Chapter 26

After Aka stood up from the bath, Kurando entered the bath with Yuki-Shiro, but after getting out, he was made to brush Yuki-Shiro thoroughly.

He even tried buying a new brush, but it didn’t seem to be to her liking.

When he told Aka that it was a brush made from the tail of a three-horned deer, she said, "If you want a more luxurious one, you’d have to go to the capital. It’s a real treat for women."

It seems that with a little adjustment, it can be used for humans as well.

The next day.

Early in the morning, before the sun had risen, Kurando, Aka, and Yuki-Shiro finished a simple breakfast with the leftovers from last night and set out for hunting in the Alerdoria Mountains.

It was to change Aka’s mood after being cooped up for two days, to fulfill the salted meat request, and most importantly, to cheer up Yuki-Shiro.

Yuki-Shiro, with her tail held high, led the way up the slope, guiding Kurando and Aka.

"You’re in a good mood, Yuki-Shiro."

"Can you tell?"

Aka laughed softly but seemed a bit envious.

"I can tell. You didn’t look that happy during the two days we spent together. You even got brushed so much yesterday... I’m jealous."

"Anytime you want to switch."

"I don’t want to be disliked by Yuki-Shiro, so I’ll pass. Still, it’s really amazing that Yuki-Shiro lives with humans. Did you get along with animals even when you were in Japan?"

"I’ve only ever kept tadpoles. I’ve never really kept any other animals, let alone been close to them. But I’ve known Yuki-Shiro since she was this big."

Kurando showed the palm of his hand to Aka.

"A Yuki-Shiro the size of your palm..."

Aka seemed to drift off into thought again.

—Grrr

Yuki-Shiro barked, as if telling them to hurry up.

"Alright, alright, I’m coming."

Kurando, who had also been drifting off, hurried to catch up with Yuki-Shiro.

Among the wild herbs Kurando was eating, there was one with a curry flavor.

It was the curry-flavored stew he had recently served to Maxim and Aka.

"Wait, I was eating something so expensive... Tell me!"

Aka’s face turned pale.

"No, I just learned the name from Aka just now."

The three of them had climbed up the slope from the cave where Kurando lived, almost to the top of the mountain. The summit was covered with green moss, with patches of snow still remaining.

Behind them, higher mountains with white caps stretched out, and in the distance, the village of Sarehad could be seen.

Kurando gently peeled away the snow and plucked a clump of even greener and more transparent moss, freezing it instantly.

"It tasted like a cold curry cracker, but one piece is worth 1000 rods. It’s as expensive as the feathers and beak of a cobalt eagle."

"The ‘Tramora herb’ has a higher flavor, aroma, and efficacy when it’s under the snow, making it difficult to harvest. This mountain is almost impossible to climb during the severe winter, so the only times are the three days when the giant spiky spiders are petrified and the period when the White Phantom is hunted. However, during those times, only the hunters chosen to hunt the White Phantom are allowed to approach, so no one could take the request."

Kurando snorted.

Yuki-Shiro also sniffed.

—Crunch.

"..."

"..."

—Crunch, munch.

Kurando silently gathered the snow at his feet, plucked more Tramora herbs, and froze them.

—Crunch.

"......"

"Y, Yuki-Shiro, it’s a bit of a problem if you eat them."

—Crunch, munch.

Yuki-Shiro continued to eat the frozen Tramora herbs silently.

In the end, only about three clumps of Tramora herbs were left, which Kurando secured in his food backpack.

They then quickly started the hunting that Yuki-Shiro had hoped for.

Otherwise, all the Tramora herbs would have been eaten by Yuki-Shiro.

"I haven’t been to this area much."

They were descending the slope on the opposite side of the cave from the summit.

The leaves of low shrubs, mixed with dead leaves, still had patches of snow, and the temperature was clearly different from the cave side.

—Grrr

Yuki-Shiro’s deep growl was a sign of discovery and warning.

Kurando crouched silently. If he didn’t, Yuki-Shiro’s tail would—.

—Smack.

Though not as strong as Kurando, Aka’s face was hit by Yuki-Shiro’s tail.

Aka, subtly wriggling, crouched like Kurando.

She seemed pleased.

It wasn’t that Aka was intentionally standing, but her expression made it seem suspicious.

Kurando ignored Aka and followed Yuki-Shiro’s gaze.

It was a human.

However, it had no mouth, no nose, no eyes, no eyebrows, and no ears.

Other than that, it was a warrior wearing a damaged leather armor, holding a club and a shield.

The monster’s body was wrapped in a cold aura, and the low shrubs and ground froze with each step.

"Monster..."

Aka whispered, her voice trembling.

If there was one absolute evil in this world, it was the monster.

When a spirit’s magic power runs out due to hunger or other reasons, it goes mad, mutates, and materializes, becoming a natural disaster.

It was said to be the enemy of all living things, as it neither ate nor reproduced, but the details were unknown.

This was Kurando’s first encounter.

