Chapter 8.3

“Will you cooperate with the Sorey family, Yuuki-sama?”

“I will.”

In the carriage, I was talking to Martha.

“If we join hands with the Sorey family, we can avoid conflict with the other nobles. It would be better for us not to cause trouble for Father.”

“As expected of Yuuki-sama. You’ve thought of everything.”

Another reason is for me to get to know how to be an ordinary noble.

I am still a novice at being human, after all.

If I force myself to pretend to be an ordinary noble, I might get found out.

But if I were with the Sorey family’s Odette Sorey and imitated her, I would be able to live like a human in the ‘Magic Guild’.

‘Master. There are monsters up ahead.’

Suddenly, Dick flew in through the window.

‘There are Dark Wolves at the end of the road. They seem to have been waiting for the carriage.’

“Please stop the carriage. There are monsters up ahead. Signal the carriages around us!!”

“Y-Yes!!”

The coachman took his whistle and blew on it.

Three times short. Two times long. This is the signal for the appearance of a monster.

Dark Wolf is a wolf with a body larger than the average human adult.

They have jet-black body hair and attack people under the cover of dusk. They are carnivorous and ferocious. And they also move fast.

Well, if they are trying to surround the carriages… It will be troublesome.

“I’ll be back in a bit. Take care of Martha for me.”

“Eh? No, Yuuki-sama can’t possibly be…”

“Take care. Yuuki-sama!”

I jumped out of the carriage.

The Sorey family’s soldiers are surveying their surroundings with swords in their hands.

“Monsters, they say!? They’re nowhere to be found!!”

“The illegitimate son of the Baron family… is giving a false alarm.”

“Since you say there are monsters, then tell us exactly where they are!!”

“Three are three Dark Wolves up ahead. The distance is ten minutes by carriage. But that’s a diversion. The main pack of Dark Wolves will be attacking from both sides. They are probably planning to attack from both sides while we are distracted by the enemies in front of us. It’s hard to see them because they are hiding in the grass. Be careful.”

‘‘‘…Skii-Skkiiiitttt?’’’

This is due to ‘Ultrasonic Detection’ by my familiar bats.

It seems that the bats that received my ‘Magical Blood, Mistel Blood’ can now move whether it is day or night, and with their enhanced ultrasonic waves, they have the power to find hidden monsters.

“What Yuuki Grossalia just said is true. We have detected the monsters as well.”

Odette Sorey gets out of the carriage.

There is a woman wearing a light blue robe next to her. She is holding a staff. A mage, huh?

“Let me briefly introduce her. This is my private tutor.”

“…It’s amazing… that your familiar detected the monsters before we did. What kind of familiar…”

Just before she could finish that question, a green snake wrapped itself around the private tutor’s ankle.

She put her ear close to the snake’s mouth and nodded. So that is the private tutor’s familiar.

“…Our detection only found… three Dark Wolves troops. In terms of accuracy, we are no match for your familiar…”

“To think that they even know the monsters’ position. I wonder how smart Yuuki Grossalia’s familiar is.”

‘Dick has been praised?’

“Yeah. You did great.”

I stroked Dick’s head as he perched on my shoulder.

“Well, if it’s just Dark Wolves, I can handle them with my ‘Ancient Magic’. Soldiers, please prepare for the enemies in front.”

“What about me?”

“Yuuki Grossalia can… yes. Please help us distract our enemies.”

“Understood.”

The Dark Wolves coming from the front would be defeated by Odette Sorey and her private tutor’s magic.

Until then, the enemies on the left and right should be kept at bay.

As expected of a high-ranking noble. It makes sense.

“May I ask you something, Odette-sama?”

“What is it, Yuuki Grossalia?”

“How long does it take for an ordinary noble to defeat a group of monsters? Does it take at least an hour?”

“…Wha-!?”

Odette Sorey looked daggers at me.

“Are you doubting my capabilities? Are you saying that the Duke’s daughter, Odette, is only as good as the Dark Wolf?”

“No, that’s not it, I’m talking about a noble in general who can use magic.”

“In that case, it doesn’t take more than ten minutes for a noble to defeat a pack of Dark Wolves!”

“Ten minutes, huh?”

“That’s right! Someone from a Duke’s family would probably be able to take care of it in five minutes!”

