Kiyotaka began cutting the vegetables as Ram saw his technique.
Ram: [Excellent technique. I'm impressed.]
Kiyotaka: [Genuine praise? I didn't expect that.]
Ram: [Ram gives out praise when it's deserved.]
Kiyotaka continued cooking as he showed off some skills he had picked up.
Rem: [You're quite good at cooking, Kiyotaka-Kun.]
Kiyotaka: [I learned once from a friend. She was the best cook I've ever met. Then I started learning seriously so that I could treat my...]
Kiyotaka sighed.
Kiyotaka: [... younger sister to some meals.]
They looked surprised.
Ram: [You have a sister?]
Kiyotaka: [I got separated from her.]
Ram: [Oh...]
Kiyotaka: [I'm hoping she's doing alright, and considering the way she is, I think she is. She's a handful, but she's capable.]
Ram: [Hm...]
Rem: [Do you miss her?]
Kiyotaka: [I do. Honestly, there have been only two people since coming here that I would never be able to let go of. My sister... and that one friend who I told you taught me cooking.]
Rem: [What kind of person was your sister?]
Kiyotaka: [Honestly? Her personality was... wild... yes. That's the right word.]
Ram: [Wild?]
Kiyotaka: [Basically, chaos would ensue wherever she went.]
Ram: [So you had to clean up after her?]
Kiyotaka: [Not really. She cleaned up after herself. Usually, I didn't have to step in at all.]
Rem: [What?]
Kiyotaka: [All of that chaos is designed to get the exact result she wants.]
Ram: [That's frankly kind of impressive.]
Kiyotaka: [Yes. When it's not directed at me.]
Rem laughed a little before controlling herself.
Kiyotaka: [I mean, it doesn't work on me, but...]
Ram: [I already understand.]
Kiyotaka finished cooking.
Kiyotaka: [And that's the last of the flour.]
Rem: [Then it's time we get some more.]
Kiyotaka nodded.
Kiyotaka: [Let's go.]
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Kiyotaka stood and watched some children frolicking.
Kiyotaka: (This is the kind of thing I missed out on, huh? Being normal... being able to run around without a care in the world.)
Rem: [The children of the village are pretty lively, huh? Are you going to just watch?]
Kiyotaka: [I haven't really interacted with children that much, so I'm not sure if I'd be able to join in with them naturally.]
Rem: [I see.]
Kiyotaka: [But I feel like my sister would be able to fit in with them easily. She can act childish at times.]
Rem: [Like animals, children have an understanding of hierarchy. They'd just belittle and make fun of her.]
Kiyotaka: [Hey now. Don't go underestimating my sister like that. She'd definitely become the leader of their group with ease.]
Rem: [Um. How old is your sister?]
Kiyotaka: [...um]
Rem: [Close to your age, huh?]
Kiyotaka: [...]
Rem laughed a little as the children walked over, along with a girl with light-bluish hair and olive green eyes, holding a puppy with a bald spot on its head. The boys walked forward.
Boy: [Miss. Are you from the mansion?]
Rem: [I am.]
Kiyotaka looked at them suspiciously.
Rem: [Kiyotaka-Kun. You're scaring the children with that sharp gaze.]
Kiyotaka: (Well, that was my intention, and one of these children is not exuding an ounce of fear.)
Kiyotaka: [Sorry.]
Kiyotaka lightened his gaze.
Girl: [Hey, mister. What to pet my puppy?]
Kiyotaka: (Apart from the girl...that dog... strange. What is with that bald spot on the top of its head? Regardless, it all seems suspicious.)
Kiyotaka glared at the pup, but it didn't show a reaction.
Kiyotaka: (Both of them are suspicious. Even though my gaze is radiating killing intent, it's not showing fear or dumb aggression. It's remaining docile. It's far too intelligent for a dog. At least for one that age.)
Kiyotaka: [No thank you.]
Girl: [Oh, come on, please, mister?]
Kiyotaka: [I'm not a fan of dogs. Sorry.]
Rem: [I'll pet it.]
Kiyotaka: [We have work to do. We shouldn't waste our time.]
Rem: [It'll be okay.]
Rem pet the dog when it bit her. She didn't wince or react in the slightest as the girl feigned exasperation and astonishment.
Girl: [Oh my, I'm sorry. He's not usually like this.]
Rem: [It's fine. I'm not hurt or anything.]
There wasn't even a bite mark.
Kiyotaka: (I knew there was something wrong with that dog.)
Kiyotaka and Rem began walking back to the mansion with their supplies.
Kiyotaka: [Rem. Did you not find that girl and that dog suspicious?]
Rem: [Huh? How so?]
Kiyotaka: [Her reaction of fear to my gaze was fake.]
Rem: [What?]
Kiyotaka: [I was cautious of her. The way she was looking at us. Like, we were her goal. How her eyes darted to us when we arrived.]
Rem: [Wait, what are you implying?]
Kiyotaka: [That dog is unsavoury as well. I was showing killing intent towards it, but it didn't react. That's intensely abnormal. I find this entire situation very suspect.]
