Chapter 30

"I refuse."

Aki's straightforward words brought silence. Shizuka's expression seemed as if she didn't understand what he said, and she stared at Aki with her mouth agape, looking like an idiot. After Aki finished speaking, he got on his motorcycle, and only then did Shizuka gradually regain her composure, protesting with a terrifying intensity.

"Wait, wait, wait a moment! Why? This situation should be where you say, 'How pitiful! Don't worry! I'll find a way to solve it!' with a bright smile, right? That way, even I would be won over! What, you want to waste the encounter with a suddenly appearing beautiful girl? Wait, don't ignore me! Don't run away!"

Aki ignored Shizuka's protests and prepared to start the motorcycle. Shizuka pounced again, hugging Aki's leg. The serious and quiet atmosphere from before was completely gone, and the messy, pitiful girl was back.

Even when Aki kicked her, Shizuka showed no signs of letting go. Aki sighed and glared at her sharply.

"Hey, what's in it for me to help you?"

"Benefit?"

"You're being chased by the Empire and exiled from the Forest of Trees. What you're saying is just a bunch of trouble. Helping you would only bring harm. Even if you escape the canyon, what will you do after that? You'll be captured by the Empire eventually. At that point, will you rely on me to protect you from the Empire's soldiers and lead you to the northern mountain range?"

"Ugh, that, that is... But, but!"

"We have our own travel goals. We can't get involved in such troublesome matters!"

"Even so... I saw you protecting us!"

"...I said that before. What exactly do you mean? ...Is it related to your innate magic?"

Shizuka, with tears in her eyes, blurted out something incomprehensible to Aki's stern attitude. Come to think of it, why was Shizuka wandering alone, separated from her companions? Was it to find Aki?

"Huh? Ah, yes. I have [Future Sight], which allows me to see hypothetical futures. If I choose to do this, what will happen? That kind of feeling... And I can see any fatal dangers approaching. Well, the futures I see are not absolute... But I am useful! [Future Sight] can see even incomprehensible dangers! I saw it just now! Your figure helping us! In fact, I met you and received your help!"

Shizuka explained [Future Sight]. According to her, [Future Sight] can be activated voluntarily to see the future based on hypothetical choices. This consumes a large amount of magic power, and using it once will deplete her magic. Additionally, it can activate automatically in dangerous situations, whether directly or indirectly, for Shizuka. This also consumes a lot of magic, about a third of the amount needed for voluntary activation.

It seems that Shizuka, in her original location, thought, "What if I go in Aki's direction?" and saw Aki protecting her and her family. She then rushed out to find Aki. Acting alone in such a dangerous place, she must have been too excited.

"With such a powerful innate magic, why were you discovered? If you can sense danger, you shouldn't have been found by the Feyaberg people, right?"

Faced with Aki's criticism, Shizuka let out a small groan and tears welled up in her eyes.

"At that time, I was temporarily unable to use it..."

"You used it up and got discovered... What did you use it for?"

"Sort of... a little, I was curious about my friend's love life, and then..."

"You're just a peeping tom! How do you use such precious magic?"

"Ugh~ I'm deeply reflecting on it~"

"Sure enough, you're hopeless, completely hopeless. You're hopeless, this pitiful rabbit."

Aki turned the motorcycle's rear towards Shizuka, who was shocked and cried again, clinging to him. Aki was indifferent to her and decided to start the motorcycle, dragging her along. At that moment, unexpected support came from an unexpected place.

"...Aki, take her."

"Moon?"

"!? I knew you were a good person from the start! I'm sorry for calling you a washboard!"

Moon's words surprised Aki, and Shizuka, excited, said flattering words with shining eyes, then went overboard and said more, only to be slapped by Moon and fall on her back.

"...A guide for the Forest of Trees is convenient."

