Chapter 85

I have to deal with a large number of rats. The job is simple: just slit their bellies and extract the magic stones. However, with this many, I can't just throw them in the garbage. In the end, I decided to process them outside the city. Even if it's on the outskirts, I can't just burn monster corpses in the middle of the city.

I toss the rats into a hole, stack some dry branches, and light a fire. All I have to do is wait for them to burn completely.

Hmm, I'm hungry.

"Kokushin, do you want to buy meat or hunt for it?"

Kokushin, who was practicing with a dummy, turned around.

"Alright, let's go hunting."

Yeah, that's right. So, it's your turn. Take care of the fire, okay? No, you don't have to follow me. Got it. Then, Kokushin, go ahead. A small one will do.

Kokushin disappeared into the forest. I wonder what he'll bring back.

In the meantime, I wash the magic stones and count them. There are 52. I put them in a bag. They're small, so they won't be worth much.

There was a thud behind me.

I turned around to see the cow-patterned fluffy guy who should have been at the guild.

"What's up?"

When I tried to stand up, he bit my collar.

"Huh?"

My body floated up.

"Wait, wait! No, stop! Stop!"

The height kept increasing. Ah, I see Kokushin! He's holding something that looks like a bird.

"Kokushin!!"

Kokushin looked up, his face full of shock. He was saying something, but I couldn't hear him. As he started running, he got smaller and smaller.

No, what's going on here?

I was dangled for a few minutes. Surprisingly, I was soon put down on the ground. It was in front of the adventurer guild. There, a girl with a bob cut was sitting on the ground, eating skewers.

"Oh, it's you? Thank you for saving me. I owe you my life."

She said this with a charming smile, but my mind couldn't keep up.

"Thanks for bringing me here."

The girl, apparently named Maidy, clung to the panther's neck and rubbed against it affectionately.

"Huh? What? Did you kidnap me just to say that?"

She looked puzzled at my words.

"Huh, did I kidnap you?"

"Growl"

"Sorry, I just wanted to thank you, so I asked you to come."

If an apology was enough, we wouldn't need the police!

"Hey, I was with my companion outside the city. You just took me without a word. How worried do you think he is? You're a kidnapper, you know?"

Maidy clung to the panther even tighter, seemingly scared by my tone. The panther growled at me in response.

"Anyway, if you wanted to thank me, you could have come yourself. Who do you think you are to summon me?"

"That's not how you should talk..."

"Then how should I talk? Is it my fault for not understanding? Even now, he's baring his fangs to protect you. Do you realize that?"

The crowd around us started to get noisy. I was shouting at the entrance. Ah, the guild master is here.

"No, no, it's not like that! Mo, stop it!"

Despite Maidy's voice, the panther kept growling. I was clearly identified as an enemy.

"Stop it!"

Maidy held him back.

"Raito!"

"Growl!"

Suddenly, I was tackled from the side. I slid on the ground and was hugged so tightly it felt like my bones were breaking.

"Raito, Raito! Are you okay!? Any injuries!?"

"Kokushin..."

The places he was squeezing, like my spine, hurt, but I couldn't say anything. He was checking if I was okay, panting.

"I'm... fine..."

Choke.

"Raito!?"

He's choking me, Kokushin...

So, Kokushin, who accidentally strangled me, is now crying on my back. I'm sitting on his lap. No matter what I say, he only says "sorry," so I let him cry until he's had enough.

Maidy is sitting across from me at the table. The guild master is at the head of the table. Mo is outside.

"Once again, I'm sorry. I knew the kid would take things literally, but I was too hasty."

Maidy bowed deeply. She finally realized the seriousness of the situation, seeing how panicked Kokushin was.

Honestly, I'm past the boiling point, so I don't care anymore.

"That's fine. Why do I have to talk here? I want to go home."

"Come on, don't be so harsh."

I glared at the guild master, who was being casual. He shrugged and sighed.

"Guess it's no use. I thought we could form a party."

"「No, thank you.」"

Our voices harmonized. We looked at each other. Maidy waved her hand.

"It's not about you! I only have Mo. As long as I have Mo, that's all I need. That's why I can't join a party."

"Alright then."

I also declined, so it works out.

"Still, Maidy, what if there's no one around next time? Even a King Panther isn't omnipotent. How about joining this party?"

"No way. Mo would be jealous."

"Hmm?"

"I don't like seeing Mo being friendly with others either."

"Ah, that's why you're solo?"

"Exactly. Mo and I are in love with each other."

I see. I see!

The master is holding his head.

"In that case, being solo is fine. Just be careful with your energy distribution."

As long as you don't collapse, there's no problem.

"Ah, that. It feels so good, you know."

Maidy hugged herself and sighed dreamily.

"The feeling of my magic power being drained is irresistible. It makes me feel sick, but once I get past that, it's like everything is floating."

Ah, this. This is bad.

The master is also taken aback.

"The edge is the best. The moment when I can't take it anymore is the best. Mo looks like he's having fun too. He loves the moment when I wake up."

This is too much. I don't understand this.

"Ah, about today? He said the rock hurt, so he pushed it with his nose and got stuck. He was really panicked."

Maidy laughed. She'll probably stay solo for a while. She's not just not reflecting; she's actively pursuing this. If it's a fetish, there's nothing to be done.

"Well, that's enough."

The guild master gave up.

She bowed again, this time to Kokushin, and left.

"Phew. I thought she was a bit strange, but she's like that. Can't be helped. By the way, let's talk about the contents."

The master clapped his hands.

"Ah, yes. You managed to get them out?"

"Yes. There were two of them."

"Huh?"

I didn't notice.

There was another person on my back. Both were adventurers, as I had guessed. Their guild cards hadn't melted. They were newbies registered in the neighboring town and had gone missing during a quest. It's a sad story. Well, it could happen to anyone.

The master thanked me for bringing them back, and I headed home. It was a coincidence. They were just unlucky, and then lucky.

"Ah, I'm hungry..."

I realized this when I saw the house I was renting. Kokushin didn't have the bird. He must have dropped it to chase after me. I turned to look at Kokushin, who was walking behind me.

"Let's go buy some food."

He nodded. It's not Kokushin's fault. I really can't forgive that girl.