v1c12 (2/2)

As they heard the shout and the explosive sound, the a.s.sault of the oncoming goblins stopped.

As I was released from the danger of death, my hips grew weak and I sat down on the spot.

In that interval Lute-kun came running over to face off against the goblins to protect me.

I was about to tell grat.i.tude towards his back but,

“Lu, Lute-kun, t, tha—―”

“Never mind the thanks, Snow you hold her close and absolutely don’t move from here!”

“O, okay!”

According to his instructions, I held the fainted child close in order to protect her.

Lute-kun turned the magic tool that caused the explosion towards the goblins.

Once again, the magic device made the explosive sound like when it broke the arrow.

Simultaneously in the nearest goblin’s head was a small hole.

The goblin fell like a puppet whose strings were cut, in the river.

Lute-kun let the explosive sound resound again 4 times.

In an instant 4 goblins had a similar hole in the head and collapsed.

8 remained.

But the goblins still had an overwhelming advantage in numbers.

Frenzied, they kicked up a splash and attacked once again.

‘OOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooooo!’

A roar with killing intent strikes my skin.

“Hiii……”

I let a little scream out only I could hear.

And yet Lute-kun just like a veteran hero calmly fumbled with his magic tool ―― And pointed the magic tool again at the flood of goblins.

In a stance like a sculpture, he calmly killed the goblins in an instant.

A goblin holding a wooden s.h.i.+eld hid behind his s.h.i.+eld, but the magic device Lute-kun invented made a hole in his head as if the s.h.i.+eld wasn’t there.

In about 6 seconds from the 8 goblins at the start, 2 remained.

The two understood their unfavorable situation and turned their back and flew at full speed to the woods.

Lute-kun tampered again with the magic device and carefully watched the goblins flee to the entrance to the forest.

I wonder how much time had pa.s.sed.

…… it doesn’t seem like the goblins will be coming back.

As the strength left Lute-kuns shoulder he hurriedly turned around.

“Snow are you injured? Does it hurt anywhere!”

Without even a shred of his earlier veteran hero-like battle presence, there was only my childhood friend, worrying about me.

That was the Lute-kun I knew well.

“Lute-kun I’m scared! Lute-kun……!”

I put the fainted child gently on the ground and instinctively clung to Lute-kun.

Because our height isn’t different, I buried my face in his neck.

Lute-kun didn’t mind becoming dirty from my tears and gently stroked my head many, many times.

I can really calm down in Lute-kun’s arms.

Like the night of that day, I listened to the beating of his warmth, and the fear for my life and first battle―all the negative emotions melted away like the snow in spring.

aah, so is it ――

*thump*, with my feet on the ground, I was convinced.

The thing that I, who was thrown away, always wanted. The place I must return to…… it’s into Lute-kun’s arms.

When I realized, my body became hot.

My whole self yelled:

“The reason I was born into this world was to meet――with him.”

This is the feeling of ‘falling in love’.

With maddening desire boiling up, I muttered that inside of my heart.

“Snow is admirable. Even when you’re scared, you stayed behind so everyone can get away…… you’re really great.”

Lute-kun comforted me, who was only holding him back.

My chest was sweetly strangled by his kindness until it hurts.

I can’t just stay silent.

“Lute-kun too, thank you, you protected Snow and the kids. Thanks……”

We said our thanks to each other.

For some reason Lute-kun put on a smile as if getting a little bit of peace of mind.

Afterwards, the kids that fled earlier sought Elle-sensei’s help, and she rushed over—until then, Snow and I kept on hugging, as if confirming each other’s warmth.

After the goblin attack incident, people’s opinion of Lute-kun totally changed.

Until now, he was the “poor kid who didn’t have talent in magic, but couldn’t face reality”, but because of this incident, it changed to “genius who didn’t have talent in magic, but compensated for it with magic devices”.

Not even minding such opinions from people, Lute-kun made a difficult face and started making a new magic device.

I unintentionally smiled faintly at his usual carefree att.i.tude.

And then, Lute-kun and I turned 8.

An afternoon I spent rather relaxedly, after the summer’s climax has pa.s.sed.

After magician’s basic cla.s.s had ended, I hurriedly ran to the test firing range.

My beloved childhood friend was putting his hands in a small cask, he was in the middle of making some cartridges.

Without holding back, I clung to his back.

“Lute-kun, sorry to make you wait!”

“Didn’t I tell you already, it’s dangerous if you suddenly cling to me like that. Also stop sniffing me. I reek of sweat, right?”

“Not at all! You smell really nice! *sniff sniff*”

“Stop sniffing already, it tickles.”

“Ehehehe, sorry.”

Before I know it, it had become our usual conversation.

Lute-kun breathed a sigh of resignation, and gently patted my head.

His hand felt really good, and before I realized, my tail was already happily wagging left and right.

Again and again, Lute-kun’s expression changed back and forth between wanting to hug me close, and not hugging me close.

Finally, as if shaking something off, he gripped my shoulders and pushed me off.

