Chapter 66 – Attack from somebody desu The band of thieves,『Gray Night』have come near Oise Village.
The Axe-Wielding Leader ordered one of them to go scout, and the remaining five including himself stood by. All of the members of the Gray Night were once excellent adventurers.
That is why, it would be easy for them to kill all of the beast-kin in here even if they attacked head on.
However, acting only once the situation is confirmed, to be sure, is how the Gray Night does it.
「Yo, sorry to keep you waiting」
The scout that returned quickly explained the village"s status.
「I pa.s.sed by the entrance of the cave, but I felt an extraordinary presence coming from deep inside. The parent Haku is still alive. But, since it has given birth to an egg, it should be pretty weak right now. And about the egg, it already hatched. And to celebrate that, the beast-kin gathered in the middle of the village to feast」
「It already hatched huh……but, there should be no problem. Even if it"s a G.o.d Beast, it should only be like a critter since it has only been born. It should sell for quite a lot if we can capture it alive」
Making a pet out of a G.o.d Beastーー.
Although such an idea would be impossible for an ordinary human to think of, there are many wealthy figures who would wish to do such unscrupulous thing.
And the Gray Night have connections to such wealthy people.
In fact, the things that they have stolen were sold through those connections.
「What"ll we do if it"s impossible to catch alive?」
「If so, then it cannot be helped. Kill it. Although its price would fall, there are countless people who would want its corpse. An idea of having stuffed G.o.d Beasts, it fits exactly to those dilettantes. Either way, we"re going to kill the parent one. It"ll be the same killing another」
The bandits raised the corner of their mouth and laughed without letting out a voice.
G.o.d Killerーー.
Trashes of society such as theirselves would slay a holy existence.
They got thrilled just by thinking of it.
It would be a wonderful revenge towards the world that ostracized them.
After all, there is only one G.o.d Beast with each species.
Killing both parent and child means that the G.o.d Beast Haku would perish at that point.
Even if one of the countless G.o.d Beasts was annihilated, it was not like the world itself would be greatly affected.
But even so, it would be an unhealable wound.
The crimes that the Gray Night have done up until now are fundamentally different.
「By the way, I"m curious about one thing. There should only be Beast-kin living in Oise Village, but……there are three human girls there. On top of that, one of them is wearing Gyrdorea Adventurer School"s uniform」
「Hou, a student from there huh……」
The swordsman in the prime of his life muttered in a low voice.
He was originally a student of Gydrorea Adventurer School.
However, that school was merciless towards those who do not have skill.
Unable to advance from the second year to the third year, he could only leave the school, and polished his sword through self-study.
Finally, he was able to climb to the C-Rank of adventurers with his own strength.
He was proud of that.
However, one day, the party he joined with was a graduate of the Gyrdorea Adventurer School.
That guy disdained him for being unable to graduate. He was scorned, being called a dropout.
Unable to endure the fact that his pride was scorned, he split the opponent"s head into two.
From then on, he became a criminal at large, falling to a meager thief.
「Those students, I"ll kill them. Got it?」
「Yeah, do what you want. However, I"m curious why a human is inside a Beast-kin"s village. Kill them after we confirmed that. Got it?」
The Axe-wielder exhorted.
「I know. What, don"t worry. Pampered elites that go to school, they"d immediately cry out with a few broken fingers」
He showed and did not even try to hide his complex towards Gyrdorea Adventurer School, but no one laughed at him.
All of the members of the Gray Night have their own similar pasts.
Those who were crushed by one who has an overwhelming talent.
Those who thought that he had courage, but abandoned his comrades at the last moment.
There was also those who were instead, disgraced and betrayed by his allies.
Their circ.u.mstances are all different, but what common with them was that they suffered a setback.
They have gone off the right way.
Even if they got lost once, they should be able to fix their own ways through hard work, but they have killed all of those who told them such “righteousness”.
Those who can execute such justice are only the ones born with something.
Normal people do not have such strong hearts.
The members of the Gray Night are ordinary people.
They were ordinary, but tried to become a first-cla.s.s, but failed.
And since they have already got off the right way, they instead decided to fall to however deep they could fall.
