Love Letter From The Future

2. The Lord is with you (26)

The midnight forest was quiet.

It was a place surrounding an isolated orphanage. Herbalists from the surrounding villages occasionally came to visit, but there were no long-lived villagers wandering in and out of the forest at night.

It was because monsters lived in this forest. The Witchbeast’s activities become more active at night when the whispers of Omeros are stronger than during the daytime when Arus’ grace illuminates the ground.

In other words, it was said that the possibility of encountering monsters increases.

Exploring the forest during the day is also risking one’s life, but few dare to take a greater risk and visit the forest at night.

If there were exceptions to that rule, the purpose of the visit would have to be exceptional as well.

For example, country.

My goal was not gathering or hunting. Rather, I wanted to meet the magic beasts. It was the car that visited the forest for this.

There was only one thing I wanted.

I was going to give back as much as I received from the head witch who made a new hole in my body.

The head demon only appeared once a month at most. I’ve heard from Mr. Guilford that they’ve never even met in the woods.

Therefore, the probability of finding the head witch beast right away in the forest today was low.

However, the characteristic of demonization was that creatures of the same species mutated into demonic beasts all at once.

It seemed clear that the monsters of the forest also had some kind of relationship with the chief, since they were based on monkeys.

I visited this forest to investigate the matter. If you do, you’ll be able to catch clues, and eventually you’ll be able to run into the monkey beast that attacked Elsie-senpai.

My purpose was thus clear. Nonetheless, today’s search was pretty sluggish.

It was because my companion was not particularly motivated. In the first place, it was almost like being forced out, so it was understandable.

I glanced back. Then flashed golden hair.

A sharp nose, a slim jawline, and pure white skin came into view one after another. It was a northern beauty as if drawn in a painting. There were bloody pupils in his arrogant eyes like jewels.

It was Delphine senior. He is the heir to the Yurdina family, one of the 5 noble families of the empire, who protects the north, and the 4th year head of the academy’s swordsmanship department.

She was a woman who lacked neither force, nor power, nor wealth.

In fact, originally, it was not a request suitable for her class. After doing chores at an orphanage, the mission of chasing down a monkey in the forest.

Maybe that’s why Delphine seemed particularly unmotivated. Even while walking in the woods with me now, instead of being wary of the surroundings, he was only peeking at me.

It was oddly tense.

Eventually, I stood tall with a sigh. Then Delphine’s body trembled.

As my body turned backwards, her crimson eyes began to wander. The trembling gaze immediately fell down.

Stuttering, Delphine’s clear voice broke the silence of the forest.

“why why why… Everyone, just the two of us, let’s see… yo. this?”

It was an inappropriate compliment. I stared at Delphine without saying anything for a while. That alone made Delphine-senpai’s shoulders tremble slightly.

The fear still seemed to linger. I don’t know how much he suffered, but that dignified Delphine was showing this kind of reaction.

Even if I couldn’t do it, I wondered if I would have been slapped on the shoulder a couple more times. Of course, a moderate amount of fear helps to control a reckless person like Delphine, but it was difficult if the level was too severe.

To reassure her, I said it was nothing.

“I’m going to catch the witch.”

However, despite the clear answer I gave, Delphine still looked suspicious.

Those fear-soaked bloody eyes seemed to be talking to me.

‘I’m sure the monster that came to catch me isn’t me, is it?’

It was an absurd falsehood. I had to swallow a laugh and shake my head.

“… … It’s real. No, then why did you think I would pick up a hatchet and fight? It’s not some kind of ‘hatchet killer’.”

Hey, Delphine sunbaenim’s complexion bleached at once.

Even without that, her skin was pure white, but when the blood disappeared, it became even paler. The period of pupil flicker was gradually shortening.

It was as if I had hit the mark. It was a part where I could understand what Delphine senior thought of me.

It was a bit unfortunate. Speaking of taking Delphine-senpai’s shoulder the other day, it was after being attacked.

What happened after that, I didn’t know. No matter what the future ‘me’ did to Delphine, why did I have to take care of it?

The lament flowed naturally, but there was nothing I could do about it. The only consolation was that thanks to that, I was able to gain the strong power of senior Delphine.

Having calmed down like that, I tried to turn around again. Tsk, the sound of clicking the tongue was a bonus. It was because I decided that if I had to talk more anyway, it would only stimulate Delphine’s fear.

No hostility whatsoever, natural behavior.

Even so, it was at that time that Delphine sat down and screamed.

“Quaa! Now, I was wrong! My, please, as much as minced meat… … !”

At best, I tried to turn my back, but I couldn’t help but be dumbfounded. Delphine was crouching down, pulling her hair with her arms.

As if he thought he would get hit with an ax.

Even so, after not feeling any pain for a while, Delphine quietly raised her head. And, standing there, our eyes met.

“… … What are you doing?”

In response to my question, which was spit out with absurd emotions, Delphine’s eyes became rather dumb.

His expression seemed to ask why he was standing there without doing anything. I was so dumbfounded that I peeked and laughed.

“Are you trying to lure even a demon?”

“… … Yes! that, yes That’s it, yes.”

Unable to say that he was frightened by his junior, Delphine picked up such an awkward excuse and stood up.

It was a cautious gesture. Even so, Senior Delphine kept glancing at me.

I still couldn’t believe my pure intentions. There is no aristocrat who dislikes violence like me, but Delphine didn’t really have eyes for people.

