18 First of all, no, definitely.

Lately I've been waking up with sore muscles, but this time I woke up with a headache.

Did you call Obaba yet?

Yes, she should be here any minute.

I can't see very well. There's a lot of noise around me.

It's kind of animalistic.

Hey, I'm awake. Can you hear me?

Someone's approaching. Who is it?

I go back in my memory. I discover a rare forest with Mr. Van, ...... and then .......

I said, "Can you hear me?

I've got a headache.

What the hell are these guys?

The sight of them startled me into consciousness.

You're surrounded by several people.

But the people in front of you now look like humans, and they don't look like humans at all.

They have black hair, red eyes, ears covered in animal-like fur, and bushy tails.

A tail ......?

I think Ilias said that there are subhumans called elves in this world.

I'm sure you'll be able to figure out what you need to do.

Should I be concerned about the fact that my arms are tied behind my back and I'm being rolled around?

Hmm, that's it.

It's called kidnapping.

I'm sorry, but could you explain the situation to me?

What the f*ck is he talking about?

Well, he's talking about something. ......

Hmm?

I don't know what he's saying.

"Don't you understand what I'm saying?　I mean no harm. Would you mind untying me?

You're accusing me of something. ......

I don't get it.

I don't think he's communicating. Is it possible that the possession spell has worn off?

It's been six days since the possession spell was used when he was captured, and it's more likely if he's been unconscious for close to a day.

No, wait. We don't speak their language, but we understand theirs.

It's not Japanese, so they should be able to understand us.

Uh, what did Maja say about possession? .......

"It's a technique that doesn't have a name. It's a technique that doesn't have a name. It involves temporarily possessing a spirit, incorporating the target's consciousness, translating it into a common language, and then speaking it. When you receive the message, it is transmitted according to the consciousness of the other person.

Or something like that.

Haha, I see.

So my words are translated into the common language, but the recipient's words are translated so that I can understand them.

This possession does not make you able to speak English or hear English.

Does it allow me to speak English and hear all languages?

It's more useful than I thought it would be, but I can't say I've ever found it half-useless at times!

"She has black hair like us, but she's not from our clan. You're a demon, aren't you?

I shake my head.

One of the men notices.

"He just shook his head. Can you understand me?

He nods, and the others notice.

"Who are you? Tell me.

I don't speak the language.

What are you talking about?　If you understand our language, speak it.

He shakes his head.

You don't speak our language by any chance?

No, of course not. If you understood our language, you would speak it.

You shake your head.

You're saying you know the language but you can't speak it.

He nods.

"Hmm, what do you mean? ...... You don't look like you're lying, but ...... I'll leave it to Obaba.

I wonder if Obaba is some kind of elder in this village.

Fortunately, she doesn't seem to be an unapologetic barbarian like the cannibals.

If you can communicate well with them, you may be able to bring them to the negotiating table.

After a while, an old man wearing a lot of ornaments appeared.

He has lost some of his hair color, but it is gray rather than white.

The boy, isn't he still a child?

"A hunter found him and captured him. They say there was another one nearby, but he had disappeared by the time they noticed him.

Thank you for explaining the situation.

So it's possible that Mr. Van was able to hide well when we were attacked.

The chances of him coming to our aid are - well, half. The rest will have to go back and call for help.

Considering Mr. Van's character, there's a good chance that he'll ask Grandpa Kara for help.

Also, it seems to understand our language, but it only speaks to us in words we don't know.

"Hmm, that's odd. Let's have a look.

Obaba, as she is known, puts her hand on my forehead.

I've seen this before, maybe with Maja.

I've seen this scene before, maybe with Maaya. "Oh, she's possessed by a spirit. ...... I see, so this is how ......

Obaba's hands glowed and a kind of heat flowed into my head.

What do you think, kid?

Have you tampered with the ...... possession technique?

It's talking, it's talking!

It seems we can communicate now.

Some of you have created some interesting magic. "Some of you have created some interesting spells, but you have a different way of getting your thoughts out than we do. I imbued the spirits with my magic.

"Can't you also play with the ...... side effects?

I'm sorry, but there was a strange distortion. I'm sorry, but that's all I could do. The person who cast the spell is very good.

Maja, if you're so good, please tell me how to deal with muscle pain.

