By the time evening arrived, the dry late autumn scenery was mixed with green little by little.
Taeyon looked down at Kaniel’s flushed cheeks—not knowing whether he was asleep or unconscious—and concluded they should rest for today. Though he’d tried his best to move in a way that wouldn’t be felt, there was no way the shaking wouldn’t have been felt. Since they’d been traveling all day, he must be tired.
It was when he was wandering around looking for a cave out of the wind.
“A light…?”
Taeyon discovered an artificial light and stopped. Someone was lighting a campfire over there.
The fact that they were lighting a fire without hesitation in a wild forest, and in the late evening at that, meant they were confident they could handle it even if someone saw the light and approached to do something outrageous. And such people were usually knights.
Taeyon needed the help of such people right now. He didn’t expect them to have medicine, but even if not, he wanted to avoid leaving Kaniel alone to fetch water or gather firewood.
With such thoughts, Taeyon, who had been moving toward the light, encountered an unexpected person at his destination.
“Taeyon-nim!”
“Why are you here?”
Five knights who had been sitting around the campfire drinking stew jumped up in surprise and greeted him.
“Good evening!”
“Taeyon-nim, it’s been a while!”
“You were in a place like this?”
“The Castle Lord is very worried, Taeyon-nim.”
To the greetings that continued in succession, Taeyon nodded in response.
“What do you mean why am I here, what kind of way to talk is that?”
Arkan, who grumbled as if hurt, gestured while making a seat next to the campfire. It was a simple seat made from a log.
“Come, sit here. What’s that in your hands? Why are you holding a pile of cloaks so preciously… Oh my. Isn’t that Kaniel?”
“He caught a cold.”
A quick-witted knight pushed the stew pot slightly to the side and placed a small pot of water on the firewood.
Taeyon sat in the seat Arkan made while holding Kaniel carefully so he wouldn’t be uncomfortable.
Arkan, who stuck his head out, spoke while pretending to be exaggeratedly surprised.
“A cold? Then why don’t you settle somewhere and rest for a few days, why are you traveling like this?”
“We rested.”
“You rested?”
“It only got worse.”
“What? Why did it only get worse when you rested…?”
“He’s human.”
“No, even if he’s human…”
When Taeyon frowned and glared at him as the back-and-forth continued, only then did Arkan close his mouth and avoid his gaze.
“I was looking for a village because I thought he needed medicine, and since it turned out this way, I’ll get some help.”
“Ah, of course. It’s good we made plenty of stew.”
At Arkan’s gesture, a new knight stood up with a ladle. At the sight of him taking out a new bowl and filling it with stew, Taeyon woke Kaniel.
“Kaniel, wake up now.”
“…Taeyon.”
Kaniel, who opened his eyes while calling him in a rough voice, stirred and sat up. Taeyon lifted him up, pushed Arkan away with his foot, and sat him in the seat next to him. Arkan, who had suddenly fallen face-first on the ground, made a very aggrieved expression, but seeing Kaniel’s red face, unfocused eyes, and listless movements, he obediently moved to the log next to them.
“…Arkan? Why is Arkan… Cough cough!”
As Kaniel, who started coughing, covered his mouth with his hand and curled up, a quick-witted knight held out a cup filled with warm water.
Kaniel made a dazed expression even as he received it. It had definitely been this morning when they left the tree hollow cave, but after sleeping restlessly and opening his eyes, there was Arkan plus four more unfamiliar beastkin.
“Did you promise to meet?”
“No way. We met by chance.”
“Wow… I’m gl-glad to meet you, Arkan. And…”
As Kaniel sent his gaze, the knights each introduced themselves.
“I’m Fortem.”
“I’m Yursider.”
“I’m Sebial.”
“I’m Krillik.”
The knights, who perceptively used honorifics after seeing Arkan use them, smiled brightly so the small young man without ears wouldn’t be frightened.
“I’m, cough, Kaniel.”
“Drink the warm water first, Kaniel.”
“Yes…”
As he was moistening his throat with warm water, the stew was soon served. Kaniel thanked them as he received it and carefully ate it with a spoon.
“It’s delicious…!”
The stew made with meat was savory and a bit salty. For food eaten in such an open place, it was quite luxurious.
“Right? I made it, I did.”
