Chapter 70

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Translator: Harry Potta
Chapter: 70
Chapter Title: Hometown in Flames
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#70

“Zen, you seem to be in a particularly good mood today.”

Lucy, who had been burying her face in his black fur, peeked out and spoke to Zen.

Indeed in high spirits, Zen perked up one ear and replied in a cheerful tone.

“Tonight’s dinner is on His Majesty, isn’t it? I was so sick of eating at the command post without even getting a vacation. The thought of feasting on meat to my heart’s content for the first time in a while is invigorating.”

Zen boasted that he would devour at least fifty servings, startling Lucy. As she wondered if Lycans always ate this much, Zen’s voice, tinged with laughter, continued in her ear.

“Well, I’m looking forward to dinner, but I can’t help but get excited about going to the borderlands. It’s been so long since I’ve been back…”

“Is there something in the borderlands?”

“Today’s inspection site is my hometown. It’s called Nipompo, a small Lycan village near a lake. It’s a bit famous among Lycans because it’s unaffected by the full moon. The linden tree wine is quite famous; Your Majesty should try some.”

Zen began to ramble on about the linden tree wine.

How its sour and astringent taste might seem strange at first but grows on you, how it’s good for your health despite being alcohol, so the elderly often drink it, and so on and so forth.

However, it wasn’t the story about the linden tree that piqued Lucy’s interest, but the sentence before it.

“Unaffected by the full moon? I’ve never heard of such a place in my life.”

“…Good grief. I thought it was strange that even that Whees fellow didn’t know, but seeing that Your Majesty is also unaware, I guess it’s not well known outside of Lycans.”

“How is that possible? The moon rises the same everywhere, doesn’t it?”

“That’s true. The full moon is perfectly visible from the village, but as for why… I was curious too, so I asked an elder once, but he just spouted incomprehensible things about the land itself possessing a mysterious power, or it being a divine blessing.”

It sounded utterly implausible. Lucy, resting her chin near Zen’s neck, moved only her mouth to ask again.

“Hmm. So you’re really unaffected even when the full moon is out?”

“Yes. But as soon as you step a little way out of the village, you’re immediately affected by the full moon, so it does seem like there’s some kind of mysterious power within the village… but the reason why is unknown.”

Hearing the hint of indignant insistence in Zen’s tone, as if to say it was true, Lucy fell silent, lost in thought.

A land unaffected by the full moon.

If what Zen said was true…

Lucy, who had been deep in thought, turned to Zen with a serious expression.

“This is an incredible discovery. If we can determine the cause…!”

“Exactly! If we can, Your Majesty will be a true hero…”

“We could save a considerable amount on the defense budget.”

Zen, who had expected a reaction of wonder, sighed in visible disappointment at the calculated remark.

Lucy challenged him with a “What? Why? What?” but Zen just shook his snout.

“The defense budget is not the issue! If we can find the cause, if Lycans can be freed from the full moon, Your Majesty might be hailed as the one who liberated the Lycans from their curse!”

“Ah, no need for praise. I already get too much of it.”

“…I shouldn’t have bothered.”

*Tsk*, Zen clicked his tongue and kicked his hind legs repeatedly as he walked, clearly annoyed. Lucy said she was joking and poked Zen’s snout with her finger.

“If what you say is true, we should look for anything unusual. Will it take long to reach the village?”

“It won’t take that long. It’s just past that mountain ridge, and right below it is the lake…”

Zen pointed ahead with a sharp fingertip and lifted his head, gazing at the mountain before suddenly halting his steps.

His yellow eyes widened as far as they could go, and his snout wrinkled.

Gray smoke was billowing up from the mountain ridge.

Lucy followed Zen’s gaze and tilted her head. *A fire?* Before she could even process it, her body was suddenly jerked forward.

“Hah…!”

Zen started running forward at a terrifying speed.

“No… wai-wait!”

“……”

“Zen, ugh, Zen! Stop! Zen!”

She tried to shout, but fur kept getting in her mouth, making it impossible to speak.

The dark fur blocked her vision. She could only guess their current speed from the whistling sound of the wind.

She could feel the muscles churning beneath her and gripped his fur with all her might, afraid of falling off. A Lycan, already fast, was a true beast when running on all fours.

How much time passed like that?

Zen, who had been sprinting madly, slowed down, his chest heaving.

“The, the village…!”

Crouched over, Lucy slowly raised her upper body at Zen’s cry.

In that short time, they seemed to have reached the mountainside, and a vast forest spread out below their view, which was thick with undergrowth.