I see.

A typical noble takes ten minutes. And five minutes for the Sorey family.

As someone from the Grossalia family who is aiming for the ‘Magic Guild’, I’ll take the middle and take care of it in seven and a half minutes.

“Understood. Then, I’m off.”

“Yes. Your familiar can confuse the enemies… Wait, you’re going in personally!?”

While still listening to Odette Sorey’s voice, I started running in my ‘Body Strengthening, Boosted’ state.

Seven and a half minutes to kill the Dark Wolves. The nobles in the present age are amazing.

It took the people in ‘Fila Village’ about twenty minutes to completely defeat ten Dark Wolves.

“I need to show a little bit of nobility. To be a proper human.”

‘Master!’

“I’ll take care of the Dark Wolves on the right. Dick, get their exact location!”

‘Understood’

As I listened to Dick’s reply, I went for ‘Body Strengthening, Boosted’ x2.

Let’s get it over with. I do not want to take too much time and have people be suspicious of me, “Are you really human? What’s taking so long?”.

I lowered my body and ran towards the grassland right beside the road.

Let me take care of the ones on the right.

With my ‘Body Strengthening, Boosted’ x2 state, I quickly closed in.

‘Grr!?’

The Dark Wolf that was hiding in the grass noticed me. But it was too late.

“One down.”

I thrust my dagger into the head of the first Dark Wolf.

The Dark Wolf shrieked and stopped moving.

Meanwhile, I erased one of the crests of the ‘Body Strengthening, Boosted’ spell and replaced it with ‘Fire God’s Relentless Barrage, Ifrit Blow’. Then I activated it.

Zudododododōntsu!!

‘Grr!?’ ‘Giieee!?’ ‘Grrrr!?’

The Dark Wolves that received a direct hit from the ‘Fire God’s Relentless Barrage, Ifrit Blow’ were blown off and burned.

This should be all for the right side.

‘Master.’ ‘My lord.’ ‘My liege.’

“Dick, Gale, Neal, how’s it going?”

‘As you instructed, we’ve restrained the Dark Wolves on the road.’ ‘Now look at this.’ ‘Look what we have found.’

“Let me see.”

When I jumped and looked down from the sky… I saw a Dark Wolf lying on the road.

There are countless cuts on its body.

It seems to have been cut by the wings of multiple ‘Body Strengthening, Boosted’ bats. Did they fatally injure the Dark Wolf? That is amazing.

A stone spear is flying towards the escaping Dark Wolf.

The magic of the Duke’s daughter, huh? Impressive.

“Well done. I’ll go ahead and defeat the Dark Wolves on the left side of the road.”

‘No. They’ve already escaped.’

“What?”

‘They must have noticed the shrieks and flames of their companions. And thought they could not win.’

“I’m going after them. Support me.”

I kicked the ground.

I used my ‘Flight’ skill to search for the Dark Wolves from the sky ── found them.

They are hiding in the tall grass, desperately trying to escape.

“Dick, Gale, Neal. Prevent them from escaping.”

‘‘‘Understood’’’

Dick and the others cut off the path of the Dark Wolves that were trying to escape.

The one that tried to get through collapsed as its chest got cut by wings.

The wings of the ‘Body Strengthening, Boosted’ bats are as hard and sharp as a blade.

“While they are distracted by Dick and the others, let’s get this over with.”

‘Giiiiieeeeee!?’

I attacked the Dark Wolf from behind.

‘We’ve got the enemies surrounded.’ ‘They’re in a panic.’ ‘I’ve found something that you might be interested in.’

Then ──

“…I failed, huh?”

It took us ten minutes to defeat them.

It is hard to pretend to be a human noble.

“…Hey. Isn’t that Yuuki Grossalia from the Grossalia family…”

“…I can’t believe it. I can’t believe that a noble, other than being able to use magic, can fight in such an amazing way.”

“…Odette-sama has formed an alliance with an outrageous opponent…”

I could hear the soldiers talking. Everyone is surprised.

That’s right. It took too long to defeat the Dark Wolves.

As an ally, I cannot help but feel unreliable…

It is really hard to pretend to be human.

“I’m sorry. Odette Sorey-sama.”

