Ch.40Hostility

After walking for about thirty minutes, I arrived at a small stream.

Clear water, about the width of a forearm, flowed between lush undergrowth and wet pebbles.

Fallen leaves drifted along the current on the water’s surface, and tiny fish darted busily between the crevices of stones.

Good. I can replenish our drinking water here and clean up a bit.

There was already another team here, but when they saw my face, they just kept quiet and went about their business.

They probably decided it was better to ignore me rather than bother.

I wiped the Kobold blood and entrails from my face and armor, then collected some drinking water.

Hans took out leather water pouches from his backpack and distributed them.

Though his skills are weak, his preparedness is good—he seems more suited to be a guide than a warrior.

With our water secured, I looked around for a suitable place to spend the night before darkness fell.

Along the way, we were attacked by another group of Kobolds.

About five of them jumped down from trees and charged at us.

I just deflected the one leaping toward Lena, leaving the rest to Millia and Hans.

The Kobold that caught my backhand flew into a tree trunk.

Blood splattered across the back of the tree.

One of them could use magic, but it was nothing more threatening than sparks rather than fire arrows.

I did wonder if it was insane to use fire magic in a forest.

—-

After walking for about an hour, we were lucky enough to find a small cave and headed toward it.

There were small footprints around the entrance, suggesting Kobolds had been living there.

I lit a lantern, handed it to Lena, and explored the inside of the cave.

Moss grew on the damp, cool walls making them slippery, and the interior smelled of filth and excrement.

Inside were about twenty Kobolds of various sizes.

They must be a cannibalistic species, as they had a fire going and were roasting a small Kobold.

I could see smoke escaping through cracks in the ceiling.

Perfect. The space is adequately large, the entrance is narrow so trolls can’t enter, and there’s ventilation.

Just needs some cleaning.

I sent Hans and Millia to clear out the Kobolds.

Me? I have the important responsibility of protecting Lena from potential ambushes, so I don’t have to do it.

The cave echoed with growls, battle cries from both man and woman, and the sound of tearing flesh.

Before long, Hans and Millia returned, having finished the cleanup.

They were breathing heavily and had minor injuries here and there—twenty was quite a lot—but Lena could heal those easily.

We piled the Kobold corpses and filth in one place and prepared our campsite.

The preparations were simple: laying out sleeping bags near the campfire and setting up a rope with bells at the entrance.

Disliking the smell of the cave, I stood to one side and smoked a cigarette.

I thought the minty scent might mask the odor, but due to my senses being heightened by the Mana Herb, it didn’t make much difference.

…I should ask Asha to make a purification device soon.

We sat around the campfire, warming our combat rations and chatting.

Lena, seemingly reassured that I would protect her, approached me with a brighter attitude.

“Haschal, you’re incredibly strong. Are all Ka’har like that?”

“Probably not.”

I’m not sure about Jahan, but from what I’ve seen of the other warriors, they’re not much different from the knights here.

“I see… Then how did you become so strong?”

“Training and real combat.”

I don’t know more than that myself.

How did Hersella create this inhuman body?

Lena pouted slightly, apparently unsatisfied with my answer.

Millia, who had quickly finished her meal and was checking her equipment, looked toward Hans and spoke.

“How should we handle the night watch? We’ve set up the rope at the entrance, but we still need someone on guard.”

“The three of us should take turns, about three hours each. Excluding Lena. Unlike us, she’d have trouble responding to an attack.”

“I’m sorry…”

“Don’t worry about it. It’s common practice for priests not to take watch duty.”

Night watch. Three hours per person…

It’s a bit long, but can’t be helped.

“Then I’ll take the first watch today. You two can decide the remaining shifts.”

I volunteered for the first watch. I had something to do during the night.

Six hours should be enough.

Millia volunteered for the middle watch, and Hans took the last shift.

He said he’d prepare for tomorrow’s exploration during his watch.

I wondered how we’d measure three hours, but Hans pulled out an hourglass from his backpack.

…He really seems born to be a guide.

As darkness fell completely, my teammates got into their sleeping bags.

I sat by the fire, smoking a cigarette and checking my weapons as I passed the time.

Waiting for the night to deepen.

—-

Three hours passed.

I walked over to Millia’s sleeping bag, held the lit lantern near her face, and shook her shoulder.

