"Who else is looking for a child?"

"All the adults were on the move, and there was the village chief. ”

"The children are in the forest, and even if you go through the whole village, you can't find them. ”

The young man's face changed dramatically from Pleiades' assertion, and he seemed to have something to ask him, but Pleiades patted him on the shoulder and walked towards the forest.

"I'll go to the forest, you go and tell everyone, the child is in the forest!"

Without answering the question behind him, the Pleiades headed straight towards the forest.

Rem, who hurriedly followed, cast a suspicious look at the Pleiades with a confident attitude.

"Why do you know ......"

"Guess. No, I just know. If what the kids say is true, it's definitely over there. ”

A tall wooden fence surrounds the village, and after stepping over the fence adjacent to the forest, the two men walk deeper through the trees.

The Pleiades followed the unreliable, memorable memories of what they had heard, and suddenly Rem beside him raised his head.

—The barrier is broken. ”

Standing beside Rem, who was making a surprised sound, he clenched his teeth knowing that he had judged correctly.

In front of him, Rem was talking about a crystallization embedded in a tree. The crystallization that feels like it has lost its light for a long time is probably an enchantment medium that is set up in the forest trees at certain distances.

Pointing to the forest and saying that there is an enchantment, that situation has been in the memory of the Pleiades several times. "Can't go into the mountains", when was Ram directly warned before?

"What happens if the barrier is broken?"

"Warcraft will cross the line, because the forest is the habitat of Warcraft. ”

"Warcraft...... So, what the hell is Warcraft?"

Hearing Pleiades' question, Reem's eyes wavered and she stammered in reply.

"Warcraft is a human enemy with magical powers, and it is rumored to be a creature created by a witch. ”

"There are witches even here......"

The frequent occurrence of uninaudible words made Pleiades frown, but with Reim's explanation, he was even more sure of the true face of the sorcerer and the precursors of the calamity that was currently affecting the village.

"Pleiades, what are you doing!?"

Surprised, Rem stopped him.

In front of Rem's eyes is the Pleiades that she wants to go deeper through the trees called the Enchantment.

Pleiades turned around and held out her hand to Reem, who had stopped.

"The little ghosts are all in there, we have to save them. ”

"What evidence do you have? Crossing the barrier requires permission from Lord Rozval......"

"The scar on the back of my hand is proof!"

The left hand raised so that Rem could see it had a clear mark of the beast's teeth.

In the evening, the village was surrounded by children, which were bitten scars from contact with puppies.

- Beatrice pointed to the wound.

The existence that created this wound was the one who placed the curse on the Pleiades, and it—

"It's a dog that kids love. Pretending to be a dog but not a dog, what if it's a monster that unilaterally curses the bitten object!"

In the first and second rounds, the Pleiades were bitten by the puppy, and in the case that the Pleiades did not go out, it was not surprising that Rem was bitten.

It's not man-made, it's like a natural disaster.

Like a contagion spread by rats, this is a curse infection spread through demonic beasts.

The children chased the beast into the forest, and there was no way to know if they were safe.

"The longer the time drags on, the worse it gets, although I don't know if the little ghosts have been cursed by their sister, in short, we must take them to the mansion as soon as possible to undo the curse. ”

"Please wait a minute, how can you judge like that...... Speaking of which, this situation is too suspicious. ”

"Huh?"

Rem clung to the pleiades that wanted to enter the forest as soon as possible.

She pointed in the direction of the village, and then to the mansion.

"It's like taking advantage of Lord Rozval's absence to create this problem...... Do you dare to assert that this is not a ploy to attack the mansion?"

"Then what should we do? Abandon the child who is now in danger and return to the mansion to strengthen the defenses? It doesn't matter if the whole village dies the next day, that's really a way. ”

Pleiades also knew that his words were too despicable.

Rem was just trying to keep the inhabitants of the mansion away from danger, which was a matter of course, and did not constitute a reason to blame Rem.

However, whether you remain silent or curl up, the time will surely come when you will be forced to make a decision.

Moreover, regret will be the biggest when the decision is made until the end, and Pleiades knows this very well.

"Rem, let's go, it's up to us to do something. ”

"Why is it like this...... What does the Pleiades have to do with this village......

Are you still confused about how to judge? For the first time, Pleiades heard Rem think like a girl.

