Chapter 48: Slow Life in the Doldia Village
Part 1
After getting out of the prison it was raining heavily outside.
The rainy season had come.
Supposedly it will be raining heavily non-stop for the next three months.
The ground will be completely flooded and you won't be able to walk.
Which is why those who live in the Great Forest live on top of the trees.
Part 2
It seems like the kidnapping incident this time was a rather special case.
It was a large scale abduction plan orchestrated by a smuggling organization.
They came up with a plan to abduct the Holy Beast, Guardian of Dorudia.
I don't know why they would want to abduct something like that.
However, the Holy Beast is supposedly a special kind of animal so there are a number of those who want to get their hands on it.
Well, it's difficult to just abduct the Holy Beast under normal circumstances.
Even in the chance that you succeeded in abducting it, the warriors have good noses so they would quickly come to take it back.
Therefore the smuggling organization aimed for the start of the rainy season.
The rainy season will continue for three months straight.
Since that's the case all of the villagers will be busy in preparation.
All of the village warriors will have their hands full.
Also, it's not possible to go out on a ship during the rainy season.
In other words, if you abduct the Holy Beast right before the rainy season then transport it to the Magic Continent, the warriors will not be able to catch up in time and you can perfectly escape.
Of course the Beast Race were being vigilant for that.
The adults all warned the children not to go outside while preparing for the rainy season.
Needless to say, they also told it to the Holy Beast that was being protected.
That's why the smuggling organization went a step further with their plan.
First they hired all of the local kidnappers and waited for the right timing.
Then at a specific time, attacked all the locations at once and abducted children right and left at the same time.
The warriors were in a panic.
Just when they were starting to ease up because the abductions seemed low this year, children from villages all over the place were abducted at once.
Even more so the smuggling organization had hired armed forces beforehand to attack the villages at the same time.
There was no damage to the Dorudia village at this time.
The warriors of the Dorudia village received requests for aid, split up and went out to defend the surrounding villages.
Then when the guards for the Dorudia village were thinned out, the smuggling organization launched an attack on the Dorudia village with elite forces.
They succeeded in abducting not only the village chief's granddaughter but also the Holy Beast.
Cause incidents all over the place, then attack the primary target, a lightning fast plan.
The armed forces attack.
The abduction of the children.
As well as the abduction of the Holy Beast.
Since it was like that no matter how skilled the Beast Race warriors were they wouldn't have enough forces to cover it.
Gyes and Gustav first gave up on the children.
They gathered together the warriors and went to setup the defense lines of the village, then they went off to search for the Holy Beast themselves.
It just means that the Holy Beast is that much of a special existence to the village it seems.
The time between kidnapping the Holy Beast and transporting it on the ship wasn't even supposed to be two days.
The fact that they were able to locate the safekeeping place for smuggling goods was supposedly good luck.
The smell of blood and the sight of rising fire.
Supposedly, those two factors became the key that allowed them to locate the building.
It was thanks to us.
However, I wonder why the Holy Beast was at the same place where Ruijerd was transported.
Well, it was a large scale operation so there were probably some mistakes here and there.
Otherwise they might have planned for Ruijerd's handcuffs being undone and rampaging.
Now then, from here on is unrelated to me.
What were they doing after neglecting me for a week?
According to the story Ruijerd was furious at the smugglers.
He suggested attacking the ship that was prepared to depart.
They didn't know which ship had children on board it because the smugglers also knew of a way to conceal themselves from the beast race's noses.
The way Gustav put it, after understanding their intentions, they responded to it accordingly.
Speaking of Eris, she was also taking part in this plan, supposedly as the escort for the children.
With a full faced smile of course.
This must be the Greyrat's blood as well.
Well then, the attack of Ruijerd and the others succeeded.
Tragically the smuggling organization's ship was discovered and all of their members were half-killed and captured.
From within the ship, abducted children just kept coming out one after another.
There were supposedly around 50 of them.
Well then, the children were saved, Happy Ending.
That's not quite what happened.
Since they had just attacked the last ship departing before the rainy season the Saint Port officials came out.
Obviously Gustav and Gyes protested against them.
The beast race abductions. Slavery was taboo between the Great Forest patriarchs and the Holy Milis Kingdom.
They only tried to prevent that, so it would be strange for them to take the blame.
The Saint Port officials were taken back with this.
They would have been fine with at least a bit of a notice before hand.
However, the attack was just barely in time to catch the departure of the ship.
There was no leisure time to explain.
As well as the fact there were 50 people.
50 children.
It wasn't just five or ten.
There were one or two children abducted from villages all over the place.
Saint Port hadn't caught onto this at all.
Even more so, the officials were taking bribes and looking the other way.
This was a violation of the treaty.
If they left things as they were, a large crack would have been made between the Beast Race and the Holy Milis Kingdom.
In the worst case it could have been war.
The talk even made it up to that level.
In the end the Saint Port side withdrew.
In regards to the Beast Race, a considerable amount of compensation was paid.
Those negotiations and returning the abducted children back to their parents took roughly a full week.
That was why I was put off and left neglected for a full week.
Well, I guess it couldn't be helped.
Rather, I'm glad they managed to finish such an important matter within a week.
Though, you know...
The Beast Race people are full of gratitude and enraptured with Ruijerd.
Eris is surrounded by the children of the Beast Race and full of smiles.
I was in a prison together with a monkey faced man experiencing a life of freedom.
It's not something I can accept.
Rather, they could have just let me out of the prison midway through and it would have been fine.
Part 3
I was clearly displeased and Gyes apologized.
"I'm really very sorry."
It was the Beast Races version of prostrating oneself.
Gyes was facing up to me as he showed his stomach.
I thought I was being made fun of at first.
Even though his stomach was seen, but Gyes's tone was desperate.
He couldn't imagine that his daughter was just saved, nor that the seals on the Holy Beast-sama had been removed and that he just stripped that savior naked and threw cold water on him.
And then halfway through that he forgot about it and focused on other matters, no matter what he does it's not something that could be forgiven.
There was no option left but to offer his neck.
Is what I was told.
However, he wanted me to forgive the watch guard.
She was just doing her own job as she was told.
