Volume 8 Chapter 38 The Horn That Calls the Storm ◇
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Something wrong?”
”You came at just the right time. Looks like there’s a town nearby.”
”…A town?”
They were just about to set off again when Cianie, apparently back from scouting, leaned close to Suzette.
By their side stood the old guide from Polet Village.
”Wasn’t there nothing until Conro?”
”That’s right. I’ve never heard of a town in a place like this.”
”But I’m certain of what I saw. It was definitely a town. Not that large, though.”
The old man’s face wrinkled even deeper.
A town in an unexpected place—yet the locals had never heard of it. That was strange.
It wasn’t the existence of a town itself, but the fact that the people here had no knowledge of it.
”…Could it be a hastily built town?”
”Can you even build a town that fast?”
Houses could be raised instantly with earth magic.
But the scale of a whole town was another matter.
To create a settlement that could house a thousand, you’d need to gather a large number of magicians capable of building houses with magic. That would amount to a national-scale project.
Which nation would do something so senseless here of all places?
”Normally it’s impossible. But the distance from Polet Village is only two or three days on foot. If it had been there all along, it’s hard to believe no one ever noticed.”
”Then the only natural conclusion is—it was built while no one knew.”
Everyone exchanged puzzled looks.
Not normal.
And not something they could simply ignore.
”You didn’t actually go inside, did you? No strange signs, no suspicious atmosphere?”
”There was. An unusual flow of magic power in the air.”
”Magic power?”
”I thought it might be some kind of barrier (防御結界, protective ward), so I stayed out.”
Smart move.
If it had been a detection barrier, approaching carelessly would have only drawn unwanted attention.
For now, no action had been taken. Options still remained.
”What do we do?”
”We can’t ignore it. We’ve already fought off a swarm of monsters. That was likely just a vanguard unit probing our strength. And we can’t assume this town is a safe human settlement.”
”You mean the place Lady Cianie found might not even be human?”
”Even if it is, we still have to check. Our goal is to gather more forces before facing the Demon Lord’s Army. Passing up the chance to recruit would be foolish.”
Klock and the others were moving southwest along the Brest Mountains.
Geographically, they were likely crossing from Jeil into Diva, right at the border.
Diva was a land surrounded on all sides—Jeil to the north, Eger northeast, Sophia south, Shuatay and Mostal southwest, and Yelena of the Empire to the west.
It was a crossroads with many entry points.
Meeting enemies here didn’t prove the land was already lost. No one knew what route the invaders had taken.
But the possibility remained. Until they went themselves, no judgment could be made.
”Cianie, how far to that town?”
”Southwest from here. Maybe half a day’s travel.”
”On the road to Conro? Too close. If we veer southeast now, that’ll be risky.”
Conro was supposed to be only a short distance away.
A large detour now would mean a costly delay. Better to move straight forward.
”Too close is bad?”
”We’re an armed group. Even if small, when a military force approaches, normal reaction is to raise the alarm. They might have already noticed us and are preparing for battle. In that case, trying to just march past without interaction is dangerous. They could assume we’re enemies and strike from behind.”
No army greets strangers politely.
If you approached and ignored contact, you’d be seen as a threat.
”Since we’ve already drawn close without knowing, we’ll have to deal with it.”
”What will you do, Klock?”
”We’ll advance as planned. Once near, we’ll judge whether it’s hostile. If they’re humans, we send an envoy.”
”Finally alone, huh?”
”I told them today would be our last chance to relax.”
Problems kept piling up, one after another.
If they weren’t dealt with, they’d only keep stacking higher.
Klock walked quietly inside the firelit camp.
Trailing close behind was Alice, the rabbit succubus.
Because of the spy issue, they had waited until nightfall to meet in secret.
”Good thing we try it tonight. If it doesn’t work, this plan’s shelved for a while.”
”Why? Because of that town we heard about?”
”Yeah. From tomorrow, anything could happen. Depending on how it turns out, it could even lead to battle. I won’t get another chance to be alone.”
If a fight was possible, a leader could never go without guard.
Most likely Suzette, Meina, or Cianie would stay glued to Klock’s side.
