Ch.9999. Desert of Death (3)

After realizing that the horse-type magical beast before me was the “connection” I had been seeking on this adventure, I had nothing more to hesitate about… I could also tell that this creature was dying.

As a result of continuous exposure to necromantic energy since entering this other world, its life force had been steadily eroded until it finally collapsed.

Add to that the visible signs of malnutrition and dehydration, and everything confirmed that the fated connection I was looking at was dying.

Therefore, I moved without hesitation.

“Sophia, I’ve found the ‘connection’!”

“Really?! The prophet thinks that’s wonderful!”

“Yeah, I think so too… but this one is dying right now.”

“Should I prepare the medical facilities?”

“Please do!”

After contacting Sophia to inform her that I had met the connection, I transported the collapsed, unconscious creature to Hydra.

[….Grrrr?]

“It’s not food. It’s a potential new friend.”

Hydra seemed to view this horse beast as prey, asking if it could eat it, but I firmly denied this while simultaneously moving the horse beast into “Nature’s Hut.”

That is, into the treatment facility inside.

The cave treatment facility made of eco-friendly materials looks like a primitive human dwelling, but thanks to the luminous vines and moss draped throughout, it also has a dreamlike atmosphere.

And in the center of such a facility, on a flat stone that looks as if the top part of a rock had been cut off and refined…

We laid the horse beast on a bed made of soft Sheep Flowers, and…

-Shhhk!

From the translucent vines hanging from the ceiling, I selected a few and inserted them into the horse beast’s body.

These vines are similar to magical IVs, converting magical power transmitted from the Dragon Heart in the power unit into special energy and absorbing it into the subject pierced by the thorns at the end of the vines.

The most representative one is a tube that supplies life energy, which is easily depleted in dying creatures, followed by a tube that supplies magically processed power fixed in a neutral state to be easily absorbed, considering the magical beast’s ecology.

In addition, considering the fact that this creature was exhausted, I also supplied nutritional tree fluid like an IV to quickly provide nutrients and moisture…

“…Why is a Nightmare here?”

After realizing the identity of this magical beast, I wondered about that.

Nightmare. This innately intermediate-level magical beast with a name meaning “bad dream” is a rare species with the unique ecology that, true to its name (mare meaning female horse), the entire species consists of females.

Since they are all female, they need to mix bloodlines with other horses or horse-type magical beasts to reproduce, but ironically, the horses born in this process may not be Nightmares, so their numbers cannot easily increase.

Of course, since descendants of Nightmares can give birth to Nightmares even if they themselves are not Nightmares, the species itself won’t go extinct unless all horses and horse-type magical beasts in the Western Continent are exterminated.

However, despite this… Nightmares are oppressed in the Western Continent as symbols of evil representing misfortune and bad luck.

And this was a kind of tragedy that was no one’s intention.

Like other carnivorous intermediate magical beasts, Nightmares will, if necessary when food is scarce, attack villages, kill livestock or people, and eat them without hesitation.

Additionally, true to their name meaning “bad dream,” Nightmares can devour the nightmares of nearby living beings, a process that is not only terrifying but also brings back nightmares that would otherwise have been forgotten.

And what was particularly decisive was the Nightmare’s appearance.

With a mane of burning flames and black fur, they complete a demonic appearance, which ultimately led to the Nightmare species being viewed as hostile by humanity.

But why would such a species be here?

“…”

Of course, my questions were brief. Looking at the scars engraved on this one’s body, I realized that this Nightmare had reached this “Desert of Death” after fleeing.

Considering that they are a rare species living from the eastern to southeastern parts of the Western Continent, perhaps after being oppressed for a long time, it fled into the desert and then became isolated, unable to escape?

So, as I was quietly watching the sleeping Nightmare with such thoughts, the creature that was gradually beginning to wake up entered my field of vision, and…

“…?!!”

Needless to say, the Nightmare, upon opening its eyes, at first seemed to be cautiously observing its surroundings, but before long, it began to show signs of wariness toward me.

※ ※ ※

When the Nightmare, who had lost consciousness in the middle of the “Desert of Death,” opened her eyes, she realized through her half-awake mind that she was lying somewhere soft.

What exactly was happening?

As the Nightmare pondered briefly, feeling the energy in her body that had undoubtedly collapsed from exhaustion, she momentarily thought she might be dead…

‘…This is.’

With the strange foreign sensation in her body and the energy transmitted through it, she began to grasp the situation and slowly opened her eyes.

Thinking that someone might be treating her, the Nightmare, who couldn’t come up with any other ideas given the circumstances, slowly opened her eyes and tried to get up, but…

“…?!!”

The moment a human figure entered her field of vision, she froze in place and couldn’t let down her guard, despite somewhat understanding the situation.

Naturally, the Nightmare realized that the human male now in her sight was the one who had saved and treated her, but her trauma and hostility toward humans, deeply engraved in her body, strongly activated.

She widened her eyes, surrounded her body with flames to try to break the vine tubes touching her body.

She surrounded her hooves with magical power to be able to kick the enemy in front of her at any time, and held flames in her teeth.

And…

“That’s quite a sharp attitude to show your benefactor, Nightmare.”

[…!!]

The moment the human before her opened his mouth and spoke, the Nightmare lost all will to resist him.

What the brown-haired human male, as she presumed, was wearing was authority gained through physical and spiritual power.

As if proving that he was a born ruler, his physical presence spreading in all directions struck her.

As the healing power remaining in her body gradually restored her flesh, she bowed her head in submission, having instantly lost the will to resist.

[I apologize, my benefactor. I… seem to have been rude due to past experiences.]

Even as she uttered these apologetic words, the Nightmare did not think for a moment that she could be forgiven.

If someone who had shown kindness by saving her was met with hostility, even she would naturally seek justified retribution.

But…

“Very well, I gladly forgive you.”

The response that came from the human male was completely different from what she had expected.

[Why… is that?]

The Nightmare, who had lived a lifetime of persecution and hostility, could not hide her bewilderment at the human male’s reaction.

For her, “forgiveness” was merely a dictionary concept, and punishment and retribution were far more familiar.

“There’s no ‘why’ about it. Nightmare, you have acknowledged your mistake and shown a willingness to repent, so there’s no problem, is there?”

[…Is that so?]

“Yes. I don’t know how your life has unfolded, but if you show repentance, there shouldn’t be much of a problem.”

The things he, the human male before her, spoke of as if they were obvious were full of things that were not obvious to the Nightmare.

The Nightmare felt as if his words were looking at a distant place, but at the same time, she also thought:

That it wouldn’t be bad to be with someone like this—a kind of certainty.

Once that certainty took hold, from that very moment, the Nightmare could feel something akin to intimacy toward the human before her.

As they were different species, it was certainly not love or romantic attraction. But it couldn’t be expressed as mere friendship either.

If anything, it was probably… similar to what humans call admiration.

The charisma (Fear) emitted by the human male completely captivated the Nightmare’s heart.

[My benefactor, what is your name?]

“Gregory Aleinos. I am Gregory.”

[Yes, Gregory. …I want to become your subordinate.]

“…Subordinate?”

[Yes.]

Gregory was startled by the Nightmare’s sudden declaration and couldn’t gather his thoughts, but for the Nightmare, it was like a last resort that could overturn a life she didn’t have much attachment to anyway.

She had no way to escape the desert on her own. Even if she somehow got out, she would have to live being chased until she died.

So rather than that, becoming a subordinate of this human who had deeply fascinated her would be a wise choice for her future.

The Nightmare (124 years old, female) was seriously thinking that.