chsdbacks Chapter 26 – A New Land
Chapter 26 – A New Land
Chapter 26 – A New Land
— Leon Greyrat —
It was the year K417 of the Armoured Dragon Calendar, and instead of finding myself in the peaceful countryside of the Fittoa Region, like I would expect, I found myself in the Demon Continent.
At least... that’s where I assumed I was.
This on its own would be a... predicament, to say the least, but right now...
I wasn’t alone.
And that... wasn’t a good thing.
“T-The Demon Continent? B-But... how!? We were just on the hill a moment ago before that crazy guy attacked us!” Eris shouted, looking around frantically at the surroundings.
Feeling Aisha and Norn tighten their grip on my shirt, I gently rubbed their heads in an attempt to calm their nerves... and also my own.
“Yeah... this scenery is familiar with what my teacher Roxy told me about her homeland,” I said. “And as for how we got here... I think... we were teleported.”
Okay, deep breaths.
We’re in quite a dilemma, but that didn’t mean there was no way out of this.
I had to calm down, be their rock, and figure something out.
“T-That’s... really bad, isn’t it?” Eris stammered out.
Yes... quite bad.
But I didn’t want to vocalize it.
After all, stress would only make this more difficult of a situation, and there was no need for the other three to worry.
So I lied.
“No. It’ll be fine. I promise,” I said confidently.
Okay, let’s think about this, Leon.
While you definitely weren’t expecting a situation like this, you’ve been growing stronger to protect your family in front of anything, right?
So let’s go over everything.
I was a dual Water and Sword Saint, while also being able to cast every magic without an incantation, save for summoning magic.
I could create water with magic, create a shelter with earth magic, and create a source of heat with fire magic, so the basics of survival were covered.
But there were two... or rather, three issues.
Food, safety, and knowledge.
I knew the basics of the Demon Continent, as well as the language, from Roxy’s nighttime lessons, but I had absolutely no clue as to where we were, nor what monsters roamed around here.
And that led to the second issue... safety.
I was confident in being able to survive in this land on my own, but that was just the thing... I wasn’t alone.
Eris was probably strong enough to at least survive against most monsters, as long as I could prevent any surprise attacks...
But my sisters? Who weren’t even four years old yet?
No... I was not as confident about that.
But... I would try my best. I would have to.
If I had to watch them- no... that won’t happen.
I would die before I let anything hurt them, much less kill them.
But... sleep would be a problem.
Maybe I could create a barrier for that?
But I wouldn’t want to trust it completely...
No, those were issues for later.
What we needed to secure was the third issue, and honestly, the biggest: food.
There were no plants to be seen around us, and even if there were, I had no way to know if they were edible.
The only way I could think of to get food was to hunt monsters, but according to Roxy, they were strong, and oftentimes inedible or poisonous, at least to races that were not familiar with the meat... which we were very much not.
My mind went through various problems that could arise and various solutions to them, but ultimately to no effect.
I was stressed and at a complete loss as to what to do.
Right... we needed to get moving.
We needed to find some town, or some settlement, where I could get a bearing on where we were and what to do next.
But first...
“You don’t have your sword, do you?” I asked Eris.
“H-Huh? No, I didn’t bring it...” she said, averting her eyes.
Right.
While she was a good swordsman, she still felt no need to carry a sword with her.
Unfortunately, that would need to change.
Perhaps at the next town, I could purchase one, or maybe even find a corpse if we were lucky, but for now, this would have to do.
Crouching to the ground, I released my mana into the rocky earth below, condensing and concentrating it into the shape of a sword before pulling it out.
It was simple and crude, in the shape of a one-sided sabre like Eris’ training sword, but it was sharp, and while its durability wasn’t anything amazing, I could always make her a new one if she needed it.
In short, it would have to do.
“Here. Use this for now,” I said, handing the makeshift blade to her.
I would like to give her mine, as I already had magic and superior sword skills for combat, but I didn’t plan on letting her do the fighting.
