Escape From a Deserted Island With Enemy Female Soldiers

49 – One Body, Two Souls (2)

Her fingertips were numb, her head spinning. Symptoms of mana exhaustion.

I told the sapper I needed a short break and sat down under an old tree. My vision was spinning from the dizziness. I quickly closed my eyes and started Mir’kil.

I hadn’t found a suitable place to camp on the way here. I’d gather mana until I could light the glowstone and then I’d have to leave the forest.

That’s when the anomaly happened.

“aaah!”

The sapper screamed. I reflexively opened my eyes. I turned my head in the direction the sound was fading. The sapper was flying far away.

*Swish-swish.*

Tendril-like vines moved in an arc. The vines were connected to the Alraune’s main body.

“…Shit.”

It didn’t take long to understand the situation.

*Crack-crack.*

The Alraune’s lower body, which I thought was dead, split in half. Like a bud opening, a flower covered in blood burst out from within.

[“Al, ne.”]

One stalk, two heads.

[“Why did you die, why did you die? Why did you leave Rau behind and go first.”]

I knew it instinctively.

The two monsters before were just shells. *That* was the main body.

[“It’s sad but it’s okay. Dead souls can be harvested again. We are many but we are one, so if only I live, you can all be resurrected. Yes, of course.”]

“Goddamn it.”

I couldn’t help but curse.

Forget my stamina, my mana is nearly depleted now.

But so what if it hurts. Does a monster care if you’re in pain? This isn’t a sport. In the wild, a single mistake leads to death.

[“Looks like two pieces of meat?”]

There wasn’t time to sort out my thoughts. My legs moved on instinct.

[‘Coming sideways from above.’]

[‘Duck your head.’]

Whoosh!

A huge root flew past over my head. A hair’s breadth. If David and Kahlon hadn’t warned me, I’d have been smashed long ago.

[“Huh, why didn’t it hit?”]

I dodged the flower monster’s attacks methodically and reached the place where the engineer lay collapsed. I hoisted her up and hurried away.

[“Where do you think you’re going?”]

I didn’t look back. But I knew the monster was following.

[‘That monster’s abandoned its main body to chase us.’]

[‘It seems it’s trying to make you and the fox engineer new hosts. If we get caught, something worse than death awaits. We need to run.’]

No need to tell me, I’m already sprinting at full speed.

But then.

[“Well now, who do we have here?”]

Dryads and their group blocked my path.

[“We couldn’t enter Alraune’s territory so we were itching for something to do… And look, our prey has walked right into our laps? How thoughtful.”]

The dryads giggled.

[“Just accept your death already. You too will become part of the great nature.”]

[“Quietly let yourself be eaten by Alaune-nim?”]

[“For your wretched bodies to aid in His resurrection, ah! What a glorious sacrifice this is!”]

[“Alaune-nim, please devour the fox first. We will cook the wizard deliciously for you.”]

They were all, without exception, out of their minds.

[“Heh heh heh.”]

The dryads tore off the leaves that covered their bodies. They approached, revealing their bark-like skin.

[‘Jeriem, have mercy. Where in the hell are their knot-holes?’]

[‘How can they do such vile things wearing the guise of trees? I feel like I’m about to vomit up the lodestone I ate ten years ago.’]

[‘There’s no time for jokes, David. Erich’s going to die.’]

[‘We’re completely surrounded. Your mana is also flickering. We have no advice to offer.’]

[‘Damn it, if only that Dragon Knight and the Saint were here….’]

The stones had done well enough. I calmed my breathing.

It wasn’t as if there were absolutely no options. If I could fully recharge my mana, I could somehow break through.

To do that, I needed to make a deal.

[‘Wait. What are you trying to do?’]

I could ask the demon for pure mana. A kind of loan. He would demand something absurd in return, of course…

[‘No way, are you planning on a blood sacrifice?’]

[‘No, that’s utter madness! Erich!’]

[‘Last time, when you sent our country’s spirits away, you were so adamant! Why would you change your mind now?’]

They were right. If I had been alone, I wouldn’t have even considered using a blood sacrifice. I’d rather die than violate the Magician’s Oath.

The problem was the engineer was with me.

Even though he was injured in the head, he was just unconscious. If I could escape the forest quickly and head to the Saint, I could save him.

He’s the enemy, he’s a beastman… but he’s still human.

He’s a person. He has dignity, human rights, and is someone who deserves respect. I don’t want the engineer to die with me because of me.

That’s why I hesitate. Whether to talk to the demon, to make a deal, or to break my mage convictions for survival.

When you think about it, the engineer is an enemy, isn’t he? Do I really need to go this far for an enemy? But, we don’t have a reason to be hostile, do we? The country ordered us to fight, not because we had a bad relationship, right?

Two thoughts swirl around me. I’m dizzy. No matter what choice I make, I can’t perfectly uphold morality.

-You’re too sentimental, it’s your downfall.

“…….”

-You shouldn’t get too attached to others during war. You can only survive here if you abandon your humanity. Otherwise, you’ll collapse.

Why does what Admiral Dietz said suddenly come to mind?

David and Calon also fell silent. As if they would respect my final decision.

