MTL: uniquegasuki

Editor/ Proofreader: (not proofread)

The following morning Makus.h.i.+mu has a determined expression. His goal is to ascend the mountain and find Akari.

Naturally the hunters that are following the man from the giant race will earnestly chase after him. They are collaborating with the hunter a.s.sociation. Their numbers are unknown.

Nevertheless, the hunters are planning to attack Makus.h.i.+mu at the campsite.

That is why Kurando told Makus.h.i.+mu to wait at that campsite. If they challenge Kurando then they will become the food that will fill the giant th.o.r.n.y spider (Atotabahiku’s) belly.

It is a rather simple trick. Last night Kurando instructed Yukis.h.i.+ro to trip the giant spider’s web when he whistles. And then, all Kurando would need to do is lead them to the location nearby.

After that, it is only a matter of the giant th.o.r.n.y spider finding its prey.

There is no problem at all. The spider will not be able to catch the quick Yukis.h.i.+ro.

「I should’ve searched for her from the start……」 (Makus.h.i.+mu)

「Akari has already been found. I should hurry there.」 (Makus.h.i.+mu)

It took Makus.h.i.+mu half the time an ordinary man would need to reach the destination.

As Kurando ponders what to say, he sees Makus.h.i.+mu drawing closer.

「What strength…… is there really any need for him to worry?」 (Kurando)

Over Makus.h.i.+mu’s shoulder there hangs a rucksack, axe, and coat. His chest is bare and there is steam rising from all over his body.

「You’re steaming. Is the strength of a giant race just for show?」 (Kurando)

Being mocked by another person, Makus.h.i.+mu has a shocked expression.

Body strengthening is life spirit magic; it is related to and also contains some elements of recovery magic.

Life spirit magic more or less involves the soul. Although one’s soul isn’t considered apart of spirit magic itself.

Everything has a soul. And everyone tries to protect their own life. Anything that would go against self-preservation is rejected. Oneself would reject the idea. But recovery magic nulls that notion.

In other words, the flesh is entrusted to the effect of the life spirit magic.

A normal person’s body can’t be compared to the body of one from the giant race. To be

able to strengthen the body is unusual. When body strengthening is used excess heat is produced in the body. That is the reason why Makus.h.i.+mu is half naked.

In his ignorance Kurando had pointed out that Makus.h.i.+mu was streaming.

They both stopped chatting and silently climbed the mountain.

Kurando and Makus.h.i.+mu left the area as hunters were pre-occupied by the giant th.o.r.n.y spider (Atorabas.h.i.+ku).

Not long after Akari and Makus.h.i.+mu are reunionated.

Akari came out of the cave and was enful by the evening sun as Makus.h.i.+mu asenes up the rough terrain.

Without incident they meet one another again.――

But, out from the cave comes Yukis.h.i.+ro, and the threat begins anew.

Its monochrome spotted tail stands erect, it makes a low stance, and bare its fangs.

Makus.h.i.+mu covers the bewildered Akari with his arm before tossing aside his rucksack. He takes hold of his axe and lowers it to his waist into a stance.

――Grrhhh

Upon Yukis.h.i.+ro’s growl, Makus.h.i.+mu shows a ferocious smile that gave him the appears of a wild beast.

A man and animal stare one another down. In this critical moment Kurando merely watches them.

The hostility seems to never end. Neither tries to kill and neither attacks. To attack is to risk one’s life. That is the way of the wild.

Furthermore, Makus.h.i.+mu and Yukis.h.i.+ro are sworn enemies. Kurando can’t bring himself to tell Yukis.h.i.+ro to stand down.

At first it appeared to be unfortunate for Makus.h.i.+mu, but the person in question seems to be enjoying this situation; he doesn’t look troubled. Kurando chooses to be a spectator.

For some reason Akari interrupts them. Kurando tilts his head in bewilderment.

Akari probably though the matter was trivial. She glares at Kurando for just watching from the sidelines.

Mostly likely Akari is condemning Kurando for not stopping them.

