Chapter 26

〈 Episode 26 〉Quest Again

Thanks to Walter’s kindness, Asha was able to get a room to stay in with Lucia. Eva was taken to the lab by Walter for treatment. She shared the bedding laid on the floor with her daughter. Asha fiddled with the clothes Lucia had made.

“Lucy, is it okay for you to keep making these?”

“Yes. If Lucy is completely separated and a long time passes, she becomes different from Lucy. Even if you take that much away, Lucy grows back.”

“Lucy—you have to get bigger than you are now!”

“Lucy, do I have to get as big as Papa?”

“No, not that…”

Asha imagined Lucia growing as big as a house, stomping around.

‘That might be cute in its own way.’

Asha chuckled and hugged Lucia. Lucia hugged her back, laughing along without knowing why. That was how Asha and Lucia left the Labyrinth and came to a new place.

In the dark night, when everyone was asleep, Walter’s lab was brightly lit. He had Eva’s body on the operating table and was continuing the treatment.

“Ugh… terrible. She’s practically been completely devoured by the Heteromorph, inside and out.”

As Walter observed Eva’s body, he discovered countless things swarming inside her. He had succeeded in removing the ones in her esophagus and stomach, but removing the Parasitic creature in her anus was only just beginning.

Tear!

Walter pried open Eva’s anus and inserted his thick finger into her rectum, pulling out another strand inside. Next to the operating table, all sorts of Tentacle lay dead. When a Parasitic creature tried to burrow into the skin of his hand, he pressed down on the center of the Tentacle and crushed it with his fist.

“Damn it! These are such shitty things. But even if I remove these, I doubt this woman will wake up.”

From what Walter observed, part of her brain was paralyzed due to sensory overload. The Parasitic creature inside her body was a problem, but the problem with her head was a separate issue. Walter had cast a spell on the woman’s head to increase regeneration, but it was uncertain whether it would be effective. He sighed.

“I said I would fix her, but it looks like I’m going to fail. Eva, is that really you…”

Walter wiped the sweat from his forehead and was about to continue the treatment, but he had to stop due to Eva’s sudden change. Suddenly, Eva’s belly began to swell, and Walter was horrified.

“What is this! Is it going to explode!”

Walter couldn’t figure out what to do about Eva’s change. In fact, as the Tentacle inside Eva’s body died, the offspring Eva had been pregnant with began to grow rapidly, taking nutrients from their mother.

Walter’s preparations for an explosion were in vain, as Eva’s belly continued to grow endlessly without bursting. Despite her abnormally large belly, she stared blankly into space.

Splash–

Squeak!

Soon, a thick liquid burst out of her skin, and Heteromorph monsters began to crawl out. Walter was stunned by the sudden birth and could only watch the scene. The monsters lined up and squeezed out of the hole, clinging to their mother. Walter’s eyes flashed as he watched the offspring cling to Eva’s breasts and face.

“You son of a bitch!”

Walter was so flustered that he didn’t even use magic, grabbing the monsters with his bare hands and squeezing them to death.

Squeak! Eeeek!

The monsters died with screams as soon as they were born. After Walter killed all the offspring, Eva and Walter’s bodies were covered in amniotic fluid and mucus. Walter shook off the mucus on his hands and stomped his foot, washing himself and Eva’s body with water and wind summoned by magic.

“Ah, damn it. Today is really the best day.”

Walter, filled with spite, stayed up all night and continued Eva’s treatment.

Asha, who was with Lucia, woke up in Walter’s house and finally had the leisure to worry about the quest.

“The quest told me to protect the village, but I guess it’s okay for now?”

Asha checked the quest again.

[Quest 7: Village Defense – Remaining Villagers: 354]

“I have to protect the villagers from dying. But it doesn’t seem like I’m fighting Orcs, so what am I supposed to protect?”

One of the things she had learned while staying here was that the Orcs living here were not very interested in human villages. They were usually focused on their own business and didn’t pay much attention to the outside world. It didn’t seem likely that the Orcs would suddenly get angry and destroy the village for no reason.

“Even if they did destroy the village, I doubt I could stop them.”

Asha, who could now use Mana and had higher stats, still found it difficult to face even one Orc. Considering how she was completely defeated without being able to do anything during the second quest, it was a great improvement, but it was not enough to talk about the entire tribe of Orcs. Lucia, who was next to her, grabbed her hand.

“Mama, what are you talking about?”

“I have something to do, Lucy.”

“Lucy is going with you, right?”

“Of course. You have to stay with Mommy.”

Asha noticed a change in the quest window that she had left open.

[Quest 7: Village Defense – Remaining Villagers: 353]

“The number has decreased…”

Asha’s expression turned serious. She felt that something was happening in the village and that she had to do something. Asha left the room and entered the lab where Walter was.

“Ugh, the smell… what is this?”

