Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: Blood and Egg (4)
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“D-Damn it! What the hell is that thing...!”
The boy wearing a leather cap collapsed to the ground. His legs had given out completely, leaving him unable to stand. Right in front of his eyes, a bizarre creature he'd never seen in his life was flapping its wings and gazing down at him.
“Pya?”
“M-Monster...!”
The long, black wings numbering four in total made no sound. Its red eyes gleamed like rubies soaked in blood. Every time its long tail brushed the ground, the boy's shoulders flinched inward.
It reminded him of the devils or dragons from fairy tales. As he slowly backed away, tears welled up in the corners of the boy's eyes.
I've been punished...! The devil came for me because I did bad things...!
No matter how short on money he was, he never should have taken a job as a poacher.
The boy was a lowly member of the Caribolo's Snare poaching group's Demire branch. His first mission had been to deliver supplies to the team that had gone hunting along the leylines just a couple of days ago.
But what awaited him were eight headless corpses.
The bloodless bodies had turned a dull gray, like a field of beans coated in frost. The severed heads were nowhere to be seen.
Not only the hounds, but even the boss got taken out...?
Even Wolf Baum, who had reached the Sword Expert realm and slain double digits of fantasy beasts, lay cold as a corpse.
He needed to hurry back to the branch and report this. The moment the boy turned to run—
-Kwaaang!
“Kwaaaak!”
A bizarre flying creature smashed into the tree that had been shielding the boy. Twigs and leaves rained down. Shaking off its head, the creature approached the boy.
“Bee.”
I-I have to do something!
The boy hurriedly reached for the dagger at his waist. The instant his fingers touched the hilt—
The monster, which had been spinning silently in midair, had its eyes begin to glow red.
“Bbeeeeeaaaah...!”
“Huh?”
Suddenly, the boy's world turned red. Rubbing his eyes with his sleeve, he gasped. His filthy cuff was soaked in thick red blood.
“Hiiik...!”
The overflowing blood trickled down his cheek. No matter how much he wiped his eyes, it wouldn't stop. Soon, he realized blood was pouring not just from his eyes, but his nose, mouth, and ears as well.
“S-Spare me!!”
He could feel his body rapidly growing cold. His legs still wouldn't respond. Desperately flipping his body over, the boy began crawling away on all fours.
“I-I swear I won't do this again! Please, spare me!”
But despite his screams, a second nightmare unfolded. Suddenly, his body began dragging toward the monster.
“N-Nooo!! Save meee!”
He frantically grabbed at the underbrush, but it was no use. The grass tore away futilely as his body lifted into the air.
Bbehahaha. Through his blood-clogged ears, he could swear he heard the monster laughing. That's when a black-haired boy burst through the bushes.
“Hey! Stop that!”
Ronan swung his sword vertically. Right at the midpoint between the boy and Sita. Thud! The mana dragging the boy snapped, and his body hit the ground.
“Euk!”
“Bbeeeaang?!”
Sita's eyes went wide. She was so startled her pitch-black pupils nearly doubled in size. The boy tumbled on the ground, vomiting up the blood clot rising in his throat.
“Urk! Uweeek!”
“Shit. Why's your face like that? You do this, Sita?”
The boy's face was caked in blood from his facial features. Ronan frowned in disgust at the boy.
“Huh? Hold on.”
The face looked familiar. Ronan poked at Sita's wings, who was still blinking in confusion.
“Sita, wipe this guy's face.”
“Pya?”
Ronan mimed washing his face. Sita blinked, then cast her magic. Blood began gushing from the boy's eyes again.
“Kwaaaaak!”
“Hey!”
The blade sliced through the air once more. Ronan swiftly severed the mana and flicked Sita's nose.
“Puk!”
“You understand every word, don't you? I just said wipe the blood off his face.”
“Bbeuuung...”
Meek now, Sita cast her magic again. The blood covering the boy's face gathered into a droplet and fell away. Touching his face, the boy jumped up in shock.
“Th-This...?!”
“Yep, that's him. Face hasn't changed much.”
“D-Did you save me?”
Ronan nodded with arms crossed. Not really answering the question. With the blood washed away, the boy's face matched exactly the one Ronan remembered.