Rem, who never loses her seriousness and politeness, will even confide in her deflating words.

That weakness resonated strongly with the Pleiades, but now they were not allowed to lick each other's wounds.

Seriously, Pleiades himself was also afraid to move forward, his feet were shaking, and there were other reasons besides fatigue. The timidity that should be hidden is shown on the face, and who can blame themselves?

But the pleiades slapped his cheeks and forced himself to forget that he wanted to flee to his weak heart.

Petra said that when she grew up, she wanted to go to the city to make clothes. ”

“...... What?"

Durka says that he wants to continue his father's job as the best woodcutter in the village, and Mild wants to collect flowers from the flower field to make a crown and give it to his mother as a gift. ”

“——”

Counting the small faces that appeared under his eyelids one by one, he continued.

He was very happy that Mayna's brother or sister was about to be born, and that Dein and Cain were brothers, and they were always arguing about who would marry Petra. ”

I couldn't help but chuckle.

Then, he turned to look at Rem, who was silent on the sidelines.

"It's okay, I know their faces, their names, and what they want to do in the future. ”

Pleiades hate children.

Noisy and pretending to be familiar, his speech is neither big nor small, and most importantly, he is completely rude.

Rude, rude, reckless and unwelcome, it's like someone you see in the mirror.

"However, I made an appointment with them to do radio gymnastics tomorrow. ”

On the first day he was summoned, the Pleiades should have thought the same thing.

It's much easier to leave it alone, but it's because I can't do it.

Looking at Reem, she was hesitating, confused as to how to judge.

The weak figure, the posture of lamenting the lack of ability, that is the appearance of the Pleiades themselves.

Seeing that she is weaker than herself now, she is bored with being enlightened.

It is helpless to be afraid of fear, but in the end, it is to use someone to protect yourself, and this villain's heart is called hatred from the bottom of my heart.

If you can use even your own cowardice, then use it.

"I'm the kind of person who keeps my promises — I'm going to do radio gymnastics with those little ghosts again, so let's go inside. ”

- I didn't know that courage was such a terrible thing.

Pleiades desperately pressed the trembling hand, but did not realize that he was asserting it in a trembling voice.

Looking at the back of the Pleiades, Rem quietly closed her eyes and ......

"I can't help it. ”

"Rem?"

The corners of her mouth were raised, and Rem suddenly looked up at the Pleiades.

It was the first time that Rem's expression showed clear emotion.

"Rem was ordered to spy on the Pleiades, and if she leaves here alone, she won't be able to complete her work, right?"

Rem seemed to be mocking in her words, causing her to froze for a moment before turning her head.

"Ah, yes, you need to keep an eye on me for any suspicious behavior. ”

"Well, that's it. So – let's go. ”

Looking at Rem who walked to his side, Pleiades felt for the first time that this was the two of them truly becoming companions.

Feeling embarrassed, I wanted to thank Rem, but suddenly found something.

- Rem, who was walking next to her, was holding an iron ball in her hand at some point. The iron ball, which is connected by an iron grip and a chain, makes a crisp metallic sound in Rem's hand that does not match the weight.

"Excuse me, Miss Rem, what is that?"

"For the amulet. ”

"No, but the ......"

"It's for self-protection. ”

Pleiades and Rem talk to each other as they step into the forest that no one has ever set foot in.

The courage that was finally squeezed out shrank again, and finally it was barely reinvigorated with the consciousness of mortality.

Holding the iron ball of "talisman for self-protection" in one hand, Rem and Rem who is in a battle posture continue to search for the forest at night.

The moonlight was obscured by the trees, and it was plunged into a pitch-black forest with a heavy darkness. Avoiding the trees blocking the way, and moving forward with the branches and leaves, there were bloody abrasions everywhere on the body.

In a world where the faint moonlight is used as a light source, there is one thing that becomes the key to the search between the two.

“——”

Rem stopped, twitching her nose slightly as she looked around.

As the dog-like gesture suggests, the two relied on Rem's sense of smell to search the forest.

In order not to disturb her concentration, she couldn't speak, but she was very uneasy inside. Chasing the petite back walking in front, the time that passes by is also reducing the mental power of the Pleiades. That's when ......

"—Nearby, there is the smell of living things. ”

Rem whispered to the left, casting a sharp gaze, and Pleiades followed in the same direction, but there was only constant darkness. Impatient, the Pleiades touched Rem's shoulder.

