Yuso Ase

ARC 1 Chapter 16

Indeed, they were walking very slowly, but a bit faster than when the Leshy was walking towards them. They didn't know if there was any reason for it or if he was just deliberately taking slightly quicker steps for their sake. Some might find such a pace irritating, but the two young people didn't find it a cause for any negative emotions. Yuso found something charming in the idea of walking quietly together with the Leshy, in the company of animals, straight into the great forest without having to fear a fight with its inhabitants, just going there as guests. Misu, on the other hand, was very satisfied with herself for organizing such an attraction for them, and the atmosphere surrounding her only fueled her self-satisfaction. Another source of her joy was that when she glanced at her companion, she saw that, despite his silence, he appeared content- a stark contrast to what she had seen earlier that day.

- Do you know anything about the forest? I wouldn't want to go on about things you're already familiar with.

- Besides the fact that trees grow in it, we don't know much more.- Misu was not into making herself look smarter then she was

- Alright... so I'll start from the beginning. We call the great forest the one that stretches across all six lands inhabited by humans and a bit beyond. Just as the human territory is divided into six lands, so too is the great forest divided in the same way. In each of the six territories, a Leshy resides. As a Leshy, I'm responsible for the forest and its inhabitants. As you probably know, many different creatures live in the forest. Some races are similar enough to humans to coexist with them, while others are not. There was a time when people were much more afraid of the forest, it would have been unthinkable for a Leshy's daughter to freely walk around the town, but now it's not a major issue. Honestly, I'd say that the great forest is in better shape than it has ever been, at least in this part of the world.

- May I ask how old you are?- Misu's curiosity never gets exhausted

- I don't really know. Keeping track of time isn't for me. But I do know it must be around two hundred years.

- Wow, I've never met anyone that old.

- It's possible. Other long-lived creatures are vampires, but the oldest of them live to around one hundred and fifty years, though it's rare for one to die of old age- such is the life of a vampire. Even among other Leshies, I am one of the older ones."

- Have you seen a lot of cool things?

- Cool? I'm not sure if 'cool' is the right word. I wouldn't say we differ much, but what I find cool is probably not the same for you. Maybe if I understood what you mean... Are you asking about things worthy of recording in books young lady?

- Not necessarily, but that too. Something interesting that you've seen.

- Oh... interesting... now I understand. Let me think... I once met a man... "met" might not be the right word... and perhaps this isn't the right start to this story. I sensed something happening in the forest. Both the animals and the forest's inhabitants were fleeing in panic from a certain area, specifically from around the vampire dwellings. I went there to see what was going on. Never in my life have I felt such a terrifying aura from a human. He alone instilled more fear than an entire brigade of the White Order. He was kneeling on the ground, covered in cuts and blood, both his own and that of vampires. In front of him lay a dead vampire woman, and behind her, a small vampire child in a cradle. He had wiped out an entire family of fifteen vampires, and all that was left was its last, youngest, sixteenth member. The anger and fury emanating from his eyes are impossible to forget. Although it's not really possible, at that moment, I was afraid that his emotions could corrupt the forest. I don't know how, but despite being drenched in blood and fury, he was able to see me. He asked if I was a Leshy, so I ran up to him, replying that I Indeed was. He asked me if the child could be saved, so I told him that it wouldn't survive in the forest on its own, that another vampire family wouldn't take it in and that as a Leshy, I shouldn't and wouldn't be able to raise it. Vampire children need a lot of care in their first years of life and this one was a newborn. Then he asked me the most unexpected question I've ever heard in my life. This man who had just killed fifteen vampires with his own hands, who had received so many wounds from them that I don't know how he was still able to speak, and who clearly had a compelling reason for what he did, asked me if I could tell him how he could raise this little vampire. I've seen forest dwellers who, consumed by far less anger, were unable to control their actions, yet he, when his aura had caused panic throughout the entire area, was able not only to refrain from killing the child but to want to take care of it. I explained to him that it would be very difficult, but it was possible for a human to raise a vampire child.      A vampire infant must drink the milk of a vampire mother, unlike other species, no other milk would suffice. Additionally, a young vampire is very helpless, needing constant care, which lasts until around six years of age. As for the vampire milk, I advised him that his best chances were in the Land of the Fox, where the vampires are most cooperative with humans. There are other things, but there's no point in going into them. I told him everything I knew about raising a vampire, he thanked me, took the child, and left. I never saw him again, but I heard that he managed that daunting task, which made me very happy.