Chapter 99

Summary of the previous episode:

Rose's date was a success!

Thanks to the noble sacrifice (Kato).

10 ～Ayame's Perspective～

I will protect everyone...

With such a firm resolve in my heart, I began my secret operation in the middle of the night.

Relying only on the moonlight, I pushed through the bushes covering the mountain and ran.

This was usually the time I would be sleeping.

But today, I had taken a nap on Gerbera's belly during the afternoon.

I was fully prepared.

So I wasn't the least bit sleepy.

...Sorry, that was a little lie.

I was a bit sleepy.

But I was still really energetic, and that was the truth.

So my plan was perfect.

Tonight, I had sneaked out from everyone's place with the purpose of exposing a certain evil scheme.

Sniffing the air, I followed 'his' scent alone in the darkness.

This wasn't at all scary.

Not at all.

The enemy was powerful and terrifying.

After all, it was big and had two heads.

The last time I saw it, it had some kind of wriggling thing.

What was that? It was scary.

Just thinking about it made me shudder.

No, but I can't be afraid.

I have to protect everyone.

I'm the only one who can protect everyone.

...For some reason, Master doesn't seem to be very wary of 'him'.

Lily and Gerbera also follow Master's lead.

Ugh!

It's dangerous!

It's scary!

I snorted angrily.

I know.

I remember.

The first time I encountered 'him'.

When Lily hid in her belly and went somewhere.

When a bunch of monsters attacked and things got really bad, 'he' appeared.

I thought 'he' came with a terrifying roar, and the metal people fell over.

Since Master had asked me to, I tried to protect Kai.

But I was quickly swatted away with a paw.

Lily healed me, but my tail and ears were sore for a while.

...'He' is dangerous.

I'm the only one who knows this.

I'm the only one who can protect everyone.

Thinking this, my heart burned with determination.

Encouraging my heart, which was about to be overwhelmed by fear, I ran through the mountain.

Every night, 'he' leaves our place and does something.

He must be doing something bad.

I can't think of anything specific, but it must be some evil scheme I can't even imagine.

So I have to expose it.

...It's close.

Almost there.

I moved even more cautiously through the bushes.

My small body was useful in situations like this.

Also, it's convenient when Master pets me.

If I were bigger, I wouldn't be able to be carried.

No, I need to focus on what's in front of me.

Okay.

Being careful not to be detected by smell, I peeked at the scene beyond the bushes.

—There, a blood-soaked, vicious wolf stood.

Its face was buried in the belly of a fallen giant monster.

The sound of bones being crushed and meat being devoured could be heard.

The scene was so shocking that my mind went blank.

I must have made some mistake there.

"...Who are you?"

My presence must have been detected, or I stepped on a twig.

One of the wolf's heads turned sharply toward me.

Chunks of flesh flew, and dark blood spread across the ground.

The breath that was exhaled was hot and raw, smelling of death.

And the six eyes glowed like flames.

Our eyes met.

...Oh. I'm dead.

That's what I thought.

"You are..."

'He' started to say something, but it didn't register in my head.

There was a splashing sound from below.

My body went limp.

* * *

I felt like I had a really bad dream.

I woke up.

I immediately noticed something was wrong.

The presence of everyone, who should have been nearby, was missing.

What happened?

Just as I thought that, I was called.

"You're awake."

'He' was right there.

The two-headed gray wolf.

Berta.

* * *

I almost fainted again.

A large face was so close that I could be swallowed with just a stretch of the neck.

Scary. Really scary.

My tail curled between my legs.

I failed.

I can't defeat this thing alone.

It was a mistake to be found.

This time, I'll be killed.

Eaten.

If I'm eaten, I won't be able to see everyone again.

I don't want that.

...Master.

Gerbera.

My nose whistled.

I thought of their faces, but they weren't there.

Lonely.

Scary.

"If you're awake, go back."

Berta said something, looking at me trembling.

* * *

*Huh?*

"Go back. That big spider will worry if she notices you're gone."

*...Huh?*

Was I hearing things?

*Will you not kill me?*

"Why should I kill you?"

*Huh? Huh?*

Isn't this different from what I thought?

*Why won't you kill me?*

"That's what I just asked. There's no reason for me to kill you."

*Huh?*

As I tilted my head, Berta looked exasperated.

"...Mostly, why are you so terrified that you wet yourself, yet you came chasing after me?"

*I didn't wet myself!*

Rude!

I growled reflexively.

Berta didn't care about my attitude.

"...You did. This is the second time. The first time was after the battle with Takuya Jun, when I appeared to fetch those elves, Shiran and Kai, and you screamed and fainted, wetting yourself..."

*No, that was different! It was different, I tell you!*

What is he saying!?

I was just about to forget it!

Because of that, I don't have any memory of joining up with Master and the others that time.

When I came to, it was morning, and I was being carried by Kai, with Lily and Gerbera there.

It was a big failure.

So I was trying to forget it!

But! But!

* * *

I jumped up and glared at Berta.

*That's not the point! What were you doing sneaking out at night and hiding from everyone? I won't be fooled!*

"You're the one who's trying to fool me..."

Berta said, looking exasperated and turning his gaze away.

"Never mind. I was just eating."

He said it matter-of-factly, without any panic.

*Eating...?*

I looked over, and there was the half-eaten corpse of a monster.

I hadn't seen it clearly before because of the shock of being discovered, but it was a monster I had seen since entering the mountain.

