The Vegetarian
Leaning back in my chair, I let my thoughts drift to a time not so long ago—the years I'd spent sequestered in the mountains, living side by side with my master.
"I had a master once, you know."
A truly vicious one, at that.
"That master of mine was an extreme vegetarian. Extreme enough that he forced his own diet on his disciple, too."
Something about how he couldn't stand hearing people claim that humans needed meat to grow strong, or whatever.
In every way, he was a man who loved testing the limits of the human species.
"Sounds like an interesting person."
"Right?"
Ahaha. From the listener's seat, it probably did sound entertaining.
Let's see if the next part is just as fun.
"You wanna die?"
"Huh?"
"Pardon?"
"That's what my master said to me the day I threw a tantrum about wanting meat because I was sick of eating nothing but grass every single day."
I will never forget that day as long as I live.
"He spun a blade right in front of a seven-year-old brat."
The image of my master, whirling a short sword that could cleave boulders in a single stroke with one hand, smiling that blood-chilling smile as he looked down at me—I will never erase that face from my memory.
"From that day on, the word 'meat' vanished from my life for twenty years."
"...Whoa."
"Good grief."
"I did eventually run away because I couldn't take it anymore. That was already ten years ago, I guess."
I was still green back then, so I really did flee for my life.
My master's enraged voice roaring from behind me is still vivid even now.
I'm pretty sure he was screaming that he was going to kill me.
Still, the fact that he never chased me all the way to the end might mean he just let me go.
Gyaaah!! My back!!
...Or maybe not.
"You ran from your master ten years ago, but you only ate vegetarian for twenty years?"
"It means the conditioning was already complete."
Just hearing the word "meat" was enough to make my body seize up in spasms.
"So what about now?"
"Ah, well."
I recalled the first day I ate meat after my body changed.
"I figured if I ever ran into my master looking like this, I might actually die for real—so what the hell did a little meat matter?"
Plus, whether it was the new body or not, I was suddenly craving meat like a madman.
"Anyway, that's why my sense of taste is currently at the absolute peak of my entire life."
Everything else is scraping the bottom of the barrel, though.
With that, I wrapped up the story and turned to Huey.
"What are you planning to do about lodging?"
Personally, this tavern seemed to double as an inn, so staying here wouldn't be a bad idea.
Lucy seemed to share the thought; she was looking at Huey as well.
"We'll hit the Adventurers' Guild first. If we don't turn up anything useful, we'll use this place as our base."
"So the Adventurers' Guild is next, then."
"Yeah."
We left the tavern and headed toward the Adventurers' Guild visible in the distance.
"It's not a method for reaching another world, but it just so happens there's a retired adventurer from another world living nearby."
"Really!?"
We got an unexpected result.
"Yes. Would you like to meet him?"
The guild receptionist smiled with her eyes, saying that while she couldn't tell just anyone, a Gold-rank adventurer like Huey could certainly be given that much.
Judging by Huey's reaction, it looked like we wouldn't be staying at the inn after all.
"By the way, Ren."
"Hm?"
I had been standing a little apart from Huey, listening to the conversation, when Lucy suddenly called my name.
"All these eyes on you—aren't you embarrassed?"
It was true that the gazes of the surrounding adventurers were fixed on me, just as Lucy said.
But then again, being stared at was something I was already used to....
"I don't have the hobby of squealing like a little girl just because my body changed a bit."
If they wanted to look, they could look all they liked.
A couple of lumps of fat stuck to my chest weren't enough to make me feel ashamed.
They were soft, though.
"Tsk. Thinking about it just pisses me off more."
I couldn't even hold my pee for long.
My chest bounced every time I ran, and it was annoying as hell.
And don't even get me started on the claws that scraped the floor or shredded clothes the moment I let my guard down.
On top of that, these pathetic hands that couldn't even grip a sword.
"This body has no advantages except when I cover myself with my wings."
"But being able to fly through the sky is a good thing, isn't it?"
When I grumbled with a sigh, Lucy asked that.
"Fly? Through the sky? Who?"
At my question, Lucy quietly pointed a finger at me.
"I can't fly."
"Pardon?"
"I said I can't."
Just growing wings didn't mean you could automatically take to the air.
I'd heard that bird beastfolk could usually fly, but apparently it wasn't as simple as just flapping some wings.
