As we advanced through the Demon Zone, one fact became certain.
"—The deeper we go, the stronger the monsters are getting."
The farther in we went, the more the monsters increased in strength.
The range of variation in their strength was also shrinking.
They were still at a level that Seras and Eve could handle...
So far, my status abnormality skills maintained a perfect success rate in the Demon Zone.
However, we had still not encountered any humanoid types.
I stepped from one stone to the next like stepping stones, reaching the opposite bank.
At the end, Eve took my hand and pulled me up.
Eve had reached the opposite bank first and was waiting for the rest of us.
I thanked her and set down the luggage I had been carrying on the ground.
We were currently crossing a river.
The river water was somewhat murky.
The river seemed a bit swollen, probably because of the light rain that had fallen that morning.
There was no bridge.
However, there were several stones that could serve as footholds.
If we followed those stones, we could reach the opposite bank.
After a quick check, taking a detour would take quite a bit of time.
So we decided to cross here.
"Next is Liz."
On the opposite bank, Liz lowered her gaze to the surface of the river at her feet.
I called out a warning.
"Some of the stones are slippery, so be careful."
"Y-yes, Touka-sama."
Liz cautiously extended her foot toward the next stepping stone.
Eve let out a low groan.
"Muu... Perhaps I should carry her across on my back after all."
"She wants to do it herself. We should respect her initiative, right?"
"But Touka, if she slips even by chance—"
"I-I am fine, older sister!"
Liz jumped to the next foothold.
"If I keep relying on you all the time, I think that would be bad—"
Slip.
"Ah!"
Liz's foot slipped on the wet surface of the rock.
"Pigii—!"
Snap!
Pigi-maru extended like a rope and grabbed Liz's body.
Liz did not fall and remained on the foothold.
"Ah—thank you, Pigi-maru-chan..."
"Pini~♪"
"...And I am sorry for causing trouble."
"Pini ni~"
The tip of the protrusion swayed left and right.
It looked similar to shaking its head.
It seemed to be conveying the meaning "Do not worry~."
Lately, it had been showing its intentions more through actions rather than colors.
"Phew."
Eve beside me let out a breath and relaxed her posture, which had been one step away from leaping out.
She looked up at me with her eyes alone.
"You had a safety measure in place from the beginning."
"Pretty much."
I had given Pigi-maru instructions in advance.
If Liz looked like she was in danger, I wanted it to help her immediately.
With a child of her weight, Pigi-maru's strength would be enough to pull her up.
"When Liz expresses that she wants to do something herself, I want to grant it as much as possible."
Eve looked like she wanted to say something.
"Is it really that strange for me to pay that much attention to Liz?"
"Yes, I cannot help but think so. Do you like children?"
"...Liz has some things in common with how I used to be."
Assisted by Pigi-maru, which had turned into a lifeline, Liz drew closer to the bank.
Eve made a face as if she had realized something.
"Just now, I was remembering again the time we stepped into the White Foot Pavilion... Touka, in other words, you—"
"Well, that is how it is. My self-satisfaction plays a bigger role than you think."
Eve's face became difficult.
"Muu... You have gone through harsher days than I expected."
"I was saved at a certain point. That said, the past before I was saved does not disappear completely."
I took Liz's hand and pulled her up.
Had she sensed the change in our mood?
Liz looked back and forth between me and Eve.
"I-is something wrong?"
"It is nothing—though you should be careful with anyone who answers like that. Usually, it means they are talking about something they do not want to be asked about."
After hearing my warning, Liz sent her gaze toward Eve.
"Older sister, is that true...? Um... because I failed at crossing..."
"It is not. We were definitely not talking about anything like that."
Eve denied it in a decisive tone.
She usually gave a strong impression of being straightforwardly honest.
But she could show quick thinking at times like this.
That was Eve Speed.
"Talk of half-elf and human mixed blood is rare... but mixed blood between high elf and human is something I know even less about. We were talking about what kind of child might be born if Touka and Seras had one. However, this is still too early a topic for Liz—hm?"
Slip.
Seras, who had been crossing the river last, missed her footing on the stone.
Splash!
Liz turned around and leaned forward.
"Seras-sama!?"
▽
"...Is it all right to keep moving without drying off?"
I handed Seras a dry cloth.
She accepted it and began wiping her hair.
"I am sorry. I let my guard down... I was careless. How embarrassing."
Seras lowered her face in slight embarrassment.
Well, in reality, she had probably been flustered because the sudden talk about her and my child had come out of nowhere.
And because of that agitation, she had missed her footing.
Even I had thought, "What is Eve suddenly saying out of nowhere?"
Even for covering it up, there could have been something more...
But Eve herself seemed completely unaware.
I could not tell if she was insensitive or sharp. She was a hard-to-read leopard person.
"Well, both Eve and I thought you would cross without any problem. We were completely at ease, so our reaction was a bit slow."
Pigi-maru had also reacted as if thinking, "Even Seras?"
However, we had been able to rescue Seras from the river immediately.
Her clothes had gotten completely soaked, though.
"Achoo."
Seras sneezed.
"It would be bad if you catch a chill. Put this on for now."
I took off the great sage's robe and handed it to her.
"No, no, I am fine."