If you're so great, please tell me how to get rid of my sore muscles soon. If you've put in the magic, does that mean we can talk for a while longer? Thank God for that.

If you can speak, you can speak quickly. We mean you no harm. If you have any questions, we'll answer them if we can.

And so began our communication with them.

They are a race called the Kuro Wolves, and are said to be slightly different from humans.

They migrated to this hidden forest to escape from the Demon King who tried to fill the world with fear and destruction a long time ago, blocked the way, and have been living in secret until now.

That is their origin.

I received a good number of questions as well.

How did they get to this place from the outside?

Where did the other one go?

Is the outside world still alive?

I answered everything to the best of my knowledge.

There is no more Demon Lord. ...... That's ridiculous.

"I don't know for sure. But since he disappeared a long time ago, there has been no new Demon Lord, and now humans are building countries and living on this continent.

I'm not sure what to make of that.

I heard that the Kuro Demon King was killed by a slime.

I'm not going to say that.

I answered the basic questions honestly.

I don't know if he's still hiding around, or if he's gone back, so there's no problem in telling him.

I'm not the kind of person who just abandons his friends. He's not a man of great valor, so there's a good chance he'll come back to gather his people.

How ...... is that supposed to be a fight?

The young people buzzed.

"No, we can prevent that. Fortunately, if you're still alive, you can persuade your friends to help you. It's my fault for going into the forest without permission.

Don't you want me to let you go now?

That would make you uneasy. I'll try to persuade you in front of you so that you'll feel safe. So I'm going to stay in the village for a while, if that's all right with you?

"Very well. But would you mind doing me a favor while you're here?

Depends. I want to hear it.

We've lived in this forest for a long time, cut ourselves off from the outside world. But our clan is slowly declining. ...... We feel that it will be difficult to survive permanently in this small forest.

So you wish to interact with the humans outside?

Yes. The boy understands both our language and the language of the outsiders. Can you help me bridge the gap?

That's fine. Many of the plants in this forest are valuable. If there are people who can work there, there will be many who will help.

Trade with the indigenous people is disparate.

However, looking at the Tarzan nation and their merchant, Mr. Van, I don't think they'll do so badly.

"However, I don't want you to do everything for me. I'll bridge the gap, but I'll let your representative handle the negotiations.

Okay, then.

Obaba, are you sure about this?

"This man has never lied to me. You can trust him.

Is he one of those people who can tell a lie from a lie, or does he have some kind of technique?

I'm jealous, because I'm too busy trying to get around to being fooled.

How long was I unconscious?

"Only a few hours. The sun hasn't set yet. Well, I'm sorry.

Apparently this is the man who attacked you.

No, it would've been difficult to communicate even if he'd spoken to me. Considering his other partner, it is possible that the two of them ran away together and later gathered others. In that case, the negotiations could have become complicated. In that sense, it was not all bad.

"Oh, really?

If you don't mind, I'd like to see some of the village life. It's necessary for our understanding.

Then he showed me around the village.

The houses are somewhat old-fashioned.

There seemed to be some fields a little further away.

In the center of the village is a square where people are gathering, sharing the fruits and beasts of the day's harvest.

You can hunt beasts even though it's surrounded by forest?

"The beasts can cross the mountains. They sometimes come down and attack livestock, so I have to search the forest every day.

I see.

And then I hear the sound of wooden tools clashing.

By the square, men are training with wooden sticks in their hands.

Their movements are much faster than the bandits.

Compared to knights, they seem to be more flexible but less skilled.

I don't think you need to train that much against a beast.

"We don't know when the Demon Lord's army will come. That's why we have to train ourselves as warriors every day.

That's the kind of village we live in.

It's an isolated village, but the population seems to be more than a hundred.

Occasionally there are people who stare at us with interest, but their eyes are often filled with curiosity rather than fear or anxiety.

You're very tolerant of outsiders, aren't you?

That's because the village already knows what's going on.

So everyone is at the level of neighbors. .......

The more the population grows, the less people want to be actively involved with others.

Of course, not all people are involved in their own lives.

However, in a village of this size, the number of people you meet is finite and can be counted.

That is why communication with each other is essential, and we can live as one family.

I suppose this is one way to live.

As a person who is not good at socializing, this may be painful to hear.

After that, the guide took me from place to place in the village, and I was able to get some general information.

Finally, the guide took us to the entrance of the village.

