Taking a break for a week.
Chapter 1/5
Side Story. Rosaria Quest (4)
"Alright. We'll follow the chief's instructions and scout from the inn. Is that okay?"
Larksper nodded his head.
He wanted to tell the kids to stay out of it, but he decided to compromise as this was their last line of negotiation.
Larksper hid under a pile of straw and waited quietly.
The chickens were restless, clucking anxiously due to his intrusion into the henhouse, but it didn't last long.
As if to prove that they weren't called birdbrains for nothing, they seemed to forget Larksper's presence and started pecking feed off the ground.
"Hmm."
Larksper glanced up to see the location of the inn.
Two tiny silhouettes flickering in the candlelight were leaning against the window, looking down at this place.
They were waving their hands eagerly, but he couldn't respond, so he remained silent.
As the night deepened, Larksper, who had been lying in ambush, sensed a presence.
A large object, unlike the dozing chickens, was approaching.
'A wolf?'
Its silhouette was barely visible in the dark night.
It was large and, more importantly, walked on two legs like a human.
It also clumsily chased the flapping chickens.
Wondering if he had mistaken the thief for a wolf, Larksper decided to observe a little more.
When the opponent turned their face, he saw a long snout and was convinced.
'It seems to be a werewolf.'
Then it wasn't strange to mistake it for a wolf.
Larksper cautiously raised the axe he was holding.
He slowly approached the werewolf catching a hen in the henhouse, making sure not to make any noise when coming out of the straw pile.
'Just a little more...'
That's when it happened.
A twinkling light from the inn momentarily blinded Larksper's vision.
The light reflected off the well-sharpened axe, drawing the werewolf's attention.
He was caught.
Larksper hurled the axe with all his might without hesitation.
The sharp trajectory enveloped the werewolf.
Whoosh!
It missed.
The werewolf dodged the attack with an exaggerated movement.
The werewolf, who had been catching chickens, took off on all fours.
Larksper took out the spear he carried on his back.
"Hmm..."
However, Larksper couldn't easily throw the spear.
It was the middle of the night when he couldn't even properly see the target, and there was also an uneasy feeling.
There was something unsettling about hunting it down one-sidedly when it seemed to have no intention of fighting Larksper while clumsily catching chickens.
'Besides, if I chase it now, it might actually escape.'
Undoubtedly, the werewolf must have a hideout.
Since the footprints were clearly left, he just needed to find the place and devise a strategy.
Then today is over.
Larksper returned to the inn and took a bath first. After washing his filth-covered body thoroughly, he returned to his room.
"Hey, orc."
At that moment, someone called him without any warning.
When he turned his head, a small water elemental appeared in front of him.
"The two little ones are leaning against the window, sleeping. They should be put to bed properly."
"...Is that so?"
"I don't want to contract a genius who can't even pronounce properly because of their twisted mouth, so do it."
Why would she ask him to do it instead of doing it herself?
Thinking there must be some reason, Larksper entered the room where Rosaria and Yuria were.
"Kuu... Kuu..."
It was just as she said.
Rosaria was drooling while leaning against the window, and Yuria was sleeping with a snoring sound.
"Hmm..."
Larksper carefully laid each of them on the bed so they wouldn't wake up.
And he found out the source of the light that had disturbed his hunt.
It was Rosaria's mirror.
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"I fell asleep yesterday."
"Me, me too, I fell asleep..."
Although breakfast was in front of them, Rosaria and Yuria hung their heads as if they were ashamed.
If anything, the only difference was that Rosaria's hand was ripping the bread and bringing it to her mouth.
"Young ones need to sleep a lot. It's natural."
Since it was a natural outcome, Larksper didn't have high expectations for them.
As Larksper continued to encourage them in his own way, Rosaria and Yuria finished their breakfast.
After finishing their meals and getting ready for the morning, Rosaria and Yuria each contacted their parents.
-What? Yuria didn't have an escort either?
"Yeah! But we met Mr. Larksper and we're traveling together."
-Larksper? Oh, he recently said he was directly involved in taming the orcs. I didn't expect your paths to overlap.
Reed felt relieved, thinking it was rather fortunate.
-Can I talk to Larksper for a moment?
"Sure."
Rosaria called Larksper, and he began talking to Reed face to face.
The conversation was predictable.
Take good care of my daughter. And since Yuria is an important guest, please be courteous.
Being siblings before being a king, Larksper didn't feel offended by Reed's earnest request and listened.
-I'll be home today or tomorrow. Contact me when you're done. Dad will come to pick you up. So, you'll wait at the inn, okay?
"Okay!"
-Then finish well and come back.
Rosaria waved her hand enthusiastically and hung up.
As she was about to leave with Yuria, they stood in front of the door.
-Dad, you don't have to worry that much! Your daughter isn't stupid! ...You don't have to worry! I'm the eldest daughter of the Frenda family!
Yuria's voice was heard, raising her voice and shouting spiritedly.
The two couldn't open the door and waited for her call to end.
Yuria, who came out, coughed awkwardly when she saw them.
"Ahem, let's go!"
Larksper led them towards the henhouse.
They crossed the fence of the henhouse and found the path where the werewolf had escaped.
"It's here."
"Where is it?"
"Look at these footprints."
When Larksper cleared the fallen leaves and branches, Rosaria and Yuria noticed the footprints on the dirt floor.
Observing the footprints, Yuria tilted her head.
"Something's strange? The stride and shape don't seem like a wolf's..."
"That's right. This is a bipedal wolf."
"Could it be a Lycanthrope?"
As Larksper nodded, Yuria's complexion turned pale blue.