The lab where Walter was was filled with a terrible burning smell.

“Oh? Asha and Lucia. Wait a moment.”

Asha covered her nose and stepped back a little. Looking around the lab, she realized that the smell was coming from a brazier in one corner. Walter, who had washed his hands, greeted Asha.

“There were Tentacle Parasitic creature in her body. Even after completely crushing them to death, some of them were still splitting, so I’m burning them all.”

“Ugh… were there a lot of Tentacle inside her body?”

“They were swarming. They didn’t eat her organs, but I still have no idea how many are in her stomach. The treatment for her head is being done separately.”

‘Could it be in my body too…’

Asha had a thought, but she calmed herself down because there was nothing particularly wrong. She asked Walter.

“Will Eva be able to regain consciousness?”

“Hmm… the head is a very sensitive area, so if I restore it carelessly, she’s likely to become an idiot. I’ve cast a spell to slightly increase her regeneration and given her a mild stimulant. I’m trying to make sure she recovers completely, even if it takes some time.”

“You’re wise. I hope she gets better.”

Asha was relieved by Walter’s trustworthy words. Remembering why she had come, Asha asked Walter.

“But, can I go back now?”

“Huh? Was the bed uncomfortable?”

Walter asked, puzzled, as she suddenly said she was going back when she didn’t seem to be in a hurry.

“Ah, no. I slept really well for the first time in a while. But I took a request from the village below. It’s been a while, so they might be looking for me or doing something else.”

“Did you come from the human village?”

“That’s not why I came, but it’s also why, hehe…”

“Ugh, it feels a bit strange to see a young child like you traveling with a daughter.”

“Th, I’m not that young…”

“Huh? How old are you, Asha?”

“Twenty-four.”

Walter waved his hand as if to say don’t be ridiculous. The large Orc made a whooshing sound as he waved his hand. Lucia imitated the whooshing sound with her mouth as if she had seen something interesting.

“Hey! Are you trying to make fun of me? I know how much humans grow after they turn twenty, even if other Orcs don’t. You don’t even look sixteen, where are you lying?”

“Really… what can I do if my body is originally small?”

“Ugh, really? Hmm, your breasts look plausible.”

“This is because I was caught by a Tentacle and changed. Walter… it’s the worst to talk about a woman’s breast size in front of her.”

“Ugh-huh-huh, I should die when I get old. Words keep popping out without thinking.”

Asha was a bit turned off by Walter’s foolish appearance, which had been maintaining a dignified appearance.

“Pervert… Walter, do Orcs hate humans?”

At Asha’s question, he blinked and replied.

“Those guys always say they’re annoying and bothersome, but we’re not such assholes that we’d kill them all just because we don’t like our neighbors.”

“Right? But a few humans have disappeared.”

“Really? I don’t know what’s going on. It might be good for you to go and check it out.”

“Yes, I think I should go and see what happened. I’ll come back again later when I have time.”

“Okay, go with peace of mind. I’ll take good care of Eva.”

After saying goodbye to Walter, Asha left the house with Lucia. She stopped an Orc passing by on the street to ask where Georg was.

“Excuse me, do you know where I can go to meet Georg?”

“Hmm? It’s bold of a human to come here. What do you need Georg for?”

“He brought me here. I’m going back to the village, so I wanted to say goodbye.”

“He left for patrol at dawn. Strange creatures keep crawling out of the Labyrinth.”

“Ah… I don’t think I’ll be able to meet him… Then could you please give him my regards?”

“I will. Be careful on your way.”

Asha thanked the Orc for his surprisingly kind response and left the village with Lucia. There were no particular restrictions as she left the village. After leaving the Orc tribe, Asha began to return to the human village.

Asha didn’t remember the way properly because she was distracted by Lucia and left the human village in a hurry the first time, but fortunately, she was able to get a sense of where to go through the map. Asha, who left the Orc tribe in the morning, was able to come more than halfway to the village after walking all day.

As it got dark, Asha prepared to camp out. Fortunately, Asha still had the tent she used in the last quest and went inside the tent with Lucia.

“Lucy, aren’t you cold?”

“It’s okay.”

The temperature dropped and it was cool at night, but Lucia really didn’t seem to mind. Asha was grateful and loved her wonderful and smart daughter, but sometimes she felt guilty about what she was doing for Lucia.

When she first came here, Asha was so worried that Lucia would be harmed that she couldn’t sleep properly, but Lucia was living well and even rescued Asha, who had been kidnapped by a Tentacle. Asha was upset that she seemed to only receive from her daughter and not give.

“My daughter, cute and lovely Lucy… she’s so wonderful…”

Asha whispered quietly as if chanting. Lucia, who was buried in a blanket inside the tent, stared at Asha while being hugged by her. Asha couldn’t bring herself to say what was in her heart, kissed Lucia on the cheek, and closed her eyes.