The sky was already red, so it was unlikely that he would be able to show us around, and it would be a shame to make him worry about running away.

I looked around roughly, trying not to show too much interest.

"......?

Suddenly, you see a group of children by the entrance.

The noisy kids are picking up rocks and branches and throwing them into something outside the entrance.

I wonder if it is a garbage dump or something, but it looks like it could hold people.

It is too distorted to be called a hut, and looks like a rubble of trees and straw put together at random.

What about over there?

Oh, you'd better stay away from there. You might get cursed.

Cursed? What's so dangerous about it?

Yeah, it's a nest of abominations.

Abomination?

Just as I thought that, something appeared out of it.

At first, I was almost disgusted by the sight, which reminded me of vagrants or poverty-stricken people I see abroad.

But when I saw the whole figure, I felt its beauty and gasped.

Her hair was unkempt and overgrown, yet it was pure white and seemed to be clear.

She wore rags that could not even be called clothes, and her whole body was stained with mud, but her skin was white.

I'm not sure what to make of it, but I'm sure it's a good idea.

That's .......

The girl who was called the Abominable Child looked at the children fearfully.

The children screamed loudly and threw stones and sticks at her.

The girl hurriedly retreated into the rubble.

And the sound of children's laughter.

That's not all. The adults around her are smiling and watching over the children.

What the hell is this?

My vision wobbles.

The smiles of the villagers are weird.

I'm no stranger to this feeling.

Oh, I've had this feeling in Japan, too: .......

Come on, let's go back. The sun is setting. The sun is setting.

Why is that girl in that place?

Why? Because she's an abomination. Didn't you see her?

The man leading the way tilted his head curiously.

He closes his eyes and exhales.

He just doesn't understand anything.

Then he's not the one you should be listening to.

He turns his gaze once more to the rubble and goes to Obaba.

"Have you had a look around the village?

"Yes, and I have one question. It's about the girl called Abominator. Why is she considered an abomination?

She's a cursed child. You saw her peculiar appearance. Old men have white in their hair. But even an old man like me has this. His hair has an eerie quality that suggests death.

Resist the urge to argue and urge it on.

"It was born out of the blue with black wolf parents. When it was born, its mother lost her life. His father tried to raise him but the beast woke him within days and he never returned. The next day, the trees and plants around him withered away, and he could not leave it behind. He could not take the warrior's life for fear of the curse that might befall him if he took it. That is why I let him live outside the village and gave him the fate to take care of the evil that comes into this village.

It's bad luck, so you want to use it to ward off evil?

I have no other use for it.

I don't like it. I don't like it, but it's not the right place to vent it.

You get up and try to leave the house.

Don't have anything to do with it. The boy will be in for a world of hurt. Besides, it's late and I can't guarantee your safety outside the village.

"Don't worry. I'm not leaving this village. And I'll see to it with my own eyes.

Do what you will. You'll see for yourself.

I reach the entrance of the village with the returned torch in my hand.

If I go in with it, it might cause a fire, so I put it out.

In this moonlight, it won't be too much trouble.

You proceed to a place that seems to be the entrance to the rubble.

It stinks. It smells like a garbage dump, like rotting raw food.

There are animal entrails and dirty fruit lying at my feet.

They must have left the remainder of the meal they had distributed in the evening here.

Still, that's no reason to stop.

I peer into the rubble.

There was the girl.

On a bed of straw, looking at the moon from a hole in the ground.

The moonlight also illuminated her, and her white hair and skin seemed to glow as if they were luminous.

Her appearance was no less than the fantastic sight I had felt when I first came to this world.

"Hey!

Hey!

At that moment, the girl noticed me and shouted.

She shakes her head from side to side and retreats deeper into the rubble.

Tears welled up in her frightened eyes.

It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you.

I call out to the girl, but she continues to make inarticulate noises and tries to move away from me.

No, no.

Obaba said something about this girl's parents both dying soon after she was born.

And she's lived her whole life avoiding interaction.

It's not that she's too scared to speak. She doesn't know the language.

She's a black wolf too, so I was foolish to think she could speak.

Now the flaws of possession magic came to light.

This spell is used on domestic animals and has the effect of making them 'understand words' and 'put their intentions into words'.

But if you are dealing with someone who doesn't know the language, there is nothing to understand.

They don't know the words to express their will.

