[Part 3/4]
"...No, no way."
"Um... Suzune-sama? Is something wrong?"
"Oh, no! It's just... I was lost in thought!"
Mari's call was much more confused than before. Suzune felt the need to cover up again and quickly made an excuse.
"Ahh... I was just worried that I might have done something wrong. You're okay, right?"
"Of course!"
"Really? You don't have to hold back..."
"No way! Something like... that?"
Feeling very uneasy, she couldn't help but question Mari, who kept asking her over and over. Mari frowned and explained her reason.
"No... I feel like Tomobe-sama and my brother are keeping their distance more than before. When I ask, they just dodge the question. If there's something wrong on my side, please let me know so I can fix it."
"Keeping distance, huh?"
Now that they were here, the conversation about the girl in front of her turned uneasy, and she felt cautious. She thought there was nothing wrong based on her observations, but maybe there really was something off?
"Yes. In the past, we used to sleep in the same futon for warmth, and we even took baths together, but now it's almost... I understand that using the toilet and drying off is a hassle, but does it really become a bother as we grow up?"
"Futon, bath..."
With a sad sigh, Mari looked down, while Suzune was left speechless. By the way, when she sighed, she noticed her outfit showed some noticeable curves. What's so big? What is it?
"..."
"...Suzune-sama? Are you looking at something?"
"No, nothing..."
Maybe she was staring too hard, as Mari feels her gaze. Even after she pointed it out, she continued to look. She placed her hand on her chest. Wait, what about the futon and bath? Are they still doing that a little?
"W-well, sometimes I ask for it, especially on really cold days, it gets chilly being alone..."
With Mari's clueless way of speaking, Suzune started to imagine the scene. Bathing with this pet-like girl... Oh right, just the other day, there was that peeping incident. They both (Tomobe and Tamaki) insisted it was an accident, but really? Her master is too nice and easily fooled.
"...That guy is not doing it for that reason, right?"
With a glare, her opinion of that guy dropped to rock bottom in her mind.
By the way, hearing that he had taken the two girls away from the group made her opinion drop even further... but that was something he was completely unaware of.
* * *
"...Ten small youkai taken out in the blink of an eye. Impressive."
"Thanks for the compliment! So, want to join in?"
"Ah, I'm good on that."
I brushed off the suggestive dance proposal and examined the remains. Specifically, I cut open the belly to inspect the insides.
"Looks like animal, plant, and some pieces of youkai meat. In other words..."
"Are there more deeper inside?"
I nodded at Hana's words, who probably came here after putting away her weapon.
"It's not a very large area, so the chance of a big one showing up is low, but there should be a decent number. Insect youkai breed easily."
And from what I could see inside, they hadn't eaten each other. So, the youkai meat must be from a different kind. Well, I hope the numbers don't increase too much...
"What should we do?"
"What do you mean... what?"
"Should we keep going or retreat?"
After finishing the inspection and gathering the remains for processing, I ask the two guides questions. The area where the youkai gather is unclear in terms of danger. Deciding to prepare our gear and people again is not a weak choice at all.
"Eh? Is that what you're thinking? Retreating is not an option, right?"
"Gotta take the job seriously..."
"I see."
The two quickly decide to move forward. They don't even seem to consider a temporary retreat, reminding me that they are indeed professionals. If the head of the family is strong, then the followers are too. Well, considering how some people act when we first meet, maybe it makes sense in a way.
"Understood. ...Is it okay to do reconnaissance and report?"
"Got it. Alright, let's do this?"
In response to my request, the archer girl releases a bird-shaped shikigami. One goes along the path we took, while the rest spread into the forest...
"We'll leave the horses here, okay? They can't run in this forest. ...Is that alright?"
"Mm. No problem."
"Sounds good. Besides, thieves probably won't come by anyway?"
As I tie my horse to a nearby tree, the two do the same. In the meantime, I sprinkle "Purifying Salt" to create a simple boundary. This should keep the small youkai hanging around the edges from coming too close. Wild carnivores are unlikely to approach, especially with the youkai presence.
"The forest blocks our view. Let's stay alert, set up in a way that covers blind spots, and if nothing happens, we'll retreat before sunset... is that okay?"