"Ah~"

Indeed, it was said that anyone other than the demi-humans would get lost in the Forest of Trees. Having a rabbit girl as a guide would be reassuring. Aki had considered some strategies while heading towards the forest without hesitation, but they were a bit reckless. In the worst case, he even considered capturing local demi-humans as hostages to ask for directions. Honestly, having a demi-human offer to help as a guide was rare. However, Shizuka and her companions had too many troubles, which made Aki hesitate.

Faced with Aki's hesitation, Moon looked at him with determined eyes, as if to cut through his doubts.

"...No problem, we are the strongest."

These were the words Aki said when they came out of the abyss. Unapologetically standing against the world. The strongest team, protecting each other. Being lectured by his own words, Aki couldn't help but smile wryly.

With the rabbit girl's cooperation, exploring the Forest of Trees would be much easier. However, they might encounter Imperial soldiers and demi-humans, so they should avoid it, as the saying goes. Of course, they weren't getting involved just because they liked trouble. If enemies blocked the best path, there was no reason to avoid them. It was already decided: enemies blocking the path "must be eliminated."

"Yeah. Hey, be happy, pitiful rabbit. I'll hire you as a guide for the Forest of Trees. The reward is your lives."

Indeed, it was correct, but the words were completely thug-like. However, despite this, the survival agreement with the strong who could easily slaughter powerful monsters in the canyon was unchanged. Joy could be seen on Shizuka's face as she jumped up.

"Thank you very much! Ugh~ It's so good~ really so good~"

Shizuka cried with joy. But, for the sake of her companions, she couldn't dawdle and quickly stood up.

"Um, please take care of me! So, how should I address you two..."

"Hmm? Come to think of it, we haven't introduced ourselves... I'm Aki. Nangumo Aki."

"...Moon."

"So, you're Mr. Aki and Miss Moon."

Shizuka repeated their names a few times to remember them. However, Moon, looking dissatisfied, protested.

"...Just add 'miss' to it. Pitiful rabbit."

"Huh!?"

Moon's commanding tone confused Shizuka. From Moon's appearance, Shizuka thought she was young, but when she learned that Moon was a vampire and much older, she apologized in a prostrate position. For some reason, Moon seemed to dislike Shizuka, but why...? For example, Moon always glared at a certain part of Shizuka's body, and the reason was definitely unknown!

"Hey, anyway, the pitiful rabbit, sit behind me."

Aki instructed Shizuka, while also ignoring Moon's concerns. Shizuka was a bit at a loss. It wasn't unreasonable. In this world, there was no such thing as a magic-powered motorcycle. However, she understood that it was some kind of vehicle and cautiously straddled the seat behind Moon.

The tandem seat, made from the leather of some kind of monster, was very spacious for Moon's small body. Shizuka, surprised by the softness of the seat, hugged Moon from behind and pressed her "weapon" against her.

Moon shuddered at the touch and slowly stood up, sitting in front of Aki. The small Moon fit perfectly between Aki's arms, clearly unable to bear the sensation of the "weapon" on her back. Moon leaned back against Aki with a pained expression, and Aki could only smile wryly at the situation.

Shizuka, oblivious to the subtle tension between Aki and Moon, asked, "Huh? What's wrong?" and enthusiastically hugged Aki's waist from behind. Aki injected magic into the motorcycle without any special reaction. He definitely wasn't suppressing any involuntary reactions (male-specific reactions). There were none.

Aki and Moon's subtle moods went completely unnoticed by Shizuka, who asked over Aki's shoulder.

"Um, because I was desperately asking for your help, I didn't pay much attention... What kind of vehicle is this? And, Mr. Aki and Miss Moon are mages, right? Here, you can't use..."

"Ah~, we're about to set off."

As Aki said this, the motorcycle accelerated. The vehicle, ignoring the treacherous road, sped forward, and Shizuka, over Aki's shoulder, let out a scream, "Iyaahaaaaa~!" The ground and cliffs flew by like a stream.

This was a speed impossible in the canyon. Shizuka, hugging Aki, initially had her eyes tightly closed, but after a while, she seemed to get used to it and gradually became excited. Every time the motorcycle took a curve or avoided a large rock, Shizuka would chatter excitedly.

