Chapter 3
Chapter 3
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: First Meeting (2)
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"Don't wake her for no reason...."
I tossed the bear I'd hunted into a suitable spot and carefully opened the cabin door.
But it seemed like that precaution wasn't necessary after all.
The kid was already wide-eyed, staring at me warily.
"You're awake."
"...Who are you?"
I hadn't noticed until now, but the kid had blood-red eyes.
Black hair and crimson eyes.
The striking contrast of hair and pupil color was quite captivating. It made me think my hypothesis that this kid might be the novel's protagonist could be spot on.
Anyway.
"Who are you, you ask?"
Who am I? Was that something this kid, who'd been sleeping so soundly in front of someone else's house, should be asking?
"I'm the owner of this house."
At that, the kid seemed to finally grasp the situation and bowed their head in thanks.
"Th-thank you... for saving me...."
"Yeah."
Right after my reply.
An awkward silence settled between us.
'How do people even talk to each other...?'
It couldn't be helped on my end. Honestly, after years of cutting off contact with the outside world, just facing another person felt awkward in itself.
Still, it didn't seem like death was on the table or anything.
-Grrrrumble
Just then, the sound from the kid's stomach cracked the awkward silence a bit.
I gave a small smile and asked.
"Hungry?"
"...Yeah."
Despite being much younger than me, the kid was speaking so casually and curtly. Even accounting for their young appearance, it was pretty rude.
But no matter how annoyed I felt, telling this kid to show some manners wasn't easy, so I just stayed silent.
Plus, I didn't have the confidence to tell them not to speak so informally anyway, so silence it was.
On top of that, if this potential protagonist from the novel took a dislike to me, that'd be trouble.
'Ugh, how did my life come to this...'
Forcing a blank expression, I pointed toward the outside of the cabin at the kid, who was still bowing and staring at the floor.
"Then go eat something."
It came out a bit cold, but...
For me right now, just keeping the conversation going deserved a round of applause.
...Or so I thought.
Having satisfied myself with that.
The kid, who'd been gauging my mood, asked me in a small voice.
"...Aren't you going to ask anything?"
Oh right, should I have started by asking who they were?
Well, a lone woman living in these mountains telling them to eat—yeah, that might seem off.
I didn't know if witches existed here, but right now, didn't I look just like one of those wicked witches from stories, up to no good?
'Damn, I should've mingled with people more.'
I wiped away cold sweat at a speed the kid wouldn't notice and pondered how to salvage this.
"Tell me when you feel like it."
And what I settled on was saying something that sounded profound.
"You don't look to be in great shape anyway."
I delivered it with an air of pure consideration, no ulterior motives or slip-ups.
'That should smooth things over nicely.'
I glanced at the kid to check their reaction.
"Huh...?"
But contrary to my expectation of relief.
"Sniff... hic...?"
The kid was quietly wiping away tears.
'...What do I do?'
A woman's tears are a weapon, and a child's crying is much the same.
Due to their young age and small frame, those skinny arms and legs only emphasized it.
The sight of tears streaming from eyes devoid of any vitality was downright violent.
It stirred guilt in my heart, even though I'd done nothing wrong.
'Why though?!'
If the kid intended to unsettle me, mission accomplished.
I flailed my hands helplessly at the still-crying kid, at a loss.
...What had I done wrong?
Did they really think I was a witch?
Unjustly aggrieved myself, my face naturally crumpled into a pout.
'...No, can't do that.'
I wasn't alone right now; if I looked like an easy mark in front of someone else, I'd be done for.
With that in mind, I kept up a calm facade on the outside while racking my brain, when suddenly I recalled what my mother used to do when I cried as a child.
"It's okay."
The memory triggered my body to move on reflex—I pulled the kid into my arms and slowly stroked their head.
"It's okay."
I paused stroking to gently wipe the tears from the kid's face.
"It's okay."
Figured a blank face wouldn't help stop the crying, so I tried my best to smile.
The result? Seemed decent enough.
"...Yeah."
The kid had stopped crying.
Though for some reason, their face was flushed—probably embarrassed about crying in front of me, being a boy and all.
And so, silence fell again.
This situation felt awkwardly unbearable, but with my resolve softened, I stroked the kid's head and added.
"Go eat something."
"Yeah...."
I let out a relieved sigh where the kid couldn't see, then stepped outside and pointed at the bear I'd hunted.
The kid's face upon seeing the bear I brought was one of utter bewilderment, like they couldn't comprehend it.
"...Food?"
Then the kid alternated glances between me and the bear, their expression growing even graver.
"Pfft."
I could guess what the kid was thinking, and a laugh slipped out.
Definitely something like, 'How did that tiny woman catch such a huge bear?'
I'd think the same in their shoes.
Feeling a surge of pride, I shrugged and said to the kid looking up at me in awe.