All he knew was what was written in the magic textbook.

Its only habit was to be drawn to magic power and attack.

The opponent was a mutated ice spirit, a warrior-type monster.

There was no one here to act as a wall for close combat.

"Can you use holy spirit magic?"

"I’m a failed hero, but I was drilled in it. It just takes a little time."

"Then I’ll leave the finishing blow to you. I’ll keep my distance and buy you time, so try not to be targeted."

Aka nodded seriously, though she seemed to be trembling.

Kurando also felt fear.

An irrational, indescribable fear rooted deep in his heart, in the core of his humanity.

But he suppressed it.

If he couldn’t retreat, he would have to suppress it.

The monster approached with the speed of a beast.

Kurando almost flinched.

Yuki-Shiro passed by like a shooting star, scratching the monster’s side and stopping its feet.

If he couldn’t retreat, he would have to suppress it.

Kurando suppressed his flinch and threw a boomerang at the moment the monster’s feet stopped.

—Zan

It pierced the monster’s face.

Thick scratches and the boomerang’s wound bled red, but the blood froze as it flowed.

The monster bled, almost like a human.

Kurando didn’t let up.

The textbook said that excessive attacks on the monster were still insufficient.

He shot earth spikes from the ground directly below the monster using earth spirit magic.

The monster’s steps, impaled from the groin to the chest, completely stopped.

Then, Yuki-Shiro, jumping from behind, bit off the monster’s neck.

At the same time, earth spikes shot out from the ground around the monster, impaling it.

The monster’s head rolled.

Kurando sighed and looked at Aka.

Aka, with her bow drawn, was faintly glowing.

"It’s not over yet!"

Aka’s warning.

Kurando turned around.

The earth spikes that had impaled the monster were frozen and shattered, and the headless monster was approaching.

He drew his kukri knife from his waist.

That was all Kurando could do before the club was swung down.

In one blow, the physical barrier was broken without a sound.

Before Kurando could repair the barrier, the club swung up and attacked him.

Yuki-Shiro, charging from the side, bit the monster’s arm, but it had a shield.

Without moving, the monster swung the club at Kurando’s face from below.

If Kurando’s arms hadn’t intervened, his head might have been crushed.

Kurando’s arms were broken, and the monster, with an arrow stuck in its collarbone, stopped moving.

Time seemed to stand still.

"Ugh..."

Kurando’s groan finally made Aka and Yuki-Shiro react and rush to his side.

Kurando’s consciousness was hazy.

The club had not only broken his arms but also shaken his brain.

His thoughts were scattered.

He could see Aka and Yuki-Shiro rushing to his side.

The monster’s corpse was in front of him, and the headless head was visible in the distance.

"...Earth... coffin"

Kurando chanted the earth spirit magic for the last time before his consciousness faded.

Kurando woke up in the evening.

He hadn’t slept for that long.

He tried to get up from the fur blanket he had just bought.

"No, no, you shouldn’t. You have both arms and your jaw broken."

His body felt feverish.

When he tried to pull the blanket, a sharp pain shot through his arms.

"Ow!"

Aka pulled the blanket off Kurando, who groaned and writhed.

"You’re hot, aren’t you? I treated you without your consent because you were unconscious."

Aka, who looked apologetic, was sitting next to him.

"It’s Maxim’s life spirit magic."

Just hearing that made him feel a bit more macho.

"Ow!"

"Your jaw was broken. I don’t think you can speak yet. It’s fortunate that it wasn’t crushed."

Kurando groaned.

"Hehehe, I’m good at life spirit magic. I’ll cast it again now. Please accept it."

Life spirit magic requires consent, except when the patient is unconscious. While it could be used to brainwash someone when they were unconscious, it could only maintain life in such a state.

To accelerate recovery, consent was needed.

"Aaaaaaah!"

With his mouth open, Kurando groaned.

The broken jaw was realigned and its recovery was promoted. To prevent him from clenching his teeth, his jaw was even removed. His feet and fists were also fixed with earth.

Aka then moved to his arms.

"Aaaaaaah!"

His arms were treated in the same way, and finally, his jaw was set, ending the treatment.

Aka wiped her forehead and looked up, satisfied.

"I’ve stabilized you for now. You’ll probably have a fever tonight, so please bear with it."

The faster the body was repaired with life spirit magic, the more intense the pain and subsequent fever.

"U, a, I, c, a, n, t, a, l, k. W, h, a, t, h, a, p, p, e, n, e, d, t, o, t, h, e, m, o, n, s, t, e, r?"

Kurando wanted to know what happened to the monster.

Aka, who had a look of accomplishment, now looked apologetic.

"I finished it off. The head you had trapped was also killed. I was surprised when it moved even after turning into a clump of earth. I made sure to destroy both the body and the head. But..."

Aka looked at the end of Kurando’s feet.

Kurando, using only his neck, looked in the same direction.

There, Yuki-Shiro was sitting dejectedly with a small round shield.