Volume 4 Chapter 8

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.