Because, they might become first-cla.s.s if it was through evil.
No, they are already first-cla.s.s.
The Gray Night is the strongest band of thieves that ran amuck in the Falleon Kingdom.
They do not even fear killing a G.o.d.
「Yosh. Well then, let"s kill all of the Beast-kin, and capture child Haku and those human girls. Well, just like I"ve said earlier, you don"t need to capture them if it"s too difficult」
The Gray Night started to move with the command of the Axe-wielding leader.
That is, unknown of that “thing” mixed in those they were just about to attack.
The Elder"s meeting got unexpectedly heated.
Living where the G.o.d Beast Haku is, is the Beast-kin of the Oise Village"s pride.
There were many of them who could not easily accept it, even if the predecessor Haku left its child to Laura.
However, the Elder had personally heard the predecessor Haku"s words.
On top of that, Laura is a student of the school that “that” Great Sage had created.
The distance from the Oise Village and the Royal Capital was only a one-day walking distance, so the final conclusion was to let Laura take care of her first, to wait and see.
With this, Laura is now able to remain as a student in the second semester.
Convincing her Father, making a hat out of a G.o.d Beast, it was a summer vacation full of surprises.
There is still the strongest opponent,『Summer Vacation Homework』remaining, but she decided to not think of it.
「Laurdono. We have been under your care this time, about Haku-sama. I believe that we will continue to trouble you from now on, but please take care of us」
Laura panicked and returned the greet seeing the Elder bowing to her.
「I-It"s my pleasure. I"ll do my best to raise Haku so please don"t worry!」
「Pii〜」
Haku who was clinging to Laura"s arm moved her head with Laura. Although, she probably didn"t do it while aware of what it meant.
「Well then, since the problem is solved, let"s party us to a feast. We"ve prepared a pot soup of the vegetables grown in the village, and mountain mushrooms for you!」
That"s right.
There is a huge boiling pot in the middle of the village, and a delicious smell was coming from there.
Laura could not help but to get very, very curious about it since earlier.
On top of that, she was unable to eat plenty of fish because of Haku, so she is hungry as well.
Since they would treat them to a feast, she decided to eat them with delight.
「The vegetables grown in Oise Village is delicious. Please eat all you want」
Misaki did not even need to say it.
Not only Laura, but even Charlotte and Anna also entered the circle of the Beast-kins with shining eyes, surrounding the pot with them.
And the soup that was given to them released an amber shine, and looked very appetizing.
Laura scooped a spoonful and drank.
What a deep taste.
And then, she also ate a chunk of meat. It was cow meat. It was so tender that it almost melted.
「Pii〜」
Haku sat on the ground as well, placed her mouth on the soup dish, and happily drank.
She cried with a satisfied voice.
It was a taste that even G.o.d Beasts were delighted.
「What a delicious taste. Beast-kin"s dish, amazing」
「It is quite exquisite. I would even wish that our House of Gazard would buy vegetables from here」
Anna and Charlotte drank the soup with a smile.
Until they came to this village, Laura was somewhat worried whether she will be able to get along with the Beast-kin, but there was no problem at all.
Most of the problems in the world might be solved as long as the food is delicious.
「If you mention the House of Gazard; it is that house of magicians right? If you really wish to purchase our Oise Village"s vegetables, we can negotiate. Human merchants occasionally come to this village after all. Our village is flexible compared to others」
The Elder ate a carrot after saying that.
「That would be great. Well then, next time, I shall mention it to Father and Mother once I have returned」
Even if it"s delicious, to think that she would want to purchase vegetables from such a deep place in the mountain as an individual, I guess that rich people think differently.
I wonder how big Charlotte-san"s family house is.
I really want to visit and play at least once.
「By the way, is the Princ.i.p.al-sensei still in the cave?」
「Hmm……come to think of it, we have not seen her」
There should be no need to go and call her.
Instead, we might get on the way.
After all, this might be the last time that the Great Sage and the predecessor Haku would talk to each other.
「Thank you for the meal. It was very delicious!」
After the girls had finished eating their soup, they said their grat.i.tude to the Beast-kin.
Seeing that, they answered「You"re welcome」with a smile.
