Vol 2 Chapter 8.1 (1/2)

Translated by mranon

Edited by OnionRings27

2nd Volume, 8th Chapter 【Backs of the Two Conversers】 1st Part

Author’s note: Happy New Year!

Please treat me well this year, too. m(^^)m

Posting the next chapter as a New Year’s gift.

Go ahead.

Due to commodities moving to and from Pascam Port Town, the main road on the western side of Merville was surging with activity.

At noon, because of the people running food stalls on the road, an appetizing aroma was wafting in the area.

Speaking of time, 12 bells indicating noon had just rung.

On a lot in the aisle of stalls, two men were sitting in chairs and eating.

「――Really…? Invasion by demons… Then, your family… Are Millay-san and Lim-chan safe?」

A dog beastkin with tufty haired ears drooping on either sides on his head spoke those words.

The tail behind his waist was dangling off the chair and grazing the ground. The clothes that wrapped his well built body were an embroidered merchant outfit that was weaved abroad. Taking its high price into account, one could infer that his business was blooming.

「Ah, actually, Millay… is dead… Only I and my daughter, Lim, were able to escape safely… I don’t know what became of the rest afterward.」

The one who answered the dog beastkin—Doorey—was a wolf beastkin.

Compared to Doorey’s body, which couldn’t be called lean by any standard, his body was tempered to fully exhibit the physical abilities characteristic of a beastkin.

He was wearing a leather armor. His beast face, that was garbed with combative a.s.sertion, could safely be called scary. However, the impression he gave off was calm.

With a height of over 190cm, he was one head taller than Doorey even when seated.

Speaking of his deceased wife, the wolf beastkin—Arnold—indistinctly grimaced.

Feeling the scar on one of his ears with his finger, he spat a breath and waited for Doorey’s next words.

「…Sorry… I didn’t know such a mishap had befallen. It was thoughtless of me to make you reminisce about it. d.a.m.n, if I were there… 」

Doorey used to live in the same village as Arnold. He lost his parents early. A little more than ten years ago, he decided to leave the village and be a merchant.

Doorey, who had good command of the essentials, spent each of his days in strengthening his ground as a merchant. Although he never returned to the village, his character wasn’t detestable.

However, he accidentally met an old friend of his in Merville the day prior.

Rejoiced at the reunion, the two decided on this place to mutually share their situation today.

「Haha! cut it out, cut it out… With such a saggy body, what would you have done? Actually, in helping you escape, I would have ended up killed by the demons.」

Heartily laughing his friend’s words away, Arnold violently patted Doorey’s back.

「U… gehogeho… What did you say… Back then, I was fairly…」

Doorey objected amidst the coughing fit due to the impact on his back.

However… Even he knew that he wasn’t of any use in a battle with a body that hadn’t been trained for long and a belly that was flabby.

「Back then, huh? If you, who have been a merchant for more than ten years, jumped in front of a demon, you would be instakilled.」

「Reprehensible, isn’t it? Alright, I’ll start training over again――」

「――Stop, no… Stop it…」

The enthused Doorey was. .h.i.t with those still words in a voice that contained a color of gravity.

「Wh-why all of a sudden…」

At the sudden change in tone, Doorey was astonished.

「No… Sorry… However, you should continue to live on as a merchant. Just now, it was all in jest. Even mistakenly, don’t make light of demons.」

「…Aah…」

The meaning behind Arnold’s serious appeal――Doorey clearly understood.

The wolf beastkin sitting across him wasn’t weak by any means. In fact, he was strong.

In the olden days, he might have fought him as an equal. However, those days were more than ten years in the past.

While Arnold was gaining more strength, he was getting weaker.

Even so, the least he could do was save his friend’s daughter.

He had never faced a demon before, but the terror was deep rooted.

When all’s said and done――his friend next to him was concerned for him from the depths of his heart.

「――By the way, how’s Lim-chan doing? I would like to meet her.」