Rem: [You can tell just from her gaze and the dog?]
Kiyotaka: [I recommend we see Beatrice. Just in case you need healing.]
Rem: [I... well alright. I guess that's fine.]
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Kiyotaka opened a door in the mansion to see Betty reading a book on a stool.
Betty: [How did you guess the right door, I suppose?]
Kiyotaka: [I really didn't wish to bother you, but I want you to check something.]
Kiyotaka pulled Rem into the room by her wrist.
Rem: [Wait, Kiyotaka-Kun, don't pull me.]
Betty sniffed the air a little.
Betty: [The witch's scent.]
Rem looked to Kiyotaka with suspicion.
Kiyotaka: [Hm? Are you referring to the『Witch Of Envy』?]
Betty: [Exactly. The『Witch Of Envy』Satella. Long ago, she devoured the six witches who bore the names of the deadly sins, and drained half the world dry. She's the worst of the worst, I suppose. It is said she was starved of love.]
Kiyotaka: (So this witch brought me to this world to satiate her desire for love? Me, of all people?)
Betty: [It is said she doesn't understand human language. It's said that her body never withers, weakens, or dies.]
Kiyotaka: (She's immortal?)
Betty: [It's said that, though she was sealed by the powers of a dragon, a hero, and a sage, they were unable to destroy her flesh.]
Kiyotaka: (Invulnerability as well? Could anyone actually kill her? How dangerous.)
Betty: [It's said that her body is that of a half-elf with silver hair.]
Kiyotaka: (All of this is conjecture and rumours. Unless she's met her personally, I won't believe her even if she's telling the truth. Though if it's the『Witch Of Envy』who's allowing me to go back in time after dying, I wouldn't doubt her having such abilities.)
Kiyotaka sighed, holding Rem's hand towards Betty.
Kiyotaka: (Now's not the time for these thoughts.)
Kiyotaka: [I want you to check her hand for any abnormalities.]
Betty sighed, closing her book as she got up, walking towards Rem and examining her hand.
Betty: [You've been cursed, I suppose.]
Kiyotaka: [So is the curse originating from the bite mark?]
Betty nodded.
Betty: [You are correct, in fact. Betty can undo it in a second, I suppose.]
Rem: [Then that girl and puppy...]
Kiyotaka: [I was right about them.]
Rem: [They cursed me...]
Betty: [There. I've removed it, I suppose.]
Kiyotaka: [Are there creatures that can curse people and can disguise themselves as dogs?]
Betty: [It was a Mabeast, I suppose. A Wolgarm in particular.]
Kiyotaka: [Thank you, Beatrice. I'll repay you in some way in the future.]
Betty looked at Kiyotaka and sighed.
Betty: [You're a truly aggravating man, I suppose. I fully expect you to keep that promise, in fact.]
Kiyotaka nodded as he and Rem left the room, closing the door behind them.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Kiyotaka and Rem met Emilia outside.
Kiyotaka: [Emilia. Where is Roswaal?]
Emilia: [Roswaal left on important business just a few minutes ago.]
Kiyotaka: (You can't be serious. At a time like this? Why is he so insistent on testing me?)
Emilia: [Um. What's wrong?]
Rem: [Emilia-Sama. A mabeast is in Arlam village.]
Emilia: [What? That's not possible. I made barriers to keep them out.]
Kiyotaka: [There's a girl. She likely broke the barrier.]
Emilia: [A girl?]
Kiyotaka: [What do you want to do?]
Emilia: [We have to go down there and save everyone.]
Kiyotaka: (Normally I'd avoid things like this but...)
Kiyotaka: [You're right, but you need to stay here, Emilia.]
Emilia: [What? No!]
Kiyotaka: [This could be a ruse to get to you. Inform Ram and stay in the mansion. Tighten security.]
Emilia: [But I...]
Kiyotaka: [If Rem and I have to worry about you, it'll be harder for us to save the kids. It's not your fault, but you cannot participate in this.]
Emilia relented as Kiyotaka focused on gathering mana and visualising it.
Kiyotaka: [Dona.]
He formed an earth sword, but it crumbled in his hands as he swung it once.
Kiyotaka: [Not yet, huh? I'll have to make do with spirit arts. Even if mine is third-rate at best.]
They rushed towards the village.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
Kiyotaka and Rem arrived at the village to see the adults walking around in a nervous panic.
Kiyotaka: [What's going on?]
Adult: [Several of the village children have gone missing! We have to find them!]
Kiyotaka: [What's the last place you saw them?]
The man pointed as they ran off in that direction. They came across the forest with green lights shining from gemstones that were attached to trees.
Rem: [The barrier really is broken.]
She pointed at a gemstone that wasn't lit. Then Kiyotaka saw the footprints leading into the forest.
Kiyotaka: [That girl led them into the forest.]
Rem: [We were too late.]
Kiyotaka: [There's a chance they're still alive.]
