Chapter 118.2

Chapter 118.2

[Part 2/5]

...

...

"Oh? You are... If you're a companion, they went that way."

...'Corpse' pointed in that direction, addressing the late arrival.

* * *

"...So, somehow or another, we managed to escape."

"That's for sure. But I never expected he'd end up coming back again... Humans really are curious creatures, huh?"

In a medical tent set up at a corner of the encirclement around 'Mayoiga,' the laborers explained the situation.

The laborers had been brought here about two hours ago. Besides them, around ten others had been brought here as well. They underwent thorough examinations, including treatment for injuries, investigation of curses and brainwashing, and checking for youkai parasites in their bodies.

In fact, they spent more time on that part than on rescuing them. It was only natural that various suspicions arose, given the rarity of successfully escaping from 'Mayoiga' in such a short time with this many people.

However, it seemed that the suspicions had been cleared up by now...

Being protected near confinement, that was the treatment awaiting those who had successfully escaped from the labyrinth. The reason for Shiro's visit to this tent, set up in a particularly safe area, was clear; she wanted to hear the story from them about the servant who had led them out of the depths of the labyrinth and returned once again.

Well, she was supposed to ask about their injuries and the reason for their return, but what she ended up hearing were tales of heroics.

"Hey, old man. Don't exaggerate the story. You didn't do anything impressive, did you? You were crying the whole time with an arrow stuck in your arm."

"Who are you calling old man, you brat? I'm not even in my thirties yet!! And I wasn't crying!"

"You were complaining though, right?"

The one retorting with a sharp gaze to the tales of heroics was a servant-in-training, also known as Izayoi, who had escaped from 'Mayoiga' alongside them. In fact, everyone in the group stared at the laborer with the same look. Sukemaru had a somewhat indescribable expression on his face.

"I owe a lot to Yun-shoku. It's no wonder, considering he's from the prestigious Onitsuki family. I'm guessing he returned by the princess's order... But still with almost no equipment and without proper treatment for his injuries is a bit..."

Continuing the conversation, another servant from a different family, whose entire body was wrapped in bandages, answered. Was it Sakuama family's servant?

"Hey, watch your mouth, Sakuama's servant. This white servant here is the princess's attendant, you know?... I apologize. I have been indebted to Yun-shoku, so I have some reservations about that order, big or small."

Reprimanding Sakuama's servant, the leader of the servant group from Asakuma family spoke. He offered his apology in place of his injured companion.

"I see... Well, thank you for sharing your valuable story."

Shiro bowed politely in response to their accounts. In truth, she hadn't heard the full story from her master yet, and before that, she had disappeared somewhere. She wasn't certain, but she didn't think that his return to hell was a result of her master's command. She would never say it aloud though...

Her thoughts were interrupted, and she was perplexed. How did she know? How could she assert such things? It was as if she had experienced it before...? But before she could ponder further, her thoughts were interrupted again, this time by a piercing scream.

"Gyaaaahhhh!!"

"Huh?"

A grotesque sound as if something was being torn apart, followed by screams, and then the sounds of crunching and flesh being torn apart, echoed through the deep fog. In the midst of the opaque fog, panic, fear, and despair were intermingled, and Shiro trembled in fright. Although she didn't know exactly what was happening, she understood one thing clearly.

They were under attack.

"...!!"

Immediately, Shiro tried to make the best decision. She knew that she would be defenseless and vulnerable if she stayed exposed like this in the open field. If they were under attack, there was no use just waiting to be assaulted and eventually killed.

She turned toward the tent she was in earlier, intending to hide inside and take cover, when...

"Oh my, oh my, oh my? Shiroki-san, where are you heading?"

"Huh...?"

Suddenly, a carefree and playful voice resounded, and Shiro stopped in her tracks. She was dumbfounded as she slowly turned around and caught sight of a petite and slender figure standing behind her.

'Ahahaha, long time no see, Shiraki-san. How many days has it been? Have you been preparing something with this group? In that case, my apologies.'

The woman, dressed in ceremonial attire reminiscent of the people on the continent, spoke cheerfully in a light tone. She appeared to be no older than twenty. With amber hair cascading down and almond-shaped eyes glistening with a bluish light, she possessed an enchanting and youthful beauty, one that was both alluring and bewitching, as if she was sculpted solely to captivate men.

"You are..."

'Oh my, but since we have this opportunity to talk without any pretense, wouldn't it be nice for you to be more cooperative? After all, you've been warned by Kurorei Big Sister that such an uncooperative attitude is not good!'

Who was she? What was her purpose? Before Shiro could entertain her doubts, the woman continued, incessantly and one-sidedly, without giving her any chance to speak. Shiro struggled to understand her words, trying to process the information being presented to her.

This person knew about her, and she mentioned the black fox. Could this person possibly be someone she or her sister knew...?

"......"

'Ah, I see. You seem to be taken aback. That's a bit sad. Haven't we played together a few times before? At the human games in Atsuya? It was quite an exciting match, wasn't it? I was surprised. You were quite bold to do that for the first time. Everyone's scores were so close, and in the end, big sister had to be the judge, right?'

What was she talking about? Atsuya? Human games? Wait, she felt some familiarity with those words. Certain memories and images flashed through her mind. She grasped at the fragments of her memory, but it overwhelmed her, causing a wave of nausea. Shiro instinctively covered her mouth with her small hands, her face turned pale as she gasped for air, feeling tremors all over her body. She couldn't care about the mud beneath her knees; she knelt to the ground, shaking and wide-eyed, trying to comprehend.

It was remnants of memories buried deep within her consciousness. A fragment. The white half-youkai fox, a servant to the second princess of the Onitsuki family, was born as a part of the abominable calamity youkai, a manifestation of her evil nature, gathering the human-like elements and naive traits to be discarded as a defective fragment... However, it was undoubtedly still a part of the calamity youkai, Korishiraki.

The evil youkai fox, Korishiraki, had committed countless atrocities, and she couldn't possibly be ignorant of them.

"Ah-ah-ah-ah! Blaargh...!"

Since the lunch earlier, she hadn't eaten much, and fortunately, only stomach acid was expelled from her mouth. She continued to gag, vomit, and shed tears, huddled on the ground. Sweat poured down her forehead as her heart pounded fiercely.