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The sun wrapped the golden earth in a sticky glare, while the dry wind made the sands dance.

The endless wasteland seemed to have absorbed even a single drop of the sun’s tears, lying still in silence.

Untouched by human hands, a pure desolation was broken by a lone sneaker taking a step.

—Kieeeek—!!

A whirlpool erupted, shattering the desert’s silence.

It was the work of a monster clad in a shell resembling a rock. Bursting forth from the sand was a rock-colored shell, sand pouring down like a stream flowing through a canyon.

The monster, emerging to threaten the unwelcome guest in its territory, let out a ferocious roar.

—Kyaaaak—!!

With tremendous force, the monster began to gaze at the unwelcome visitor, bringing a fierce whirlwind that pierced the abyss of sand. The calm of No Man’s Land had long since been sucked into the chaos, much like the grains of sand dispersing in the underground cavern.

Amid the soldiers, tense and ready, pointing their guns at the monster, a girl in sneakers stepped onto the sand.

“…….”

Her red hair swayed in the harsh wind laden with sand, and the monster’s form reflected in her blue eyes.

Amid the swipes of sharp claws accompanied by furious roars, Camila extended her fingers, pointing at the monster.

And then,

“Bread!”

A playful spell began to weave its magic.

—

Episode 17 – The Blood-Drinking Tree

—

A bright red flame burst forth and enveloped the monster. The shots of fire raced through the air, and the shells were sent flying.

The monster caught in the red storm left no trace behind.

The massive shell was violently dismantled under great force, and where the creature once lay, only a puddle of blood sizzled, soaking the wasteland.

A soldier shouted.

“Everyone, form a combat line! We will exterminate the monster from now!”

Armed soldiers began sweeping away the oncoming monsters relentlessly.

The weapons spat fire, the shattered shells scattered like fabrics in all directions.

The soldiers, buoyed by their momentum, resembled those snatching up items on sale, overwhelming the monsters who soon turned into fertilizer for the desert.

—~~!!

A huge explosion erupted among the approaching monsters.

In the midst of the swirling red storm, Camila, having burned dozens of monsters, blew on her fingers.

“…Huff!”

While catching her breath after indiscriminately unleashing magic, she noticed that many people had begun to surround her.

Camila smiled brightly at them.

No Man’s Land.

A battlefield where the Peacekeeping Force and monsters clashed.

Surveying the desert, she placed her hands on her hips with a proud expression.

“Another problem solved today!”

—

While harsh criticisms poured towards the international community that had abandoned them, ironically, the peace of the Mauritania Continent was safeguarded by the hands of the World Union.

To be precise, by the strength of just one person.

“What could that be?”

“I don’t know.”

A group of soldiers huddled together, whispering while gazing at a girl—the very subject of their discussion was none other than Camila.

As they hurriedly collected the remnants to prevent other monsters drawn by the scent of blood from approaching, all eyes focused on Camila, who stood atop a pile of charred shells.

“Is she really stretching out her arms to the sun? What kind of pose is that?”

“Is it some kind of religious ritual?”

To the soldiers entering and exiting No Man’s Land to hunt down the monsters, the girl from another world was always a source of intrigue. Setting aside her origin, her actions were genuinely fascinating.

For instance, her pose as she looked up at the sun, arms stretched wide.

What on earth could that mean? Was it a religious ceremony from another world? Or perhaps a traditional ritual? Much of the bounty from the monsters they hunted was intended for her, so it could be a sacrifice to the gods.

Perhaps she was receiving some power from the sun.

Amid various speculations, ultimately, no one discovered the answer.

“Thank you for your hard work!”

“You too, Hero!”

The soldiers of the Peacekeeping Force waved their hands in farewell. Camila vigorously waved her arms back at them.

“I’ll see you tomorrow!”

“What if we meet again? That would surely mean more fighting with monsters.”

“Come on! Don’t think so negatively!”

Since ancient times, when the old civilization blossomed in the red desert, this land had been without an owner.

Monsters that had nested in the wasteland refrained from attacking civilizations, even willing to take risks crossing the desolate desert, while humans settled along rivers and coasts considered the desert as land not permitted by the Earth God, avoiding conflicts with monsters.

But that was a tale of yore.

Today, in Mauritania, No Man’s Land was seen as a land of opportunity. Minerals, magic stones, and oil are the lubricants of civilization, and the virgin wasteland held the blessings of the Earth God.

People were fervently searching for the divine blessings buried somewhere in the desolate sands, just like Americans rushing westward to find gold.

Of course, Camila could not care less about such matters.

“Kya~!”

Camila exclaimed as she gulped down a carbonated drink just pulled from the fridge. One might think she had popped open a beer.

She seemed ready to find the tavern at any moment. However, her homeland was not a European island but the Korean peninsula in Northeast Asia, so seeking out a tavern was out of the question.

Instead, she just finished a shot.

Having tossed the empty can into the trash, Camila sprawled out on the sofa.

“Ah, today was tough too!”

The plush feel of the mattress enveloped her body, and as she rolled left and right, the blanket rolled up into a massive caterpillar.