"Are they children?"

"I don't know, but it's not the smell of beasts. ”

Suffice it to know that. Urging Rem to act, Pleiades also followed the girl who rushed out.

Perhaps it was a psychological effect, and the expression of Reem, who had grasped the clues, also revealed a bright omen. As the literal meaning is, it is the light that shines into the darkness, and the pace unconsciously quickens.

Originally, anticipation and anxiety were mutually exclusive.

Rem couldn't be sure that the scent she had captured was childlike, and she couldn't say it had anything to do with it.

Rem kicked the ground and pushed the bushes away to make a path. After her, her breath was short, and her feet began to become heavy, but her consciousness was clear, and her eyes began to get used to the darkness. The Pleiades were gradually able to make out the outline of the forest—and then, the forest parted, and a slightly higher hill greeted the two.

The hills opened a hole in the forest, and in the fantastical sight of the moonlight shining on the green hills—

"It's the kids!"

The children collapsed on the green ground and fell asleep in a large zigzag.

Pleiades and Rem hurriedly ran over to make sure the children were okay.

A total of six people fell to the ground, although they were all unconscious, but they still had body temperature and breathing.

"Alive—they're all alive!"

Catch up!Pleiades shouted happily, but Rem beside him had a serious expression.

"No, although I still breathe now, I am very weak, and I ...... continue like this."

"Debilitating...... Cursed!"

If you look closely, the children are all pale, desperately repeating short, rapid breaths, cold sweat is still breaking out on their foreheads, and their sleeping faces look like they are having nightmares.

"It's hard to find it...... Rem, do you have a way to break the spell?"

"Rem doesn't have the ability, but at least my sister will see what is going on here...... All in all, you have to use healing magic without interruption, and move out of here when your condition is stable. ”

"Got it, I'm ...... Damn, I can't help, I'm in charge of guarding the surroundings. ”

Angry at my incompetence that I can't do anything. Rem didn't say anything to that pleiades, only let the silvery-white light, which focused the healing mana on the palm of her hand, and began to heal the children.

His eyes swept around, confirming that the children's sleeping faces had become more stable under the healing fluctuations. Just keep it that way, take them to the mansion and ask Beatrice to break the spell—

"Pleiades......?"

The girl who opened her eyes slightly called out to the pleiades who had drawn up a plan of action in her mind.

Is consciousness still very dirty? Pleiades took the hand of the girl who couldn't focus her eyes yet.

"Are you awake? Petra. Very good, you are a good boy, a strong child. But don't force it, I'll take you back at once, and let you say goodbye to the reason that caused you pain, and now you can rest obediently......"

"One man...... It's still ...... in it."

"—Hey, what did you say?"

Petra is trying to convey something on and off.

Having an ominous premonition of the information on this clip, the Pleiades called Petra again, but the voice could not reach her who closed her eyes again and lost consciousness.

Stroking the forehead of the sleeping Petra, the Pleiades looked at the children driven by anxiety, and then ......

"Ahh......h Really didn't see the pigtailed girl. ”

The six people who slept on the spot were all pestering their children during the day, and what was missing was the girl who let the Pleiades meet the puppies and cowered and didn't dare to come forward.

"Bastard thing!"

After uttering evil words, he scratched his head and stood up.

Seeing and hearing his interaction with Petra, Rem's eyes widened in anguish when she saw Pleiades' attitude.

"Please, please wait a minute, it's too dangerous. If it's taken away by the Demon Beast, I'm afraid it's already ......."

"I know what you're trying to say, I know, I know it all the better. But Rem, did you hear that? Petra's first words when she woke up were that a man had been taken away. ”

Petra, who was so weak that her breathing was intermittent and in pain that she wanted to cry, worried about her friend's safety before saying "save me".

Young and thin girls worry about their friends more than themselves.

“...... I want to follow Petra's momentum, and if I want to pick it up, I should try to pick it all up. ”

"You're so greedy that you might lose anything you could have picked up to bring back with you. ”

"So, Rem has to be careful not to become like that?"

Rem, who was clenched, showed a weak expression, and spread her hands as if to show the surprised Rem.

"Even in this situation, I can't do anything, I can't use the healing magic, and I can't carry the child back in one go. So, I should be able to make the most of myself, right?"

"What does that have to do with Rem......