I Was Transported to Another World with a Male-to-Female Ratio of 1:3000 and Made into a Breeding Pet for the Demon Lord’s Army - 72

Chapter 72: I Will Never Forget You Part 3

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“Cough, cough… I really am getting old. Maybe it’s time I started preparing for the end.”

“What are you talking about?! Lilith, you’re only 60 this year! Life’s just getting started!”

“Even so… Cough, cough.”

In the middle of our meeting to decide our next town, Lilith sank deep into her chair and stared at the map.

“Fiilia… We’ve been everywhere—caves, volcanoes, underground, forests, meadows—searching for males. Before I knew it, we’d already circled this world six times. And during that time, the kids in that Lupin Lupin the Third novel had twenty children… Yet we haven’t even glimpsed the shadow of a male.”

“Th-that’s enough…! Oh, Lilith! Remember the bakery here? Their bread was amazing, right?! Let’s stop by again!”

“Bakery? …I don’t even remember ever visiting this town.”

“We ate there together 20 years ago! We promised to come back here again!”

“Bringing up a promise from 20 years ago out of the blue… My brain can’t keep up.”

How could she forget that exquisite bread?! Even though she looked so happy eating it…

“Anyway! First, we’ll replenish our energy at this town’s bakery. Then we’ll gather information on males while taking on requests! It’s a flawless plan if I may say so myself!”

“…Yes, yes. I got it.”

When I boldly circled our destination on the map, Lilith only gave a casual response, as if indulging the whims of a younger girl.

Muu… I’m supposed to be the older one, but lately it feels like our roles have reversed.

“To be honest, I’m nearly at my limit fighting magical beasts. If they were at least susceptible to traps, that’d be one thing—but the tough ones are just unbearable for me.”

“Then it’s fine! With the new hybrid magic I developed, I’ll wipe them all out in one fell swoop!”

“Then I’ll leave the fighting to you. Oof… Ouch… Fiilia, could you hand me my cane?”

“Geez…You’re hopeless.”

I’d been traveling with Lilith for 40 years before I realized it. She used to be so full of energy and cheerful, but now she had mellowed down, and the vigor she once had was gone.

“Cough… Cough…”

Even so, I loved our days of traveling together, so I pretended not to notice how she was gradually weakening.

“Lately you’ve been eating less—are you dieting? You don’t need to, Lilith. You’re already wonderful… Well, not quite as wonderful as me!”

But as if mocking my feelings, Lilith’s health only worsened day by day.

Thud!

“Lilith! Stay with me!”

And then, in the middle of our adventure, she finally collapsed.

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Creak…

“Lilith? I brought you some herbal soup. You haven’t eaten since yesterday—please, have at least a little.”

Many years had passed since Lilith’s health had started to decline, yet there was still no sign of recovery. Even visits to doctors ended with, “We don’t know the cause,” and they didn’t prescribe a single medicine. Looking back, it was no surprise her health only worsened by day.

The only blessing was that we managed to return to our hometown—the town where we’d once met, and where we’d accidentally caused a huge fire. The day we returned, I went to the village chief to apologize, trembling with nausea from nerves. But no one remembered us; far from needing an apology, we weren’t even recognized. We were truly lucky!

I discovered something new. Among humans, even serious past mistakes were forgotten after 50 years.

“Hmm… Where did I put my sword…”

“Lilith!? Why are you standing?! A-are you feeling alright?”

When I visited Lilith’s house, I found her up from bed for the first time in ages, shuffling around the room. I glanced around and saw the neatly organized furniture and belongings—it reminded me of the day we bought this house together.

“Oh, Fiilia. I thought I’d go out for a little adventure… You always told me, ‘At least try taking short walks,’ didn’t you?”

“I did, but your health’s been so unstable lately… Is there some reason it has to be now?”

“A little, yes… There’s a place I want to see one more time. Will you let me lead the way?”

“Understood. But if anything happens, leave the fighting to me. I won’t let you get hurt.”

“I can always rely on you… Well then, let’s be off.”

Gulp, gulp…

Lilith pulled a bottle from her cloak and chugged it all at once. After taking a moment to steady her breath, she quietly strapped her sword to her waist. She looked just like she had during our adventures long ago.

“Hehe… I’m excited to adventure with you again, Lilith!”

Feeling like we’d turned back the clock, I helped her finish getting ready.

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“Pant… pant… We finally made it… Lilith’s destination…”

Thud!

“Oh, we’re finally here… I didn’t think it’d take this long.”

“Having me carry you and saying that is so… Rude!”

“Oof… Well, my stamina is worse than I thought. But we made it in time, and that’s what matters.”

On the way, Lilith threw out her back, then got swallowed by a nearby slime—but aside from that, we reached our destination without serious trouble.