“Eri. I’ll take the front and eliminate any enemies. I need you to stay back and protect these two whenever I do. Can you do that for me?” I asked.
Looking into her eyes to convey my sincerity, she frowned slightly before reluctantly nodding.
Good.
“Brother?” Aisha said, pulling on my pant leg. “What are we going to do now?”
Smiling down at her, I gently rubbed her hair. “We’ll be walking home, is all. It might be a bit uncomfortable, but we’ll get through it together.”
She nodded before biting her lip. “But... what about the others?”
And that was the other question, wasn’t it?
With this smart sister of mine, I should have known I wouldn’t be able to avoid it.
The problems with our group getting sent to the Demon Continent were numerous, but they were somewhat manageable, because I was here.
But that light, which most certainly was the cause for our teleportation, reached all of us gathered on that hill, and all the citizens of Roa.
Eris, Aisha, Norn, and I were all teleported together... that was because we were touching, right?
I wish I could have been touching everybody, but it’s too late for that now, huh?
Sylphy... Rudy... Mama and Lilia... I wouldn’t be able to do a single thing to help them.
Unless they somehow wound up here in the Demon Continent with us, that is, but if they weren’t sent where I could see them now, then who knows where they are.
Hilda, Philip, and Ghislaine would be fine no matter where they ended up, after all, Ghislaine was strong, and Philip was smart, so they would be able to find their way out of any situation save for being teleported directly into the sky... now that was a scary thought.
Rudy should be fine too, as he was both strong and smart.
I was a bit worried about his naïveté to the world, but he should be able to survive as long as he didn’t get full of himself or do anything stupid.
Sylphy... now that was a bit scarier.
She was strong, and most importantly, she knew chantless healing magic, so she should be able to survive, but with her hair and her timidness... that might get her into problems.
And lastly was Mama and Lilia... I was worried about them too.
Lilia had no way to properly defend herself, and Mama was only good for healing, as even her elemental magic was used more as a utility than a weapon while she was an adventurer.
But with Mama’s connections and adventuring experience, as well as Lilia’s cleverness, they should be able to get out of any non-violent situation with relative ease.
I was worried about bandits, both for my mothers and Sylphy, but ultimately, my worries were useless when I had no way to help.
No, actually, considering how it would only stress me out, worrying about such things would be less than useless, and rather detrimental to my mental state.
I needed to focus on keeping my sisters and Eris safe while navigating this unknown land, and everything else could come afterwards.
Thinking about that, there was a saying that remained in my mind... where from, I did not know, much like the rest of my Miko-granted knowledge.
‘We stand on the shoulders of giants’... or something to that effect.
Yeah... I promise- No, I vow to protect my sisters and Eris, even at the cost of my life, and if possible, ensure that they remain happy through this arduous journey.
Just like I had sworn to protect Norn and Aisha when they were born, and I held their crying forms in my arms, I would ensure they were safe.
That much I could do.
“Let’s go, girls.”
I would give it my all for their survival.
I... would become their giant.
— Information on the Six-Faced World —
Demon Continent
The Demon Continent is a large land located to the east of the Central Continent, separated by the Ringus Sea, and north of the Millis Continent. It is a continent where the Demon Race lives and is a land infested with monsters, often being much stronger than those of the Central and Millis Continents.
There are no roads in the Demon Continent, but there is a path that connects the major cities, with branches for smaller villages and tribes. It is an exceedingly harsh land that is mostly unfertilizable, with monsters and animals being the primary source of food. Due to this, it is mostly uninhabited, save for individual tribes and villages, and larger populations that are often ruled by a Demon lord.
It is an extremely dangerous place where many warriors go to hone their skills, though most never return alive. It is extremely inhospitable, save for the Demon Races that have lived in the land for many years and have adapted to the conditions.
— Leon Greyrat —
“Are we there yet?”
I had been teleported away from home, whisked away in an instant.
One moment, there was that masked guy who suddenly attacked Rudeus, and then he fought with Ghislaine and Leon, and then a moment later, I found myself on the mountainside of an unknown land.
