Chapter 22

"By the way, was that healing magic earlier?"

Nikusky asked me as we walked.

"Are you talking about the man's hand? Something like that."

He can already walk normally. Health is truly wonderful.

Without looking at me, Nikusky let out a sigh of admiration.

"Sure enough, you deserve the attention from Gustav. You don't even need to learn more about magic."

"...My magic can only heal injuries."

It's tough that I can't cure diseases. Besides, it's all self-taught, which is a problem.

Actually, I didn't realize I was being evaluated so highly. I felt a bit embarrassed.

We walked for a while. I had a bad feeling about what was ahead. We were almost at Twelfth Street.

The sound of the craftsmen's hammers seemed unusually loud.

"By the way, Nikusky, you're guiding me because you accepted a request, right?"

"Yeah."

"When will the request be completed?"

"When I deliver you back to the Pebble House."

He answered while looking far away, expressionless.

"Then, can I count on you to protect me until then? After all, if I collapse, you can't deliver me."

After a moment of silence, Nikusky looked at me.

"Indeed, that's true. Then, I'll help you."

I got his commitment. If so, let's finish this quickly.

The sound of metal hitting the ground echoed.

"Hey, it's those guys from earlier, right?"

The man who was in the clinic earlier suddenly appeared from the store. However, Nikusky and I continued our conversation without looking at him.

He looked calm, but his hostility was evident. It was clear that he was blocking our path.

"But, you should be able to handle this guy alone, right?"

"No, I can repel him, but I think I need Nikusky's help."

"Why?"

"I don't have the confidence to incapacitate him without hurting him and without letting him get to Nikusky."

"...Why would he come to me?"

The man's face turned red with anger, as if he had reached his breaking point.

"Hey, don't ignore me!"

"I can hear you, so continue talking."

Nikusky looked at the man expressionlessly. I wonder if he realizes he's provoking him.

"Tch... What did you do?"

"What do you mean?"

Nikusky raised an eyebrow. As expected.

"You must have done something! Can't you use magic? There's no way a kid like you can do anything!?"

"Ah, I see. So the blame is on me."

Nikusky clapped his hands and seemed to understand. Then he looked at me.

"Rather than helping, I'll take the lead."

"Well, I'm sorry, but it will be like that. I apologize for involving you."

There was another suspicious person there.

Not me, and not Tereito. So, the suspicion fell on Nikusky.

The man seemed to have gone home without realizing this, but he must have thought about it and decided to confront us, or rather, Nikusky. That's how it feels.

"Well, if we consider this trouble part of the request, it's fine."

I felt relieved that he didn't seem angry. But with his expressionless face, it's hard to tell if he's actually furious.

Nikusky took a deep breath and turned to the man.

"I can't use magic. I haven't done anything."

The man gritted his teeth and stomped his feet.

"Then what the hell? Are you saying some miracle healed my injury without me knowing!?"

"Who knows. I can't say."

With that, he took a step towards the man.

"Anyway, I didn't do anything. So, let me pass."

"No way. Hey! Come out!"

The man didn't back down and called out to the store.

As if they were prepared, muscular men started to appear one by one.

They all looked intimidating. This is what it means to be filled with hostility.

"Because of you, Tereito's examination was canceled. You must have done something."

He raised his voice to the crowd.

"Make him confess by beating him up!"

With those words, six men approached Nikusky.

He looks like a corrupt official.

"Hmph"

Nikusky snorted, dodged a punch, and moved into the nearest man's guard. He then pressed his palm under the man's chin and slammed him to the ground.

"Ugh...!"

The man writhed in pain, unable to break his fall. Nikusky kicked his solar plexus, and the man's body went limp with a small cry.

A man in a hood tried to strike with a lariat. But Nikusky's fist was faster. The clean hit to the jaw knocked him out instantly.

The men fell one after another right in front of me.

I can't just stand here. This is the result of my actions. Although Nikusky ended up fighting, I should be the one to take responsibility.

Two men circled around behind Nikusky, and I took them on.

They probably didn't expect an attack from a child, so I kicked the back of their knees.

I destabilized one man with a knee strike.

"Ow...!?"

Then I wrapped my arm around his neck and applied pressure.

I didn't actually choke him out. It was just a show. If they found out I could use magic, it would give Haman a reason to act. I wanted to keep it hidden, at least for now.

I immediately used magic to reduce the oxygen concentration in his lungs.

The struggling man lost consciousness after a few breaths.

One more to go. How should I knock him out?

I looked up at the last man.

But the man foamed at the mouth and collapsed.

Nikusky, you're fast.

The scene looked like a battlefield. The muscular men were easily taken down by Nikusky.

"Let's go through."

He said to Haman, who had turned pale, unlike his red face earlier.

I started walking after Nikusky.

Haman looked at Nikusky and me, then took a step back.

Haman will have to deal with the fallen men.

He can take them to the clinic.

We returned to the slums without any further issues.

I pushed open the creaking door and returned to the Pebble House.

"Hey."

Gustav greeted me casually.

"Thank you. Thanks to you, I'm completely fine now."

"I just called the guide. You don't owe me anything."

Gustav sighed and looked at Nikusky.

"Good work."

"Thank you."

Nikusky took a piece of paper from his pocket, placed it on the counter, and unfolded it.

"Is this task completed?"

"Yeah, the reward will be the usual."

"Understood."

He put the signed paper back in his pocket and turned to leave.

"See you again."

He called out to me and left the store without looking back.

"You seemed to get along well with him."

"Did I...?"

I didn't feel like we became friends.

"You don't often see him that happy."

"Well, if that's the case, it's good."

It's better than being scolded for causing unnecessary trouble.

But with his expressionless face, I couldn't tell if he was happy or not.

When we left the Pebble House, the sun was already setting.

Thinking about it, I hadn't eaten anything all day. I was getting hungry.

I should go catch some fish as a precaution.

I want to get back before it gets dark. I ran quickly into the forest.