“W, well then, let’s start practice. Hey, Snow, let go”

“I want to hug harder, just a little more.”

“Afuu~!”

I put strength into my arms, and Lute-kun made a weird sound.

“Th, that should be enough, no? If we cling like this any further we’ll have no time for practice.”

“Lute-kun is stingy.”

“Yeah yeah, stingy is fine. Here, the gunbelt. Put the cylinder in yourself.”

He bluntly handed me the gunbelt wrapped around his waist.

“It was on him until just now, so it should be smelling of fresh sweat, but of course, sniffing would be rude”, I thought as I received it.

While chanting in my heart “patience, patience”, I skillfully wrapped it around myself.

After the goblin incident, I also started practicing how to handle the magic device Lute-kun made.

He accepted, saying that I can use it for self-defense when I run out of magic power.

I took the revolver, and pushed the cylinder out.

I took some 9×29.5mmR bullets from the remaining wooden boxes, and put them in.

Raising my body abilities with body strengthening, I fired at the human shapes on the cliffs.

Practice Start.

As the evening falls we finished tidying up and went back to the orphanage hand in hand.

Just now I stole a glance at Lute-kun’s face that was illuminated by the setting sun.

All the children in the orphanage have to leave when they turn 10, no exceptions.

As for me, I plan on enrolling into a magic school.

Lute-kun and I are both 8 years old.

It’s an age where we should soon think of our careers.

I wonder what Lute-kun plans to do….

Every once in a while, he looks far away much unlike someone his age.

What Lute-kun is thinking, what he is going to do, not even I, the closest childhood friend to him, knows.

So I sometimes become afraid.

Surely Lute-kun is going to accomplish something.

Maybe something even the 5 great race heroes couldn’t do, I think he’s going to do something amazing like that.

The fact that he could make a magic device stronger than magic at 7 years old is proof above all.

For an ordinary person like me, it’s hard to be at his side, I suppose.

Even though my feelings of “I like him” “I love him” won’t lose to anyone.

If we leave the orphanage as we are now, the connection between Lute-kun and I will end just like this.

After that, I don’t think we’re ever going to cross paths again―even though I’m supposed to return to his arms.

As I thought that, my body became cold, as if being suddenly thrown naked to some snowy mountain.

I want to stay at his side.

In whatever way possible.

If I can be selfish, I want to connect Lute-kun’s blood with the next generation in my belly.

I want to bear his child.

Seeking the strongest bonds over all relations, that’s the instinct of a white wolf.

I’m surely going to love that child more than myself.

“Lute-kun what will you do when you become 10?”

I resolved myself and asked him about his plans after graduation.

“As I thought, you’re going to Malton-san’s place to run a toy store?”

“No, that’s not it.”

Lute-kun said that without wavering.

“I was thinking of going on a journey when I turn 10. Then… If I can, I want to help people in trouble or in need of help.”

“Why do you want to do that?”

Receiving an unexpected answer, I reflexively asked again.

He hesitated―then opened his mouth to talk.

“Last year I helped Snow right? That time, I felt that helping others is something worth doing.”

“If that’s so, then Snow will go on a journey with Lute-kun!”

“Snow will go to school when you turn 10, right? Then you will become a splendid magician and go to the north continent to look for your parents, that was your dream, right?”

“If I’m with Lute-kun, I can go to the north continent the way I am now.”

It doesn’t matter if I don’t enter a magic school, as long as I can be with my beloved Lute-kun.

But hearing my remarks, Lute-kun made a very sad face.

“I would be happy to be together with Snow. But, Snow has talent to become a magician. I don’t want to be with Snow so much as to eat away Snow’s talent. I don’t want to become a burden for Snow.”

“Lute-kun……”

It’s sad, but what he said was right.

No matter how much I say I love him, I don’t want to eat away at his talent, I don’t want to be holding him back. Just staying together with him against his will, that wouldn’t mean anything.

“I like him” “I love him”―just that feeling alone doesn’t allow me to stay by his side.

Of course I had to become stronger, at least so I don’t become a burden.

Because of that, I have no choice but to go to a magic school.

But if I separate from Lute-kun just like that….

Once again I was struck by fear.

The fear of being separated from Lute-kun just as childhood friends, and not being able to meet him again.

I don’t want that! I want to always be with Lute-kun!

I wiped my rising tears with my finger.

I stopped my feet and released my hands, then turned around to face Lute-kun.

Miraculously, that place is exactly where I was attacked by goblins, and where he saved me.

I summoned my courage, and told him the feelings I always wanted to say.

I clasped my hands on my chest, mustered courage and raised my voice.

“There is something…… I’ve always  wanted to tell Lute-kun.”

He probably had guessed, and faced me with a serious look.

I mustered my courage with all my might, putting all my feelings as it is, and shouted.

“Snow…… Please make Snow into Lute-kun’s “s.e.x slave”!”

“——Huuuwwwwhhhaaaattttt!!!?”

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