Medusa of the Demon Beast Forest: Part 1——Half a year ago.
Inside the forest.
The old western style house is wrapped in a gentle pale light.
The early summer wind carries the scent of green leaves and tickles the nose.
Sitting in the chair by the window is a drowsy girl yawning after taking a nap.
With perfect white hair, the girl is about 13 years of age..
With a height of 140 centimeters, her body is wrapped in a white, one-piece dress. And, for some reason, she is wearing a red cloth as a blindfold around her head.
She stands up and goes towards the window. Although blindfolded, there is no hesitation in her steps.
And, while barefooted, she steps forwards onto the terrace.
Then, she sees a kitten snuggled up around itself and sleeping in the corner.
While chucking, the girl says.
[………For you to sleep in such a place…..I guess that recklessness is your good point.]
The kitten which noticed the girl snuggles up to her feet and rubs her knee with its head.
[………Did you lose sight of your parent…….]
The kitten is held up in her arms her mouth distorts as she worries.
[…To not be afraid of me……….that’s 0 points as a wild animal]
The kitten which didn’t know what is being said innocently licks the girl’s cheek.
[…..Yep…..caution is completely zero…….it seems most likely you will be eaten by an enemy outside the moment you are thrown out…….]
With a sigh, she scratches the blindfold on her forehead with her fingertips.
[…….You are the 12th huh….it can’t be helped]
Hearing those words, The kitten cries joyfully.
[…….To you guys, is my house a refuge or something?]
The girl puts the cat down and heads towards the food storage below.
Indeed, there should be a little milk that was preserved with magic left. It’s a must to offer food to a new housemate.
Due to the blindfold, the loss of visibility is irrelevant to her. While going down the stairs like any ordinary person, she mutters to herself.
[…….When my eyes are seen…….you will become stone……..they never understand that…….Those children……..]
———Suberu the demon country, is 600 kilometers south from the Noranouk kingdom.(TL Note: author keeps changing or misspelling the country name.)
As a relay point with the Tudor empire in the south, there is a large inn town at the boundary of the border.
On the side road about 3 km south from the main road.
Thereupon, within 30 minutes of walking, the road is connected to the demon beast forest. (TL Note: probably not 100% right)
A huge European-style building of about 30,000 square meters in the site area is seen.
The witch of demon beast forest.
Medusa—Anastasia Sere, resides within that mansion.
——Anastasia’s whole family is in a neutral position, so they belong to neither the human army nor the demon army.
The only thing which belongs to that Demon family——is the special ability of petrification by eye contact, making it impossible for them to have a social life.
Their pure fighting ability is within the lower-middle of the High-ranking demons.
In the case of normal humans, it is possible to be petrified just from her thoughts.
However, in the case that the other person was a High-cla.s.s demon, it would be different; it would need to make eye contact to be petrified.
The effect when eyes are met is tremendous. For example, even if the other person was the Demon Lord, they would still be turned to stone.
Though, if the person was demon lord cla.s.s, it could just easily kill her.
There are a lot of methods to avoid eye contact after all.
However, the fight between the medusas and high rank demons didn’t happen for over a thousand years.
The reason why is, the personality of her family is gentle itself, they are fundamentally harmless unless provoked.
However, the ability to kill the demon lord in one blow couldn’t be left unchecked.
For that reason, long ago, an agreement was brokered between the blood relatives of the demon lord and the Medusas.
From demon side, her kind was given the t.i.tle of ‘n.o.ble’ and got financial support.
But, the fact is that they were actually retired to a remote territory.
——-Thus, we arrive at the present witch’s European-style house built in the demon beast forest.
Now, then, it is the matter of Anastasia.
All over, flowers are planted in the garden of her European-style building. It has become like a little flower garden.
Gardening in the morning has become a daily routine——Though the scale is too big——-Finished gardening, she treated herself to afternoon tea in the special seat established in the flowerbed.
Softly and gently, the blindfold is removed.
The view of the flower garden spreads out.
