CH 53

“Latina-chan, you really like dogs don’t you?”

“Un! They’re so cute!!”

Wenn-baa said, seeing that Latina was once again diligently brushing the dogs in the 『Suna’s』 dog cabin today as well.

Latina wipes the sweat forming on her forehead as she replies. There were no hesitation or doubt in her words.

“Do you like other animals as well?”

“There aren’t that many animals in Kroix. There aren’t many people who raise dogs in the lower parts of town. I like cats. Mice are 『better off exterminated』 since 『Dancing Ocelot』 is a shop that deals with food.”

That was what Kenneth, her teacher, had taught her.

“It seems these fellows are attached to you too, Latina-chan…”

Wenn-baa who was in deep thought about something mutters then, suddenly nodded to herself.

“Then, tomorrow shall we go to a place that I think you would like Latina-chan?”

“A place I would like?”

“Yeah. But don’t tell anyone else about it.”

“…Even Dale?”

“If that guy was to know then, he would say that 『you can’t go』”

“Is it dangerous?”

“Do you think I would take you to face danger, my cute, little Latina-chan.”

“I knew it, Granny is just like Dale~”

That was how Latina felt.

And then the next day, Wenn-baa did just as she said, taking Latina out with her in addition to a lunch box.

In accordance with Tisroh which was surrounded by mountains, 『outside』 was still within the mountains. There were places where magic beasts lived as well, but there was no one worried about Wenn-baa.

And then after that.

There had been increasing occurrences of Latina secretly going inside the mountains by herself.

Wenn-baa noticed that immediately, but only grinned and didn’t say anything.

Since Dale went out in the day, he didn’t notice her doing such actions and, she never thought of her actions as 『dangerous』.

He had always thought of her as a 『smart and obedient girl who wouldn’t do something like climbing a mountain by herself』, but he was careless as well.

In the end, the one who noticed what Latina was doing was Dale’s mother, Magda.

“Dale.”

“What?”

“It’s about how Latina-chan, and how she’s been acting lately but…”

Magda tilts her head looking puzzled.

“Even though she seems to be going over to granny’s place for snacks, it seems like she’s taking out some jerky sometimes.”

“Jerky?”

Dale tilted his head, questioning his mother’s words.

Latina wasn’t picky with her food, but she could only eat what her small stature allowed her anyway. Even though she likes to eat sweets, there would be no way she could eat too many.

There was no way someone like her would 『sneak food out』.

“She’s going to 『Suna』 right? Isn’t she feeding it to the dogs?”

“But you see, those dogs are raised to not accept any food apart from the 『Suna』.”

“….Now that you mention it.”

Both the mother and son say that, then tilt their head, puzzled.

The two of them did not have the option of going to ask Wenn-baa about this. That 『Granny』 wouldn’t let out a squeak for the sake of something interesting. If it was something dangerous then she probably would’ve let up already.

She still had some common sense in her.

“…I’ll take a look later.”

Since the mornings were when Latina would be working or studying, Dale, who guessed that if anything would happen it would be in the afternoon, quietly returned home during lunch time. And then started to keep watch outside, without going into the manor.

Amongst the places he played in as a child, there were many which were good for hiding. The place he hid himself in was one such spot.

『Hide and seek』 in Tisroh was serious business. This 『game』, which the adults teach and guide you with, can be considered the beginning of training for hunting deep in the mountains, as well as defence for the village.

Before long, Latina came out from the manor.

The sight of her looking around nervously, being more cautious than she needed to be, meant that she was doing something with a guilty conscience.

The bump on her back being covered over by her pink shawl was probably her backpack. Apart from that, she was holding a pouch in one hand. The jerky was probably in there.

After taking one last look at the manor, Latina started walking with brisk steps.

Dale started tailing behind her, keeping a safe distance.

She would sometimes stop to look at some small flowers and bugs, before continuing on with no hesitation. After a while, she turned into a road going towards the mountains.

(….! Could it be?)

At that point, Dale paled, realising that Latina 『going up the mountains to play alone』, was the truth.

Dale knows, having experienced it, how amazing her 『ability to perceive danger』 was. However nothing is 『certain』.

(This time, I’m going to have to scold her properly…)

Thinking like that, he continued tailing after her. Because if he called out to stop her, he wouldn’t know where her 『goal』 was.

Latina didn’t get lost despite how far inside the mountains she was.

Sometimes she would carefully check her surroundings, before following along an animal trails, which were extraordinarily narrow. When Dale spied on the place where Latina had stopped her eyes on, he was able to find a sign which had been ingeniously hidden.

(That damn granny!)

From that evidence, the grandson was able to confirm one thing.

That sign, which looked new no matter how you saw it, was probably newly put up just for Latina. That grandmother, who was even more of a 『Heaven-sent child of the Land』 than Dale, would never fall for something like 『getting lost』 in the mountains.

Latina continued forward towards a direction where not even Dale knew about.

It wasn’t too far away from the village, but 『this area』 was 『sacred』. Although it wasn’t in writing, coming in here was forbidden.

Actually, for some reason, no magic beasts nor wild animals would come around here. There wasn’t even a need to look around here when going out to hunt.

Even if this area was specifically banned from those who were going to collect some of the mountain’s harvest because it was dangerous, there were more than enough other places on the mountain for profits.

Even as children, the people of Tisroh have always thought of this place as 『a place they can’t come into』.

After a little while, Latina stopped.

It was a slightly open area.

She was walking, looking side to side, as if she was searching for something. He could also hear a voice as if she was calling out to something.

As if reacting to that voice, the thickets shake violently and from the undergrowth 『something』 could be seen.

Before Dale could confirm what it was, Latina rushed over to it. It became a part of her shadow, and as a result he couldn’t make out what it was.

“Uwahhh”

However, guessing from Latina’s cheer, there was no doubt that that was what she was looking for.

“I brought some jerky today as well. Want some?”

With a rustle, she took out the contents from inside the pouch that she was holding.

Holding out the jerky, she was crouching, and happily peeking at it.

“Is it good? That’s great~ You want some more?”

After taking some more out from the bag, Latina started eagerly petting it.

“So cute~ so cute~”

If it was Dale as he was normally, he would probably be muttering “You’re the one whose cute Latina”, but as expected, he was not in the mood for that.

“Latina!”

Getting out from where he was hiding as he called her name, Latina, who clearly held a guilty conscience, looked behind her and jumped up in surprise. She probably jumped up a few centimetres. It was quite cute.

“You shouldn’t feed wild animals. You can’t take it back with you to Kroix either, so it would be better for it to not get any closer to people any more than it should.”

“Dale…”

A nervous Latina stood up, hugging that animal tightly.

“Wild animals might have some strange diseases that you don’t know about so don’t touch it so careles-….”

“*Cough*, no”

What interrupted Dale’s scolding was a voice he had never heard before.

“….Hah?”

“Super duper, angry. Angry.”

The one firing out it’s words repeatedly as if it was offended was, the 『animal』 in Latina’s hands.

That animal was as big as a medium sized dog, had a fluffy pelt and tail, and it’s face looked, as you would expect, like a dog. However, it was an animal which from many angles had the atmosphere of a lion. And on it’s back, were wings. It’s clever looking golden pupils were staring straight at Dale.

“…..A mythical beast?”

Dale let out in shock and Latina replied with a clear voice,

“Yes”