Since she is going to get married after the rainy season is over, while it's fine to seek punishment, he doesn't want me to do anything in retribution that would humiliate her.
If that becomes the case then there would be remaining evil intent.
Is what I was told.
To put it frankly, I was totally put off.
If you go that far with the reverse prostration in front of everyone it will just cause me problems.
Also, if you show me that tightly chiseled six pack it will just make me jealous as well.
Rather than that what about the Onee-san guard... no. Never mind.
"Everything started from a misunderstanding. Well, I'm not really bothered about it."
Here's the time to be forgiving. DE. It's Rudeus.
I'm an adult after all.
I'll show my dignity.
That's right.
The one in the wrong is the smuggling organization.
And that smuggling organization has been wiped out.
It's a happy end.
I suffered and you all suffered as well.
It's fine like that.
I have nothing to say beyond that.
My life in the prison was somewhat fun.
The food was good and Gisu was there.
The Onee-san left in charge of me was beautiful as well.
"I, the village leader, am also grateful for your great tolerance and heart."
After seeing my response the old warrior called Gustav said that arrogantly.
Gyes is fine, but wouldn't it be fine for you to apologize as well?
For the most part it was you who was there at the time and giving out orders right?
Well, it's fine.
I don't want to see some old man prostrating himself.
Rather than that I'd prefer to see the Onee-san guard...
Ruijerd as well brought his face close.
"Would it be good for me to apologize as well?"
"No, it's fine Ruijerd-san."
"Is it fine? Though it's my fault?"
"Ruijerd-san also gave it his best for a week, didn't he."
The Beast Race approved of Ruijerd as well.
It seems both Gustav and Gyes have already heard about the fact that Ruijerd is of the Superd race.
In regards to the Superd race, I don't know what kind of feelings they hold towards them.
Though at the very least, right now Ruijerd is the hero who saved their children.
I was being patient and Ruijerd was raising his fame.
In that case, then the outcome is all right.
Putting aside the process as long as the outcome is achieved I have no complaints about it.
"Hmph!!"
"Gof!
Just as I was thinking that, Eris came forward and kicked Gyes in the stomach.
Then "Bestow the protection of water to the place where thou demands, let the crystal clear flow appear towards here, Water Ball."
Struck the unguarded Gyes mercilessly with the Water Bullet.
The surroundings were dumbfounded.
Eris took her usual pose and said in a loud voice.
"With this we're even!"
As expected of Eris, I thought.
Part 4
Now then, our current location is in Gustav's house.
It's a house on top of a tree and the largest house in this village.
It's a three story building constructed from wood on top of a tree.
I was wondering if it would be alright if something like an earthquake hit, but it doesn't even shake a bit when the adults are running around inside.
They are the Dedorudia race.
The Dedorudia race patriarch Gustav.
And his son, warrior leader Gyes.
The one I saved from the smugglers was Gyes's second daughter Minitona.
It seems the eldest daughter Rinia is studying in another country.
And then there was also a daughter of the Adorudia race mixed in with those we saved.
The Adorudia race patriarch's second daughter Terusena.
A dog girl with big breasts.
There were plans to return to the Adorudia village, but the rainy season started up on the way so she'll be staying here for three months it seems.
Incidentally, even among the beast race it seems those with the blood of the Dedorudia can be sold for a high price to a certain country's nobles.
Especially, children who can be trained easily are aimed at often.
A certain country's nobles.
It sounds like a story I've heard somewhere!
"The nobles of Asura can't afford to be lax with stuff like this going on!"
The Eris-kun over there!
Why are you saying like it is unrelated to you!
Most likely, there are people with a mouse-like family name related to this from the start!
I've never heard anything along those lines from the butlers and maids at Eris' house, but it's quite possible they were people that were abducted like this as well.
Sauros is a good person, but his viewpoint is just a bit different.
Yeah, for the time being I'll keep quiet about this.
Even if I don't say anything, it's better to say nothing.
Just as I was thinking that, Eris just happened to remember something, and showed the ring she was wearing.
"Come to think of it, do you know of Ghyslaine? This ring is Ghyslaine's."
She can't speak in Beast God language.
Therefore it was in human language.
The only ones here who can use human language outside of Ruijerd and myself are Gustav and Gyes.
"Ghyslaine...?"
Then Gyes made a grim face.
"Is she still alive?"
"Eh?"
That voice was filled with disgust.
A voice as if he was going to throw up.
Then a single word.
"She was the disgrace of the family."
Those words were just the start of Gyes bashing Ghyslaine.
In the human language, which Eris could understand.
Then he started to tell us about how much of a failure, how inappropriate she was as a younger sister and such. Gyes had a voice filled with indifferent emotion.
Since Ghyslaine has saved my life before, it was a subject which I couldn't listen to anymore.
It seems she did some rather mean things when she was living in this village.
However, that is just talk from when she was a child.
The Ghyslaine I know of is a clumsy person who gives it her all.
Someone who does everything carefully and puts her heart into it.
She's not a person who deserves to be talked about like this.
A sword teacher that I respect and a magic student that I can brag about.
That's why, somehow or other...
Please stop it.
"That ring as well, is something she got from our mother after recklessly acting out, there really was no meaning to it. She was an idiot who only knows how to break things."
"You–"
"Shut up! What do you know about Ghyslaine!"
Interrupting my words, Eris started screaming at them in a loud voice.
In a voice loud enough that I thought the house would break, the Dedorudia family faces were frowning.
The only ones who understand human language are Gustav and Gyes.
The other few who heard Eris suddenly start yelling were dumbfounded.
I thought Eris would start acting out violently.
However, Eris just made a mortifying face, and tears started welling up in her eyes, her fists were shaking with anger but she didn't move to strike.
"Ghyslaine is my teacher! She's the number one person I respect!"
I know.
Just how well Ghyslaine and Eris get along together.
She is the one that Eris trusts the most.
Far more than me.
"Ghyslaine is amazing! Extremely amazing! If I need help, she will quickly come to save me! Extremely fast! And extremely strong!"
Eris started yelling out all sorts of words which she didn't know herself.
With that bitter voice even if you couldn't understand why, the meaning was understood.
