The journey with Rujierd and Norn begins
Throughout the journey, Rujierd performed his role as the [Guardian] very well.
There was no cross-border issue between them and Norn...
Never mind, even if it were true, there's nothing I could say.
If Norn really likes him, what can I do?
Moreover, this Rujierd seems to value [responsibility] very much.
After all, we agreed to go back every two days, so I drew the teleportation array and prepared to take Norn back to rest for the night.
"Brother, are you going to leave Mr. Rujierd here alone?"
"That's not what I meant... We'll be back tomorrow morning, won't we?"
"No, even if it's just for him to rest for the night, we shouldn't leave Mr. Rujierd here alone!"
Okay, my sister really cares about him.
That's true... how could he have gone so far if he didn't value him?
There are indeed extra rooms in the house...
Just as I was about to ask Rujierd to come over, he spoke up.
"It's alright, I'll just stay here and guard the teleportation array."
"Then I'll stay here with Mr. Rujierd."
"Go back and get some rest. Insufficient sleep will affect a child's growth."
"I'm already 20 years old, Mr. Rujierd! Humans stop growing taller at this age!"
Norn said this, and angrily sat down next to Rujierd.
I'll stay here with you.
Rujierd smiled helplessly.
"All right"
Looking at the scene before me, even someone as foolish as me could see it.
Norn likes Rujierd, seriously.
I wasn't sure before, but now I am.
... All right
Hey
" Rujierd, Norn, go back and rest. I've set up some magic here; you won't be in danger when you teleport here tomorrow."
"Alright, Mr. Rujierd, since my brother said so, shall we go back and rest?"
Norn pulled Rujierd toward me.
After our eyes met, he spoke.
"Grateful"
"You're welcome"
The journey continued like this until we found the last teleportation array.
After passing through this teleportation array, we traveled for another month.
This trip lasted a total of four months.
Four months later, we arrived at the village on the map.
This village is very similar to a Migurd Race village.
The entire village is surrounded by a 2-meter-high fence, inside which are rows of simple wooden houses.
Near the cabin, there is a field that is not particularly large.
The crops grown there are different from those grown by the Migurd Race; all sorts of vegetables are thriving.
The soil here might be good.
Furthermore, behind the cabin, there are wild beasts that have been dismembered.
The creature dismembered was a four-legged wild animal with nearly white fur.
It's called the Transparent Wolf.
A monster like this attacked us on the road not long ago, but I killed it.
Enemies can lurk transparently along the way; without reconnaissance magic, it would be a troublesome monster for a mage.
In the middle of the village is a pond, and nearby people are preparing meals in large pots.
Indeed, it is very similar to the culture of the Migurd Race.
However, there is only one place that is different.
In the Migurd Race, everyone looks like a middle school student with blue hair, but...
Here, everyone's forehead is adorned with red gemstones, and they have emerald-green hair.
That's right, it's the Superd Race.
All of them
Moreover, I discovered an astonishing fact here.
The Superd Race aren't just known for their emerald hair; they also have jewels on their foreheads...
They are very handsome.
Everyone, without exception, was handsome.
Standing at the entrance, looking at the village scene
I turned and looked at Rujierd again.
Hmm... he is indeed quite handsome.
It's understandable that Norn would fall for him.
but...
Didn't the letter say that they had contracted an infectious disease and their condition was critical?
Looking at the village, it didn't seem like a situation in any real danger.
Rujierd stepped forward and spoke to the two men who resembled guards at the door.
"My Rujierd! I received this letter and have come here."
After saying this, Rujierd took out the letter.
The two guards accepted the letter, checked it, and then looked me and Norn up and down behind Rujierd before speaking.
Who are these two people next to you?
" Rudeus Greyrat and Norn Greyrat are both trustworthy individuals."
"Okay, come with us."
When I entered the village, I realized that my previous assumptions were somewhat wrong.
Some of the people here seem listless.
Someone was coughing while preparing food.
And I smelled a scent.
Like the traditional Chinese medicine hospitals of my past life, they had that herbal smell.
It shouldn't infect me or Norn, right?
"Here"
We were led to the front of a house.
That was the oldest house in the tribe.
However, it is the largest in the village.
Is that the village chief?
"Chief, I've come in. Rujierd has arrived, and he's brought two guests with him."
After the Superd Race man announced something inside, he opened the door to the house.
The house has a large hall.
It feels more like a hall or council chamber than the patriarch's house.
In short, there are four Superd Race in it.
I'm afraid all four of them are elderly.
Compared to the Superd Race who brought us here, they seemed more composed.
However, regardless of who it was, they all had green hair and pale skin, and were very handsome.
It's hard to tell her age.
One of them, who looked like the clan leader, spoke up.
" Rujierd... long time no see."
"Long time no see, clan leader."