On the way, Aki explained to Shizuka about the magic-powered motorcycle and the reason Moon could use magic, briefly describing his weapons and artifacts. As a result, Shizuka's eyes widened in amazement.

"Huh, so you two can directly manipulate magic and use innate magic..."

"Ah, that's right."

"..."

Shizuka was momentarily stunned, then suddenly, as if something she had been holding back had collapsed, she buried her face in Aki's shoulder and began to cry.

"...What's wrong all of a sudden? You were noisy just now, and now you're crying sadly... You're so emotionally unstable."

"...Too late?"

"What do you mean, too late!? It's definitely not too late! I'm normal! ...It's just, I don't feel alone... I feel so happy..."

"..."

Clearly, she was talking about having the same properties and abilities as monsters, feeling isolated in a world where she was too strange. For her family, she had made her clan bear the risk for sixteen years. Shizuka's family had even abandoned their homeland in the Forest of Trees for her, and being with such a family must have made her feel a strong sense of family. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, the fact that she was different from others made her feel even more isolated.

Listening to Shizuka, Moon fell silent, her usually expressionless face losing even more color. Aki could roughly understand what Moon was feeling. Probably, Moon was overlapping her own situation with Shizuka's. Both had the ability to directly manipulate magic and use innate magic, but in this era, her "fellow beings" no longer existed.

However, there was a decisive difference between Moon and Shizuka. Moon no longer had a husband who loved her, while Shizuka did. Moon was now feeling a complex emotion that was not quite jealousy. Moreover, from Shizuka's perspective, she could still meet her "fellow beings." It could be said that her situation was very good.

Aki gently stroked Moon's head. Aki had been raised in a wealthy country called Japan, feeling a strong sense of family and growing up without any major issues. Moon, on the other hand, was not only a unique existence but was also revered as a proud queen by her "fellow beings." Aki couldn't truly understand Moon's loneliness. Therefore, he had nothing appropriate to say to her. All he could do was indicate that she was not alone "now."

Aki had changed completely, but he was gentle with his family. If he hadn't met Moon, he might have lost even that. Moon could be said to be the last bulwark preventing Aki from falling into evil. It was Moon who kept Aki's last bit of humanity. Evidence of this was that Aki kept his promise to Shizuka. If the Horia clan had been the guides for the Forest of Trees, he would have had a strategy against the Imperial soldiers.

Did Aki's feelings convey to Moon? Unconsciously, she injected more strength into her body, pressing her back against Aki even more, as if pouting.

"Um, did you forget about me? You should say something like, 'Good job. You're not alone anymore. I'll be by your side' to comfort me. This, this is the moment to make me fall for you? To push me over? But why are you suddenly creating a two-person world and ignoring such a rare opportunity! I'm lonely! Please let me join your group! Besides, you two are..."

"Shut up, pitiful rabbit."

"..."

Shizuka, crying, suddenly started complaining in Aki and Moon's ears, so he couldn't help but yell at her. However, ignoring a crying girl and creating a two-person world was indeed quite mean. Moreover, Shizuka, being yelled at, was quite pitiful. But, Shizuka's selling point was her resilience. Now, her mind was starting to think,

(The first step is to get them to call my name~ I can't miss this opportunity with the companions I've finally found~!)

She was fired up for a new goal.

For a while, the cycle of Shizuka complaining and Aki and Moon yelling at her continued. Then, they heard the roar of monsters from a distance. It seemed that quite a few monsters were causing a commotion.

"! Mr. Aki! We're almost there! The sound of those monsters... It's, it's very close! The place where the fathers are is very close!"

"Aah~ Don't yell in my ear! I heard! We're flying, hold on tight!"

Aki injected more magic, and the motorcycle accelerated. The cliffs and ground flew by with terrifying speed.

After driving for two minutes, they drifted around the last large rock, and there they saw the rabbit girls being attacked.