"My Lord, I have sent the mice your way."
About two hours later, Girimehkala reported that the mice had crossed into the curse boundary.
This place was quite far from the lake. It was far too soon for them to have reached us on their own, so Girimehkala had likely gotten overexcited at receiving my command and enthusiastically guided them straight here.
Well, it worked out exceedingly well for me.
I stood up and called out to the surroundings.
"You're there, aren't you? Please, come on out."
I beckoned the pitiful mice encircling us.
"Hmph, so you noticed us, did you?"
A pack of armed men strode out of the forest, led by a scarred, shaven-headed man clad in light armor.
The Divine Eye was unusable within Girimehkala's curse boundary, but I could still clearly sense their presence.
Six stood directly in front of us, while five perched on tree branches and eight more aimed arrows at us through gaps in the foliage.
As expected, they gave off the faint presence of mere small fry. Judging solely by their movements, however, they possessed a baseline level of discipline. They were likely mercenaries.
First, I wanted to see how they truly treated the weak.
Assuming a frightened look, I stepped forward as if to shield Anna and the others.
"There are only women and children here. Please, spare us."
I bowed deeply.
"Kai, you..."
Peeking at my face while I stayed bowed, Anna let out a sigh laden with bone-deep exasperation. She had probably deduced my intentions.
"Not a chance. We've got strict orders to butcher all the men and geezers, and haul every last woman away. Though, naturally, we're gonna have our fun with the pretty ones first."
Flushing red with excitement, he licked his lips as he uttered the words that sealed their fate.
"Damn, ain't she a looker? Hey, Boss, give this one to us!"
As the mercenaries ogled her face, chest, hips, and every inch of her body, Anna pinched my side, her face twisting in pure disgust. I know, I know. I'll deal with them right away, so just hang on.
"Fine by me. You can have her. In exchange, the princess is mine. Word is she's one of the finest beauties in the whole kingdom."
"Wait, is that wise? Didn't that pig count order us to bring her in untouched?"
"Hah! We'll just say the dead soldiers did it and be done with it. As long as we don't get caught, who cares?"
They knew Felice Loto Amelia was here. It seemed the rumors I had covertly leaked were circulating nicely.
Then, one of the burly men peeked into the tent where Faf and Mew were sleeping soundly.
"Oho, a silver-haired beastfolk brat and a blonde brat. Hey, boys, keep your mouths shut about these two to the pig count! We'll flog 'em to a slave trader. They oughta fetch several hundred thousand Aul at the very least."
He muttered words dripping with greed.
"Kai, I say we execute these scumbags right now."
Glaring at them with dead, icy eyes, Anna spat the words out as her hand moved to the hilt of her sword. Looking at her face, she was deadly serious. Their vile remarks toward Faf and Mew—who were practically like little sisters to her now—had undoubtedly snapped the last thread of her patience.
"Agreed. If we let them keep running their mouths, things will get out of hand."
A thick, suffocating stench of death had been permeating the forest for a while now. I was almost impressed by how utterly oblivious they were to it.
The trouble was that all of Girimehkala's subordinates were fiercely devoted to me. Or rather, fanatical would be a better word. Even if I told them to spare these men, they likely wouldn't listen.
Then again, there was no reason for me to protect scum who preyed on women and sold children to slavers. All that remained was to use them to gather information efficiently.
"Hah?! What the hell have you two been babbling about this whole time, huh?!"
Veins bulging on his forehead, a short mercenary stomped up to me, grabbed my lapels, and puffed out his chest in a show of bravado.
From within the forest, a violent tempest of bloodlust surged.
"C-Captain, I've had the chills for a while now... Let's just grab 'em and get the hell out of here!"
"Y-Yeah. Good call."
So they finally noticed once it became that overt. Not that the ones responsible were making the slightest effort to hide it.
"Sorry, but you're not getting away."
I drew Raikiri from my waist and channeled magic through the blade, instantly vaporizing the five men surrounding Anna and me in a flash of lightning.
"Huh? What...?"
Looking around in bewilderment at his men, who had vanished into thin air, the shaven-headed captain went pale as a sheet.
"K-Kill him!!"
The captain screamed, leveling the tip of his sword at me, but only eerie silence answered him.
"Hey! What's wrong with you bastards?! Why aren't you shooting?!"
"Hmm, the idiots who were aiming their bows at us have already been dealt with. Or rather, it might be more accurate to say they've been forcibly shoved onto a carriage bound straight for hell."
The presence of the surrounding archers had vanished long ago. It was the first time I had ever seen Girimehkala's subordinates this enraged, making no effort whatsoever to rein in their murderous intent. Whatever awaited those men, it wouldn't be pretty.
"T-That's impossible..."
Backing away in a desperate attempt to flee from the incomprehensible monster before him, the shaven-headed captain slammed hard into what felt like a solid wall. He cast a trembling glance over his shoulder.
"Gyaaahhh!!"
A shrill scream tore from his throat.
Well, running into a gigantic, bipedal beast with a massive trunk towering right behind you would do that to anyone.
"Good work. I'm going to interrogate this one now. Keep watch over Anna and the children."
"By your command."
Girimehkala dropped to one knee and bowed his head respectfully.
"Anna, it's almost time for the next phase. Wake Faf and Mew, and pack up the tent."
"Understood!"
Her face turning resolute, Anna gave a firm nod and slipped into the tent where the two girls were still sound asleep.
"Now then, I've got a mountain of questions for you. Let's go."
Grabbing the collar of the shaven-headed captain as he shrieked like a dying bird, I melted into the depths of the forest to conduct the interrogation.