I returned to the carriage and bowed to the Duke’s daughter, Odette Sorey.

Odette Sorey is standing in front of the carriage, staring at me.

“……”

“It took me long enough to defeat the Dark Wolves. I’m embarrassed to say that it would take me ten minutes to defeat a monster that the Duke family can do in five minutes.”

“……”

“If you think I’m unreliable, I won’t complain even if you dissolve our alliance…”

“You…”

“Yes?”

“Do you remember what I said?”

“That the Sorey family can defeat a pack of Dark Wolves within five minutes of detecting them?”

“…My words were inadequate. I meant that the Duke family would be able to defeat the monsters within five minutes of ‘entering battle’ with them.”

“I’m sorry, I misunderstood.”

“Five minutes after detecting the monsters and exterminating them? That’s not something a human can do, right!? It’s very abnormal!! Please use your common sense!!”

“I’m a countryside noble, so I’m not familiar with the common sense of the capital. I will be careful from now on.”

I bowed honestly.

She is a surprisingly nice person. The Sorey family’s daughter, Odette Sorey.

And she even pointed out my mistakes.

“…I’ve misjudged your abilities. I had no idea that you were so powerful… If you’re this good, then you don’t need to form an alliance with me…”

“No, I’ve come to understand that I need Odette Sorey-sama’s help.”

“Eeehhh!?”

“By all means, please form an alliance with me. If possible, it would be helpful if you could teach me the common sense of a noble. Let’s aim to become Her Royal Highness’s knight escort together.”

“I’m rather interested in you.”

Meanwhile, Odette Sorey and I shook hands again.

‘Kyuu… Kyuu’

At the same time, I heard a chirp from my chest.

“Sorry. I forgot about you.”

I took out the little creature that I had hidden under my clothes.

It is a small fox with a silvery coat.

“What is that… creature?”

“I found her during the battle with the Dark Wolves. It seems to be the offspring of a fox that lives in this area. The other family members had been killed by the Dark Wolves.”

“…Could it be the ones we were attacked by?”

“We must have passed by when this fox family and the Dark Wolves were fighting. The Dark Wolves got drunk on the blood from killing her family and attacked us, too.”

“You say that like you’ve seen it.”

“…It’s just my imagination.”

“…Will she be okay? Even though she’s just a child, she’s still a wild animal, right?”

Odette Sorey reached out her hand to the fox timidly.

“She doesn’t bite, right?”

“She bit me.”

“She bit you!? Did you bleed!?”

“Yes. But she apologized right away. She won’t bite people unless I tell her to. By the way, her name is Remy.”

“You’re going to keep her!?”

“I’ll use her as a guard dog. After all, I’m worried about my maid while I’m at the ‘Magic Guild’.”

“…Well, it’s only natural for a mage to have familiars, but…”

“Thank you very much. Let’s go, Remy.”

‘Yes, Master.’

The silver fox, Remy, replied in human language.

When I had saved her earlier, Remy had bitten me in a panic.

At that time, this child licked my ‘Magical Blood, Mistel Blood’. That’s how I came to be able to communicate with her.

Then we talked it over, and eventually, I decided to take her into my care.

“I’m sorry for what has happened to your family. If only we had come here a little earlier.”

‘…Uuu’

“Let’s go back to the carriage for now. I’ll introduce you to Martha and the bats, Dick, Neal, and Gale. Also, I’ll give you some food.”

‘Thank you, Master.’

I returned to the carriage, holding the fox, Remy, in my arms.

“Odette-sama.”

“What’s the matter?”

“That fox has silver fur, doesn’t she?”

“Yes”

“Maybe she’s a higher fox species, the Silver Beofox?”

“The one that can use magic power to turn into a human?”

“Yes.”

“That’s impossible. The Silver Beofox can’t be tamed by humans, that’s for sure. Every mage has tried and failed to turn it into their familiar.”

“That’s right. And in any case, it takes a lot of magic power to turn into a human. It would take decades for that little fox to transform.”

“So she’s just a silver fox.”

“One that’s tamed by a human.”

“Yes, she sleeps soundly in Yuuki Grossalia’s arms.”

“She’s just a fox… I’m sure of it.”

The Duke’s daughter, Odette, and her private tutor muttered these things as they looked at Yuuki’s back.