Volume 12 - CH 7

“Alice-chan, don’t worry about it. More importantly… Charles is in the hideout”

“Charles-nii!?”

Alice was surprised by what the male wolfkin Denis told her.

Alice’s family was missing after being attacked by bandits.

Three and half years have passed since Yuuji took in Alice.

The information that Kevin was unable to find despite trying all possible means was brought about from an unexpected place.

“Mr Denis, do you remember me? It’s the peddler Kevin”

“Mr Kevin? Ah, yes I remember you, but… that cloak and flag… Mr Kevin, were you from the Gaegus company?”

“Yes, so you knew. Could it be that the stone that hit the covered wagon in the beginning was from you, Mr Denis?”

“Yes that’s right. Our ambush had been exposed and it seems these guys intended to turn a blind eye after discovering the Gaegus company flag, you see. I thought it was a good opportunity to have them put out of business. Sorry”

“Denis! So it really was your doing!”

It appears that Kevin was acquainted with Denis as well. A hunter of a village where Kevin had gone for peddling. It certainly was not strange for them to know of each other.

Kevin continued the conversation as is.

Information on the bandits, information on the hideout and what to do about Alice’s brother.

Leaving behind Yuuji who was still in a daze, Kevin seemed to have gotten information. By the way, the escort leader was Yuuji.

“Aias, please silence him”

Kevin shifted his attention to the bandit who was denouncing Denis’s betrayal.

It appears that this man is coldhearted to bandits.

Kotarou barked once as if to agree. Silence the outsider, she seemingly wanted to say. There was a person who is coldhearted to bandits here as well it seems. She is a dog though.

“I see, you recognized the flag. So you’re saying you wanted to have us deal with the attacking bandits and, if things go well, crush the hideout and save Charles-kun”

“That’s right, I beg of you!”

“Yuuji-nii! Mister Kevin! Mister Salomon! Sa- save Charles-nii!”

“Alice…”

Alice, who was snuggling on Denis turned her head, looking out over the group.

They finally found information on her family. With tears in her eyes, Alice requested Yuuji, Kevin and Salomon.

Did her sorrowful shout reach him? Finally Yuuji restarted and stood up.

“That’s right, lord Yuuji. Leave your worries of losing your virginity. Lord Yuuji, lord Kevin, what will we do?”

Salomon called out to Yuuji and Kevin.

Salomon was the Premie city adventurers guild master, but he accompanied them for the sake of escorting the elven girl Riese. He took a step back and urged the two to make a decision.

“Mr Denis, what about the number of bandits in the hideout? Are there hostages other than Charles-kun? What kind of place is the hideout?”

“Leaving out Charles, there are eight people in the hideout. Only Charles has been taken hostage. There hasn’t been much time yet since moving here. The hideout was originally a cave and was dug and expanded”

“Hum, if that’s all then we can manage I suppose. Mr Denis, the ones in charge of searching enemies in this group are outstanding, you know. How did you hide yourself?”

“Aah. These guys are “Mud rats”. When in ambush or an attack, they would erase their smell by smearing themselves with mud. And then they deceive your eyes by putting on grass like this. … If I can discover the other side first with my ears and nose and hide myself, then I would hardly make any noise”

“I see, so Mr Denis is safe with that. Charles-kun is taken hostage right? Moreover… Mr Denis, beside your right eye, they injured your right hand as well, didn’t they?”

“… Yes. My other eye, my ears and nose. And as long as my feet can move it’ll be fine, they said. Well, as long as I work, Charles will live”

“Mister Denis…”

It was three and half years since Alice’s village was attacked.

The hunter and wolfkin Denis was valued for his enemy searching abilities and was left alive. Charles seemed to be taken hostage to make Denis work for them.

“Well then, there won’t be any problems if they’re not lying in wait, isn’t it?”

Kevin dropped his line of sight and looked at Kotarou.

Kotarou barked once as if to answer that. I guess, I’ll know when they take action, he seemingly said.

“Next would be how to save Charles-kun…”

They had insufficient information to decide whether to crush the hideout and save Alice’s brother or abandon him.Kevin got information on the mud rats from the wolfkin Denis.

“I will return to the hideout, you could attack after that. I will put my life on the line and protect Charles from the inside. That’s why I beg of you!”

