Sudden Cohabitation
To survive alone in this harsh world, a child needed to have a strong spirit. Especially when the other person was the same age.
"What are you?"
"What? You don't know me? Ah, that's not it."
She pulled her hood down even further. Blue hair peeked out between the folds.
"Then what are you?"
"Me? A person."
"That's not what I'm asking!"
"What do you want to know, then?"
Irritated, she crossed her arms.
"Ah, forget it. More importantly, this is my hunting ground. If you're planning to hunt, go somewhere else."
With that, she turned her head and warmed herself by the campfire, completely ignoring Ryude.
"It's just a forest. Who says it's yours or mine? Did you rent the whole place?"
"Yeah, I rented it. What are you gonna do about it?"
"Wait, really?"
"Of course it's a lie. You actually believed that?"
Ryude still didn't know much about this world. She'd spoken so confidently that for a second he'd thought she was telling the truth.
"Sigh. First of all, that's my house over there. What are you doing in front of my house?"
"What? House?"
Her gaze followed Ryude's finger. A small cave sat nestled in the rock.
"...You're saying that rat hole is your house?"
She looked utterly dumbfounded.
"What are you talking about? You haven't even been inside. It's surprisingly spacious."
"Hmph. You think I'll fall for such an obvious lie?"
"It's true."
"Liar. You're just trying to chase me away!"
"If you don't believe me, come see for yourself."
Ryude jerked his chin toward the cave. Whether she followed or not didn't matter much to him. If she came, fine. If she didn't, he'd successfully intimidated her.
"Ugh..."
She hesitated for a moment. But she apparently hated losing, because she trailed after him.
"You. If this is a trap or something, know that you'll die by my hand."
"I told you, it's really my house."
They reached the cave under her thoroughly distrustful stare. The interior was surprisingly livable. Shelves for daily necessities, a fluffy sheet, and even a warm stove that was essential in winter.
She gaped at the cozy atmosphere that greeted her.
"...You really live here?"
"That's what I've been saying from the beginning."
"No, it doesn't make sense. How could a person possibly live in a place like this?"
"Am I not a person?"
"Do you have a death wish?"
She hissed through her teeth in anger. She had a child's body and was short, but she was even smaller than him, so it had no impact at all.
"More importantly, what are you doing here?"
"What? I told you. I came to hunt."
This was a danger zone. A place where you could easily run into million-won orcs. Very few people ever set foot here. In the five months Ryude had lived in the area, he'd only seen one or two people a week.
Yet this young girl had come here to hunt? It was impossible not to be suspicious.
Ryude looked her up and down.
"W-what?"
She covered her chest with both arms. She was exactly that age, with a build that looked like she couldn't even throw a rolling pebble. Moreover—
"There's nothing there to hide."
"Hey. What did you just say?"
It was like he'd touched a reverse scale. Killing intent flashed in her eyes.
"Anyway, this place is dangerous. Go back quickly."
"Stop changing the subject!"
She huffed and thrust out a tiny finger.
"You keep underestimating me, but I'm stronger than you, got it?"
"Oh please."
"This— really!!"
"Then prove it."
"Y-you want to fight?"
"Scared?"
"Grrrrr!!"
The duel had formed in the blink of an eye.
I need to end this quickly and send her back.
He didn't know why she was here, but this forest was no place for her. Even fully grown adults were sliced apart like sheets of paper. He'd seen strangers lying dead in the woods several times. If an acquaintance ended up brutally torn apart, it would make for sleepless nights.
"Hmph. You think you can beat me with just one sword?"
The two stood ten paces apart by the stream, facing each other.
"Stop talking and come at me already. Time's wasting."
One good flick to the forehead and she'd go home crying. That's what he thought.
"This is all your fault. Don't regret it later."
She pulled a staff from inside her cloak.
"Freeze!"
⟨ Ice Spear ⟩
Ryude's mind snapped awake. It was a chant—the trick to activating magic. A cluster of light formed above her head, humming as it transformed into a sharp ice spear.
Whoosh—
"Shit—"
Sudden magic. Ryude had never seen it before. It made sense; those who could use magic were extremely rare. He hadn't even considered the possibility that she was a mage.
He leaped aside instantly, dodging the flying ice spear. It slammed into the gravel and shattered. Ryude couldn't avoid every fragment. A small cut opened on his cheek. Blood trickled down.
"You dodged that...?"
Flustered, she chanted again. The same ice spear as before.
Boom!
There would be no second mistake. Now that he knew she was a mage, he couldn't allow any further attacks. Ryude kicked off the gravel and closed the distance in a single breath. She apparently had no experience in close combat; as the gap narrowed, panic flashed across her face.
Flick!
"Ow!"
He delivered a perfect forehead flick. She rubbed her reddened forehead, and the staff slipped from her hand, rolling across the ground.
