Chapter 168 : Chapter 168

Chapter 168: Reunion

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍half-wit was talkative.

How ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍had he kept his mouth shut so quietly all this time?

No, ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍that was not right. He had not exactly been quiet.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍belated realization that all the incidents and accidents until now might have been the bastard’s true feelings, which he had wanted to show through actions rather than words, flashed through the leader’s mind.

This ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍bastard. Don’t tell me all those stupid things he did until now were protests aimed at me?

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍leader seized the past that was about to be beautified and swept away, then narrowed his eyes and looked at the half-wit.

“K-kwek. So, if we run away from here, kkwek, then let’s make a small box. Kkwek. We have to avoid the sun.”

Though the sight of an idiot who did not even understand the concept of aging dreaming of an impossible future drained his strength again.

Yes, what use was any of it now?

Once he died, the bastard would realize on his own anyway. The leader did not particularly want to shatter the bastard’s dream now.

Was it thanks to that? The question that had only been lingering in his mouth because of an unknown fear came out more easily than he had expected.

“Kkwek. If that’s what you wanted, then why did you attack me while I was asleep? Kkwek. If you wanted to become a leader that badly, then you should have just......”

If you had just said from the beginning that you coveted the leader’s position, then......

“Kkwek. I didn’t particularly covet the leader’s position.”

I see. So he did not covet the leader’s position.

“Kkwek!! What the hell does that mean!!”

At the half-wit’s far too calm confession, the leader shouted, feeling his blood pressure rise.

Startled by the leader’s sudden excitement, the half-wit shuffled backward on his backside.

“K-kwek! B-because you wouldn’t wake up!”

“Kkwek!! Does that make any sense!! Kkwek!! Are you saying you didn’t even want to become leader, but you attacked me because I wouldn’t wake up!!”

It felt like an answer saying he had done it because he desperately wanted the leader’s position would have made him less heated.

He had called the bastard stupid and stupid again, but he had never imagined he would do something this absurd.

In the end, the leader could not hold back his anger and tried to strike the half-wit on the head, but the half-wit covered his forehead with his hand and hurriedly opened his mouth.

“Kkwek. Because they were going to e-eat you! Kkwek. I was t-trying to hide it. Kkwek. They told me to. Kkwek. The bastard who tried to eat you should be d-dead.”

The frightened half-wit spat out incoherent words.

The leader, who had learned that hurrying the half-wit would not produce better results, steadied his breathing and calmed his excitement.

Then he picked out the sentence from the half-wit’s answer that he understood least.

“Kkwek. The bastard who tried to eat me died? Kkwek. Are you saying you weren’t the one who aimed for my neck?”

“Kkwek. I-I ate it too. Kkwek. But there was a bastard who ate it f-first.”

As if even thinking about it made him shudder, the half-wit trembled.

The leader, who had been staring blankly down at the half-wit, suddenly came back to his senses.

“Kkwek. So how did you kill that bastard?”

“Kkwek. I tore into his n-neck too. Kkwek. And I dropped him down below. Kkwek. Because they t-told me to.”

Because they told him to.

An unknown person had appeared again.

Who on earth could teach something like that?

***

The way back after leaving the two orcs behind was not as noisy as before.

Perhaps it was because the group had been reduced by half, or perhaps it was thanks to the relief that the matter had roughly been wrapped up.

This quiet movement ended when we reached the end of the path.

This also meant that the flat path easy to walk on had ended, and a steep slope had begun.

When I looked down, I saw the waterway, whose level had lowered compared to when we had come up following the half-wit’s guidance.

At this rate, I don’t think we need to worry about being swept away by the river until we get outside, do we?

While I felt relieved, worries about the future I had pushed back slowly raised their heads.

Such as the worry about the future where I would have to roam outside in the form of an orc after leaving the cave like this.

“Do I have to pretend to be a monster hunter from now on?”

At the voice coming from behind me, I turned my head.

He had been silent the whole way, so I wondered what he had been thinking about. It seemed he had worried even a tiny bit about his own ridiculous plan, in his own way.

