Published at 13th of December 2020 05:52:41 PM
Chapter 198
The time when Ardis was away from home to escort Minerva . One person was walking from the capital into the Corsas Forest . It is Kyrill .
On off days of the academy, Kyrill had accepted the job of teaching the twins common sense and words as a home tutor .
That had continued for the year even when Ardis went missing, so it’s the third year since he started . The travel to the forest that he feared of at the beginning became commonplace now .
「The melody that severs thine mind and the beckon to Mahoroba―― Molte ・ Orne ・ Sheep」(Sleeping Haze)
He released it towards the beast stalking him from behind the bushes with a dangerous glint . The neurotoxin manifested from the magic covered the area, and forcefully put the creature into sleep .
The horn on the beast that was peeking at him stopped moving . Without resisting against the sleeping magic that Kyrill released, the targeted beast’s consciousness flew away .
However, Kyrill could never let his tension down . It is the most dangerous when one thinks it is over .
It is what Ardis taught him many times when Kyrill was being thrown around like a rag in his training . Kyrill heard the rustle of leaves while his focus never dropped .
Just as he turned to the woods on the right, there was the figure of another beast of the same type that he just put to sleep . It is a six-footed beast with a hard skin .
That’s what the mercenaries refer as 『Twin Swords』 . The two chins on its head curved inwards, having the sharpness to tear its prey into pieces .
Was it trying to intimidate, it grinded the two chins together as it drew closer to Kyrill .
「The penetrating pebble of――」
Although Kyrill immediately tried to attack, the Twin Swords moved faster . No matter how Kyrill is known for his speed casting in the academy, the Twin Swords within ten meters would surely reach first .
While continuing his chant, Kyrill kicked up the bunch of dried sticks on the ground towards the Twin Swords .
True to his aim, the sticks that were kicked towards the mouth of the Twin Swords were snipped by the two chins .
It can be said a Twin Swords’s instinct is to snip anything that comes in between of their chin .
Although it was only a short moment he was able to buy, managing to delay the movement of the threatening chins would be more than enough for the current Kyrill .
「The unwavering heroism of the knight ――― Dessel! 」(Earth)
While holding down the Twin Swords with the staff in his hands, his chant finished . Even for the Twin Swords that has tough skin, its abdomen is vulnerable .
The sharp spear of stone stabbed from the ground easily penetrated its weak spot . Although the Twin Swords’s legs struggled in the air after being pierced in the abdomen, anyone can tell that it’s a meaningless struggle .
Its movement dulled by the minute . It would probably turn into a corpse soon .
「Fuu……」
Kyrill sighed grandly with cold sweat down his back . He was reflecting that although he was able to deal with the first Twin Swords quickly, he was ambushed by another .
Kyrill fears surprise attacks the most as he did not have the ability to detect enemies with magic like Ardis .
Even though Ardis had taught him martial arts, Kyrill is not at the level to be able to fight in close quarters with a wild beast .
Dying if he let his guard down didn’t change even after going through the forest for two years .
The moment he finished his sigh after fending off the Twin Swords . Suddenly he heard rustling from the bushes on his left . And then the sound of something slithering on the ground .
「A Ractor――? 」
Something slithering in the forest would make him think of a Ractor first . Ractor is a huge snake that can easily swallow a whole human .
Although it’s considered weak among demonic beings, it’s still a strong foe compared to the other beasts in the forest .
However, it’s not something Kyrill cannot handle after having two years of experience in this forest .
Despite so, it’s not like Kyrill came here to subjugate it .
Taking on a meaningless fight would be foolish, and on top of that, he might still encounter other beast on his road .
Fights that can be avoided should be avoided . Luckily, in the surroundings, there’s a fresh Twin Swords corpse, and another one fast asleep .
If the Ractor is looking for preys, then it would probably go for the two Twin Swords rather than Kyrill who is running away .
「Time to get away . 」
Kyrill quickly made a decision and sprinted out of there . Facing forward in the forest, he kept his focus in getting out of there as soon as possible .
After eventually getting enough distance, Kyrill slowed down his pace .
「It’s not following, right……」
Sponsored Content
While calming his breathing, he focused all his senses into his ears . He felt the sound of his ragged breathing was more annoying than usual .
「……Huh? 」
There was no sound of a Ractor slithering on the ground . What he can hear is only the leaves rustling in the wind and distant bird chirps .
It’s the usual forest .
The noise that indicated the Ractor chasing him nor a Twin Swords in a bush wasn’t heard .