At the very least, she said everything I wanted to say as well.
"Ghyslaine is... hikku... egu... To say something... like that... hikku..."
Eris continued to give her best not to strike them while her tears started to flow.
That's right, you shouldn't hit Gyes here.
Ghyslaine was hated for her violence in this village.
She would always act violent as she pleased.
If Eris were to strike him it would just be proving Gyes's words.
That you and her are the same.
Gyes started to panic as he watched that.
"No, but... It can't be that Ghyslaine has... Respect? How could that be?"
After I saw that I calmed my own anger.
"We should probably stop talking about this topic."
I proposed that while embracing Eris.
Eris looked at me like she couldn't believe it, when I proposed that.
"Why? Rudeus? Did you hate Ghyslaine?"
"I like Ghyslaine as well."
But...
"The Ghyslaine we know and the Ghyslaine they know are different people with the same name."
Then I look at the confused Gyes while saying that.
Even he would probably change his way of thinking if he met the current Ghyslaine.
People change as time passes.
Since I'm the one saying it, there's no mistake.
Eris couldn't accept it.
However, she for the most part let go of it.
"No, has that Ghyslaine really became such a respectable person?"
"At the very least, she is someone I respect."
After saying that Gyes made a face lost in thought.
Well, after hearing that story just now, it seems like all sorts of things happened between him and Ghyslaine.
Those must have been things that he felt could never be forgiven.
A relationship of blood is relatively severe.
Especially since it's a blood relative.
There are some things that you cannot forgive no matter how many years pass.
"Since that is the case, will you apologize?"
"I'm sorry about that."
What a delicate atmosphere it's become.
In any case, Ghyslaine, huh.
I had totally forgotten about it this past year, but she should have gotten dragged into that teleport as well.
I wonder where in the world she is and what she's doing.
Since it's her, I would imagine she's off searching for Eris and me...
I regret being unable to gather information in Saint Port.
Part 5
One week passed.
The rain continues to fall.
We occupied one of the vacant houses in the village and are living there.
For the most part we are heroes of the Great Forest, so even if we don't do anything we still get food.
This isn't a good lifestyle. It's far too deprived.
There's a huge flood happening below the village and it was terrible, at one point a child from the village fell in.
I used magic to save them and they were quite surprised and grateful.
Since that's the case I considered using magic to just blow the clouds away, but I decided not to do it.
Roxy said it as well, but it's not a good idea to manipulate the weather too much.
If I were to forcefully stop this rain, something bad could happen to the Great Forest.
Quite frankly, I just want it to end already and hurry on to the next place but...
Well, it will stop in three months or so, it's just a matter of enduring until then.
Part 6
I started to wander around the village in the rain.
It was a village after all, so there were no weapons, equipments, or those sorts of shops or inn.
Fundamentally it was all private houses, warehouses, and guard stations.
All of that was built on the top of the trees.
The design of the village was three dimensional and quite interesting.
Even just walking around gets your heart beating.
In one part there was a place where I wasn't allowed to enter beyond a certain point.
That pathway is supposedly an important place for this village it seems.
Of course, I don't have any intention of walking into such a place with my shoes on.
Then at that time I found a place where the lower and upper levels are intersected.
Just then as I was thinking about if a woman would pass over above me, Gisu appeared.
"Yo newbie, they already let you out?"
After I called out to him, Gisu made a happy face and waved towards me.
"Yeah. They told me to never do it again. They're idiots right. It's already decided that I'm going to keep doing it."
"Police officer dog?! This guy over here hasn't learned his lesson!!"
"Hey, wait just a minute there. Wait. Stop it. I can't run away right now because it's the rainy season."
Since it's the rainy season right now.
Since that's the case, this guy will do it again.
Really, he's a guy who can't be helped.
"Ah, I'll return the vest."
"Didn't I say to stop with that respectful way of speaking. Keep the vest."
"Is that fine?"
"During this season it's still cold."
However, he's not a bad person it seems.
This whatever convenient and warm feeling reminds me of Paul.
Paul.
I wonder if he's doing well.
Part 7
Two weeks have passed.
The rain still won't stop.
I learned that the Dedorudia race have a secret magic.
Letting out a howl in order to search for the location of the enemy and letting out a special kind of sound in order to screw up the opponent's balance, that sort of magic it seems.
It seems the magic that Gyes used to paralyze me was one type of that magic.
From what I heard, it seems to be magic that makes use of "sound".
Since that's the case, I asked Gustav to by all means teach me how to use it.
Pleasantly he agreed to it.
He performed it live for me a number of times as I tried to imitate it.
But... It didn't go very well.
It seems to be something you can't use unless you have a special kind of vocal chords from the Dedorudia race.
I was thinking it might be something like that.
Most likely, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say I can't use most magics specific to certain races.
Even though the beast races can use the magic of the human race, it's unfair.
I understood the basics, that it was done by combining your voice with magic power and tried it several times, but the effects weren't really all that powerful.
About the only thing that I could do was make my opponents surprised for an instant.
It seems it won't be very useful.
Incidentally, after showing my voiceless incantations to Gustav he was quite surprised.
"Do the magic schools teach those sorts of things these days?"
"It's because my teacher's instructions were good."
Then for no reason I start pushing Roxy's name up.
"Ho, where did that teacher originate from?"
"She's a Migurd race from the Biegoya region of the Magic Continent. In terms of magic... I guess she would have learned it from the magic university."
After saying I planned to eventually go to the magic university myself, Gustav said, "Ho, you can already do that much and you still strive for more" and admired me.
It was a bit of a good feeling.
Part 8
One month passed.
Monsters appeared in this village.
An insect like monster similar to a water spider appeared on top of the water and suddenly jumped off the water and attacked, something similar to a sea snake climbed up the tree as well.
The materials from both of them seemed profitable.
Incidentally, the village's warriors protected us.
However, it seems like the beast race's proud sense of smell and sonar-like voice aren't very useful in this rain.
The monsters kept avoiding the guards on watch and appeared in the middle of the town.
I was on a walk in the village with Eris when a beast race child suddenly got caught by something like a chameleon right in front of our eyes.