In that state, Camila slipped her arm out to grab some potato chips. With deft fingers, she tore open the bag.

The thin, golden snacks slipped into her mouth.

“Yumm….”

The bland grainy taste was awakened by the salty flavor, and the exquisitely fried potato crunched delightfully.

The captivating texture of potato chips, rare in biscuits, alongside the carbonated drink made it a slice of heaven. Cautiously bringing the can to her lips, she let it flow down gently.

As the empty can was placed on the table, a satisfied sigh escaped her lips.

“Ah…”

Having emptied the drink, Camila leaned against the sofa. The sight resembled someone who had just cracked open a beer after a long hard day.

It wasn’t wrong. Hunting monsters was no easy task.

Beneath the sand, in caves and valleys, the wasteland had been untouched by human hands for thousands of years, a home ground for predators. Even nomads who prided themselves on being children of the desert or meticulously prepared armies found it difficult to traverse.

Even apart from that, crossing the distant desert itself was a daunting ordeal.

But what could be done? Rather than watching monsters attacking people after breaching the border, it was far better to leap into the monsters’ lair.

“Ughhhh…”

With zombie-like moans, Camila sluggishly crawled off the sofa after quickly tidying up and walked outside.

Amid the fluttering flags, armed soldiers were returning to base. Dust clouds billowed from the stopped vehicles as a stretcher was unloaded.

An official in a suit grimaced as he peered into the sheets, while a group of refugees lined up with the help of civilian volunteers.

Camila walked along the long line and found Lucia.

“…Ah, you’ve come.”

There sat Lucia, the Saint, in the modest tent of the refugee camp. She had changed into a white dress instead of her priest’s robe to avoid religious conflict, but changing clothes didn’t change the person.

“Please wait a moment. There is a patient.”

After asking for understanding, Lucia squatted down on the dirt floor.

As she lifted the entrance of the tent, the eyes of a child seated on a chair met Camila’s.

Was she around six years old now?

The child, sitting in the chair, looked at Camila with bright pink gums and a toothy smile, but much of the skin that should have protected her mouth had already fallen off.

With parts of her left cheek, upper lip, and part of her nose missing, Camila recognized the disease.

“…Is it noma?”

“Yes.”

Noma. The initial symptoms resemble inflammation, but in just two weeks, the bones and tissues can erode away, disfiguring the face.

Affected individuals are primarily children under five. Though the symptoms are grave, the areas where noma spreads are often third-world countries, where most patients don’t receive treatment and perish.

Those fortunate enough to survive represent a tiny fraction. Even if they made it through…

Since his face is already so disfigured, he’ll have to live with a disability for the rest of his life.

“……”

Kneeling in front of the child, Lucia gently closes her eyes.

Her warm hand envelops the small hand, and her light pink lips begin to move.

“Please relieve the pain of all the patients and, with your mercy, heal this child’s illness and wounds—”

The moment she whispers the prayer.

A small miracle occurs.

—Shaaaa…

A white beam of light erases the scars, and new skin starts to grow.

Although the subtle different color of the newly formed skin and the remaining marks are proof that scars once existed there, the child’s joy is clearly expressed in their bright smile, and that alone is enough.

The child, having regained their youthful face, beams with a smile and spreads their arms wide. With a smile, Lucia gently hugs the child and returns them to their caregiver.

Camila, who witnessed the whole scene, sparkled with excitement and whispered to Lucia.

“You’re amazing, even after seeing it again.”

“You don’t have to say that…”

“No, I’m serious. It’s really incredible, you know?”

Flustered, Lucia waved her hands in protest. It was quite embarrassing to receive praise for something she considered normal.

Though it might seem ordinary to Lucia, healing patients was a remarkable act in Camila’s eyes.

“My sister who graduated from medical school can’t heal as perfectly as you do. She’s skilled, but reconstructive surgery is incredibly difficult…. It takes a long time.”

“There are many excellent priests in healing, so I don’t think I deserve such praise.”

“You don’t need to be so humble. This isn’t self-praise or anything.”

At Camila’s words, a brief smile appeared on Lucia’s face.

After healing the patients in the camp, Camila and Lucia stepped out of the tent. There were priests dispatched for aid, and there were no critical patients needing the saint’s healing, so the two took a moment to breathe easy as they walked through the camp.

“Oh, today was hard.”

“Did you come back from No Man’s Land?”

“That’s right. I had business in the desolate desert. How about you, Lucia?”

“I usually stay here unless something special comes up.”

While cleaning up monsters in No Man’s Land was Camila’s mission, caring for patients in the refugee camp was Lucia’s role.

While patients weren’t only found in refugee camps, the refugee camps in the Mauritania Continent were reportedly among the places with the highest ratio of patients per population when statistics were gathered by region.

Of course, there weren’t just a few refugee camps, so Lucia was also moving between different camps to care for patients.

“You must be pretty tired running around like that.”

With a sigh of sympathy, Camila breathed deeply.

“Not at all. I take little breaks when I can.”