The pain lasted only a moment. Realizing she had lost, her eyes widened.
"H-how..."
Her pupils trembled. She couldn't accept reality. When he moved to flick her again, she flinched.
"W-what are you doing!"
"Snapping you back to your senses. This isn't a dream."
"I know that!"
She let out a sigh. It seemed she'd finally accepted her defeat.
"Haa, how are you so fast? Just who are you?"
"I told you earlier. A person."
"No—ugh. Fine. Whatever."
That was the speed he'd maintained while catching Bopal Bunnies all this time. If he weren't this quick, he would have died long ago.
Ryude glanced at where the ice spear had struck.
That was close.
If it hadn't had enough force to embed in the gravel, he might have been able to block it. If he'd known from the start that she was a mage, he could have responded properly. But in real combat, there were no "what ifs." It was lucky his reflexes had saved him. If his reaction had been even a fraction slower, that alone would have meant instant defeat.
"Hey."
"Hm?"
"What's your name?"
"Before asking someone else's name, shouldn't you introduce yourself first?"
"I'm Ryude. You?"
"I'm Alic... Ellie. Just Ellie."
She hesitated while saying her name. Wearing a hood and lighting a campfire by the stream was already suspicious enough.
"...Ellie. Just Ellie."
Still, it didn't really matter. She'd shown him the rare sight of magic.
"I see. Then, hey."
"If you're going to call me 'hey,' why did you even ask my name?"
Ellie made a fed-up face.
"Isn't it weirder to call someone by name on our first meeting?"
"In this situation, not using names is weirder, don't you think?"
"Uh, then Ellie."
"What is it, Ryude."
"I'm sorry."
"Huh?"
Ryude offered the apology. It was true he'd underestimated her. But with magic like that, she could probably hunt just fine in this forest. Ignoring her without reason meant he owed her an apology.
"You're pretty amazing. You can even use magic."
"Hmph. Says the guy who dodged it so well. Still, you seem pretty capable yourself? Just a tiny bit, though."
"Even though you lost."
"It was because I let my guard down, okay?"
"Excuses."
"Do you really want to die!?"
Ellie stomped her feet.
"I could erase someone like you from this world without a trace, you know?"
"How?"
"What do you mean, how? With my power—ah, no. With magic, of course!"
Their pointless conversation continued. Then Ryude suddenly exclaimed.
"Ah!"
"W-what! What is it!"
Ellie jumped in surprise.
"Ugh, because of you the sun's already set."
"Why is that my fault!"
The volunteer work had ended around one or two in the afternoon. In winter the sun set early, so he'd planned to quickly hunt some magic beasts in the meantime. Her appearance had thrown off his schedule.
It couldn't be helped. He'd just catch one or two and head back.
"Where are you going?"
"To hunt magic beasts."
"When the sun's setting?"
"It's fine. I'm strong."
"How unlucky."
Ellie grabbed Ryude's hand as he trudged away.
"How far are you planning to go?"
"How far? Magic beasts are everywhere around here."
"I knew it."
Ellie pulled a pouch from inside her hood.
"I've already caught all the magic beasts in this area. There probably aren't any left even if you go now."
"What?"
The pouch was filled with dozens of mana stones. They were the familiar size. Mana stones from Bopal Bunnies and orcs.
"Wait, you caught all of them? Shouldn't you leave some for other people?"
"First come, first served. What's the problem?"
"From the beginning, I had already claimed this forest as mine?"
"It's just a forest. Who says it's yours or mine? Did you rent the whole place?"
"............"
Her words got stuck in her throat. Ryude realized this was what people meant when they said you can't take back what you've said.
"Sigh, fine. I'm heading in, so you should get back before it gets completely dark."
"Wait!"
"What now."
Ellie grabbed the hem of Ryude's clothes as he turned to leave.
"Want me to teach you magic?"
"Cough..."
He choked. Teach him magic?
"Can I... even do that?"
"Of course. Why wouldn't you be able to?"
It was a tempting offer. But he quickly came to his senses. There was no way she would teach such valuable magic for free.
Ryude narrowed his eyes.
"What do you want?"
"That."
Ellie pointed at the cave.
"Let me stay at your house for a while."
"What?"
Asking to stay just like that. No matter that she'd teach him magic, he couldn't let a suspicious person into his home. He'd already grown attached to the cave. If anything happened to it, the loss would be devastating.
"You must have earned plenty of money. Stay at the inn nearby."
He didn't know the details, but her request to stay suggested she had nowhere to return to.
"...It's scary. What if someone comes into my room while I'm sleeping?"
"Come on, in this day and age—"
She gripped his collar tightly. Her expression was wistful. It made his heart soften despite himself.
"Ugh... Haa, fine. But."
"But?"
"If your magic teaching is half-assed, I'll kick you out immediately."
"Yes! Of course!"
And so, his cohabitation with the girl he had met that day began.