'Does that mean we've been on an adventure to find a Lycanthrope all this time?'
Realizing how dangerous it had been, her legs trembled.
On the other hand, Rosaria.
"What's a Lycanthrope?"
She innocently asked Yuria.
"Um, I think we should end our journey here..."
"Why?"
"You heard it! There's a Lycanthrope here!"
"So?"
"It's a werewolf. Cursed by the moon, they are active only at night. And they're as strong as ordinary knights, being powerful monsters!"
"Strong enemy."
"Hmm..."
Upon hearing that, Rosaria and Larksper showed the same reaction.
They were both intrigued by the opponent.
Yuria looked at them with disbelief.
'These fearless fools!'
She couldn't bring herself to say it out loud.
"It's been attacking the henhouse multiple times, so it could certainly harm humans as well. We need to eradicate it."
"Yeah! We need to teach it a lesson."
Their faces were full of determination.
Yuria's face was filled with concern, so Larksper took her feelings into consideration.
"Yuria doesn't have to come with us."
"But, but..."
How could she stay behind when Rosaria wasn't?
She couldn't say that.
She nodded with her lips tightly closed.
"I'll join...hehe..."
She tried to hide her trembling hands gripping the wand.
Larksper scratched his head, wondering if it was okay to take her along, and then took the lead.
The traces led from the beginning to the end to a single cave.
Judging by the lack of backtracking, it seemed the werewolf was not accustomed to living in the wild.
"Hmm..."
The cave itself was not wide, but it was deep.
Larksper muttered as he looked inside.
"We'll need to make a torch."
"There's no need to make a fire. We have a mage."
Yuria smiled.
Finally, she had thought of something she could do.
""Light"!"
A small sphere of light floated from Yuria's wand.
Larksper nodded as he saw the light.
"That should be enough."
Larksper led the way into the depths of the dry cave.
As Yuria and Rosaria accompanied him, he carefully checked the surroundings to avoid being ambushed.
About halfway into the cave, Yuria felt something poking her back.
Annoyed, she scolded Rosaria, thinking it was her prank.
"Rosaria, stop playing around. It's hard enough to concentrate in a cave."
"Huh? What's wrong?"
Rosaria, who had been in front, asked Yuria.
Yuria, who had been looking at the back of Larksper's head, blinked when she saw Rosaria.
"Huh? Rosaria, when did you go ahead?"
"I've been in front the whole time."
"Then who's behind me..."
Yuria turned her head slightly.
A large wolf's face appeared.
"Ahhhhhh!"
As Larksper turned his head, he threw an axe towards Yuria.
"Ouch!"
The wolf's head screamed.
If it hadn't pulled its head back belatedly, the axe embedded in the wall would have hit its head.
"I'm out of practice."
As Larksper frowned and prepared to throw the axe in his left hand as well,
"Wait, let's talk in our language, Orc brother!"
Everyone looked at the Lycanthrope with surprise as it fluently spoke their language.
"The wolf talks."
"Of course I talk. I used to be a human! So put down your axe and let's talk!"
The Lycanthrope raised both hands, showing that it had no intention of fighting.
"Sob... I don't want to be caught... I don't want to be eaten."
"Ah, ah, young lady, I didn't mean to catch and eat you..."
"Eek! Go away!"
Yuria burst into tears.
The wolf, who was trying to explain, backed away.
Rosaria hid behind Larksper with Yuria.
Larksper moved the axe to his right hand and said,
"Even if you speak human language, you're still a beast."
"I'm not a beast! I've never hurt anyone!"
"But werewolves open their eyes to their wild instincts on full moon nights..."
"I know I've turned into a dog-like creature. But I've never been drawn to my wild instincts because of the full moon or anything! I've even helped when I could! Please believe me!"
With sharp claws on both hands, it pleaded with tears in its eyes.
It looked pitiful, even with a fierce wolf's face, and its emotions were conveyed to Rosaria.
"It looks pitiful, doesn't it?"
"Master, there's no guarantee that it's telling the truth. Wicked creatures can be like that in front of us but hide a dagger behind our backs."
"A dagger?"
"It means... sob, that they could harm us."
Yuria, still crying, gave a prompt answer.
Rosaria nodded, sticking to Larksper's side, and asked.
"Why did you steal from the henhouse?"
"Try walking around like this, young lady! If I go to the village, the guards will come after me for being a monster, I have no way to make money, and I had no choice but to eat wild animals and fruits. If I'm really hungry, I can't help but steal livestock. But I've only done it a few times! Please believe me!"
Upon hearing his words and looking at the ground, a few mountain berries were rolling on the floor.
There was no one else in the cave, so it must have been something he brought for himself to eat.
"Why did you become a werewolf?"
"Well... there are some circumstances."
"What kind of circumstances?"
"It's literally adult circumstances. This is... complicated to explain."
Yuria could feel it.
He was hiding something.
That's why she approached Rosaria and whispered.
"That werewolf is hiding something. I don't think we can just leave it be."
"Is that so?"
"He must have hurt someone."
Yuria glared at the werewolf with teary eyes.
"I don't think that's the case."
It was Larksper who responded to Yuria's words.
"Are you sure?"
"Larksper is sure. That werewolf has never killed a person."
He had felt it since the werewolf sneaked into the henhouse.
The clumsiness in trying to catch a chicken was similar to a human hesitating many times before taking a life.
Rosaria looked at him and then came out from behind Larksper.
"If you have any difficulties, Rosaria will help you."
"R-really?"
"Yes!"
Rosaria said, hitting her chest.
"Despite appearances, Rosaria is a hero!"
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