Chapter 48 Your Life Will Sustain Me
It happened when she was 7 years old.
Bandits from the Urmut Empire, one of the 3 countries neighboring the Necronia Empire, flowed into the Arbarheit Kingdom.
The cause of this was a large-scale stampede that occurred in the imperial territory 2 years ago.
One of the few remaining "Dragons" living in the world, the ancient dragon Urpustra, died of old age.
Many monsters that ate Urpustra's remains evolved abnormally and eventually formed a huge horde. It was a horde led by unique orcs, which was rapidly increasing in number.
The orcs, who had risen to the top of the food chain in a certain mountain and forest, devoured other species. Many animals and plants disappeared from the mountain and forest, and the starving orcs left the forest and invaded the human world.
Their number was estimated to be at least 50,000, making it the largest stampede disaster in recent years.
Although the stampede itself was successfully suppressed by a coalition of explorers, frontier troops, and imperial forces, the damage was unimaginable. Eleven villages and 4 towns were destroyed, and one city was half-destroyed. The total number of victims is said to have exceeded 20,000.
This caused a severe famine and chaos in the imperial borderlands.
The safety of the area got worse and worse, and many people became bandits. However, as time went on and the area started to rebuild, safety slowly started to improve. After about two years, the government's army finally took action to get rid of the bandits.
There was a big group of bandits that was formed by combining several smaller groups. The government's army was trying to destroy this big group, but the smaller groups of bandits that weren't part of the big group were also getting scared.
Wolrock Knightly Territory was invaded by one of such small groups.
The number of people was slightly over 30. However, it was a number that could never be underestimated by the forces of the knightly territory. In fact, there was already a report that one village in the neighboring territory had been attacked and suffered devastating damage.
And now, the bandits had escaped to the Wolrock territory.
The bandits moved through the forest instead of the road because they were on alert. For Cliff, lord of Wolrock territory, it was lucky. He found out about the bandits before they arrived and could prepare to attack.
Cliff asked Viscount Lehmann, an aristocrat and his patron, for help.
But it would take time for the help to arrive. In reality, they had to deal with it themselves. The territory had 2 villages, and he gathered their forces. They had about 60 people.
Compared with the bandits, their forces were almost double in size, but it's impossible to say for sure that they had an advantage just based on numbers. Even if there was just one member of the bandits' group with intermediate to advanced combat Jobs, that alone could result in huge damage.
It's unlikely that anyone with a unique Job would be a bandit, but intermediate Jobs were possible. And even someone with an Advanced Job could be a bandit if they were morally bankrupt.
If one thought about it, there were endless reasons to be anxious.
But they had to do it.
Cliff led his people to fight the bandits, along with his son, who had just turned 15.
Just before that, she tried to stop her father and brother as they were about to leave the house.
"Dad! Big brother! Don't go!"
The young girl cried loudly and desperately tried to stop them.
Cliff and his son thought their daughter was just anxious because of everything going on. So they gently patted her head, trying to reassure her, but they spoke firmly.
"Are you worried? But it's OK, you can rest easy because we have a lot more people. We'll come back safe, for sure."
"Don't go!"
"We have to. Dad is the lord, so I have to protect everyone."
"You're worrying too much, Fee. We'll come back soon, so be a good girl and wait for us?"
She didn't stop crying, no matter what her father and brother said.
Still, the 2 couldn't avoid taking command. If the Lord had run away, he would have lost the trust of his people, and without a commander, no matter how many people there were, they would have ended up as a mob. In that case, the village would have been ravaged by the bandits.
Her father and brother left her crying and set out.
And the subjugation of the bandits was a success.
* * *
Thanks to Cliff and his comrades fighting bravely, they succeeded in killing more than half of the bandits.
The remaining bandits seemed to have fled to the depths of the forest. Once reinforcements from Viscount Lehmann arrived, the remaining bandits would be hunted down.
However, the leader of the bandits had an Advanced fighting Job class.
While the others were not a problem, the damage to Cliff and his comrades escalated in order to kill the leader. Nearly 30 of the villagers they had gathered died, and her brother, the first-born son of the Wolrock family, returned as a lifeless corpse.
Cliff had returned alive, but it was difficult to call him unscathed.
"... It's no good, the potions in the village won't be enough..."
"Can't you heal him with healing magic!?"
"My apologies, but... With internal injuries this severe..."
"That can't be...!! Dear!!"
Her bloodied father lay on the bed in the mansion.
The only healer in the Wolrock territory shook his head solemnly, and her mother burst into tears as she clung to the bed where her father lay.
Effective healing potions were rare. Even for a noble family, let alone an impoverished knight's family, it was impossible to keep potions that could heal damaged internal organs on hand because potions had an expiration date.
Even if they tried to rely on a healer, there was no way a skilled healer would be stationed in a remote village. The healer in the village could only heal superficial wounds. He couldn't heal broken bones or internal injuries.
There might be a healer in Viscount Lehmann's domain who could heal Cliff's wounds, but it wouldn't be possible if they called for him now.
The little girl's tiny body trembled, and tears streamed down her face as she watched the scene unfolding before her. But it was as if a thin veil hung between her and reality, making it impossible to believe what she was seeing. Perhaps she was subconsciously protecting her fragile heart from breaking.
"Alisa... I'm sorry."
Her father, who had been unconscious, suddenly said.
His words were weak as he spoke to his wife, who was clinging to the hospital bed.
"Dear...!"
"I couldn't bring Raul back safely..."
Her father murmured, his voice heavy with regret. She didn't know how to respond to his weak and unusual voice. She just felt a deep sense of denial. She didn't want to accept this cruel reality. However, even as a child, she had an inkling that it was an irreversible situation.
"Dad... stay with me..."
"Dad... please..."
She approached the side of the bed.
Her father's face, which was now level with hers, turned to look at her.
Despite his exhaustion, her father smiled.
"I promised I'd come home safely... I'm sorry..."
"Dad... don't, please...!"
Her face crumpled into a sob as she pleaded with him.
She prayed to God that she would be a good girl from now on, if only He would save her father. She promised to eat the foods she hated, study hard, and help out around the house. If any sacrifices were required, she was willing to give up all her snacks for the rest of her life.
But God did not answer her prayers and heal her father's wounds.
Her father summoned all his remaining strength and lifted his arm. He placed his palm over the center of his daughter's chest, right over her heart.
"Dad...?"
"May my... life... sustain... you..."
"...!"
She shivered, knowing that this twisted reality would never change.
Her father continued speaking, his gaze unfocused and fixed on her.
"My life... is... with you..."
"Uuu... Waaaa."
Her small hand clutched her father's. She couldn't stop the torrent of sobs pouring out of her. But even amidst her grief, she knew that she had to tell him what he needed to hear. And so, with every ounce of strength in her tiny body, she managed to reply.
"Your... your life... will... sustain me...! Your life is with me!!"
"...Thank you, Fee."
Her father smiled as if relieved.
――He took his last breath.
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