Makai Hongi

Chapter 118

I kept running down the road.

On foot, it would take me two days to reach the village that was my next destination. And I wanted to shorten that as much as possible.

“I don’t think that I’ve felt this much reluctance in a long time.”

I wanted to stay and help them with the rats. However, the deadline was closing in.

It was unfortunate that the red rats had appeared, but it was also an amazing coincidence that the Lamias had information about them.

I had heard stories from merchants in the past. About villages and towns that had been destroyed from spreading diseases.

All of this time, it had seemed like something that happened in far away countries and had nothing to do with us, but I was wrong. It could really happen anywhere.

“I might be able to reach it tonight if I keep running.”

I’m sure the Ogres in the village would manage just fine without me.

And so I tried to keep it out of my mind as I ran, but it was difficult.

It was wrong to expect an Ogre village to be the most hygienic place.

Because it was difficult for them to properly understand why things happened.

That’s why I was limited to just saying things like ‘wash your hands,’ ‘gargle,’ and ‘don’t touch anything dirty,’ as if it was in the spur of the moment.

In any case, I was quite sure that the bodies of Ogres were considerably more resistant to germs compared to humans.

And so it wasn’t as much of a problem if they weren’t too hygienic.

“But it’s these things that are the trouble.”

When it came to stronger infectious diseases, being a little tougher than the norm would not mean much.

Once you were infected, you were the same as any other patient.

The panic I felt made me run faster, and arrived at my destination close to midnight.

Even I could tell. The fatigue was starting to build up.

And since I meant to rush back as soon as I had fulfilled my purpose, I wanted to rest here, if only for a short while.

And so I lay down near a large tree.

The result was no surprise. I quickly fell into a deep sleep.

“…Hmm?”

I felt my body being shook as I opened my eyes.

Someone was looking into my face…a short Ogre…it must be a child from the village.

But it was still very early in the morning. Perhaps it was someone who helped on a farm, or maybe they were about to go to the mountains to hunt.

In any case, I was glad to see someone from the village.

“I’m Golan. I came to this village to meet Guden.”

As I introduced myself, the child jumped up and then ran away frantically.

I didn’t understand why the kid was so frightened.

I slowly got to my feet and stretched.

Nothing really hurt. Had I slept in such a place while I was still human, I would have woken up with sores all over. Yes, Ogre bodies were nice and tough.

Not only that, but I was significantly less tired now. Sleep really was important.

“Well, better get going then.”

And so I headed towards the center of the village.

I approached several people as I walked through the village. It turned out that Guden was quite famous, and everyone knew where he lived.

In fact, he soon came walking towards me. A child was leading him.

It was the child that had woken me up.

As there was a large tree and some chairs in the center of the village, we sat there and I faced the former Commander. I felt rather nostalgic.

“Gahahahaha…! It’s been a while.”

It hadn’t quite been a full year since we last met. But he looked aged.

Guden had seemed a lot more energetic the last time.

“I have something to discuss with you.”

“I see. Well, I’ll listen to whatever it is. After all, you beat me. Gahahaha!”

“That simplifies things. I’m about to lead a unit and leave this country.”

“Is it war?”

“Something like that. We are going to fight. The problem is that it will keep us away from this country for a long time.”

“Hmm.”

Guden looked troubled, which was a rare expression to see on his face.

“I want you to take care of the villages when I am gone. You’ve done it before, so it shouldn’t be too hard.”

Guden had worked under Nehyor for fifty years as a Commander.

I had only been alive for seventeen years. Our careers were completely different.

“Hmm… It’s true that I could do it, but I’m getting old. And after you beat me…I can’t say that I’ve had the same optimism.”

Guden was a mutated Ogre. His parents were ordinary Ogres, but they had already died.

And since High Ogres lived almost three times as long as other Ogres, most of his old friends had already passed away.

Guden had served as a Commander for so many years, perhaps it was no wonder that he was thinking of hiding away,

But that was why I wanted to leave things to him.

“Then you can think of this as your last job. Everything will be fine if I return safely. And if I die, you can choose a new leader. You can continue to lead if you want as well. They will all obey you.”

“My last job, eh? I see. It doesn’t sound so bad.”

He seemed to be quite willing now.

However, unlike before, there were some serious problems that we Ogres faced.

I needed him to understand that as well.

“There isn’t time. I have to leave the village at once, and we won’t be able to meet again. And so I’ll tell you everything that is important.”

I doubted he would understand all of it.

The Commander Guden that I knew liked to leave everything to his adjutant, Rig.

And I doubted it would be any different this time.

The details were best left to the Kobolds, and so I decided to tell Guden what was important.

“I will only be able to remember one or two things. Gahaha!”

He said before I had even opened my mouth.

“…Fine. Just the important parts then.”

I told him about the village with the red rats.

Guden didn’t know about disease spreading rats, however, he did understand how dangerous the situation was.

“I think it was about thirty years ago. The water from a well suddenly turned bad. And my friends started to drop like flies. Is it something like that?”

“If that well had not been used, then the disease wouldn’t have spread, yes? It’s the same here. I think we can stop it from spreading if no one touches the rats or their droppings. And if someone does get infected, they should be isolated.”

I also told him about the traps and told him to warn the other villages about these red rats.

We knew the reason now. And so as long as people took precautions, we should be able to stop it in advance.

“My head is so full now. Gahahaha…”

“…Are you serious…”

He would also need to put together a small army with those who were left. I had wanted to talk to him about that.

And there was also the matter of the Reapers.

Hell, the Lamias were not under Lesser Demon King Melvis’s control, and had to be dealt with carefully. There was a lot I needed to tell him.

But I knew he would just forget it all, and so I gave up.

“Fine, but there is just one last thing I need you to remember. The rest will be told to the Kobolds, so you will have to listen to them.”

“I see. That, I am good at. Gahahaha…”

Right. I was getting a headache.

Stil, it was better than acting while not knowing anything.

As long as he was no longer ordering his men to charge into a battlefield filled with flying magic… He wouldn’t do that, would he? Please don’t.