CH 21

Why did he go to see how things were going? If he was asked, Kenneth would probably be troubled to answer.

The Latina he had met just now had a terribly bad complexion so he was worried, is also a big reason.

Which is why it seems, he was able to notice the tiny, strange sound which would’ve ended up escaping his ears normally. And then, worried about that, he went to see how things are going.

That was 『better』.

–『Best』 would’ve been to notice the symptoms, and being able to stop it before it happened…. However.

The streets of Kroix was welcoming Autumn.

Latina, together with her friends has started to commute to the school which has been established in the shrine of 『Yellow God (Asfaru)』 located in the heart of the district.

『Asfaru』 is the god governing over studies. In a fairly big district like Kroix, there are shrines everywhere, to the children who haven’t started working yet, it is burdened with the duty of minimum education.

In Kroix’s case, the two years after the autumn of the year you become eight are assigned to that.

The literacy rate within the country of Rabando is not bad if you restrict it to those who live in districts.

Not just to merchants, the 『Information』 in the streets can be represented by writing. It’s a necessary ability for both adventurers and labourers.

“Latina, you don’t seem very lively?”

“Uun. I’m alright. I’m lively”

While preparing to go to school, Dale looks doubtful at Latina’s condition which looked slightly depressed.

But Latina patches her expression up immediately, and made a smile.

At first when she started to commute to school, she seemed really happy everyday.

As if the act of 『Learning new things』 itself is fun, she would even report it to Dale looking like she would bounce.

That had changed, these few days.

Hugging Latina tightly, she made a strange face.

“Lately…. has there been any changes or anything at school?”

Tremble, went Latina’s body as it jumps slightly.

She answers with a low voice, looking down.

“….A new female teacher, came”

“Does it have something to do with her?”

“Uun(No). Everyone, just says that the previous teacher, teaches better but, that’s all”

Dale knit his eyebrows together at Latina’s appearance which didn’t look like 『That’s all』 at all. But, getting the pretty stubborn Latina to confess is not an easy thing.

“Latina, being worried, isn’t a bad thing ok? I really treat you as someone special so…. please rely on me?”

“Dale… it’s alright. Latina, just thinks the teacher is a little…. scary, that’s all….”

–At this time, I should’ve paid more attention. Dale thinks.

Living at 『Dancing Ocelot』, Latina was not even hesitant or timid, even being in contact with the rowdy 『Adventurers』 she wouldn’t stop smiling. I should’ve thought about the meaning of 『Scared』–

A few more days pass, Latina was looking more and more depressed.

It seems that the time she spends with friends is fun. She even says she made a new friend. Everyday, she was reporting like that.

But, only about the topic of her 『Teacher』 would Latina not touch on.

Maybe she herself is thinking of it poorly and running away.

Thinking like that, the adults were on point.

(TL: 　そんな風に大人たちが思っていた矢先の事だった。)

With a completely pale face, Latina came back.

She looked terrible.

So much so that Kenneth who normally goes and gets her, was speechless.

So much so that you could say, she might end up collapsing. Her complexion was bad, her clothes and hair a mess, one side of her ribbon was coming apart.

However above even that, what stabbed at Kenneth’s chest was, her expression.

Like she was at a loss.

Like she had ended up losing everything important to her.

At Latina’s expression of 『Despair』.

–Since Kenneth had first met Latina, this kid was smiling.

In that forest, she was a young girl living by herself despite losing her blood relative that she ought to have relied on.

Like things that even adults cannot tolerate, like things that a young girl shouldn’t have to shoulder, carrying painful, sad and bitter thoughts, and yet Latina was smiling.

That Latina, is bringing out the 『Soft Side』 inside her heart to the surface. — What I immediately thought of, was something like that.

“Latina….? What happened?”

At Kenneth’s voice, Latina shakes heavily with a start, and crunched up her face as if bursting into tears. However

“….Nothing, special”

Latina squeezes out an answer like that, turning her back around and went up the stairs.

–At that time, if it wasn’t Kenneth but Dale who went to greet her, maybe it would’ve been different.

If only Dale was not away.

It wasn’t too long after that, that Kenneth heard a sound from above, that could only be described as a 『strange sound』.

A muffled sound that he has no recall every hearing.

He had a feeling that the air trembled severely.

It was just, just a ominous sound.

Reflexively, Kenneth rushed up the stairs.

Going pass the second floor, up into the attic.

There, Latina had collapsed.

It was gloomy in here, with light only coming in through the window.

What she had done, he understood instantly.

Taking a step towards her, Kenneth notices that Latina’s head was inside a pool of blood. Her white silver hair had been, stained with fresh blood.

“Latina-!”

In addition to being his former job, Kenneth who had gotten familiar with the sight of blood and wounds, nevertheless was shaking because, the one here was 『Only Latina』.

This is the result of what 『Latina herself』 did.

Kenneth with a nearby clean cloth — fetched from Dale’s room — while pushing against her 『Wound’s opening』, takes her into his arms, and rushed down the stairs.

The cloth stains with red before his eyes.

At least pressing against it, didn’t stop the bleeding.

Give healing magic to as soon as possible — otherwise, there’ll be no way other than to singe the 『Wound Opening』.

Latina, by herself, broke off, her remaining 『Horn』.

As a symbol of the 『Demon Race』, in that section were nerves and blood vessels passing through.

Compared to the impression that it was just like it looks, a hard hollow bone, it was actually a sensitive organ.

To injure it, is no different from plucking off your limbs whatsoever, getting assaulted by pain and bleeding.

Exhausted, the unconscious Latina didn’t move.

Kenneth rushed inside 『Dancing Ocelot』 whilst carrying Latina.

Looking at Kenneth’s ghastly appearance, Rita who was in the store as well the regulars who were in the middle of chatting were startled.

“What’s wrong Kenne…”

“IS ANYONE IN HERE ABLE TO USE HEALING MAGIC!?”

The meaning behind Kenneth’s words, and the Latina in Kenneth’s arms who was stained with the colour of blood. Who knows which was the one they noticed first.

“LATINA!?”

“Is the girly hurt?”

Rita screamed. So much so it was unlike her, losing the blood in her face.

Kicking away a chair, thud, a regular stood up and pushed himself out from his company. An aging man rushed over to Kenneth’s side, facing his palm towards Latina’s head.

“With my magic, I can’t do a lot”

“I don’t mind. Please just stop the blood”

Exercising the healing magic, the force of the blood that had not stopped weakens.

Kenneth looked towards Rita during that time.

“Just in case, I’ll take her to the medical centre at the 『Blue God(Niirii)』’s Shrine. Once Dale comes back, tell him that. The shop’s closed today”

“U-understood. ……Kenneth, what happened to Latina?”

“I don’t know the details either. Anyway, currently medical treatment is the priority. I’m going”

Fixing how he carries Latina, Kenneth started to run with all his strength towards the direction of 『Niirii』’s Shrine.

–Something we found out later.

Latina, says that she has the ability to vaguely sense 『Things that would harm her』.

It’s the reason that the very young Latina was able to survive alone inside 『That Forest』.

–Within the many plants and animals who contain poison, she was able to only recognise the things that were 『Alright even if she ate them』.

–Before the beasts that would harm her came, she was able to hide herself.

–When she had met Dale, she could feel that he wouldn’t harm her.

Everything that happened, happened because of that subconscious ability.

–Latina can 『Instinctively』 see through her own 『Enemies』.

Her 『Instinct』, this time too had been working correctly.

(Author’s note: Writing it, it’s a troublesome episode…)