"Thank you so much for everything you've done... Thank you for everything you've done to restore the honor of the Superd Race. You've worked so hard all these years..."
"This is what I should do, and I also have the help of these two humans behind me."
Rujierd mentioned me and Norn.
Although Norn doesn't understand the Demon God Language, I gave her the necklace that could translate before I came.
The clan chief bowed his head and thanked us.
Thank you so much!
Norn hesitated somewhat.
"No... you're welcome..."
"My sister and I just did what we were supposed to do, Rujierd also helped us a lot."
The clan chief nodded and said nothing more.
Rujierd then asked...
"The infectious disease mentioned in the letter..."
"Hmm... I'll explain it to you properly next."
The chief recounted the process by which the Superd Race settled here.
Regarding the past wars, various discussions and apologies were held with the Biheiril Kingdom two or three hundred years ago, and all were readily accepted.
So the Perrud people began to live in this village, and found long-lost peace.
However, the village was invaded by an infectious disease.
An infectious disease of unknown cause began two years ago.
While the initial symptoms are similar to those of a cold, the body gradually loses strength, and unexplained trembling occurs. The vision in the forehead becomes blurred, eventually leading to death.
Even a race with such strong physiques couldn't withstand it.
The warriors in better physical condition within the tribe traveled far and wide in search of a cure.
They all failed, and they all died.
However, one soldier succeeded.
He brought back the medicine, and his condition is gradually improving.
However, due to the outbreak of an infectious disease, the monsters that should have been dealt with by the Perud tribe also began to stir.
More and more monsters are starting to venture outside the forest.
Thus, this rumor arose.
[The forest is inhabited by demons; all those who went to investigate have died.]
Before the arrival of the Perud tribe, this forest was teeming with monsters. After the Perud tribe settled there, the number of monsters decreased due to hunting.
With the outbreak of infectious disease, the Pelud tribe is preoccupied with its own survival, and monsters have begun attacking humans around the forest.
But the unsuspecting humans believed that it was the demonic offspring of the forest hunting them.
Just a year ago, the Biheiril Kingdom even sent them a letter.
The content of the letter is simply...
The king wanted to raze the village to quell the people's unrest.
"Yeah..."
Rujierd's expression was one of disheartened disappointment.
It wasn't a "let's go to war with them" mentality, but rather a feeling of disheartened.
He slumped down, utterly exhausted, and the thought of giving up slipped from his lips.
"We can't even stay here anymore..."
"Where should we go to live...?"
"If it weren't for that war..."
Rujierd, facing the somber-faced clan leaders, revealed an expression of remorse.
"Feel sorry..."
Because of Rujierd's apology, the clan chiefs hurriedly shook their heads.
"It's not that I'm blaming you, Rujierd. We were all in favor of joining Laplace back then."
"Although there was some resentment, at that time, everyone regarded your warrior regiment as the pride of our people, and we, who sent you to the battlefield, were equally guilty."
"But... why are we the only ones who have to be treated this way...?"
Why is Laplace treating us this way...?
They spoke of their distress, but blamed no one.
I didn't regret anything.
That was merely the voice of a man who felt resigned to the state of his people.
I didn't feel anything special; I had a different thought.
[The infectious disease doesn't seem to be that serious; these clan leaders are more concerned about housing...]
Just as I was thinking about this, Norn tugged at my sleeve.
"Elder brother..."
"Um?"
"Could you... help them?"
Faced with Norn's request, I thought about it.
Actually, agreeing would be easy. Whether it's the Asura Kingdom, the Ranoa Kingdom, or even the Holy Country of Millis, I should be able to get them to stay.
However, my bigger question now is about infectious diseases.
The illness was suppressed by medicine brought back by just one person?
I remember why I came here.
It wasn't to save the Perrud tribe, but to find clues about the Human God Apostle.
Orsted said that this incident was unprecedented.
I patted Norn's head and said...
"I'll ask some questions before I decide."
"Um"
I cleared my throat and asked the clan chief directly.
"Chiefs, I have a question."
"You said, the benefactor of the Perrud tribe"
"Have you really solved the problem of infectious diseases?"
The three clan leaders exchanged glances, their gazes then focusing on one of them.
It seems he holds the highest position.
The highest-ranking clan leader glanced at Rujierd.
"Although it's very impolite to ask my benefactor like this, Rujierd, my benefactor... can I trust you?"
"Yes, everything I did for the Pelud tribe was arranged by him, and the world's current evaluation of me is largely due to him."
"All right..."
The clan chief then called the rest of the people out.
Including Norn
Inside the house, only Rujierd, the clan chief, and I remained.
The clan chief sighed.
" Rujierd "
"Exist"
"Well... we were already on the verge of collapse before we wrote to you."
"But... everyone in the village is now..."
"It's a lie. All the soldiers who went out to find medicine died. There was no medicine at all..."