Ronan pulled out his pipe. The boy bowed nearly in half.
“Hah... Th-Thank you...! Thank you! You really saved my life!”
“No big deal. Poaching treating you well, Ballus?”
“...Pardon?”
Ballus froze. Ronan eyed his outfit with interest. He never imagined running into him here.
“Pretty sweet gig, huh? Get some blood on your hands and rake in the cash. And since it's not human blood, no guilt either.”
“H-How do you know my name...?”
Ballus was Ronan's fellow Penal Legion recruit. The guy who'd bragged to Ronan about arrows for killing beasts and endlessly blabbed about Caribolo's structure.
Back then, Ronan thought he was rotten to the core. But this young Ballus had a completely different vibe. His looks, attitude—everything screamed rookie just starting out.
No tattoos covering his body yet, no crude speech. Most of all, his trembling eyes still flickered with remnants of guilt.
Maybe there's hope for redemption. Ronan lit his pipe.
“Doesn't matter how I know, kid. You gotta choose.”
“Choose...?”
“Yeah. Betray the organization, or end up a pale, withered taxidermy dummy. I can tell you just started.”
“T-Taxidermy?! M-More importantly, how did you...?”
At that moment, the monster spinning in midair—Sita—landed on Ronan's shoulder. She kept rubbing her face against his cheek; they looked awfully close.
Realizing they were together, Ballus backed away hesitantly.
“Wh-What are you, anyway? And what the hell is that monster...? Don't tell me you did that to those guys too!”
“Right, Ballus. I cut the heads, and this furball drained the blood.”
Ronan pointed at him. Sita turned and stared. A thin trickle of nosebleed ran down Ballus's philtrum.
“No need to explain how she drew the blood, right?”
“Hiiik...!”
“Then let's talk.”
Ronan exhaled smoke. Rummaging in his pouch, he pulled out a parchment. A map drawn in the blood of Caribolo's hunting dogs.
****
The boys finished cleaning up by nightfall and left Penardo Spring. With more loot, they built a much larger raft than before. A blood-red moon hung in the sky.
“Way better haul than expected.”
Ronan didn't kill Ballus. Not just because his hands were still clean. He was talent that could one day help uproot Caribolo from the continent.
After squeezing every bit of info on Caribolo from him, Ronan extracted a blood oath.
- Kuhuhu! Now that this devil's herald has drunk your blood, you can't hide anywhere in the world!
- H-Help...! I swear! I'll keep the oath no matter what!
Report organization info or updates every half month. Don't utter a word about Ronan's group until betraying everyone and leaving. That was the oath.
Blood oath. Break it, and the devil eats your soul—a forbidden spell.
Of course, total bullshit Ronan made up on the spot. But judging by Ballus's face back then, no worries about him breaking it.
Having been thoroughly thrashed by Sita, Ballus believed her the devil's herald and Ronan some evil warlock.
“You're pretty useful.”
Ronan gently scratched the neck of Sita, who was gazing at the moon. Like a cat in heat, she rolled on the ground purring.
“So cute...”
Asel watched, propping his chin on both hands. He desperately wanted to bury his face in those fluffy feathers, but after what happened, he couldn't bring himself to try.
Suddenly remembering something, Asel spoke up.
“By the way, Ronan, why'd you name her Sita?”
“Why are you Asel?”
“N-No, not like that...”
“Just did. Name of some mangy mutt I hung out with before.”
Ronan gave no more details. Asel didn't press. Just wondered—did Ronan ever own a dog?
Ronan stroked the now-sleeping Sita and spoke.
“Swore I'd never keep another beast...”
Heavier than fond memories, yet too joyful for regrets. A companion he'd spent a year with after chancing upon it wandering had died by a poacher's hand.
“Eh, whatever.”
Ronan lay back. Sita's feathers tickling his cheek were surprisingly soft. Red moonlight and rising mist signaled the end of this adventure.
****
The two took two full days to return to the capital. Ronan headed straight to Professor Baren to show off Sita, but he was away on a trip to the southern jungles.
“Too bad. Got a lot to say.”
Hearing it'd be at least half a month, Ronan turned away. They slipped a note under Baren's office door and headed to the market.
