CH 171

Chapter 171

When Peaceful Times Cease To Exist : To The Swamp, Part 9 — Swamp People

Translated by KaiesV

Edited by KaiesV

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Already Alfiris and her group had left Schutim and were making their way into the swamp. Alfiris grumbled that「she wanted to fight」but when they told her that Nia was in bad shape, that they didn’t have enough horses, and that Lifeless were in pursuit, she reluctantly agreed to head for the swamps.

The only other thing that has changed is,

「Is Euthy coming with us?」

「Of course! What will everyone do without me?」

Although Euthy’s chest thumps at Lisa’s line,

「Nothing wrong with that?」

「With or without her, right?」

「It’s the difference between one less ingredient in the pot or not.」

「You’re talking like this right off the bat!」

And Euthy was just as flustered as the rest of them. Of course, everyone was joking, but they all looked at each other and laughed, thinking that this was just right for Euthy, who gets carried away easily.

And it has already been quite some time since the group left Schutim, but the darkness along the way was too deep. The light from the torches didn’t illuminate the surroundings, as if it were absorbed into the darkness, and the surroundings were simply dark, as if the darkness was approaching with a will. The scaffolding was slowly becoming muddy and the trees were gradually distorting into eerie shapes, giving the appearance of having entered a swampy area.

Finally, the girls had stepped into a swamp from which there was no return.

「How is it, how is it?」

「We might as well pull our horses and walk from here.」

「Yeah, the horses were going to slip.」

Seeing that the horses could no longer go as fast as they wanted, each of them dismounted and pulled on the reins. Nia was the only one they left on the horse to rest, as it seemed best not to let her walk yet.

「So, can Miranda explain the『guess』to us?」

Aerial asks a question. Even though the Aerial is the guardian of the prairie, she has no jurisdiction over the Swamps Of No Return. She have been taught by Phalanx to stay out of it. There is a kind of magic that this land possesses, and once you get lost, you can’t get out. Also, no one had ever seen the inhabitants of this place have special abilities or where they have built their settlements. Furthermore, there were recent stories of strange and powerful fiends, and even fiends and magical beasts didn’t approach the area as an inviolable territory.

Aerial was also interested in how to get through such a place.

「There’s nothing to worry about. Long time ago, our church went on an expedition to the swamps and defeated the barbarians here. It is said that the inhabitants of this swamp used to be a race that aggressively invaded other lands. It is recorded that they’re so much to be desired in which Master Bishop that time had them defeated. At that time, I made her promise not to invade other lands and not to touch Arnelia church officials no matter what. That’s what I’m counting on.」

Of course, it means that Miliazar has been defeated. Later, Miliazar and her party helped Phalanx through this swamp from north to south, which Miranda could somehow imagine, but kept it under wraps. Only Lisa and Alfiris still know about Miriazar.

「Heh～ When was that, by the way?」

「According to records, that was about 570 years ago now.」

Miranda answers Alfiris’ slightly mocking question with some annoyance, but everyone looks uneasy when they hear her answer.

「Does that promise still live on?」

「…I have it on record that the promise was still alive 200 years ago when the Arnelian Church got involved in the swamp. After that I don’t know.」

「So, where does this witch Fairtuse or whatever live?」

「Probably in the middle of the swamp. I don’t know the exact location either.」

「That’s not much of a story. It’s like grabbing a cloud.」

「What do you want me to do then!?」

Miranda can’t hide her irritation at Alfiris’ disgruntled tone. Lisa chided her, but Alfiris was appealing to her with her eyes, saying that she would rather have been fighting with Lifeless than getting her involved in such an aimless story.

Aerial didn’t agree with her, but she still seemed to be concerned.

「The swamp is a big place. If you can’t talk to the barbarians, you’re done, okay?」

「I know! I’ll try to negotiate.」

Miranda changes into the dress of an Arnelian Sister. Did she thought that if she didn’t dress that way, she wouldn’t be trusted as an Arnelian Church official?