This night would be the last chance to act like he was alone.
”Hm. Maybe the spy hiding among us actually came from that town?”
”Possible. For a scout from a town, it’s a bit far out, but noticing approaching troops and sending a spy is believable. If so, the spy’s human.”
”That’s fine by me. As long as they don’t target Klock, all good!”
It sounded almost like she was on his side.
He forced a crooked smile, looking away.
Bit by bit, Alice felt like a friend. But she was the enemy.
If Kispe gave the order, Alice would turn on Klock without hesitation.
At the edge of the camp, Rachel and Kaitney were already waiting.
He had called them ahead of time.
”Alright then, do your best~”
Alice waved and vanished into the night.
She would remain nearby, keeping watch.
All Klock had to do now was play his part and look naturally alone.
”…What’s the deal?”
”Hey, pretend we’re just taking a walk. Follow me. After that, we split up like nothing happened, and I go solo. Might even lure out a spy.”
”That’s…”
Rachel furrowed her brow.
Kaitney looked uneasy too, but that was no surprise—she’d been that way from the start.
Being called out in the middle of the night probably had her imagining something like this.
”How far are we walking?”
”Not too far—it’d look suspicious. Just enough to slip into the shadows.”
Trees surrounded them.
Since reaching the Brest Mountains, the troop had been marching along the valleys.
It felt like trudging through a shallow forest, and they’d heard the scenery would stay like this all the way to Conro.
”What’s the point of hiding?”
”Hey, just keep me company for a bit, alright?”
”…Knew it was something like that.”
Rachel pouted.
She let out an exaggerated sigh, clearly exasperated.
”Can’t just stand around doing nothing. This way, anyone watching thinks we’re sneaking off for something… private.”
”Yeah, yeah. We’re just here for your convenience, huh?”
Leading them into the shade of the trees, Rachel stepped closer on her own.
She showed no hesitation.
If anything, she seemed almost eager to take the lead.
His pulse quickened with anticipation.
When he faced her, she glanced away for a moment.
It was clear she was just putting on a brave face for her sister’s sake.
”Rachel.”
”I get it, okay?”
Rachel drew near, her breath brushing his skin.
The warmth of her exhale pressed against him.
”Kaitney, come here.”
Rachel’s initiative was likely to shield Kaitney.
But he’d called both sisters because he wanted them both close.
Leaning against a tree, he relaxed, feeling Rachel’s presence nearby.
In that position, he beckoned Kaitney closer and gently pulled her into an embrace.
Slipping a hand under her clothes, he felt soft warmth.
The sensation spread through his palm.
”You’re so soft and not even wearing anything under there?”
”Uh… it got sweaty, so I took it off.”
Water was scarce on the march, reserved for drinking.
Without a river to wash in, she must’ve been self-conscious about the smell and removed it.
She’d anticipated being touched, then. He’d pried into something unnecessary.
While staying close to Rachel, he brushed his lips against Kaitney’s.
Sliding a hand around her back to pull her closer, he stroked Rachel’s hair with the other.
He savored the luxury of being near both sisters.
His eyes flicked to their surroundings.
Twilight spread around them, with firelight from the camp casting faint glows on the trees.
Nothing else was visible.
The only sounds were the faint rustle of leaves and Rachel’s muffled breaths.
”Rachel, come closer.”
He gently pulled her nearer.
He’d meant to keep it brief, but the heat rising in him made him want more intimacy.
”…Hey, can you finish outside? It’s tough dealing with the aftermath otherwise.”
Rachel was drawing a line about how far this could go.
She seemed resigned to the situation itself.
Suzette had said the same thing.
Lingering traces would give them away and make things unpleasant.
When he’d ignored that before, Suzette stopped sharing his bed.
This was a boundary worth respecting.
Rachel adjusted her clothes slightly, leaning against the tree.
With Kaitney watching, she assumed an intimate posture.
Resting a hand on her soft curves, he drew closer.
”Hff, ngh…!!”
A wave of tension enveloped him.
She acted nonchalant, but inside, she seemed wound tight.
”Kaitney.”
He called the younger sister over, brushing her lips again.
