The Weakest Tamer Began a Journey to Pick up Trash - Volume 2 - Chapter 108

Chapter 108:

Oddly…Relaxed?

I HAD TO ASK CIEL to hide for a little longer. Adandaras were incredibly rare monsters, and nobody had ever heard of one being tamed. If rumors spread, I would probably be targeted again. They wouldn’t be able to use force to get me if I had Ciel, but I had plenty of other weaknesses to take advantage of. Humans are truly ruthless creatures.

“Ciel, I’ll be back as soon as we take this group into custody. Can you wait for me?”

It purred at my words and bounded off into the woods. Its speed was always a sight to behold.

“Wow… By the way, Ciel looks like a young one, huh?” Rattloore mused.

“Does it? I wouldn’t know how to tell.”

“Hmm, I think? Adandaras aren’t very well-known monsters.” Rattloore shook his head, trying to remember something.

There wasn’t much information about them in my book, either, at least compared to other monsters. It had info on their shape and size, fur color, and favored foods, but it didn’t have anything about their growth.

“Young adandaras are rare,” Sifar added. “It’s said that juveniles stay with their parents for ten years.”

They spend ten years with their parents? That’s rare for monsters. Apparently Ciel is young, but is it more than ten years old?

“That one looks younger, though. Maybe two or three years old? I’d guess it got kicked out.” Sifar gazed in the direction Ciel ran off in with a thoughtful look.

“Kicked out?” I didn’t like the sound of that.

“Adandaras only raise strong offspring. If they decide a cub is weak, it gets kicked out of the pride. A lot of the rejected cubs are killed by their own parents.”

I gasped at Sifar’s words as I recalled the state Ciel was in when I’d first met it. Back then, the adandara was dying. I’d always wondered what had attacked such a strong monster, but…was it Ciel’s own parents all along?

“It’s awful,” Rattloore said. I had to agree.

“Maybe it seems callous from a human perspective, but the world of monsters is kill or be killed. If you don’t have strong offspring, your bloodline just might end there.” Sifar shrugged.

Strong offspring… That was true of humans, too. At the end of the day, I was abandoned as a starless weakling. Were Ciel and I kindred spirits?

“Pu, pu!”

“Hm?”

“Huh?”

Hearing Sora’s cries, Rattloore and Sifar turned to stare at the slime. I tilted my head.

“Ah!” Come to think of it, I miiight not have mentioned that Sora talks. I mean, I thought all slimes did. Maybe most slimes don’t make noise? Based on their reaction, other slimes don’t talk.

“Sora really is special, huh?” Sifar nodded in apparent understanding. Rattloore did the same.

Sora bounced around excitedly.

“All ready,” Bolorda said. “Hide Sora for a little… What’s the matter?” He’d noticed the atmosphere was off and was worried. Should I tell him Sora makes noises?

“It’s nothing,” Sifar promptly answered. “Are the kidnappers conscious yet?” It seemed he wanted to keep it quiet. As I hid Sora in my bag, I wondered why. They had suggested before that Sora’s unusual appearance alone was enough to make it worth hiding, after all.

“Gnouga’s waking them up. Bit of a pain to drag ’em off while they’re out cold.”

I heard a few pained groans in the distance. It seemed Gnouga’s way of waking them up was a little heavy-handed. Was the guy who Ciel smacked with its tail okay? He’d taken quite the beating by now.

A short while later, the four apprehended men all tottered toward us. Their arms were tied behind their backs, but they weren’t tied at the waist… Maybe the adventurers decided that their prisoners had no chance of escape. The four looked terrified, their eyes darting in all directions. What had them so spooked?

“Get a move on,” Gnouga ordered them. One flinched in surprise. The jumpy one stood out a little among the group of adventurers.

“I didn’t think you would be with them,” Sifar said to the man.

The stranger tried desperately to turn his head away from Sifar. Does he know that guy?

“He’s the eldest son of a slave trader,” Rattloore explained.

“Slave trader?”

“Hm? Oh, a legal trader. Not a black market one.”

I see. He’s the son of a legal slave trader. That’s why he doesn’t look like an adventurer. Why would an eldest child take such a risk, though? Normally, he would inherit the family business. Is the whole family in league with the organization? If so, it wouldn’t be weird that the eldest son is, too. And if the organization goes under, well, that would just be more business for his family. While I looked searchingly at the man, I heard Sifar chuckle quietly.

“Umm, what’s wrong?”

“Heh, I was just wondering if you’re thinking what I’m thinking.”

“…That his whole family might be involved with the kidnappers, you mean?”

“So you do think so! But why?”

“I’ve heard that eldest sons and daughters are special to families.”

“Heh heh,” Sifar laughed again. “So we’re zeroing in on the same issue. I think you have a similar thought process to mine.” Similar to Sifar? That made me a little happy, and I couldn’t help but smile. “I’ve never seen someone pleased to hear we were alike. It’s kind of refreshing.”

“Like minds with Sifar, huh? That’s a chilling thought.” Rickbert shuddered.

Why does he say stuff like that? Don’t be mean.

“Rickbert, let’s have a niiice, long chat later.”

“Eep!”

I think he deserved that. Hey, why are the captives shaking, too?

Bolorda sighed. “That’s enough, Sifar. C’mon, let’s get moving.”

That’s enough? Enough of what? Was he sending malice at him or something? I’d heard that veteran adventurers were able to freely point malice around. I’d always thought that was awesome, if it was true. Sifar was incredible.

“You sure like Sifar, don’t you, Ivy?” Rattloore commented, a little confused.

Do I? I tilted my head in thought…but I did like him, so I nodded. I agreed with what he said and did most of the time.

“Hooray!” Sifar mussed my hair gently. I smiled.

“It’s rare for kids to take to you.” Gnouga looked back and forth between us uncomfortably.

“Yeah. Most kids are terrified of me.”

“Terrified? I think you’re very nice, Mr. Sifar.”

Bolorda and Rickbert winced at my words. Gnouga and Rattloore chuckled grimly.

The captured men had more trouble walking than expected, so it took us a long time to get back to town. The gatekeepers looked flustered when they spotted us. One of them ran over. Had something happened?

“Hey there!” Rattloore greeted them. “Ivy’s safe and sound.”

“Thank goodness. The vice-captain keeps coming by to ‘check up’ on us.”

The vice-captain? We haven’t spoken much. Does he need something from me?

“Ivy, you sure do attract some characters. Sifar would be the biggest example.” Rickbert made another unnecessary remark.

As expected, Sifar smiled at him in a way that made him blanch. Bolorda looked fed up with both of them.

“Does Rickbert want Sifar to bully him?” I wondered.

“Pfft!” Rattloore guffawed next to me.

I glanced up at him, and he looked away, suppressing laughter. Oh no. Did I say that out loud?

“I’m not saying Rickbert has any weird fetishes, okay?!” I tried to explain, but I ended up shouting.

“Huh? Uh, what, Ivy? What was that about my fetishes?” Rickbert called out frantically after handing over the criminals to the guardsmen.

Rattloore and Sifar were cackling. Gnouga’s shoulders shook with laughter, too. I’m glad you’re all having fun at my expense! And I’m sorry, Rickbert. I wasn’t trying to be mean!