Chapter 19
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 19
Chapter Title: Knowledge That Can Be Utilized (2)
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“Your Highness, do you perhaps have Manlenesia on you?”
“No? But I have a pretty good idea where it might be.”
“Aren, how did you know something like that?”
“I barely had anything to do in the capital except read books. Who knew all that knowledge I crammed back then would come in handy here.”
In truth, it was knowledge from the original game, but the time he'd spent with nothing better to do than read books in the capital had turned out to be surprisingly useful.
“Is that hunter's place far from here?”
“No! It's about two days' travel from this village to the house where Kirigumo lives!”
“Two days traveling by what? On foot? Carriage?”
“On foot!”
“In that case... Amelin.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“How many people besides you can ride on Mikel?”
“Uh, umm... I've never carried anyone else before, but I think three more should be fine.”
Three more, huh.
“Chorak.”
“Just call me Chorak, Your Highness!”
“Got it, Chorak. For now, come back to the mansion with us.”
“The mansion, you say?”
“We need to prepare for departure. And we'll need you to guide us to meet Kirigumo. Understood?”
“Yes, sir!”
He stood up and spoke to Guild Master Tsubal.
“Guild Master Tsubal, I'll come back again next time. Looking forward to showing off the techniques I'll learn from Kirigumo then.”
“Understood, Your Highness.”
And with that, he took Chorak and returned to the mansion.
“Whoa.”
The moment Chorak entered the mansion, he marveled at the sight of the garden and the house built nearby for Mikel.
“Aren, are you planning to head out right away?”
“The sooner the better. Oh, and give Chorak some money—he might need it.”
“Got it.”
“Huh? Why give money to me...? I already got my proper commission fee.”
“I've got my reasons, so don't worry about it.”
“Understood!”
Chorak had a bit of a goofy side, but he was quick on the uptake and didn't pry further.
They headed to Mikel's house.
“Mikel! Come out here!”
-Kuruaak!
The griffon Mikel emerged from his house.
“A g-griffon. So big...”
Chorak gaped in awe at the sight of Mikel.
Of course griffons were huge.
But compared to when he'd first arrived at the mansion, Mikel had grown even larger.
His height seems the same, but he's bulked up a bit.
Maybe it was all the delicious food he'd been eating.
Mikel lowered his head, and Amelin pulled it into a tight embrace.
“Heh, hehehe. Looking healthy as ever, Mikel!”
-Kuruuk!
“Mikel, today you'll have to carry some other people besides me when we fly. Think you can handle it?”
-Kuruk?
Mikel lifted his head and looked down at them.
He seemed to be pondering something, but since he understood Amelin's words, maybe he could be bargained with?
“If you do, I'll prepare even tastier meat for you, Mikel.”
-Kuruuuk!
Mikel reacted immediately to his words.
It looked like a joyful roar.
This guy definitely knew who was feeding him.
“M-Mikel says he'll do it!”
“Great. Thanks, Mikel.”
-Kuruuk!
Mikel stepped forward a bit more, then lay down flat.
He ordered a servant to fetch a ladder for easy mounting, and Amelin—the one who needed to give Mikel directions—climbed it first.
Halfway up, Amelin looked down at him.
“Mikel might shake a little while you're climbing, so be careful.”
“Got it.”
A breeze blew as he climbed, fluttering Amelin's long hair and revealing her pale back.
She had a great figure; no way could anyone call her fat.
Before mounting, he spoke to Ridel and Gillek.
“This time, I'm only taking Amelin and Chorak.”
“Your Highness!”
“Why is that? Can't one more fit?”
Gillek called out in surprise at the decision, while Ridel asked calmly.
“It'll just be a quick talk, so it shouldn't be dangerous. Chorak's been there before and can guide us. Plus, we have to think about the return trip too.”
“Ah, I see...”
Ridel glanced at Chorak, then turned back to him.
“But is it really okay to just take Amelin?”
“She might act timid most of the time, but she's still a disciple of a dean-level mage. She's got the skills. And...”
He patted the sword sheath at his waist.
“I'm not as weak as I used to be. I can even use Gillek's secret technique now.”
“With my secret technique, no half-baked foe could even stand against Your Highness!”
“Sir Gillek.”
“...! B-But I'm still worried about you, Your Highness!”
“If it were really dangerous, I'd take you along.”
“Y-Your Highness! If you ever get in danger, I'll throw this body of mine in harm's way to protect you!”
Chorak shot his hand up dramatically, tense and determined.
Ridel approached him and handed over a money pouch.
