Chapter 25 (1/2)
“N…here, ah, you!”
“You’re awake?”
I approach the now awake Yui.
“Do-don’t come any closer, ita, why are you here…”
Her forehead is wrinkled; she seems to be in pain.
This is what happens when you push yourself even when it hurts.
I place a finger on her lips.
-shhi, I tell her to be quiet.
Yui sees my finger and looking at my face stops talking.
“Good, listen to what I say quietly. Your foot, if you move it forcibly does it hurt?”
Yui nods.
“Now, I’ll explain the situation. First, the injury to your foot is from you fall from a cliff. A rock was imbedded in your stomach, and you also had a fever, so, you have been unconscious until now.”
Then I separate my finger from Yui’s lips.
“I-”
“-By the way, didn’t I jump from the cliff top and save you? So, your so called savior is this guy.”
Like a high-pressure salesman I talk.
“I am. But, you don’t need to express you grat.i.tude.”
Yui responds with an upset face.
I will help you even if you hate it. I do it because I like it.
“There is no need for thanks.”
“…what kind of thing?”
Her expression does not change very much, but she looks suspicious.
“It’s because I look you. Now rest in bed.”
Hearing me Yui’s eyebrows lower and she frowns slightly.
Seeing that I continue talking.
“So, I will nurse you until you recover with the head of this house.”
Hearing what I say, she smiles.
“You, are you stupid?”
“Ah, I’m stupid. Why did I help you after the last time? Because I have a question and want to continue the conversation.”
“Ask me.”
“…First of all, it’s about this place…the forest here is shrouded in thick fog. But, you can relax. For some reason there no monsters here. We’re now in a house on a slightly elevated hill.”
Yui then looks around the room.
I continue talking without minding it.
“…So, after you pa.s.sed out I wandered around the forest filled with thick fog. Luckily I happened to tumble across someone living here and they agreed to help.”
“I see…”
“By the way, I told the husband of the couple living here that you and I are lovers.”
“Wh-wh-why…”
She seems to have become upset.
Ma, that is how it is. I try to remind her.
“You helped me, a professional killer. Why would you do something like that?”
“Well, even if you ask…”
“Do you understand?”
A little forceful, I glare at her and talk.
“…I…I don’t mind it.”
I do not know if my influence worked, but Yui seems to understand.
And at that moment, the master of the house walks in wearing a robe.
“Ah, your lover-san has come around.”
“Aah, uh, ya!”
Speaking lively I hug Yui.
I rest my cheek on her head too.
Her cheeks seem to be a bit red, is it a coincidence?
It looks like she is acting prope
rly.
“Haha, good, good. It looks like lover-san is able to eat now, but since she should stay in bed I’ll bring something to eat.”
“Ah, if it’s alright I’ll bring it.”
“Is that so? Then, please.”
After Danna-san lowers his head slightly he returns to the other room.
“Then, I’ll bring you something to eat.”
She stays quiet with her head down.
Ma, her att.i.tude is cold but I think she will eat.
I go to the next room to get food.
Rollo follows next to me as well.
The “noh mask” wife is in the next room, her posture is strait as a ruler, she is standing to the wide holding a wooden pedestal. (TL: Okay, creepy spooky.)
A wooden bowl and spoon are placed on the platter and the bowl is filled with a white soup. An appetizing smell is coming from the steaming bowl.
The smell is making me hungry.
But, the lady rather than the cooking.
The purple flower looks nice on the beautiful woman, but…
Her expression does not change, it is strange.
I am also curious about the forehead mark on the bald Danna…
This woman is far too unnatural.
The Danna pretending to not notice the woman’s behavior is odd as well.
After the noh mask wife pushes the meal into my chest she withdraws.
I stand there and receive it in silence, but I am growing increasingly interested in her wooden behavior.
Rollo begins to squint her eyes and gather her legs beneath her like she is going to chase after the wife’ retreating figure.
The cat seems to sense “something” about the wife.
She is definitely suspicious, but I should bring this food to Yui now.
I take the food to the room Yui is waiting in. She seems to be trying to move her body a little, and when I bring in the meal she smiles.
I place the meal on the bed.
“Sorry. But, it’s until the day after tomorrow. After that much time has pa.s.sed…my foot will be healed.”
She should recover soon.
The potion was really effective.
“…Ah, understood. Then, would Yui like me to feed her?”
