Volume 6 Chapter 18 A Bad Feeling
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Is it still painful?” she asked gently.
”…No… I’m fine,” he replied, shifting his weight carefully.
Darkness swallowed the Mountainwood.
Her eyes had grown used to the gloom, enough to catch bumps and irregularities in the ground. But beyond that, the forest remained a blur of shadows.
There wasn’t even moonlight to guide them. The moon, that quiet guardian of the night, was tucked behind the clouds—perhaps out of shyness. If so, she thought dryly, she’d like to give it a good smack.
”What’s your name?” he asked, voice quiet in the dark.
”…Call me swordswoman,” she said flatly.
It wasn’t brusque, exactly.
Cold? No—just flat, distant.
Despite calling herself a swordswoman, she was the one who had used healing magic.
His arm, crushed beyond usefulness moments ago, now moved with only a faint stiffness. It was thanks to her outstretched hand, and the cool indifference in the way she gave aid—like tossing a cloak over someone in the rain.
”Thank you so much!” Mina said brightly, rushing over.
”Don’t mention it,” the swordswoman replied.
Mina’s steps were light; she bore no wounds. She’d been saved in the earlier battle, but by her account, it ended in seconds.
From what Klock had seen, that wasn’t surprising.
This swordswoman… she was terrifyingly strong.
No—strong didn’t begin to cover it.
He hadn’t even seen her move.
One moment, the enemy stood. The next, they collapsed without a sound.
Even recalling it gave him a cold shiver. He shook his head.
The death of animals he could handle.
But human death—
That never stopped being terrifying. It clawed at something deeper.
”I never thought I’d be treated so harshly just for being a man… I’m sorry, and thank you,” he muttered.
”Mmh.”
She didn’t turn. Her attention remained elsewhere.
She seemed uninterested in why he’d been chased, even as he offered a brief explanation.
That was fine with him.
Their paths had crossed by chance—no need for deeper involvement.
He adjusted their heading northeast.
They had veered too far during the escape. Without a proper sense of the land, it was a pain, but not irrecoverable.
”Really, thank you. I’m sorry I can’t offer a proper reward,” he said.
”Thank you, traveler swordswoman!” Mina chimed in with a cheerful bow.
She gave a small nod, as if brushing off the gratitude.
To someone of her strength, this kind of help was likely routine.
That was a relief—some people demanded performances of thanks.
They moved on.
There wasn’t even a trail, but they began descending the forest’s slope.
”…Swordswoman?” Mina called, glancing over her shoulder.
”…I’ll follow,” the swordswoman replied, appearing behind them like a shadow.
”…Ah, could it be that something’s troubling you? If there’s anything we can do, well, as a token of gratitude—” Mina offered.
”Not really. I’ll just keep an eye on you a little longer. Just in case.”
Her words were cool, edged with vague concern.
Maybe she thought more danger might be coming.
Still, her emotionless tone and thoughtful actions didn’t quite match. She was difficult to read.
Is she suspicious of me? Klock wondered.
Did she catch that I was trying to create some distance?
Being helped was one thing—but having someone that powerful near was unsettling.
You never knew when such strength might turn on you.
A bit of strength was manageable. But overwhelming power? That was like walking next to a lion.
This world wasn’t full of kind people.
There’s nothing more expensive than something free.
And those who help without expecting anything… those are the ones to watch.
The attackers from earlier—almost certainly from the village.
Even if some survived, they wouldn’t likely pursue them after such a crushing loss.
So there was no need for the swordswoman to stay.
Still, she had saved them.
He couldn’t just tell her to leave, not in front of Mina.
Something about this…
Something gnawed at him.
”Is it okay? Thank you, swordswoman big sister! Where are you planning to go?” Mina asked cheerfully.
”Boorinel,” she answered.
Same destination.
Mina’s eyes lit up. “Then it’s the same as us, Mī!” she said, tail wagging.
Something about that made Klock uneasy.
Intuition like this was rarely wrong.
Please don’t be dangerous, he thought.
Her tone was curt, but her actions were kind.
She helped, healed, and offered to stay.
So far, nothing screamed “enemy.”
Mina seemed to sense that too—she already acted as though they’d known her for days.
* * *
”…Is something wrong?” the swordswoman asked.
”…No, it’s nothing. So, um… is it okay if we stick together for a little while?” Klock asked.
”Yeah. Nice to meet you, Klock,” she said.
Mina beamed beside her, tail flicking with joy.
She clearly liked the swordswoman, gazing at her with open curiosity.
”Hey, hey. Are you a Human? Demonkin?” Mina asked.
”…Human,” she answered after a pause.
Mina sniffed discreetly.
It was said Beastkin could tell race by scent.
