CH 56

Farewell, Buddy(2)

“Hyaahh!!”

So he was watching me. I couldn’t make a fool of myself then.

This could be the last time he sees me fighting. And I wanted to leave him impressed!

“Grrrraaagh!”

I swung my sword down over the clay leopard, cutting its front leg and making blood fly in the air.

“Hah!”

Yes, now that I think about it. He was always there, watching me fight from the back.

He could have just run away. But he always believed in me and waited.

“Grau.”

The clay leopard shook its head angrily after I cut its shoulder.

“Take this!”

If this was the last time, then I could not disappoint him!

Just watch me from where you are, Hyuga. Like old times.

Blood began to flow more and more as the attacks continued, and the clay leopard started to retreat.

“Hyaaah!!”

Yes, I was going to do my best today as well!!

Even as I swung my sword, I remembered the days we spent together, the nights where we camped, and the roads we tread.

Surely such thoughts would just be a distraction, but my swings were just as fast and sharp as they pressed forward.

Was this a new skill for parallel thought?!

“GRAAAUGHH!!”

The clay leopard jumped back and roared. It crouched in a low stance and the armor on its body stood up.

I didn’t know what it was going to do now, but I wouldn’t let it finish.

I could do it. I was sure of it.

“Light! Light!!”

“Grr!?”

A sphere of light appeared right in front of it, robbing it of vision.

“Hyaaahhh!!”

After the deathly opening that was created, I stepped forward and unleashed an attack that went through the gaps in its standing armor, and cleaved its neck open.

“Ggg…”

The faintest sound escaped the clay leopard as blood sprayed from its neck, and it sank to the ground.

I then cut off its head to ensure that it was dead, and then dismissed the light.

And then I raised my head towards Hyuga and raised a hand in the air.

“Neeeigghhh!”

It was unusual for Hyuga to reply to me like this.

Was it a satisfying enough fight for you?

Perhaps due to hearing Hyuga, another horse then appeared from the farm and approached him.

The two leaned their heads against each other. And after glancing at me a few times, he and the other horse returned to the stable.

“Oh? So you’re doing quite well here after all.”

I couldn’t help but grin.

Well, there was something I had to check now.

“Status open.”

Name: Ajifu

Race: Human

Age: 26

LV: 23(+1)

HP: 151/176(+5)

MP: 63/71(+4)

STR: 52(+1)

VIT: 51(+0)

INT: 29(+2)

MND: 35(+2)

AGI: 34(+1)

DEX: 29(+2)

LUK: 13(+0)

Skills

Eralt Lv4, Reverse Age Lv4, Farming Lv3, Carpentry Lv4(+1), Carving Lv5, Leatherworker Lv3(+1), Gathering Lv2, Shield Art Lv8, Magic Manipulation Lv10(+1), Everyday Magic(light/water/earth), Sword Art Lv12, Night Vision Lv1, Parallel Thought Lv1(+1)

Title

Visitor From Another World, Farmer, Blessing of the Ability God, Adventurer, Creator’s Blessing.

I had gone up a level during my travels, but that was not the important part.

Parallel Thought Lv2.

I had felt it while fighting, but it had gone up a level, just like I suspected.

Up until now, I had been able to move while my body and magic energy at the same time, but I could not use simple magic.

However, just earlier, I had that conviction that I could do it. Like it was picking up something that was light.

And since Magic Manipulation had reached Lv10 quite a while ago, it had to be because of Parallel Thought. Or perhaps it was because of both.

But I was able to use magic while swinging a sword. Did that make me a magic swordsman now? Well, it was only everyday magic, so I guess I was an everyday magic swordsman.

This wasn’t really the result I had expected, which was body strengthening, but it showed that my training of moving magic energy while moving my body had not been a waste. I had started on just a whim, without knowing what it would lead to. But after three years, it had paid off. So I could not help but be happy.

And so I was grinning from ear to ear as I started to carve up the clay leopard.

I must have looked like a maniac, covered in blood and smiling as I cut open the creature.

However, I didn’t care about that now.

As for the clay leopard’s dirt armor, it crumbled away after it died. This was because it was made of magic energy. The only materials you could get from it was its skin, claws, fangs and magic stone. That wasn’t much considering the difficulty, which meant that few people wanted to hunt them. Also, their flesh did not taste good.

However, the fur was soft and easy to use. And it apparently boosted your earth magic. This had high demand in some places, and so it could be sold at a decent price.

I used my carving skill to cut it off cleanly.

“Adventurers really are different! I had faith in you, of course. But to kill a clay leopard all by yourself! And with that leg!”

I showed the farmer the skin and head of the clay leopard and had him sign the request sheet.

“Well, I just barely managed to do it. Also, how is Hyuga doing? To me, it looked like he was fitting in quite nicely.”

“Yes, about that. It was quite a surprise. I have a mare who has quite a temper, but she seems to have taken a liking to your horse. And now, it is I who would ask you to leave him with us.”

Oh, so I was right. It did seem like it…

Hehe. That bastard. He would be just fine.

“I’m glad to hear it. I cannot take Hyuga with me to Megidos regardless. But I would prefer it if he was happy.”

“Will you go and see him before you leave?”

“Of course. He has been my companion for over three years. I would never leave without saying goodbye.”

And so Mr. Znale led me to the stables.

The closer I got to the stable, the closer our separation became. This feeling of dread over separating never went away, no matter how many years I have lived.

However, Mr. Znale continued to walk to the stable as he always did. Completely without emotion.

“Now, go and look at him for the last time.”

The doors to the stable opened.

I braced myself and entered.

And then I found Hyuga.

…Well, um…

I knew very well that this was not earth.

And that he was not even human.

There was no point in bringing my own values out like this.

However, I could not help but say it.

“Hyuga! You!! Three at once!?”

“That’s just it. And it just so happens that these three are the most difficult of my mares. It was quite a surprise.”

In the widest stall in the stable, Hyuga was surrounded by three mares.

“The large one is very strong and has a motherly personality, but for some reason is hostile towards the stallions. The chestnut mare has quite a temper. And the white mare is cowardly, and runs away when any stallions get close.”

Mr. Znale, I really don’t care about any of that!

Hyuga turned to me and neighed.

Ah, that’s right. We had been together for three years. And so sometimes, we could understand each other.

It wasn’t terribly clear. But just a hunch.

I think we shared similarities, and so I could understand.

“Hyuga! You bastard! you were gloating just now, weren’t you!?”

He had been looking at me victoriously.

“Neeeighh.”

My eyes met his.

There was a strong light in his eyes. Indeed, there was some arrogance in that look.

But the eyes were the eyes of a man who had made his decision.

“Very well, Hyuga. So you found a place where you belong. And people who you should protect.”

Now that we understood each other, there were no more words that were necessary.

I nodded, closed my eyes, and closed the stable doors before lifting my bag onto my back.

The weight of it made my back groan.

This was the weight that Hyuga used to carry.

But I had made the decision to carry it myself now.

When I headed to the village, I heard the neigh in the distance.

Aye, I could tell who it was. It was Hyuga’s voice.

My vision seemed to blur, and so I looked up at the sky. It seemed much higher than when I had left the royal capital.