The Dog That Bites People

My waist had a sword.

Light armor on my body.

A small bag on my back.

And in front of me, two horses.

No matter how you look at it, it wasn't the cheerful outing outfit of a father and son.

"Really going?"

"Yes."

My father mounted the horse as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

Yesterday, we definitely had swordsmanship lessons.

We looked at the eyes, the shoulders, the feet.

And today, we look at the magical beasts.

How come there's no middle ground in the curriculum?

"What kind of magical beast is it?"

"If it's around here, it should be a Grey Fang Wolf."

Grey Fang Wolf.

The annoying guy that pops out in the early field and causes trouble.

Not strong, and even if you catch it, it doesn't give good rewards.

So, I remember having more memories of avoiding it rather than catching it.

"How many are there?"

"You'll find out when you go."

Thanks for the useful information. Really helpful.

I had no choice but to climb on the horse too.

- Hiiiiing!

At that moment, the horse shook its body, and my vision flipped upside down.

- Kwak.

"Keuk."

I crashed onto the floor from my back.

Why did I think this guy would let me ride the horse?

"...I did okay mounting it."

I lay on the floor looking up at my father.

"Thank you."

"I wasn't praising you."

"I knew you'd say that."

I groaned and stood up.

- Pururuk.

The horse was wagging ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠its tail as if nothing happened, a little away.

"Can you ride it?"

"I'll try."

This time, I didn't mount without thinking like before.

I held the reins short and put my foot on the stirrup.

Slowly.

Very slowly.

I carefully lifted my leg to the opposite side and set my posture.

"Huu."

Fortunately, this time I didn't fall.

"This is a well-trained beast, so ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠as long as you don't do anything stupid, it's fine."

"Yes."

When my father pulled the reins, the horse slowly advanced forward.

I followed suit.

- Ttok. Ttok.

Oh.

It's going.

"I will increase the speed a little."

"Already?"

Instead of answering, my father lightly kicked the horse's side.

- Dagdag! Dagdag!

Then my horse, as if waiting, also increased speed.

"Ueuuueuk uek uee."

I clung desperately to the reins to not be thrown off the saddle.

How far did we run?

The horse slowly slowed down.

Around us, trees had become ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠dense.

"Get down."

My father got off first, and I carefully stepped on the ground.

"Fi, finally."

I didn't know that standing on two feet would be so refreshing.

"From here, we'll walk."

"Yes."

We tied the horses to a nearby tree and moved into the forest.

As we walked, the path narrowed and the ground became rougher.

Until a moment ago, I was only thinking about not falling off the horse, but now other worries started to arise.

"Father."

"Why?"

"If I get bitten by a Grey Fang Wolf, does it hurt a lot?"

It wasn't really out of curiosity. It was meaning 'will you save me before it's bitten?'

"If you try it, you'll find out."

"......"

Again, that pattern.

"I wasn't asking in that sense."

"Quiet."

- Ssak.

From somewhere, the sound of leaves brushing came.

- Ssak. Ssak.

The sound gradually got closer.

The sound from one side moved to the side.

"......"

My hand slowly went towards the sword.

- Urrrr.

"Coming."

- Ppaat!

Before the father's words ended, a grey figure jumped out of the bushes.

One, two, three.

Altogether three.

It was bigger than I thought.

Much bigger. Damn big.

I glanced at my father.

"......"

Where did it go, you bastard.

Ah.

So if bitten, it hurts a lot.

- Kruuu.

Saliva dripped from the mouth of the one in front.

The predator's eyes watching prey.

- Taat!

Without time to think, the guy rushed first.

"Wow, shit!"

I hurriedly drew the sword.

- Kaang!

I thought my wrist would break from the impact.

Crazy.

Why is there a sound like metal clashing with teeth.

"Uuk!"

I pushed the sword, but the guy didn't back down.

- Ppaat!

Another one rushed from the side.

"Wait, shit! One at a time!"

Of course, it wouldn't listen.

I bit the sword and kicked the guy's muzzle.

"Get off, you bastard."

But even kicking the muzzle, the teeth didn't move.

Instead, the guy shook its head violently.

"Uaaak!"

The sword almost slipped from my hand.

If I miss, it's over.

I grabbed the handle with both hands and twisted it hard.

- Kkadudeuk.

"Keuuu..."

- Kkaang!

- Seok!

As soon as the sword came out, I sliced the front guy's jaw straight up.

One caught.