“Arkan, you’re good at cooking.”
“I’m somewhat like that. Our bear ladies don’t even let useless men into their homes.”
Beastkin were people, but they retained animal aspects. So there were many cases where they couldn’t abandon the habits or customs from when they were animals. That was also because it was tradition, and there were cases where they absolutely couldn’t stop because it was instinctive behavior.
Taeyon’s tail sometimes betraying its owner’s will and swishing back and forth was also one example.
Bears, among them, had inherited the tradition of women raising children alone. So if the husband was useful, they let him in as family, but if he was utterly useless, they didn’t bother living together. Since having him around would only be bothersome.
So male bears who wanted to have a family had to find ways to devote themselves to the family in various methods.
Arkan had learned cooking skills as one of those methods.
“Thank you, Arkan.”
Kaniel, who smiled bashfully, coughed and then started carefully eating the stew again.
“By the way, Taeyon-nim, I’m asking just in case. Were you heading to Parpanol Village?”
“That’s right. We should arrive around tomorrow afternoon.”
“Then it would be better to go to the city of Breil to the east instead. Because we were on our way to Parpanol Village.”
Five knights gathering and moving to one village meant that either a report of a demonic beast sighting had come in from that area, or a report of quite a large number of monster movements had come in.
Either way, it meant it wasn’t a place to go rest with a sick person. Taeyon frowned.
The city of Breil.
It was a familiar name to Taeyon. That was because he had a friend named Matiel Breil with whom he’d spent his time studying in the royal capital.
However, now wasn’t a very good time to meet that friend. Because Matiel, like Taeyon, was an ability user who had been searching for his Tuner for a long time.
If he realized Kaniel was a Tuner…
“…Can’t be helped.”
Taeyon answered while gripping Kaniel’s shoulder tightly and pulling him toward himself.
Pitch-black storm clouds hung in the distant eastern sky.
It would be good if it didn’t rain.
* * *
“Taeyon! Welcome, my friend!”
As soon as they entered the lord’s manor, Matiel spread his arms and smiled broadly. Taeyon stopped for a moment and stared at Matiel, then discovered the small squirrel beastkin standing beside him and nodded.
“Congratulations, Matiel.”
“Hahaha! No matter how many times I hear congratulations, it’s thrilling.”
Seeing him walking around smiling foolishly and talking nonsense like that, it seemed he hadn’t met his long-desired Tuner very long ago. Though his stupid expression was annoying to look at, it wasn’t to the point of being incomprehensible.
Since Taeyon himself had met Kaniel and felt the pleasure of his first tuning not long ago, he understood the feeling.
“Then act a bit more properly now.”
Though Taeyon quietly admonished him, Matiel’s childlike attitude showed no signs of changing.
“This is Piyod. Isn’t the name cute too? Ah, I can do anything for you. What do you want?”
“Uh, nothing.”
On the other hand, the squirrel beastkin named Piyod looked very embarrassed by Matiel. His face turned bright red and he couldn’t even lift his head properly, tugging at his clothes as if begging him to please stop—it was pitiful to see.
“He said he doesn’t want anything. Just show us to a room. There’s a patient here.”
“A patient? What patient?”
“If you have cold medicine, give us some.”
“…Cold medicine? Would we have such a thing?”
“If you don’t have it, go buy it outside.”
Taeyon said as he strode inside.
“Are you giving me an order, Young Master?”
“Yes. Go right now.”
“Huh? Really?”
“Really.”
Matiel, who had thought talking about cold medicine for a full-grown adult was a joke, gestured to his attendant in confusion. Even if they didn’t have it in the lord’s manor, they would sell children’s cold medicine if they went out into the city.
And while guiding Taeyon, he chattered on. Piyod also followed along behind them.
“The room… I heard the message sent from the castle gate and prepared one room, but I should prepare one more, right?”
“…No. Please prepare one room with two beds.”
“You’re going to nurse him yourself?”
“Yes.”
“Hmm… Alright. I understand for now.”
When Matiel gestured to another attendant, he ran off with quiet steps. He went to prepare a room with two beds. Since it was a guest room in the lord’s manor, it would be basically clean and fully furnished, but there wouldn’t be things needed for a patient.
And considering Taeyon’s status, it would be difficult to provide bedding prepared for just any guest.
