Monster no Goshujin-sama - Volume 7 - Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Mystified

Three days quickly passed after we left Diospyro. We’d arrived at the entrance to the path leading into the Kitrus Mountains the previous night, about half a day ahead of schedule. Today, we proceeded down the path itself.

We were ahead because we’d picked up the pace for the last two days. There was a reason we had to. Berta, with whom we’d planned to rendezvous with yesterday, was nowhere to be seen. Was there some sort of trouble brewing?

Worried, I’d sped us up, albeit not to an extent that it pushed Katou and Kei too hard. However, after we entered the mountains, we had no choice but to slow down. A thick fog dominated the entire path.

“I can barely see in front of us,” Katou muttered, riding on Rose’s back. Our visibility was so poor that we’d decided it would be safer for Katou to do so in the event that we came across a monster. “It’s like we’re walking through the clouds.”

“Yeah. We were warned about this before, but I didn’t think it’d be this bad...” I groaned bitterly.

Back when we were still in imperial territory, before we’d entered the Kitrus Mountains, a village chief had warned us about a special mist that covered the mountain path every once in a while. The roads here were in total disrepair, so with such a thick mist obscuring our vision, a wrong step could send us tumbling down a slope. We had to be extra careful.

The fog got denser and denser as we went on. It wasn’t really a problem as long as we were being cautious, but I was getting impatient thanks to the current situation. I wanted to confirm that the other group was safe as soon as possible.

“Senpai, should we take a short break?” Katou said, unable to watch my growing irritation. “We’ve been walking since the morning. I’m sure everyone is tired. Besides...I think it’d be best if you unwind a bit.”

I considered this for a moment, then agreed. I knew I was starting to panic, so I obediently accepted her suggestion. I found a slightly open area, sat down, and pulled a water canteen from the pouch hanging at my waist.

Rose had made both items using her imitation runestones. The pouch was a replication of a magic bag, one with increased carrying capacity and preservative effects. Recently, Rose had managed to replicate water, fire, earth, and wind runestones. The canteen used an imitation runestone to create water by pouring mana into it.

After we all got some rest, and those of us who needed it had quenched their thirst and chewed on some dried meat, Kei suddenly spoke up.

“Is something wrong, Shiran?” she asked.

Shiran’s brows were knit together, and she seemed deep in thought. “I feel like I’m forgetting something...”

“Forgetting what?”

“I’ve heard of this situation before...”

Shiran’s blue eyes suddenly shot open. She turned to the spirit who was always by her side. Normally, it casually floated about, but now its ball-like body spun around. The atmosphere suddenly felt tense.

“An enemy?” I asked.

The spirit could detect enemies. Seeing it react, we all reached for our weapons, except Shiran, who knew of this incoming presence before any of us could. Instead, she raised her arm.

“No... It doesn’t seem to be an enemy.”

She pointed at a shadow coming through the veil of mist. By the time we turned to face it, the shadow had jumped back to where it came from. Because of the thick fog, I’d only seen its silhouette. It looked like a four-legged animal.

“A dog...?” I guessed.

“No, Takahiro. That was no dog,” Shiran said. Since she’d noticed the presence first, she’d also had time to identify it. “That was Berta.”

“What?! Really?!”

We were supposed to rendezvous with her yesterday, so my voice went shrill at the news.

“She probably went to call the others,” Shiran replied with a relieved smile. “She didn’t appear to be injured.”

We immediately realized that Shiran was right. As we walked toward where Berta had vanished, another presence closed in on us. This shadow was much smaller and came bolting toward me. We knew right away that this was our cute little blowfox.

“Ayame!”

“Kuu!”

I caught the jumping fox in my arms.

“Ayame! You’re okay?!”

“Kuu?”

After watching her paddle her legs in the air to get to me, I felt a little bad for raising her up to eye level and inspecting her from the tip of her nose to the end of her tail. She didn’t have any injuries, and she showed no signs of being stressed out. Her cute eyes were simply filled with the joy of reuniting with me. After I confirmed she was okay, I finally hugged her tiny body against mine.

“Good... So nothing happened.”

I felt reassured as Ayame lapped at my cheek.

“Thank goodness, right, Senpai?” Katou said with a smile, still riding on Rose’s back.

I returned her smile. I was relieved from the bottom of my heart.

“Yeah. Now that we’ve reunited, everything is—”

I stopped in the middle of talking and grimaced.

“Master? Is something wrong?” Rose asked curiously.

“Did anyone else find that conversation strange just now?” I asked, turning toward her.

“What do you mean?”

“I don’t know. I can’t really put it into words...”

Something about my conversation with Shiran felt out of place. What was it? I searched my mind for a few seconds, but I couldn’t come up with anything. Perhaps it would’ve been better to just ignore it and assume it was my imagination, but I couldn’t. It was like something was blurring my thoughts, much like this fog was blurring my vision.

