Chapter 21
Chapter 21
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 21
Chapter Title: The Only One Who Can Curb a Pet's Gluttony Is Its Owner (4)
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We set off without delay. Pippin, who had said he'd grab his bag real quick, came back lugging a massive load as big as his own torso. He'd packed it to the brim with plates, frying pans, and even flint stones.
Kaku chewed him out for not thinking things through properly, and Pippin's ridiculous baggage was drastically reduced. From then on, Pippin's chatter dropped off sharply, making the trip far more pleasant.
I resolved that even if I had to deal with Pippin, I'd leave Kaku unscathed.
"The closest Sloth Mercenary outpost to the village is halfway up the mountain. It'll be tough to take a carriage that far...."
"No problem! We can ride horses! Duke Sierra is quite the skilled equestrian, after all!"
"Then we'll ride. It won't take long."
While Kaku and Dandel carried on their one-sided conversation, cold sweat trickled down my spine.
In my past life, I'd tried my hand at every part-time job, odd task, study grind, and manual labor under the sun, but I'd never ridden a horse. I'd seen them, sure—cleaning stalls at a racetrack as an alibi job had made me all too familiar with the smell of horse dung, unfortunately.
But properly mounting and riding one? That had never happened in my entire life.
'How the hell do you even get on a horse...?'
Did it crouch down a bit for you? Did you need a step stool? Or did you just hop up onto it? Did you have to greet the horse first or something?
I'd piled up more miscellaneous experiences than most people my age, so few things scared me. I'd done them all before. Or something similar, plenty of times. But that patchwork, complacent way of living hits its limits eventually.
I'd done so much that encountering something I hadn't left me flustered.
Like horseback riding, for instance. Riding horses. Mounting up, galloping, touching them.
"Ahem. Not really feeling up for riding today...."
I tried dropping a subtle hint that I wasn't keen, but no one picked up on my dilemma. Dandel was especially oblivious today, all bright-eyed cheer.
"You're worried 'cause it's the sticks, right? Afraid the horses might be subpar? I checked the stables earlier—they're not bad at all."
"My stomach's acting up. Maybe that monster meat from before."
"Aw, come on, you didn't touch a bite. Your fork and knife were spotless. As expected from our kind-hearted Duke."
"What?"
Dandel flashed a smug grin and clung to me obnoxiously.
"You pretended to eat just to humor Pippin since he kept eyeing you hopefully. See? You can just be upfront about your kindness."
"You're upfront about being a cheeky bastard— what makes you think that's okay?"
"Eep! I'll go fetch the horses!"
In the end, there was no escaping the ride. The closer the horse got, the more my breath caught in my throat. Was it an allergy? Did Sierra have a horse allergy? Could I fire Dandel just for shoving one in my face?
The allergic reaction was all in my head, not my body.
But I had to tough it out. I'd been playing the dignified, icy Duke this whole time. I couldn't just blurt out "I'm scared of horses, can't ride" in the middle of some backwater village.
"Duke, hop on."
Dandel brought the horse over. I mimicked what I'd seen Kaku and Pippin do, leaping up nimbly. I wobbled a bit, but I figured that counted as stylish. The horse's body was firmer than expected, and its lukewarm warmth—like a cushion someone had sat on and gotten up from—felt gross.
I settled in as steadily as I could and gripped the reins. My palms were already slick with sweat.
Looking down proudly, I caught Dandel staring up at me with a weird expression.
"Uh, looks like you're really not feeling well today, Duke...."
Busted on the awkwardness.
"Y-Yeah. Not in the mood to ride today."
"Then I'll walk. We've got a bumpy mountain path ahead, and I can't risk anything bothering you. I'll tell the others to take it slow too."
Without me needing to guide it, Dandel stood by the horse's head and held the reins. The horse plodded along at his pace. It finally hit me that I was actually on horseback. Born and raised, my first time up there felt... strange.
I'd heard kids at school did a riding experience on a field trip back in the day. If I'd tried it then, would I have mounted more smoothly today?
High school, middle school—I skipped every field trip. No telling when my sister might collapse. Every cent in my pocket had to be ready for her hospital bills.
Losing my parents was bad enough. The real terror was the fear of losing my sick little sister too.
When Grandma offered to send me on the trip, what did I say? Nah, it's fine. Not interested.
Instead, I went to school and squeezed in a short afternoon shift. Had to scrape together every penny for peace of mind.
I didn't envy my classmates who went. No room for envy. I had a sister to protect. If she died and vanished too, I'd have nothing left.
Riding this horse now, it suddenly dawned on me.
Truth is, I was jealous of those friends heading off on their field trips. Something that trivial.
Of everything since dropping into this world, this moment felt the most... what? Fun?
Yeah. Fun.
Not that riding horses was a blast or my calling—nothing like switching careers to jockey.
"With Dandelion walking, we won't zip up, but it shouldn't take forever. We're not headed to the main outpost anyway."
Following Kaku's lead up the mountain, Dandel had to hoof it on foot. He'd volunteered out of worry for me. He panted like a thirsty dog—embarrassing to watch. But I couldn't exactly tell him to hop on or offer some lame courtesy. Just... don't leave me alone with this strange beast.