So far, the trip had been relatively destination-specific, or a trip with a guide. This time, however, the path is as precarious as walking on thin ice. Perhaps because of this, all of them couldn’t hide their uneasiness. Then, Lisa spoke up again.

「More importantly, I’ve heard that swamp fiends and『swamp people』drag people into the swamp to eat them.」

「I think it’s true. In fact, when they were conquered, they said that was the reason for their conquest. The swamp people were originally cannibalistic by nature.」

Hearing Miranda’s answer, Lisa’s expression becomes tense. The Numans, as a barbarian tribe, are famous only by name in the Central Plains. In the past, they were abhorred as one of the few humans who would give the Archfiends a fight. It’s not certain whether or not they can understand human language, and it’s even doubtful whether they’re really human, since it is said that they eat human beings. Since the end of the Great War, they are said to be rarely seen, but even now they are sometimes said to kidnap young people, so it is likely that they exist. They’re still legendary figures.

「If we can’t get through because of that…」

「…Don’t worry about my arm. I want everyone’s safety first.」

Nia was awake, or had she been listening the whole time? She was still having a bit of a hard time talking, but she looked desperate not to let herself be slowed down.

「But still, why am I feeling so bad? Beastmen have a strong life force, and I’m sure I traveled quite a long distance with only first aid after my arm was cut off, but it shouldn’t have been this bad.」

「The wind magic that cut Nia’s arm had a dark attribute in it. The dark attribute is poisonous to humans and beastmen.」

Alfiris answers Euthy’s question. Euthy was startled by her words.

「If you are aware of such things, why didn’t you say so earlier!?」

「You can’t help it if I tell you, can you? Poison caused by magic can only be eliminated by magic, and the dark attribute can only be counteracted by darkness or light. Me and Miranda can’t use restorative magic, and Euthy is water, right? I’m the kind of person who doesn’t say things that can’t be helped.」

「But still!」

When Euthy was about to say something, Alfiris grabbed her body.

「Mugyuu!?」

「Sshhh!」

Alfiris won them all over. Apparently, she sensed that there was something wrong in the air.

「Lisa, any sign?」

「No, there’s nothing…」

The whole area was already swampy enough to bury their toes. It was not so deep, but they couldn’t move their feet as much as they wanted to. But as the swamp deepened, strangely enough, the trees grew denser.

In a normal swamp, the chi would have become dead and the number of trees would have decreased, but on the contrary, the trees were lush, with lifeless black foliage thriving. The trees looked like human hands, as if they had wandered into some legendary cursed forest. It was humid, and there was a bad smell of something rotten in the air, which they couldn’t tell if it was the mud or not.

「…They’re here.」

「Lisa doesn’t feel anything, but…」

「Such a useless Sensor. Under the swamp!」

As soon as Alfirid shouted, everyone’s body suddenly sank waist-deep into the swamp. At the same time, a serpent-sized beast with a slimy, leech-like body and saw-like teeth emerges from the swamp to surround Alfiris and the others.

「Uwaah!?」

「What are those things?」

「Swamp leeches? Even if so, they’re too big!」

「Shit, we’re stuck! Suddenly the swamp is getting heavier, huh?」

「Of course. It’s magic, here.」

Alfiris replied nonchalantly. Only Alfiris was able to lift her body out of the swamp.

「I see. a group combined magic of water, earth, and wood. It’s hard to dispel, and Sensors can’t prevent it. I thought they were just barbarians holed up in this gloomy land, but they have a fine intellect. You’ve done quite well, haven’t you?」

「Alfie, stop being dazed and do something about this!」

「…Shut up. I’ll take care of it without you telling me.」

Alfiris responded to Miranda’s angry voice with a sigh. A swamp leech looms in front of her.

「Get away from me, you little fish!」

But when Alfiris snapped her fingers, the leeches, of which there were more than a dozen, all burst out at once. Alfiris had set up a defense line with electric shocks in front of them, but it was so quick that the other people could only see the leeches bursting out.