While enjoying the herbal tea, she looks at the pale pink colored Margaret.
The only things she can admire with her naked eyes are plants and inorganic matter.
Although a friendly relations.h.i.+p is established with the cats kept in the mansion…….To communicate with them, a filter, the blindfold, must be used without exception.
That’s how it is.
Only plants can be engaged in conversation with the “Naked eye”
Talking with the plants…….It may be possible that it is a strange wind being heard.
However, for example, a flower isn’t growing well. What do you do?
If Anastasia’s approach to plants was wrong, how else could she make a large flower bloom?
Like that, Anastasia thought that talking to them might work.
And thus——-The workmans.h.i.+p of this year’s early summer flowers seem to be quite good; She approvingly narrows her eyes.
Then she makes a sullen face, holding the blindfold in hand.
While wrapping the red cloth around her head, her mouth opens.
[…….That’s why, you guys………..I told you many times you must not enter the flowerbed isn’t that right?]
Blaming it, she lifts the cat that rubbed its head against heroine’s foot.
[Myaa?]
The Calico cat looks into Anastasia’s face with round eyes.
On the other hand, Anastasia, while smiling wryly, could do nothing but pat its head.
—–Why my Mother kept a lot of birds before I was born…..I think I can understand now.
Mother died. It was very lonely for a while.
Even though it was enjoyable to raise flowers…….with that alone…..It is still lonely.
As long as she herself is a living being in possession of intellect who communicates through language, then it is a.s.sumed that she is a member of a type of community, and is composed of a body and a mind.(TL Note: thanks to a friend)
——Well…..even if I say a community….It is a cat. That’s right, occasionally in fact with someone……..Like what I did with my mother……I think that I want to chat.
Anastasia lowers the cat in place.
[……..I understand. You’re hungry right? I’ll make some rice]
Indeed, Anastasia thinks that such a life isn’t bad.
Her heart is always calm being surrounded by flowers and 12 cats.
Once in a while, a naughty cat gets in the flowerbed and damages it making her have to punish it, however…
She would only nod and say.
[…….I am happy. Thanks as always you guys]
In response to the word “rice,” the cat follows her.
Just when Anastasia went to pick up the cat, it started running full power towards the mansion.
—-A Human presence was felt.
Judging from the presence, it’s probably a boy in his late teens
[……..That’s impossible. why? why? why?]
The cold sweat flows to her back while she mutters.
As for the witch of the European-style mansion, humans and even foolish demons wouldn’t dare approach.
Sometimes, human and demon merchants will come to trade, but the only interaction is by letters placed at front door.
The members of the neighboring villages all know of the Medusa’s ability and her territory. It’s also known throughout that she is harmless unless provoked.
That’s why, it is impossible that a human being would step foot into her mansion.
Anastasia opens the door and runs up the stairs to the second floor.
And, when she enters her room, she closes the door in a hurry.
She dives into the bed while trembling.
That reminds me, I have a feeling that in the past mother said.
“I don’t understand what the human being are thinking. To attack us, who mean no harm to them”
And, I remembered the words that followed.
”Petrify without mercy any human sneaking in this mansion who means to hurt you.”
In the first place, why does the medusa clan need to stay indoors or in remote regions? And why we accept an old pact with demon lord with pleasure?
The reason is, her clan hates useless killing and extreme conflict. So, it is good if they can have a peaceful life.
However, it seems human being won’t leave her alone.
In the bed, Anastasia’s shoulders continue to tremble. Mother’s words, the thought about petrifying another party in an unavoidable situation appears in her head over and over.
—–I hate it, I hate it, I hate it, I do not want to kill……
At that moment, the human presence that was felt some time ago comes up the stairs to the second floor.
Without pause, the human presence advances straight and comes in front of her door. And then, a knocking sound is heard.
——Please, please, go somewhere else! Just leave me alone! I don’t want to kill you!
The door opens.
The human being seems to hold a slim stick thing in the right hand. A sword which I have heard of from stories, or would it be the weapon called a spear.
