Battle with demi humans

It's all right... it's just a spirit art that detects nearby ode!" Another girl in the

circle — also similar in age to Kyle but with magnificently long, emerald-gold hair

and somewhat rounded elf ears — immediately chimed in.

"He shouldn't be able to see yet, but it would be wise to assume he knows our

numbers and positions now. Good grief..." a short boy standing next to the elf said with a sigh.

He looked to be a bit younger than Kyle, with fiery,

short, red hair, and dwarf ears similar in shape to those of the other girl's.

I don't know what they're saying, but the atmosphere's changed slightly. This

is my chance.

Having made that judgment, Kyle took the opportunity to start a conversation

with the intention of buying time.

"Wait, please! Are you people demi-humans? If so, I wish to speak with you."

Everyone present frowned in reaction to the word "demi-humans."

"Lady Emily, humans are vile plunderers. He may look like a child, but he had

the skill to make it this deep into this territory. He must certainly be up to no

good," Uzura advised in a strict tone, looking towards the silver werewolf girl

named Emily..

"...I know. However, we need to know what his goal is," Emily said, furrowing

her brow uneasily.

"In that case, we should assume the worst and immediately restrain him. He

can explain his story after that. We already have reason to believe he is here to kidnapp one of our own, after all," Uzura stubbornly insisted.

"...Emma, are there any essence reactions other than us in the area?" After

considering Uzura's words, Emily looked at the elf girl named Emmy.

"No there doesn't seem to be any." Emmy said after carefully analysing the sorrounding's area magic essence.

Meanwhile...

I don't know what they're saying, but it doesn't seem like we'll be able to

communicate. Should I tell them about my reason for coming here mmediately? No... it'd be a

problem if I creat another misunderstanding . At worse, they could

turn this place into a battlefield. I should just wait for my vision to recover...

Completely left out of their conversation, Kyle passively observed them

without interrupting. If he proactively disclosed information to them, there was

the possibility they will let him go — but that

was just his wishful thinking.

With Kyle not in the best of conditions, he had no choice but to go with the

safer plan. Because of that, his vision was gradually recovering, and he could

see much clearer than before.

During that time, Emily and the others finished their conversation.

Then as our representative, I shall approach and distract him with

conversation. Emmy, could you ask your spirit to search if there are any more humans nearby? My spirit will

support you. If there are any more humans nearby we must take them down or alert the vilage's elders."

"You got it, Emily!"

"Understood, Miss Emily."

The elf girl named Emmy and dwarf boy named each nodded in

response to Emmily's orders.

"Uzura, you make the necessary preparations to restrain that boy at a

moment's notice."

"Understood," Uzura acknowledged Emmily's order eagerly.

After they laid out the simple plan of action, Emmily carefully approached Kyle.

"...I shall accept your request to speak. However, I ask that you do not refer to

us by the slur 'demi-humans,'" Emily said in a slightly accented tone, using the common language of the Norvenia region.

"Thank you very much for accepting my request. With regard to using that

name, I sincerely apologize for my unintended rudeness. However, there is no

word in the language of Norvenia that can be used in the stead of the generic term

for your people... I would have to refer to you separately as elf, dwarf, and

werebeast. Thus, if it's not too much trouble, could you please inform me of the

individual species of everyone here?"

Kyle offered words of gratitude and apology in a respectful tone, including a

question to gather more information, too.

"...I am a silver wolf werebeast, and our group here consists of many species

including, elves and dwarves. When referring to us as a group, please call us

spirit folk," Emmily explained.

"I see. Thank you for clarifying that for me."

Uzura, who had been next to Kyle and ready to jump and restrain him at a

moment's notice,

leaped at Kyle from the

side, and drove his fist into his abdomen without holding back. Since he didn't

expect their conversation to be interrupted by an attack, Kyle's reaction was

delayed. He absorbed the punch by jumping back, but he wasn't able to

completely defend against it. He hovered there after being blown several

meters into the air, then landed on the ground and rolled away.

"Uzura, I didn't order anything yet! You've gone too far! My command was to

restrain him. Were you trying to kill him?!" Emmily scolded Uzura for acting

rashly.

"His true strength was unknown, and he had enhanced his physical body with

spirit arts. That's why I merely took the safest route. I may have knocked him out, but there's no danger to his l—"

"Watch out, he's using some kind of spirit art — The dwarf boy yelled in the middle of Uzura's explanation.

"What?!" Uzura reacted swiftly, looking in Kyle's direction. Kyle was stumbling

to his feet with a hand pressed against his stomach. A nasty sheen of sweat had

broken out on his forehead.

"It's a healing spirit art."

"Tch, I'll knock him out!"

Once Emmy accurately guessed the spirit art Kyle was using, Uzura rushed at

Kyle once more. In her hand, he grasped a short spear.

"Hey, wait a minute! What's the meaning of this?! Kuh!" Kyle yelled as he drew

his sword and stopped Uzura's attack. A sharp pain shot through his stomach,

making his face twist.