“Iii, the shoulder wound is okay. I can already use my arm.”
“Is that so, then I’ll go get my own food. I’d also like to ask about the area around here.”
I go to the next room and the Danna-san and noh mask wife and sitting on straw cus.h.i.+ons near the hearth with meals in wooden bowls in one hand.
Seeming to have been enticed by the smell, Rollo is sniffing around the kitchen area before walking over to the side of the hearth.
“You journey. It’s not much but please sit down and eat. I also prepared something for the cat. Here you go.”
The meal I am given seems to be the same as Yui’s meal.
In the big iron pan in the center of the hearth there are root vegetables like potatoes simmering. It looks heavy and appetizing.
I accept Danna’s offer and take a seat on one of the free straw cus.h.i.+ons.
I comfortably sit cross legged.
“Then thanks, itadakimasu. Rollo, you’ll eat too?”
“Nnnnnn.”
She climbed onto my knee and making a weird sound in her throat seems to want to eat.
“Theta, get another serving.”
Danna-san gives her wife an order.
His wife expressionlessly takes out another wooden bowl for the soup.
And, taking a ladle she scoops out some of the soup from the pot over the hearth and pours it into the bowl.
“Thanks.”
There is a strange tension.
Bringing the wooden bowl to my mouth I break of a portion of one of the potatoes and put the spoon in my mouth.
Hot, hot. Although I feel uneasy, this soup is delicious. (TL: Shuya is weak to food.)
I quickly consume the think white soup filled with potatoes and white leaves.
Although Rollo’s soup is hot too she laps the soup up with her tongue just fun.
Even though she is a cat her tongue does not seem sensitive to heat.
The Danna opens his mouth and exposes his white teeth.
“Traveler-san, you seem to be okay with the meal. I apologize for Theta’s bluntness.”
“No, no, she is a beautiful person.” (TL: Nah man, as long as she’s hot it’s all good -Shuya)
His wife Theta’s expression changes for the first time.
She laughs awkwardly.
It is hard to describe, but I got gooseb.u.mps all over my skin after seeing her smile with that beautiful body.
The reason is because the purple flower ornament in her hair is not very human.
She is just like a “doll”…
“Traveler, before you wandered into the magic fog and got lost, where were you going?”
“…Hector.”
“I think that is southwest from here. It is difficult to tell because of the fog, but if you head west you should be able to find the highway.”
“Is that so. Good.”
Answering casually, Danna-san winks at his wife.
Then, Theta-san suddenly stands up in the room that has fallen completely silent, and goes to another room on the other side of the kitchen. (TL: Okay, this is really creepy. She defs a zombie corpse.)
“Oya, Theta already seems to be full. She went back inside because she felt satisfied. Please eat much of the remaining potatoes as you want.”
“Yes. Itadakimasu.”
I continue diligently eating the potatoes while I watch Danna-san’s back recede further inside.
This white leaf is good, but my tongue is a little tingly.
Ma, since this is the first proper meal I have had in a while I will eat it.
I wolf down what is left in the pan.
Eating eating.
Should I go check on Yui now? Feeling satisfied I return Rollo to my shoulder and go back to the storage shed.
Once I returned Yui has also finished eating and is resting.
“…Looks like she ate. She should recover well.”
Everything seems fine.
Good, good.
“…You’re here…”
I open my mouth while smiling wryly.
“Don’t worry about it. Right now you are my lover. Since you finished eating I’ll take the tray.”
“T, thank you.”
Rollo comes down from my shoulder and curls up next to Yui’s side like she is anxious about her. Her small face turns to Yui’s hand and she licks the back of one of her fingers.
Ah, Yui expressed her grat.i.tude.
At least she seems to have become obedient.
Fufu, I chuckle to myself…now, I guess I’ll clean up.
I pick up the tray with the empty dishes and carry it to the nearby kitchen.
In the big kitchen there’s a cutting board on the counter next to a sack of flower, bottles of oil, vegetables, and a barrel in which potatoes are piled up.
Below there is water jug, an earthen oven built on the floor, and a heavy iron pot is already there.
Several different frying pans are leaned up again the nearby wall.
Should I put the dishes in the big jug…?
While I a hesitating about where to put the dishes in someone else’s house I hear a voice from the bac room. (TL: Don’t investigate. This is how bad things happen.)
“Master, the remaining mana is below 30%.” (TL: Master is in English.) Activation limit approaching.”