I pushed it on her firmly.
From the look in her eyes and her voice, she did not seem unwilling.
Her reluctance was transparent.
Seras was the type who needed to be pushed this much...
"Well then... I am sorry, I will borrow it."
Seras slipped completely into the robe up to her nose.
"..."
She shrank into herself and buried her nose in the robe.
Was she checking the scent?
I voiced one concern.
"...If it smells, that would be bad."
"Ah—no, there is no problem."
"Hmm... So that means my scent is not bad?"
"That is right."
"...I see."
I had meant it as a joke.
But she answered plainly and honestly.
Well, I would take it as a positive interpretation.
Right now Eve was at the front.
Liz was behind her.
While walking alongside Seras, I looked around at the surrounding scenery.
When I had checked earlier, the time had been around 2 p.m.
Normally it would still be bright outside.
But because the forest had grown deeper, it felt dark.
As we advanced, the number of giant trees blocking the view had increased dramatically.
The giant trees had large leaves and thick branches.
They were probably blocking the sunlight over a wide area.
That said, the change in scenery was also proof that we were making progress deeper in.
"Hey, Seras."
"Yes? What is it?"
"I want to ask about monsters... Before, I encountered a two-headed leopard person. And that one was a golden-eyed monster."
"In other words—"
Seras looked at Eve.
"You want to ask what the difference is between that monster and Eve... is that it?"
"...Yeah."
As always, I was impressed by how quick she was to catch on to points like this.
"Golden-eyed monsters are said to be monsters created by the root evil. The prevailing theory is that the evil king's essence possessed by the root evil is strongly involved."
"Then, is it impossible for normal monsters like Pigi-maru to become golden-eyed?"
"It cannot be asserted as impossible, but it is said that no one has witnessed the moment when an existing monster turns golden-eyed."
In other words, golden-eyed monsters were golden-eyed from the start...
The ones that originally inhabited the continent were existing monsters.
The ones created by the root evil were golden-eyed monsters.
That seemed to be the classification.
"I do not have many memories of encountering those existing monsters..."
I had seen some.
But only enough to count on one hand.
Rather, existing monsters gave the impression of being rarer than golden-eyed ones.
"Most monsters that are not golden-eyed are now hiding from the human race and staying concealed. The reason is that there was once a hero from another world who warned about the danger of existing monsters turning golden-eyed. At that time, an extermination operation against existing monsters was carried out. Because of that influence, many existing monsters hid themselves."
Hmm.
"After the root evil is defeated, will the golden-eyed monsters under its control not disappear?"
"It seems they will not. It is also said that the frenzied golden-eyed monsters are in a state of extreme confusion after losing the master who gave them orders—oh, we were talking about Eve. I am sorry, I got sidetracked."
Seras switched back and continued her explanation.
"The human race has defined races that understand human language and can converse as 'demi-humans.' To them, it seems to be recognized as 'an intermediate between human race and monsters.'"
In that case...
Since Eve could handle language, she was not treated as a monster.
On the other hand, the two-headed leopard from the Ruins of Disposal was treated as a monster.
"However, most demi-humans also hide from the eyes of the human race and live concealed."
"How are elves classified?"
"According to the rules of the human race, we are also classified in the category of demi-humans. Elves and dark elves also live avoiding people's eyes. That said, compared to other demi-humans, many tribes of elves and dark elves have built friendly relationships with the human race."
I see.
I had a rough understanding now of how leopard people were treated in this world.
I also understood the reason why demi-humans were rarely seen.
It was true that I had hardly seen any demi-humans in Monroy either.
The only ones I had seen were the two walking in front of me.
The leopard blood fighter Eve Speed.
The dark elf girl Lizbet who worked at the White Foot Pavilion.
I recalled how the two of them had been treated in Monroy.
In human society, many demi-humans did not receive very good treatment.
It was not hard to imagine.
"Hm?"
Eve at the front stopped.
Something had happened.
It was clear from the air.
The atmosphere Eve was giving off had grown sharp.
"—Turn back, Liz."
"Eh?"
"We have been found."
"O-older sister...?"
"Touka."
Eve called my name.
I tapped Seras on the shoulder and sent her a look.
Take care of Liz.
Seras beckoned to Liz.
I ran straight toward Eve, who had drawn her sword.
"What is it?"
"It is them."
"...Monsters you know?"
"Yeah."
Eve's breathing grew rougher.
"I am sorry."
Eve spoke an apology.
"I cannot win against them."
She stated it clearly.
From the moment she sensed their presence, Eve had spoken of defeat first.
Without even fighting.
"..."
No, that was not it.
It was precisely because she had fought them before.
"I see, I get the picture."
While staring into the depths of the darkness, Eve gritted her teeth.
"We have no choice but to rely on that power of yours against them."
I could tell that "it" was approaching at tremendous speed.
The sound of trees being mowed down was closing the distance rapidly.
It was heading straight toward us.
From the sound, I could tell.
A giant monster.
Eve and Liz had once entered the Demon Zone.
And the two of them had said they had turned back midway.
Probably,
The monster that had forced you and Liz to flee from the Demon Zone.
I moved beside Eve and placed a hand on her stiffened shoulder.
"Right?"
Eve gave a small nod.