Volume 12 - CH 9

Warning, contains depictions of cruelty.

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“Mr Yuuji, sorry to have kept you waiting!”

“Mr Kevin!”

“Leave the talk for later! The styptic medicine!”

Yuuji and co, having annihilated the bandit group, were inside the cave that was their hideout.

The wolfkin Denis risked his life to protect Alice’s brother Charles.

Being led by Kotarou, Kevin arrived at where Yuuji’s party were doing medical treatment in order to save the injured and bleeding Denis.

Kevin quickly looked around and grasped the situation from Yuuji and the scout Enzo’s words. Although he understood he seemed to be called as he was pulled by the clothes by Kotarou, he had not grasped the full situation. Since Kotarou could not speak.

Kevin took several medicines from his waist pouch. While moving his own hands, he gave instructions to both Enzo and Yuuji.

Kotarou, having brought Kevin, approached Alice’s brother Charles. Slowly approached, as if saying I’m not scary, I’m your ally. 

When Kotarou reached him, she softly held his sleeve and pulled. Go look at Denis, is what she seemingly wanted to say.

“Guh!”

While groaning sometimes, Denis received treatment. His breathing became shallow and gradually weaker.

“ ...Denis”

With a hoarse voice, Charles called out to Denis.

“Charles, you’ve, come, back”

“Don’t talk! Stay silent if you don’t want to die!”

Former third rank adventurer, the scout of “Dark Green Wind” Enzo called out to Denis with a strong tone. The man who was thought to be treated as an easy mark but won Yvonne-chan’s heart was surprisingly warm-hearted it seems.

“Denis”

Charles spoke Denis’s name somewhat clearer than before.

Hearing that voice, the lying Denis’s mouth curved in a smile.

“Even your fangs…”

Kevin, who had spread the styptic medicine onto the wound, frowned. He slightly saw Denis’s teeth from his laugh. The fangs that wolfkins were supposed to have. The canine, of which he should have a total of four, had all been pulled out.

Ignoring Kevin’s words, Denis moved his left arm and touched Charles’s hand.

“Charles, bear in mind. Wolfkins you see… If they have no weapons then with nails. If no nails then with fangs. If no fangs then with their whole body.  Fighting for the sake of protecting their pack and killing even if they die is the pride of a wolfkin”

Staring at Charles’s eyes, Denis told him.

As if they were words of his last moments.

“That’s why, yes, I’m glad I was, able to protect you."

Said Denis and peacefully closed his eyes. His left arm which was touching Charles’s hand feebly fell on the ground with a flop.

“Denis!”

Charles’s shout resounded in the gloomy cave.

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“Mr Kevin, how is he?”

“The rest depends on Mr Denis’s strength. Wolfkins have tough bodies, but how much strength does he have left living with the bandits…”

“Mr Yuuji, it will be fine. He was talking until the end where he fainted. Dying people would get much weaker, you see?”

Yuuji, Kevin, Enzo and Kotarou walked out of the cavern that was the bandit hideout.

After Denis’s words, Kevin forcibly made him drink a medicine, and it seems that, for the time being, he finished what he could do here.

The male wolfkin Denis was carried in Kevin’s arms.It was the princess's carry. A princess’s carry by a middle-aged man for a middle-aged man.

Enzo put notable luggage into a knapsack which he found on a rough inspection of the cave interior and carried it on his back. He is a looter. No that was not it. When defeating bandits, the items will belong to the people who defeated them. Of course, procedures like application and proof of defeating them was necessary though.

Yuuji was carrying Alice’s brother Charles in his arms. Denis revealed he broke, but the boy’s eyes held a certain light of reason as he shouted his name. Catching Charles in his arms as he collapsed from having exhausted his strength, Yuuji continued carrying him. Strangely, just like the time Yuuji found Alice.

Kotarou was empty-handed. To begin with, she had no hands. She is a magnificent quadruped.

In any case. The three exited the cave that was the bandit’s hideout.

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“Huh?”

“What’s wrong, Mr Yuuji?”

“Mr Kevin, what happened with the bandit?”

Having exited the hideout, Yuuji asked Kevin.

In front of the cave that became the battle stage.

There were no figures of people nor collapsed bandits; all that was waiting there was Kevin’s exclusive escort Ianis.

“Yes, I asked Ianis to do the cleaning up. Ianis, there were no problems are there?”

“Yes, the necessary things have been gathered”

“Good work. Now everyone, let’s go”

Said Kevin, and he started walking.

Snorting her nose, Kotarou turned her head and gave a look to Kevin which seemingly wanted to say something. It seems she wanted to say I see, so we’re doing that then, alright. She was a considerate woman. She was a dog though.

Joining with Kevin’s exclusive escort who was waiting at the entrance of the hideout, the group returned to the carriage.

Along with Ianis carrying his cloak as a substitute for a wrapping cloth, wrapping up several of something with the size of a bowling ball.

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“Charles-nii! Yuuji-nii!”

‘Yuuji-nii! You saved him! Is he safe!?’

“Alice! Riese!”

Two girls jumped out of the carriage that was standing at the road cut.

Alice ran off as fast as she could, to Yuuji and Charles who was carried in Yuuji’s arms.

Riese ran after Alice, towards Yuuji as well.

Yuuji, who greeted them, slowly lowered his waist so as to not shake Charles, slightly tilted his arms to show Alice Charles’s face.

“Alice, I think Charles-kun will be fine. Right now he’s tired and sleeping, so wait for him a bit”

“Yup! Yup! Cha- Charles-nii~”

While nodding to Yuuji and crying, Alice hugged Yuuji along with Charles. Softly so as to not wake Charles up. It seems she was worried even in a reunion with her brother in three years. A considerate girl she is.

‘Alice-chan, I’m glad for you…’

Even the elven girl Riese, who was watching the reunion of a family, shed tears. She is a gentle girl. The person herself too was out on her own for more than four months ever since she was being protected in autumn though.

“Ah! Yuuji-nii, what about mister Denis!?”

Alice asked Yuuji as if she suddenly recalled.

Yuuji casted his eyes down and, while searching for words, answered Alice.

“Mr Denis is… hurt. That’s why, Alice, let’s make sure to prepare to depart quickly and arrive at the inn town tomorrow. We have to get medical treatment for Mr Denis”

“Okay! Alice will get ready! But Yuuji-nii, call me when Charles-nii wakes up! Absolutely call me, okay!?”

Fretting, Alice started running back to the carriage.

It seems she had given up watching over Charles for Denis’s sake. She was a kind girl. But then again, most of the preparations for departure were already done by Salomon and one of Kevin’s exclusive escorts who had stayed behind though.

On the fifth day of the trip, they will continue on a little more, get off the road cut and camp as planned.

Tomorrow they will descend the mountains, ride on the road to the royal capital, towards the final inn town.

The group moved forward with the carriage.

Next to the covered wagon was fastened three cloaks that substituted in cloth wraps, wrapping something the size of a bowling ball.

The cloaks being slightly damp must surely be due to its contents. Due to something that has the size of a bowling ball, but with a more crooked shape.

It appears that the cloak which was the symbol of Gaegus company comes with color this way. The deodorizing effect certainly is indispensable.