The Abandoned Duchess Seems to Want a Peaceful Life - Chapter 75

Chapter 75: Sasurika

Under the guidance of the soldier who had burst in with the report, Reinhardt’s small unit left the camp.

With every gust of wind, the dust swirled violently. While wearing a sand-protection cloak minimized the hindrance to their march, it was not an ideal condition for engaging with monsters.

“It took about fifteen minutes running west. I fell over multiple times in my rush, so it might take a bit less time.”

“As long as we have a general idea of the distance and direction, that’s fine. We’ll know when we get closer anyway.”

Reinhardt spoke in a low voice. The middle-aged knight’s gaze was severe, fixed solely on the direction they were heading.

As they proceeded, an uncomfortable tingling sensation began to prick the back of their necks. Continuing onward, it was a feeling different from the wind blowing through the wasteland—a sensation like every pore shrinking tightly. Both knights and soldiers clenched their teeth, their breaths becoming shallow.

“This happens every year, but it’s a nasty feeling.”

August’s lighthearted comment now sounded strained and awkward. No one had the energy to respond, and Alexis broke the heavy silence.

“This is far enough. Guide soldier, return to the camp.”

Having run at full speed to deliver the message and guide them this far, the soldier’s stamina was likely already at its limit. Forcing him to participate in the battle would only lead to a pointless death. With this judgment, the soldier, though pale, began to protest.

“Please let me go too! My brother stayed behind and is fighting!”

“If we make you Sasurika’s prey in front of your brother, he will lose the will to fight in despair. One death will lower the morale of everyone around. I have no intention of arguing. Return immediately.”

“We don’t have time to talk here, but we’ll help as many as we can, so trust us and go back. Hurry back as fast as you can. If you have time, prepare a lot of hot water for the injured.”

“…Yes!”

At August’s words, the soldier clenched his fist tightly but nodded. Giving him a role provided both a reason to leave and a motive to act—it was an effective approach as always.

Ki-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i!

A screech like metal scraping against metal reverberated through the air, prompting Alexis to kick off the ground and sprint forward, spurring everyone else to follow in a rush.

The further they went, the greater the discomfort grew, and they felt the chill enveloping them intensify.

Teeth clenched, brows furrowed deeply. Despite not yet having engaged the enemy, the scent of blood filled their nostrils.

“Aaaaaaah!”

“Move quickly!”

Reinhardt’s suppressed voice echoed as a human scream rang out. Drawing their swords as they ran, they found a soldier collapsed, a Sasurika with a jaw too large to be called a monkey’s, poised to bite down. With a horizontal slash, Reinhardt cut down the Sasurika.

“Gyaa!”

The sensation of the sword sinking into flesh. He twisted the blade and slammed the Sasurika into the ground. The feeling of small bones snapping came through the hilt of the tightly gripped sword.

The Sasurika let out a death rattle from its red-black mouth filled with small teeth, its long tongue hanging limply as it died.

“Your Excellency!”

“Until Herman arrives, deal with each Sasurika in pairs.”

Before the blood, imbued with the Sasurika’s magic, could freeze and harden white on the blade, he sharply flicked it off.

Sasurika are familiars of Pluina, demonic beasts in the form of monkeys. Their appearance is a harbinger of Pluina, and they start to appear a few days before Pluina’s arrival.

Extremely belligerent, they attack anything that moves, whether human or animal. The most important tactic in a subjugation mission is to cut down a Sasurika immediately upon sight.

Though it should have been dead, the fallen corpse twitched on the ground, its tongue moving as if to lick its own spilled blood.

—Disgusting.

Sasurika are also known as incarnations of gluttony.

In the past, to lure out Sasurika, cattle were tied to stakes driven into the ground. The following morning, beside the carcass of the cow, stripped down to bare bones, lay the bodies of Sasurika, their bellies distended to the point of translucency from gorging on the flesh.

These monsters, driven by insatiable hunger, attack all living things, continuing to eat until they swell up and die. Scattered around were human bodies. The groans indicated that some were still alive.

Piercing and pulling off a Sasurika from a soldier, a heavy, unpleasant sensation accompanied the tearing sound. Dispatching it the same way as before, Alexis confirmed the fallen soldier was no longer breathing, averted his eyes, and ran towards the next monster.

The third Sasurika seemed to target Alexis as it leaped at him. He clearly saw the claws emerging from its fingers and the mouth that seemed disproportionately large compared to its head, as if time had slowed down.

Gripping his sword with both hands, he slashed diagonally from shoulder to abdomen. He then stomped on the fallen Sasurika’s belly and brought his sword down on its head.

“Gyaa!”

“Your Excellency!”

August cut down another Sasurika that attacked from behind, decapitating it mid-leap with a single, deft stroke.

“Your Excellency! Don’t advance too far!”

At the sharp rebuke, Alexis realized his focus had narrowed and exhaled a thin, trailing breath.
Looking around, Alexis saw that the remaining Sasurika were still engaged with the soldiers. With Herman’s main force having arrived, each Sasurika was being handled by multiple soldiers, and there was no sign of struggle. The subjugation seemed to be proceeding without issue.

Leaving the perimeter watch to August, Alexis sheathed his sword and began checking on the soldiers lying on the ground. Some were already dead, but for those who were still breathing, he applied first aid to stop the bleeding.

“Hey, don’t die! We’ll help you soon!”

“Hang in there! Don’t close your eyes!”

Eventually, the Sasurika were all defeated, and voices calling out to the injured began to echo everywhere.

The number of fallen soldiers was not small. With the arrival of Otto’s team, pulling carts, the survivors were prioritized and taken back to the camp.

Once they reached the camp, they could receive healing magic from priests dispatched from the temple. Although not everyone would survive until the next day, the survival rate was fairly high.

“Your Excellency, we’ve exterminated all the Sasurika. There’s no sign of any other groups within visible range.”

“Well done. …Begin the cleanup immediately.”

“Yes, sir!”

Firewood, transported by Otto, was piled up and ignited. In the dry wind, the flames quickly grew large.

The soldiers cut open the bellies of the Sasurika, pulling out black stones from within. Each stone was about the size of a circle formed by a thumb and forefinger.

Magic stones, known as the cores of monsters, have many uses. If left in their black state, new monsters can emerge from them, so they are extracted and sealed in wooden boxes, cloth bags, or jars, and then purified at the church.

Once purified, the magic stones turn from black to transparent. By infusing them with magical power, they can be transformed into magic stones with specific attributes.

A magic stone, once infused with magical power, can be used for ten to twenty years, making them highly valuable in trade.