"The best I can do is slow my fall a little when I jump from high places."
I'd once tried leaping off a height while beating my wings, hoping maybe that would let me fly—only to plant my head straight into the ground. After that, I stopped trying to take to the sky.
"...Even less useful than I expected."
"You're pretty amazing yourself, saying that right to my face."
I'd already thought of myself as useless, sure.
But hearing it stated so bluntly still made something twist in my chest.
"What are you two talking about that's so funny?"
"Ah, Master."
I was so floored by Lucy's words that I'd fallen silent for a moment, and by then Huey had finished gathering information and come back over.
"Nothing much."
"We were talking about Ren."
"That so? Let's head out for now. Too many eyes around."
Huey gave a quiet smile, as if this wasn't the kind of conversation for a crowded place.
We followed him as he took the lead, and the place we arrived at was—
"...We're leaving the city already?"
"Master. You're going right away?"
"Yeah."
It was the northern gate of Dublin—a different exit from the one we'd used to enter.
I'd hoped we might stay at least one night now that we'd finally reached a city.
"They said if we leave now, we can meet that person from another world before the sun sets."
Huey added that with a letter of introduction from the guild, we could probably impose for a night.
Judging by the way Lucy sighed and fell into step beside us, this was clearly a familiar routine for her.
"It's easier if you just give up, Ren."
"Yeah. Let's go, let's go."
Well, every now and then something like this was fine too.
At any rate, not long after leaving the city we found ourselves facing a vast forest.
"Looks like he's in there."
Huey stood at the entrance to the dense woods and unfolded a rough map.
But something felt off.
As we drew closer to the forest, a strange energy I'd never felt anywhere before began to prickle at my senses.
An unpleasant sensation, like a swarm of insects crawling up from beneath my feet.
"Do either of you feel anything weird?"
"Out of nowhere?"
"Not at all."
"...That so?"
I'd asked just in case, but it seemed I was the only one sensing it.
Then, with a sharp tingle, the energy vanished in an instant.
"You okay?"
"Ah—yeah."
"You look tired. Let's hurry and get some rest."
I followed Huey and Lucy ahead while turning the earlier sensation over in my mind, but nothing came to me.
One thing was certain: that unpleasant energy had been no illusion.
My instincts were warning me not to forget what I'd just felt.
...Looks like I'll need to stay sharp for a while so I can move the moment anything happens.
We pressed on in that state of readiness for a short while.
"Ren. Look over there."
"What a beautiful lake."
"Oh..."
At Huey's call I turned my head, and a wide lake came into view.
A lake deep in the forest... Lucy was right—it was a magnificent sight.
"The breeze feels nice too."
We paused for a moment to take in the clear blue water, and a refreshing wind washed over us.
"Master, Ren. Over that way."
While we were savoring the crisp air that seemed filled with spirit energy and starting to walk again, Lucy stretched out a hand as if she'd spotted something.
"It looks surprisingly cozy."
"Yeah."
I'd expected at best a crude hut, given that he supposedly lived in the forest.
Instead, a rather handsome log cabin stood ahead of us.
—Knock. Knock.
"Mr. Osmon, are you home?"
Huey approached the door and knocked.
From inside came the sound of a cane tapping—tap, tap—and then—
—Creeeak.
"Who is it?"
The door opened to reveal a middle-aged man with bandages wrapped thickly around his eyes.
About 180 centimeters tall, with a solid build you wouldn't expect from a blind man.
Proof that he never neglected his training even without his sight.
"A pleasure to meet you. My name is Huey. I was looking into some information at the Adventurers' Guild when I heard about you, Mr. Osmon, and I came because there's something I'd like to ask."
"Ahh, I see. And the people behind you—are they your companions?"
Right after he spoke, a cool breeze laden with spirit energy swept out from his direction, exploring the surroundings.
...A spirit mage, then.
"Yes. Luciella and Ren."
"A pleasure."
"Just call me Ren."
"Please, come in."
Whether he was simply good-natured or confident in his own strength, the man invited us inside without a shred of suspicion.
"Haha, how long has it been since I last had guests?"
Osmon sat on the living-room sofa, gestured for us to take seats, and spoke in a smiling voice.
"So—you said there was something you wanted to ask me?"