I thought I had to protect them. I liked him, so of course that was right. Because he was weak, that was also right. No matter where he came from or when he was going to return, it didn't change the fact that he was now a member of the Blake Estate and someone I cared about.
So, even when faced with a situation that could have pierced his shoulder, Kyle Blake did not step aside. The reason was simple: it shouldn't be like that. As long as he didn't have to adjust his sword and dodge, he could avoid getting hurt on the shoulder or the nape of his neck.
However, the consequences would be disastrous. The trajectory of the monster, folding its wings and flying in a straight line, led directly to Shu and Sen. Two people who weren't used to fighting would always be injured. Kyle couldn't stand by.
'I can take responsibility for your life.'
No, he had to take responsibility. Kyle was a person who understood duty. And Shu had stepped into this perilous situation only for him. So he had to protect him. Kyle had already made that determination before entering the forest. He even felt happy about this responsibility.
He would sacrifice his shoulder to save Shu's life. Kyle leaned his left shoulder forward and lightly shifted his body's center. He couldn't stop it with a sword, but it was a good trade.
However, there were no injuries as expected. His body was fine. Rather, it was the eagle that was injured. A blue light burst out nearby. It happened without any warning. The monster was struck violently by something and flew away, and Belial's hand was choked without a single scream. The location of the nucleus, which Shu had told him beforehand, was neatly cut off with a knife from the tail to the heart.
Woo woo.
Kyle suddenly felt a power ringing in his wrist. He raised his arm without a sword.
'Just keep one as a talisman. It's similar to my bracelet, isn't it?'
It was a bracelet that Shu gave him. A small blue gem dangling from a crude leather strap emitted light, as if in response to a phenomenon.
"...Huh."
He thought he understood without asking. This must be his fault as well. It's always like this. Beyond surprising, there was always Shu at the end of something that felt absurd and even preposterous.
So it would be the same this time. Suddenly, he was telling him exactly where the different nuclei were for each instance, and now he was even blocking the attack that would be directed at him. As if that wasn't enough, he had left his spot and hidden himself neatly.
It was truly a miracle.
"Where else did he go?"
What would a clever Shu do? Kyle was in a very cheerful mood and began to guess his intentions. He must have realized that he was struggling to protect him. And he must have been most wary of being a weakness for himself.
'Then he must have gone back to being a hamster.'
Kyle shook his head. If you shoot a bow, your allies will get hurt, so don't help them carelessly. Instead, they hide their weak points and wait for the battle to end. If it is small, it will be easier to hide the body, so there is no need to maintain a human form.
However, he wouldn't have gone far. Above all, he cared about Kyle's safety as if it were his own life. He could block the monster's attacks, but he could hide in a place where his eyes weren't blocked.
Then, as expected.
"Shu, come here."
Kyle knelt down on one knee among the overgrown grass and held out his palm. Sure enough, his companion beast, who had been hiding in the middle of it, was peeking out and looking up at him with sparkling blue eyes.
―Taken.
He couldn't understand what he was saying. However, there was no hesitation in answering.
"I'm fine now. The sun will be setting soon, so let's go rest."
And so the little creature that he had happily vowed to take responsibility for walked up to the palm of his hand.
The day in the forest passed.
What was unique was that Kyle camped high up in a tree. He didn't build a fire or spread a sleeping bag. Instead, he told me that it would be uncomfortable for me, so it would be better if I spent the night as a hamster.
[Kyle Jane Meinhardt. Approximately 161 days remaining until estimated time of death.] [Kyle First Meinhardt, about 1 day away from the estimated time of death.]
He sat down on a branch, clutched his sword, and slept soundly. If I had tied myself up with a rope, I would have been able to sleep a little deeper, but there was a chance that I wouldn't be able to prepare for an immediate attack.
I tilted my head from his front pocket and asked.
(Is this really a safer way?)
He couldn't understand me, but he felt the emotion. Kyle said in a low voice.
"Lorenz will surely attack at night. Since we're tired from hunting demon beasts, he'd think we'd find a suitable place to rest. Especially since you and Sen are not used to combat."
―Taken. (That's right.)
