NOVEL WEB 013 – She, Who Accompanied Yunofeliza Tribe
Navigating through the demon realm proved to be quite intriguing.
The Yunofeliza tribe—no longer the force they once were—proved themselves adept hunters.
As they traversed the thick forest, they hunted wild beasts and monsters, efficiently skinning and gutting their prey while on the move. By the time they set up camp, they had already prepared the meat for cooking.
Honestly, I probably wouldn't perish even without food.
I likely wouldn't even require sleep. Since this transformation, I hadn't experienced overwhelming drowsiness. Sleep wasn't a necessity; it was a choice.
Yet, that didn't mean I would forgo daily meals and rest.
Stripping joy from life would only worsen things. And the current circumstances were far from ideal anyway.
Deep within me, a life fueled solely by resentment and bitterness didn't seem enjoyable.
However, I couldn't be certain, as there may be those left with no other option.
"Hey, Euphemia. What's our next move?" Junos suddenly broke the silence as we walked side by side.
Tall like Janus but lacking his muscular frame, Junos wore an expression tinged with uncertainty.
It might be because of me, but I didn't feel particularly responsible.
"What do you want to do, Junos?"
To such a straightforward query—perhaps because of its simplicity—Junos contorted his mouth into a troubled expression.
"...We fled. For now, our objective is simply to escape."
"I understand. But let me ask you this: do you think the demon council is actively pursuing us? If they truly wanted to thrust the Yunofeliza tribe into Escard, they would have assigned someone to monitor your tribe at least."
"...So, we were simply discarded."
"Who can say? I can't discern their true motives. Besides, dwelling on it serves no purpose. Even if those were hunting us, there's little we can do to evade them. It's unwise to let down our guard, yet worrying excessively is equally futile."
"I see."
"That's merely my opinion. Let's relish our journey through this forest for now. When we stumble upon the next river, we can bathe. But I must warn you, Junos, no peeking at a maiden's nakedness."
With a playful giggle, Euphemia offered a warm smile.
Junos's expression didn't lighten, but it seemed to have shifted slightly from before.
By the way, my initial intent was to witness the magic of the demon race.
In that regard, my objective has already been fulfilled.
I've observed combat in Escard territory, albeit from a distance, and I've even been struck by Janus Yunofeliza himself, pierced straight through the abdomen.
I'm no scholar, so my understanding isn't based on reasoned speculation, but rather on firsthand experience.
The magic of the demon race—referred to as their 'magic'—is remarkably versatile.
One might argue that the 'magic' of the human race is more extreme.
Upon closer examination, both Janus and Junos don't differ much from humans in terms of skeletal structure and physique, yet they wield such immense physical power. While the laws of physics may vary between this world and Earth, comparing 'the human race of this world' to 'humans of Earth' reveals few discrepancies.
What truly sets them apart is 'magic.'
In this world, magic exists.
And where there's magic, there's magical power/energy.
In essence, it's likely that the demon race harnesses not only physical strength but also magical energy.
Most probably. Likely. In part.
Otherwise, they wouldn't be capable of piercing through a person's abdomen or covering nearly ten meters with a single stride.
So, it appears the demon race can convert magical energy into physical strength.
Of course, this doesn't imply they're incapable of using magic. Given their capacity for handling greater magical energy than humans, they possess more than enough capability to wield magical attacks while concurrently enhancing their physical attributes.
In contrast, the human race is exceptional.
They pursue destruction relentlessly, channeling magical energy into annihilation without regard for self-preservation. They refine their bloodlines, augment their magical prowess, ultimately evolving into instruments of war.
That's why—they've set out to defeat the demon race.
Employing magical power akin to the demon race was a realm they could never attain.
And so, I pondered upon such matters.
However, that doesn't equate to me possessing magic like the demon race. It's subtly different. It's not unattainable, but the amount of magical energy I can handle is too meager.
Subjectively, if I were to sprint with all my might, I might manage about twelve seconds for a hundred meters. This is because, even at full exertion, I wouldn't perish. Euphemia, delicate and charming as she may be, could achieve a similar speed.
If I were to augment this with magic, it might shave off a second or so. That's merely a subjective estimation. Therefore, it's wiser for me to allocate my magical power elsewhere.
Traveling alongside such remarkably powerful individuals proceeded smoothly.
Not a single warrior, including Junos, nor the women and children who trailed behind, voiced complaints of exhaustion along the journey.
Rather than me, who never tires, traversing the forest without hesitation, it proved swifter for the demon race members to advance while hunting and sewing. Reflecting on it, I couldn't shake off a sense of obligation. Perhaps they even adjusted their pace to match mine.
Or one could put it this way.
Due to their smaller numbers, their march was brisk.
"Miss Euphemia. Why couldn't Miss Euphemia remain among the human race?" The youngest among them—though due to their longevity, she might be older than me—asked with wide eyes.
She's a girl with pale purple skin, her head barely reaching my chest.
"I had a fiance, but he found a better woman than me and chose her. So, he tried to get rid of me because I became an obstacle. That's why I ran away."
"I see... Is that so..." The girl tilted her head, not quite comprehending.
I didn't seek understanding from her, so it didn't trouble me. I simply didn't want to deceive a child.
"Hey, Miss Euphemia. Why do you speak like that?" The girl regained her composure and clutched the hem of my clothes tightly. It's the same outfit that Janus poked a hole in.
By the way, that hole was patched up by this girl during the camp. She's even capable of skinning the prey she catches.
"Even if you ask me why..."
It's challenging to explain that it's because I regained memories from my past life during the 'roasting'—without a doubt, that's the cause. The former Euphemia Grimwood used to speak politely and femininely. Even now, there's nothing stopping me from doing so.
Speaking in a refined manner, like an ordinary noble daughter, elevating the other person.
But even in my past life, the 'me' as a middle-aged man in his thirties didn't particularly speak in this manner. I can't stand someone speaking like that. How can someone engage in social life with such a tone?
But, I thought.
During that moment when the soles of my feet were burning, my clothes catching fire, and I couldn't even breathe. Along with the sudden recollection of memories from my past life, reflecting on the life of Euphemia Grimwood.
I thought.
I thought, 'I'm done with that.'
"...Well, yeah. That's right. Because this is who I am. This is the genuine Euphemia Grimwood, without any falsehoods. Isn't she just adorable?"
I said as much.
It's not particularly pleasant to lie to a child.
Moreover, when the girl looked surprised as if she had found a shining treasure and then showed the brightest smile two seconds later, it made it even more so.
It seems I still have a heart that can ache... Why?
So, we continued westward through the demon realm.
What day was it... Probably more than twenty days, but less than forty.
Finally, the forest broke, and we reached a fairly large river.
While the forest continued beyond it, the ambiance on this side and that of the demon realm were clearly distinct, and unless one were extremely dense, they would have sensed the boundary.
Not even among the demon race, including myself, was there anyone that dense.
No—let me rephrase.
There were no extremely dense individuals.
I should have realized, just as Escard was, that 'here' in the beastmen country was also a frontier.
Well, even if I had realized it, there might not have been much of a difference.