Lord of Disease (JP-GL) 112

111: Liverit Village

Liverit Village.

A village in the northern region of the Listrea Demon Kingdom.

It was settled in the fourth year of the nation’s founding. At that time, the surrounding magical beasts were culled until the area was deemed safe.

One of those species, now known as Liverit sheep, was domesticated and is still widely used for its fur, meat, bones, and horns, which are used as materials for magic items, and some are even used as mounts.

Incidentally, its former name was ‘Berserk Horn.’

…That definitely doesn’t sound like the name of an animal that would later be domesticated…

They were a large species, and even including the young, only about thirty were kept in the entire village.

While the number of magical beasts in the surrounding area had been significantly reduced, the forests of the Listrea Demon Kingdom were a breeding ground for them.

The “Dark Forest” covered over half the nation’s land. This area, a heavy snowfall region, was where the black trees that gave the forest its name were covered in white, but the ecosystem was quite rich.

Too rich, one might say.

In other words, the creatures here were survivors, adapted to this harsh environment—and in reality, Liverit sheep were one of the weaker species.

As their name suggested, they were somewhat sheep-like. And most importantly, they were herbivores. It was a common rule on Earth, and in this world, that northern creatures tended to be larger, but in this world, that meant the size of a four-ton truck.

That said, the number of carnivores had been greatly reduced during the initial settlement and subsequent hunts, so the area around the village was relatively safe.

The concept of an ecosystem existed here, and there were ongoing discussions about whether to completely eradicate the magical beasts, manage them under a form of protection, or maintain the current status quo. For now, due to the difficulty of the task, they’d settled on maintaining the status quo.

And what made that possible was the Demon King’s army.

The dragons of the First Army, the beastmen of the Third Army, and the undead of the Fourth Army, through their hunting, contributed to the nation’s safety in a different way from the Dark Knights of the Second Army, who were responsible for maintaining public order, like a police force.

The demons of the Fifth Army, especially as mana suppliers for the undead of the Fourth Army, also played a role. So, all five armies, except for my Sixth Army, formed the foundation of the Listrea Demon Kingdom.

No wonder the military had so much authority.

“It is an honor to welcome the Sixth Army. We heard you had a successful hunt…”

“The pleasure is ours. I am blessed with excellent subordinates.”

And so, the village chief of Liverit was quite friendly. An elderly male dark elf, though not as old as His Majesty. I was relieved by his gentle, intelligent, and polite demeanor.

Though his long-haired fur cloak, presumably from a Liverit sheep, gave him a wild, tribal chief-like appearance.

He had suggested we observe the hunt shortly after our arrival, so this was our first meeting.

The village population was roughly half dark elves and half beastmen, with a few undead.

Due to the climate, farming was limited to what was necessary to secure basic vitamins, and the village relied heavily on trade for most of its supplies.

Their main export was, of course, Liverit sheep products.

Aside from its famous specialty and large size, it was a typical village in the northern region of Listrea.

Incidentally, ordinary villages also hunted local magical beasts, and their fur, meat, claws, and fangs were also traded.

“…This may sound rude… but I’m relieved.” The village chief smiled.

“We were informed that the Lord of Disease was human… but we were unsure what to expect. But you are not at all like your name suggests…”

“We are the Demon King’s army. We will act according to our name when facing our enemies, but to act so towards our allies would be a disgrace to the rank of supreme commander.”

“That is very reassuring.” The village chief nodded.

“By the way… which one of you is… Rebecca Stagnet?”

“That would be me.” Rebecca raised her hand slightly and stepped forward.

“…The Rebecca Stagnet who was so instrumental in the founding of this village…?”

His question was understandable. She looked like a little girl, dressed in a frilly, black gothic outfit.

—At least, on the outside.

Rebecca answered, her voice calm, not at all offended.

“While I hesitate to say I was instrumental, yes, that is me. I am undead. As I’m sure you’re aware, you cannot judge an undead’s age by their appearance.”

“My apologies. It’s just… my father wished to see you…”

“—Rebecca-sama…”

A raspy voice called her name.

How old was he? If he knew her from the time of the village’s founding and wanted to see her, he must have been over four hundred years old.

There was no reliable data on the lifespan of dark elves. Too much of it was self-reported.

And since they were a long-lived race, it wasn’t uncommon for their contemporaries to have all passed away, leaving no living witnesses. The census was still in its early stages, and the founding of the nation had been a chaotic time. With so many deaths, especially in the military, any historian tasked with compiling the nation’s history would probably cry.

Furthermore, many dark elves died from illness or accidents, not old age. And of course, many died in battle. Four to five hundred years was generally considered their limit.

And that theory seemed to be correct. He was the oldest person I had ever seen.

His hair and beard were long and full, but faded to a stark white, thin and brittle. He was bundled in layers of fur, and while his brown skin made it less noticeable, there were dark spots on his face, and his eyes seemed to be buried in wrinkles. He leaned on a staff, his steps unsteady.

His Majesty, too, was over four hundred years old, but he seemed much younger. Was it the difference in their mana?

“Father, your knees…” The village chief rushed to his side, supporting his arm.

“You probably don’t remember me… but when I saw Rebecca-sama’s name among our guests… I had to see you…” He bowed his head.

“I was never able to properly thank you… I still remember… the sight of you, surrounded by the corpses of terrifying magical beasts, commanding them as your undead servants, single-handedly eradicating the magical beasts in the area.”

Single-handedly? She hadn’t mentioned the number of people involved.

So, Rebecca really is a veteran. She had a long, storied past, and with that experience, she had earned trust. Unlike me, who had appeared like a phantom of war, and who was destined to disappear just as suddenly.

“That was the beginning of Liverit Village. I served as the village chief after that… but it’s all thanks to you.” I could see him smiling.

“But you haven’t changed at all… and I’ve become such a wrinkled old man.”

“You’ve aged gracefully, haven’t you? I just lent a hand.” Rebecca smiled back. She placed her hand on his.

A large, wrinkled brown hand, and a small, smooth white hand.

They had lived through the same era—but she had been left behind by time, while he had aged gracefully.

Tears welled up in his wrinkle-creased eyes.

“I’m so glad… I could see you…”

“Yes. I’m glad to hear that from someone who lived through that time.”

But I was sure that was all it was. To me, both hands were beautiful.