Without a moment to rest, the guy who had rushed earlier came at me as if waiting.

I reflexively twisted my body to the side, and the fangs grazed right in front of my nose.

"Huep."

I dodged.

I don't know how I dodged, but I barely dodged.

The guy passed right by my side and landed on the floor.

And now I'm behind the guy.

"Die!"

I grabbed the sword with both hands and stabbed it down on its back.

- Kkaeng!

A sensation of something hard piercing through the tip of my finger came.

The guy's body twitched greatly, then the strength left its legs and it fell to the floor.

"Haa, haa..."

I grabbed the sword stuck in my back and pulled it out with all my might.

One left.

At that moment, a rustling sound came from behind my back.

"Eh?"

Before I could turn around, a heavy impact hit my side.

"Kuk!"

My body was thrown to the side and rolled on the floor several times.

"Kuhuk, shit..."

The sword slipped from my hand due to the impact, and before I could stand up, the guy rushed at me.

"Wa, wait! Time!"

The large front paw pressed down on my chest.

The gaping mouth in front of my eyes came down towards my neck.

Close.

Damn close.

"Shit shit shit."

I frantically searched for something and grabbed it.

A branch.

"Eat this!"

Without thinking, I pushed the branch into the open mouth, and the jaw closed, breaking the branch with a crunch.

Before the guy opened its mouth again, I looked down.

"......!"

It was visible.

The gap of the crotch.

I lifted my knee hard.

Exactly between the two legs.

- Kkiing, kkiiiiing.

The effect was clear.

The force pressing on the chest relaxed, so I pushed the guy away and rolled my body.

The sword was rolling far away.

I ran on all fours, grabbed the handle.

"Huu."

When I turned around, the guy was also staggering to its feet.

One side got the crotch kick.

One side almost died.

We couldn't have good feelings for each other.

"Let's end it, you bastard."

The guy moved first.

It lowered its body and pushed off the ground.

I also held the sword with both hands.

This time, I didn't dodge.

I stared at the front-rushing guy to the end.

One.

Two.

"Now!"

I stepped forward and swung the sword widely.

- Chwaaaaak!

The sword blade cut the guy's head and body in half from the rushing head.

Wow.

This works.

"Huaaaa."

I stood there blankly for a moment, then sat down on the floor.

It's over.

Really over.

"......"

Surviving is good.

It was almost unnecessary if wrong.

- Sabak. Sabak.

Looking at the direction the sound came from, my father was walking over casually.

"It's over."

"Where were you?"

"I was watching."

So, from where.

I really thought you left me.

My father examined the corpses of the wolves.

The one with jaw sliced.

The one with sword on back.

And the one split in half.

"Messy."

"......"

This shit.

"The sword was dropped, posture broken, and at the end, it was hard to call it swordsmanship."

"...But I survived, right?"

My father looked at me for a moment.

"Yeah."

Too straightforwardly admitting, I had nothing to say.

"In real combat, result is more important than process."

"Then I did well."

"No."

"Why?"

"The fact that it was messy doesn't change."

What, which one.

"But even after dropping the sword, I didn't run away and survived by finding something usable."

Branch.

Leg.

Crotch gap.

"That is also skill."

Is this praise?

This is praise, right?

"But."

It wasn't over yet.

"Don't drop the sword next time."

"Yes."

"Let's go back."

3.

When we returned to the mansion, it was long after lunch.

"Huek, hueeok, heueung."

Even getting off the horse was hard.

"D, young master!"

The servants running in front of the gate rushed over, and when they checked my appearance, their faces became serious all at once.

Clothes covered in dirt.

Scratches on arms.

Side still throbbing.

"Are you okay?"

"Why, don't you look okay?"

"......"

Since I couldn't answer, it was true.

"Rian?"

At that time, a familiar voice was heard.

"Mom!"

My mother looked at me.

And froze.

Not a group.

Face, clothes, shoes, and now my whole body was covered in wolf blood.

"Rian."

"Yes?"

"Who did this?"

Without any hesitation, I pointed at all the culprits.

"Husband?"

My mother's voice lowered.

"Explain."

I thought this guy wouldn't say anything and dragged me along?

From the morning, with sword filled, I thought it was explained.

"Magical beast extermination."

"Taking Rian?"

"Yeah."

"Without saying anything?"

"......"

My mother slowly smiled.

Smiling...?

What is that.

Scary.

"Rian."

"Yes."

"Go in and wash up."

"Okay."

I went into the mansion without looking back.