Volume 6 Chapter 17 Mysterious Swordsman
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Mina,” Klock called.
”What is it?” she asked.
”Are you being bullied?”
Klock and Mina shared a rough roasted bird, idly passing the time in their room.
As he gazed at the sunset through the insect-riddled lattice window, he voiced a sudden thought. Mina’s face flickered with strong unease for just a moment.
”W-why? That’s not true, right?” she stammered.
He recalled Roko’s earlier words about Mina being discriminated against.
On the way home, she had been mostly silent, her energy noticeably drained. She had been with the merchant’s daughter──perhaps something had been said.
”Geez, you worry too much! I know you can’t help but be concerned about Mī, but still…”
”…Idiot,” he muttered, smiling wryly at her forced cheerfulness.
Should he find her inability to lie endearing?
Her words were confident, yet her fidgeting suggested she needed to work on her nervous habits.
At the shop, she was bullied by her seniors, and elsewhere, she faced discrimination as a cat Beastkin.
Even after being freed, her social skills were lacking. Mina would always be Mina, the archetype of someone who gets taken advantage of.
With her physical abilities, it was a shame she remained so unfortunate.
”…Come here for a second,” he said.
When he called, she tilted her head and crawled over on all 4s.
He reached out, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close.
As he held her against his chest, she curled up and settled down.
Her cat ears brushed against his chin, tickling him.
…Time to sort out the situation.
He couldn’t ignore the state of this country. Still, he couldn’t return to the Human Continent.
He needed to regroup with Suzette and devise a plan. He wanted to head to Boorinel quickly, but…
He briefly thought of the merchant and his daughter.
While city merchants often had a greedy, desolate impression, rural ones might be surprisingly resilient.
He sensed they weren’t the kind of people he wanted to get too close to. If he let his guard down, they might drain him dry──similar to the treacherous Boit.
As for the carriage, he was uncertain about what to do.
The carriage offered stable travel speed and made transporting large loads easier. Without it, he would have to walk while carrying everything, limiting what he could take.
It would also significantly impact his ability to respond to sudden battles with native creatures. In the Beast Continent, having a carriage for long journeys was almost essential.
But he wouldn’t be doomed without one.
He could manage without it──if he weren’t alone.
”Mina,” he called again.
”Hmm?” she replied.
”I’m going to make you my woman, okay?”
He paused, unnecessarily confirming his intentions.
”Eh? U-um. I’m Sir Klock’s woman, right?”
Caught off guard, she hesitated before affirming his statement.
Her tail, which had been swaying gently, curled up to hide between her legs.
”Then how about this: tonight, let’s leave this house and head out of the village?”
It might seem sudden, but he spoke to her with utmost seriousness.
Below is the glossary:
メイナ → Mina
街 → town/street (街)
町 → town (町)
”Mī… why? Are you really coming along?” Mina asked, her voice tinged with uncertainty. “I mean, that’s fine, but what about RosRos?”
”I don’t need her,” Klock replied dismissively. “She doesn’t like you anyway. So it’s fine. As long as Mina is here, we’ll manage without a carriage.”
If he wanted to ride in a carriage, he’d need to forge friendships with those people.
However, that would undoubtedly strain his relationship with Mina.
Mina had introduced him to that merchant through someone else.
She probably had no ulterior motives──just genuine goodwill toward Klock, who sought a carriage.
But the merchant would surely keep Mina and the other girls at a distance. Given Mina’s personality, she would likely fade away quietly.
He didn’t want that to happen.
It was unthinkable to let her go just for a carriage.
He had many thoughts swirling in his mind, but… well, he’d take her along. She smelled just like those unfortunate souls he often saw in the slums──dying for trivial reasons.
When he met Suzette, he’d figure it out then.
He turned his gaze outside, lost in thought.
Suddenly, his view was blocked by cat ears.
Mina, who seemed to have gotten up, was staring at Klock with sparkling eyes.
She was blindingly bright. He had simply chosen the more convenient option.
Rolling over to turn his back on her gaze and feelings, Mina pressed against him from behind.
It was too itchy. Klock’s spirit felt too weary to handle the emotions of a young girl.
”Mī, I’m so loved by Sir Klock that it’s a bit much,” she teased, her voice playful.
”Shut up, or I’ll take you down,” he growled.
After that, she had the audacity to smile smugly, provoking him, so he pinned her down and had his way with her.
* * *
”It feels like we’re running away in the night,” Klock remarked.
”It’s kind of like that,” Mina agreed.
After devouring some slightly sour fruit, he busied himself with washing up and shopping for their journey, then waited until midnight to rest.