Their breaths mingled warmly as he let his fingers sink into her soft warmth.
Spending time with Kaitney, he waited for Rachel’s tension to ease.
Feeling her breaths steady, he closed the distance slowly.
”Nnh, hff, hff…”
Her breaths grew heated.
As she relaxed, she responded, welcoming the closeness.
Pressing closer, she leaned into him in return.
Her usual defiance made this rare compliance all the more striking.
This feeling was something Kaitney couldn’t evoke.
What must Kaitney think, watching her bold sister stifle her voice?
Holding Kaitney close, he compared the warmth of both sisters while lingering in the moment.
Feeling Kaitney’s breath on his shoulder, he relished the intimacy with both women.
”Ngh, nnhh…!!”
At the end, he stepped back, gently pulling Kaitney closer.
Rachel sank to her knees.
The heat meant for her sister was passed to Kaitney.
Forgetting to check their surroundings, he gripped Kaitney’s hair softly.
”Cough, cough!!”
”Hey, you okay, Kaitney? Oi, can’t you be a bit gentler?”
”Oh, my bad, my bad.”
Rachel glared, fuming on her sister’s behalf.
She tugged him away from Kaitney.
Then, kneeling before him, she drew closer again.
”Whoa, that’s intense…”
Her angry expression didn’t falter as she pressed close.
He’d thought it was over after one round, but she came forward on her own.
This wasn’t just a courtesy.
She moved with purpose, seeking intimacy again.
That night of intense questioning must’ve left an impression.
She probably figured it’d go on for a second or third round.
He’d been close with the older sister. She must’ve thought the younger was next.
Rachel often tried to shield Kaitney.
To spare her sister, she’d taken the initiative again.
He let her take the lead.
He could’ve stopped after one round, but with Rachel coming forward willingly, he wanted to keep going.
Looking down at her effort, he savored Kaitney’s warmth again.
The night air felt chilly.
Kaitney’s body heat and Rachel’s warm breaths stood out sharply.
Even at the peak, he said nothing.
He surrendered to her silently.
Rachel’s eyes widened, locking onto Klock, but she didn’t pull away.
With a muffled sound, she gripped his clothes tightly.
Oh, right—Alice was watching.
He’d completely forgotten.
Looking up at the night sky, holding Kaitney’s warmth, and lingering with Rachel, he suddenly remembered another woman’s presence.
Today was the final day of the decoy plan, after all. He hadn’t come out here just to sneak off with the village sisters.
”Ugh… smells kinda rank…”
”Smelling like that keeps other guys away, doesn’t it?”
”Some might come closer because of it.”
”Then just say you’re mine.”
”…Say what you want, but don’t blame me if the Hero comes after you later.”
Not a lover, not even close. Still, she had finished him off, and this time he closed his trousers to signal the end.
Enough was enough. He reminded himself why he was here—this was supposed to be bait, not indulgence.
If something struck from behind while he was distracted, it wouldn’t be a joke.
Still, he stroked Rachel’s head afterward, a perfunctory gesture of aftercare. She didn’t protest. She glared at him, sharp and resentful, but nothing more.
If she’d been alone, she would have spit venom. No doubt about that. But with Kaitney present, Rachel bore the role of keeping her younger sister at a distance.
So then. Would the prey actually come?
”Head back first. I’ll return after a while.”
He made the dismissal sound deliberate, sending the sisters away. Alone now, he walked further into the dark grove as if simply passing the time.
Dry ground crunched beneath his boots. Fallen leaves scraped against each other.
Above stretched a star-strewn sky, silver dust on black velvet.
Cold air brushed his skin. Silence wrapped the forest. His own footsteps were the only sound.
He pretended to enjoy the scenery, all the while signaling: Here I am, defenseless prey.
His eyes flicked left, right, scanning.
Nothing happened. Nothing strange stirred.
Oi. Over here.
The fool who played with girls instead of standing guard is walking alone. Come finish the job already.
He glanced back.
Far off, between the trees, rabbit ears peeked out. Too obvious. Her ears were simply too long to hide.
Alice was still nearby, watching as planned.
He had even shown her a shameless act, to make his solitude more convincing. But if that backfired—if she suddenly pounced—that would be ridiculous.
