Chapter 72 – Extinction, The Coming (2)

Liv followed Kundra into the fortress. As they emerged through a hidden gate, the watchful gazes of several sentries naturally shifted toward them.

The ability to sense mana—an essential trait for becoming a mage—was gender-neutral, resulting in a relatively balanced gender ratio among those stationed at the defensive line.

Even so, the mercenaries’ stares at the exceptionally beautiful Liv were anything but subtle.

“Let’s go. Don’t pay them any mind,” Kundra muttered.

The onlookers quickly returned to scraping the remnants of soup from brass bowls, not daring to approach. Their restraint was due to Kundra’s presence as a member of the Skirmishers.

This place was a haven for those who had lost their homes and families, or who harbored a burning desire for vengeance against the demons. They had come to the Lavierre Mountain Range, united in their mission to defend humanity.

When the defensive line had previously been breached, Pennheim’s fertile lands were engulfed in chaos. Tragedies, such as unearthing the corpses of loved ones from the debris, had driven more and more people northward.

This collective despair gave birth to the Lavierre 108th Alliance.

Knights of fallen houses, reinforcements from mage towers, priests gathered from temples, displaced farmers, tiger hunters from the mountains, and adventurers from dungeons—all came together. Anyone who could stand on the rotting earth and wield a rusty spear assembled at this final line of defense for all-out war.

Among the countless warriors of the mountain range, the strongest forces were the twelve “divisions,” elite units that followed direct orders from the royal family.

Passing through the crowd, Kundra guided Liv. His division was the 2nd Division, the Skirmishers—hybrids created by fusing parts of demon and monster bodies, products of the Phecda Tower.

Their bodies were imbued with superhuman strength and reflexes, allowing them to freely wield both White Magic and Black Magic while remaining unaffected by the dense karma saturating Heljeb.

They were the most knowledgeable about the mountains, second only to the first knights stationed in the Hookslaw Division.

“Um…” Liv ventured.

“What?”

“Can you take me to someone named Paris?”

The moment she realized she was in the Lavierre Mountain Range, Liv thought of her father. Kundra gestured toward the expansive canal and dense forest visible below.

“That’s where you’re headed anyway. Free knights or mages without affiliation or from ruined houses can’t fight effectively up here.”

The outer walls, where demon invasions were fiercest, had to remain unbreachable. Only the most skilled were stationed there.

Conversely, those who had lost everything—land, family, and homes—were sent to the safer lowlands, like Greenwood Forest. The one who united these people into a powerful force capable of resisting the demons was none other than Paris.

“Why? Someone you know?”

“Just… a little.”

“Well, if you’ve been in the north, you’ve probably heard of him at least once. In my opinion, he’s nothing extraordinary, but his character is admirable.”

As they chatted, they came upon a group of soldiers in the distance. Their mismatched armor and weapons made it clear they were far from an elite unit. At the sight of the first man dismounting his horse, Liv couldn’t suppress the surge of emotion welling up within her.

Kundra waved his large hand, calling out, “Hey, Forest Keeper! I’ve got another stray for you!”

“Hmm?”

Paris, a man in his early thirties with neatly tied black hair much like Liv’s, turned to them. Despite losing his wife and sending his youngest daughter north at the earliest opportunity, Paris still carried himself with dignity.

Sliding an arrow back into his quiver, he greeted them with a polite smile. His refined demeanor could have easily marked him as a noble.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Paris, leader of the Greenwood Forest vigilante corps.”

“Ah, I’m…” Liv stammered, emotion overwhelming her. What should she say?

As she struggled, Paris called to the man following him. “Hey, Louis!”

“Huh?”

“Who’s that man?” Liv whispered.

“Like you, I found someone wandering the forest not long ago. Perfect timing—let’s talk over a meal,” Paris suggested with a friendly grin.

At the mention of Louis’s name, Liv froze. Memories of the man who had destroyed the academy store and abruptly fled Farencia flooded her mind.

Yet, when she finally saw him stepping out from behind Paris, her lips parted in surprise.

His appearance was slightly younger than she remembered, though not drastically different from his time managing the store. Despite the decade that had passed since the war, he hadn’t aged much, unlike the mercenaries they had passed, who bore the scars of battle.

So he had short hair back then… Liv thought. More than anything, the fact that Louis knew her father now made perfect sense.

“Hm?” Louis glanced at her.

“…!” Liv quickly averted her gaze, inexplicably finding herself thinking he was incredibly handsome in his younger days.

***

The Lavierre Mountain Range and the Great War.

A place of distant memories from a time long past.

The stench of rotting corpses and the cries of the wounded filled the air. Above them loomed a sky so drained of color by excessive spatial magic that it had lost even its blue hues.

It would have been nice to see the faces of dear comrades, but at this moment, they were likely shouting “Charge!” as they stormed toward the Demon King’s castle. Meeting them here was impossible.