And then, out of the swamp, a large creature emerges. It was a huge crocodile-like creature with six eyes in a row. Its head was strangely large for its body, and it also used its legs and tail dexterously to stand up. But when Alfiris glared at it, the creature stopped advancing and froze as if frightened.

「No big deal. It’s over!?」

Alfiris shouts to the people around her. Then a human being emerged from the swamp. Everyone looked at each other and wondered if this was the swamp man. To her surprise, their bodies were gray and devoid of any body hair. They are wearing only crude waistcoats and have whips made of ivy in their hands, which they are desperately trying to whip into the crocodile mentioned earlier. But the crocodile kept its eyes on Alfiris and didn’t twitch.

Moreover, the swamp people came out of the swamp one after another. This time they had a variety of weapons in their hands, mostly spears and bows. In addition, some of them wore masks made of some kind of bone on their faces. As they join hands, the swamp stirs, and the serpentine mud tries to spread on Alfiris’ body. But even that all turned back to mere mud when Alfiris grabbed one of them. Seeing this, even the swamp people, as expected, were upset.

「Hah! It pains me to think that you would challenge me, who controls all the elements, with this level of magic. I hope you will become manure in this swamp!」

Alfiris creates a lightning ball in her hand. The swamp people panicked at the sight of this, but Alfiris, already awakened to the joy of battle, showed no mercy to the swamp people who tried to escape.

「Die—!」

「Stop!!」

Miranda jumped to stop Alfiris’ magic. This caused Alfiris’ lightning ball, which was misdirected, to hit a tree far above and explode. The trees around it blew away, and sunlight shone on the swamp, which should have been dark. Before they knew it, dawn had broken.

Since the fight with Lifeless took place two nights ago at midnight, and they arrived in Schutim at night, it seems that they were on the move for almost two whole days.

The light shone on Alfiris and Miranda.

「What are you doing, Miranda?」

「Don’t kill them! That’s the last thing we can do from here!」

「They crossed us, these guys, aren’t they!?」

「Still! Have some patience!」

Miranda won over Alfiris with a sword fight that didn’t take a step backward. In a standoff that lasted for a while, Alfiris compromised.

「…Fine, I’ll pull. But there won’t be a next time.」

「…I see.」

Alfiris pulled with her tongue out and didn’t even try to help Aerial, who had escaped from the swamp earlier, pull Lisa and her horse back up.

Then the remaining Miranda raised her voice.

「Is there anyone who can speak!? I am Miranda, a priest of the Church of Arnelia!」

Then there was an unrest among the swamp people. Soon a man of slightly aged appearance came out from behind. However, a closer look at their faces reveals that many of the swamp people have bad eyesight, their eyes are cloudy white, and their eyelids are swollen. It was difficult to tell their age from their appearance, but she could imagine that their status was indicated by the amount of ornamentation on their bodies as they discussed something.

Eventually, the one with the most decorations stood in front of Miranda.

「Arnelia Church… a–any evidence?」

「I have this robe and some identifications, though it’s a bit dirty. But it may not be the same as the one you know.」

「White hood and robe, golden hair… v–very well. I recognize you as a member of the Church of Arnelia.」

「Eh, can you admit that so easily?」

Miranda looks at the man with some suspicion. But the man seemed unconcerned.

「I–It doesn’t matter. W–We don’t know the details anyway. But we’ll only miss the white hooded, robed, gold haired woman. T–That was the deal.」

「What if it’s not?」

「W–We’ll take you all back to our village… Gufufu.」

「Ah, no. You don’t have to.」

The man smiled wryly, and somehow Miranda knew where it was going. She didn’t think it was such an appropriate promise. But maybe these swamp people can’t remember too many detailed promises. Still, they have been kept for nearly 600 years, so it is a big deal.

Or perhaps Miliazar was that thoroughly outraged. Miranda thought for a moment about what she had done, and shuddered at the thought of Miliazar as an evil demon. She even felt a little sorry for the swamp people when she thought of her merciless chastisement.

「（Phalanx and the swamp people… you really are everywhere, Master.）」

The swamp people talk to Miranda, who are half impressed and half dismayed.