Um, I think...

*...The one Master and the others called a 'Lesser Salamander'?*

"Hmm. You've encountered one before?"

*Yeah. Gerbera, she pulled it with spider silk and knocked it down.*

"It's not as easy as you make it sound. It's not a weak monster. At least, in the Kitrus Mountains, it's one of the strongest. ...No."

Berta slowly shook his head.

"Perhaps, to that big spider, all the monsters in these mountains are the same."

Huh? Did Gerbera just get praised?

She did, right?

...Hmm.

That's right. Gerbera is amazing.

She has some quirks, but she's my proud big sister.

You can praise her more.

Hehehe.

I was so happy that Gerbera was praised.

Then I realized.

*Oh, wrong.*

I was about to be fooled again.

*Now I have to pursue the evil scheme.*

"There is no such thing, as I've said."

Berta sighed.

I glared, determined not to be fooled.

Berta's eyes narrowed slightly.

"But, you're right. This is my fault."

*Huh? So, you were doing something bad?*

"No. You were once caught off guard and injured by me. It's understandable that you would distrust me."

*Huh?*

"First, I should apologize for that."

Berta slowly wagged his tail.

"I'm sorry. I had no choice when ordered by my master, but I regret hurting you. Since the relationship between our masters is currently calm, I should apologize while I can. I'm sorry."

He apologized.

*...*

Is he really?

Does he really mean it?

I stared at him, but Berta just looked back calmly.

Hmm, does he really mean it?

Or is he a bit sad?

Does he not like hurting others?

Does he not like being disliked?

I felt something like that.

What should I do?

What would Master do...?

Ugh, I don't like thinking too much!

*...If you're really sorry, I'll forgive you.*

"Thank you."

His voice was quiet but a little happy.

I felt a little happy too and wagged my tail.

*Huh? But, what were you doing here, Berta?*

I suddenly realized and asked.

"I said before, I was eating...hunting."

*That's obvious from the look of it.*

I glanced at the 'Lesser Salamander' lying there.

*But, you always disappear at night. Were you hunting every night?*

I was convinced Berta was a bad guy, but I suspected him because he always disappeared at night.

I'm not suspicious anymore, but my question is still unanswered.

*Were you that hungry? Was the food not enough?*

"That's not it."

*Then why?*

I wondered if I shouldn't ask, but Berta told me without hiding anything.

"To get stronger."

A simple answer, but serious.

"The rule our master discovered—that eating creatures with magic power increases your own magic power—is the fastest way to get stronger. I must be strong as a pawn of our master."

*So, you were hunting every night for that?*

"That's right."

I see.

You can't hunt during the day because you're with us.

"Do you have no more suspicions?"

*Yeah.*

"That's good."

The relieved tone in his voice didn't seem fake.

"Go back. That worrywart spider will come yelling if you don't."

*Okay.*

"Wait. I'll take you back. It's still dangerous for you to go alone."

Berta got up.

Ugh, treating me like a kid?

Gerbera does too, everyone treats me like a kid.

I can fight too.

I'm weak compared to Master's other followers, but...

Ugh.

"Wait. I'll clean this up first."

Berta went to the monster he had been eating.

*Wait.*

I called out to Berta.

*Can I eat too?*

"What? Are you hungry?"

*Not really?*

"...What is that?"

*But, I want to get stronger too.*

I said to the suspicious Berta.

*Eating makes you stronger, right? I want to get stronger for Master too.*

"...I see."

Berta's eyes seemed a little gentler.

"Alright, you can eat."

*Really!?*

Yay!

I wagged my proud tail to show my gratitude.

Maybe Berta is a really nice guy.

It's not just because I was lured by food.

Even if I was treated like a kid, he offered to take me back as if it was normal.

I've heard that Berta is absolutely obedient to his master.

He might have to do things he doesn't want to do.

So, the Berta I saw might not be the real Berta.

Thinking about this, my curiosity about Berta started to bubble up.

I'm naturally curious.

If something flutters in front of me, I'll pounce on it.

Until now, I was too scared to talk to Berta.

I wanted to talk to him.

*Hey, Berta.*

"What?"

Berta's tone was indifferent, but I wasn't scared anymore.

"Hurry up and eat."

*Yeah, I know, but...*

We started eating the prey while talking.

*You got strong by killing and eating, right?*

"So what?"

I asked Berta, who was looking at me out of the corner of his eye.

*Did you get 'that form' that way?*

"..."

I thought he might ask what I was talking about.

But when he heard my question, Berta turned one of his heads toward me.

"You saw, then."

*Well, yeah?*

I tilted my head.

—'That form'.

I was referring to what I saw before I fainted.

Even though I fainted, the memory was clear.

When I tracked Berta and peeked from the bushes—when he turned to look at me, there were 'six' eyes.

Berta's wolf head isn't just one.

So, the eyes aren't just two.

But with two heads, there would only be four eyes.

So, the other two must be...

"...There's no need to feel uncomfortable when you're already seen."

Berta muttered.

There was a huge sound from his back.

A white, slime-covered arm-like thing burst through his fur, reaching for the sky.

◆Unexpected Ayame episode!

This is how Ayame perceives it.

Ayame doesn't quite understand the Chiria Fort attack incident.

Berta might be recognizable to those familiar with dog and tentacle motifs.

It's not exactly the original legend, though. The forms vary widely.

He often appears as an octopus.

◆Will be updated within a few days.