Inn Overlord: Reincarnated with Enhancement Magic, Now Worshipped as a Divine Messenger! - Chapter 19

Seraph’s Perspective

“Did you have a name back when you were a griffon? If you did, I think it would be nice to use that name.”

Each of us was riding on the back of an Army Ant as we raced through the middle section of the Demon Forest. While we were moving, I asked the griffon lady this question. She lowered her head and fell silent.

“……”

She started to give off a gloomy aura, so I quickly tried to smooth things over.

“Sorry! I must’ve reminded you of something unpleasant!”

Griffons usually act in groups and are supposed to live in the deepest part of the Demon Forest. However, this griffon lady was in the middle section. I should have realized what that meant.

“I-I deeply apologize! I made you worry about me, Seraph-sama!”

I decided not to ask her about her past as a griffon anymore. She gave off the same exhausted vibe as an overworked office lady from a black company.

“Um, okay! How about… Jeanne?”

I suggested a name for the graceful griffon lady.

“Jeanne… Oh, what a wonderful name…”

The previously downcast lady clasped her hands together and looked up at the sky in admiration.

—W-Wow, that’s a dramatic reaction…

“Alright, from today on, your name is Jeanne!”

“Yes!”

She responded cheerfully, but I turned to look at David, who was riding on the Army Ant beside me. Rather than sitting properly, he was practically lying on his stomach, clinging tightly to the ant.

I had just named her and welcomed her into the group, but the owner of the “Black Piglet Inn” was David. I couldn’t just add new employees without his permission.

I realized I had done things in the wrong order and was about to ask for David’s approval when he spoke first, as if reading my mind.

“N-No problem! She can work at my place! W-Welcome, Jeanne! And you too! Hmm… how about the name Orma for you?”

David gave a name to Vilkasys. Orma, sitting on the back of the Army Ant, wagged its tail in response.

“Woof!”

Luka also greeted them.

“Nice to meet you, Jeanne and Orma!”

“Everyone… thank you so much…”

Jeanne’s eyes filled with tears as the Army Ants suddenly stopped.

In front of us was a massive cave, like a giant bear’s den. It was the nest of the Army Ants. We all dismounted and entered the nest.

We had been invited by the Queen Ant herself.

Inside the nest was complete darkness, but David had a magic tool imbued with light magic called “Light.” He used it to illuminate our path as we advanced toward the queen’s chamber.

We occasionally passed by Army Ants, which made us tense up. It was only natural, considering we had just been fighting them not long ago.

As we walked, I already had a sense of the nest’s layout due to the mental fortification spell I had cast on the Queen Ant earlier. It felt strangely familiar.

Eventually, we reached the Queen Ant’s chamber. In the vast space stood a massive ant, about the size of a 4-ton truck. Unlike the other Army Ants, whose shells were a lighter blue, hers was a much deeper shade.

Just like when she invited us, the Queen Ant used magic to directly communicate with our minds.

‘We deeply appreciate your effort in coming all this way.’

Each of us waved our hands or shook our heads to convey that it was no trouble.

‘We sincerely thank you for saving both myself and my children.’

Now that I thought about it, I had asked David about this form of magical telepathy earlier. Apparently, some powerful monsters could communicate this way, but it was something out of legends. It was unheard of for an Army Ant Queen to possess such an ability.

The likely reason was that she had absorbed a vast amount of magic by consuming many enemies. However, I also suspected my mental fortification spell played a role.

Then, the Queen Ant addressed me.

‘May I ask for your name?’

I pointed to myself and answered.

“Me? My name is Seraph.”

‘Seraph… would you consider allowing us to serve under you?’

I was bewildered and asked her.

“W-Why would you want that?”

‘I am ashamed to admit that if I were to be controlled by that being again, I do not know if I could resist…’

“That being? Who are you talking about?”

The Queen explained. That’s right—she and Jeanne had both been under someone’s mind control. Jeanne had only narrowly avoided it, though…

‘It was someone who suddenly appeared and brought chaos to the Demon Forest. Her name is Lydia Kreil. She claimed to be from the Holy Nation of Harmonia.’

The Holy Nation of Harmonia. From our perspective in the Kingdom of Schmar, the Cursed Forest stretches to the east, and beyond that, to the north-northeast, lies Harmonia. The Barossa Kingdom extends from the northwest to the west, while the Victor Empire lies to the south.

David spoke up.

“Lydia Kreil… I’ve heard of her. She’s one of the top three musicians in Harmonia. They say she can use sound magic to control minds…”

Jeanne muttered as well.

“That garbage… she tried to control me and make me hurt Seraph…”

As they reacted, Luka was casually petting Orma’s head.

—Luka… Please pay attention to the Queen’s story…

‘Currently, Lydia Kreil is in the middle section of the forest, steadily taking control of more monsters.’

The Queen Ant was having her Army Ants spread throughout the forest to gather information without alerting Lydia that she had broken free from her control. I asked her a question.

“What is Lydia Kreil’s goal?”

‘I believe she intends to throw the forest into chaos and use it to invade the Kingdom of Schmar.’

Invasion. That word weighed heavily on us.

“I see… If she takes control of the forest, it becomes new territory. And if she had continued controlling the Army Ants, she could’ve commanded an army of 8,000… No, if we hadn’t freed the Queen, it could have been even larger…”

‘……’

“And we, the ones living near the forest, would be the first to suffer the consequences…”

‘Yes. Under her control, I once defeated an Orc King, which caught her attention. If she targets me again, I might attack you all once more…’

So that’s what happened. The Orc King, a B-rank threat, was slain, and its subordinates, the Orc Generals, fled toward our village.

After thinking for a moment, I spoke.

“You don’t need to become my subordinates.”

‘What do you mean?’

“Why not just be friends? If you’re in trouble, we’ll help you. And if we’re in trouble, you’ll help us. Wouldn’t that work?”

Jeanne was deeply moved.

“Oh, Seraph… what a kind soul you are… But I wouldn’t recommend that.”

I asked her why, but the Queen Ant answered instead.

‘The master-servant bond is ingrained in our instincts. Intelligent monsters might accept a different kind of relationship, but for most, obedience is best enforced through hierarchy. It is the most efficient way.

I see. Even so, I still hesitated to make the Army Ants my subordinates. David said I should do whatever I wanted.

I asked the Queen one last thing.

“Can we even defeat Lydia Kreil?”

‘Easily. One hit. Game over.’

The Queen suddenly spoke like a young person.

“O-Okay… I’ll accept you as my subordinates.”

And so, Jeanne, Orma, the Queen Ant, and 8,000 Army Ant workers became my allies.