If you had used possession on this girl, you could have communicated with her. But it doesn't work when you're the one being used.

How frustrating. There's no way to communicate with .......

I see. ......

Thinking to that point, I understood why the girl was trembling.

This girl had been experiencing this frustration since she was born.

All she knew was that the people in her village hated her.

They say something to her, but she doesn't know what it means.

They just keep persecuting me.

I had no way of knowing why I was being treated this way or why I was being allowed to live.

I was just living in fear.

That's why she trembles when someone calls out to her.

The girl keeps her distance, but she doesn't run away. She can't run.

Her legs are chained to a huge stake at the end of them.

Her feet are stained with a great deal of blood, whether from scrapes or repeated attempts to escape.

He is not treated as a person. Not even livestock.

My eyes burn. My vision blurs.

You can't possibly understand all the pain this girl has gone through.

And yet I can feel the girl's horrible past as if it were coming to life.

I can't stop crying.

Unable to hold back, I embrace the girl who tries to keep her distance.

The girl is stiff, screaming and struggling, her body is cold.

The girl's body is cold. "You must have been lonely, you must have been in pain, you must have been scared, don't be stupid. ...... Nobody has the right to send you to live like this. I'm sure you wanted to sue, I'm sure you were frustrated, I'm sure you were alone in this world where you couldn't even ask for help. ...... f*ck you!

When was the last time you stopped crying like a child?

When did I stop crying like a child? When the world felt so dry that I could not even spare the effort to cry anymore.

There are things in this world that don't come true. There are things that might have come true.

There are things that only you could have done.

I pretended that I had gotten it over with.

I thought that I should be as strong as I could be, and that it would be enough if I could live a safe life.

This girl shattered the wall that I had unconsciously built.

The anger and sadness that I had been suppressing and covering up deep inside overflowed out.

I want to shed a few tears on her behalf.

I want to tell the world that she was in pain.

Even if it makes no sense, even if it's hypocritical.

"Oh, oh, oh, oh!

He hugs the girl and sobs.

The girl is terrified, but she sees this and begins to react differently.

She must have understood that I was crying and screaming.

That's all the girl knows.

So the girl raised her voice in response.

We shed tears and cried together.

I'll tell you what.

"The subhumans got my boy!

Van tried to rescue him when he was kidnapped, but after estimating the number and the difference in their abilities, he hurried back to Tarz.

If it was just one or two, he would have gone to great lengths to rescue them, but there were too many.

He judged that there was no sign of an immediate execution and chose to call for help.

He chose to call for help from Karagyugyesta-Dmitorkovkorn, who knew him and was a close friend of Ban.

As soon as he explained the situation, Karagyugyesta immediately ran out and called out to Ragdoll's team.

There were only ten of them, but it was enough to get the job done.

The population of the village was about a hundred, and only about half of them were capable of fighting properly.

If it were an ordinary knightly order, there would be some concerns, but with Ragdoll's troop, there would be none.

"All right, let's go!

Speaking of which, have you reported to Sir Raggedy-doo?

That can wait!　The boy's life comes first!

It's not that I'm afraid of being stopped by my boss.

Lord Raggedy would definitely tell me to organize a rescue team.

In fact, he would surely scold me if I took my time to report.

The knights ran out of the castle gates and rode away on horses, followed by a van.

I'm not sure how the Iliad can be caught off duty at a time like this. ......!

I've arranged for one of my men to search for Master Ilias and explain the situation.

Good. The Iliad would have come faster than a horse on his own feet!

Karagyuglesta is a member of the Yugra religion, but he is not a regular believer.

But for now, he had to pray.

He was resourceful. But his weakness is first-rate.

"Stay safe, kid. ......!

"Stay safe, boy!

After crying for a while, he realized that he had been holding the girl and released her.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Sorry.

He told the girl that even if she couldn't understand him, she could still make sense of his intentions.

And the girl shakes her head.

She shook her head.

"...... did you just shake your head?

Now she nodded.

"Do you understand the language?

He nodded.

He nodded, then grunted in an inarticulate voice.

--I wonder why.

This girl is not supposed to know words.

But suddenly she understands my words.

I'm looking for the same thing in past memories.

Observe the girl.

And reach for her hair.

She's no longer frightened, she's quietly watching.

The girl's hair, which you touch, has not been washed for a long time.