I stumbled and my gait resumed. After hesitating for a moment, Delphine followed me as if she couldn’t help it.

“Where was the place in the forest where you encountered the monkey beast?”

“I-I need to go a little further than this… … .”

Delphine blurted out the end of her words, then asked in a voice that could not completely erase her anxiety.

“… … Did you really only come to catch the Witchbeast?”

“Because it is.”

“Then why are you two alone?”

“Celine or Seria will be clamoring to take care of themselves first, and Leto won’t help in battle. It’s obvious that the saintess will be ripped off for going out to fight again… Is there anything else left besides Delphine-senpai?”

Delphine seemed to believe my words only then, in response to my clear answer. Even so, the fact that he couldn’t throw away a handful of distrust until the end was very like Delphine’s senior.

“… … What about Elsie?”

“Because Delphine will hate it.”

Silence, Senior Delphine chose to keep her mouth shut as if she had nothing to object to.

The moonlit forest was silent. I couldn’t even hear the sound of grasshoppers. In the past, this strange silence was too much for me, but one day I realized it.

It was a sign that the Witchbeast was approaching. My hand went near the waist.

Delphine seemed to have not calmed down yet. Complex emotions flashed through her blood-red eyes.

I glanced back, then asked in a nonchalant voice.

“Why do you hate Elsie so much? There doesn’t seem to be any reason for the two of them to fight.”

When Elsie-senpai’s story came out, Delphine-senpai snorted. After some time, she had regained her usual arrogance and arrogance.

“… … Elsie Lynella? Ha, who would like that bad-tempered kid?”

The bad personality is the same as Delphine, but I swallowed it while trying to bring it up.

“There is no reason why I should like someone who is against me in the first place. I hate people who have such a strong desire to compete. Trying to beat me somehow… … .”

Delphine, who continued the conversation as if it went well, soon lost her words.

Her bloody eyes sank. I held the handle of the sword without saying anything, and so did Delphine.

“How many are there?”

“… … Thirteen.”

I felt the sign itself first, but Delphine was superior in the ability to grasp the detailed signs. When I closed my eyes and focused on my senses, Delphine was right.

One by one, the shadows started to climb the trees silently.

Before I knew it, on the branches of the trees around me, a glimmering blue pupil appeared.

The signs were faint. If I hadn’t known in advance, I wouldn’t have noticed. It was also a characteristic that the previous chief monkey witch showed.

The possibility that the monsters of the forest and the head beast are related has increased. I finally asked Delphine senior.

“Is this the place where the monkey witch appeared last time?”

“… … I guess that’s what I heard.”

The monkeys were still just staring at Delphine and me. Originally, witch beasts couldn’t hide their savagery the moment they saw a human, which was rare.

I was lost in my thoughts for a while, but I took another step, just in case.

Immediately after that, two new models were launched like beams of light.

It was a monkey witch hiding around me. Sharp nails glistened in the moonlight.

In an instant, as if testing the limits of reaction speed, the monkey masters were using the elasticity of their muscles to the fullest.

It might have been dangerous in the past. As for speed, it was at a level that could not be pushed back even when compared to quite a few high-ranking witches. But now I was different.

After consuming ‘dragon’s blood’, my magical power increased beyond comparison.

The sword cut through the air like a thunderbolt.

The solid silver line immediately cut the monkey demon beast in front. It was the moment when lightning and light collided. Time began to flow slowly as if it had stopped.

There was still a monkey demon beast flying from my side. I immediately tried to continue the sword path, but I felt resistance beyond my imagination, and my eyes glanced forward.

There, the monkey demon beast, which had already been cut in half at the waist, was wearing a ghastly smile.

The image of him clutching the blade that cut off his body with both arms, even as he was about to vomit blood from his mouth.

It was bizarre. It wasn’t a reaction that a normal life form would show, including the Witchbeast. But I didn’t have time to think.

The monkey beast on the side was at a distance. He was smiling like a winner as if he thought he had poked my loophole.

But the next moment.

Blood and brains splattered in all directions with the sound of bones breaking.

The monkey’s eyes widened. However, without even realizing the identity of the object that crushed my brain, the Witchbeast passed away.

It was a hatchet. The moment the sword was seized, I threw it away without hesitation and picked up the hatchet.

The thrill of the blow shattering my skull made me breathless. The corners of my mouth twisted involuntarily.

“… … Eleven ahead.”

As a signal for those words, eleven shadows rose up. There is only one target they are aiming for, the criminal who took the lives of two of my colleagues at once.

It was me.

No matter how I was, 11 dogs were a little too much for me, but there was no need to worry. Because I had one strong supporter holding on right now.

My eyes with anticipation turned to Delphine,

“Quaa! stop that! Now, I was wrong… Please save me… Oh, I don’t want to miss the sword… All, I will never rebel again! I will kneel as you are told to kneel, and I will kiss your feet as you are told… … !”

I was soon dazed.

Senior Delphine was lying face down on the ground, trembling and talking about anything.

The battle seemed impossible to anyone. So, one word came out of my mouth inadvertently.

“… … f*ck this.”

I hurriedly threw myself and took my sword in my hand. It was a cool, porous gap caused by sharp claws.

And the spirits that barely pass my skin.

After the battle, I will definitely punish Delphine senior, I had no choice but to grit my teeth and make that decision.

As always, my fight never went easy.