I’d always wanted to try this.

“Hey, wake up. Millia.”

“Ughh… it’s too bright…!”

Millia frowned deeply and got up unsteadily.

I turned off the lantern and waited for her to put on her equipment.

“Good job, Haschal. I’ll take over now. Go get some sleep.”

“No, I have some business to attend to.”

Business that requires staying up all night.

I picked up my sword and stood up.

“…Business? What kind of business?”

Her expression hardened, perhaps sensing something ominous in my tone.

“The kind good children shouldn’t see. I should be back by morning, but if I don’t return, just stay here for four days, avoiding trolls.”

“…Are you going to kill someone?”

Millia pointed at my waist with a trembling finger.

The two longswords at my side clinked together with a metallic sound whenever I moved.

“Well… I’ll have to see when I meet them.”

I was planning to at least have a conversation first.

Though it would probably end in a fight.

“To think you’d try to kill an Imperial citizen, even a fellow Academy student. Do you think I’d just let that happen?”

Millia stood up.

Despite her trembling eyes, her expression was stubborn, and her hand moved toward her sword hilt.

So she’s trying to stop me.

“And if you don’t let it happen, what will you do? Try to stop me?……With your skills?”

I smiled, baring my teeth as I glared at Millia.

The corners of her eyes trembled.

“Ugh…! B-but I can’t just stand by while you try to harm an innocent person! Even Demian would have stopped you!”

An innocent person, huh? I doubt it.

At least not to me.

“He’s hardly innocent. He’s been watching for a chance to kill me first.”

I stepped forward and grabbed Millia’s arm. Her shoulders flinched.

I pulled her arm, bringing my face close until our foreheads nearly touched, and growled quietly.

“Or are you saying it’s justified when a Westerner tries to kill a Ka’har, but wrong when I strike first?”

Millia trembled, holding her breath.

Right. You have nothing to say. This is self-defense, and I’m doing what any warrior would naturally do.

I released Millia, who had been moving her lips without finding words.

She slumped to the ground.

As I left the cave, I left her with one last comment.

“If you’re so worried, pray that he has no intention of killing me. Then I’ll just talk and come back.”

Millia said nothing.

—-

I jumped up into the trees and ran across the branches.

Occasionally I saw Kobolds below, but I paid them no mind. They couldn’t chase me anyway.

I had a general idea of where he was.

I remembered his scent and had been listening for the distinctive sound of his chain mail.

Following my instincts, I crossed the forest with heightened senses.

Startled birds flapped their wings and soared high into the night sky, and shaken leaves fell like premature autumn foliage.

Is this the right thing to do?

Running toward hostility, I question myself once more.

This is different from previous fights.

Unlike the killings in the East that I committed by mistake or under pressure, this time I’m going to kill someone simply because they might interfere with me.

I’ve told myself repeatedly that I wouldn’t care, that I could do anything for my own sake now.

Even so. I couldn’t completely erase the hesitation that remained like a stain in the corner of my heart.

That stain was the last remnant reminding me of my true self, now fading, distorted, and nearly forgotten.

When I wash away that stain with blood on both hands, what will remain?

I had a feeling that tomorrow’s me would not be the same as today’s. Such an intuition came to me.

In any case, there’s no turning back now.

I found his scent.

—-

Had he anticipated my arrival?

Knut sat silently on a tree stump in the middle of a clearing in the forest, eyes closed.

Cold moonlight poured down through the gaps in the canopy.

A dark-tinged axe rested on his thigh, and a spear was stuck in the ground, casting a long shadow.

Around him lay the butchered corpses of Kobolds.

…His teammates were nowhere to be seen.

Given the lack of any presence, it seemed he wasn’t planning an ambush, and had probably left them behind as I had done.

I jumped down from the tree and landed in front of Knut.

“Were you waiting for me? Knut.”

Awakened hostility filled the night sky.

“So, you’ve come as expected…”

Knut opened his eyes and slowly rose from his seat.

His armor chains clinked against each other, making a rattling noise.

“Warrior, the time has come to answer Volberg’s guidance.”

The axe gripped in both hands flashed darkly, exuding heavy killing intent.

“Aishan-Gioro. Our enemy.”

My enemy.

Knut raised his axe.