What would Jeriem have done? Even in this case, would he have told me not to offer sacrifices to the demon?

And, what would the Goddess of the Holy Light Church tell me to do? Would she condone a mage performing a burnt offering to save her follower?

[“Kids, charge!”]

Even contemplating was a luxury.

Naked dryads rushed in. On the opposite side, a flower monster revealed a huge maw and charged. Inside its mouth, strangely twisted pistils and stamens were visible. It also had sharp teeth like a lamprey.

At the crossroads of life and death, I took a deep breath. It was the moment I finished making a decision and was about to open my mouth.

“———.”

A streak of light pierced through the dryad’s head.

A dryad screamed and collapsed. In the following flash, the others also began to crumble, one after another.

At the same time, two death spears pierced the flower monster’s maw.

*Crack!*

A woman, emerging from the undergrowth, drew back a stone spear.

“Goddess of battle,”

She chanted, thrusting her spear.

“Sing your fury.”

Overwhelming divine power exploded against the monster.

Condensed sephiron ignited. A white flame bloomed like a lotus. Light began to incinerate the darkness.

In that instant, I understood.

Ah, so *that’s* why the unit is called White Lotus.

An alraune let out a wail of despair, as if about to die. The smell of burning iron and protein stung my nose.

“Valkyrie!”

“Mage, back! Stay back!”

*Whack!*

The Valkyrie kicked the monster’s base. The alraune’s head jerked upwards. Her spear tip pierced the flower’s jaw. A dark blue liquid poured out, along with a magic stone.

The alraune’s stalk thrashed like a live fish. The Valkyrie ceased her attack. She assumed a defensive stance.

“Kasten, sir!”

“Erich!”

The Saintess rushed over. Her eyes, lit by the sea-stone lamp, were violet.

“You held up well, mage.”

“How did you find me here?”

“Mana traces.”

The Saint roughly scrubbed her eyes with her sleeve, then lifted her head. Her eyes were already stained yellow.

“I told you, didn’t I? No matter where you are, I can find you.”

There was no time for thanks. We quickly formed a battle line.

“Major Brokenheart in front, the mage and I in back.”

I meticulously calculated the mana I’d gathered. Still not enough for a powerful spell.

But it’s alright.

Now that the formation is complete.

“Mage, gather your mana. The Major and I will protect you in the meantime.”

*

Tiria and Rachel each let out a sigh.

Thank goodness. We made it in time. A moment later and Erich and Liyo would have died. The two silently offered a prayer of thanks to the Goddess and faced the monster.

A plant monster, Alraune.

Tiria had seen a monster with the exact same form in the Holy Book.

“…Remnants of the Demon King’s army, huh.”

Perhaps, a conspiracy bigger than we imagine is hidden on this island.

“Major!”

“Leave it to me.”

Rachel lowered her stance, pulling her spear behind her waist. She moved slowly, scanning for any twitch of the enemy.

[“LUWHERA TOHN ISUHAKUUM.”]

Though she had been brutally defeated when she was a ghoul, the situation was different now.

She had allies.

There was the Saint, and the Magician.

“I trust you.”

The Magician sat down, beginning the work of gathering mana. He held the unconscious Liyo in his arms, eyes closed. The surrounding mana began to respond to the Magician’s call.

[“GRHATHM!”]

“———.”

Vines, steeped in impure magic, poured forth. At the same time, Tiria’s words filled Rachel. Her mind cleared and her feet felt light.

Slow. The monster’s attack looked agonizingly slow to Rachel’s eyes.

Rachel smoothly deflected the vines with her spear. She followed the trajectory and plunged the spearhead in. Holy power slammed into the Alraune’s throat.

As one flower faltered, another lunged. Its target, the Magician. It ignored Rachel, as if intending to devour him first.

It was then that Tiria moved to swing her baculus.

The shaft of the spear pierced through the flower’s seed pod.

A surge of holy power followed. The support structure tore apart. The flower head couldn’t bear its own weight and buckled. *Pffft!* The head exploded, scattering petals. The remaining flower shrieked.

*Whirr,* Rachel flicked the blood off her spear.

“Don’t lay a hand on the Magician.”

She settled into her stance.

“This one’s mine.”

I’ll kill it, even if it kills me.

Absolutely, I won’t let myself be killed by some monster like this.

“Hoo.”

Thanks to Rachel and Tyria’s help, Erich was able to gather mana steadily. Honestly, he’d been brought back from the brink of death.

Actually, he wasn’t the only one who’d returned from the jaws of death.

“Ugh, ughh.”

The fox, held in Erich’s arms, also opened her eyes.

The girl’s ears twitched, her tail flicked. The movements felt unnatural. Her head was hot. It hurt.

Hurt? Why?

She was certain, that day, she had died?

“Ugh…!”

The light was blinding. There was a smell of burning. Sounds. A hard, yet warm sensation.

Her body was moving.

“Hey, are you awake?”

Erich shook the girl.

“You okay? You are okay, right? Huh?”

The fox girl slowly raised her hand and caressed his cheek.

A clear, warm sensation.

How long had it been since she’d felt this sensation properly?

Miyo’s heart, borrowing her sister’s body, began to pound.