Monster
The moment we stepped out of the cave, a world of pure silver spread out before us.
Fine snow kept falling endlessly from the sky, and each time Valdo took a step, the snow let out a faint crunch beneath his feet.
But it wasn’t as bad for me as it was yesterday.
After all, right now I was clinging to Valdo’s shoulder, tucked into the gap in his cloak with just my face sticking out. Thanks to that, I barely felt the cold at all.
So warm. This is the best!
“Don’t fall, Al.”
“Miya~!”
Yep, I’m hanging on no matter what!
I meowed with that determination, and Valdo let out a low chuckle before continuing on.
… Still, Valdo’s amazing.
He walked briskly across the piled-up snow without a hint of hesitation. Unlike me yesterday, he didn’t slip, didn’t stumble, didn’t get his feet caught in the snow even once.
Every now and then he’d stop, lift his face like he was reading the wind, and narrow his eyes.
His gray eyes looked even sharper against the snowy landscape.
… Why is there such a huge gap between me and him?
If anything, I’m the wild animal here, shouldn’t I have some kind of sixth sense kicking in?
C’mon, awaken, my wild instincts…!!
“Nya~…!”
“What, hungry again? Hold on a little longer.”
Hearing my growl, Valdo apparently got the wrong idea.
Like he was calming me down, he tapped my forehead lightly with his index finger.
Compared to when we were in the cave, his touch was a bit gentler, probably because he didn’t want me falling off his shoulder.
We kept walking like that, carrying on our half-meow conversation… and that’s when it happened.
All of a sudden, mixed in with the snow, a faint smell drifted in and stung the back of my nose.
… It’s… a bad smell.
“Mrrrrow…”
A chill ran down my spine, and all my fur bristled at once.
At the same time, Valdo stopped dead in his tracks.
“… Something wrong, Al?”
“Miyar!”
The bad smell was getting stronger.
I glared in its direction and let out a low growl.
At the same time, Valdo turned to face that way too.
He smoothly drew the longsword at his waist, the blade glinting coldly in the pale light of the snow.
“… Al, don’t you dare leave my side.”
“Nya!”
I answered, and the very next moment…
Something burst out of the brush ahead, kicking up snow as it lunged forward.
“Grrrrraaaah!”
The creature… looked utterly grotesque.
Its shape and size were like a bear, but it had no fur. Instead, its entire body was covered in tough-looking pale red skin, and its back bulged up like a mass of tumors.
Its crushed snout and the massive fangs jutting from its torn-open mouth made for a truly horrifying sight.
The creature fixed its glaring eyes on me.
That dreadful gaze made my ears and tail flatten on their own.
W-what is that thing!?
Terror surged through me, my fur standing completely on end.
Every instinct in my body screamed at me to run.
“Grrr… Grrrraaaah!”
The beast roared. The thunderous sound shook the air, sending snow cascading from the branches.
I dug my claws into Valdo’s shoulder and clung on desperately. My body trembled uncontrollably.
“Hang on tight, Al.”
Even with that monstrous beast right in front of him, Valdo remained unbelievably calm.
Just hearing his steady voice eased my fear a little.
“Grrrraaaah!”
… At last, the beast charged, smashing through the snow as it came.
But instead of dodging, Valdo stepped forward.
Perched on his shoulder, I was just about to pass out from the sheer pressure of that massive body rushing toward us.
“Hah!”
At the instant of impact, Valdo thrust his shield forward with his left hand. The moment those fangs were about to collide, he twisted his wrist and angled the shield.
The force of the charge slid off to the side, deflected by the shield, and the beast’s massive body veered off course, carving through the snow.
And in that passing instant…
Valdo’s longsword in his right hand flashed.
The blade grazed the beast’s throat, and a spray of blood burst into the air like mist.
“Grr… rr…”
The monster let out a low groan and staggered.
It didn’t sound like rage, it sounded like shock.
In the depths of its fading eyes, there seemed to be something like fear toward Valdo, the man who had cut it down in a single strike.
Bright red blood dripped onto the pure white snow.
Even so, Valdo kept his sword raised, watching carefully, never letting his guard down.
“Grr… r…”
With one last groan, the beast’s legs gave out.
And then, with a heavy thud, it collapsed onto the snow.
“… Phew.”
Only after a while, once the beast had fallen, did Valdo let out a long breath.
He wiped the blood from his blade with the snow, but still didn’t sheathe it.
He walked over to the beast and raised his sword again.
Slash, he cut into its neck. Not just once, but twice, three times.
“… Alright. Looks like it’s really dead.”
“Meow?”
“Monsters are tough. Some of them keep moving even after you think you’ve taken their head off. Don’t let your guard down either, Al.”
W-what the hell!? Isn’t that way too scary!?
That’s basically like monsters in a game…!
… Wait a second.
If I think about it, there’s no way creatures this bizarre and violent exist anywhere in Japan, or anywhere on Earth.
Then…
This isn’t just not Japan… this might not even be Earth at all?
Could it be… this is one of those other worlds?
It’s hard to believe.
But if I think about it that way… Valdo’s clothes, the reason he carries a sword and shield…
and even the way he introduced himself earlier as the captain of the Black Iron Claws mercenary band, it all makes sense.
I see… so that’s how it is…
It’s not like Valdo suddenly woke up with a case of chuunibyou or anything!
… That’s a relief.
Well, kind of.
What do you think about this chapter?