Mina hesitated to leave the place she had finally secured, but ultimately decided to abandon it. Perhaps she weighed her feelings of regret against her current situation.
He decided to leave the dog sisters, Roko and Clea, behind.
There were things better left unknown. He thought about at least saying goodbye, but it was more convenient for them to be confused.
In truth, he had no idea how the merchants would react. They might make a strong move, and it was better if no one knew Klock and the others were gone.
”But Sir Klock, is this really okay? We don’t have a carriage, and RosRos is a beauty…” Mina questioned, her concern evident.
”It’s just average,” Klock replied nonchalantly. “It’s fine, really. More importantly, do we have everything we need?”
As they left, Klock bid farewell to the dilapidated house where Mina had stayed for several months.
In that moment, she showed a slightly sad expression, so he grabbed her by the waist, diverting her attention and lightening their steps as they set off together.
Ah, this feeling reminds me of something.
Yes, it was back then──when they escaped from the adventurer’s town.
Below is the glossary:
Mina → Mina
* * *
”It was kind of a night escape when we left the Royal Capital,” Klock said. “But this time, I’m just the merchandise.”
They had always been pursued over there.
A hero with a grudge against Klock. A young knight wanting to capture Klock out of duty. An adventurer hoping to reclaim her money from Klock. An apprentice magic user eager to catch Klock for glory.
Compared to that time, today’s departure felt remarkably relaxed.
After all, they weren’t being chased. The escape from the Human Continent had been life-threatening, but now they were merely brushing aside unnecessary obstacles.
So, I’m the merchandise, huh?
In a country without men, there was only him, the few men available. It felt ridiculous.
On the Human Continent, Adelina had been a commodity.
Though she was frail, she had a fairly attractive appearance, and as a slave, she would have fetched a decent price if sold.
But here, her value flipped.
With her slender arms providing little labor, she was worthless, while Klock had become a valuable asset.
If they had stayed one more day, the Village Head might have tried to contact them, plotting to keep them in the village. If they were found by bandits, they could be kidnapped in an instant.
He might seem like a 30-something old man, but that was the reality on this continent.
”…Bye-bye,” Mina whispered.
They slipped through what could hardly be called the village gate.
She glanced back and murmured softly.
Did she have enough sentiment to feel nostalgic? Or was it meant for the friendly dog sisters?
Just as the mood darkened, Mina quickly clung to his arm.
Her bright eyes turned toward Klock.
From here on, it seemed they would be relying on Klock.
Becoming like a stray cat, abandoned and without a home, it was perhaps the fate of a lonely woman to depend on a man the moment she found one.
Klock’s partner──a knife──had once belonged to a woman like that.
”If monsters come, leave it to me,” Mina said.
”Sure. I’m counting on you,” Klock replied.
She had enough strength to knock a wolf away. While not as powerful as Suzette, she was still a reliable ally.
Originally, Klock had planned to rely heavily on a treasured barrier item, but with its loss, his current combat power had plummeted. He hoped she would do her best.
No, that’s not right. Remembering it made him want to mourn.
”Ugh, why did I lose it? I had finally charged it with magic and was testing how much I could use…”
”Hey, wait a second,” Mina interrupted.
”Watch out for lost items.”
As he sank into disappointment, Mina suddenly tugged at his sleeve.
The way she pulled was reminiscent of the reserved Adelina, making him sigh at how much he had lost in relationships.
”…There might be something,” she said quietly.
”…Huh?”
Mina lowered her voice.
Her tail stood straight up, and her cat ears perked up, keenly gathering information.
They had just passed through the village entrance. The surroundings were pitch dark, and the nearby mountain forest exuded an unsettling aura.
”…Monsters?” he murmured.
Mina didn’t respond.
She was focused on her surroundings, moving with a wild animal’s instinct.
Animals generally avoid human dwellings.
Notes:
• Mina – She is a golden-haired catgirl employee of the beastman (Larana the cat woman) Inn, appeared performing fellatio, desperate and tear-streaked, with an inexperienced yet earnest approach to her work.
• Roko – An older dog beastkin sister who Klock previously paid for s*x.
• Boorinel – A town east of Ryzan, where Lord Cattleya’s manor is located; said to be a long journey from Ryzan.
• Suzette – The older maid from Viscount Fennec. The head maid at the Viscount Fennec’s villa. She is confident, clear-spoken, and professional.
• Boit – A merchant involved in human trafficking, with a villainous face and a loud, obnoxious voice. He is pragmatic and willing to help Klock escape the country in exchange for something. His relationship with Klock is business-like, though both are aware of each other’s illicit activities.
• Clea – younger dog beastkin sister who also serviced Klock previously.
• Adelina – The slave girl.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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