Editor: Saverath
Translator: Sylipha
Try not to judge the novel too early, read a bit further before giving a review or ratings.. There is no fixed schedule for the novel right now…
Headless Dullahan 1-3: Run! Murasaki-En!!
Thanks to my physical specs as Dullahan, I can beat these wolves easily. Currently, I need to try to grasp my power.
There is quite a big stone in sight, which I approach.
Its height is around 50 centimeters, I think? It’s just at the right height for sitting.
A stone that would be difficult for an adult to lift. As a human, it should be impossible to destroy it bare-handed – but –
“Haa!”
When I hit it with my fist, a cracking sound emerges from the stone. Shortly after, it breaks in two.
Surprised by the sound and impact, the surrounding birds fly away.
It’s a dreadful power if I say so myself. This is obviously the power of a monster.
I check my fist to see if it’s cracked or not, but it’s perfectly fine. It’s not broken, nor is there any injury.
“Hiiee, I’m really not a human being anymore.”
As I complain, I brush away my cloak and then start walking again.
I squat to swipe a stone off the road and grip it in my hand. I also run and jump with full force, but every action seems to end in an insane result.
The stones are easily crushed as I try to squeeze them into sand dumplings and my running speed is also quite fast.
I never run out of breath and I don’t feel tired, so I run in high spirits like an idiot.
I feel like I"ve already run quite a distance.
I"m also able to jump quite high: about three meters.
My physical performance is seriously ridiculous, but compared to raw strength and defense, it feels like my speed"s a bit lower. I wonder if it’s because of my body.
Originally, Dullahan has high defense and strength, while the speed is supplemented by a horse called Koshta-Bower.
It’s probably just racial ability. Even so, I feel my existence grow farther and farther from that of a normal human being.
By the way, while I sprint, I spy quite a few animals and monsters.
One of them looks like a small child with green skin.
It’s a goblin.
There"s even a cla.s.sic monster like a goblin.
I also see many other unknown monsters. Sometimes I just flee, other times I repel them with one fist.
The otaku in my heart feels excited, as this is a world where monsters exist.
But such also makes me realize this is a different world. It’s a complicated feeling.
The possibility of being in j.a.pan has finally been shot …….
I originally thought I would be happier as a human, but thinking back, if I’m not Dullahan, I would have died when I was attacked by those wolves.
Now that I accept myself as Dullahan, I should look for information about myself and this world. Since I don’t know anything, this can’t be avoided.
Also, if I really have a head of my own, I would like to find it.
◆
“……I got tired of walking.”
Since I was reborn as Dullahan, I"ve just been wandering around in this forest.
Even though I’ve gone quite a distance from the lake, I still can’t find any humans.
I also haven"t found any kind of human settlement yet.
Even if this body doesn’t know fatigue, its heart is still of Kubinashi Munesuke, a human.
Simply put, I got tired of walking in the forest.
Well, it’s kind of fun looking at plants and animals I’ve never seen before, but the scenery itself doesn’t change at all.
No matter where I walk, there are only trees. I"m sick of it.
Should I sprint ahead so I can get out of the forest as soon as possible?
With this body, I should be able to sprint non-stop without feeling out of breath.
“Then it’s decided: endurance marathon!”
Just as I begin to run, I suddenly realize.
Speaking of Dullahan, it’s a monster that travels using a headless horse, Koshta Bower.
No, sometimes it doesn"t, but this is its general image.
So I suppose I can ride Koshta Bower as well?
Although I don’t feel tired, running all the time is tough mentally.
Human beings are creatures that need comfort!
But, I’m not a human anymore, am I?
Still, I don’t see any Koshta Bower near me.
There were nothing when I just started moving, either.
Not only missing a head, but also other things? Even though I’m Dullahan, I don’t even have a sword.
This world is so unkind to me.
Or maybe it won’t come out if I don’t call or summon it.
Somehow, I feel that it will appear that way. I don’t properly know the reason why, I just have a gut feeling that it"ll come out.
Once I convince myself, flapping my cloak, I stick out my hand and shout aloud.
“Come! Koshta Bower!”
After I shout with more force than usual, dark light shines on the ground in front of me.
Then, from there, a headless horse possessing flickering purple flames appears.
“Oh, it really came out!”
