Chapter 38 – Discomfort
I said, half-jokingly, ‘Since we’ve come all this way, I’d like to go into the Ogres’ Great Forest for just a little bit.
It’s true that I’m interested, but going into a forest full of monsters where I don’t know what’s there is sure to be opposed.
That’s what I thought.
Yuzuriha-san and Suzuha readily agreed, and even offered to come along.
“If it’s Suzuha-kun’s older brother, there won’t be a problem—Ah, if you’re surrounded by ogres, it would be dangerous, so I’ll go with you and protect your back.”
“It’s not safe for Nii-san and Yuzuriha to go alone. I’ll come with you and keep an eye on you… From the ogres, of course.”
And the two general commanders of the Amazons as well.
“Riding into the Ogres’ Great Forest with Taren-Nii-sama… What a bloody, flesh-and-blood battle…!”
“Those who can take part in this battle will surely receive the praise and jealousy of the other Amazons…!”
“However, if all the Amazons get into the Ogres’ Great Forest, they will be noticed immediately. Therefore, the limit to avoid detection by the ogres is five people at most…!”
“In other words, only us twins can participate from the Amazons tribe…!”
Before I knew what was going on, I was supposed to be followed by both.
So me, Suzuha, Yuzuriha-san and the two Amazons’ general commanders headed off to scout the Ogres’ Great Forest.
This is not a game.
Even if my motive was simply wanting to see inside the forest, even if Suzuha prepared a lunchbox for a picnic, or Yuzuriha-san brought high-quality tea leaves for aristocrats, this is still reconnaissance.
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The Ogres’ Great Forest was dark and gloomy.
It wasn’t just a matter of being dark, it was more like a dimness that was eerie and gave a strong impression of being a forest of monsters. Maybe even the air itself was different.
I’m sure everyone else must feel the same way—
“Nii-san, it’s cool and feels good inside the forest, doesn’t it?”
“There’s no sign of ogres. The sun is shining beautifully through the trees and it’s kind of magical. Don’t you think so?”
—It seems that that’s not the case.
But the two Amazons are walking around, twisting their heads curiously.
It seems like they’re feeling some kind of discomfort.
We walked for a while and never came across any ogres or other monsters.
“Hmm, what should we do…?”
“Is it lunchtime already, Nii-san? I don’t mind waiting a little longer.”
“No, it’s not that.”
As we walked through the Ogres’ Great Forest, the unpleasant atmosphere seemed to deepen rather than diminish.
And yet we didn’t see any ogres. This is not right.
If we prioritize safety, I think we should withdraw from here for now, though…
“Suzuha-kun’s older brother seems somewhat uneasy. Is this his first time encountering an Ogre? But don’t worry, I’ll watch over your back!”
“Taren-Nii-sama, we twins are with you.”
“With Taren-Nii-sama and us, ogres are nothing to fear.”
“…Um, then, do you want to go further inside…?”
““Mmm.””
The duchess and the two general commanders of the neighboring Amazon army don’t seem to think twice about pulling out.
Then my bad feeling is irrelevant.
Besides, all three of them are soldiers with much more actual combat experience than I do.
And so, we continued deeper into the Ogres’ Great Forest.
While walking along, I learned some basic knowledge about ogres from Yuzuriha-san and others.
I’ve never even seen an ogre.
It’s nice to be able to learn so much from these knowledgeable people, but…
“However, it’s surprising that someone like Taren-Nii-sama has never defeated an ogre.”
“I-Is that so…? …Hahaha…”
If I said “I’m just a civilian, so it’s only natural that I’ve never fought an ogre before”, I’d be asked why I’m here then, so I just laughed and covered it up.
It seems that Yuzuriha-san and the two Amazons have hunted ogres multiple times in the past and even wiped out ogre settlements. They’re reliable.
“—If it’s Suzuha-kun’s older brother, regular ogres aren’t even worth fearing. However, don’t let your guard down. There are rare species of ogres. For example, there are Ogre Assassins and Ogre Generals.”
“Are they strong?”
“Well, they are much stronger than regular ogres. Moreover, if it’s Ogre Generals or Ogre Kings, they might even command other ogres, which makes them even more troublesome.”
“I see. Have you ever come across a rare species of ogre, Yuzuriha-san?”
“No, I haven’t. What about the two Amazons?”
“…Just once. It was a fierce battle.”
“Agreed. At that time, the Amazon tribe I belonged to confronted an Ogre Shaman. Despite being an ogre, the Shaman used illusion magic and cunningly tried to lure us in and divide us. However, we Amazons never gave up and—”
“—Stop. Just a moment, please.”
“”Taren-Nii-sama?””
Oh, no.
Why didn’t I realize this before?
I felt like I was being looked at curiously, but I didn’t pay attention to that at all.
“I didn’t notice it at all until now—Because I had always been convinced that ogres didn’t use magic.”
“What’s the matter? You’re worried about Ogre Shamans? But that’s the rarest of the rare species, you know?”
“But it’s not zero. So it makes sense that I’ve always felt a little bit uncomfortable.”
“Nii-san…?”
“In other words, this is what I’m talking about—!”
I directed my own magical power towards the unremarkable scenery of the surrounding forest.
There was a cracking sound of breaking glass and a crack in the landscape.
A real sight appeared behind it.
A countless number of ogres had surrounded us in layers.