Her gaze followed the gray smoke obscuring her vision downward. At the edge of the forest was a small lake, and near it, amidst scattered plains, smoke was rising relentlessly from one spot.

The source of the smoke seemed to be where the houses were gathered. Like Zen’s contorted face, Lucy’s expression grew increasingly grim as she watched the smoke.

*No way… the place where the smoke is rising.*

“Isn’t that the hometown Zen was talking about… Ugh!”

Zen, who had been standing awkwardly, lowered himself onto all fours and began to run again. Lucy flattened herself once more, gripping his fur tightly to steady her lurching body.

A tearing sound ripped through the forest, and the rumbling of the ground echoed beyond the wind's howl.

As the green visible through the black fur gradually diminished and her forward-leaning center of gravity found its balance, Zen leaped high into the air.

*Thud-!*

As he landed, Lucy reflexively exhaled. Just as she tightened her grip on the fur around Zen’s neck, expecting him to run again, a loud shout shook her eardrums.

“Second Lieutenant Zen!”

Whees, who had been flying above the forest, spotted Zen and immediately glided down in a low flight. Below him, Walter, who was clinging to Whees, drew his sword and leaned forward deeply.

A flash of white light announced the sword’s presence. Walter leaped to the ground, rolled forward naturally, and as he stood up, he kicked off the ground and started running toward the two of them.

“Ugh, Walter, danger…!”

He was closing in at such a high speed that if they collided, they would surely be sent flying.

But Walter didn’t slow down. Just as Lucy, startled, was about to squeeze her eyes shut, Walter’s sword scattered a blue light.

Time stopped, and space froze.

Through her eyes, not yet fully closed, she saw Walter reaching out. In the frozen time, only Walter was alive and moving.

*What… is that sword.*

*Could it really stop people too?*

Witnessing the scene, Lucy let out a gasp of wonder at the marvelous phenomenon. However, in a state where she couldn’t even move her eyes properly, no sound of admiration could escape.

Her frozen body was snatched by Walter’s hand and moved into his arms. Without hesitation, Walter plucked Lucy from Zen’s back with one hand, held her close, and quickly retreated.

“Hah, haah…!”

As the bluish light faded, she could breathe again, and as if on cue, Walter adjusted his hold on Lucy.

Lucy blinked rapidly while in his arms.

“Your Majesty! Are you all right!”

His deeply furrowed brow contrasted with his usual stoic expression, revealing just how shaken he was.

She tried to say she was fine, but perhaps her body was too shocked, for no words came from her parted lips. Lucy wrapped her arms around Walter’s neck and, in a daze, managed to force out a single phrase.

“Ah, a little. Startled.”

“Are you injured anywhere? How could he just dash off like that in an instant…!”

“I’m fine. I’m all right. But Zen…”

The moment she mentioned Zen’s name, Walter’s sharp eyes fixed on Zen as he gripped his sword.

The impulsive action was a problem, but for a soldier tasked with protecting the king to instead endanger the king’s safety was an issue so absurd it was embarrassing to even mention.

Walter tightened his grip on Lucy and stood before Zen with a displeased expression.

“Zen.”

“Grand, General…!”

But soon, seeing Zen’s face, his ears flattened back as if he were about to cry, he let out a deep sigh instead of getting angry. Walter sheathed his sword and cleared his throat.

“Explain yourself. What on earth is the problem that made you rush here so urgently?”

“Grand General! Please, look over there! My hometown…! The village has been annihilated!”

Walter tore his gaze from the tear-streaked face and looked where the finger was pointing.

Indeed, the village was burning.

He had sensed a disquieting atmosphere from the smoke, but seeing the village engulfed in flames, he could vaguely picture Zen’s state of mind.

Walter, torn between offering comfort and meting out punishment, decided to assess the situation further before determining Zen’s fate and cautiously stepped toward the village.

“Grand General…! What do we do? I thought it would be fine since it’s a bit far from the borderlands. No way, how… how could this…”

Zen whimpered, looking as if he would burst into tears at any moment. Before Walter could reply, Lucy lifted her head and spoke first.

“It’s all right. Even if it was damaged by fire, the villagers might have all survived. Don’t worry prematurely; check the surroundings first. The ones who did this to the village might still be nearby.”

Seeing that the village wasn’t far, there really might be someone around.

She had said it as a warning, but Walter set Lucy down and reached for his sword again.

“Just as Your Majesty predicted. Zen. Escort His Majesty deeper into the forest and retreat.”

*Shing*, the sound of the blade scraping against the scabbard echoed with a particular eeriness in his ears.