Rough red mane and black coat. Ominous purple flames write about its feet.
It’s a sinister horse that’s perfectly suitable to be Dullahan"s steed.
The headless horse raises its front leg high and makes a loud noise out of nowhere.
Then Koshta Bower snorts as if it’s satisfied.
Yes, that’s quite cool.
I observe the headless horse standing before me.
The Koshta Bower is already equipped with standard equipment for riding, like a saddle and reins.
Naturally, because it’s Koshta Bower, it doesn’t have a head.
There is nothing to say about why it doesn’t have one, it just doesn’t.
I feel some kind of connection to it, as we both are beings that don"t have heads.
It’s a mystery how the reins float from where the mouth should be, or how the head piece of armor just hangs in the air, but I decide not to think too much.
Because it"s cool.
“Umm, is it my horse? Can I really get on?”
I"m afraid that when I try to get on, I will be kicked.
As I feel frightened, Koshta Bower approaches me and rubs its body against mine.
It’s as if it’s telling me it’s alright.
Instinctively, I stroke Koshta Bower"s jet-black coat.
It feels so smooth. The hair doesn’t get caught in my hand, it pa.s.ses through without fail. It’s similar to fine silk threads.
I feel like I have been healed for the first time in this world.
My heart feels lonely from being on my own in this unknown world’s forest; it may have been more worn down than expected.
“From now on, I will keep you summoned so I won’t be alone!”
As I speak, Koshta Bower gives a short neigh.
It seems that you respond to my words. Apparently, this headless horse could be smart.
“Even so, to call it Koshta Bower all the time is troublesome. I should give it a nickname.”
Something that matches its physical appearance and is easy to say would be nice….
I stare hard at Koshta Bower as I fold my hands. Kuroi Karada (Black Body), Akai Tategami (Red Mane)… Umm, the black one is too simple and not cool, while the red one only describes a small portion of its body.
As I slowly lower my gaze, flickering purple flames enter my sight.
… … Murasaki-En (Purple Flame). …… Unn, it’s not bad, right? I feel like it’s a pretty cool name.
“I’m naming you Murasaki-En, for the purple flames on your feet. Is this fine?”
“Hihhiiienn!”
As I suggest that timidly, Murasaki-En rubs its head playfully.
“You like it?”
While I feel satisfied stroking Murasaki-En, I think about trying to ride it next and put my foot in the stirrup.
Of course, I don’t have any kind of horseback riding experience.
I feel anxious: what if I can’t ride it properly? Nevermind run, will I be able to walk around with it?
I have heard that horseback riding is quite difficult.
“Goaaaaaaa!”
While I hesitated like that, something pa.s.sed unexpectedly over us.
A huge shadow that can’t be compared to a bird"s.
Since it’s difficult to look upward without a head, I move my body so I can see. A creature with outstretched bat-like wings is flying there.
The body looks like a reptile"s, covered in countless red scales. It has a long tail with a thorn.
A pair of legs similar to an eagle"s grows from the torso.
In fantasy, this being is called a dragon or wyvern.
Its size is that of a single house, but it may be a child dragon or wyvern because it’s a bit thin and a little pet.i.te.
“Ooo, wyvern!”
Viewing an existence which can be called cla.s.sic when it comes to fantasy, I raise my voice excitedly.
I can’t see its face because I"m looking at it from below, but I’m happy that I’m able to see such a precious creature.
As I watch the wyvern fly away, it suddenly turns around, drawing a large arc in the air.
Because its front now faces me, I find that a big horn protrudes from its triangular, lizard-like face.
Umm, that really looks like a wyvern.
“……Hmm?”
I feel that the wyvern is dropping alt.i.tude and its yellow, snake-like eyes are peering in this direction.
The vertical pupils subtly move and fixate on me.
“Uhh ohh, c.r.a.p! You found me and so you turned around! Even if you eat me, I’m Dullahan, undead; I won’t be delicious, will I?”
I immediately straddle Murasaki-En while giving a tsukkomi.
It’s not the time to hesitate over my ability to ride the horse.
As expected, if I receive an attack by a wyvern, even this body will get hurt!
“Run! Murasaki-En! Full Speed!”
As I shouted this, Murasaki-En released a neigh and tried to rear up.
“This is not the right time for that!”
I give a tsukkomi again and tap it lightly.