She probably does believe the situation is trival.

「Let’s put an end to this battle; we have other matters to attend to. Can we not postpone this?」 (Akari)

Makus.h.i.+mu draws his long spear.

――Grrowhh

The air vibrates from a brief roar.

Yukis.h.i.+ro’s hind legs bend; it jumps.

「Really now…… it truly does want to bite my head off?」 (Makus.h.i.+mu)

Yukis.h.i.+ro vanishes into the back of the cave on the mountain.

「It isn’t like that, we don’t have that

that sort of relations.h.i.+p.」 (Kurando)

「So it isn’t your pet?」 (Makus.h.i.+mu)

「It’s more like the opposite. It is the one who has been supporting me.」 (Kurando)

「……YOU, really?」 (Makus.h.i.+mu)

「I’m surprise you think so highly of me.」 (Kurando)

「That wasn’t a compliment.」 (Makus.h.i.+mu)

「It’s good to see you again, but」 (Makus.h.i.+mu)

Akari and Makus.h.i.+mu are chatting. They seem unconcerned about Kurando who is standing next to them. Kurando a little annoyed.

「Ah, there you are. You are so tin――」 (Makus.h.i.+mu)

「I’m not tiny.」 (Akari)

Makus.h.i.+mu teases the angry Akari.

「Is that so, Akari isn’t tiny, she isn’t tiny.」 (Makus.h.i.+mu)

As Makus.h.i.+mu strokes his moustache Akari playfully pummels his head.

A fed-up Akari turns her head the other way.

「Hmm, it is good that you’re well.」 (Makus.h.i.+mu)

Feeling dejected Akari casts her gaze downward.

「I’ve troubled you greatly.」 (Akari)

With a shaken voice she tells him so. Makus.h.i.+mu’s places his hand on her head.

「It is not like you’re a saint or anything.」 (Makus.h.i.+mu)

He roughly caresses her head.

When did the tears start to flow from Akari’s eyes?

「Can you wrap it up; you can stay the night, okay. Anyways, it will be dark soon.」 (Kurando)

After saying so, Kurando walks into the cave without any destination in mind.

「Wait a moment. I have something to talk to you about.」 (Makus.h.i.+mu)

The evening rays fell into the forest and vanished.

On the other side of the mountain there is a vertical cliff.

In that area there is a monochrome spotted tail hanging downward.

「Thank you for bearing with it.」 (Kurando)

Kurando greets Yukis.h.i.+ro and pets its back.

It responses with a low growl.

Yukis.h.i.+ro remains facing towards the cliff and doesn’t turn to face Kurando.

Yukis.h.i.+ro can’t win against Makus.h.i.+mu. Kurando is aware of that fact.

It instinctively knew it. There is still a large gap between Yukis.h.i.+ro and its parent’s foe. Yukis.h.i.+ro is shaken. It had originally planned to do a hit and run attack but there was no opening.

Kurando tells Yukis.h.i.+ro to not worry.

「Someday you will get a chance to kill him.」 (Kurando)

What would Makus.h.i.+mu and Akari think?

「Someday I too might return the favor.」 (Kurando)

Although Kurando is not concerned about Hayato (ハヤト), Kurando will deal with that matter if it ever

it ever comes to be.

Kurando couldn’t bring himself to deny Yukis.h.i.+ro of such emotions, because he too felt such feelings.

The events that brought man and magical beast together; hayato stole Kurando’s ability; and, no one came to search for Kurando; the parent magical beast that taken care of Kurando had been losted.――

――It isn’t time for them to make a move yet, things are still considerably unclear.

「You’re really stubborn.」 (Kurando)

At that time Kurando, fluff fluffs, the fluffy white fur on Yukis.h.i.+ro’s chest.

――Gur, Gurrrh

Finally Yukis.h.i.+ro relaxed. Kurando leans forward.

Yukis.h.i.+ro no longer felt depressed. Kurando vigorously pets Yukis.h.i.+ro’s head.

It is already about the average size of a snow leopard. But to Kurando, Yukis.h.i.+ro has not changed.

