Seeker 235

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Chapter 235. Two Holy Knights

--Pakaratsu, Pakaratsu, Pakaratsu, Pakaratsu.

Under the moonlit night, five horses galloped down the highway. 

The riders, all fully armed awakened individuals with magic stone weapons and armor, included Kazane-san, Yuzuki, and I. 

The other two were the holy knights Gerald-san and Myarla.

Gerald-san took the lead, with Myarla following closely. 

Behind them, the three of us chased after them. 

As the five horses raced through the night, a village appeared in the distance.

"Gerald-san! I can see the village!"

"Just look! Are you implying my eyes are impaired?"

"I-I'm not saying that!"

Since joining forces, Gerald-san and Myarla's interactions have been consistently like this. 

When Myarla tried to communicate, Gerald-san rejected her attempts. 

Gerald seemed to harbor a thorough hostility towards Myarla.

Leaving that aside, the reason why we were riding horses through the night had its roots a while back.

Back when we were invited to dinner at the royal castle. 

King Eldrick, who had received some confidential information from Benedict, the captain of the Holy Knights, Benedict-san, requested a certain task from us.

The job itself wasn't too difficult. 

A horde of monsters had been confirmed in a forest near a village near the capital. 

Before harm befell the villagers, he wanted us to defeat the monsters.

The reward was substantial. 

Judging by the types of monsters discovered, it didn't seem like a significant risk for our abilities. 

The location was close, so it wouldn't take many days.

However, there was a somewhat troublesome condition attached: we had to accompany the Holy Knights Gerald-san and Myarla. 

More precisely, we were to undertake the monster subjugation mission with these two holy knights as the core, and we were expected to support them in battle.

From the start, it seemed that this was what King Eldrick wanted from us. He wanted to throw Gerald-san and Myarla into the same mission and hoped for some change in their relationship. 

Since the other Holy Knights had varying degrees of prejudice against beast people, it was evident that Myarla would be isolated if they accompanied her. 

Therefore, King Eldrick wanted us, as neutral parties, to accompany them.

Of course, we had the right to refuse this request. 

However, my intuition had never been wrong.

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Special Mission: Successfully Accomplished Monster Subjugation with Holy Knights Gerald and Myarla, but a development occurs!

Experience Points Earned upon Mission Completion: 20,000 Points

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A special mission has come up.

A nearby task that could be completed in a short time.

It's offering a tempting 20,000 experience points upon completion. 

It's too good to pass up. 

So, Gerald-san, Myarla, and my party were hastily summoned and are currently heading to the destination on horseback.

Led by Gerald-san, the group eventually reaches the village. 

After entrusting the tired horses to the village, the remaining journey continues on foot. 

Gerald-san, at the front of the group, silently presses on through the moonlit night on the village road.

Attempting to approach Gerald-san, Myarla hesitates but eventually speaks up.

"Um, Gerald-san."

"What, beast person. Is it something necessary for the mission?"

"Well, it's not exactly about that, nya."

"Then don't talk to me. I've told you not to be so familiar. Do you beast people not even have brains to understand words?"

"Ugh!!"

Ignoring Myarla, Gerald-san continues to advance. 

The beast girl stomps her feet in frustration at being dismissed.

...Hmm, it seems like Myarla is reaching her limit as well. 

Well, that's understandable. 

Gerald-san's attitude is quite harsh. 

But before Myarla, someone else had already had enough.

A voice comes from right beside me.

"Hey, listen! I've been thinking about this for a while! Gerald-san isn't that attitude of yours a bit much!?"

Boldly approaching Gerald was none other than Kazane-san. 

Gerald, who had been walking ahead, turns around looking somewhat surprised.

"W-what on earth. This has nothing to do with you. Mind your own business."

"What!? It has everything to do with me! Being treated like this throughout the entire mission is bothering me!."

"Uh... N-no, that is..."

Under Fuon's stern demeanor, Gerald looks visibly uncomfortable. Fuon continues to approach him.

"The worst part is calling her a beast person! Myarla-chan isn't a 'beast person,' she's Myarla-chan! Why can't you call people by their names properly?"

"No, that's... It has nothing to do with you. Please stay out of it."

With an awkward expression, Gerald turns his back to Fuon and hastily continues forward. Fuon places her hands on her hips and sighs.

"It's no use. He's completely closed off. Even during the early days when we first met, Daichi-kun wasn't this bad."

"Uh, Fuon-san. Are you subtly dissing me again?"

"Oh... N-no, not at all, Daichi-kun. You had more charm from the beginning. There was just a bit of a wall between you and others."

"That's not much of a consolation... But, Kazane-san, you talked to me quite friendly from the start. Thanks to that, we can be together like this."

"Yeah, yeah. You should be grateful. Ehehe."

"Haha... I'm always grateful. I love you, Fuon-san."

"Fufu!? Uh, hehe~. I love you too, Daichi-kun♪"

"...They've started sweet-talking like a flow. I want to join in, but more importantly, Myarla seems troubled."

Yuzuki interjects with a retort. 

Myarla, seeming to want to join the conversation, cautiously observes the situation while Kazane-san beckons her over. 

Myarla approaches with quick steps.

"Kazane-san, thank you for what you did for me."

"It's nothing. I was just annoyed. Myarla-chan, you should give him a piece of your mind."

"Ugh... But it's not good to argue. As fellow holy knights, I should get along with Gerald-san."

Myarla glances ahead, and there is Gerald-san's lonely back walking alone.

Hmm... 

Now it seems like instead of Myarla being isolated, Gerald is the one isolating himself. 

It's kind of pitiful, despite him bringing it upon himself. Maybe I should go and talk to him.

"Kazane-san, Yuzuki, I'll leave Myarla to you. I'm going to talk to Gerald—"

"Wait, Daichi-kun."

Kazane-san's voice stops me, carrying a serious tone. 

This pattern, it's like...

As I look, Gerald-san, who was walking ahead, unsheathes his sword and readies his shield. 

His gaze is fixed on the depths of the forest on the right side of the road.

"Get ready, it's a monster!"

Almost simultaneously with Gerald's voice.

Figures resembling people emerge from the darkness of the forest.