Instantly I sent the chameleon flying with an earth bullet.
That was dangerous.
The child cutely waved its tail and thanked me.
After seeing that Eris started breathing roughly from her nose.
In a fluster, I stroked Eris' butt, and she stopped.
The child watched that with a smile.
That was dangerous.
And then right now, my life is in danger as well.
I told Ruijerd about it, and his face turned into a frown.
He can't let a situation pass by where children might be in danger.
Even though that's the case, the village's guards were against us helping out.
"The warriors of this village have their own pride in protecting our people."
Supposedly there's something like that.
It's the duty of the village's warriors to protect the village.
They won't ask outside warriors for help, and they won't allow you to intrude on them.
That's supposedly Ruijerd's common sense.
I didn't understand it at all.
"Isn't the safety of the children more important than something like that?"
After saying that, Ruijerd thought about it for a few seconds and then went to talk about it with Gyes.
"Oh, Ruijerd-dono would like to offer help?"
Gyes welcomed him greatly.
His impression in regards to Ruijerd was extremely high.
Come to think of it, it seems Gyes was participating in the event of the attack on the ship.
He offered a reward for the help as the representative of the village's warriors.
It became where we would help exterminate monsters that appear around the village.
Ruijerd finds them, and I use magic to defeat them.
Then we recover the corpse and strip them of the materials.
Then Gyes will buy those from us.
Quite a good cycle.
In the beginning, just as Ruijerd had said, the warriors of the village didn't make very good faces.
However, after seeing us exterminate every monster without mercy, it seemed like there would be no victims this rainy season, and they gradually opened up to us.
"I thought the beast race were a prouder race, but... To leave the defense of their village to another race, really..."
For some reason only Ruijerd was bothered by it.
It seems that several hundred years earlier the beast race was different.
Part 9
One and a half months had passed.
I have the feeling that the rain has started to weaken a little bit.
It's probably just my imagination.
Eris, Tona, and Terusena are all getting along together.
Even if they can't communicate with words, at that age they can still get along well.
Even while it's raining outside, they were wandering around here and there and somehow or other having quite a bit of fun.
I was wondering about what it was they were doing and it seems Eris was teaching them human language.
That Eris, was, teaching someone, a language!
This isn't where I, with the experience of a teacher, cut in and crush Eris's image.
I'm a man who can read the mood after all.
I'm just hiding somewhere nearby and observing the situation.
Eris never had any friends of the same age up until now.
Since that's the case, I felt quite proud that Eris finally was getting along with someone of the same age like this.
Red hair, cat ears and dog ears.
I'm fine with just being able to watch them get along happily.
Though you know, Eris.
I don't think it's a good idea if you cling onto someone so recklessly.
Someone like me could misunderstand.
See, just look over there.
Isn't Gyes-san watching?
What do you think a parent would think while watching someone cling to their daughter while their nose is flaring like that?
"Hmm, Eris-dono, thank you very much for getting along so well with my daughter."
Uh... what?
Isn't your response different from the time with me?
She's, without a doubt, excited over that daughter of yours.
I wonder if women and men are different after all.
I see, I guess that would be the case. It should be obvious, huh.
"By the way, I'm sorry about the situation with Ghyslaine. We haven't met in quite a long time, so there was some misunderstanding. It seems that little sister has grown up quite a bit by walking around in the outside world."
Gyes bowed his head.
During this past month he must have done all sorts of apologies here and there.
It's a good thing.
"That's the case. It's Sword King Ghyslaine after all! The current Ghyslaine can even use magic, you know."
"Hahaha. Ghyslaine can use magic? Lady Eris your jokes are too good."
"It's true! Rudeus taught Ghyslaine letters, math, and magic after all."
"Rudeus-dono did?"
After that Ghyslaine and I were pushed forward in reputation by Eris.
Talking about my classes and things that happened in Fedoa region.
About how, no matter how bad she and Ghyslaine were at learning at first, both of them still managed to be taught properly by Rudeus and how much she respects me, that sort of talk.
After listening to it, I started to feel a bit embarrassed.
After three years, the teleport incident happened so I couldn't teach until the end though...
Gyes was quite interested in the topic.
Then after he separated from the three he came over to where I was hidden in the wooden box.
"Then, what is that respectable teacher doing in this kind of place?"
"My... my hobby is observing people."
"Ho, that is quite the noble hobby to have. Incidentally, how in the world did you manage to teach Ghyslaine letters?"
"There's nothing special about it, just normally."
"Normally? I can't even imagine it."
"It seems like she was troubled here and there by her lack of knowledge during her adventurer days. It's probably natural for you to be unable to imagine it."
"I see. Even though that younger sister used to be the type of person who wouldn't stop beating people up whenever something she didn't like happened..."
After listening to him, it seems Ghyslaine used to be the same kind of girl as Eris.
If you were to ask how, it would be getting into fights, not to mention she was strong and couldn't be stopped.
It seems like Gyes was forced to drink boiling water a number of times.
He was a weak older brother who couldn't match his younger sister in strength.
Speaking of older brothers, I'm also an older brother.
I wonder if Norn and Aisha are doing well.
That's right.
I wanted to write a letter, but I keep forgetting about it.
After this rain ends I'll go to the Holy Milis Kingdoms capital and send a letter to Buina village.
The chances of it arriving from the Magic Continent are pretty low, but it will most likely reach from Milis.
"By the way, Rudeus-dono."
"Yes?"
"How long are you intending to remain inside of that wooden box?"
Of course, until they start to change clothes.
It's almost night after all.
They'll start taking a bath and getting changed into pajamas soon.
"Sunsun... I smell the scent of arousal."
"Eeh! No, that can't be. Could it be that some beast loving girl is making a happy face somewhere?"
I was playing dumb and Gyes raised his eyebrows.
"Rudeus-dono. I'm grateful for that time. I'm still quite sorry about the misunderstanding led to that situation."
After setting that preface Gyes changed his expression.
"However, if you put your hands on my daughter, the situation is different. If you don't move away right now, I'll throw the box with you in it into the water."
He was serious.
I didn't hesitate.
I left the box in a second.
In an amazing speed even.
