hurts.”

 

Following the complaining Tama, comes Liza, who has just woken up.

They sit down with Tama leaning against me while holding and rubbing her tail--Pochi sits in front of me and leans back.

With a sigh, Arisa and Lulu sit across the fire from me.

“Liza, it’s about time to wake up,” I speak with a bit of a smile as I turn back to the mostly-asleep Lizardman.

She rapidly looks more alert--and after confirming me visually, to keep up her appearance, she greets me with a composed face, “G--Good morning, Master.”

“Good morning.”

It’s not morning though.

I should make sure that they all get ready soon.

“Enemies are approaching, use this cold water and wake yourselves up.” I say, placing a basin on the ground and pouring the cold water from the Hell Water Jug into it.

Everyone splashes cold water on their faces and begin preparation.

But for some reason, Tama keeps staring at the top of one of the trees--no enemies show up on my radar though.

 

“Is there something weird over there?”

 

“Those birds, weird?”

 

Birds?

There are around twenty owls nesting there.

It certainly seems a little weird, but for now we have confirmed enemies to fight.

***

It seems that the Shadow Stalkers have noticed the bonfire, they’re closing in on our camp--they are on the other side of the weird tree with the owls in it.

Our battle formation is: the three Beastkin girls will be in charge of the middle, Arisa will deal with the enemies on the right, and Mia and I will deal with the enemies on the left.

Lulu is taking refuge in the wagon.

I begin to hear fluttering sounds from behind.

Is it the owls from earlier.

When I look back, I see that it is one of the owls from earlier; it has a single red feather, which is a rather noticeable characteristic. Since the place where it lands is the same place we buried the remains of the boar that was used for dinner, it’s probably attracted to the smell.

I have never heard of owls doing that, let alone while a lot of rather tense people are nearby--but this is a fantasy world.

Right at this time, a red dot indicating an enemy suddenly appears on my radar--furthermore, it’s right near us.