Chapter 34
* * *
As Yuurai and Claire walked away, Lipia let out a soft sigh.
(Those two are always together. Claire is so unfair...)
It seems that Claire even sleeps with Yuurai at night. Lipia couldn't help but feel envious of that.
(...This feeling, I don't think it's love. Probably, it's the unique attachment that forms between an Undead and their creator. I want to touch Yuurai more...)
This feeling became clear after she received Yuurai's help to treat Ceres.
The sensation of being filled with Yuurai's magical energy felt so comforting, so pleasant, that she started wanting to get closer to Yuurai.
(All I've got is healing magic, nothing else to offer... My combat ability is low on my own... But since Yuurai gave me life, I should have the right to stay by her side. I won't let Claire monopolize her.)
Putting the ring on her left ring finger also carried a special meaning.
The Eyeless Tribe doesn't have a custom of wedding rings, but Lipia knew that humans in this region did.
Even if it didn't signify marriage, she wanted to be recognized as someone special. With that thought, Lipia placed the ring on Yuurai's left ring finger as well.
(It's not love. But, I might like Yuurai. She doesn't have any sense of discrimination toward us at all...)
The Eyeless Tribe is often discriminated against by humans, called monsters that are neither human nor Monster.
But when Lipia asked if the appearance of the Eyeless Tribe was creepy, Yuurai answered.
'Whether you don't have eyes on your face or your skin color is different, it doesn't matter. Truly terrifying monsters are monstrous at a much deeper level. It's not about appearance.'
Lipia was happy that Yuurai had said that so clearly.
Being with Yuurai as an Undead was almost a certainty, and Lipia honestly felt that was fine.
(Even Claire hasn't spent an exceptionally long time with Yuurai. I still have plenty of time ahead of me too.)
With her resolve firm, Lipia decided to dedicate herself to cleaning the castle today as well.
* * *
The Monsters in the Northern Forest are, at most, equivalent to those on the Fifth Basement Floor of a Dungeon. Most are sixth-grade, with the occasional fifth-grade mixed in.
For Yuurai, they aren't very strong, but for someone of average strength, they pose a danger. Since Lipia and the others are apparently fifth-grade on their own, walking through the forest is by no means safe.
Using the Third Eye she received from Lipia, Yuurai searched for and exterminated Monsters over several hours. The forest is vast, so completely eradicating them is impossible, but she hunted down hundreds of Monsters.
Unlike the Monsters in a Dungeon, those on the surface don't turn into mist and disappear when defeated. Their corpses remain and will rot if left alone. Often, other Monsters eat them before they rot, so leaving them isn't much of a problem.
By the way, Monster meat is apparently not suitable for eating. It's not impossible to eat, but it tastes awful. It's tough, bitter, and smelly, the worst. Unless there's a severe food crisis, no one eats it.
Yuurai, on the other hand, was a bit curious about the taste but ultimately decided not to try it. Claire made an incredibly disgusted face. Perhaps eating Monster meat is viewed similarly to eating insects.
Anyway.
"Hey, Claire. Is it okay if I experiment a bit with the Monster corpses?"
Standing before a pile of Forest Wolf corpses, Yuurai called out to Claire.
"......What are you planning to do? Even if they're Monsters, I don't approve of toying with corpses."
"It's not toying with them, more like trying to bolster our forces. Based on your prediction, Claire, the next enemy will be on a much larger scale, right? Like an army of thousands or even tens of thousands."
"I think that's likely. If an adventurer with Class One strength was defeated, there's a high chance the country will respond seriously."
"I think so too, but among us, the only decent fighters are the three of us, right? Me, Claire, and Gilka. Everyone else is fourth or fifth-grade at best, and they can't fight against an army."
"That's true. If they fought, they'd probably die."
"Exactly. We're overwhelmingly outnumbered, and I think I need to make up for that. The Army of the Undead spell is one option, but I want to have as many cards to play as possible. As one of those, how about controlling Monster corpses to fight?"
"......I think it's fine to try things out. But it might make humans hate us even more."
"......Yeah, I guess. Still, I want to be prepared."
"Understood. If that's the case, I suppose it can't be helped."
"Yeah. Then, I'll give it a try."