Chapter 24.2

Emerging from the grass was a large bear, about twice my height, covered in black, stiff fur and with red eyes.

Two large fangs peeked out from the corners of its mouth.

In my kingdom, it is considered a first-class dangerous animal, and if you encounter one in the forest, you are told to either run away or hide.

Their bodies are poisonous, and a bite from one of their huge fangs can be fatal, and even the slightest clawing can result in a lethal dose of poison being released into the body and killing the animal.

Even adventurers are reluctant to kill them.

Ah, the body, poison is…

The forest grizzly bear that Astaroth was referring to was probably a Dokukamitsuki bear.

I thought it was a type of bear, but I should have realised when it was a poisonous bear.

I stepped back. I shouldn’t confront it. It’s not an animal I can win against.

But this place with the lake is very open and there is no place to hide from the Dokukamitsuki bear.

The road back to the castle has been blocked by the bear.

Red eyes looked down at me as I exhale warmly.

I feel the body of the bear swell up for a moment and It attacked me.

I took another step backwards and quickly changed direction and started running. I have to run anyway.

I have to run and find a place to hide.

I started to run madly, but with a ground tremor, the Dokukamitsuki bears chased after me fiercely and I ran frantically into the trees of the forest.

I remembered that I had been told not to go beyond the lake, but I couldn’t worry about that now.

I fled through the trees and through the tall weeds.

The bears seemed to be in pursuit of me, chipping away at the low trees and weeds.

They were carnivores and I was probably their prey. Or maybe they were hunting and playing. Either way, if they caught me, my life was gone.

If I thought it was over, I would give up gracefully, but now was not the time yet. I prayed that they would lose interest in me on the way, or that I would lose them in the deep forest.

The cloth bag got caught in the trees and I threw it away. My cloak also caught on a twig and ripped, so I removed it and threw it away.

Sharp branches and some weeds lightly tore at my legs and arms. My breathing increased due to running, and my wounded limbs ached.

It’s not good to be wounded, but it’s no use, because the smell of blood will give away my whereabouts.

“Haa… ha, ah…”

I couldn’t breathe properly.

But I couldn’t stop running.

After going into forest for a while, I found a cave made up of large fallen trees and slid into it.

I curled my body into a small ball and held my mouth with both hands, stifling my breathing.

I could hear the rustling and swaying of the trees. Other than that, it was very, very quiet.

Maybe the Dokukamitsuki bear has given up on me.

Just as I optimistically thought that, the fallen tree that was hiding me was knocked down with a roar.

When I looked up, I saw the huge claws of the Dokukamitsuki bear right above me.

I leaped out of the cave and backed away, crouching down.

I wondered if Gilbert-sama wouldn’t come to my rescue at times like this.

Oh dear me.

At a time like this — to think of relying on Gilbert-sama.

It wasn’t like me to think such a naive thing.

……

I wondered if this was the end… if I won’t be able to see him anymore.

Even though, I still haven’t been able to apologize for being angry one-sidedly.

I looked up and through the trees, I could see a dimly lit sky. I looked at the little bit of light that shone through.

Sharp claws were raised at me. I couldn’t give up, I had to see the direction of the swing and run to the other side.

As I tried to get up and run away, the huge body of the bear fell to the ground with a thud.

…?

An unfamiliar man stood on top of the fallen body of the bear.

He had dark skin and sharp beast-like ears sticking out of his silky, very shiny, golden hair. He was dressed in black from top to bottom, with a black cloak over his head.

“You are… the human woman who is rumoured to have come to the castle, aren’t you?”

“You are… Thank you for your help. My name is Lydith. As you may have guessed, I’m human.”

The gentlemanly manner in which he spoke made me feel a little more at ease.

I decided that he seemed like someone I could have a conversation with, so I bowed my head to thank him for helping me.

“Congratulations for making it here, I’ve always wanted to have you by my side.”

The man flopped down from the top of the bear and stood in front of me.

When he opened his mouth, his canine teeth were revealed. They were pointy.

His beastly shaped ears appeared soft. His deep blue eyes narrowed.

“I feel as if I’ve never met you before.”

“You have a reputation outside the wards that Gilbert has welcomed a human woman as his wife. Now, I’d like you to come with me.”

“I’m glad you want me, but I’ve broken my promise not to go beyond the lake, and I have to return to the castle.”

“Is it because the lazy king and the lying serpent said you will be caught by the wicked wolf?”

“Yes… I see, you mean you are the bad wolf.”

I checked my surroundings.

I was so desperate to get away that I didn’t know which direction the castle was in any more.

Even if I ran away from the man in front of me here, I would probably just get lost in the forest.

The fact that I could have a conversation with him was probably better than being caught by a bear.

“I am Ria. I am the king of the werewolf tribe. I won’t make it so bad,” The werewolf said, smiling.

With these words, a kind of ivy twines itself around my body.

I am bound by the ivy and lightly lifted up by Ria. I’m not sure what his purpose is, but I’m relieved that I’m alive for now and can handle it, and that I’m saved from the bear for the time being.

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