Volume 1 Chapter 2 (1/2)

← ・・｜｜・・Vol 01 Ch 02 Part 02 →

To Land's End (Part 1)

Still wrapped in wind, the fleeing Garrius crossed over the plains and into a forest He spotted a streaer had pohich could control the wind

The use of such an item would normally consume mana But thanks to his ‘Iteth

Since he was ical effects without consuue would build up until he eventually lost consciousness

“Whew, I' this far Let's rest till ”

Garrius sat down on the pebble-strewn riverbank and caught his breath

“Who are you? I do a sweat Are you some first-class adventurer?” asked Lippi the werecat, ar its chest

“I'm the hero Well, the former hero”

“What!?”

“By the way, you should know the de Jered”

“What!? O”

After this second expression of shock, Lippi winced in pain

“I received the ‘Iteift when I elve It means that no matter the item, I can draw out and make the fullest possible use of its capabilities”

Garrius gave the Sylphide Dagger an eye-catching twirl and then tossed it to Lippi with a “Here you go”

“Though, without proper equip earlier…” He drew the knife sheathed at his side and clenched it “It's true that I was the hero up until yesterday Teeks ago, I fought the deh I let him escape, I killedfor revenge, I'rew severe Keeping a grip on the Sylphide Dagger, the werecat assuuy liketo steal the credit for my feats and virtually exile me I only used you to take them down”

“Is…Lord Zhizzl really alive?”

“Huh? Oh, you ? He's alive I think he and his friends headed off to the, uh, wild lands?”

“Why did you let Lord Zhizzl go?”

“Well, it's kind of a long story, but the gist is that the other humans had already breached the conditions of our duel So there was no need to kill hi around the bush

“Was Mistress Cucouroux there, too?”

Lippi's expression had softened The werecat's look of consternation see of the situation

Garrius went on warningly, “You probably have your own thoughts on the h I just got you riled up saying I'd fight you, I hope you can back down For one, I certainly don't want to die, so I couldn't avoid retaliating if attacked And also, the de accepted our duel because he didn't want anyones like you with a future ahead of theether Head bowed, as if in deep thought, the werecat hissed, “You, the hero, stole the lives of so many of my kin But you…helped Lord Zhizzl andquietly, he drew close to the werecat and gently plopped a hand down on its head

“You're a the ene…hn hwaa…Mother, Father…”

The names that interspersed Lippi's sobs were probably those who had lost their lives fighting the huainst any he was ordered to target Without a doubt, he had left countless other demons in the same circumstances as Lippi

He didn't want to die That much was true

Yet, if a demon who had lost their nearest and dearest because of hiainst hi to defend himself?

He would never know unless it actually happened

In which case, it was better to stop worrying about it

Garrius ently as it cried itself out

◆

After a while, Garrius began the preparations for dinner

He went into the forest and gathered nuts, mushrooms and herbs He even lucked across so, ar unco was over for now and cal dinner?”

“Yeah, I'm——whoa, whoa, hold on You're hurt, so you should rest”

Garrius put a hand out to stop Lippi, as trying to get up

“I'm OK to help a little Want ht But don't overdo it, OK?”

Garrius handed over the ingredients he had collected and returned to the forest This tiathered several loads of dead branches and fallen leaves and set theet some now Well, sorinned at how those kitty eyes glittered

He picked up a small rock It had been worn flat He wrapped his hand around it as if to familiarize himself with its shape and fixed his eyes on the river's surface

To a bystander, it only looked as if he had twitched his ared into the water with sh, a fish floated up to the surface

Garrius waded into the water It was a sh at the deepest He sloshed his way over to grab the floating fish and brought it back

“You sure got a strange way of fishi+ng”

“Only if the conditions are right It has to be a slow-, shallow stream with relatively clear water And I suppose it has to have fish living in it, too”

Garrius stuck the end of a thin stick into the fish's h the fish toward the tail

“Not going to clean it?”

“I'll cook it like this for now”

He started a fire with the dead branches and leaves After shaking a generous around next to the fire

Next, he piled up rocks and built a raised hearth He started another fire inside, took a small pot out of his pack, and placed it on the hearth after filling it ater