Before I could answer, the bastard passed me and began climbing down the cliff.

Judging by that calm attitude, it seemed he really had only thought about it a tiny bit.

I lowered myself down the cliff after him.

“Kkwek. Yes. Kkwek. Though if you drag me around with you, you’ll have to give up on not standing out.”

“In villages, you can just lie down and pretend to be dead. Then we’ll drag you around.”

How very kind of him.

Though from the word choice of “drag,” I could see nothing but an uneasy future.

Come to think of it, if I cannot turn my body back, do I have to pretend to be a corpse for a while now too?

I lifted my gaze and looked at the green, rugged hand gripping the wall.

“Kkwek. When I left the capital, I never imagined things would turn out like this.”

I did not mean only the fact that I had turned into an orc’s body.

It included the meaning that I had never imagined I would end up arguing with the bastard about matters of the future like this.

Because I had only intended to support Ratel and his group a little so they could follow the original work.

If we searched for the other holy objects from now on and the journey grew longer, my head would already hurt thinking about what sort of future I could not imagine would be waiting after that.

My dream was to run far away and live alone if possible.

Perhaps my silence seemed strange, because the bastard who was climbing down looked up.

“Was there something else you wanted to do?”

When he asked that so directly, I had nothing to say.

It was also because I could not immediately think of an option that would let me wander around in this form.

“Kkwek. Well, I’ve never thought about it.”

“You struggled so desperately to escape the Imperial Family, yet you never thought about the future?”

Ah, so he was not asking how I could run away while looking like an orc.

In that case, I did think the question was somewhat sudden in this situation, but I obediently opened my mouth.

“Kkwek. At the very beginning, I tried to do business.”

“Business?”

As if my answer was unexpected, Ratel asked back.

“Kkwek. It’s not like I could settle down and farm. Kkwek. I would have been on the run for a while.”

Once I had gathered a certain amount of money, I had planned to leave this country altogether and go deep into the countryside.

“A merchant......”

As if trying to imagine me selling things, the bastard stared into the air, then soon let out a faint laugh.

“You probably wouldn’t have taken losses.”

“Kkwek. Losses, my ass. Kkwek. I could’ve lived my whole life without worrying about money.”

“They say the ones who say that usually ruin the family finances.”

“Kkwek. What family do I have to ruin? Kkwek. Who did you hear that from?”

“Someone who raised me.”

If it was someone who had raised the bastard, then it would not be just one or two people.

It seemed among the priests left in Amica’s space, there had also been someone who had taught the bastard this sort of small piece of wisdom.

“Kkwek. Then why don’t you have any other common sense?”

“Are you talking about me right now?”

At the question I had muttered without realizing it, Ratel furrowed his brow.

“If we’re arguing over how lacking in common sense someone is, you’re not exactly clean either.”

The bastard suddenly picked a childish fight over my level of common sense.

“Kkwek. You don’t seem to know, but from the moment you decided to travel around with an orc, your common sense was already broken.”

Unfortunately for him, if we compared the years we had lived childishly, I had the advantage over the bastard.

“That’s why I even thought of a cover occupation. Monster hunter is fairly common-sense.”

A bastard with no common sense had no conscience either.

“Kkwek. What monster hunter drags around a living orc?”

“Does that mean you’re more common-sense than me?”

“Kkwek. Isn’t that obvious?”

When I nodded proudly, the bastard stared at me with a face that could not accept it, then suddenly closed his mouth.

My instincts, trained through the accumulation of experiences until now, told me to stop the bastard.

In truth, this sort of mental preparation did not mean much.

The protagonist's bastard's actions always went far beyond the range of my expectations.

This time was no different.

SPLASH!

The heavy sound of a person falling into water rang out.

I looked back and forth between the wall where Ratel had been hanging until just now and the ripples created by the bastard’s dive, then soon came back to my senses and began climbing down the wall.

What the hell was that all of a sudden?

Now that things had turned out this way, was he trying to show how far his lack of common sense could go?

As I drew closer to the water’s surface, Ratel was moving through the water as quickly as a mermaid.