“Even so, they’re just power naps, right? If a quick nap could eliminate fatigue, there wouldn’t be anyone collapsing from overwork in the world!”

“Aha….”

“Aside from sleep, going out to dangerous areas is a problem, too.”

Wherever it might be, the rumor that the saint of the cult visits areas with patients was quite well-known locally.

Camila was already aware of the rumors circulating among the locals. Specifically, it was information she obtained while meeting various people, her eyes shining as she sought out “Are there any interesting news today?” as a hopeful information officer in training (a.k.a. a budding spy).

“Why did you go to a place where warlords and the military are fighting? It’s risky.”

“How could I just sit still knowing people are hurt?”

“It’s good that you’re doing relief work, but you need to think about safety too!”

With Frederick absent and Francesca also away, she continued to urge caution endlessly.

Seeing Camila scold her like this made Lucia smile sheepishly.

“Thank you for worrying about me.”

“Of course I worry. We’re the same colleagues, after all. And this is no game; hospitals aren’t respawn points.”

“……”

Lucia’s pretty lashes fluttered up and down repeatedly.

Having just been smiling, she began to stare blankly at Camila for a moment.

Camila, belatedly aware of her gaze, tilted her head in confusion.

“Did I say something strange?”

“Um, what does respawn mean?”

“Aah.”

*

Being suddenly dropped into a completely unfamiliar world came with a multitude of inconveniences.

Food, clothing, transportation, and even the various entertainment that relieves boredom, not to mention the modern essential of the 21st-century—smartphones.

However, if I had to choose the single most inconvenient thing, Camila would undoubtedly pick ‘language.’

“Ugh….”

To explain the concept of respawn, Camila spent a lengthy 23 minutes discussing it with Lucia before collapsing onto the sofa.

“Um— so respawn is basically a type of resurrection. It’s when a deceased person or monster comes back to life after a certain amount of time.”

“Isn’t it impossible for a dead person to come back to life? Reviving the dead isn’t just a taboo; it’s outright impossible…”

Maybe it’s because she lives in a world where fantasy exists, but Lucia struggled to accept the idea of respawns.

In fact, it’s only natural considering she didn’t even know what a video game was.

So, when Lucia heard “a dead person comes back to life,” it’s only natural she would picture the zombies and undead controlled by wicked necromancers.

“My goodness. What kind of hospital exists in another world? Bringing the dead back to life….”

“No, no! It’s not that a real dead person comes back to life…!”

Ultimately, after drawing analogies to card games and board games, they finally cleared up the misunderstanding.

“Oh…. So that’s what it is. It’s called respawning when a eliminated player joins the next match. I got confused.”

“There’s no reason to bring the dead back to life in a hospital anyway….”

“Why do you think it can’t happen? There are people who, without even getting the consent of the family, sneak corpses out of the morgue to sell them to wizards.”

“…What!?”

What a tiring day it was.

Mostly in a mental sense.

I never imagined how inconvenient it could be not to communicate effectively. I could understand the language, yet it felt like I couldn’t actually hold a conversation.

With a defeated expression, Camila slumped over her desk.

“It’s so tough….”

In her view, the fundamental cause of all these troubles was Frederick’s sudden absence.

With the person who used to interpret so the other party could understand gone, misunderstandings had begun to arise even in mundane conversations, right? If he had been here, he would have sorted things out before Lucia could misunderstand.

“When are they coming back…? And Francesca is nowhere to be seen.”

The gloomy Camila reached for a jar of snacks she had—large-sized, and popped one into her mouth while deep in thought.

I hope they come back soon. But thinking about it, if Frederick were here, he would probably have stopped me from eating snacks, right?

As that thought crossed her mind, Camila propped her chin and fell into contemplation with a serious expression.

“Hmm….”

Snacks or comfort? That is the dilemma.

It’s a profound topic filled with as much depth as Hamlet’s soliloquy. It could even be more.

Despite her serious demeanor, her thoughts quickly reached a conclusion.

It had been quite a while since Frederick and Francesca left, and since she had eaten enough snacks while he was gone, maybe it would be good for everyone if they returned about now.

Yeah. It’s already been a few days; it’s time for them to come back.

“Should I try calling?”

Just as Camila was fiddling with the phone Frederick had given her before he left.

—Uh!

“Wahhh—!”

Surprised by the ringtone, the phone bounced off Camila’s palm.

In the midst of juggling the phone like a vassal evading punishment, just as she was about to drop it, she managed to catch it with ‘Huff’ escaping her lips in relief.

Clutching her pounding heart as if it had sunk, Camila took a deep breath and carefully answered the phone.

“Hello?”

-‘Camila.’

“Frederick?”

It was a familiar voice coming through the phone.

It was Frederick.

Since she was now able to get in touch, it seemed he was at least safe. Camila’s expression finally eased slightly.

“Is your business trip going well? Why are you calling?”

-‘There’s been a situation.’

“A problem? What kind of problem?”

-‘We might get caught soon.’

“What?”

-‘In other words, we’re in deep trouble.’

“…….”

 

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