So, not Beastkin—meaning she must be something else.
A Human woman this deep in the wilderness…
Klock had never seen that before.
”What are you going to Boorinel for? Sightseeing?” Mina asked.
”Just a stop during the journey,” she said.
Mina twirled beside her, eyes glittering.
No trace of unease from the earlier bloodshed.
Was she used to this?
Beastkin grew up in lands unknown to Klock—and some, like Mina, must have seen a lot.
Klock walked ahead, with Mina and the swordswoman behind him.
Odd—he, the weakest, took point.
Tree roots snagged his feet in the dark.
When he looked back, Mina danced through the underbrush, and the swordswoman cleared obstacles with elegant ease.
Both seemed entirely unbothered.
”Sir Klock, what will we do tonight?” Mina asked.
The moon peeked through the clouds at last, painting the forest silver.
Still, the air remained damp. Heavy.
It wasn’t a place anyone would choose to linger.
But they had to stop eventually.
”We need to find a place to rest,” he said. “Serious movement can wait until daylight.”
Night belonged to the beasts.
Wandering too far might land them in some creature’s den.
Yet the area was ill-suited for camp.
The trees were wet—hard to burn.
No fire meant no protection.
Even the ground was soaked.
Ideally, they needed to push past the swampy zone.
”I have a portable cottage. If there is an open space, I can set it up,” the swordswoman said, calmly.
Klock blinked.
Mina turned to him. They exchanged puzzled glances.
”…A portable cottage?” he asked.
Mina looked back at her. “What’s that?”
If she’d said tent, it would’ve made sense.
But she had nothing—no bag, no supplies. Just a sword at her hip.
Now that he thought about it…
She didn’t even seem like she’d packed for a journey.
* * *
”…What is this?”
After walking a little further, they find a somewhat open area.
There, she takes something out from her pocket.
Watching her with a furrowed brow, suddenly──a house appears.
”Wowww!! …What is this?!”
A voice of sheer astonishment rises, and though the swordswoman’s face is invisible, a sense of triumph seems to emanate from her.
Though her face cannot be seen at all, she is likely quite young. Even a composed warrior might have puffed up with pride at Mina’s reaction.
”This is a portable house. It’s like my… inn. We can stay here tonight.”
”…A portable house, you say?”
Mina let out a genuine voice of admiration at her words, but Klock involuntarily looked at her and the house twice.
A portable house. I’ve never heard of such a thing. Where on earth do they sell something like that? The principle is unclear, but it is clearly a product of advanced technology. At the very least, it should be something that an ordinary person could never obtain.
However, Klock knows one person who caused this phenomenon, or rather, the owner of the portable house.
Tiet had that house, which she called the binding house, right?
It’s not for living; it’s for the purpose of confinement.
…Who is this woman?
According to Tiet, that house used to confine Klock was apparently made by Hermine, a magic user from the same hero party.
A living legend. The being closest to a sage. This swordswoman possesses something created by such a genius.
No matter how you think about it, this is not normal.
”…What’s wrong?”
”No… it’s nothing…”
A bad feeling is bubbling up.
He can feel cold sweat running down his back.
His breathing is becoming ragged, and he consciously tries to hide it from her.
If it were Brave Knight’s member, he would undoubtedly be dead or captured by now. With this guy’s strength, it should be a piece of cake.
Then, are they involved? Or is this something that can be achieved even without those guys…?
Ignoring Klock’s anxiety, Mina happily ran over.
When she opened the door, she let out another voice of admiration.
The swordswoman urged her, and she entered the house.
Watching her carefree demeanor, Klock hesitated, and the swordswoman turned to him.
”…I understand your anxiety and thoughts. You’re scared of me, right? But I don’t particularly like killing people. I acted because I thought you were in danger. I swung my sword to help you. Just know that.”
The swordswoman stood her ground, neither closing in nor backing away, and spoke directly to Klock.
The seed of anxiety isn’t on that side, but hearing that could lead to some understanding. She must have had experiences where she was feared after helping someone. Otherwise, those words wouldn’t have come out now.
”…No, I’m sorry. I was out of line. You are definitely a benefactor. I’m sorry for making you worry.”
”No, your reaction is completely natural; it’s understandable. But I’m glad you’re a reasonable person.”
The swordswoman muttered softly, “I don’t like being stoned.”
He couldn’t help but force a wry smile. With that much said, he certainly couldn’t refuse. Even Klock felt some gratitude, and he didn’t want to repay it with anything cruel.
Given that Meiina had been acting like that from the start, it wasn’t like he could say goodbye now. For the time being, he would have to observe the situation.
Well, it would be fine as long as she keep quiet about being Klock Livorno.
At worst, even if they know some acquaintances, as long as her true identity isn’t exposed, it should work out somehow.