Of course, they didn't forget the bounty. Everything the Caribolo poachers left turned into clinking gold coins filling the boys' pockets. Gear, accessories, even the drained heads.
“In all my days, water with such pure mana density...! Where on earth did you get this?”
“Secret. Might bring more, so give me a good price, Duon.”
Duon kept exclaiming in awe while measuring the mana purity. Ronan sold water from the spring to the Karabel Merchant Group and alchemy workshops.
Its incredibly high mana purity netted far more money than expected.
“My girl even made up a song with customers' names. She whined she wanted to come this time but couldn't...”
“Now that you mention it, yeah, haven't seen her. Where's Marya?”
“Oh, she went back home briefly. Said she'd say goodbyes before enrollment.”
Made sense. Once enrolled, no going home except breaks. Phileon had strict dorm rules.
Come to think of it, it had been ages since seeing his sister. He'd sent the acceptance letter, but it felt lacking somehow.
“Annoying.”
“Heh, tell me about it. If not for merchant business, I'd have visited too. Regrettable. Anyway, what is that creature...?”
Duon's gaze had been fixed not on Ronan, but Sita on his shoulder. Even with his pet business experience, he couldn't identify it.
“Oh, the one from that egg last time. No idea what it is myself.”
“Egg...? Ah, that incredibly tough lump!”
Duon gaped in admiration. Mithril-tough shell. Impossible to forget.
Sita kept tilting her head curiously at passersby and market stalls. Her unique appearance and sparkling red eyes drew stares.
“C-Could I maybe touch it?”
“Sure. But she'll probably hate it.”
“Heh, people are just too hasty. I'm actually pretty good with animals, you know.”
Duon cautiously reached out. The jet-black, fluffy feathers looked impossibly soft. The moment his hand neared Sita—
“Kyat!”
“Ack!”
A threatening cry, and four wings flared out. Duon nearly toppled, steadying on his stall. Ronan scratched Sita's neck soothingly.
“Told you. Shy despite the looks.”
“Bbeaa~!”
At Ronan's touch, Sita instantly relaxed, purring. She distrusted everyone but Ronan and Asel.
“How embarrassing...”
“Happens. See you.”
“Take care. Oh, congrats on second place and top notes. You two are amazing.”
“Thanks. Later.”
Ronan waved and walked off. His backpack jingled with coins at every step.
With money to burn, they headed to a restaurant they'd eyed before. It grilled whole 2-meter eels unique to Lake Ranieal. Asel’s eyes widened at the first bite.
“D-Delicious...!”
“Ppiya!”
The chewy texture and perfect salt seasoning were masterful. Best restaurant in the capital yet. Sita chirped happily, devouring her chunk.
“Asel. What're you doing with the money?”
“Me? Hmm... Probably buy magic books and experiment materials. Magic's expensive.”
“Makes sense. Commendable.”
“You, Ronan?”
Ronan groaned. He'd saved for tuition, but second place meant full scholarship plus monthly stipends.
Luxury problems, but problems nonetheless.
“Dunno.”
Ronan bit into the grilled eel. Delicious. For some reason, his sister in Nimberton came to mind.
While he enjoyed delicacies, Iril was probably home alone eating potato stew again.
Come to think of it, Sis spent her whole life in that backwater.
Ronan had lived two lives, but this was his first real city life. Worlds apart from Nimberton.
And she changed my diapers herself.
Ronan twisted his lips. He'd tossed a few coins and left—never really done anything for her. Iril probably didn't even know food or worlds like this existed.
After pondering, Ronan spoke.
“Asel. Can guardians attend the entrance ceremony?”
“Hm? Oh... Yeah, I think so. Family only, probably.”
“I see.”
Ronan fell silent. Asel set down his fork at the serious expression. Only Sita's munching filled the air.
Then, voices shouting from the kitchen.
“Pensia Opera Troupe wants a carriage tomorrow!”
“How many?”
“Twenty-two! To Marvas, and reserve return two days later.”
“Got it. Tomorrow, twenty-two to Marvas.”
Restaurant staff. Seemed they arranged carriages on request.
Ronan's face lit up with realization. Can't go? Just bring her. He tapped a staffer's shoulder.
“Excuse me.”
“Ah, yes, sir. What is it?”
“Do carriages go to Nimberton too?”