“ … Won’t they suspect you?”

“Alice, Alice too please! Alice will go bang with magic after all!”

The conversation between Kevin and Denis continued.

It was something Kevin was accustomed with, no matter how cooperative the other party was.

And then the ominous words that came from Alice.

Kotarou looked at Alice and barked twice. Alice, your brother will die too then, you know, said her shocked look.

If it’s a cavern-type hideout then Alice’s fire magic would surely beagle to exterminate them in one shot. Alice’s area type fire magic had enough power to wrap half of the goblin and orc settlement in flames. It would without a doubt be a massacre.

“Circumstances where they won’t suspect you… Ooh, that’s right! Okay, that will work. …Mr Yuuji. We will go crush the hideout and save Charles-kun. Will that be fine with you?”

It appears that a solution came up where Denis would not be suspected even if he returned.

With this, they must have devised a plan to save Alice’s brother and crush the hideout. Kevin entrusted Yuuji with the decision.

No matter how much Kevin took the lead, the person in charge of the group was Yuuji, who was the elven escort leader. Well, their escort target Riese was completely ignored though.

Hearing Kevin’s question, Yuuji took a deep breath.

“Alice’s brother… Alright Mr Kevin. Let’s decide who attacks and who remain here”

With a pale face, Yuuji declared.

*woof* Kotarou cried and nestled up close to Yuuji’s legs. You said that well Yuuji, she seemingly said, praising him.

“Mr Yuuji, let’s decide quickly. Mr Enzo is investigating our surroundings, so I don’t think there are any survivors, but…”

They had been attacked by bandits, but they were not repelling, but exterminating them, Kevin once again informed.

Yuuji looked pale.

“That’s right. First of all I will go. We will let Alice and Riese wait here”

“Yuuji-nii! Alice, Alice will go too!”

‘We’re rescuing Alice’s brother, right? Then Riese will do that too!’

“No you can’t. You two, please leave it to me and wait here quietly. Isn’t that right, Mr Salomon?”

“Lord Yuuji, please tell little miss Riese. That as her escort, I cannot permit her that. Little miss Alice too… It will be one thing if we don’t have enough hands, but this time we should have enough. And besides, I don’t want you to feel shaken when something happens. You two will remain together with me”

Salomon leaned over and put his hands on the shoulders of the two girls and gently calmed them down. He was a gentle man. But he should have at least wiped away the spurts of blood stuck on his face. Contrary to his worrying words, his appearance was that of a criminal attacking two beautiful girls. It was concerning.

“Mr Yuuji, I will be going as well. They have attacked my former peddling destination and this time we have been attacked directly after all. I can’t turn a blind eye to this”

“Mr, Mr Kevin…?”

Kevin smiled broadly and joined the assault group.

Yuuji felt drawn back from Kevin whose atmosphere was different than usual.

“Well, Aias will stay to manage the horses and carriage as well as guarding the group that remains. Mr Salomon is there, so the fighting power of the remaining group should be plenty enough like that”

Did she approve of Kevin’s idea? *gao* Kotarou barked gallantly. She already had her teeth uncovered, as if saying “I’m going”. She was brimming with intent to kill.

“Lord Yuuji. Next ones should look human too. Don’t hesitate, you hear? They attacked little miss Alice’s village, kidnapped her family and have been killing travelers and peddlers until now. We’re also rescuing a child, but… If this road becomes no longer passable, then eventually the city of Premie will dry up. Please make sure to kill them. These are my words as Premie city adventurers guild master”

With eyes locked to Yuuji, Salomon told him.

As if his purpose was to dispel Yuuji’s feelings of guilt.

Yuuji’s face looked unwell, but he must have understood what Salomon was trying to say. He faintly moved his head and nodded.

Who will be going to destroy the bandit hideout were Yuuji, Kotarou, Kevin, one of Kevin’s escorts and Enzo; a total of four people and a dog.

The group to remain consisted of Alice, Riese, one of Kevin’s escorts, Salomon and Yurshelle.

Their trip from Premie city to the royal capital, the fifth year.

The fifth year since Yuuji came to this world.

Finally Yuuji was going to fight human beings.

No, he had already given up his virginity though. Once again an interpersonal fight, moreover it still was different when it comes to killing intent.