Scratching his head and letting out a light sigh, he reluctantly gave in, following her lead toward the mysterious house.
She had called it a simple cottage, but it was actually a beautifully built stone mansion. At first glance, it was a 2-story building, only slightly large in scale, but it could easily be accepted as a noble’s villa.
He opened the door. The sight of what looked like a luxury inn greeted him.
* * *
”Hey, hey! Where do Mī and the others sleep?” Mina asked, bounding inside.
”Use the first floor,” the swordswoman replied. “The second floor is mine. Please don’t go up there.”
Mina promptly flopped down on the carpet near the entrance, sighing with delight.
Klock raised an eyebrow—until he noticed the plush carpet beneath her, the shining crystal lights in the ceiling, and the way the house looked like a noble’s villa.
”…No way. Are you super rich?” he asked, stunned.
”…? Yeah, I think I have quite a bit of money,” she said simply.
Her tone wasn’t boastful—just factual. Probably, she came from nobility.
”…That hood,” Klock said cautiously.
”Yeah. I’m hiding it. Don’t ask.”
Even with the lights on, her face remained hidden. Some kind of magic cloaked her features.
”I bet you’re absolutely beautiful, sis. What a waste!” Mina chirped, peering up at her.
The swordswoman didn’t respond. Only silence.
Maybe a scar? Maybe hiding from pursuers?
Klock couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. From the moment he met her—something had been whispering in the back of his mind.
He stifled a yawn.
”Hmm. Use whichever room you like. It’s late. Get some rest,” the swordswoman said gently.
”Yeah, thanks. I won’t forget this,” he replied.
From within her hood, he thought he heard the faintest laugh—but it could’ve been his imagination.
As she ascended the stairs, he and Mina exchanged glances.
”…Could she be from the Human Continent?” he murmured.
”Maybe the daughter of a noble or merchant,” Mina guessed. “She’s got that air about her.”
She had money. Power. And generosity.
Not just letting them inside—but offering them safety. Luxuries beyond a normal person’s grasp.
”…Well, it’s fine. For now, let’s just sleep. We can think about everything tomorrow,” Klock said with a sigh.
”Yeah, that sounds good. …Hey, hey, Mī, I’m sweaty. I want to wipe down before bed.”
”Huh? Do as you like—” he started, before she playfully handed him a towel.
Her smirk said everything. A teasing gaze, bold and mischievous.
Still, this wasn’t their home, and Klock had no desire to overstep. He took the towel, gently helped her wipe the sweat away, and sat with her on the bed.
A small kitten curled up between them, purring softly.
She leaned against him, clinging—not out of seduction, but vulnerability. They had both just escaped death, after all. Closeness was comforting.
He sighed again, letting the tension drain from his shoulders.
The bed was luxuriously soft—possibly finer than any high-end inn he’d visited.
Mina shifted beside him under the covers, nestling closer. He draped a blanket over her, brushing her hair back as her eyes fluttered closed.
”Just sleep, okay?”
”…Okay.”
Whatever tension lingered between them melted under the weight of fatigue. Nothing more needed to be said.
Eventually, her breathing evened out.
Klock stared at the ceiling for a long moment. The anxiety from earlier still whispered—but in this moment, it all felt distant.
Maybe it was the comfort of the bed. Or maybe Mina’s warmth.
He closed his eyes, hoping for peace—if only for one night.
* * *
Sometime in the night…
He felt a touch—faint and fleeting.
Someone…?
But thought dissolved like mist.
* * *
FLASHBACK – Years Earlier
”Ah… Ah—”
Bright crimson spilled across the stone.
A man collapsed. Red seeped from his skull into the dirt below.
”No—no, no, what am I doing—what have I done?!”
Klock’s hands trembled.
He dropped the shovel, stared at the smudged blood on his fingers—at the torn calluses. These weren’t the hands of nobility. These were the hands of a criminal.
The sensation would never leave him. It was burned into his skin.
”I… I have to run—I have to get away—!”
He turned and bolted, breath ragged, heart threatening to burst, fleeing the Amadei estate beneath a shroud of stars.
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.
• Boorinel – A town east of Ryzan, where Lord Cattleya’s manor is located; said to be a long journey from Ryzan.
• Tiet – A companion and friend of Anna. A holy knight from the royal capital. She wears light armor and carries a shield adorned with a dragon holding a sword, indicating her affiliation with the National Military Police. She is concerned about Anna’s well-being and tries to support her emotionally.
• Hermine – Daughter of the Emperor of the Second Empire of Dusselhelm. A companion and friend of Anna. The mage. She is pragmatic and encourages Anna to focus on her duties as a hero rather than her personal revenge.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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