According to Leon, this unknown land was the Demon Continent.
I had heard about this place, from both Leon and Ghislaine, mainly about how dangerous it was.
It was a land of monsters, and strong ones too.
Monsters you would expect to find in a dungeon or a labyrinth in the Central Continent roamed the surface like it was nothing here.
It was... dangerous, even for someone who loved adventure like me.
But luckily, I wasn’t alone.
I had Leon, the most reliable person in the world, and one I could trust to protect me, and also... his sisters.
They were cute, but they wouldn’t help much in this situation.
If anything, they would be a hindrance.
But I would keep them safe, just like I promised Leon.
After all, for all the times I had relied on him and made his life harder, now... I could help him.
He trusted me.
He needed me.
There was no chance I would let this moment slip by.
I would probably- no, knowing me, I would definitely end up relying on Leon for our journey home, but if I could just support him... just make his life easier, by a minuscule amount... it’d bring me immense relief.
With the two children sleeping on my crossed legs, I kept my eye trained on the entrance of the hut, keeping my senses sharp as I waited for Leon to come back.
I was worried, but most importantly, impatient.
I wanted to do something productive, whether that meant stirring a pot, surveying the land, or even sleeping, it didn’t matter, I just hated sitting still like this.
As if my prayers had been heard and answered, Leon then appeared from the entrance, his clothes drenched in blood and his hair dripping with sweat as he set the room alight in a pale flame held at the tip of his finger.
Ignoring the annoyance that was bubbling to the surface at the sight, I greeted him, “You’re back! Did you... get anything?”
He nodded. “Yeah. I got a few monsters, but I only brought three different corpses back. I decided it would be better to get them butchered here, since I could keep watch. But first... this.”
He then laid out a mat of fur.
“It’s not the best, as I could only roughly clean it with magic, but it should be better than the ground,” Leon said before turning around. “I’m going to go test the meat.”
“Wait. I’ll go with you,” I said.
“No,” he shook his head. “Just start getting some sleep, okay? Even if it’s fine to eat, it doesn’t mean it won’t be disgusting, so I’ll have to find a way to make it edible.”
“And? What does that have to do with anything?” I asked.
“It means I’ll be up for a while, so you should get some sleep. We’ll be going again in the morning,” he said.
“But...” my voice trembled. “What about you?”
He looked my way, eyebrows arched in surprise before his face calmed into a smile.
“Sorry,” he said. “I guess I did promise that I’d be your pillow, huh? The fur should be enough, but I’ll try to finish early anyway.”
“That’s not...” I felt annoyed, different from the usual feeling I felt around him, but I decided to swallow it down.
“Never mind. Just... you need sleep too, okay?” I said.
He shrugged. “Maybe, but it’s getting pretty cold. Unless I suddenly find some fuel, I’m going to have to keep a flame going. But... thanks, Eri.”
As he headed back outside, I then laid down Norn and Aisha on the makeshift rug, with Norn clutching her teddy close and Aisha curling into a ball as they continued sleeping soundly.
Hmm... I kind of wanted to practice my swordsmanship, but I think it would be better to get some rest, just like Leon told me.
But ugh... the ground?
Even adventurers had a bedroll or something similar.
I guess this won’t be as fun as I imagined, huh?
Oh, but I could always use my shirt as a pillow.
But then I’d be left in my bra... okay, maybe that wasn’t such a good idea.
I wouldn’t want to show him that just yet-
“Blegh! H-Hughhh!”
Hearing the sound of violent retching, I quickly shot up before crawling over to the entryway to see what was happening.
As I peeked my head around the hut’s walls, I come across the sight of Leon hunched over, wiping a trail of puke and saliva from his lips.
“Ahh, fuck. I guess that one’s a no, huh? At least it got us the fur...” he lamented with a frown.
“L-Leon?” I said hesitantly.