“If Aren is ever in danger, you use that body to shield him.”
“Y-Yes, ma'am!”
As Ridel returned, Gillek asked her,
“Lady Ridel, are you okay with this?”
“We can't overturn a decision Aren has made. And he didn't say it without thinking. But...”
Ridel placed her hand on his chest.
“You absolutely have to be careful, Aren.”
“I will, Ridel.”
He climbed the ladder and mounted behind Amelin, followed by Chorak atop Mikel.
“Not taking the ladder?”
“Ah, I-I can make a simple one with magic if needed.”
“Handy.”
Guess I should ask her to teach me that model-making spell next time.
He wrapped his arms around Amelin's slender waist to secure himself.
“Hyah!”
“Thanks for the ride, Amelin.”
“Y-Yes! Your Highness!”
“Chorak, hold on tight so you don't fall.”
“Got it!”
“Mikel! Let's fly!”
-Kuruuuk!
Flap flap! Mikel beat his massive wings and lifted into the air.
“Chorak, you're on navigation.”
“Left! Turn left and keep going straight!”
“Hear that, Mikel? Left!”
-Kuruuuk!
Mikel swiftly turned in midair and soared through the sky.
“Wow.”
“Wh-whoa! It's getting far away!”
He marveled at the sensation of flight, while Chorak behind him yelped in shock, peering down below.
Much faster than any carriage.
With no obstacles in the way, Mikel cleaved through the wind.
The air felt a bit chilly, but Amelin's body heat, pressed close against him, kept the cold at bay.
“Amelin.”
“Yes, Your Highness! A-Are you feeling dizzy or anything?”
“I'm fine. Hey, can we do this more often—ride Mikel like this?”
“E-Even next time?”
“Yeah, flying feels great.”
“If you want, we can fly anytime! Mikel loves flying a lot too.”
“Thanks.”
-Kurut!
“Mikel's picking up speed!”
“Alright. Chorak, grip tighter. Keep an eye on the direction.”
“Y-Yes, sir!”
As he spoke to Chorak, he tightened his hold around Amelin.
“Eek!?”
A single cabin.
A middle-aged man brought a meal to the woman lying in bed.
“Tenka, time to eat.”
The woman lying in bed looked haggard.
Tenka, with her black long hair and blue eyes, spoke weakly to her father.
“Father... I'm sorry.”
“I've told you a hundred times, you have nothing to apologize for.”
“But because of my weakness, Father... Cough cough!”
“Tenka!”
“I-I'm fine.”
She said she was fine, but her hand, which she'd used to cover her mouth, was stained with blood.
“Wait here, I'll get your medicine!”
“I'm fine. This happens all the time. You can't waste that expensive medicine.”
“Using it for you is never a waste!”
“But... no medicine works anymore anyway.”
Kirigumo Kazuki's heart tore at the sight of his daughter smiling in resignation.
His beloved wife had always been frail and passed away when their daughter was young.
Even after losing his love, he vowed to make the precious treasure she'd left behind happy.
And his daughter had a natural talent for martial arts.
Before she was even fifteen, she'd already mastered the Cloud Mist Fist passed down through generations of the Kirigumo family.
He'd had no doubt she'd stand on her own two feet and live proudly even after he grew old and ill.
His proud, precious daughter.
Who always smiled brightly like a flower blooming in the sky.
Now wore a smile of resignation toward life.
“Father, didn't the prince's tutor offer come a few days ago? I'm so proud of you for catching the prince's eye. So please, forget about me and live out the rest of your life—”
“Don't talk nonsense! What do honors or glory matter without you? Don't worry! Your father will find Manlenesia and cure you. You'll be able to move your body healthily again... just like before!”
“Father...”
As Kirigumo Tenka sadly watched her father shed tears for her sake,
a massive sound of wings from a large beast and an unnatural rush of wind reached Kirigumo Kazuki's ears.
“...! I'll step outside for a moment.”
Kirigumo left the cabin and scanned his surroundings warily.
And then.
“That’s... a griffon?”
A griffon—one that even veteran hunters had to tackle in parties—was descending toward his home.
Kirigumo Kazuki assumed a stance, steeling his resolve.
No matter that it was a griffon, he wouldn't let a single hair on his daughter's head be harmed.
But that resolve quickly crumbled.
“Hey~ Kirigumo~! It's me, me~!”
“That voice...”
A familiar voice called from atop the griffon. Looking closer,
he saw three people riding it.
And one of them was Chorak, the hunter he'd sent back just a few days ago.