Instead, I found Liv, the person I had been searching for, and, unexpectedly, her father, Paris.

At the mess hall set up on the outskirts of the forest encampment, Paris sat Liv and me down and offered us food.

“Here, eat plenty. Louis, you too.”

“…”

“…”

The sound of spoons scraping against wooden bowls was the only thing that passed between the three of us.

Liv avoided looking in my direction, quietly eating her soup. I, too, couldn’t figure out how to begin speaking to her.

Should I start by explaining the incident with the store? Or perhaps apologize for locking her out?

As I mulled over how to break the silence, Paris, seemingly unable to bear the awkward atmosphere, addressed Liv.

“Oh, come to think of it, I haven’t even asked for your name yet. What’s your name?”

“Pardon? Oh, um…” Liv was startled and hesitated to answer. Surely, she wouldn’t reveal her real name, would she?

This was a time when paranoia ran rampant across the battlefield. If she didn’t want to risk being mistaken for a doppelgänger or a witch, it was best to conceal that she was Paris’s daughter.

“M-my name is… Rev Lavrie.”

“Pfft…!” I couldn’t help but choke on my soup. Seriously? That’s the best she could come up with?

Paris wore an awkward smile as if questioning whether he’d misheard. “Haha! That’s quite a unique name. It even sounds a bit like my daughter’s. Do you have a family name?”

“Uh… Baroness Woodgreen.”

“Woodgreen? I’ve never heard of it…”

Liv’s cheeks flushed, as though even she found her chosen name ridiculous. Still, Paris seemed to accept it.

“Well, there are countless noble families that were wiped out during the war. I understand.”

The conversation became smoother after that. Paris seemed to take a liking to me, showering me with praise. That wasn’t surprising, considering I had met him just hours earlier, right after I’d dealt with a charging beast.

“Louis, I’m truly grateful that a warrior of your caliber has come to the north. That creature you took down had been terrorizing hunters in the forest for weeks.”

“Really? I didn’t know.”

“Baroness Rev, did you see the massive rhino carcass being transported earlier? That was all thanks to this man.”

“Oh, yes. That’s… truly impressive.”

“With that level of skill, the Alliance might ask you to guard a section of the wall. But personally, I’d prefer if you stayed in the forest with us.”

“Y-yes, I feel the same way.”

“Ahem, Louis, what do you think? If this war ends peacefully, perhaps you could…”

“That’s not happening!” Liv blurted out.

Clang!

Liv’s spoon clattered to the ground. Both Paris and I turned to look at her as she hastily scrambled to pick it up, stammering nervously.

“Ah, no! I don’t mean it’s a bad idea—it’s good! But, um, I’m here right now, so…”

Thankfully, her unusual behavior seemed as peculiar as her name, steering the conversation back to the warfront.

***

“Tomorrow, I’ll guide you around the canal. As you can see, the barracks are full, but you can pick up a personal tent over there.”

As the sun began to set, Paris excused himself, citing other responsibilities. After he left, Liv and I, effectively left to our own devices, received the supplies necessary for life in the Greenwood encampment.

A water flask, flint, a portable tent, and some herbs for stopping bleeding—basic survival gear. Given that many in the forest relied on self-sufficiency unless there was an invasion, it felt more like receiving a survival kit.

As I stood there with an armful of supplies, awkwardly wondering how to start a conversation, Liv spoke first.

“Did you part ways with your companions…?”

Ten years ago, yes. “Companions?”

“Yes, your compa… I mean, Louis, your companions.”

The formal tone. The sudden use of my name. I wondered if she was still upset about what had happened at the store. Then it hit me—she didn’t know the truth.

There was no way she could know that I’d come to Batudis to investigate the demonic statues or that I had entered Baldur’s Nightmare to follow her.

That explained why she hadn’t been too shocked upon seeing me. She simply assumed I was one of the many people active in the Lavierre Mountain Range during this time.

I could tell her everything right now, but that would only push her away again.

From my experience, Liv had a habit of stepping into dangerous places—be it the Twelve Divisions, the Alkaid Tower, or even here in the Lavierre Mountains.

If Adela’s record included three counts of theft, Liv’s tally stood at two charges of sedition and a hit-and-run.

And now, she’d come to the most dangerous place on the entire continent to accomplish her goal.

Fantasy murder. No one knew what would happen if she died here. Until I found a way to escape this nightmare, I was determined to protect her.

But if she distanced herself from me again, I wouldn’t be able to do that.

At least until we got out of here—

“My companions are elsewhere for now, Baroness Rev.”

It was time to play along.

“I see. You can drop the ‘Baroness,’ Louis.”

To be honest, seeing her fail to recognize me was a bit amusing. I wanted to enjoy this just a little longer.