"It's not helpful to gather together at such a time. It's no different from a quiet collection of targets. It's better to join when the day dawns."
That's what I heard. I nodded, and Kyle smiled faintly and continued.
"There's no better time to breathe than when you relax. From tomorrow, we'll set traps all over the forest and wait for them to get caught."
―...
"It doesn't matter how you do it. After all, all you have to do is kill him."
That sounded a little eerie. Power makes people cruel. No, it makes people honest about their own nature. Brothers who were born to the same parents and lived together all their lives were no exception.
Is it better to die of an explosion in my stomach while swallowing something bigger than my body than to starve to death? People are still difficult. I didn't want to understand it. I want to understand the situation of the wicked and use it for something.
I will not live according to my instincts. I think the reason why humans and animals are different is that they remember certain values that they want to keep or achieve, even if they suppress their instincts and desires.
I mean, I want Kyle to win. I don't want Belial or Lorenz, but I want Kyle to be happy. At the very least, he'll do his best to survive and not forget what he has to protect as a human being.
―Steam... (What happened...)
Okay. I don't know how I really became serious about this story.
He seemed to have misunderstood my lamentation as complaining that he was tired.
"Close your eyes a little."
Kyle said sweetly.
"I'll protect you."
It was amazing. The tension that had been sharpened by those words broke down and I leaned on him. I loved the slow beating of his heart, the clear body temperature, and the kindness that came to me without filtering.
'Well, I'll leave it to sleep anyway.'
I'll have to help him tomorrow too. It was enough to be motivated not only to watch helplessly, but also to be able to tell the enemy's vital points and protect them when necessary.
It was time to burrow into his arms, unable to overcome the weight of his eyelids.
"Wait."
The calm atmosphere was broken for a moment. Kyle lowered me down onto a branch and whispered quickly.
"Never move from here."
Then he grabbed his sword and jumped off the tree.
Kyle drew his sword and called out to the knights waiting nearby. The two of them appeared in an instant, and like Kyle, they also drew their swords and guarded his left and right.
The vivid presence of their flesh was breathtaking. They tensed up as if they wouldn't let even a single ant get closer, and slowly began to move closer to the bushes where they had felt a sense of agitation. I could feel his firm will to stab and kill whatever came his way.
Soon after, something came out of the darkness.
"..."
Kyle's eyes flashed and he swung his sword. But at the same time, his opponent also swung his long sword, and the sharp sound of blades clashing echoed in the air.
It was a sword against a sword. In other words, what emerged from the darkness was not a demon beast or a wild animal.
"Come out."
Kyle said in a grim voice.
Instead of answering, a shadowy figure walked out of the darkness. One who received the pale moonlight...
"Prince Belial."
Kyle did not hide his animosity. The sound of grinding teeth could be heard all the way here. In turn, Belial, the three knights he was carrying with him, and Sen with a straight dagger appeared.
"You couldn't wait a day, so you came here to stick a knife in my back, is that it?"
"...Huh, seeing you interrupt what I have to say makes me sick of your shamelessness. After all, if my brother and I coexist, who would benefit the most? I left my back to the beast."
Belial sneered angrily. The knights around him began to show their hostility, just like the knights of the Blake Knights. In an instant, it became a situation where allies were thrusting blades into each other's throats.
I looked at Sen with a slightly puzzled expression. I thought he would stop it... On the contrary, he had the most determined expression.
"Why did you want to attack us?"
"No, I haven't."
Kyle snarled.
"We have never deviated from this area. What do you gain by betraying your comrades in this situation?"
"Annihilation."
"One knows, the other doesn't. So, what evidence of an attack?"
"A small knife flew from this direction. Even a seven-year-old would have known that there was a murderous intention."
"So, they suspected us."
"No, I don't. To be precise, it would be more accurate to say that he met the Grand Duke on his way to find the attacker."
Kyle's gaze fell on Belial, Sen, and the three knights who surrounded him like an escort. Kyle, who counted the number of people for a while, said in a somber voice as if he understood the situation.
"Such a stupid..."
"..."
"Wounded."
Kyle said, his voice boiling with anger and despair.
"...Where's the knight who injured his shoulder in the battle?"