"I'm one who protects this village. I don't really want to say this, but go easy on it."
"Okay."
Yeah.
Well, maybe I went a bit overboard.
I'll reflect on it.
wo months have passed.
Ruijerd and Gustav get along well together it seems.
He often goes over to visit the Dedorudia house, and they exchange drinks while sharing stories of their past.
They are quite bloody stories, but that in itself makes them relatively interesting.
As a self proclaimed rampaging race, even though he regrets how bad he was in the past, he still has some amount of pride in it.
However, these are most likely things that actually happened.
After listening to it for a bit, there's something I understood about the beast race.
The Beast Race is a general term for those races who live in the Great Forest.
Among them there are a number of races who travel over to the Magic Continent and call themselves Demon Races.
The only real physical trait is that one part of their body has a non-human-mammal-like animal characteristic.
Also, the various races have unique extra sensory abilities.
In a broader sense, the likes of Nokopara and Bureizu would be considered of the beast race is what it would mean.
Even among the beast race, the Dedorudia race are a special existence.
They are a family that watched over the Holy Beast and look over the entire forest's harmony. That is the Dedorudia.
Cat-like Dedorudia.
Dog-like Adorudia.
Those two are the main branches and then several tens of other kinds of branch tribes are spread around.
So to speak, they are the royalty of the Great Forest.
Although they aren't really doing anything like royalty right now, when the time comes to it, they will become the leader and lead their people.
Also, the long eared race and the halfling race are also living in the Great Forest.
They are mostly distributed in the southern areas of the Great Forest and don't really have all that much interaction with the beast races, but once every year all the races gather around the Great Sage Tree and participate in a festival and clan meeting.
According to Gustav, the races are different but they are all allies that live in the Great Forest.
Incidentally, the Dwarf race doesn't live in the Great Forest, but even further south, at the base of the Blue Dragon Mountain Range.
The blue dragons fly all around the world, but they always return to the Blue Dragon Mountain Range for nesting and raising children.
Kind of like migratory birds.
Although they are different from migrating birds in that they only return once in every ten years or so.
Now then, the beast race has always gotten into wars and made peace with the human race and repeated this process over and over it seems.
As far as skirmish level wars go, the most recent one was around 50 years ago.
Gustav participated in that war and was a part of a brawny warrior group that mowed down some human race people who got lost in the forest.
At least according to the story I was being told.
Well, it sounds like it was dramatized quite a bit, but to be able to hear about it from the beast race's viewpoint was rather entertaining.
In order to compete with that Ruijerd pulled out his heirloom spear.
A story about the Superd race from the time of Laplace's war.
"Recently the warriors aren't very reliable at all."
"I understand as well, Ruijerd-dono. The number of weaklings has increased."
"That's right. During the time I was young, there wasn't a single man who wasn't splendid."
Completely hitting it off.
I guess it's the same no matter what world it is, things like this.
"That's absolutely right. Gyes has even made it to head of the warriors, but he's still lacking in judgement. He's good at gathering together people, but if he was a bit better at looking at the situation, that sort of thing wouldn't have happened to Rudeus-dono."
"No, Rudeus is a warrior. If he lets down his guard in enemy grounds and gets caught, he should have known he would have been taken prisoner. Even so, he ended up letting his guard down. If he had gotten serious, something of Gyes's level should have been easily suppressed by him. That was Rudeus's own fault."
Ah, it hurts to listen.
Ruijerd believed in me and let me go alone.
Yet, I ended up easily being caught.
In some ways, it's like I betrayed his trust.
"However, Ruijerd-dono isn't that a bit heartless? Even though your ally was treated cruelly?"
"If you're a warrior you take responsibility for the consequences of your own battles. In the first place, Rudeus should have been able to easily escape with his own power! I'm glad he was trusting in his allies, but he's not a child! If you're a warrior you shouldn't wait and expect your allies to come save you!"
Ruijerd, you seem to be quite drunk.
Well, if you were caught I'm sure you'd find some way to escape on your own though.
I wish you wouldn't place such high expectations on me.
The number of things I'm capable of are limited you know?
Part
It was painful to listen while being together with Ruijerd.
If I go near Eris and the others then Gyes glares at me.
Therefore, I ended up spending the early afternoon to evening in solitude.
I couldn't think of anything I needed to do, so I decided to start practicing my magic.
I controlled the water current flowing on the ground outside and tried freezing it.
Then at that point, I suddenly thought of the idea of using wind magic to try and fly and decided to give it a try.
This time, the reason I was caught and unable to run away was because I didn't know the way back.
If I could fly through the sky I could have easily made my escape by the second day.
Gyes wouldn't have had to prostrate himself, no one would have had any bad memories over it, it would have been a happy end.
After thinking that I left the village.
I continued to create a foothold by freezing the flowing water into ice as I walked, then when I found an open area I cut down a tree nearby.
Then using earth magic I created a 10 meter stone platform in every direction.
Then that practice area similar to one in a se○ game was finished.
It's a bit slippery, so you can't run around, but this much should be fine.
"Now then."
For starters with light feelings I raised a tornado and watched what happens.
In order to make a person fly about this much should be fine.
If I remember correctly, 100 meters per second should be about good.
I wonder what kind of thing 100 meters per second is.
For the time being, I'll give it a shot and see.
"Alakazam! Just... kidding!"
I was blown up into the air like a leaf.
Then I started to get afraid.
Suddenly I realized I was up near the clouds.
I didn't realize a person's body was this light.
Then I started to feel fear.
I started to instinctively fear the ground as I was approaching it at an insane speed.
I started using my foresight on reflex.
After looking one second into the future, I made an upward current with my right hand, and fired off a number of shock waves with my left lowering my falling speed.
However, I was too late.
I heard the sound of a number of branches breaking as I fell into a tree and finally a splash as I hit the water.
By that time my entire body was battered plus bone fractures.
My nose was bleeding all over the place, after swallowing some water I started to control the currents.
With my entire body in pain and feeling dizzy I somehow or other managed to cast the healing incantation.
Soon after monsters started appearing following the scent of my blood.
It seems the place I fell was the nest of the rain lizard group [Rain Forest Lizard].
