The southern region of the East Continent.
A no-man’s-land where refugees have barricaded themselves.
The man-hunting units from the northern countries have decreased.
The undead have also decreased.
The remaining threat comes from the southern countries.
“They’re here again.” (whispering)
“Let’s inform the captain.” (whispering)
Lookouts are constantly on duty, switching shifts between north and south.
The southern man-hunting units have been beaten by these lookouts multiple times already.
*Rustle*
“Hah!”
“…”
They reacted instantly to the sound of rustling foliage.
Before the one at the front could signal to stop, everyone had already halted, scanning their surroundings.
… *Swish*
Deciding there was no surprise attack, the leader signaled to proceed.
They continued their mission to secure human sacrifices and eliminate armed forces.
“From the south… are our weapons still okay?”
“We’re running low on arrows.”
“And our spearheads are getting damaged…”
Ka-ppe.
He was originally a squad leader in one of the southern countries.
He also participated in the man-hunting units.
Within the unit, he began to sympathize with those being sacrificed, wondering if their actions were humane.
This led to an argument, and the unit was half-destroyed.
He was attacked by his deranged subordinates, and in a twist of fate, he killed them. Other units witnessed this.
From there, he joined one of the armed factions in the no-man’s-land, disguising his identity.
His former comrades went to face the man-hunting units and the undead, and with his military prowess and leadership, he rose to his current position.
“Have them gather more branches. For the spearheads, strike stones against each other to make new ones.”
“Yes.”
“Understood.”
Ka-ppe had settled into his role as leader.
He thought that perhaps, he might even be buried here, his bones to rest.
Then, a lookout who had been watching the northern countries appeared with a report.
“Captain! The Demon Three Knights have arrived!”
“What did you say!?”
The Demon Three Knights.
They appeared to exterminate the undead.
A title given to three incredibly strong soldiers.
“They (the northern countries)… have they really come to crush us…”
Their current weaponry was no match for them.
Buying time was the best they could hope for.
“We’re abandoning this base! Everyone, pack your things! Hurry! Hurry!”
Delay meant death.
The enemy was the Demon Three Knights.
With the man-hunting units from the south also approaching, they were caught in a pincer attack.
There was no time to deal with either of them.
They had to escape, east or west, quickly.
Ka-ppe, his wife whom he had met here, and his trusted men fled at full speed into the forest.
They headed towards a place where a leader several generations prior had obtained weapons.
*CRASH* *RUSTLE*
The destination was overgrown with weeds, but it was an ideal place to hide. A water source flowed nearby.
The group waited for nightfall until the commotion in the forest subsided.
Night birds and insects chirped.
Screams and the clash of swords fell silent.
It was time for a meal.
This was the place where the man Rock and the girl Tiff had hidden.
“Tomorrow, we’ll gather medicinal herbs and poisonous plants.”
“Yes.”
With medicinal herbs, they could endure greater hardship.
With poisonous plants, they could weaken their prey or enemies.
“We will survive.”
Several days later, Ka-ppe’s group, hearing the death cries of survivors.
“Demon Three Knights!!”
“Kyaaaaaaah!”
They trembled again, and with food shortages forcing their hand, they decided to surrender to either the northern or southern units.
They would offer themselves as prisoners, to be used as substitutes for human sacrifices.
“To the Demon… Knights?”
“That’s right. There’s no future heading to defeated countries.”
After persuading his wife and the men, they set off towards the north at first light.
Although their hunger made them weak, they were eventually discovered by a patrol from a man-hunting unit’s base.
Despite some rough treatment, Ka-ppe and his group managed to get to the negotiation table.
“Hmm…”
“What do you think?”
*Whispering* *Whispering*
The person in charge of the base remained silent.
His副官 (fukukan – adjutant/second-in-command) whispered to him.
They had heard the rumors.
Their country and its allies were suffering from a severe shortage of manpower.
This had led to a decline in productivity.
The value of those offering themselves as prisoners was immense.
The human sacrifice program had been a series of failures.
Increasing productivity, even slightly, would be appreciated.
“It’s harsh, you know? If you give up…”
“…We are prepared.”
Ka-ppe stared down the person in charge.
“Heh, very well.”
“You have our approval (whispering).”
The副官, shifting all responsibility, divided Ka-ppe’s group into two rooms and placed guards.
“…If only our country could also…”
The person in charge, to prevent his own country’s ruin, falsified today’s report.
*Hubbub♪ Hubbub♪*
At that moment, the Demon Three Knights, having forgotten their original purpose, returned covered in blood from their exploits.
“They were pretty weak today too, weren’t they?”
“Should we try attacking another country?”
“If we do, let’s have a competition! See who can take down the most important guy!”
“That sounds good! Hahaha!”
The person in charge ordered female soldiers to attend to the three knights.
A few minutes later, lewd cries from the female soldiers could be heard from the rooms where the three were staying.
As they were guests, guards were posted outside their rooms and windows.
The guards peeked and listened, their bodies reacting.
(I want to do it too///!)
(Damn, how enviable! That’s so unfair! Curses, if only I could confess then, damn it///!)
*Rubbing* *Rubbing* *Pfft!!*
A unique scent filled the area outside the rooms.
The soldiers who came to clean the rooms.
“Those guys…”
They changed the sheets, thinking “They’re enjoying themselves,” and washed away the transparent fluid and sticky substance with rags.
“Ugh…”
“What a punishment.”
“Even though it’s on rotation, I got the worst day.”
They scrubbed their rags against the stains.
*Splat!*