“This spot where you can see the whole town… It’s always so beautiful. It’s comforting, knowing some things never change. Just that alone makes me feel content”

“Yes… It’s so calming.”

“It’s so nostalgic… When my mother scolded me, I’d often come here with my friends. I wonder if they’re all gone now…”

This adventure with Lilith was so much fun—it truly felt like we’d returned to our younger days. Even the mundane scenery of these mountains was as beautiful to me as the fields of jewel-like flowers we’d seen in bloom, or the mermaids’ dances we’d glimpsed underwater during our travels.

For me, Lilith was irreplaceable. I prayed with all my heart that Lilith’s illness would heal soon, and that we could laugh together on another journey someday.

Alright! Once we’re back, I’ll cook plenty of energizing herbal soup for her!

“Lilith, sorry to rush, but the sun’s setting soon. We need to head back if I’m carrying you—Lilith?”

Thud!

“Lilith?!”

As I bent down to give her a piggyback ride, she lost her balance and fell in the opposite direction.

“Huff… huff… Cough, cough!”

Clatter, clatter…

“Are you okay?! …What is this empty bottle…?! This is poison!”

Her face, always gaunt, turned even paler than usual. This must be why—but as forgetful as Lilith had become, I couldn’t believe she’d drink poison by mistake. She must have done it on purpose…

“Why… Why would you do something so foolish?! I’ll scold you properly later! But first, I’ll cast a detoxification spell—”

Grab!

“Huff… huff… Wait. My only regret was never showing you this view. Now that I have, I can die satisfied. So there’s no need…For a detoxification spell.”

Her words, spoken calmly as she lay on her back, felt peaceful and fulfilled, like someone who had reached the end of a long journey.

“What are you saying…?! Are you giving up on finding a male?! And… And you’re not even 70 yet! You have at least another 100 years left! I won’t accept it until we finish our search together!”

“Fiilia… No one knows their own body better than themselves. And I think you sensed it too… That I couldn’t be saved.”

“That’s not true…”

No matter how many doctors we visited, they all dismissed us with, “It’s just due to old age.” Their words echoed painfully in my mind.

“No matter how advanced healing magic becomes—reattaching severed limbs, curing deadly wounds—there’s still no way to prolong the lives of the elderly. There isn’t even research into it.”

“There… There still might be a way! Somewhere! There has to be something to save you! Please don’t leave me alone! Tell me what you think of my picture books again!”

“It’s alright. Someone else will praise your art… I know it.”

But… I couldn’t live without Lilith.

“Lilith… Please don’t go…”

Drip—

I hadn’t noticed my tears falling until one splashed onto her face.

“Ahh… I thought I had no regrets left… But I really did want to mate with a male…”

Lilith murmured with a hint of frustration, a faint smile flickering on her lips.

“This is… This is all my fault.”

If I hadn’t invited her to travel, Lilith, a human, might have found a chance to mate… But I dragged her into this.

I’m sorry. I’m so sorry…

“If I’d managed to mate… I wouldn’t have left you alone.”

“Eh…?”

“Fiilia… This journey has been wonderful. We never did meet a male, except in the local mating books we read along the way—but I didn’t mind. You became far more important to me than any male ever could.”

“I feel the same! I don’t care about males! You’re far more precious to me, Lilith!”

“I’m glad to hear that… Did you know? There aren’t many elderly human women. Females who mate get their reward—children—but once those children are grown, they’re sent off to war, like my mother was.”

“You’ve told me before about this…”

“So in the town I grew up in, seeing an old woman meant whispers behind her back: ‘She’s so pitiful—she couldn’t even mate.’ But it wasn’t like that at all for me. At first, I was desperate to mate before growing old… But somewhere along the way, mating became not a goal, but a means to an end.”

With trembling hands, Lilith gently wiped my tears.

“It wasn’t that I wanted to mate for the sake of it… I just didn’t want lonely, timid, crybaby Lilith to end up alone. I wanted children to go on adventures in my place. But…I guess things didn’t work out like that, huh?”

Rustle…

“So please, at least take this necklace as my stand-in. Continue the journey in my place, and mate for both of us.”

Fiilia silently reached for the necklace Lilith weakly held out and accepted it in her hand.

“…No! I want to stay with you, Lilith! I want to mate together, and live surrounded by our children! 【Cure Poison】!”

I didn’t care about the journey anymore. I just wanted her to stay by my side, smiling. I chanted detoxification and healing spells over and over, pouring all my wishes into them.

“Ahh… I wish I’d been born an elf…”

“Lilith! Wait! No! Lilith! 【High Heal】… Lilith!!!”

“……………………”

That day, my one and only best friend left this world behind.

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T/N: I already know what’s going to happen, but I’m still crying… (╥﹏╥)