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Chapter 39.5: Leonhart (Part 1)

On their way into the Demon Realm for reconnaissance, Leonhart and his men encountered a monster that had likely lost its territory in a fight and been driven out. It was a type of cursed frog monster, the Yomi Frog. These frogs secreted poisonous slime, spitting it out or lashing it about with their tongues in battle. A nasty opponent, indeed.

Monsters that cursed their killer, like the Yomi Frog, were usually dealt with by Leonhart, whose body nullified curses. But this one ruptured its own poison sac at the moment of death, showering him in toxic slime.

Fortunately, he shielded his face in time, so none got into his eyes or mouth. Poison absorbed through mucous membranes is particularly fast-acting. …But it still seeped through the armor and cloth, and where it touched skin, pain soon followed.

「Leonhart! The antidote!」

Ritter tossed him a vial of the supplied antidote. Leonhart popped the cap and downed it immediately. That should counter what had seeped in through his skin.

「Let’s head to the river. There’s Purity Blossoms there, so the water won’t be contaminated. That poison’s strong, you need to wash it off quick. …Can you walk?」

「…I’m fine. But first, the corpse—」

「Leave the corpse to us. Captain, you get to the river and scrub that poison out.」

Escorted by Ritter, Leonhart left the disposal of the body to his subordinates. Encountering another monster wasn’t out of the question, so Ritter accompanied him. Normally, washing off poison into a river was dangerous, it could contaminate people’s water supply. But here, the river was purified by the Flower Witch’s Purity Blossoms. …Her presence was a tremendous blessing for the Order.

Leonhart waded into the river to wash. Meanwhile, Ritter kept watch and muttered under his breath.

「‘Die together with me,’ huh. What a rotten evolutionary path… Monsters showing individuality in how they evolve, that’s a bad sign.」

「Indeed. …Originally, that species killed with curses after death. But if they’ve taken to self-destructing with poison instead, it must mean too many creatures around here already resist curses.」

The Demon Realm was likely embroiled in a struggle between poison-based monsters and curse-using monsters. In the end, the victors would be those with resistance to both, such individuals would become the next apex threats, rulers of the Realm.

The type of monster that became ruler dictated how wide its domain stretched. If a wide-territory type rose to dominance, then humans nearby would have no choice but to retreat. It would fall to the Order to buy time against such a foe. …All they could do was pray no wide-territory monster would rise as the Realm’s new master.

(No one wants to be driven from their home… Perhaps Witch-dono came to Bit Village for that very day.)

The Flower Witch had secluded herself from the world for five hundred years. She believed she bore some responsibility for the creation of the Demon Realm, and so chose to live on its frontier, ready to face it.
The petals that floated downstream were her doing, the Purity Blossoms constantly cleansing the Realm’s poison at its source. That gentle persistence was the only reason humans could still live in the village.

Leonhart tried to scoop one up, but the current carried it just beyond his grasp. …Close, yet somehow far, just like her.

「…Even after washing, it won’t come off. I’ll need proper poison remover.」

「Yes, but for now it’s good enough. It won’t kill me.」

The toxin had seeped into the fibers of his gear; rinsing with water alone wouldn’t suffice. Still, it was better than nothing. With the antidote, the risk was low.

Ritter used his wind magic to blast the water from Leonhart’s gear so he could put it back on. Poisoned or not, it was still better than no armor. …But the stench was unbearable.

「Corpse disposal complete. Captain Leonhart, how’s your condition?」

「No issues. I’ve taken the antidote.」

Monsters with toxic bodies required careful disposal. Once his men rejoined them, Leonhart noticed they too reeked faintly of poison, grimacing all the while. Most corpse-type and venomous monsters stank horribly. Knights grew used to it, but that didn’t make it pleasant.

「You don’t look great, Leonhart. Don’t push yourself. We’re past our scheduled return, let’s head back along the river. I’ll take rearguard.」

Following Ritter’s orders, they kept alert as they made their way back to the village. Thankfully, no more monsters appeared, and they reached it in one piece. Relief spread through them.

Even so, the body still weakened by poison had expended energy just breaking it down, leaving Leonhart sluggish, his movements heavy.

「Captain, you don’t look well… Should we use Witch-dono’s full-recovery potion?」

「No. We mustn’t squander it on something this minor. We can’t rely too much on her kindness.」

The Flower Witch had provided the Order with those potions, drugs so potent they could pull a man back from the brink of death. They weren’t the sort of thing to be used lightly. If the Order’s entire medical practice leaned on her alone, it would be a dangerous dependence.

As they neared the lodge, sounds of activity reached them from the square. The market must have begun, the joint fair Eli had arranged with other merchants.

「Unlucky that the survey turned into monster hunting… I wanted to enjoy the market today.」

「It’s still midday. The market’s not over. …But you’ll need to change first. That stench will only upset the villagers. Go back and change before joining.」

Ritter, it seemed, had been looking forward to shopping, perhaps with something specific in mind. The men were unharmed, and Leonhart would recover with rest. If he were a 「model knight」 he’d prioritize his comrades’ wishes over his own state. He gave Ritter a reassuring smile.

「You sure? …Alright then, I’ll hurry back and change. Leonhart, you rest too, okay?」

Ritter dashed off toward the lodge. At that moment, Leonhart felt a gaze upon him. Glancing over, he saw the Flower Witch at the edge of the square, watching him. She wore a veil he hadn’t seen before, no doubt something she’d just purchased. Even with her face half-hidden, she exuded that mysterious beauty, unlike any human.

(…Better not approach her like this.)

He wanted to greet her, but not while stinking like this. Even Noel, standing behind her, had his ears and tail bristling at the smell. If even he couldn’t stand it, the odor must be terrible. Leonhart himself was already too accustomed.
So he kept his distance, offering only a bow. He planned to take a detour around the square to avoid disrupting the bustling market.

But then, the Witch began walking toward him. Even Noel, who always stayed glued to her side, was frozen in place by the stench. Yet she came forward, unfazed.

(Is she insensitive to smell…!?)

At this range, the stench should have been enough to make anyone pinch their nose. Yet she seemed unconcerned, stepping closer. Instinctively, Leonhart backed away.

She halted. Maybe she finally smelled it… or maybe she stopped because she noticed him flinching away. With her, it was surely the latter.

(It’s hard to read her expression through that veil… Did I wound her feelings?)

Noel pointed out the stench, giving Leonhart a chance to explain. He emphasized it wasn’t that he disliked her, only that he was covered in poison. He didn’t want her to misunderstand.
But then she rushed in, seizing his hand before he could retreat.

—The shock of it was like taking a monster’s blow; Leonhart’s heart skipped a beat.