Kurando has the strength to overpower Yukis.h.i.+ro when it has its claws and fangs withdrawn.

As soon as Kurando leaned forward he had already applied strength to bring down Yukis.h.i.+ro. Yukis.h.i.+ro remember all those days that they had wrestled with one another.

Yukis.h.i.+ro could not resist. Everyday Kurando had grappled with Yukis.h.i.+ro. It is knocked down and tickled.

By the time he returned back to the cave it was already dark. There is a fire going in the fireplace.

「I’ve prepared the firewood.」 (Makus.h.i.+mu)

Makus.h.i.+mu informs them upon Yukis.h.i.+ro and Kurando entering the cave.

「Ah, sorry. I don’t normally use firewood.」 (Kurando)

「You don’t, then what do you use?」 (Makus.h.i.+mu)

「I make do with just fire spirits.」 (Kurando)

Kurando casually states so; as, Makus.h.i.+mu and Akari stay seated they blankly stare at one another. Afterwards, Makus.h.i.+mu sulks when he sees Yukis.h.i.+ro sitting behind Kurando.

「How is it that the fire spirits aren’t dispersing?」 (Makus.h.i.+mu)

「The answer is written in the textbook.」 (Kurando)

Akari and Makus.h.i.+mu are both amazed.

「It is, that’s quite efficient」 (Makus.h.i.+mu)

「Ahem, however, it takes a lot of maryoku it seems? For the first half year I used it, it was very exhausting.」 (Kurando)

「……it was necessary to be able to cook food.」 (Kurando)

「I had to maintain the fire, then make the earth pot, and this also while trying to create water. Hmm, what were the other parts?」 (Kurando)

Typically, firewood is used to start the fire.

Kurando brought out meat and wild gra.s.s. As usual he made a earth

made a earth pot. He makes water with water spirit magic and adds all the ingredients together.

The fire spirits surround the pot’s circ.u.mference. Kurando uses earth spirit magic to create a thin stick. He pierce the meat with the stick. The fire gradually became warm. So that the meat would cook evenly, Kurando rotates the meat around.

The two people that were watching him had a bewitched expression.

「I saw the same thing yesterday. Would you call this a show of dexterity.」 (Akari)

「Were you taught how to do this?」 (Makus.h.i.+mu)

Kurando is able to maintain the flame of fire spirits along with being about to use earth and water magic. Being able to use a lower rank magic is considered good, but being able to use three different types of magic is like lifting a soccer ball while trying to use a saw and hammering a nail all at the same time. In other words it is a show of acrobatics.

「Well, it’s probably a general magic textbook…… perhaps.」 (Makus.h.i.+mu)

「What kind of textbook is it?」 (Akari)

Kurando retrieves the thick magic textbook from his moss-green rucksack, and hands it over to Makus.h.i.+mu. The book shows signs of being worn down from being re-read. It was starting to fall apart in some places.

「……it’s the basics alright, or should I say everything in general.」 (Makus.h.i.+mu)

Akari receives the textbook from Makus.h.i.+mu and she flips through the pages.

「Hmph, you’re the only one who got a copy. Not only is it a textbook but it is also an encyclopedia.」 (Akari)

「It seems so. If this book were to be made public, things could get messy.」 (Makus.h.i.+mu)

「Did you study this textbook?」 (Makus.h.i.+mu)

While being surprised to hear their response Kurando nearly forgot about the meat. Kurando pa.s.ses the meat to Yukis.h.i.+ro who is behind him.

Yukis.h.i.+ro enjoys the side of the meat that had became slightly burnt. Makus.h.i.+mu watches Yukis.h.i.+ro chewing its food.

Kurando strengthens the fire. The stew is almost fully cooked. He scoops some stew into the bowls before pa.s.sing them over to the other two.

They return the textbook back to Kurando.

After finis.h.i.+ng his curry flavored stew Makus.h.i.+mu exhales.

「I will return back to my country. For now, please look after Akari.」 (Makus.h.i.+mu)