I could clearly hear the sound of my heart beating as I continued to defeat the monsters that came out, one after another.
With my right hand I just kept freezing the surrounding water stopping their movements, then firing off earth bullets to destroy their heads.
Rain Forest Lizards are C rank monsters.
Their speed in water is pretty fast, but they aren't difficult if I freeze it.
After I defeated them all I started piling up the bodies, but before I realized it was already dark out, and I didn't know the way back.
I don't know my current location.
Just that fact made me feel uneasy.
I have to do something somehow.
The village shouldn't be all that far away.
I continued to tell myself to be cool.
If my head gets heated up my judgement will be dulled.
I must remain COOL, no matter how you look at it KOOL.
First off, I froze all the water nearby in as wide of a range as I could.
I just kept lowering the temperature, while shivering, centering on me I just kept extending the ice endlessly.
At the same time, I created a fire ball in the air above me.
Using a fire ball to warm things up while at the same time freezing the water.
Monsters that see the light will most likely come over.
No, monsters in the rainy season swim.
They most likely won't come running on top of the ice.
It wasn't even an hour later when Ruijerd and others came along.
He came walking along the ice along with the Dedorudia race warriors.
I felt relieved.
After all, I still feel a bit tense about being left neglected in some place I don't know about.
"Rudeus, what happened?"
"Jus- just a bit of training."
I didn't say anything about almost dying.
A show of vanity.
"I see... It's the first time I've seen you get serious, but it's really intense. When the entire village froze over and was covered in ice I was wondering what was going on."
"Ye-yeah..."
"All of the monsters were frozen."
"Eh, yeah, I wanted help transporting them. I gave it my all to freeze the surroundings."
"That's an easy request. Though, next time make sure you let me know."
"If Ruijerd-san is here then it's not secret training."
After saying that Ruijerd laughed a bit.
The beast race warriors went around looking at the rain forest lizards frozen in the surroundings with just their heads crushed and shivered in fear.
Hmm... How's that?
The meat from rain forest lizards is quite close to chicken meat.
After that, I learned from experience and started to practice using wind magic to fly in the sky a number of times.
It was extremely difficult to make my body float in the air with wind magic.
What I was able to manage, if you can call it that, was use a blunted [Earth Lance] at my own feet and send my body flying into the air.
After flying, use wind magic to accelerate. When it's time to land, decelerate and prepare a landing spot.
Using wind magic to lower the velocity of the fall, while at the same time using a water technique to create a pool at the landing point, and landing there in the water.
Something along those lines.
What an unsightly magic.
I feel bitter about my own lack of talent.
I want to fly through the sky freely.
However I was satisfied with this result.
I wasn't able to fly through the sky, but I was able to create a method of high speed travel through the air.
I wasn't able to achieve the initial goal, but I did gain at least one thing.
I decided to think of that as alright.
Two and a half months have passed.
One day, Holy Beast-sama sluggishly came and entered my room.
"Well well then, if it isn't Holy Beast-sama. Did you have something you needed from this sex beast?"
"Wan."
"Two."
"Wan."
It seems it's just going to ignore me.
I don't know if it's a male or female, but Holy Beast-sama came over and laid down next to me.
Currently, in my hands is a figure I'm in the process of making.
Since there's still lots of time left before the rain stops, I decided to make these.
The model is Ruijerd.
Why him?
Is what one might think.
However, think about it for a second.
Superd race are a monster with an unknown identity.
People shudder in fear after seeing that green hair.
However, the figures I make have no color.
A stone doll in a solid grey color.
If I can make this doll look cool, I might be able to get more people to accept it.
First off is the silhouette.
The hair is the last part.
"Won!"
Holy Beast-sama brought it's body close to my thighs and placed it's head on my lap.
I was a bit perplexed since no animal has ever gotten this close to me before.
"Uon?"
Holy Beast-sama was looking at my hands with a "What is that?" sort of feeling.
It's a puppy-sama whose age is proportionate to it's demeanor.
For the time being I started to stroke the area around its neck.
"There's nothing to do, so I decided to produce some works."
"Wan."
My hand was licked.
It's tail was flapping and moving around.
It seems I'm not hated.
Since the rain is still continuing, Holy Beast-sama must be bored as well.
I don't know where it has been these past two months, but it specifically decided to come over to where I am after all.
It must be looking for some kind of stimulus.
"Shall we play?"
"Wan!!"
After that my crossed legs fell apart and started to play around with Holy Beast-sama.
I was completely enjoying myself rolling around, getting a moderate amount of exercise together with Holy Beast-sama.
Certainly a win-win relationship.
Knock knock.
While I was playing around with Holy Beast-sama there was a knock on the door to my room.
"Hm? Come in."
"Please excuse me. I could smell Holy Beast-sama coming from here... Ah."
Then the one who came in was a woman dressed in the outfit of one of the villages warriors.
It was the Onee-san guard.
"Ah, greetings, it's been a while."
For the time being, I said that while bowing my head.
After seeing me her face quickly turned ghastly pale.
"Ah, yes, greetings, it has been a while."
It's the person who threw cold water on me and told me off with a cruel word.
Come to think of it, I haven't seen her at all for these last two months.
I wonder where she was.
"I'm sorry about that time, please forgive my rudeness."
She deeply bowed her head.
"No it's fine. That matter has already been resolved."
"However, even though it was a misunderstanding that I would subject you to that kind of treatment..."
"That kind of treatment, it was just being stripped and having cold water thrown at me."
Then the female warriors face became even more pale.
Almost to the point where it seemed like she would fall over any minute.
"I'm very... sorry... please... forgive me."
This is something I heard from Gyes but when it comes to the beast race, it seems that being stripped naked and having cold water thrown at you is an extremely humiliating thing.
"I had heard at that time that you were a person that had done something sexually cruel to Holy Beast-sama..."
"Of course, that was a false charge, you've heard right?"
"Ah, yes, of course."
Then she was looking back and forth at Holy Beast-sama.
Currently I'm being used as a pillow by Holy Beast-sama and my hand is being licked.
It seems like she has something to say about it.
"The things from that time couldn't be helped. I'm not angry about it. Although, I would have liked at least one apology."
