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Side Story, A Summertime’s Test of Courage-like Recollection.
(Author’s note: This around when she has become a 『Young girl』 but….
For those who imagine that the 『Daughter’s』 actual mom is a lovely woman, please beware)
Latina was bad with 『monsters』.
“You’re not that scared of 『Magic beasts』, so why?”
In the middle of some idle chatter with her usual friends at the 『Yellow God(Asfar’s)』 school, one of her best friends, Silvia, asked her that question.
It was just some casual topic that they would bring up every now and then, but Latina wasn’t really that 『afraid』 of 『Magic beasts』. She understood that they were dangerous, and from her experience back with them when she was in the 『forest』, she should know, first hand, just how dangerous they can be, but she was absurdly not afraid of them.
She was so clearly unperturbed that it was like she was thinking, ‘It’s precisely because they’re dangerous, that you should understand them properly, and know how to deal with them’.
Compared to that, when it came to 『Monsters』, she gave off a feeling like she thought 『their very existence was terrifying』.
For the citizens of the town, who thought that both 『Monsters』 and 『Magic Beasts』 were 『terrifying existences』, the difference in how she treated them, was something they couldn’t understand.
— This wasn’t limited to only the citizens, but even the 『Adventurers』, like Dale and the rest. Although they would have things that they would find 『difficult to face』, the fact that Latina was so clear about the difference, was something they couldn’t understand either. —
At Silvia’s question, Latina hesitates for a short while, and then speaks with a grave tone.
“….You know, a long time ago, Latina asked, what a 『monster』 is? And then Latina heard from Mov…. Latina’s mum…..”
“Latina’s mum?”
“And then…. She told Latina that, they were Undeads, and after that….”
In front of her friend, Latina didn’t have a trace of her usual liveliness, and was looking down with a pale face.
“She told Latina to go take a look at the real thing, and after taking Latina to a grave covered with Ghosts, she just, poi(toss). Left Latina there.”
That was going too far, even for practical experience.
“I tried my best, and got back to her…. Then, in front of a Skeleton, poi. She left Latina there…. And just when she said that if I got back safely this time, Zombies were next, I was saved by my dad.”
Hearing such a ridiculous tale, even her friend missed her chance to comment.
The biggest difference between 『Magic beasts』 and 『Monsters』, was whether they were 『living』 or 『not』.
A large number of 『Monsters』 were of the undead variety. There were also 『Magical Organisms』 like Golems and Gargoyles, which are created by supplying inorganic substances with magic, or maybe born from the influence of magic, however, since they only exist in rather special locations, no one would even concern themselves with them if it wasn’t for occupations like adventurers.
Compared to that, the 『things』 that the Undead originate from, were 『People』.
Since that’s the case, it’s no wonder that the locations of their outbreaks overlap with locations where people live out their daily lives, and that they were 『so similar』 that there was no need to even question what they were.
Especially 『Ghosts』 and the like; it wasn’t rare for them to even be in cities.
The ones that had a very faint presence could only even be noticed by those on the same wavelength, but those that had very high levels of mana, or those who had the 『Dark』 attribute when they were alive, were even able to influence their surroundings.
Those who died while holding onto some deep resentments, had a chance to become 『Ghosts』.
However, 『Ghosts』, spirits who don’t have a container, i.e. body, were attracted by 『Death』, the 『Essence』 of the Undead. Which is why, a lot of these things would lose their self or reason from their past life, and gradually turn into something that is a personification of 『Death』. —
“Indeed, rather than listening to a verbal explanation, it would probably be better to experience in person, and see the real thing.”
“Hm?”
“It is a virtue, to want to be interested in the unknown and want to learn about it. Learning is good.”
“Hm?”
Was the actual conversation that she had with her mother. And on a certain night, she, at the time, a weak 5-year-old, was left behind at an ancient graveyard which should be described as 『Haunted』.
It had precisely, borrowing how Latina had used to described it, a 『Poi』 sort of light heartedness to it.
Latina was sensitive to other’s 『Malicious intent』 — A danger sensor that warns her about existences that would cause harm upon her –. Such a girl, was 『Poi’d』, into a whirlpool of resentment from the dead.
You could say it was as cruel as a lion tossing their cub off a cliff.
“BIGYAAAAAAAA”
In the graveyard enveloped by silence, a child’s scream echoed.
With a sobbing, teary face, when Latina finally struggled back to her mother’s side with great difficulty, her mother smiled at her brilliantly.
“Good. Now then, 『Ghosts』 aren’t the only type of Undead.”
“Fuehhh!?”
“It’s good to learn more.”
By the time Latina’s father, Smaragdi, rushed over to her side, his child was trembling in fear, standing in front of a dirty, moving skeleton.
It wasn’t that she was evil, as Latina’s mother had no bad intentions at all. — There weren’t much these low level spirits could do in the first place and with the effects of the amulet that I had her carry, they couldn’t even come close to her. Furthermore, with this new experience, it should be a great help in the growth of our child. —
Was what she said to Smaragdi, with an extremely serious face.
“Even so, that stimulation is too much for such a small child!”
Smaragdi was known to be gentle, but he refuted her with a voice close to screaming. In his arms, was his beloved daughter, who couldn’t even make a sound anymore, rattling and trembling. He was indeed, the one in the right.
The Demon race have a long lifespan, and have few children.
Because of that, they don’t have many chances to interact with 『Children』.
(Even so, this is obviously wrong, right?)
After muttering that internally, the 『father』 looked to the 『mother』 and lectured her right in front of their own child.
He wanted for her to have the ability to deal with undead monsters, should the time come. He wanted to raise her, so that she would stay strong and be unaffected by things like the undead.
Of course, he could understand her reasons. He had the exact same thoughts.
— However, there were steps to everything. Their beloved child, was still so small, only 5 years of age. Even though she was finally able to do her daily necessities by herself recently, what have you done.
Smaragdi’s worries were on the dot and their beloved daughter, became unable to go to the toilet by herself at night, and her bed-wetting, which she had long graduated from, came back.
And, a fear, as well as a trauma was deeply engraved in her.
Honestly speaking, it had the complete opposite effect.
“…Latina, how should I say this…. You’ve had it tough, huh.”
“….Mov is, a good person…. There’s no doubting that part of her….”
Her best friend, Chloe, hearing that sympathetic comment, avoided her gaze before following up on Latina’s mum.
Somehow, even the follow up statement was way too sensitive, and after hearing Latina, who usually wouldn’t talk about her actual parents, her friends hesitated, afraid to comment upon such a topic.