It is stiff, sebum-stained, and covered with dandruff.

But still, in the moonlight, her hair seems to glow.

No, it's luminescent, without embellishment.

From my memory and experience, a guess came to my mind.

I can't be sure, but I'm sure it's right.

The girl is looking at me with interest.

It's no wonder. A girl who didn't know how to speak suddenly had someone she could communicate with.

Fortunately, the girl knows how to shake her head.

She had probably observed the villagers and learned the meaning of the action.

I remembered that she was shaking her head when we entered this place.

This is what a girl who was never taught anything had to learn the hard way.

The only way to defend herself.

He grabbed the girl by the shoulders and said to her with a surprised expression.

"Do you want to get out of this village?

The girl froze for a moment, but then nodded.

The girl froze for a while, but then nodded. Of course, he was going to get her out of here even without hearing her answer.

But the girl now has a trauma in her life that she can't shake.

If we just force her out of here, she'll probably carry the scars for the rest of her life.

In order to get rid of it, she needs to overcome the trauma with her own hands.

I couldn't think of a way to do that until I got here.

When I found out she couldn't communicate, I thought I could force her.

But now this girl is willing.

I wonder if there's a better way, not that I can't see a glimmer of hope, but I need certainty.

"Quiet.

And suddenly a voice came from behind me.

My heart leaps out of my mouth, I am so shaken.

Who was it, how long had they been there, and did they hear what I just said?

...... No, this voice.

Don't scare me, Mr. Van.

I'm not sure what to make of this.

I'm not sure what to make of it.

He was dressed like a common bandit in the fantasy world.

Compared to the bandits, his outfit was a bit more luxurious.

I'm here to help. Just as I was about to go into hiding, I heard the ...... sound of a man crying from here.

I'm not sure if you've heard that or not.

I've been crying my eyes out for ages, and my acquaintances have found out!

This is the only way to get rid of it.

Please don't tell anyone.

"By the way, Karagyuguesta-sama and his ragdoll team are already waiting outside the forest.

You're very fast. Ilias is also here.

But Ilias is suddenly off duty, and I couldn't follow his footsteps. ...... I'm sure one of his men will have told him by now. ......

That might have been a good thing.

I think the Iliad would have gone in head on and made a big mess by now.

Then let's get out of here.

"No, wait.

No, wait," I said, stopping Mr. Ban and telling him about the talk with the Kuro Wolves.

I see, they have already agreed to peace and trade. ...... In that case, we'd better pick you up tomorrow.

"Yes, though they will have to wait for the night. ......

All right. I'll ask them to stay in the cave.

Normally, they should leave the village as soon as possible to reassure Grandpa and the others who had come to worry about them, but Mr. Ban wanted to look beyond that.

That's why this proposal went through easily.

There is also something I would like to ask you all.

What is it?

It's about this girl. ...... Hey, don't be afraid.

The girl was frightened of Mr. Van.

The girl is trembling in the corner of the room, terrified of Mr. Van.

"Is the bandit style not well received?

"No, actually.

I tell her the story of the girl and that I want to make her independent from this village.

"Oh, oh, oh!

Mr. Van cried too.

He's a good man.

"I see, I understand. Perhaps if we explain this to Karagyugyesta, he will help us!

"Yes, and Mr. Van, there's something you should know first...

With Mr. Ban's appearance, the idea that had been pending in my mind became a reality.

And with Mr. Van's approval, the plan would be implemented tomorrow.

I need to get back. My clothes are very dirty from hugging the girl, and I smell bad.

There's a water hole, I think, so we'll clean up there.

As I was leaving, the girl was staring at me.

She looks straight into my anxious eyes and smiles.

Don't worry, I'm going to set you free.

Ever since I became accustomed to living a safe life, I've preferred to take a step back.

He avoided standing out, and even when he did move, he took the stance of pushing someone forward.

I'm sure that even Grandpa Kara and Mr. Ban could save this girl.

If you want to be sure, you can leave it to these two.

But then I thought...

I've made up my mind.

I want to save this girl, and I want to do it with my own hands.

Maybe I'll stray from the path of safe living.

No, not really.

Choosing a path that I don't regret is also a safe choice that keeps my mind stable.

So, for once, I'll say the words that I usually avoid.

"I" will give you freedom.

He swore to the girl, using the first person in his words.