"That is, umm, I'm really sorry. I was told to try my best to avoid meeting with Rudeus-dono from Gyes-sama."
Ah, so that was the case after all, huh.
As I thought if the actual perpetrator is in front of your eyes, you would want to get revenge I guess.
Gyes's judgement was correct.
"Then, you were told not to encounter me, why are you here?"
"Umm, that is, Holy Beast-sama went missing, so I followed the smell and it led here."
"Won!!"
The female warrior had a cold sweat going.
I think it's fine if you aren't that afraid.
Gyes apologized plenty and I'm already satisfied with that.
After the rainy season ends he already offered to give us a cart and pay compensation money.
I only had to spend a week in a prison for it, it feels more lucky than anything.
When it comes to me, I'm not really bothered at all.
Having cold water thrown at me and being abused as a pervert, those are good memories.
I'm sure, in the future if something wakes up inside of me I'll be able to accept that arousal.
"Come to think of it, after the rainy season ends you were going to get married weren't you. Congratulations."
After I said that, the female warrior started to tremble in fear.
It seems like she only heard it as sarcasm.
There was no ill intent I just meant it as a simple blessing though...
"Umm, what would I have to do to be forgiven by you."
Hmm.
It seems she has misunderstood something.
This is somehow nice.
An amazing feeling of superiority.
Is this that NTR sort of thing?
Nfufu.
After all, maybe I should have her get naked and crawl on all fours?
No, that kind of thing isn't good.
Gyes asked me to let it go and I don't know when Eris and Ruijerd will return.
I wonder what kind of punishment would be good.
Something similar to the beast race, like being stripped is no good.
Throwing cold water is also surely no good.
Then, how about wearing only a white t-shirt, then I hit you with water technique, water gun, and cover you in lukewarm water.
Wah, I'm a genius.
"Wan!!"
Then Holy Beast-sama moved over to cover the female warrior.
Glaring at me.
What's up with that.
It's a joke, don't be mad.
"I've already received a proper apology. Since that's the case I don't need anything more than that."
After saying that, the female warrior made a relieved face and let out a sigh.
"Thank you very much."
Then, just after that talk finished, she started glaring at me.
"More than that, Rudeus-dono, I would prefer if you didn't just take Holy Beast-sama out at your own convenience."
"What's that? I never took it out of anywhere."
Oh, more false charges, huh.
You really aren't reflecting on it at all are you?
If you aren't careful with your words, next time you'll be the one in the prison naked and I'll be the one throwing the water.
"If that's the case then who took it out? Holy Beast-sama cannot leave the Holy Tree on its own."
"Ho. Then please explain it to me clearly."
It seems that Holy Beast-sama is a magic beast that is only born once every several hundred years.
It has no formal name.
Since ancient times the appearance of the Holy Beast-sama has meant that the world would be approaching a crisis.
After Holy Beast-sama becomes an adult it will set out on a journey together with a hero and save the world from that mighty power.
That's how it's told.
Since that's the case, in the interior of the Dorudia village within a barrier in the roots of the Holy Tree, it's carefully and preciously raised.
That is really a completely sheltered daughter kind of feeling.
They won't let the Holy Beast-sama that doesn't know anything out into the cold outside world.
Incidentally, it will supposedly take another 100 years or so until Holy Beast-sama becomes an adult.
If the stories are true, 100 years later a great crisis will befall the world.
Currently it seems that this female warrior is primarily protecting that Holy Beast-sama.
In the inner part of that dead end pathway.
I get it now, that would be why we never met when I was walking around the town.
"Wafun!"
Then Holy Beast-sama barked out loud there.
The female warrior made a surprised face.
"Eh! What did you say?"
Eh?
What?
"Won!"
"I see, but..."
"Wan!!"
"I understand."
Why are you normally having a conversation with a dog?
Holy Beast-sama isn't speaking in Beast God language right?
How do you understand the differences in it?
Are you using BowLingual or something?
"Holy Beast-sama has said that you were unrelated."
"Right?"
I'd like you to say more than that.
"Holy Beast-sama is grateful to you Rudeus-dono."
"Ho, I could have sworn I had been completely forgotten after being abandoned in a prison."
"Wan!!"
"Holy Beast-sama says [That's rude, I properly told them to send you good tasting food. I had heard that Rudeus-dono was enjoying the food quite a bit as well?]"
That's right.
The food at least was good.
Also, I received seconds.
I did think it was pretty strange for a prison.
That was Holy Beast-sama's order, huh.
However, for the first thing to be thought of in terms of gratitude to be food, in the end it's still a dog.
"However, I would have preferred being let out of the prison if that's the case."
"Wan?! (What do you mean by prison? Is what it seems to be)"
"It's a place where you lock up bad guys."
"Wan! (I also get locked up, is what is being said)"
After that, I had a conversation for a bit with Holy Beast-sama using the female warrior as a translator.
After which I realized that Holy Beast-sama had no clue about the details of the events from this time it seems.
It didn't understand that I was letting off a smell of arousal and didn't understand the reason why I was captured by Gyes either.
The fact that I was captured, and anything beyond the fact that something scary happened, it couldn't seem to comprehend.
In other words, it's still a child.
Making all sorts of demands from a child is not good.
No helping it.
"Thanks to Holy Beast-sama I was able to experience a pleasant lifestyle. Thank you very much."
After thanking it, it's tail started waving and it licked my face.
Nfufu, what a cute fellow.
I was having fun stroking its neck.
Then I was pushed down.
Ahn, you can't, people are watching?
"Rudeus-dono, Holy Beast-sama is sacred. Could you refrain yourself from being that familiar and attached?"
"That's wrong. The smell of this arousal is aimed at you."
"Huh!?"
"Excuse me, it's nothing at all."
That's bad, I let out a bit of my true intention.
"*Cough* Now then Holy Beast-sama. Let's return home to the Holy Tree."
"Wan!!"
Holy Beast-sama honestly nodded to the words of the female warrior and returned.
After that, it became a problem for the beast race that Holy Beast-sama was able to escape.
In the end, it seems like they couldn't figure out who the criminal that let it out was.