"It's game I 'personally' caught, so eat your fill without holding back."
The kid furrowed their brow for a moment, then pointed at the bear with a trembling voice.
"This...?"
"Yeah."
Seeing their pupils shake nonstop, they seemed impressed by the sheer size of my catch.
"Raw...?"
"Hm?"
Somehow, the rude kid's speech now ended with a polite 'yo,' suggesting formal address.
But I didn't pay it much mind.
More like, what was the problem? I turned to where the kid was pointing.
"Oh."
Then it hit me why the kid was reacting like that.
'Can't eat it raw, huh?'
My minor oversight.
*
Living in the mountains meant no salt or spices, and I didn't know how to cook anyway, so I just lit a fire and roasted the meat.
Even so, the kid wolfed down what I gave them without complaint.
No matter how many days they'd gone without eating, finishing a whole bear alone was impossible, so I figured they'd set it down soon.
But the kid, glancing at me nervously, made a pitiful face before picking up the meat again.
Looked like they planned to eat it all.
'What's with that?'
I tilted my head, wondering.
Was refusing food from others taboo where this kid came from?
'...Nah.'
No way such a tradition existed.
I waved lightly at the kid, who was eyeing me warily and about to eat more, and spoke.
"If you're full, you don't have to force it down."
No sooner had I said that than the kid set the meat down and nodded.
'...How much did they not want to eat?'
Anyway, now that the kid's meal was done.
Maybe it was time to ask who they were?
Not out of any ulterior motive—just needed a name or where they lived to send them back.
As I timed the right moment to ask.
"Um...."
The kid spoke up first, and I just tilted my head at the unexpected turn.
"Hm? What is it?"
"...Are you a witch planning to eat me?"
"What."
Eat them? Me? Who?
No, wait—did witches actually exist here?
"Eat you? Me?"
Absurd. I leaned right into the kid's face and furrowed my brow.
...Seemed like they meant it.
"Y-yes...."
"Hah, why on earth would I eat you? More importantly, I'm not a witch."
I denied it emphatically, but the kid still seemed skeptical and pressed on stubbornly.
"But... you said you caught the Muscle Bear yourself... only a witch could...."
'And built a cabin in these mountains thick with demonic energy, living alone here.' The kid mumbled that addition before trailing off.
To me, the kid's words were ridiculous.
I couldn't even use magic in the first place—witch? Please.
"...Eek."
The kid huddled tensely, looking downright comical.
Seeing that sparked a mischievous urge in me.
Better to show rather than tell, engrave it directly into this suspicious kid's eyes.
Chance to check my own skills too.
I stood silently with a smile, picking up the wooden sword next to the leftover meat the kid had eaten.
It was crudely carved by me from wood, but fine for swinging.
"A witch, you say?"
I gripped the wooden sword with both hands like embracing it, closed my eyes, and added.
"Instead of lame magic, I'll show you something cooler."
For some reason, I felt like I understood an uncle playing with his niece.
"Watch closely with those eyes of yours."
I put more power than in my usual training and began slashing at the empty air.
My gaze reached toward the sky.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ 'Beautiful.'
The kid watched her swordsmanship, entranced, as if spellbound—seeing only beauty in it.
Her body, wielding the fluttering sword, seemed as light as a feather.
Yet the wind rising from the sword tip proved its weight, slicing the air with fierce gusts.
Captivated by her beauty, the kid couldn't tear their eyes away until she'd finished her sword dance—no, her blade dance.
"Ah...."
Did time fly when beholding beauty?
'I wanted to see more.'
Swallowing a pang of regret, she finished the blade dance, sheathed the sword, and slowly opened her eyes.
Then, leaves began gathering slowly at her feet.
Soon forming an unrecognizable shape.
'What’s Heaven...? Some ancient script?'
As the kid's mind fixated on it.
She'd approached unnoticed and squatted before the kid, asking.
"So, do I still look like a witch to you?"
"No...."
The kid shook their head, face flushing at her gentle smile.
Her a witch?
The witches the kid knew weren't that beautiful.
'Then what is she?'
Various thoughts swirled in the kid's head, but her identity eluded them.
A suspiciously rundown cabin housing a woman who seemed young at first glance, living alone.
Moreover, she was a rare beauty with suspiciously exceptional martial prowess.
The only match for all that, as far as the kid knew, was a witch.
But she wielded no dark magic—only a sword so brilliant it dazzled the eyes.
The ignorant kid couldn't fathom her true nature.
"Then... what are you...?"
So, as always, unable to hold back curiosity, the kid asked boldly, following their heart.
The kid couldn't contain their questions.
"Hmm... who, you say."
She let out a thoughtful hum, then reached her hand toward the sky and declared.
"My name is Heaven Cleaver. The one who cleaves the heavens."
The kid gazed at her, Heaven Cleaver, her smile as beautiful as her blade dance, utterly entranced.