"Duke."
Dandel, trudging along with forced effort, turned to look at me. He quickened his steps and grinned.
"What're you trying to say?"
"Me? You're the one turning around."
"You're always looking at me like you're holding back a laugh."
"When did I—"
"Right now!"
"Watch the road."
"Got it."
Watching the back of Dandel's head as he marched on without whining, I mustered the courage to stroke the horse's mane. Rough and tangled, like a dirty rag. I muttered to the horse's neck.
"...Thanks."
If I'd learned to ride sooner, Dandel wouldn't have to suffer. I sighed deeply. Then, suddenly, a heart blinked over Dandel's head up ahead,
[♥♥♥♥♥]
Favorability hearts ticked up one more, hitting five.
"......"
"Weirdo...."
"Huh?"
"Nothing."
First thing when I get back to the Duke's Castle: riding lessons.
***
How far up the mountain path had we gone when a chill crept over my body? It felt like a massive air conditioner humming in the middle of the forest—eerie.
[Ughhhh, bad vibes. I feel ominous energy.]
Phoibe, strapped to Pippin's back like luggage, muttered. I bit back the urge to say nothing in this group was more ominous than her. Snapping at thin air would just make me look like a lunatic talking to himself.
[Ominous slaughter aura. You sense it too, Necromancer?]
"It's... a bit chilly, yeah."
I rubbed my goosebumped arms and glanced at Dandel. He tilted his head, face blank as if clueless.
"You cold? Feels the same as before to me...."
Seemed I was the only one feeling it. Just to check, I activated Black Eyes Skill. The world spun dizzily, rippling like it was coated in a psychedelic filter.
And I pinpointed exactly where the chill was pouring from.
In one corner of the forest, eerie echoes swirled. Fragments of unidentified death spirits tangled chaotically, spewing out between the trees like wind. Phoibe scurried to cling to my back, confirming I wasn't hallucinating.
The shattered death spirits screamed in their own grudges. Human voices mixed with beastly howls, melting into the forest's bleak shadows.
[Necromancer! Look there! Gross! Those are death spirits that got eaten by the Garden Ogre and couldn't escape.]
As she said it, bloody tears streamed from Phoibe's eyes. She looked grosser to me.
[I feel the resentment. Intense resentment. Get any closer, and I'll turn into a vengeful ghost myself!]
Phoibe clutched my shoulder.
"Urk!"
A sharp pain stabbed like an ice pick. I yanked the reins hard, halting the horse. The moment I stopped, Pippin leaped off ahead and rushed over.
"Master!"
Pippin halted in front of me, saw in hand. The startled Phoibe whooshed away into the distance, while Dandel grabbed Pippin's arm to hold him back.
"Pippin! What the hell! You trying to attack our Duke?!"
"Pippin, over here! Stop!"
Despite Dandel and Kaku's pleas, Pippin stood guard with his saw—not even a sword—scanning everywhere.
"Felt a weird energy. Weird energy aimed at Master. Like it was staring right at Master—I'm serious."
"Again with the crazy talk...."
Kaku approached and pried Pippin away. Pippin retreated but kept his saw raised, glancing around.
"Sorry about that. Pippin spouts nonsense sometimes, but he's not a bad guy. Really. Kid's just an ignorant fool."
"Master! I mean, boss! There was weird energy!"
"Hey, you idiot. You're the weirdest thing in this forest. Why'd you bring a saw?! I told you to leave all that junk behind! When'd you sneak it?!"
While Pippin and Kaku bickered, I figured out what his sharp senses had picked up. The threat Pippin felt wasn't Phoibe.
It was Viridis.
More precisely, Viridis's death spirit. A fragment of it.
A shard of Viridis's death spirit bubbled up from one side of the forest, swelling as it loomed over our group. Its cruelly mangled form matched the one Pippin had butchered yesterday.
It seemed to recognize us.
"Pippin. About that Viridis meat."
"Yes! Delicious? Want me to make more?"
"I said I ate the ribs. So where'd the brain, head, and the rest go?"
"Village chief took it. Always does. Said he'd dispose of it for us."
Ah, so that's how it was. The chief swiped the meat from Pippin and fed it to the Garden Ogre. The devoured Viridis harbored a grudge, becoming a death spirit....
All those bizarre spirit fragments floating here were once the Garden Ogre's snacks.
The Garden Ogre Phoibe mentioned was right there.
I pointed toward where Viridis's death spirit had surged.
"We're heading that way from now on."
"Huh? But that's just forest. The mercenaries are this—"
Ignoring the puzzled Kaku, Pippin hopped onto his horse and sidled right up beside me.
"See? Master's different from the rest. He gets me."
"Cut the crap. That weird energy you felt—coming from that direction too?"
"Yeah. Seems to start there."
"Go on ahead. We'll follow."
"Got it. If there's monsters, can I hunt 'em? Save some for Master?"
Pippin suddenly got dead serious. I nodded curtly.
"Hunt as you like. Don't leave a single pebble in my path."