Chapter 28

Miraluka approached the young beast girl. The girl was not on guard and seemed to be in a friendly manner.

The demi-humans use the demi-human language, but I can understand it to some extent, and Miraluka can speak it fluently.

"Would it be okay to use the New Beastman language for the tiger people? Can you understand what I'm saying?"

"…Yes! Big sister, you can understand our language even though you're human!?"

The tiger girl spoke excitedly. The Beastman language has old and new forms depending on the era it was used, with completely different grammar, but generally, the New Beastman language is understood by all but the most secluded beastmen.

"We are from the Albein Kingdom. Those humans said they were soldiers from Berbequia, but why were they being chased?"

"…Albein destroyed our mountain. That's why everyone hates Albein."

The Vinsbruck family invaded the territory where the tiger people lived when they created a path through the mountain. It makes sense that even we, as fellow citizens of Albein, could be suspected as enemies of the tiger people.

Thinking of how to resolve the misunderstanding, the tiger girl continued speaking.

"But you two are different. You defeated the Berbequia who tried to capture me. The big dragon is your friend. Tiger people and dragon people are good friends. Dragons are the guardian deities of the dragon people."

Beastmen can sometimes be in conflict with each other, but it became clear that tigers and dragons are friendly. Since there are few opportunities to learn about the culture and circumstances of different beastman races, this is valuable information.

And the dragon people revere the fire dragon as their guardian deity. So if I have a fire dragon under my command, I can communicate with them amicably. When the need arises, I should consult with Elder Shura.

"Berbequia gathered at the end of this path. The elder said it was a campsite. Berbequia came from that campsite to give us food. A man and a woman brought a lot of food. If we didn't bring it, they said they would set the mountain on fire…"

"…Dick, we'll head to the Berbequia campsite immediately. We need to level it so that no trace remains."

"I want to do that too, so tell me the details. What happened to the tiger people who brought the food?"

When I asked, the girl's expression darkened. I could guess what had happened just from that.

"Berbequia took the tiger people because they are strong. The women went to prepare the food, but they were captured too. They were hostages to prevent us from acting."

"That… It must have been hard for you. But it's okay now. We're here, so you don't have to worry anymore."

Miraluka hugged the tiger girl. The tiger girl's eyes welled up, but she didn't let the tears fall.

"Everyone else is worse off. I was told to escape alone, so I could only run."

"You have no responsibility. Just being safe is enough. So, don't worry and go back to the village."

"No, I'll take you to the village. I need to ask the elder one thing. We need his permission to collapse the path and avoid disturbing the mountain again."

"The elder said he wants to restore the path opened by human hands to its original state. If no humans use the path, the mountain will eventually return to its original state, even if it takes time."

In that case, I can use Miraluka's annihilation magic to block several sections of the military path. That way, no one will use it, and the blocked sections will eventually return to their natural state—though some intervention might be necessary to restore the natural environment. Borrowing the power of earth and tree spirits is one option.

"Thank you. Now I can head to the Berbequia campsite immediately. Thinking about the captured people, we need to act quickly. What's your name?"

"My name is Riko. A tiger girl named Riko. What about you two?"

"We are… the 'Masked Rescuers.' We have our reasons for not revealing our names, so please understand."

"Okay, I understand. I'll tell the elder that the Masked Rescuers saved Riko. Everyone will be saved too."

Riko doesn't really believe the mountain will return to its original state. She hasn't seen enough of Miraluka's abilities yet.

"If you come to the village later, you need to follow the scent. The tiger people in the village don't like the smell of humans."

"That makes sense… What scent should we follow?"

"Rub my tail on your body. There's a big tree with a wound outside the village. If you come there, I'll come to meet you. I'll definitely come."

I wondered if she would notice us when we arrive, but with such a straightforward look in her eyes, I had no choice but to trust her.

We will neutralize the Berbequia campsite, rescue the captured tigers, and block the military path. After that, we will go to Riko's village to inform them of the situation. Our tasks are clear.

"The unconscious ones… Well, there's nothing we can do. Riko, bring the village adults and ask them to keep the captives."

"Understood. I'll keep them until Berbequia promises not to do anything else."