Having sensed these feelings through the mental path, Rose watched me place a hand to my head. Then she answered my question with a dignified expression.

“I don’t really understand, but it seems you’re worried about something,” she said, walking up to me with Katou still on her back. “It’ll be all right. Even if I must cast away this body, I will definitely protect you, Master.”

It was a sincere and powerful declaration. Her expression was filled with resolve even as she worried about me.

“Rose...”

I recalled when I first came to the Woodlands. Rose had transformed so much compared to when I first met her, yet there were parts of her that hadn’t changed at all. I relaxed my tense muscles and let out a small sigh. I had to remain calm if I was to give the situation any thought. There was nothing to panic about. I had these reliable girls with me, after all.

“Thank you,” I said.

I came back to my senses, and Rose gave me a beaming smile. I jolted and stared at her for a while.

“Master...?”

Rose blinked, looking utterly confused. She exchanged glances with Katou. I knit my brows once more. It really was just as I’d thought.

“Hey, Rose. Somehow, it seems like...”

“Yes? What is it?”

“Aren’t you...cuter than usual today?”

Rose staggered, and Katou screamed.

“Ah?! S-Sorry, Mana.”

Rose had lost her balance and nearly fallen. She immediately hunched forward and thrust her hands against the ground to stabilize herself. The only damage was the dirt on her gloves from touching the damp soil.

“M-Master...?” Rose said in a trembling voice.

“Oh, um, sorry about that.”

I was somewhat shaken myself. Seriously... What was I even saying?

“What are you two doing...?” Shiran asked. She looked astonished as well.

Rose stood back up, and Ayame looked up at me and yipped cutely. Just then, a voice came across the fog.

“My goodness. Running off on her own like that...”

I turned around as a new figure appeared. It was a girl in pure white, her form practically melting into the white mist. Once she spotted us, she burst into the purest of smiles.

“Oooh! My Lord! And everyone else too!”

Her beautiful hair trailed behind her as she ran over to us with a soft pitter patter. Just like Ayame, she didn’t appear to be injured. I sighed in relief, happy to see her familiar figure.

“Thank goodness, you’re safe,” I said.

“Hm? Oh, right. It’s good we’ve reunited safely.”

Gerbera had no idea that we’d been worried about her. She looked at me curiously but then decided it didn’t matter and focused on celebrating our reunion.

“Around ten days, as planned. It honestly felt rather long,” she said.

“I felt the same... Where’s Lily?” I asked.

“She’s waiting for you with the others.”

“I see. That’s good.”

I was genuinely relieved that everyone was confirmed safe.

“Mm. Then let me show you the way. Follow me.”

Gerbera started walking. As she did, Ayame slipped out of my arms and ran ahead of her.

“Ah! Come now, Ayame! Don’t go off on your own!” Gerbera shouted, but Ayame ignored her. The little fox vanished into the fog in an instant. “Good grief...”

Gerbera sighed at Ayame’s childish behavior. It was a pleasant sight. Having been separated from them for a short while, I felt this all the more. After spending the last day worrying about them, this healed my exhausted spirit... Well, it was supposed to. I still felt like something was out of place.

“Hey, Gerbera?”

“Hm?”

Gerbera turned around. Seeing her tall and slender body, I tried to say something but couldn’t.

“No... Never mind.”

One of her elegant brows pricked up, then she smiled.

“Are you tired, My Lord?”

“Yeah, maybe I am...”

I’d been in a hurry ever since yesterday, thinking that something had happened to these girls. Of course I’d be tired. Katou and Kei were fine, so it was pathetic that I was the most exhausted among us. I just hadn’t been able to calm down, so I was more mentally exhausted than I’d expected.

“I see. If that’s the case, then maybe you should take it easy for today,” Gerbera said.

“I’ll do that.”

We couldn’t move until Rose constructed a new manamobile, anyway. We needed it to hide Gerbera and the others from human eyes once we were out of the mountains. It was a good idea to use this time to relax.

“Mm. Things turned out just right,” Gerbera added cheerfully. “We found a wonderful spot. Lily and the others are waiting there now.”

“You mean a cave or something?”

I was used to living in caves from the time we’d spent in the Woodlands. It was more relaxing than sleeping outdoors in the open. However, Gerbera glanced back over her shoulder and shook her head with a smile.

“Not at all,” she replied. “It’s far better than some shabby cave.”

“What do you mean?”

“Look. You should be able to see it now.”

I looked ahead of us, spotting a vague shadow off the road. As we got closer, it gradually became more clear. I gasped. There was a two-story wooden building right before me, a sign hanging from its eaves much like some kind of inn.