“Hm?” he turned to face me. “Didn’t I said to go to sleep? It’s not anything interesting-”
“Not that, you idiot!” I shouted.
Not loud enough to wake the sleeping girls, hopefully, but loud enough to convey my seriousness and annoyance.
“I... I’m worried about you! You idiot! Why are you... why?” I said, my voice cracking at the end.
His lips curled into a frown as he generated a large ball of flames, before then shooting it at the skinned corpse and setting it on fire.
“Expel Toxins is an Advanced rank detoxification spell that can remove any poisons from the body, no matter how powerful, as long as they aren’t digested by, well, you can get the picture. It makes you puke it out,” he explained. “Since I don’t know what is safe to eat here, I can’t take any risks. Especially since my sisters are fragile. And as you can see,” he gestured to the puddle of chewed-up food and bile. “It seems I was right to be cautious.”
I... I got it.
I understood.
After all, with all those times we bought food from street stalls, he always put into my mind how food could be poisoned, even without anyone meaning to.
But still!
I... seeing him do this... I hated it.
“Can you... not? We can wait until we meet some locals, right?” I pleaded.
“Sorry, but I don’t think we can,” he refuted. “Not only do we not know when we’ll meet anyone, but who is to say they would know what’s safe for humans? This is the Demon Continent, after all.”
Looking toward me with a sad smile, he then walked over before crouching in front of me and pulling me into a hug.
“It doesn’t hurt, Eri. It’s just a little gross. So... don’t worry about me too much, okay?” he soothed. “Just the thought alone makes me happy.”
Dammit.
How... how could I not worry?
Why couldn’t he understand how much I hated it!?
He was so! So stupid!
“But you’re right. There’s no need to do it right now.”
...Huh?
But... didn’t he say he wanted to have a meal ready for tomorrow?
Getting up, he starts heading inside, pulling my arm along with him.
“Let’s head to bed, Eri. It’ll be a tough day tomorrow.”
I was still confused, but just like usual, I went along with his pace, letting him lead me into the hut as he sat down next to his sisters.
“They’re knocked out, huh? Well, that’s to be expected. It’s been a big day, after all,” Leon said, a loving smile on his face as he brushed the hair out of Aisha’s eyes. “Hmm... I should probably close the door, huh?”
And then, with him placing his hand on the ground, a wall of earth rises to cover the entryway, leaving us in pitch-black darkness.
At least, it was like that before Leon’s hands were set alight with flames.
“There. That’s good,” he said with a nod.
With the room bathed in a warm glow, and a comfortable temperature, Leon then sat down, pulling his sisters closer to him before looking at me.
“What are you waiting for?” he asked, patting his leg. “Sleep is important, you know.”
My voice gets caught in my throat.
I wanted to ask how he was, how he felt... to let his worries loose on me while his sisters were asleep.
I wanted to ask why he was sitting like that if he was going to lie down and sleep, and about what we would do tomorrow.
But with such an invitation... all those questions and worries melted away, leaving me only with a feeling of want.
I wanted to lay on him, really badly, especially with how stressful everything was and the slight pain of hunger in my belly.
And, as I had always done... I blindly followed my instincts.
“T-Thank you... and... goodnight,” I said, letting my head rest against his thigh.
It was... warm, even though Leon stunk a bit.
“Don’t worry about it. Have a good sleep, Eri,” he said, letting his hand run through my hair.
It felt nice.
I felt... safe. Loved.
And so, feeling my eyes become heavy, I cuddled closer as I prepared to sleep, thinking about today’s events and possible future ones.
Yes... I would definitely end up relying on Leon, and knowing him, quite a lot, too.
After all, I was already doing so, and even going as far as to selfishly indulge in these small comforts.
But... in exchange, I would keep his sisters safe.
And when he needed it... when he wanted it... I’d keep Leon safe, too.
I’d support him with my all, just like he’s done for me.
That was the least I could do to repay him for always being by my side and giving me such comfort.
Promising myself such, I closed my eyes before quickly drifting off to sleep.