—–I hate it………I’m scared. I hate it, I hate it.
Even if the human boy had a weapon, when she uses the petrification ability—–If she who is a high-ranking demon puts out a little power, it should be easy to neutralize the enemy without injuring him.
However, in this sudden situation, a panicked 13 year old can only tremble on the bed.
The presence of the boy gets closer.
5 meters.
3 meters.
1 meter.
Already, after postponing as much as she can, she resolves herself to remove her blindfold.
—–Their eyes meet.
[Eh……?]
The presence she felt is indeed a boy in the middle of his teens.
But—–He didn’t turn into stone.
[Wh…..Why?
When she looks closer, what’s in boy’s hand isn’t weapon, but a walking stick.
It seems to be used for searching and avoiding obstacles.
Now she realizes.
[……You…..are you blind?]
To the question of Anastasia, the boy nods.
[……why….why are you in such a place?]
[I have some business in the demon beast forest……I got lost. And because of that I found this building……but to think it was the witch mansion. I haven’t drank water in 2 days, my throat is dry. It couldn’t be helped…..]
[……Why, in the demon beast forest……are you alone….?]
The boy floats an embarra.s.sed smile.
[I came to get the edible wild plants growing in the forest….Because my house is not wealthy……We run out of food so I have to gather it for my mother……]
Anastasia suspiciously asks.
[But, you…….are blind aren’t you? Don’t you know that this is a dangerous place even for normal humans? Then why——]
And then, Anastasia realizes something.
The boy said his family is poor.
—-Kuchiberas.h.i.+(*1).
I read some book that mentioned sometimes elderly people who are no longer able to work in the human’s world will be thrown away in a mountain.
And, this boy is blind. He may not be counted as a person fit to work, in other words……..
Thinking up to there, Anastasia was attacked by a headache
A kitten who was separated from its parent. A kitten which has suffered an injury. And similarly, a blind boy who was given up by his parents.
Is this—–really a shelter for refugees.
[Because of that……I visited here for such a reason…..are you….Witch of demon beast forest?]
With a little thought, Anastasia said
[…….No, I am not Medusa. I work as a servant here. Of course, there is no power of petrifaction either. And……as for the witch……she always secludes herself underground.]
It is common knowledge to the residents of the neighboring villages that Medusa is harmless. Nevertheless…..It’s still recognized as a demon who has a terrible ability.
That’s why, on the spur of the moment, she told a lie.
[And because of that, you……came to find wild plants right?]
[Yes]
[…….Good grief……It’s a really terrible story……Right, I understand]
Anastasia gets up from the bed and picks up magic stone from the jewelry box that was placed on top of the desk.
[For the time being, the witch has left me control of demon beast forest. This jewel is something like proof of authority…….if you have this, monsters won’t approach you]
[…..?]
[In the mansion…..since there are a lot of edible plants in the storehouse, I’ll give you just a little of it. You should go back to the village after you get some. And…..perhaps……from now on you……I think can fetch edible wild plants.]
[……Perhaps, that might be so.]
The boy laughs as if he had given up.
That the family had cut him off, the boy might have noticed too.
[That’s why] and Anastasia floats a pure smile.
[You should come here whenever told by your parents. I’ll go and get an edible wild plant each time. And then you won’t seem to be useless don’t you think?]
[Eh……? is it alright?]
[…….I have the free time anyways. However, I only have one request. I wonder if that is alright?]
[What?]
[When you come here, I want you to be my partner in conversation……..or something like that.]
And then, Anastasia steps towards the downstairs dining room.
[…….You said your throat was dry right? Is herbal tea alright?]
*Author Notes
In this way, a major change will come in the everyday life of Anastasia.
There is a proper plan for a boke later on.(TL Note: ちゃんと、後でボケる予定です)
It seems the introduction was unexpectedly long……though however, it will continue a little longer…..
By the way, the Yuuki’s current equipment is.
Demon Lord’s MantleAnti-poison NecklaceImmortal Trunks