Riko showed her sharp, canine-like teeth and made a biting gesture. She was chased and almost shot with an arrow, so her anger hasn't subsided.

If we rescue the captured tiger people safely, the Berbequia soldiers will also be able to return home safely. I hope for a resolution where the kind-hearted Miraluka won't have to deal with the aftermath.

◆◇◆

The Berbequia campsite was about 20 minutes away by horse from the tiger village, or about 5 minutes by fire dragon.

It was dusk, and the surroundings were getting dark—this was advantageous for rescuing the tiger people.

"First, I'll rescue the captured people. Miraluka could gradually dismantle the campsite buildings and incapacitate the soldiers, but—"

"Analyzing and dismantling many different materials at once takes time. Last time, the enemy's equipment was mostly black iron, so it was easy to destroy."

"Then, how long will it take to destroy all the tents and the enemy's equipment at the campsite?"

"About 15 minutes. With that much time, I can dismantle the equipment of each person who comes into contact with my magic array, as well as the tent materials and other items."

"Alright. I'll land the fire dragon where the campsite is visible, and Miraluka will set up the magic array and prepare for destruction. I'll infiltrate the campsite and rescue the tiger people, then signal you."

"Yes, understood."

I separated from Miraluka and used the 'Stealth' magic to approach the campsite without being noticed. The side of the campsite facing the military path had fewer lights and was a blind spot, making it easy to approach. No one would expect someone to infiltrate from the forest through the mountain.

There was a watchtower on the back side of the campsite, and a soldier who didn't seem very enthusiastic was inside. I threw a grappling hook to the watchtower, climbed up the fence, and jumped over to the back of the soldier.

"What…? When did this rope get here…?"

I used magic to muffle my landing sound. Eileen can move silently using only her body techniques, but I rely too much on magic—something I need to improve.

"Don't move. Where are the tiger people?"

"Ah… Who are you… Could you be a beastman… or maybe from Albein…?"

"No, I came for personal reasons. Just answer the question."

"The beastmen… They're in the tent over there…"

"Good. Let me tell you one thing: this campsite will disappear today."

"Wh… What…?"

I didn't want to risk causing too much damage with a hand strike, so I used the 'Sleep' magic to incapacitate the soldier. When Miraluka's magic array activates, the soldier might fall from the watchtower, so I gently lowered him and laid him in a hidden spot.

I moved from hiding place to hiding place toward the tent where the tiger people were held. A soldier who approached me was drunk and didn't notice me at all. My 'Stealth' is not something a regular soldier can detect.

When I reached the back of the tent, I used a knife to cut a hole in the canvas and peeked inside.

There were several tiger men—some injured from beatings—adult women, and children around Riko's age. They were all tied up, with chains on their feet, and stakes driven into the ground. The tiger people's strength might allow them to break free, but with children present, they couldn't resist.

A guard was leering at them, and one of the tiger men slightly raised his head to look at the guard.

"What's that look for? Don't you understand your situation? You're going to be sent to Berbequia's slave market. The men will be sent to the mines, and the women will be sold to rich people."

"…!!"

Unable to bear the provocation, a young tiger man tried to stand up. It seemed his lover or wife was also captured.

The young man tried to say something, but the guard didn't understand.

"Good for you. If I understood what you were saying, this whip would have already spoken."

"…"

"No, even if I don't understand, it's still unpleasant. So, I'll give you a taste… but not you, this one."

"…!!"

The guard turned to the tiger woman. In his hand was a whip with thorns like thorns.

"I was told not to hurt the women, but beastmen heal quickly, right? So, a few lashes will heal quickly… Stay still, this woman. If the whip hits your pretty face—"

"Enough, punk."

"Whoa, who… Who are you!?"

While the guard was talking, I secretly widened the entrance to the tent and got behind him without him noticing.

Before the guard could turn around, I struck him with a hand strike, knocking him unconscious. I thought the 'Sleep' magic might be too gentle, but there was no need to be so considerate of the enemy.

The tiger people were confused and looked at me. I remembered I was wearing a mask.

"Ah… I'm not a suspicious person. I'm here to help you. I'll break the fence on the back side, so you can escape from there."

I tried to speak in the New Beastman language, which I vaguely remembered. It seemed to get through, and the middle-aged man who seemed to be their leader slightly relaxed his guard.

