It happened one day .
It was when Lehaty spent her bimonthly time of instability in the forest . But unfortunately, she encountered Adventurers this time .
Of course, the Adventurers did not understand the situation, and so they fled in fear . Lehaty ran as well, she had no intention of harming them . But this seemed to give them courage, and they soon showed a will to fight her .
Arrows flew at her back . Magic was unleashed . Still, Lehaty ran, and still they chased . But they were no match for the legs of a werewolf, and so Lehaty escaped with her life .
The Adventurers had never seen such a monster before . Rare materials . That is what she was to them .
However, it was an incident that reminded Lehaty of how horrible humans could be .
“After that happened, I gave up going to bathhouses and just stayed in the forest . After months passed, I started to be able to control the effects of my illness . And then I was able to return to the town and use the baths again . ”
Shortly after, Lehaty returned to making money and visiting the inn .
Even now, she returned to the forest once a month . She had to live with this body .
But it seemed like things would be better for her on the island . She wouldn’t have to make money just to use the baths . I didn’t know how large the island was, but if it was an active volcanic island, it was probably decently large . Lehaty might be able to live there without being bothered by other humans .
I had told her that something might be done, but who knows if that was true . In any case, I just wanted to help the lonely girl .
As I walked down the path in the forest, I sensed someone coming from the other side . It was a presence I was very familiar with . Daniela .
“Hahhhh…damn it…”
“What? You don’t seem too happy to see me?”
“I wish you would not leave while only leaving a scrap of paper like this . ”
Daniela said as she waved the note .
-Will go to see the Loup-garou . -
“You could have at least written the location, you know?”
“Uh, sorry . I thought I did . ”
“Huhhh…”
Daniela sighed .
“So? Did you see it?”
“Yeah . It was a bit shocking too . ”
And so I told Daniela about my meeting with Lehaty .
“I see . And so you want to use Rachel’s magic to take Lehaty to that island . ”
“Yeah . Do you think we can?”
“That is up to Rachel . ”
And so I took the key out of the bag and handed it to Daniela .
“I do not see why I have to do it . ”
“Well, I don’t know . Just a hunch . ”
“I do not understand . ”
Still, she used the magic key to insert it into the empty space in front of her . And the space cracked open and an alley appeared .
“Let’s go then . ”
“Yes . ”
And so we stepped foot into the alley and opened the window to the side .
“Rachel? Are you there?”
“Hm? Ahh, Asagi . What do you want?”
“Oh, she’s here . Lucky . ”
“Do not treat me like I’m some lucky beast . ”
Rachel said . She was sitting in the living room and eating a bowl of rice and egg . Daniela and I barged in while taking off our shoes . I was in awe of the magic every time . And there was something relaxing about the atmosphere here . Yes, like it was my own home .
“I have something to ask you . ”
“Hmm . I can at least listen . ”
And so I told her what I had just told Daniela .
Lehaty’s past and present . I told it to her in as much detail as possible and then told her what I wanted her to do .
While I talked, she put her chopsticks down and listened quietly . The fact that she was capable of taking things seriously was one of the reasons that I trusted her . Of course, her food was getting cold and dry at the same time .
“…Hmm . I understand the gist of it . And I do have a door leading to the island . I like baths as well, after all . ”
“Really! So, can you do it?”
“Ah, why not? But there is a condition . ”
“A condition…?”
The condition that Rachel had…what could it be?
“What foolish things are going through your mind…”
“What? I’m always serious . ”
“You don’t look serious . You look stupid . ”
“I prefer the word ‘endearing . ’”
Daniela sighed at this stupid exchange and said,
“So…what is the requirement?”
“Oh, yes, right . ”
Rachel clapped her hands together and looked at me with a condescending grin .
“Asagi . You must become my thrall . ”
I returned to the inn and collapsed on my bed .
In the evening, I had knocked on the south gate from the outside, which gave the guards quite the scare . But I was so distracted by my own thoughts that I walked passed them without saying anything . I wasn’t even sure if Mister Saragi was there .
As for the town . It all seemed so far away now .
“What to do…”
I said to no one in particular . Of course, Daniela was there to hear it .
“I think you should do it . Be her thrall . ”
“Hmm…”
“I do not mind . In fact, I am worried that you seem to be so troubled by it . ”
Daniela said as she climbed the steps with a cup of fruit water .
“You’re worried about me?”
“Aye . If you ask me, you have a habit of caring about the small things too much . This is not a world where you can let such things hold you back all of the time . ”
“I’m sure you’re right…”
“Sometimes, I feel as if you are incapable of compromise . I am not telling you to go out and create a harem . She is nothing more than a friend . ”
I accepted the cup from her and wet my lips .
“If it was Fiona . I would object . She had the face of an animal in heat . ”
“That’s rude…”
“Lauria did as well . And I had my suspicions about that prostitute in Alessa . Speaking of suspicious, those twins . Olive and Oregano . ”
“Hey, hey . Now you’re starting to paint me like some kind of womanizer . ”
“Oh? Were you ever anything else?”
I glared at her . She had to be kidding . As if…
I knew what it looked like from seeing Matsumoto . He was a real Hero . I wasn’t like that at all .
“And that is why this is nothing to me now . It is too late for you to try and change your reputation . Understand?”
“Uhhh…”
Yes . Well, that wasn’t something I could accept so easily . This was all news to me .
“You still do not understand?”
“Yes . I don’t . ”
“Then I shall make you . No matter what your inhibitions might be, you are not capable of bending for anyone . Except for me . ”
“Uh, now, Daniela…”
Her lips covered my mouth as I began to protest . Ultimately, I would not have time for a rebuttal until morning .
I could never get used to these tired mornings . It reminded me of getting up for my night-shift . However, I wasn’t in low spirits, at least .
Daniela had persuaded and reminded me of a thing or two . And I was feeling a lot more positive about accepting Rachel’s proposition .
I woke Daniela up and we bathed together .
After that, we at breakfast and left a message before leaving the inn . We were headed to the south gate, just like yesterday .
Things had been shaken up a little due to my return the other day, and so heads immediately turned as we approached . But I had nothing to say now . And so I just kept walking .
Like yesterday, the path was covered in leaves and difficult to see . But it wasn’t a hard path to follow, and we easily made it to the abandoned village . Lehaty should be there unless something happened .
“I’m nervous…”
“I do not see why you should be?”
“I just am . ”
I was going to turn into someone’s thrall . Of course, I’d be nervous . I hadn’t even been aware of what was happening with Beowulf . But this time, I knew .
The village had been abandoned due to people moving to Yukka . So it had nothing to do with monsters . Well, it was certainly a peaceful way to have something rot away .
Then again, perhaps someone returned occasionally, as the houses were surprisingly still standing and in decent condition . Well, it would have been before the Loup-garou arrived . There were still leaves and mud everywhere…
“Asagi!”
Lehaty called as she came out of one of the houses . Yes, yes . She looked like a great werewolf today as well .
“Morning . I’m sure you remember Daniela . ”
“Hello . Thank you for helping us back in the carriage . ”
“I only did what I had to . ”
Lehaty chuckled pleasantly, but I still remembered seeing the bodies of those she fought . The limbs that were twisted in the wrong directions .
“Now, Rachel is waiting . And she does not like to wait . ”
I glanced over to Daniela . She nodded and took out the key .
“Oh, I’m getting nervous…this is a legendary monster…”
“Yeah…”
“You are both nervous, now? …Asagi, you should toughen up . ”
Daniela said as she slapped me on the back . It was surprisingly painful, and I coughed . When I looked up, the alley spread out before us .