"So now..."
"Right now, we've only contained the deterioration."
"How did you do that?"
The chieftain took off his hat.
The red gem that originally belonged to the Perud tribe turned into a pure blue.
What should have been a red gemstone has turned into a pure blue.
"What is this...?"
"Now, [Hades] Bita resides within my body."
Hades...
Orsted told me
He is one of the candidates for Human God Apostle...
" Death King Vita, has given his clones to the patients in the village. Through the power of these Bita, the spread of the infectious disease is being contained."
"Is... this okay?"
"There are no abnormalities; it's just suppressing the worsening of the disease and its symptoms."
"Did anyone else say anything?"
"No"
I only heard the name from Orsted.
They never asked what he looked like or what he thought.
Is it the kind of thing that can be possessed?
Are the so-called "split bodies" life forms capable of splitting?
"But, [Pluto] Bita should live in the labyrinth [Hell] of the Heaven Continent... Why?"
"When the village was in trouble, a man appeared before me carrying a bottle containing Bita."
"There was a man?"
He called himself Geese and said that a great battle was coming, hoping that the Superd Race could lend him a hand.
The clan leader chuckled self-deprecatingly.
"Although I once said I didn't want our clan to be involved in any more wars, but... I promised, because I really can't think of any other way, and now if Bita dies, our clan will also..."
Geese
Great War...
Orsted said
The Human-God might gather their forces to try and take action against Lara.
In this light... saving the Superd Race is necessary.
The fewer enemies, the better, although I don't understand the overall combat strength of this race.
But just look at Rujierd.
I don't want to fight several people with Eris's strength at the same time.
After thinking for a while, I spoke.
"Chieftain, do you know Orsted?"
"Of course, the person in this world with whom he cannot be an enemy."
"That Geese is most likely sending your clan to deal with Orsted."
"What...?"
The clan chief was stunned.
Rujierd was also stunned.
It seems they also knew of the terror of Orsted.
"You mean it?! Rudeus!"
In silence
Rujierd spoke excitedly.
"Very likely, Rujierd, you should think carefully about why I came along. If Orsted hadn't sent me, I would never have come."
"This..."
" Orsted's enemies want to use you, and there's even a good chance they're the ones who spread this infectious disease."
Rujierd was speechless.
The clan leader, his face ashen, muttered...
"What did we Superd Race do wrong...? We just wanted... a peaceful life..."
The Superd Race value honor highly.
but
Knowing full well that opposing Orsted would mean the death of his entire clan,
I think anyone would make a reasonable choice for the continuation of their race.
Besides, they might have been outmaneuvered by Human-God; this battle couldn't be considered any honor.
"If I had a cure, would you defect Orsted's side?"
After all, Orsted is proficient in all magic in this world, so he should also have a way to cure this disease.
"This..."
"If you Orsted's camp, I will arrange accommodations for you. I have the authority to decide whether you choose the Ranoa Kingdom or the Asura Kingdom."
The patriarch didn't answer me immediately, but instead looked at Rujierd.
"Is what this benefactor is saying true...?"
Rujierd shook his head
"I'm not sure, but... there's no other way right now, is there? Rudeus, I'm counting on you."
Before the clan chief could agree, Rujierd had already given his consent, bowing his head to me.
Although he and I aren't very familiar with each other, he seems to recognize my abilities.
The clan chief also sighed and nodded.
"If this can save our race... I agree."
"Then it's settled. Anyway, I'll start by..."
Just as I was about to summon Orsted, the patriarch before me suddenly knelt down on the ground.
Rujierd hurriedly moved closer.
"Chieftain? What's wrong?"
The clan chief looked up and grabbed Rujierd's shoulder.
Very strange
A strange change appeared on his face.
His eyes were stained blue.
Both the pupils and the whites of his eyes turned a deep blue.
His mouth was slightly open; it didn't look like a rational expression at all.
Although the gem on her forehead had returned to red, the surrounding text emitted an unsettling glow.
Seeing this, I understand.
" Rujierd! He's been manipulated!"
By the time I said that, it was too late.
Rujierd was also manipulated.
What kind of ability is this...? That's really shameless.
Thinking this, I reached out and picked up the Arrogant Water Dragon King that was placed to the side, intending to cast a spell.
"Um...?"
The magic was not activated.
What... situation?
I looked down and saw a magic circle glowing faintly at my feet.
This was so sudden... We didn't notice anything when we came in.
Such a well-hidden magic circle... this must have been planned for a long time...
"Anti-magic magic circle..."
... was tricked
With a thought, I activated the magic that Orsted had left on me.
Hopefully it will work...
As Rujierd was manipulated, she walked towards me.
"Thank goodness Norn isn't here..."
Something liquid invaded my mouth, like a living organism, and burrowed deep into my throat.