However, Kyrill tilted his head at the mysterious discomfort he felt . As he felt something was different from the usual forest in his hairs, he looked around .
「What is it? 」
Not getting an answer even if he asked, Kyrill felt an indescribable sense of discomfort wrapping around him .
He focused more with his eyes, strained his ears, and felt the vibrations from the ground with his feet .
Kyrill continued surveying around for the unexplainable discomfort but, all he could see is the tall trees that covered the sunlight, and lushy green bushes everywhere .
What he could only hear were the cries of animals that wouldn’t be a threat, and also the wind .
「Am I overthinking……? 」
Although Kyrill still felt the discomfort, it’s not like he can find out why even if he waited around .
If he stayed around, it would be more dangerous for him . Although outskirts, the Corsas Forest is still known as a hellscape .
After calming his breath, Kyrill tightened his shoelaces and turned back for once . It is the usual scenery .
While not able to answer the discomfort he had, Kyrill continued on his path towards the house with the owner absent .
Outskirts of the Corsas Forest . There was Ardis’s house situated in a place where only few mercenaries or explorers ever set foot in .
In the familiar garden, Kyrill saw two girls a little younger than him crouching near a flowerbed .
It is the two students that Kyrill has, Fillia and Riana .
「Ah, it’s Kyrill――! 」
Sponsored Content
「Welcome――! 」
The twins who had noticed Kyrill approaching waved their hands wide .
The two that would be fourteen this year grew more feminine than the first time Kyrill met them when they’re still twelve .
Although their behavior still seemed a little younger than their age, it’s still within tolerable zone of being deemed a little more 『Childish』 than other fourteen-year-olds .
With an adolescent appearance still retaining its adorableness, the energetic feeling of a wild flower decorated their faces .
Honestly speaking, Kyrill always thought they’re both considered to be really beautiful .
Although they were treated unlike human in the past and were thin, they could properly grow up under Ardis’s protection, and have grown to have a good proportion .
Even their bosom developed femininely, the fact that Kyrill helping them buy clothing in the capital is actually a mentally stressing task was something Ardis nor Nere knew .
However, Kyrill had gotten close to the twins to willingly help them . Although his students, they’re also like his younger sister at the same time . The twins waved as usual towards Kyrill as he approached .
「Where’s Nere-san? In the kitchen? 」
Kyrill asked for the whereabouts of Nere from the two .
It is because he needed to hand over the consumables such as spices that he’d bought in the capital to her .
「Nere is not around now . 」
「She went out to hunt for lunch . 」
The twins replied Kyrill’s question with the absence of Nere .
「Is that so . Well, she’ll return soon huh . 」
Although when Kyrill first started as a home tutor, there wasn’t a case where Nere left the twins on their own in the house but, that wasn’t possible when Ardis went missing a year ago .
And that’s why whenever Kyrill visited once a week, he bought the minimum necessities for them . However, their daily food couldn’t be carried over by Kyrill alone .
Naturally, Nere had to hunt in the forest, and as a result, the twins would be left alone at the house sometimes .
Sponsored Content
The fact that Nere could do that is probably because that the twins would be fine on their own to a certain degree .
On top of the fact that she had put barriers in the surroundings of the house so that beasts wouldn’t approach, the twins had also learnt enough magic to protect themselves .
「Who? 」
「Eh? 」
The words that Fillia suddenly blurted out formed a question mark above Kyrill’s head .
「Who……, is there someone? 」
He realized that not only Fillia but Riana as well was looking behind him, towards a certain spot in the dense woods .
Prompted by the two peeking behind him with him in between, Kyrill turned around as well .
However, it is the silent forest as usual . There was not even a single animal .
「Fillichan . Did you see someone? 」
Not glancing back towards Kyrill who asked, Fillia’s gaze was locked at the forest .
「What about Rianchan? Did you see someone too? 」
Riana who was similarly staring in the forest shook her head and replied without her gaze moving .
「But it felt like someone was there, they’re not here anymore though . 」
「Someone…… was there? In a place like this? 」
Kyrill couldn’t tell if what Riana said was the truth . However, if there’s someone else other than himself here, there’s nothing guaranteeing that it wouldn’t be an enemy .
Kyrill understood that it will be his responsibility to protect the twins as Ardis and Nere both aren’t around currently .
「Let’s get inside . And make sure to not leave the house until Nere-san returns . 」
Kyrill pushed on the two’s back towards the house and entered the house together, before shutting the door while keeping an eye out .