Volume 9 - CH 11

Warning: Contains depictions of cruelty

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“But still… that missy, didn’t her magic increase in power again? If she were to hit me now… No, if I’m with my beloved sword, I can somehow…”

The guildmaster Salomon muttered.

When the guildmaster surveyed around him from the center of the monster village, scorched corpses of goblins and orcs entered his eyes. He seems to be surprised once again by Alice’s magic which signaled the start of battle, by its power.

The adventurers from the raid party in the surroundings were saying things such as “about that tiny little lady, shall I try inviting her into our party?” As far as they were concerned, she had very amazing power. The day when a nickname will be attached to Alice was closing in.

“So, Mr Salomon. What do we do after this?”

Having delivered the finishing blow to the orc chief, Yuuji asked guildmaster Salomon.

There were no longer signs of monsters who could move.

“After this we shrink the encirclement and check if there aren’t any of them hiding themselves. That and kill those who could still breathe. When that’s done, we tidy things up I guess. How about we gather the corpses and all in one place and let them burn with the young lady Alice’s magic?”

The guildmaster, having said that to Yuuji, raised his right hand and turned round and round in a big way. That appears to be a signal. The 8th to 6th rank adventurers who were encircling the monster village, showed up from the outer edges and slowly headed to the village center.

“Ah, then I will go back to where I was and participate with them”

Leaving those words behind, Yuuji took Kotarou with him and headed towards Alice.

It appears that after this would be the time for Kotarou’s enemy searching ability to play an active role.

“ …And so, we’ll slowly move towards the center! We will check everything, the shade of trees, holes, places where they could hide themselves! Alice, make sure not to get separated from me too much, okay!?”

Yuuji, after returning to the place where Alice and Kevin’s exclusive escort were waiting at, told them their actions from hereon without delay. But then again, they were subjects the exclusive escort was aware of. Yuuji collected the standing tripod and put away the camera. After this, it could become a battle depending on the situation, while they move. As expected, he couldn’t fight while holding the camera.

Alice raised her hand and responded with “Okaay~” to Yuuji’s words.

“Bow bow” Kotarou barked with strong vigor. Kotarou, who did not have her turn in the subjugation, seemed to be in high spirits, thinking, it’s finally my turn isn’t it. Without delay, she started snorting her nose and twitching her ears. I won’t let a single mouse escape, is what she seemed to be saying. She was a dog though.

Kevin’s exclusive escort took a branch that was leaning on a fallen tree in his hand.

Who were in front of the place where trees and branches were mixed and piled up were Yuuji and Kotarou.

“Wafu” Kotarou barked softly. As if to say, I just said there weren’t any there didn’t I.

But it cannot be helped. Kotarou could not speak and even if Yuuji and the others were to understand her intentions, they could not just not investigate.

“Fuuh. There aren’t any here either. What’s next in our route would be that one, huh”

Yuuji said and shifted his attention towards a crude building like thing where trees were piled up.

Kotarou, who was at his feet, turned towards the same direction as Yuuji, bristled her fur and raised a growling voice. It appears that the last hut Yuuji and the others were in charge of had something inside.

“Are you ready” the exclusive escort said and looked at Yuuji.

Yuuji, who had set up his short spear just like before, met his eyes and nodded.

Kotarou was battle ready.

Perhaps Alice too sensed something, she was staring silently at the hut.

The leaves and branches that acted as walls carried sounds of rustling.

The morning sunlight shone in and illuminated the space that was exposed.

What Yuuji’s eyes captured was an orc spreading both hands as if trying to protect someone.

Behind that orc, figures of several small orcs could be seen.

“We hit the mark I see. A female orc and her children. She must have given birth here and has been raising them here. They’re small so please be careful not to let them escape”

The calm voice of Kevin’s exclusive escort reached Yuuji’s ears. They were words with the premise of a massacre.

But.

Yuuji did not move. No, he could not move.

The orc in front of him did not even attack Yuuji’s party and was just spreading her hands. Unlike the orcs until now, several swollen breasts were lined up in front of her body. They were double breasts. Setting that aside, she was clearly a female it seems.

The mother was protecting her children.

Yuuji stiffened while still readied his short spear. The tip was shivering.

If this were in the middle of a battle, even Yuuji may have done an attack on the momentum. But, the situation is where the battle had already ended and he had calmed down, not to mention was that what was in his eyes was a mother protecting her children. It was natural for Yuuji, who was raised not in this world, but in Japan, to hesitate.

“Yuuji-nii, what’s wrong? Should Alice do it?”

Reaching the solidified Yuuji’s ears was Alice’s voice behind him.

Yuuji stayed solidified and did not say anything to Alice.

Perhaps having seen such appearance of his, Kotarou went towards Kevin’s exclusive escort and barked “wan wan.” Well, it can’t be helped, we’re going to do it, is what she seemed to be saying.

*sigh*, sighing once, Kevin’s exclusive escort made his move. At the same time, Kotarou also moved, swinging those nails of hers.

A few minutes lapsed, and there were no longer orcs moving.

“Mr Yuuji… No, I guess that’s right. It was your first commission, even as an adventurer isn’t it?”

