Defense 999,999,999 Corps Commander - Defense 999999999 Corps Commander chapter 73

73 – The Seven Monarchs’ Conference (3)

In a forest filled with trees of magnificent size.

Houses made of wood are placed here and there.

The children were busy running around and playing. The women were hanging out their laundry. However, the difference from other villages was that they all had wolf ears.

“Seina, Miss. Where do you plan on going today?”

Escort Knight Eric spoke to young Seina, who was watching the children running around. She smiled and replied.

“Eric. I finally get it.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about how to cure your mother’s illness!”

Eric smiled bitterly at Seina’s words.

Her mother, Olia Grant, suffered from a serious, incurable disease, a degenerative disease of the spinal cord and brain nerves that is now known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. If you have this disease, your muscles will not function properly and you will not be able to even aim your body.

I have already made several requests to the Magic Tower and visited several alchemists to try to find a cure. However, Olia’s illness is currently incurable with medicine and magic.

“What is the method?”

But, he figured out a way to fix it. Eric didn’t think it was a very convincing method.

“Eric. This is a real secret. On the night of the full moon, a flower that holds the moon blooms on the top of Tempoad! If you eat that flower well, it is said to cure any disease!”

“… Miss. Where did you hear that?”

“Uncle Jackson said so.”

“…okay.”

Eric looked at Seina with an embarrassed face.

Jackson was once an elite werewolf who had made great contributions as a werewolf warrior. However, he lost one of his legs in a battle with humans and is now just an alcoholic.

He used to talk about his exploits whenever he had the chance, but now he had run out of material to talk about, so there were even rumors going around that he was making up stories.

Eric was in a difficult position. Should he tell the truth? If so, wouldn’t that take away the little hope Seina had now?

Eric knew very well that Seina, who now always looked bright on the outside, was filled with sadness on the inside. Her family, whom she loved the most. It was natural since Olia was always lying in bed with her.

“I can’t wait! I’ll be able to go hunting with Mom again!”

“…miss.”

However, no matter what, it was too dangerous to send young Seina alone. So he decided to stop her resolutely.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think that’ll work. There may be dangers lurking outside the forest.”

“Eric, I can kill a boar by myself. My claws are so sharp.”

Seina sticks out her fingernails with her small hands. Eric can’t help but smile at the sight.

“… Then I will go with you. I don’t know what kind of danger may arise.”

Seina shook her head firmly.

“Eric is here. That flower is one that can only bloom if you go alone.”

“That is absolutely not possible.”

“…You don’t want to fix our mother?”

“… … .”

Eric kept his mouth shut. He had nothing else to say.

“Then you must come before dawn. Promise me.”

“Don’t worry. I promise.”

Seina’s chest pounded. She, who had never even reached her waist, now looked quite dignified.

“It’s a promise.”

Of course, Eric had no intention of sending Seina away alone. He planned to follow her quietly.

**

Finally, the night of the full moon arrived.

Seina came out of the forest of flashing lights after completing her preparations.

“At my speed, I can reach the top of Tempoad in no time.”

Seina kicked the ground. If only she had that flower, she would definitely be able to cure her mother. What kind of expression would her mother have then? Seina continued to imagine happily and went deep into the forest.

-Kuaa!

Slowly, the sounds of animals began to be heard. From what she heard, it seemed to be bears. Seina did not want to harm them, so she climbed up the tree and began to climb higher.

“Will it take about an hour?”

My steps felt lighter than usual. I felt my whole body swell with excitement as I thought about the happy days ahead.

at that time.

Seina suddenly stopped. From afar, she felt an ominous aura that she had never felt before.

“It smells… like a human.”

What kind of person is he? Why does he emit such unpleasant aura? For a moment, Seina felt curious and thought about going to take a quick look.

“… … .”

But soon he shook his head. Even at this moment, Olia was lying in bed, fighting the illness. He must not forget his purpose.

Eventually, Seina climbed the hill again.

“Ouch!”

As time passed, the mountain became more rugged. There were places where the path was covered with thorns, and there were places where a misstep could lead to a fall into a cliff. Nevertheless, 12-year-old Seina did not give up and continued to climb the mountain.

How much time had passed? Before I knew it, the sky had turned night, and the bright full moon was beginning to shine.

Seina’s clothes were half-torn, and her face was covered in dust and dirt, so dirty that no one could recognize her.

“… They’re all here.”

And finally.

Thud!

When Seina used all her strength to climb the rock face.

“…uh?”

Her expression soon turned to disappointment.

“There isn’t any… .”

On a rock face so narrow that you can barely stand with two feet on it. Not a single flower, not even an ant, was in sight.

“… I’m sure Mr. Jackson was there.”

Knock knock.

The rocky ground was stained. Young Seina sat down.

Only then did Seina realize.

That means there is no such thing as a flower that cures all diseases.

**

Thump thump.

Seina returned to the forest where the tribes were with weak steps.

“uh…?”

And she saw.

Hururuk.

I’m talking about a forest burning with a fierce fire that seems like it will engulf everything.

“…mom and dad!”

Seina started running like crazy.

No thoughts came to mind. I just hoped everyone was safe.

Thud!

“!”

Furry!

At that moment, Seina tripped on something and fell to the floor. Before she could feel the pain, she heard a sound.

“… Three, three.”

When she turned her gaze.

“Hey, Mr. Jackson…?”

On the floor, Jackson, clad in armor, is shaking and reaching out.

“Run away….”

“Oh, sir… ?!”

That was Jackson’s will. He was no longer breathing.

Seina jumped up with a frightened face and started running again.

What happened to the always peaceful town? Who did this to Mr. Jackson? Is Mom okay? Various thoughts began to cross her mind.

As she entered the village, corpses began to appear. Seina closed her eyes tightly so as not to look and headed towards the house where her mother was.

And when I opened the door.

“—!!!!”

Seina made a face of astonishment.

The house was a mess. There were red blood stains here and there on the walls.

“Oh, Mom… Dad?”

Holan lying face down on top of Olia. When I saw the blood on the floor from the hallway to the bedroom. He must have fought the enemy outside until the end, sensed his end, and died next to Olia.

“Mom… Dad—!”

Seina fell to the floor and cried bitterly for a long time. They were clearly two people who had been alive and well until just a moment ago. How could such a tragedy happen?

That was when.

Phew!

A loud, loud noise rang out, and someone broke through the wall of Seina’s house.

“I finally found it. The werewolf woman that was in the forest earlier.”

It was human.

That too, before he climbed the mountain. That man who gave off an ominous aura.

“…you you.”

Seina was speechless.

Because I felt like this miserable tragedy was all my fault.

If he had returned to the village and warned them of the danger, if he had bought time for everyone to escape, this tragedy would not have happened. But it was too late for him to regret it.

“I’ll send you there so you can rest comfortably.”

The human quickly shook off his sword and slowly approached Seina.

An indescribable sense of fear engulfed her entire body. Seina could only sit on the floor and stare at the man approaching her.

“die.”

The man who arrived in front of Seina swung his sword.

at that time.

“Ugh… Ugh!”

A werewolf took the man’s sword with its body.

“…Eric?”

“Miss… run away.”

“I, I…”

“Run away quickly—!”

Eric’s shout brought Seina to her senses, and she jumped up from her seat. Then, without looking back, she started running like a madman.

“Do you think they’ll send it?”

The man tried to stop him, but Eric bit the back of his neck.

“Ugh-!”

“I won’t let you go easily.”

This was Seina’s last memory.

When she came to her senses.

The forest where he lived was already far away, and he was being sold as a slave to some human.