CH 43

Chapter 43: First friend

“… Fuuu ……”

Shaken by the back of Neghese, I let out a big yawn toward the sky.

I take in fresh air while yawning, I feel a little cold.

“I want clothes”

It is unavoidable to say. I’d like to buy it somewhere as soon as possible, but … it is impossible until I cross the border. Do I have to put up with blanket to endure it? 

I must cross these mountains in order to reach the Republic from the Kingdom. 

Speaking of Neguseo, we start really early today. It seems that it will be faster if he run, but I got him stopped because it makes me feel uncomfortable.

“Well then, I will sleep a little more” 

“Arge, didn’t you just wake up?” 

“Well, what’s wrong with that?” 

“… No, nothing.”

Speaking like have a tired throat, Neguseo continue walking. 

It seems that his mind is else where, or his way of walking has become wild.

…Did I said something weird?

I have a doubt, but if Neguseo says nothing, I do not have to ask him for detail. It is troublesome.

“Please tell me if you are hungry, tired, or you want water.”

I abandon the doubts in my mind, talk to Neguseo and close my eyes to sleep. 

As soon as the scenery was blocked, drowsiness came. But then I felt something when I tried to sleep.

“Neguseo, can you stop for a while? Because I think that this smell is probably that girl” 

“Oh, it looks like she is getting closer”

Because we are also share our smell, so we easy to reach a mutual understanding. Neguseo stops his feet. 

Faint fox smell and sweet scent peculiar to girls. It definitely belongs to Kuzuha-chan. 

It seems that the her bad smell from yesterday is gone. She may have taken a bath. 

The stimulus for smell becomes stronger and stronger, so obviously she is headed for us. When turning my eyes, the color of a fox was floating in the meadow.

“Arge-san!”

Calling out to me with a loud voice, Kuzuha-chan is running even faster. 

She is not dressed shabby anymore. Her Kimono is a red flower drawn in the same way as her mother was wearing, it is clearly better clothes than before.

Is the number of tails increasing from two to three, did she level up? 

She wave her triplet tail and came up to me, her breath is still light. 

She is carrying a backpack as big as her body right now. Won’t she get tired if she run full strength in such a condition.

“Arge-san!” 

“Oh, yes… what?” 

“Why didn’t you wait for me!?” 

“…Huh?”

I could not understand the meaning of the words she just told me and it stuck my head.

… wait? What?

For me who does not understand the translation, Kuzuha-chan is getting more angry. She put the bag she carried on the ground looked at me with a strong gaze.

“Hey, Arge-san, I said ‘I am leaving’ and I still left my mother’s body there, right?” 

“Yeah, you are right” 

“If so, don’t you normally think that I will come back? Why didn’t you wait for me? After mourning my mother properly and I must chase you in hurry until now”

“No, I also thought that you would come back, but my role has ended. I received an apology from the mistake attack and returned my gratitude for the meal. So I think I can already go “ 

“… You, you have no friends?”

I was told with terrible eyes. 

When she told me so, It’s true, none of people I know is my friend. 

I never thought that I wanted a friend. 

I just received what I was given, as given.

“Yes, I do not have one.” 

“Here, after all … No, I can not say too much about friend. But I have been taught properly by my mother! A way of going out with friends! The preparation is perfect”

… That is not an air friend, right ?

I thought, but I did not say it out. Because Kuzuha-chan is too proud, If I say anything … no, I thought it was bad to say anything right now. 

Kuzuha-chan shook her big baggage and walked to here, she stroked Neguseo’s body. Then she look up at me and say.

“That’s why, I’m counting on you from now on,” 

“……? what do you mean?” 

“I would like to thank so I will follow Arge-san.” 

“… Why is that, Kuzha, you don’t even know where I am going?”

I did not understand the meaning, I did not understand her intention. 

After return the favor at that time, it should have ended our relationship, but still I can not understand what she say to me now. 

“Wherever you are, I will go there. And it is you, who told me that I can live however I like. Isn’t what you said mean ‘I am free to follow you’ ? “ 

“… I only said that you can live as you like”

It was the word that I told her, I can’t refuse as she is.

Because I do not like to hurt other people’s freedom, my freedom will be harmed. 

I do not want to do that much, I can’t even take care of myself right now and I have to look after another girl. I only working when I return my gratitude to someone. 

Fortunately, we have plenty of food and water, and if that big luggage is available for Kuzuha-chan too. It does not seem to be a problem even if I take her along.

“As a friend of mine, I’m counting on you, Arge-san!” 

“Uhm, thank you.”

Although I do not understand well, I have been approved by my friend, and it is troublesome to refuse. The number of accompanying people increased without paying attention, But what I should do is not changed. 

Leave the kingdom and find a person to feed me for life. Only this.

“Let’s go then, Neguseo” 

“I understand” 

“Oh, please wait! Arge’s clothes before that!” 

“Have you brought clothes with you?” 

“No, I will make it now, so please come down, … Come on!”

Kuzuha-chan beckon me to come.

… I can sew.

I can sew clothes that were torn, but it is amazing to make clothes from scratch. 

“… I’m just around here, please call out when you are done again.” 

“understood” 

“I think it will take about a day, is it okay?” 

“No problems, young lads”

It seems that he is really care about my body, and Neguseo goes away. 

I do not mind if he saw my body, but as he himself is concerned it would be bad to be detained. Let’s leave him alone.

“Well then, uhm, do you need to measure?” 

“Yes … I will be careful to make a fitting clothes … Ha~aa … Arge-san, your skin is white!”

“Is that so? Maybe because I’m a vampire?” 

“…then, are you okay with the sun? My mother told me, a long time ago vampire is a race with dark attribute magic power, and when they get hit by the sunlight that is the sacred attribute, they will considerable pain …” 

“Because I have both sunshine resistance and holy attribute tolerance at high level, it is okay. Well, should we head backwards?”

“Oh, no! I do not care as you are right now! Please stay just like that!” 

“Is that so”

I do not know the reason, but Kuzuha-chan is shaking her ears and tails in a good mood. 

I wonder what. I wonder why she is so happy, make friend with me.

… Friend, is it?

A word that I had never thought of before. The first conscious existence. 

I rolled the word that I did not realize yet in my head, I took off my blanket.

The wind that blows is a bit cold to raw skin, but it is also comfortable. 

I close my eyes and I leave the rest to be Kuzuha-chan. 

There are lots of doubts, but as you always feel when you close your eyes. 

Ah. I want to finish early and take a nap.