23: An Invitation from the Beastman Army
Samarkand currently held the position of bodyguard in the Lord of Disease’s forces. His job was to protect the Virus King, both openly and covertly.
However, being a bodyguard wasn’t a particularly busy job. This was generally true for soldiers, who mostly spent their time preparing for emergencies. It seemed a waste of his abilities.
So, like Liz, who served as vice-commander, bodyguard, and maid, I decided to have Samarkand also act as a liaison with the royal castle.
And it was Samarkand who brought back the invitation from the Beastman Army.
“An invitation from the Beastman Army?”
“Yes. What are your instructions?” I took the proffered envelope.
“Hmm… the leader of the Beastman Army is that ‘Broken Fang’ fellow, right?”
A wolf beastman, exceptionally large even among the generally well-built beastmen. He served as a supreme commander, renowned for his military achievements, one of the most prominent warriors in the Demon Kingdom.
“Yes, ‘Broken Fang’ Lathus.”
“I think he dislikes me. He’s always glaring at me during official events.”
“He’s part of the anti-Virus King faction… He’s a straightforward warrior, so it’s not surprising.”
It’s strange that they use the expression ‘straightforward,’ a distinctly Japanese idiom, in this Western-style fantasy world. I wondered if this was really how this world worked, or if it was a quirk of the translation.
I opened the envelope and checked the contents.
“The reason… isn’t stated. In fact, aside from all the formalities, it just says they want me to visit. I wonder what this is about?”
“Let me see that, Master.”
I waited while Liz read the letter.
“What do you think, Liz?”
“It smells like a trap.”
“Yeah, I get the feeling they’re planning to use this opportunity to eliminate a nuisance.”
However…
“But… this is an official request, right?”
“It was delivered to the royal castle first, my master.” Meaning there was a record of this invitation at the castle.
“Yes… even if they tried to make it look like an accident, it would become a matter of accountability…”
And this was their territory. If a ‘guest’ they’d invited… died in an ‘accident’…
Sending assassins to my mansion would be a hundred times better.
“Hmm… well, let’s go.”
“So casually…”
“I’d like to be on good terms with my fellow supreme commanders, and I doubt they’d actually set a trap after sending an official invitation like this.”
“I hope you’re right.”
The “Dark Forest.”
It had been called that for so long that no one felt the need to give it an official name.
Its other name was the “Great Forest.” As the name suggested, it was a vast forest stretching north of the royal capital.
Exactly where the Dark Forest, or Great Forest, began and ended was a matter of debate. There were occasional breaks in the trees, but half of this nation was covered in forest.
However, when referring to the “Dark Forest” without specifying a particular area, it generally meant the “Beastman Army encampment.”
While many beastmen were stationed at the border fortresses alongside the dark knights, the Beastman Army’s headquarters was here, in the Dark Forest.
Beastmen.
The males were almost entirely bestial in appearance, while the females resembled humans, except for having both human and animal ears. While they appeared to come in various animal types, I’d only seen canine and feline beastmen so far.
The current supreme commander, Lathus, was a wolf beastman.
Excluding the undead, whose circumstances were a bit unique, beastmen were one of the two most populous races in this nation, along with dark elves, making up roughly half the population.
“We’re almost at the encampment, my master.”
“Thank you, Samarkand. You’ve worked hard.”
“You’re too kind…”
I expressed my gratitude to Samarkand, who was serving as our coachman. We’d taken a carriage from the capital. While the roads weren’t paved, the journey took less than half a day, now that the snow had melted.
“The atmosphere really does change once you leave the capital.”
“The capital has been thoroughly developed… This might be closer to the nation’s original landscape.”
The dense forest filled my vision.
Looking up, I could see the sky through the branches.
There were no plains suitable for farming or grazing.
This land was harsh, unforgiving. The demons had been driven to the northern edge of the continent, a land originally inhabited by only a small number of beastmen.
“My homeland was similar to this. A little further north, though.”
“I wonder… what my homeland was like…”
Were there forests?
I could only recall fragments.
Rows of similar houses, in residential areas I could categorize into a few patterns.
Taller buildings in the city center, blocking out the sky.
I couldn’t even remember the prefecture.
I’ve forgotten…
And yet, those fragmented images felt nostalgic. Perhaps because it was my homeland.
“Master…”
I felt a gentle touch on my arm, and a warmth spread through me. I reached out and hugged Liz.
“Well, this is my home now!”
“Master, if you’re going to get sentimental, could you at least see it through?”
Liz’s voice was filled with exasperation.
Suddenly, Liz’s expression turned serious. Did I say something wrong? The thought was fleeting.
“Samarkand! Perimeter check! Master, put on your mask. Don’t move until I give the order.”
“Understood.”
I put on the mask I’d left on the seat, thinking I wouldn’t need it until we arrived. From this moment on, I was the Lord of Disease.
Liz swiftly drew the curtains, obscuring the view outside. I could no longer see what was happening, but Samarkand’s words filled me in.
“—Beastman Army soldiers. This is a rather… hostile welcome. They arranged this meeting. They should know who’s in this carriage…”
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