Lord of Disease (JP-GL) 344

344: A Style of Going All Out, Even When Seriously Injured

“—Everyone, good work. …I’ve made you do a terrible job.”

I said, self-deprecatingly. To make those who called themselves knights do such a thing. It was too much.

But they shook their heads, or rattled their jawbones and laughed. One of them said, “I have no intention of valuing the lives of the enemy soldiers more than my comrades.”

“…I see. —Begin the post-battle cleanup! The search for survivors is the top priority. After that, we will consolidate our supplies and transport as much as we can.”

I had gotten quite used to shouting orders.

And I looked back at one of the heroes of the day, who was standing behind me. The crescent moon eyes of the black goat, who was now back in his usual form, looked back at me.

“Samarkand, you’ve worked hard. —I’m always counting on you, but you were especially active today. Today’s victory would not have been possible without you.”

I patted his thick, hairy chest with the back of my hand.

Samarkand knelt. And a tear ran down his cheek.

“Huh?! Did it hurt? Were you injured somewhere?”

“—No. It is just that the words I have received from my master have squeezed my heart. Please do not be concerned…”

“No, I am concerned. …Are you sure you’re not injured? Your mana level?”

“I am not injured. My mana is almost at its limit, but my master’s words alone are enough to reward me for everything today.”

I had known it, but this black goat really did love me, and his feelings were heavy…

“But… have you been holding back until now?”

“No. It is foolish to unleash my full firepower in a chaotic melee where friend and foe are mixed. And we were in enemy territory, where we did not know where the enemy was lurking.”

Well, that was true. While the Barghests were on watch, he and Rebecca were the only ones who could use serious offensive and defensive magic.

“So… are you satisfied?”

“Yes, I am. It must have been a heavy burden. Rest well.”

“No. I can still search for magical signatures.”

“Really? …It would be a great help if you were here… but are you sure you’re alright?”

“There is no problem. Then I will go and search for survivors.”

“I’m counting on you.”

“Master, I’m back.”

“Liz! …Are you injured?”

I turned at the sound of Liz’s voice, which had come as Samarkand was leaving, and ran to her.

“Just a few scrapes and bruises.” Liz said, as if it were nothing, but there was a scrape on her cheek.

I almost reached for her cheek, but I quickly pulled my hand back. Instead, I grabbed her scarf and pulled her closer.

“M-Master?”

“…First, well done. As your superior, I commend you for holding back the cavalry.”

“Yes!” Liz’s face broke into a smile.

“—Next, as your lover, I’m angry that you jumped off a flying griffin.”

“…Yes. But.”

I silenced her with a kiss.

“Mmm?!”

I quickly pulled away and looked into her bewildered eyes.

“…I know. I know everything. I, too, would do anything, if necessary. …Bridget, too.”

“Ah…”

“So, I won’t say any more. But rest.”

“Master, that is…”

“That’s an order. Rest for a while and focus on giving instructions.”

“…Yes.” Liz’s shoulders slumped. I let go of her scarf.

“But I have something to say about you kissing me all of a sudden.”

“I’m sor—mmph?!”

She grabbed my amulet and pulled me closer, and I, too, was silenced with a kiss. It was short, but a little longer… and sweeter… than the one I had given her.

“…Thank you for your concern. But we, too, are always in that state of mind.”

Liz, who had pulled away, glared at me.

“Yes… I’m sorry.”

“As long as you understand.”

Wait. Somehow, the tables had been turned. Was it an illusion, that I had been the one who had been scolding her?

“Then… I’ll go and check on them. They might need a mana supply.”

“Yes, please do.”

There were no seriously injured, to the point where their hands had been bitten off.

But there were casualties, and the undead were usually either ‘dead’ or ‘not in any danger.’ A skeleton, for example, could lose a limb or two and it wouldn’t be a fatal wound. They were generally resilient. If they had all been living beings, then probably many would have died, and many would be groaning in pain now.

In the tent, Rebecca and I were ‘treating’ them. ‘Surgery’ might have been a more appropriate word, or perhaps ‘crafting’ would have been the best.

Rebecca, who was clearly overworked due to her specialized skills, grumbled.

“Ah, honestly, it’s a pain to match the lengths…”

I was helping her find the right bones from a pile of human bones, to attach to those who had lost their limbs. The bones had been ‘cleaned’ by the death knights and the Barghests. Since this was our own country, we couldn’t just leave the corpses. The absorption of life force and mana, which also served as a non-undead treatment, was convenient.

The ‘seriously injured patient,’ who had just been treated, spoke.

“Rebecca-sama, thank you for your trouble. No, I suppose it would be a problem if you really broke a bone.”

“I’ll break you.”

The skeleton, who was laughing, rattling his jawbone, had had both of his legs destroyed in the previous battle, and his collarbone had been broken by a slash to his shoulder. “If it weren’t for my chainmail, I would have been dead,” he had said. Indeed, the surcoat he had taken off was in tatters, and the chainmail was dented, with a white scar.

“Alright, this will do for now. Tell the others that combat is strictly forbidden for two or three days, until it settles. And get some ‘nutritious food.’”

“Yes, I will do my best, with all my might.”

The former seriously injured patient stood up on his own.

“I can’t have you making more work for me. I won’t heal you next time.” Rebecca sighed.

“Now go. Go on.” The gesture she made, shooing him away, was dismissive, but it was filled with a sense of familiarity. She was the type to be frank with those she was close to. …Or so I believed.

“Now, come.” After sending the patient off, Rebecca turned to me and opened her arms.

“Yes. Do your best, Rebecca.” I hugged her tightly.

This was not Rebecca being affectionate, nor was it an affair. It was purely a mana supply. It wasn’t necessary to hug, but I had heard that hugging reduced stress, so I had proposed it, and it had been accepted. I didn’t know if it was true, but it was also a matter of efficiency, as a larger area of contact was better. This was all I could do now.

“—Alright.” Rebecca’s voice was filled with a new energy. And she pushed me away and called out to the outside of the tent.

“Next, come in.”

The skeleton who was brought in on a simple stretcher raised his one remaining hand. The rest of his limbs were also on the stretcher, so the treatment would probably be easier than before. Even though he was an undead, he must have been ‘seriously injured,’ but he didn’t show it, and he rattled his jawbone and laughed cheerfully.

“Well, I suppose I fought a little too hard.”

“…Is there a quota for that?”

Rebecca pressed her hand to her forehead and let out a deep sigh.