Since that's the case it would be fine if they just left it to an escort, but just the other day that abduction incident happened.
The escorts were becoming tense.
After that, Holy Beast-sama appeared by my side a number of times.
That's right, for some reason by my side.
Of course, after the second time they started to doubt me.
However, luckily on that day I was participating in the drinking bout of Ruijerd and Gustav.
I wasn't drinking any alcohol, but I was enjoying something similar to walnuts.
In other words I had an alibi.
Since I'm a magician capable of freezing the entire village with magic, I might have some method of doing it even from a separate place, but Gustav cleared the doubts.
It wouldn't be interesting at all if there were any more false charges added to the list.
Since that's the case, I decided to stick to Ruijerd, Gustav and Eris as much as I could but gave up.
I decided to stay near Gyes.
He's the warrior chief. The highest person responsible in charge of security.
He's busy everyday, but having him as an alibi is the most efficient method I think.
"I was under the impression that I was hated by Rudeus-dono?"
After sticking to him for a full day he made a bitter face.
"You don't really need to pay it any mind, the next time you give birth to a daughter just give her to me."
"That is, do you really want to pledge marriage vows to a daughter of mine?"
"No, it was just a simple joke. Oh, excuse me, did I let out the smell of arousal?"
"Sunsun? There's no such smell."
"I see, then this amount is alright."
After all, unless there's a female nearby my tom boy won't become a tom cat it seems.
Unless they enter my field of vision there's nothing to be done is what it means.
"This is something I've understood over the last month. Rudeus-dono is rather mature. Even though you're still young, Ruijerd-dono recognizes you as a warrior as well."
"What's up with that, suddenly praising me."
That's kind of disgusting.
Suddenly flipping ones hand.
"In the beginning I just thought you were some sheetty brat depending on Ruijerd-dono and doing whatever you like."
Ho.
He puts that well.
Well, it's not necessarily mistaken.
"In terms of magic skill it went way beyond what I imagined. In order to freeze the entire forest during the rainy season is something I could only imagine in a fairy tale."
"Fuuu, my teacher is even more amazing though."
Then another push here for Roxy for no reason at all.
No matter how much I praise Roxy it will never be enough praise.
"And more than anything, you hold that much power, and yet you didn't seek revenge against our Dedorudia race even after being treated like that."
If you put it like that then that is the case.
Though look, Ruijerd said it as well, I was letting my guard down.
Isn't it fine if both sides are reflecting on it.
Besides...
"This place is Ghyslaine's home town as well."
"What did Ghyslaine say about this village?"
"No, she didn't really say anything in specific."
It didn't seem like Ghyslaine liked the Great Forest very much.
When she was teaching me Beast God language she would often make a bitter face as well.
"Who wouldn't want to get along well with the family of a respected teacher."
"Is it fine if I apologize once again?"
"I don't really need that prostrating at all. Rather than that, please give me the right to lay my hands on Minitona-chan."
"If Rudeus-dono plans to properly and seriously consider my daughter as a partner then I wouldn't particularly mind though."
"Eh?!"
Seriously?
Does that mean he'll give me permission to play nyannyan with the cat eared girl!
Nono.
Right now, were having a good conversation, you sheetty NEET stay down.
"Of course I'm joking. Probably, Eris would get angry as well."
"Just now, a bit of the smell of arousal appeared though."
"That can't be helped. That would be because of Gyes-san's careless statement. Let it go."
"I see... I'm sorry about that."
Really.
I have a proper promise with Eris you know.
15 years old.
Another four more years.
If I wait four years then paradise.
Speaking of promises, I had one with Sylphy as well, but...
I wonder how Sylphy is doing now.
Probably doing well.
It would be good if she wasn't being bullied over her hair anymore...
"And it seems like it's come today as well."
Just as I was lost in thought, Holy Beast-sama suddenly appeared.
"Ku... what in the world are the escorts doing?!"
After seeing that Gyes started grinding his teeth.
Today as well, Holy Beast-sama said "Wan" to me in a happy voice.
In response to that I stroke its head.
"Could it be that it's getting out with its own power?"
Is what I asked but...
"No, there's no mistake that it's through someone's help."
Is what Gyes said while looking at Holy Beast-sama with troubled eyes.
Through someone's help.
It's without a doubt something within their own members, but everyone has an alibi.
It's creepy.
"Should Ruijerd and I investigate? I think we could figure it out pretty quick with Ruijerd's eye."
After saying that...
"No, the protection of Holy Beast-sama is a matter of pride for the Dedorudia race. We can't allow outsiders to interfere."
Is how he turned us down.
"Even though defending the village is fine?"
"This and that are different matters."
Defending the village is okay, but investigating the Holy Beast's escape is not.
I couldn't really understand the line of thought, but this could be a difference in common sense I guess.
Well, that's fine if they're alright with it.
"If it's managed to escape this many times, it would certainly be worrying. It's fine right now because it's the rainy season, but what if after the rainy season ends, it could be abducted again. Besides, even in the village it could be attacked by monsters, if the worst case happens."
"That's probably right..."
Gyes started to worry with a difficult face.
"Since it seems like Holy Beast-sama is escaping with the purpose of coming to meet me, what if instead I go to visit it everyday, won't that solve the problem?"
"That... However... Hmmm..."
He's troubled.
After all it doesn't seem like he wants outsiders to get near the Holy Tree.
I'll draw him in.
"Well then, how about meeting near the Holy Tree and taking it out before it has a chance to be taken, then have the escort person follow along as well. If we do that then there would be no need to worry about someone taking it out."
"Wouldn't that be getting our priorities backwards?"
"I think it seems better than having even a moment where you don't know the location of the Holy Beast-sama though?"
"..."
Gyes was troubled.
Since he was troubled that became the case.
—
After that, for a little less than two weeks.
I lived together and played with Holy Beast-sama.
In the end we never figured out who the criminal was, though Holy Beast-sama has stopped disappearing as well.
Incidentally, the escort person got insanely angry at me when I trained it to offer its paw, though that's a secret.
—
After various things happen three months have passed.
The rain has stopped.
Updat𝒆d fr𝒐m freew𝒆bnov𝒆l.c(o)m