Rem: [But there are tons of Mabeasts in there! And you said yourself this could be a ruse.]
Kiyotaka: (I have no intention of being indifferent to the deaths of children. I'm not the same person I was before.)
Kiyotaka: [I'm going. If you want to tighten security, then go back to the mansion.]
Rem jumped over the fence.
Rem: [Very well. My orders were to keep an eye on you.]
Kiyotaka nodded as they rushed into the forest.
※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ ※
They were walking through the forest when Rem sniffed the air.
Rem: [We're close.]
Kiyotaka: [How do you know?]
Rem: [I can smell something alive. I'm not sure what, but it doesn't smell like animals.]
Kiyotaka followed her as she rushed through the forest into an open area. They found the kids on a hill as Kiyotaka checked the pulses.
Kiyotaka: [They're alive. But their condition is bad. They've been cursed.]
Rem: [I will cast a healing spell to comfort them.]
Kiyotaka: [That should buy us some time.]
One of the girls slowly opened her eyes.
Girl: [Um, sir...]
Kiyotaka: [You're awake. What's your name, and what's wrong?]
Girl: [My name is Petra...]
Petra: [There are still...]
She fell unconscious.
Kiyotaka: [She's talking about the girl who led them here. And likely one other. Looks like the kids had no idea they were tricked.]
Kiyotaka looked around.
Kiyotaka: [Apart from that girl, there's another missing. A boy. Lucas was his name.]
Kiyotaka sighed.
Kiyotaka: [I should have expected as much.]
Kiyotaka got up.
Rem: [Wait. It's not safe. This is a trap.]
Kiyotaka: [I know that already but she's gotten cocky. Taking a hostage is good, but using that hostage as a lure is not.]
Rem: [Eh?]
Kiyotaka: [She involved someone who is innocent, which means I have no choice but to involve myself.]
Rem: [You'll be killed!]
Kiyotaka: [I know there's a chance of that, but that's fine.]
Kiyotaka walked into the forest, walking slowly, so as not to make any noises.
Kiyotaka: (If she set the lure, she would put the kid somewhere easy to reach.)
Kiyotaka then saw Lucas lying on the ground unconscious.
Kiyotaka: (There he is. And that means a Wolgarm is nearby. It can probably smell me.)
Kiyotaka scanned the area, seeing red eyes. He outstretched his hand, pointing his finger out of the shrubs.
Kiyotaka: [Dona!]
A shard of stone hit the beast in the neckright through its vocal cord, and it died instantly. He scanned the area more seeing more red eyes.
Kiyotaka: (It's not that there are too many to kill. They're too close to each other. They'll notice if I kill them.)
Kiyotaka sighed internally.
Kiyotaka: (Hit and run then.)
Kiyotaka jumped out of the shrubs, seeing the trajectory.
Kiyotaka: (Perfect.)
He pointed his finger.
Kiyotaka: [Dona!]
That one stone shard went through three Wolgarms, killing each of them as he rushed in, grabbing Lucas and putting him on his shoulder and running towards the barrier.
Kiyotaka: (Chase me. Forget that someone else is here as well.)
Suddenly, a bunch of them died from being hit by a flail.
Kiyotaka: [Alright. Run!]
Rem ran beside him.
Rem: [The children are safe.]
Kiyotaka: [Alright. Only this kid left.]
Kiyotaka pointed his finger behind him, aiming at a Wolgarm without having to look.
Kiyotaka: [Dona!]
The shard hit the Wolgarm easily as Kiyotaka saw the bonfire.
Kiyotaka: [We're almost there...]
Kiyotaka looked back to see the puppy from before create a landslide.
Kiyotaka: (You can't be serious!)
Rem pushed Kiyotaka out of the way.
Kiyotaka: [I could have dodged it...]
She got caught in the landslide as she was hit into the air and fell to the ground injured.
Kiyotaka: [Damn it!]
He slid down and checked her condition.
Kiyotaka: [Not good.]
Rem got up as a horn grew from the centre of her head.
Kiyotaka: (I knew you weren't human but...)
She began laughing manically as she slaughtered the Ulgram.
Kiyotaka: (So erratic. She's going to get herself killed!)
Kiyotaka placed Lucas down and rushed in, pulling Rem out of the way of an attack and kicked a Mabeast in the face, curb-stomping it.
Kiyotaka: [Rem get a grip. You're going to get us killed!]
Suddenly, Kiyotaka got knocked off to the side.
Kiyotaka: (Damn it! There are too many of them!)
They swarmed him, biting him as he smashed their heads in. There were bite marks all over him, but he was still standing.
Kiyotaka: [Let's go. Now!]
Rem: [I'm sorry I...]
Kiyotaka rushed in, grabbing Lucas and picking him up as he dashed towards the village. Eventually, he made it there, placing the boy inside the barrier and collapsing
Kiyotaka: [Ugh...]
Rem: [Kiyotaka-Kun!]
Kiyotaka closed his eyes, falling unconscious.
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To Be Continued
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Rating Out Of 10 For This Part:
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