CH 3

There's a shortcut ahead of here.

There was a signboard indicating that put up so I meekly followed it. The road was narrow──Or better yet, it wasn't something that would be called a road, but something more like an animal trail where I couldn't even use the broom. It was impossible to fly, so I continued advancing while bending around forcefully.

It couldn't be helped so I continued walking as I pushed the grass aside on the trackless road that didn't have any pavement.

From the grass that was wet with morning dew, the droplets scattered as they came in contact with me. The hem of my clothes was already wet and started to get heavier.

This is a shortcut when walking on foot, but if I could use my broom, I could easily take a detour. Damn it.

Speaking of which.

What kind of country would the next one be?

Since it has such uncivilized road leading to it, I think it's probably not very popular with trading.

In short, It might be a country as uncivilized as this forest. No, that is just my guess to the end.

......Hmm, somehow, I lost the mood to keep going all of a sudden.

Should I return back? Well, that was just a joke.

As such complaints flowed in my head like the wind, I kept walking for some time. After continuing into the forest with the unchanging scenery, finally a change appeared.

".......Oh my."

A tree has fallen down. A several hundred years old giant tree was fallen down on its side.

And, not just one, but countless of them.

Uhh. So troublesome.

But, it's not like I can't continue ahead. I climbed above the fallen tree.

I walked with both hands spread out as if walking on a rope, then I caught sight of something black crawling in the forest's shadow.

Eh, bear?

Too bad. It was a human.

What's more, it was a giant with bulging muscles. So scary.

"Every tree in this forest was knocked down by my hands. What do you think, it's cool right?"

Humph - He took a pose to show off his muscles. Did he throw down the trees with just his muscles? I’m not interested in that, but anyway, enough about that.

"Are you perhaps from the country ahead?"

As he started posing for no reason, he said "That's right. I am native of that country. How did you know? Did you figure out from these muscles?"

"Eh? Don't tell me all guys in the country are brawny fellows like you?"

I took a step back.

"No. It's not like that. Rather, in that country, there's a muscle shortage."

"What are you trying to say by that?"

"Rather than that, these muscles, what do you think about them?"

I see, mutual understanding can't be reached.

I decided to go along with him.

"AhーThey are amazing muscles~. Can I touch them?"

"Go ahead, go ahead. Look!"

The giant man presented his bended arm to me.

I didn't know how it would feel so I poked it with a finger.

"Uwaa, amazing."

It was stiff like a rock.

"............"

"Um, why are you turning red?

"......I'm sorry. It's the first time a girl has touched me except my little sister......."

From that speech, it seems to okay to be touched by a little sister? Is that it? What's up with that shitty reasoning. Just perish.

Throwing aside my dark thoughts, I said.

"By the way, what are you doing in a place like this? Are you working?"

"No, I was in the middle of a training now."

Then, he started talking.

About his sister that was kidnapped by the strange people the other day. That because he was absent, he was unable to save her.

About hearing that his little sister's kidnappers were a brawny bunch according to the eye-witness. And in order to take down those brawny people, starting to train, in other words, chopping down the trees.

........At the same time, working part-time as a lumberjack to earn the money.

".......In the end, isn't it just working?"

"What are you saying. I said it's not just for money. I have to accumulate much more muscles."

From that reputing with rough breezing, I got a slight uncomfortable feeling.

"What about the true objective of saving your little sister?"

"That's something I'll do someday. My muscles are not yet sufficient to take down my sister's brawny kidnappers."

No, you already transcended humans, so please go and save your little sister already.

......If I said it, I think I would share the same fate as that fallen tree. Thinking so, I made an exaggerated nod.

Then he went on:

"But first, I need to defeat the bear──A boss of this forest. This is the first objective."

"Bear you say?........"

"Yes. That fellow is terrifying. And is able to catch fish barehanded in the river. I can't do that sort of thing."

"Haa......."

"Next would be a duel with that oddball at the backwoods of the forest that carries axe on shoulder. That weirdo can take down the bear that's boss of this forest in wrestling. It's a fearsome person."

"Haa........"

If it lost in wrestling, than that bear would no longer be the boss of this forest would it?

"Then after that──"

After that, I kept hearing about his plans for an hour, without even a word about his little sister. I wonder if he really plans to ever go save his little sister?

I wonder if his brain was polluted by muscles from overtraining himself? He seems to have forgotten about his real objective.

Rather, he put its priority far too low.

When will he remember about his true objective and go save his little sister I wonder?

Well, that story is something that has no relation to me.