Only then did I realize the bastard’s swimming had a target.

When I narrowed my eyes and stared in the direction Ratel was moving, something brown entered my sight.

There was something in the water.

It did not take long to realize that the brown something, which looked unsettlingly familiar, was long hair.

The hair scattered over the water was sinking lower and lower along with its owner.

Just before the hair completely vanished beneath the water, Ratel inhaled deeply once and dove under.

Before long, Ratel surfaced again.

In one of the bastard’s arms, he was holding the pale-faced Ria.

In the unconscious Ria’s hand was one ominously impressive sword.

***

When I grabbed Ratel and Ria and pulled them up, Ratel, once on top, laid Ria on the ground and checked her breathing.

“Guhk!!”

Fortunately, Ria, who had been pulled from the water, soon began throwing up water in a frenzy.

Ratel and I took one step back and waited for Ria to catch her breath.

“Are you all right?”

Once Ria’s breathing had somewhat returned, Ratel checked her condition.

“Hah, hah......! I-I nearly died.”

Ria, who had lifted her head with difficulty, sobbed.

But her new hope for life died again the moment she saw my face.

“Aaaah!!! Orc!!!”

Ria, who discovered me standing beside Ratel, screamed as if she were having a seizure.

I had taken one step back in consideration of the fact that Ria would be startled, but it seemed that was nowhere near enough to reassure her.

Seeing how terrified she became the moment she saw my face, it seemed she had not simply lost her way outside.

She must have suffered something rough at the hands of orcs outside.

Should I consider it fortunate that she survived with only this much injury?

“Get away, Ratel!!”

Without the slightest hesitation, Ria swung the sword at me with all her strength.

Her momentum was fierce, but honestly, it was not a particularly threatening attack.

Perhaps she had badly sprained one leg, because Ria’s attack was completely off starting from her center of gravity.

I dodged Ria’s attack and grabbed her so she could not move any further.

If she kept thrashing with that leg, it was obvious she would suffer even more later.

“Aaaah!!”

Horrified, Ria swung her other fist to shake me off again.

What drew my attention more than the attack she made with all her strength until the very end was Ria’s bloodied hand.

Even though her palm was in this state, Ria did not seem to feel any pain at all.

Only then did I realize that her condition was more serious than I had thought, and grabbed Ria’s other arm as well.

Ria’s terrified pupils were dilated wide.

I hurriedly handed her over to Ratel as she thrashed.

“Kkwek. You explain. Kkwek. She’s about to pass out.”

When I said a word to the bastard, who had been standing by silently until Ria attacked me, only then did Ratel look at me as if he had come back to his senses.

I wondered briefly at his dazed reaction, unlike him. Then, after handing Ria over, I belatedly turned my gaze to the thing Ratel had been unable to take his eyes off.

The sword gripped terribly tightly in Ria’s bloodied hand.

Ratel reached toward the thing in Ria’s hand.

“No!”

Ria, who had been unable to take her eyes off me, hurriedly pulled back to avoid Ratel’s hand.

After opening the distance, Ria hugged the sword tightly so Ratel’s hand could not reach it.

The blade dug into her hand, but Ria did not seem to notice even that.

“I won’t touch it, so put that down.”

When Ratel withdrew his hand and showed both hands as he spoke, Ria, who had been breathing roughly, slowly lowered what she held to the ground.

Even so, perhaps she could not feel reassured, because Ria rapidly looked back and forth between Ratel and the sword like someone half out of her mind.

“Y-you can’t touch this. If you touch this......”

“You’ll be eaten?”

Ratel’s calm voice finished the sentence Ria could not complete out of fear.

When the frightened Ria nodded slightly, Ratel stepped forward without hesitation and picked up the sword Ria had put down.

Startled, Ria flinched, but the thing she had worried about did not happen.

After quietly swinging the sword several times, Ratel turned toward Ria.

“Where is Jing?”

Unlike his calm voice, his flashing golden eyes showed just how shaken the bastard was.

Together with the small droplets of light rising around him.