「Everyone, what would you like to do for today? The sun has completely set, but……if you wish to stay, we can prepare your rooms if you"d like?」(Misaki)
「U〜n……Princ.i.p.al-sensei hasn"t returned, so I think we should stay for today」(Laura)
「I agree. I"m so full I don"t want to move」(Anna)
「Oh, Annsan, how vulgar. Maidens should eat only 80% full you know」(Charlotte)
「And Charlotte who"s saying that ate a lot as well」(Anna)
「I-I am only 80% even though I ate that much!」(Charlotte)
「Even though your stomach is a little bloated?」(Anna)
「Gunu……!」
It was that time when Charlotte was defeated by Anna in an argument.
Laura felt a hostile intent that aimed towards them from outside the village.
At the same time, Attack Magic was shot.
「Everyone, please get down!」
Although she shouted, no one was able to react.
It was natural.
They were enjoying themselves up until now, so there was no way that they would instantly feel a sense of urgency.
Because of that, Laura created a dome-shaped defense barrier that surrounded this area to protect everyone.
The Attack Magic shot from outside the village collides with that transparent wall.
A tremendous explosion was created, burning the trees in the forest.
However, not even a light particle was able to enter inside the barrier.
Nevertheless, the Beast-kin fall into panic due to the sound and the light.
「W-What was that right now?!」
「An attack from outside the village……?!」
「There"s no monsters around here that can attack with such power!」
「Haku-sama, please protect us……!」
「It must be the work of humans!」
「That"s right, humans are suspicious」
「They should be planning to persecute us just like in the past!!」
Confusion had spread almost infinitely just because of one Attack Magic.
Of course, the three girls do not have any reason to attack the Beast-kin.
But, they still looked at them with dubious eyes.
This village should"ve had interacted with humans thanks to the Great Sage.
And up until this moment, they were eating happily with the girls.
But, even so.
The s.p.a.ce that was created between humans and Beast-kins are deep trenches that are hard to fill.
In such time when a panic occurs, that difference surfaces.
Laura was petrified, not knowing what to do.
「Everyone, quiet!」
The Elder"s shout echoed as if to pierce through that confusion.
「Laurdono is a human chosen by Haku-sama. There should be no reason for Laurdono and her companions to attack us. And in fact, they even protected us by making such a strong barrier. Even if that attack right now was made by humans, it should have nothing to do with Laurdono!」
Thanks to the Elder, the Beast-kins calmed down.
However, no one was able to get released of their worries because the culprit who had attacked has yet to be captured.
「Yosh! I"ll go inside the forest, and search for the culprit. My barrier should last one hour even without me so it should be enough. And so, Misaki-san. I"ll leave Haku to you for a while」
「Please leave it to me. Well then, Haku-sama. Please come here」
Misaki reached out her hands towards Haku who sat on the ground.
However, Haku quickly dodged and jumped to Laura"s thigh.
「Pii!」
「Hey, Haku. I"m not going out to play you know. Please wait here」
「Piii!」
It"s useless. Haku won"t get off at all.
「Laursan. There shouldn"t be any reason to force Haku to leave behind? Being in Laursan"s side, in a meaning, is to be in the safest place in the world」(Charlotte)
「I think so too. I don"t know who the enemy is, but it should be an easy win if it"s not the Princ.i.p.al-sensei」(Anna)
「No, well〜, I don"t think they"re that much, but……judging from the Attack Magic earlier, it should be an easy win this time」
Laura honestly told her impression.
Laura does not mean to get conceited, but if it is only at the level of skills of that one who attacked from the forest, it would only be a small-fry for Laura.
At least, the opponent should be weaker than Emilia. Not only that, Charlotte should be able to win as well.
So as a conclusion, no matter how many the enemies are, it is impossible for her to even get a hard time.
「Well then, we shall go with Laursan as well」(Charlotte)
「I"ll defeat the enemies using the swordsmanship I learned from Laura"s Father」(Anna)
Well, Laura knew that the two of them would say that.
That is why, she did not stop them.
The three girls planned to get revenge because their bonding time was destroyed.
「Pii〜!」
The three of them + α will get their revenge!