Chapter 42
A few days had passed since we began hunting wolves.
We were once again making our way deep into the Black Forest.
Above us, branches and leaves intertwined in layer upon layer, and though it was midday, hardly any light reached the ground.
Somewhere, the wind must have been blowing, but hardly any of it reached inside the forest. Instead, the heavy, damp air clung to our skin.
"We're surrounded!"
"How many?"
Lyle immediately responded to my warning.
His voice was calm. He'd grown completely used to this exchange by now.
"...Three people."
"Three people...?"
The next moment, the bushes were roughly shoved aside.
With the sound of wet leaves tearing, three men clad in leather armor appeared.
They were positioned efficiently, one in front and two behind us, blocking our escape.
They held drawn swords in their hands. The blades caught the faint light and gleamed dully.
That glint alone seemed strangely out of place in the dark forest.
"You lot have been making quite a bit of money lately, haven't you?"
The man at the front spoke as if spitting the words through his teeth.
A sticky greed, quite different from the dampness of the forest, clung to his voice.
"Ever since that little blond runt showed up, you've been doing real well for yourselves."
"You've got some secret, don't you? We'll let the blondie join our party, so just leave him behind."
Lyle and Kai smoothly stepped in front of me.
The creak of their leather armor echoed through the silent forest.
The heavy air grew taut, sharpening like a blade.
"What, you looking for a fight?"
The burly man took a step forward.
The damp earth sank with a squelch, and his heavy footfall rang out.
The raised sword caught the faint light and gleamed dully.
"We'll back you up."
I cast 'Enhance' on Lyle and Kai.
"We don't need anyone but the blondie."
At those words, the men lunged at us all at once.
All three men charged at the same time.
Fallen leaves flew as their swords whistled down toward us.
—Their attacks were painfully obvious.
I slipped my staff against the blade coming down toward Elena and guided it aside.
With its momentum, I twisted the man's arm up along with it.
Beside me, Kai kicked off the ground.
A dull thud.
The body blow, shield and all, lifted the man off his feet.
The next moment, he slammed into a tree behind him—and the unpleasant crack of breaking bones sank into the damp forest.
The man crumpled to the ground and lay still.
Almost at the same time, Lyle charged forward.
His swing was far too light.
But—
His blade sliced through the leather armor like paper, then cut through flesh and bone.
A red line appeared a moment later.
With a wet, sliding sound.
The man's body split in two and crumpled to the ground.
"...Huh?"
Someone let out a stunned, senseless sound.
Everyone but me stopped thinking for a moment.
The first to move was the one who'd survived.
The man started to shout—but the words never came. He turned on his heel instead.
He pushed through the branches and fled deeper into the forest, stumbling as he ran in desperation.
"Elena!"
I called her name sharply.
Elena's shoulders jerked.
"Calm down. Do it just like I taught you."
As if guided by my voice, her trembling hand rose.
Mana gathered, and the cold air seemed to creak.
An ice shard shot forth.
A shrill whistle cut through the air.
Spinning, it streaked in a straight line, faster than an arrow.
It homed in on the fleeing man's head, and with a dull thud, his skull burst.
He toppled forward and lay still.
Just like that, the clashes and screams from moments ago all vanished, as if they had never happened.
The three of them stood there, stunned.
All that remained were three corpses and silence.
The forest swallowed every sound, silent as if nothing had happened.
There was no birdsong, no wind.
Only the heavy, damp air.
"I... I only swung lightly, but..."
Lyle's voice was hoarse.
The sword in his hand trembled with a faint clatter.
"The impact... It felt completely different."
Kai stood frozen, staring at his palm.
"I only added a spin."
Elena's arm was still outstretched, her fingertips trembling.
Her breathing was shallow, and she struggled to draw breath.
I quietly watched the three of them.
Fear. Confusion. Guilt.
And—a void, searching for something to cling to.
A faint smile stirred deep in my chest.
—Perfect.
All that remained was the final touch.
First, we needed to move somewhere else.
I deliberately pretended to turn my attention to our surroundings.
I listened closely and swept my gaze through the forest, as if watching for danger deeper within.
After a brief pause, I raised my voice.
"Wolves are coming! We should leave this place now."
The three of them flinched.
I could tell their taut nerves had suddenly focused on me.
"This way."
I immediately turned my back and ran, pushing through the bushes.
Branches grazed my cheek, and wet leaves clung to my clothes.
Ragged breathing followed close behind me.
All three stumbled along, nearly tripping over roots again and again, but still struggled to keep up.
After running for a while, the view opened up slightly.
The branches overhead thinned, letting soft light fall on the ground.
Damp moss covered the ground, and the smell of blood from earlier hadn't reached this far.
It was a peaceful place, as if it were completely different from where we'd just been.
—This spot will do.
I stopped and turned to face the three of them.
"We're safe now that we've made it this far."
The three stood there, panting heavily.
Fatigue and shock were plainly written across their faces.
Now that we'd left the scene, the reality of the fight was finally catching up with them.
"I didn't mean to kill them..."
Lyle's voice trembled.
His gaze fell to the ground, and his hand could barely grip the bloodstained sword.
"Yes, I understand. ...You had no choice—you had to do it to protect me, right?"
"That's right... We had no choice if we wanted to protect Noah."
Elena answered in a hoarse voice.
She nodded over and over, as if trying to convince herself.
"I protected Noah..."
Kai muttered, his eyes seeming to gaze into the distance.
"Thanks to all of you, I'm safe. Thank you."
I bowed deeply.
A slight change passed over their expressions.
A tiny light kindled in their eyes, which had been clouded by fear and guilt.
Now that they'd been given a reason, they finally looked able to stand on their own again.
—That's right. That's all it takes.
I nodded quietly to myself.
I gave them a reason they could easily use to justify their actions.
I made them reinterpret the fear and guilt of getting their hands dirty in battle as 'something they'd had no choice but to do to protect me.'
That way, I could unconsciously plant the idea that I was someone they should protect.
At last, these three and I had become true companions.
"Besides, everything will be all right."
I lowered my voice and continued, soothing them.
"The wolves will take care of the bodies. No one will ever find out."
The three of them exhaled softly.
Their shoulders relaxed, and their taut nerves began to loosen.
The despair faded from Lyle's eyes, replaced by relief.
Kai's trembling finally began to subside.
Elena's breathing gradually settled, too.
"So... please stay by my side from now on, too."
I slowly looked each of them in the eyes as I spoke.
"Next time, I'll protect all of you. No matter what."
Soft light streamed through the gaps between the trees.
That light enveloped the three of them.
As if it were a blessing.
And at the same time, like a cage with no way out.