Lord of Disease (JP-GL) 116

116: The Bear’s Den

Liverit Lancers.

The name of the lancers who rode into battle on the magical beast, the Liverit sheep, the representative ‘livestock’ of Liverit Village.

The long spears they wielded were tipped with Liverit sheep horns, and the fur they wore was also from Liverit sheep.

The saddle was shaped like a low chair, with the rider’s legs extended forward, since the Liverit sheep was too large to be ridden like a horse.

The sight of the six lancers, surrounding us as we moved through the intensifying snow, was magnificent.

However, their primary advantage was their mobility in snowy plains, forests, and mountains. So, they were not suited for combat against humans. And since they were difficult to raise, there were only twelve of them.

As a mount, the Liverit sheep was quite powerful, but as a magical beast, it was only moderately so.

Even so, they were the protectors of the north, the elite who had driven back the carnivorous magical beasts of this land.

But this time, they were staying behind.

One could say they were in reserve, a gesture of goodwill. But for the five of us, about to enter the den of a fantastical giant bear, the Liverit Grizzly, it wasn’t very reassuring.

The knowledge that if we managed to escape the den, we could rely on them to cover our retreat did provide a small measure of comfort, but I couldn’t shake the fundamental question of whether they could actually do anything if something happened to the five of us.

“This isn’t a den. It’s a cave.”

Leaving the six Liverit Lancers behind, we arrived at the grizzly’s den, and I voiced my honest opinion.

“It is.” Liz nodded.

The word ‘den’ implied something… modest.

And this was not modest.

A black, gaping hole in the snowfield. Not just a hole you could walk into, but something that reminded me of a tunnel through a mountain.

There was a light dusting of snow near the entrance, but the packed earth sloped gently downwards, disappearing into darkness.

In fantasy, a dragon usually awaited at the end of such a cave, but if the Demon King’s army were to fight a dragon in Listrea now, it would be the end of the world.

And a classic high-fantasy adventuring party would consist of a human swordsman, a mage, a thief, an elven spirit user, and a dwarven warrior.

But our party was nothing like that.

Myself, Liz, Rebecca, Samarkand, and Harken.

First, we were all of different races. Human, dark elf, material ghost, greater demon, and a summoned skeleton creature.

Our professions were… supreme commander (a.k.a. cheerleader), assassin (and maid), necromancer, dark mage, and death knight.

We were clearly the villains in a classic story.

I hadn’t chosen the members based on their ‘darkness,’ and yet, this was the team we had.

I did call myself an evil sorceress, and my title was the Lord of Disease.

But sometimes, I had moments where I wondered, How did I get here? And this was one of them.

And yet, to be here, with such a reliable and stable team, on a fantasy quest to subjugate a magical beast, even if it was just a part of my military duties… it was exciting.

Though I was a little sad that in this party, where everyone had a role to play, I was not only useless, but a liability.

We were all prepared.

I wore my Lord of Disease regalia. For ease of movement, I’d forgone the winter cloak. I had my mask and my staff.

I also had twelve Barghests hidden in my robe. But in a large, yet confined space, against a giant bear, this was not a suitable battlefield for Black Hound Barghests. So, they were my personal bodyguards, not part of our main combat force.

Liz was in her assassin’s garb, a rare sight, and it made me feel cold just looking at her. Black leather, revealing enough to be more suited for a tropical beach, and her usual red scarf. She already held her fighting knives in a reverse grip, her scarf wrapped around her arms for support. The only difference was the large, sheathed knife she wore on her belt, at the small of her back.

Rebecca was in the same attire she’d worn at the restaurant, with a wand holder and two swords, one long and one short, hanging at her hip. Her usual black, gothic, frilly shirt and skirt were not exactly appropriate for hunting a bear in the deep snow.

Harken, due to the restrictions of his summoned nature, couldn’t protect his most vulnerable part, his spine, so his tattered chainmail and surcoat offered little protection. His only weapons were a longsword and a dagger.

Samarkand was bare-handed. No armor, no weapons. He was just carrying a bag with supplies, in case of an emergency. He was the baggage carrier, but he’d already released his restraints, and his physical abilities were enhanced by the blood contract. His horns were long and twisted, and the tips of his otherwise black fur shimmered with a pale white light, as if connected to another realm. He looked every bit the demon.

“Alright, Master. We’re about to enter this den and fight the Liverit Grizzly… understood? Do not leave my side. If something happens to me, the others will protect you. Release the Barghests and have them form a perimeter. And you will follow all of our instructions. In this place, you are sixth in command.”

“Understood.” We had discussed this beforehand.

I shook the hem of my robe, and the Barghests slithered out. They moved with a fluid, seamless motion, forming a circle around the five of us. The lovely paw prints they left in the snow eased my tension slightly.

“By the way, I do like a good role reversal. What would you command me to do, Liz?”

Liz smiled.

“Do you want to go back, alone?”

“That would be lonely.”

I was more afraid of being alone, waiting for them to return, than I was of the possibility of dying.

As we approached the den, I smelled the stench of a beast.

Samarkand took a torch from the bag. We’d considered a magic lamp, but since we wouldn’t be here for long, and the den was large, and a torch could also be used as a weapon, we’d chosen the torch.

Samarkand held a thick finger to the torch.

“[Tinder].”

The torch ignited, the flames pushing back the darkness, casting long, deep shadows.

The torch, along with the will-o’-the-wisp at the tip of Rebecca’s wand and the faint glow of my staff’s gem, illuminated the cave, and we had no trouble walking.

The initial slope was gentle, but it soon leveled out, and as we walked further, the light reached the end of the tunnel—

“Rejoice, Master. It’s the largest one.”

There was a giant… bear.