Volume 3 - CH 25

As night fell, I gathered the minimum number of people we would need. Livia, Orphe, and Sufi. I wanted to have those three look at the ogre base and share the information they get with everyone.

“Well then, Vanya. Please guide us there.”

“Umu, I understand.” With Vanya at the head of our group, we made our way through the nighttime forest. It was darker than I imagined. When I first descended to the lower world it was certainly this dark. That was already two months ago now.

Back then I was scared of monsters. Now, I have powerful people like Livia, Orphe, and Sufi around me. I feel absolutely no fear.

But my eyes aren’t really used to the darkness. Putting magic power into my eyes makes my vision a little better, but it’s really only a little.

I glanced over to Livia walking beside me. All demi-humans seem to have excellent night vision, so this darkness doesn’t seem to bother them at all. But Livia was still walking really close to me. She was close enough that our arms might stick together on my right.

“Livia, what’s wrong?”

“W-with what?” Livia raised a bizarre voice and looked to me in surprise. As I tilt my head at her exaggerated reaction, Sufi made her way closer.

“Livia, are you perhaps not good with the dark?” Asked Sufi.

“Of course I’m fine with it!”

“Ah, there’s a ghost floating over there!” [TLN: Technically it was a Hitodama, which are those little soul fire things.]

“Hii!?!” Livia let out a cute scream and clung to my arm. Seeing this, Sufi started to cackle with laughter. Of course there wasn’t a ghost or anything. Sufi was just lying. Once she figured this out, Livia’s lowered her brow, miffed. She separated herself from me and with went over to Sufi, her cheeks puffed out in anger and her expression grim.

“Sufi…? It would be fine if I cut you in half here?” Livia was saying something pretty dangerous, but Sufi was unconcerned.

“Fufufu, what can such a frightened sword do I wonder?” Said Sufi trying to stir her up. …Looking closer, Livia was certainly shaking. Maybe she really is scared of this darkness.

After glaring at Sufi for a bit, she turns with a huff and walks away. I walk next to her.

“Livia, are you alright?”

“I-I’m fine. N-not scared or anything.” Her words at the end sounded completely monotone. …Livia is definitely scared. If Livia’s in trouble I want to help her. With this in mind, I took her hand in mine. She looked at me in surprise, to which I responded with a smile.

“Livia, do you want to hold hands?”

“W-well, isn’t that rather pathetic…?”

“No no, I don’t mean it that way. It’s just because I’m scared. See, it’s fine right?”

Livia seemed to want to hide it no matter what, so I made sure to emphasise that I was the one having trouble. After opening her eyes wide for a moment, she smiled happily.

“…Thank you very much, lord Crest. In that case, may I hug your arm?”

“Yeah, sure.” At my reply, Livia embraced my arm. Meeting her eye, she looked a shy with a tinge of embarrassment. I could feel my heart tightening at that smile. Cute. The moment we began walking side by side, Sufi came up beside me.

“Ah, Crest! I’m also scared of ghosts!” Sufi came up on the opposite side of me from Livia and went to hug my arm, so Livia and I quickly moved away.

“You’re fine, aren’t you? Here, let’s go.”

“Eh- It’s not fair to just let Livia do it. I want to cling to you too! Cling to you and drink your body fluids!”

“Stop it you pervert.” While glaring at Sufi, I moved up beside Orphe who was walking a bit ahead. Noticing me, Orphe grinned.

“Hey mister popular.” quipped Orphe.

“Don’t tease me”

“Isn’t it fine. It’s necessary for a chief.”

Good grief. Orphe continued to grin as he looked at me.

After another hour of walking, the steep slope surrounded by trees suddenly opened up. There, Vanya turned her head towards us.

“You all really don’t have any tension huh. Look, see those lights over there? That’s their base.”

Looking down from where we were, there were definitely lights.