II
The Azure Knights continued on, slipping through the gaps in the guard the imperial army had laid over the region. Twelve days after leaving Fort Zaxxon, they at last arrived at the border with the Kingdom of Fernest. Even then, however, the soldiers showed no sign of relief. The sense of tension only mounted.
“So we’re stuck going through here after all.” The major general looked up at the towering forest giants that seemed to touch the sky and gulped.
There was no other forest like it—a mass of trees like a black shroud that had led people to speak of it in fearful whispers as the Black Sea. It was a breeding ground for the dangerous beasts that were humanity’s natural enemy. There, from the moment of their birth, death’s fingers were never far away. Human norms carried as much weight there as a single withered leaf fluttering down to the forest floor. This was one of the three great unexplored territories, along with the Forest of No Return and the White Forest.
“Looking at this forest really drives home how puny we humans are,” Violet said frankly. Felix keenly felt the truth of what she said. He gathered together the main group who would be venturing into the Black Sea.
“If you encounter any dangerous beasts, do not engage them unless you see signs they mean to attack. The smell of blood holds a powerful attraction to other dangerous beasts.” With this out of the way, Felix next said, “However, while this contradicts what I just said, you have leave to attack first when it comes to beasts that hunt in packs. There are, for example, beasts called galds that are always seeking offerings to show off their strength to the rest of the pack. If they mark us as an offering, they will not back down, even if only one is left standing. For them, defeat means being torn apart by their own kind.”
“Either way, dangerous beasts are a given, then,” said Lieutenant Teresa, her face pale. Felix nodded.
“In addition, make sure your soldiers touch as little in the forest as possible. Pay particular attention to plants. They are likely to be poisonous.”
Toxic plants were easy to spot when they were brightly colored, but there were many others that appeared to be no more than common weeds at a glance. Felix stressed that as they were going outside the realm of human knowledge, that a moment of carelessness could be fatal—even plants posed a threat.
While they all exchanged meaningful looks, Matthew, the captain of Felix’s personal guard, said, “Even if I see a sweet and juicy fruit dangling right in front of me?”
“Assume that any fruit that dangles in front of your face is the lure for a large carnivorous plant. Even unicorns, if caught by such a plant, are helpless to resist being melted down, bones and all.”
“I-I see. Understood, ser.” Matthew took a step back, his face twitching. Felix patiently answered the questions that followed, then, when they died away, he turned to Teresa.
“Get the soldiers ready, as we discussed.”
“Yes, ser.”
Following Teresa’s instructions, the soldiers each took out a small glass bottle, then began to smear the contents around their necks.
Balboa dabbed the liquid onto his wrists, looking troubled. “Will this really make the beasts avoid us?”
“I’m sorry. The truth is, I don’t know how well it works.”
“Hmm.” Balboa looked dubiously at the little bottle. But there was no time to test the efficacy, so though Felix didn’t like it, there was no other answer he could give.
“At the very least, it should be better than nothing.” No sooner were the words out of his mouth than he felt something whack him in the backside, as though he’d been kicked.
“Huh? Is something wrong, ser?”
“Oh, no...” Felix scratched his cheek and said a silent apology to Lassara behind him.
As they had no choice but to pass through the Black Sea, he had instructed the soldiers to gather snow safflowers, which were commonly thought to deter beasts. Lassara had scoffed at this as pointless, before at last handing him a scrap of paper on which she had written ingredients and how to mix them.
“Everything seems to be ready,” Teresa said, unable to keep the unease out of her voice. With that, ahead of all the others, Felix took the first step into the trees.
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