"…You look like a human, but why are you helping us?"

"Not all humans persecute beastmen. I'm from Albein, but I'm not like those who invaded your sacred mountain… I understand if you can't believe me right away. I want to help you. Can you believe me now?"

"Umm…"

"…I thank you for saving my wife. Masked man, I will trust you."

"Rude… Yes, I will trust you too. I apologize for my rudeness and thank you again. Masked man, how will we leave this campsite?"

It was inevitable, but being called 'Masked Man' repeatedly made me wonder if I needed to hide my identity from the tiger people. No, that's not the time to think about it.

"I'll guide you. Come on, I'll free you from your restraints. Once we're outside the campsite, hide in the forest."

About ten tiger people looked at me like a savior and followed my instructions.

I hadn't used my sword in a long time, and it was almost rusty. To consider the fastest way to break through the fence, I realized that a show of force, even if a bit flashy, would be the quickest.

When the tiger people were ready to escape, I went out through the hole I made in the tent and ran straight to the fence.

The fence, made of logs tied together, was about twice my height. Jumping over it was easy, but the tips were sharpened like spears, so I needed to take a safe approach with the children.

I drew my sword and covered it with a reinforcement spell. It wasn't as good as Cody's 'Light Sword,' but I could cut through iron—though I was a bit nervous since I hadn't used it in a while, and that added to my focus.

"―!"

Using the reinforcement spell 'Slash Enhancement,' I swung my magic-covered sword.

The slash, enhanced by magic, cut three times the distance, and the logs split horizontally. I followed up with a few more slashes, and the logs shattered, opening a path.

"Go to the forest! I'll join you soon!"

"What power… Who are you, Masked Man…?"

"Ah, everyone is safe outside… Thank you…!"

"Thank you, Masked Big Brother!"

"You are our savior!"

Before they could fully process my power, the tiger people, with their natural agility, escaped the campsite at a beast-like speed.

The soldiers inside the campsite noticed the commotion and tried to come after us, but it was too late.

"Attention, Berbequia soldiers! If you don't want to die, put your hands on the ground and don't move! You have families too!"

After saying that, I signaled Miraluka. I raised my hand and used an improved 'Light' spell to launch a light projectile high into the sky, where it exploded.

The confused Berbequia soldiers, caught off guard by the sudden event, finally realized the seriousness of the situation—tiger people were escaping, and there was a mysterious intruder inside.

But they had no time to react. Fifteen minutes, the time Miraluka had announced, had already passed.

―'Wide-area Annihilation Type 120: Fortress Destruction Array'―

The soldiers who arrived in response to my voice saw an unbelievable sight.

The tents, watchtowers, and fences of the campsite turned to sand and were blown away by the mountain wind.

That wasn't all. Miraluka had already set up a magic array across the entire campsite, targeting only the soldiers' equipment.

―'Limited Annihilation Type 66: Particle Disruption Array'―

Just like the soldiers who chased Riko, the soldiers' equipment disintegrated. Facing the chaos, I was about to deliver the final words, but Miraluka wasn't that kind.

Riding the fire dragon, with the moon behind her, 'The Lovely Calamity' descended. She appeared above the campsite, slowly descended, and announced to the incapacitated soldiers.

"You not only tried to invade Albein but also persecuted the tiger people. That is unforgivable. I would say I'm delivering the judgment of death in place of the mountain god, but I don't want to stain this mountain with blood. Do not step on this mountain again. If you do, the 'Masked Rescuers' will appear again."

Bathed in moonlight, Miraluka confidently puffed out her chest and delivered her ultimatum with a clear voice—bringing her here was the best decision I could have made.

The noise of the terrified soldiers fleeing in all directions didn't even reach my ears.

While looking down from the fire dragon with Miraluka, I wanted to deliver a dramatic line. But as I thought about this uncharacteristic desire, the campsite was completely destroyed, leaving only an empty field.

Miraluka then used a wide-area annihilation spell to block the military path, ensuring the soldiers couldn't return.

When we met up later, the tiger people, witnessing the miraculous feats of Miraluka, prostrated themselves in worship. Miraluka, seeing this, blushed and looked embarrassed.