CH 81

Chapter 81 – There Was A Baby!

“Don’t come any closer! Sister!”

Monica looked confused at this.

Fletta, who was Monica’s younger sister…seemed to be hiding something? Perhaps there were Armor Boars or Minotaurs nearby.

However, when I looked around us, I did not see anything that was strange or different.

“Wh-what is it, Fletta!? If you are injured…”

“No!”

While Monica tried to make her way through the bushes, Fletta shouted for her to stop.

“…Fl-Fletta?”

“Don’t… If you come… Ah, not over there!”

Just as Fletta raised her voice, the bushes began to move and rustle loudly.

And then something came out of the bushes. It looked like a very round calf that was the size of a dog.

“…Is it…a cow?”

Iria muttered as she looked at the trembling calf.

It certainly looked like a calf… But it had red eyes. And its body was very round and had a silky white color.

“Th-this is…”

Judging by Monica’s conflicted expression, the calf’s features must match that of a Minotaur.

A child with golden hair and a bob cut was chasing after it… Fletta. She also had a face that had gone pale. It was definitely a Minotaur child then.

Monica looked at Fletta with piercing eyes.

“Fletta… What is this cow?”

“Uh…um…”

Fletta stuttered.

So she had told us not to come because she didn’t want us to see this baby.

Monica questioned Fletta.

“It is a Minotaur baby…is it not? …Tsk. But why? Why are you with a child of the enemy!”

“I-I’m sorry! But this one is gentle! I was lost after coming here to search for you, and it cheered me up!”

“How can you be so sure!? Perhaps it is trying to kill you!”

“It is not!! Not this child!”

Fletta insisted as she pulled the Minotaur baby into her arms.

Monica looked at her sister with a troubled expression.

It was as if she had no idea what was to be done.

I turned to Monica.

“It is still a baby… Surely there is no reason to be so worried?”

“A baby is a baby, no matter what kind of creature it is… I do know that. However, we cannot take it back with us.”

I could not say, as I had not met them myself. But Monica said that they had been attacked without warning or an explanation.

In that case, negotiations did seem unlikely.

“Perhaps their attitude will change if we return the child to them unharmed… Will you not leave this to us?”

“You saved my life, Sir Joshua. And so I will obey. Fletta. Do not let that child out of your sight…no matter what happens.”

Upon hearing this, Fletta’s face brightened and she replied, ‘Yes!’ as she hugged the Minotaur baby tightly.

But that was when it happened.

Melk’s ears suddenly pricked up.

“Joshua. Something is gathering from the river in great numbers. They must be alligators.”

“Hell Alligators… Perhaps this sandbank is their nest. We should retreat at once.”

And then Iria said,

“I will open up a path to the bridge. Ms. Melk, you guard our rear.”

“Leave it to me. Asuha can go commando.”

Asuha nodded and took off into the sky.

I decided to protect Monica, Fletta and the Minotaur baby.

“Now, let’s go!”

Iria unsheathed her sword and started to run towards the bridge.

And then, the Hell Alligators that had been waiting ahead, began to jump at her one after another.

But like a smooth current, Iria moved through the Hell Alligators and cut them down.

And behind us, Melk tore the Hell Alligators and launched them into the air.

However, there were an abnormal number of them. And since I had to focus on Monica and the others, I could not advance as much as I wanted to.

Still, we somehow managed to get close enough to see the bridge.

But that’s when it happened. A giant boar was running towards the bridge on the other side of the river.

“An Armor Boar…at a time like this… And it is so big.”

It must have been attracted by the smell of blood.

An Armor Boar that was twice the usual size was now running along the riverbank. It seemed more like an elephant than a boar.

As it was looking towards us, it was probably going to cross the bridge.

“Don’t worry! I will cut that boar down!”

Said Iria boldly. But she was preoccupied by the waves of Hell Alligators that attacked from all sides.

In the meantime, the Armor Boar had already started to cross the bridge.

“Iria! Leave it to me! I just have to erase the bridge and… What!?”

Out of nowhere, a shadow jumped out towards it.

The small calf… The Minotaur baby.

With a speed that shouldn’t have been possible from such a small frame, it charged at the Armor Boar.

“No! Come back!”

Was it trying to ram its head into it like a bull?

But surely something so small had no chance against an Armor Boar.

Not only that, but now I could no longer use my production magic to erase the bridge.

Asuha the Tengu noticed the change, and she swooped down to recover the Minotaur baby.

However, it was too late, as the Minotaur was astonishingly fast.

With their heads lowered, both Minotaur baby and Armor Boar charged into each other…and there was a loud crash.

“Damn it! …Huh?”

I could not believe my eyes.

Everyone had assumed that the Minotaur would be thrown into the air.

However, it was the Armor Boar that went flying high.

It flew all the way back to the riverbank. And then it quickly got up, and with its tail between its legs, it ran away.

As for the Minotaur, it seemed to be just fine as it turned back to look at us. It was as if it was urging us to hurry.

“Bu-but it’s so small… In any case, let’s go!”

And so we were able to cross the river safely and escape from the sandbank.