Chapter 19
A black mass.
It resembles my impression of Karen when I first found her.
In other words, it might be a living thing.
Come to think of it, I wonder if this forest has the monsters my little sister talked about.
All I've encountered so far are wolves, a dog, and a bird.
I haven't encountered any monsters yet.
...
Could Karen and Koa's group be monsters, too?
Hmm... Monsters are creatures that attack people, right?
I seem to remember the hero saying that monsters are what you defeat to become stronger.
Huh? No, was it demonkin that... Hmm?
So I guess creatures that attack me can be called monsters.
In that case, Koa and the others, who don't attack me, are different from monsters.
Ah, Karen did attack me... Well, that might have been caused by the curse.
I look at Karen, who's been perched on my shoulder ever since we met.
Karen gazes back at me with round, shining eyes.
Not a monster!
...
The question is what has been trapped inside that mass.
For now, should I head underground?
A sound is approaching from outside the barrier.
It sounds like trees rustling.
When I turn my gaze that way, I see the three that just ran off.
Huh?
They're dragging something cursed.
What? What is that? This is really scary.
More importantly, I have a bad feeling about this.
I'm glad Hio, Shion, and Crow have come back.
Though there's a giant, cursed animal right in front of me.
They went out of their way to hunt it and bring it back because I was looking for food.
It's cursed, though.
It's cursed, though!!
The three of them wag their tails, looking as though they're saying, "Praise us! Praise us!"
I vigorously pet their heads and praise them.
You guys are too cute!
All right, calm down.
Since they went to the trouble of catching it for me, I have no choice but to eat it.
I'll purify it and clean it up!
I'll clean every last inch of it!
"...Purify."
I imagine a vacuum cleaner sucking dust out of every nook and cranny.
The curse was starting to irritate me, so although I don't know who cast it, I scream inwardly, "Go back~!"
Putting all my feelings into my voice, I purify it as though I were praying.
Before me is a prey animal with not a trace of shadow anywhere.
I'm completely satisfied.
Though it would have been even better if I knew what it was.
This must be the monster I hadn't encountered until now.
It looks like a wild boar, but it has four tusks.
Every one of them is huge.
More than anything, its size is... I can't tell exactly, but it's huge.
Yeah, it looks like it'll be quite filling.
...
Huh? Who's going to butcher this?
Koa and the others can probably eat it as is.
Chai, too.
What about Karen? If Karen is carnivorous, eating it should be fine.
I'm the only one who needs it butchered!
In other words, I'm the one who has to butcher it?!
...
As I let my gaze wander, I meet Shion's eyes, filled with anticipation.
...I'll eat it. I'll butcher it and feed it to you.
It's okay, I'm the kind of guy who can do anything if I put my mind to it!
If only I knew how to butcher it!