“Understood. I will supply some now.”
A moment pa.s.ses…
“…How’s that?”
“40% of Mana restoration completed…55% of Mana…restoration completed.” (TL: Fill me up, master.)
“Ku, I’ll stop here. This is the limit of my Mana…”
“I am sorry, Master.”
They seem to be using some kind of magic.
“Because I can take that Mana recovery potion, I’m fine. But, I’m still inexperienced. Despite the Magic technology being similar to the Magic Wogan Doll, it is difficult for me to synchronize my mind with the ‘Spirit Absorption.'”
“No, master is a genius. You made me, and even led Sabido by the nose.”
“I won’t fall behind the Magic Clan. I was ousted from the clan, but I am an owner of a demon emblem mark. I am the eldest son of the Gustave Family. I am also the successor of the skill handed down generation to generation in my family. The people with the secret enchanting type skill amongst magic craftsman are few.”
“Yes. Master’s skill cannot be imitated by others.”
“That’s right. It’s probably because of my younger sister in the clan. Although the Magic Wogan Doll is made, despite this there are probably a ma.s.sive amount of people that possess the required magic ore casting skill
“Master’s family? I have not met them.”
“Ah, it’s in the past. I have you now, so I don’t need anything else.”
“Yes. Master. I am happy.”
It seems like they’re flirting.
But what is this related to the magic clan?
“However, if I was the maker of the magic wogan doll I might be able to use it on you…”
“But, Wogans are sc.r.a.p iron after all. Unlike me, the master must always be nearby, it will only function if it is supplied.” (TL: The master here is 主人 or “shujin” which can mean head of household, proprietor, employer, or master, depending on the context. It feels more possessive.)
“That’s right, the strong point is Theta’s magic essence conversion ratio. If the core of a berbaky and oil of a chimera to ragazer powder and the scales of an ancient dragon…”
“Yes. Surely, if it is that then output will rise 85%.”
“Ma, it will take time to collect those items. Right now there are two ‘souls’ that can be used. So let’s be patient. Theta’s magic essence tolerance should increase markedly if I incorporate those. I can’t wait.”
“The soul sacrifice, that young man, is always looking at me.”
“Yeah. I cannot allow those eyes. But, Theta is a beautiful woman. A young man like that will get all wound up.”
What…
“Hai.”
“But, the young man and woman are important sacrifices and will give power to your ‘Spirit Absorption.’ It is important that they remain healthy so the two souls can be safely transfer to ‘here.’ Because, first they are paralyzed. About this time…the medicine should be taking affect and they will be collapsing.”
“Hai. Master.”
Spirit Absorption? Paralysis? These are really dangerous words…
This time is a dangerous magician.
Right now we are suckers coming along just begging to be parted from their money? (TL: 鴨がねぎを背負って来る)
That explains why this person lives in such a remote place. We should run away quickly.
Ah, Yui…I hurry to the nearby room.
“What’s wrong? Why do you look like that?”
“d.a.m.n it. We already ate the meal; the man here seems to be a dangerous magician. I overheard them talking about “souls” and “sacrifice” and giving us paralyzing medicine. We need to escape fast, can you more?”
“Ah, my…ah, my arm is numb…”
The paralysis is already setting in.
“Rollo, go outside and be prepared to fight at any moment.”
“Nya.”
Rollo responds and then vigorously runs outside.
“Gu, so, sorry. Numbness…”
I should have been more careful.
“Mou, the medicine is already taking affect.”
“…You, are you okay? I can move my mouth…but my arms are shaking, and there’s no strength in my legs…although this feels kind of funny…it must be a special narcotic…”
“I’m fine. I just move the food…I didn’t eat it.”
“There’s no helping it now.”
“Understood. Let’s leave here first. I’ll carry you.”
I carry Yui.
“Kya!”
“What is it lover? I’ll help. Don’t worry.”
Yui nods and falls quiet.
“Oya…are you going somewhere?”
c.r.a.p, we were caught. I must deceive him.
“Ah, Yui wants to go outside for a little while, feel the wind, look at the stars…”
“Is that so, ha, I guess our lies are mutually transparent. I can’t let you leave like this. Theta. Block the exit.”
“Yes. Master.”
She came too. Theta is blocking the warehouse’s exit.
“Rollo!”
At my signal, Rollo springs on Theta.
“-W, what?”