The night grew colder, biting through his clothes. A sigh misted faintly; not yet white, thankfully. He checked his weapons again.
No problem with the plan itself.
But truth was, Klock had left openings plenty of times before. If someone truly wanted him dead or abducted, they would have struck already.
Maybe he wasn’t being targeted at all.
If so, standing out here in the cold was nothing but wasted time.
”Fine. Enough. I’m going back—”
Then, a sound. A heavy snort, like a horse’s breath.
”…Huh?”
He turned. From the ground, horns rose. Branching antlers, like a tree sprouting upward.
At first glance they could have been wood. But the pressure radiating from them shattered any illusion.
Weight bore down on him, a crushing presence.
He remembered dragons he had faced—creatures that treated humans as ants beneath their feet.
The same sense of overwhelming dread.
”You’ve got to be kidding—”
From shadow, the form climbed into being. Hooves struck the earth.
The figure emerged fully: a body two sizes larger than a man, shaking its neck, looming high.
”…Nobody said it wasn’t human.”
What stood before him was a deer. A monstrous deer.
Its eyes shifted, fixing on him with a glare.
Slowly, it advanced.
”Ha! Got you now, spy! Prepare yourself—!”
Alice burst from cover, bounding forward without hesitation.
For a moment Klock was impressed. Then the deer reacted—instantly.
Its killing intent locked onto the rabbit girl.
”…Eh?”
She froze. Tiny frame against the towering beast.
She stared upward like prey before a predator, limbs stiff with shock.
”You idiot—move!”
But she just stood there, stunned.
And the deer gave no mercy. It lowered its antlers and charged.
It wasn’t Klock who was targeted—it was Alice.
”Damn it—!”
”Kyaa?!”
Klock swung his knife. The black blade carved a crescent in the dark.
Steel clashed with antler, sparks bursting.
The beast lifted its head, momentarily stalled.
In that instant Klock lunged, catching Alice up in his arms. She was heavier with that oversized axe strapped to her, but he hauled her anyway, spun on his heel, and ran.
”This isn’t bait, this is suicide! Nobody said anything about that thing showing up!”
”Alice didn’t know either! What is that thing?!”
He carried her on his shoulder, sprinting hard. Behind, hooves thundered.
The monster deer gave chase, its speed monstrous. Within moments, it was right behind them.
”Not good! Not good at all—!”
It wasn’t catching up—it already had.
Hot breath rasped at his side, like a wolf’s growl.
So deer, when massive enough, growled like devils.
But it hadn’t struck yet. Was it testing them? Measuring prey before the kill?
Escape felt impossible.
Then a voice, flat, devoid of any rise or fall:
”Leave Klock.”
It was her voice. Calm, natural. Yet it fell with the weight of the ocean itself.
Had he not known who spoke, the sheer heaviness would have crushed him to his knees.
A sharp crack followed, like stone shattering.
Gray hair whipped the air. Leaves blasted outward.
An irregular blade struck down. Sparks burst against the deer’s antlers.
”…What?”
It wasn’t his cry.
It was hers—Cianie’s. She had sensed the monster and arrived in an instant.
But the sword did not cut.
That was the shock.
A beast’s antlers—yet they had stopped the Hero’s blade.
”…Stormhorn?”
Her murmur lasted only a heartbeat.
Then the deer leapt back, massive body soaring.
Klock braced for another strike—
But the monster was sinking. Its body slid down, vanishing into the ground itself.
Cianie stepped forward, about to give chase.
Notes:
• Suzette – The older maid from Viscount Fennec. The head maid at the Viscount Fennec’s villa. She is confident, clear-spoken, and professional.
• Cianie – A noble girl with a fluffy white and light blue dress, indicating her high status. She has a hesitant and flustered personality but is kind and courteous. Her relationship with Klock begins as an accidental encounter and develops into a romantic interest. She has a fiancé but expresses feelings for Klock, complicating their relationship.
• Alice – Rabbitkin adventurer; appears at the same Barreith gathering, playful and mischievous, interacts with Klock, part of recruited volunteers
• Meina – 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.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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