Chapter 2 (1/2)

Meeting

The wolf-like beastto come any closer

(Is it on-guard?)

If that’s the case……then it ht be possible to run away

If I’m not mistaken, then wild animals should be afraid of fire, but……there’s no way I’d have anything like that on me

All that’s left is to back off without avertingaway

I’ve heard of similar stories on TV before

Hiro decided to put that knowledge into practice

As Hiro maintained eye contact, he took one step back, and the wolf, too, took one step forward

If he took two steps backward, it took two steps forward And if he took three steps backwards, it took three steps forward

Ahh……this is pointless, isn’t it?

Because he didn’t knohere the exit was, Hiro didn’t even kno far back he’d have to walk

(In the first place, will this wolf really keep following me forever?)

As Hiro remained bewildered, the wolf in front of hiround

It opened its large , the wolf appeared to be bored

Keeping it’s eyes on Hiro, the wolf stretched out its body like a cat and laid down at its location

The ouldn’t lower its guard, and if he moved, it’d bite

That hat the beast’s golden eyes told Hiro

Just how much time has passed, I wonder

As Hiro noticed its ears twitch abruptly, the wolf, who had rean to move

Around the sa noises

What eirl

“Hm? Who……are you?”

Wiping her wet hair with a cloth, the girl approached the wolf and stopped

Her gaze locked on Hiro, the girl placed her hand atop the wolf’s head and began stroking it

Towards Hiro, who had witnessed the chain of events unfold before his very eyes, the girl simply tilted her head to the side

“Hey……I’ you a question, you know?”

“Eh-, ah-, aah, , are you talking to me!?”

“Who else is here besides you……?”

There’s no way Hiro could say that he had been completely captivated by her

Possessing a silky shi+ne was cri flames

Her blazing pupils burned brightly like a pair of scarlet gems that were evenwill could be felt

Blue veins could be seen running underneath her transparent, porcelain-white skin

While her neat features appeared to be immature, they would undoubtedly make men cry in the future

Even though the girl’s chest could only be described as disappointing, this didn’t mean that her charm was halved because of it

As she seeirl had row from here on out

Lowering his head to hide his embarrassment, Hiro spoke

“Ahaha……I’uro”

“Hiro Ouguro?”

“Ahh…if it’s hard to say, then just ‘Hiro’ is fine”

“Got it Then, I’ll call you Hiro, but……what are you doing here?”

“I was looking for the exit, but………”

“Hmm……”

Her eyes examined Hiro’s body

“Well, fine You don’t see for the exit, right?”

Saying, “This way”, the girl began to walk away

Hiro began to follow after the girl’s back

As though it were protecting the girl, the alked in front of Hiro while wagging its tail

After walking for about 10 ht within the thickets of the forest up ahead

The fact that the exit which he had walked so h he had been bewitched by a fox

After passing through the light, the scenery which unfolded before hiasp

Within the blue sky, not a single cloud could be seen A pleasant wind blew gently against his face, causing the blades of grass growing on the ground to sway back and forth

However, just as the boy was being overwhelrassy plains extended around him, Hiro noticed their nearby presence within his field of vision

Spread out in a single horizontal line was a cavalry troop

Heavy-looking ar at their waists

And lastly, their clearly unfriendly glances that were aimed at Hiro

A single horse roup

Sitting on the horse was a burly man with evenly-cut short hair

With a large wound on his face and sharp, lion-like eyes, thehis mouth

“Ojou……were you bathing(1) again?”

“I just finished training, so it was hot”

“At least bring a guard with you”

“Oh, but I did have a guard Right? Cerberus”

“Woof”

As the girl petted Cerberus’s head, it barked in apparent agreement

The hed in a fed up manner

The boy couldn’t just keep staring at the two people and the animal

So, Hiro raised a hand and ti

“Uht if I leave now?”

He then ht vein appeared on thean amiable impression(2)

“Who are you, brat?”

“Hiro”

The girl approached, placing her hand on Hiro’s shoulder

“We just met over there We’re already kind of like friends, I suppose? Right!”

The girl peered at Hiro’s face, see to obtain confirmation

His face instantly turned red

Hiro had never talked to a fe what a beauty the girl was, it could be said that his reaction was only natural

In an attean to talk rapidly

“W-We’re probably soh I don’t really knohen one can really say that they’ve become friends……”

“Woof”

Cerberus barked at Hiro It was possible that the as approving of Hiro’s words