Yuuji was solidified even now.

After finishing the extermination, Kevin’s exclusive escort struck Yuuji’s shoulder and called out.

At Yuuji’s feet was Kotarou. She rubbed her body, dyed blue with spurts of blood here and there, on Yuuji’s feet.

She was cleaning off the dirt. No that’s not it. She was worrying about Yuuji’s state of mind. 

Rubbing her body was an expression of deep affection. By no means did it mean that the blue blood stuck on her body felt unpleasant.

Alice didn’t understand Yuuji’s feelings, so she tilted her head, as if to say “what’s wrong?” Alice grew up in this world where it was natural to give and take the lives of monsters and, unlike Kevin’s exclusive escort, did not have experience in the battlefield either. It would be difficult to sympathise with them.

“ …Sorry, letting you do everything…’

Yuuji spoke in a small voice, weakly hanging his head.

His body was shivering.

“Mr Yuuji. I understand what you’re worrying about, but… please look at that”

Kevin’s exclusive escort said, swung his hand in front of Yuuji’s face and pointed at a certain direction after getting his attention.

What was beyond his finger was a place piled up with something white.

Bones.

They were likely food remains of the orc mother and children.

Kevin’s escort walked in, making a rude entrance, and destroyed the mountain of bones with clattering sound with the sword in his hand.

And then.

“Aah, I knew it… Mr Yuuji, do you know what this is?”

Kevin’s exclusive escort said and pointed with the sword tip.

What was there was a skull.

No.

Yuuji knew as well.

That was the skull of a human being.

“The orc leader who attacked the pioneer land did have a rusty sword after all. He either attacked an adventurer or discovered a corpse. At any rate, the unfortunate adventurer must have been eaten by these orcs. Mr Yuuji. They may appear pitiful, but if we let them free here, the goblins and orcs will attack people somewhere. Besides…”

Kevin’s exclusive escort told Yuuji in order to persuade him.

It was kill or be killed, don’t hold feelings of guilt in killing monsters. That was common knowledge of this harsh world where struggles for existence unfolded between them and monsters.

It was natural that Alice could not comprehend the feelings of the hesitating Yuuji.

“These guys you see, they are able to get women pregnant even if they are of other races. They’re still small so that’s one thing, but what if you let them escape and then one day they catch Alice-chan…”

Yuuji bit his teeth strongly.

He seems to have ended up imagining such a future from the words of Kevin’s exclusive escort.

“Is that, is that so… Yes, I won’t hesitate anymore”

A light of determination was lit in Yuuji’s eyes.

At his feet, Kotarou barked. That’s right Yuuji, you finally understood didn’t you. We have to cut them down, is what she seemed to be saying. 

The exclusive escort who studied under ‘Bloody Gaegus’ and was headhunted by ‘Fighting Peddler’ Kevin. He must have come to experience it many times over until now. His care towards Yuuji who felt hesitation in his first battlefield was his specialty, and on the contrary, he managed to instigate him.

Even so, Yuuji, while harboring a small lingering discomfort in his heart, looked at the meeting place of the adventurers at the village center.

“The part that’s in our route is done, shall we link up with them?”

Even so, the problem in Yuuji’s heart seems to have become light enough to be able to postpone it.

But, at that time.

Roars could be heard from behind Yuuji’s group.

Yuuji, Kotarou, Alice and the exclusive escort turned their heads.

What they saw was a party of three orcs and eight goblins.

The orc who roared “FUGOO” among other things, like he was revealing his anger, was a size big. He must be an orc leader.

And the two goblins behind him dropped something, which they were holding in their arms, onto the floor with a thud.

Tender blond hair, reflecting the sunlight.

The bare body peeking from the long blond hair was as fair as can be.

That visibly slender body.

Not moving even when dropped on the ground must mean it already lost its life.

No, its skin was white, but not so much that it had no complexion.

That was a person.

Moreover a young girl.

What came to mind in Yuuji’s head, who captured that figure in the distant view, was the conversation he had with the exclusive escort some time ago.

That they were able to get women pregnant even if they are of other races

Yuuji’s face was dyed in anger.

At his feet, Kotarou bared her fangs, bristled up her fur and put power in her limbs.

“Alice. Wait for us at Mr Salomon’s place”

Without parting his eyes from the orcs and goblins, Yuuji told her in a few words.

Perhaps she sensed the atmosphere, Alice nodded and immediately ran off towards the village center, towards the guildmaster and the two of the former adventurers party in pitter patters, while telling them “It’s enemies~”

And then, both Yuuji and Kotarou started running.

In full speed, they headed towards the group of the orc leader, orcs and eight goblins.

That while raising a shout “OOOOOOOOOOOH” that could not be turned into words, leaving it to his anger.

But, without saying any words, one person and one dog told two things with their facial expression, with their whole body, with their running speed.

Goblins must die, no mercy for them.

Orcs must die, no mercy for them.

It seems the small stiffness that was in Yuuji’s heart after coming face to face with the monster’s motherhood had disappeared.

By no means was it thanks to the pointed ears that was peeking from the collapsed, young girl’s long blond hair.

Probably, surely.