After that, I went around looking to find out what happened in this village.

Among the houses, there was a woman who possibly tried to cover for her kid, who had bent her back over embracing her child. She was killed along with her child.

Possibly trying to defend his family from something, there was a man who had lost his head while holding farming tools.

In the back street.

The bodies were left behind, piled on top of each other, and a mountain of corpses was made.

I don't know if this is the chief of the village's house, but on the wall of the largest building's third floor, there was a crucified old man whose face was distorted in agony.

⸺The village was filled with death.

How many bodies have I seen?

How many tragic deaths did I come to know of?

How many times have I vomited?

I don't know.

I don't know.

I don't know, anything.

"Someone……someone……"

I walked about the village⸺praying that there were survivors.

Anyone is fine, anything is fine.

I hoped for someone to be alive.

I looked all night.

The light of the moon mysteriously wrapped around the village.

Inside the barns.

The nooks of the square.

Alleys.

Garbage dumps.

Inside the well.

In the dark, I kept screaming even after my throat got worn out.

"Anyone! Is there anyone alive!?"

⸺That night, I couldn't find anyone alive.

Before dawn, I borrowed a bed without any bodies, and took a nap.

I was so shocked that I felt like my head was going to explode.

I fell into the bed.

I was at peace for a moment.

As if I was sinking into mud, I fell asleep.

Naturally as I didn't know dangers there might be, so I closed the entrance to the room with earth magic.

Then after several hours.

I got up, and removed the walls of earth.

At that time, I must have had empty eyes.

But then, I definitely heard.

⸺Katakatakata……

The hazy sound of something shaking.

Did something sway from the wind, or is something alive shaking?

I sluggishly move in the direction of the sound.

⸺Katagatagata!

"⸺No way."

The sound gradually became clearer.

Light eventually returned to my eyes, and I quicken my pace.

⸺Gatagatagatagata!!

I went out to the main street, and looked for the place where that sound was ringing.

By this time, confidence was born in me.

⸺Something is, no someone is alive!

My feet steadily got faster.

Before I noticed it, I was running.

"⸺Where are you! Where are you! If you're there then respond!"

I was running at full speed, and shouted as loud as I could.

(Is someone there!? Anything's fine, whether it's a person or just a dog, or anything⸺!)

Then, I reached it.

"Haa……haa……haa……"

⸺A padlock was going *tansu*.

That was the source of the sound.

"Wait a second⸺"

Without hesitating, I twisted it with earth magic.

⸺I was desperate.

The thought that I might be able to save someone's life was pus.h.i.+ng me forward.

⸺Baki!

The key broke.

I vigorously opened the door.

Inside there⸺

"Haa……aa……thank goodness……"

⸺she was.

She was definitely there.

There was girl with beast ears who was bound with rope, covered with a cloth hood, and wearing rags, restrained.

That girl was restlessly squirming about.

⸺She's alive.

Being able to find her⸺I cried.

While clinging onto her, I raised my voice and cried.

When was the last time that I cried this much?

I was happy that I made it in time⸺and that I didn't have to regret anything.

At this time, I felt saved.

Next Release