Chapter 198

The time when Ardis was away from home to escort Minerva . One person was walking from the capital into the Corsas Forest . It is Kyrill .

On off days of the academy, Kyrill had accepted the job of teaching the twins common sense and words as a home tutor .

That had continued for the year even when Ardis went missing, so it’s the third year since he started . The travel to the forest that he feared of at the beginning became commonplace now .

「The melody that severs thine mind and the beckon to Mahoroba―― Molte ・ Orne ・ Sheep」(Sleeping Haze)

He released it towards the beast stalking him from behind the bushes with a dangerous glint . The neurotoxin manifested from the magic covered the area, and forcefully put the creature into sleep .

The horn on the beast that was peeking at him stopped moving . Without resisting against the sleeping magic that Kyrill released, the targeted beast’s consciousness flew away .

However, Kyrill could never let his tension down . It is the most dangerous when one thinks it is over .

It is what Ardis taught him many times when Kyrill was being thrown around like a rag in his training . Kyrill heard the rustle of leaves while his focus never dropped .

Just as he turned to the woods on the right, there was the figure of another beast of the same type that he just put to sleep . It is a six-footed beast with a hard skin .

That’s what the mercenaries refer as 『Twin Swords』 . The two chins on its head curved inwards, having the sharpness to tear its prey into pieces .

Was it trying to intimidate, it grinded the two chins together as it drew closer to Kyrill .

「The penetrating pebble of――」

Although Kyrill immediately tried to attack, the Twin Swords moved faster . No matter how Kyrill is known for his speed casting in the academy, the Twin Swords within ten meters would surely reach first .

While continuing his chant, Kyrill kicked up the bunch of dried sticks on the ground towards the Twin Swords .

True to his aim, the sticks that were kicked towards the mouth of the Twin Swords were snipped by the two chins .

It can be said a Twin Swords’s instinct is to snip anything that comes in between of their chin .

Although it was only a short moment he was able to buy, managing to delay the movement of the threatening chins would be more than enough for the current Kyrill .

「The unwavering heroism of the knight ――― Dessel! 」(Earth)

While holding down the Twin Swords with the staff in his hands, his chant finished . Even for the Twin Swords that has tough skin, its abdomen is vulnerable .

The sharp spear of stone stabbed from the ground easily penetrated its weak spot . Although the Twin Swords’s legs struggled in the air after being pierced in the abdomen, anyone can tell that it’s a meaningless struggle .

Its movement dulled by the minute . It would probably turn into a corpse soon .

「Fuu……」

Kyrill sighed grandly with cold sweat down his back . He was reflecting that although he was able to deal with the first Twin Swords quickly, he was ambushed by another .

Kyrill fears surprise attacks the most as he did not have the ability to detect enemies with magic like Ardis .

Even though Ardis had taught him martial arts, Kyrill is not at the level to be able to fight in close quarters with a wild beast .

Dying if he let his guard down didn’t change even after going through the forest for two years .

The moment he finished his sigh after fending off the Twin Swords . Suddenly he heard rustling from the bushes on his left . And then the sound of something slithering on the ground .

「A Ractor――? 」

Something slithering in the forest would make him think of a Ractor first . Ractor is a huge snake that can easily swallow a whole human .

Although it’s considered weak among demonic beings, it’s still a strong foe compared to the other beasts in the forest .

However, it’s not something Kyrill cannot handle after having two years of experience in this forest .

Despite so, it’s not like Kyrill came here to subjugate it .

Taking on a meaningless fight would be foolish, and on top of that, he might still encounter other beast on his road .

Fights that can be avoided should be avoided . Luckily, in the surroundings, there’s a fresh Twin Swords corpse, and another one fast asleep .

If the Ractor is looking for preys, then it would probably go for the two Twin Swords rather than Kyrill who is running away .

「Time to get away . 」

Kyrill quickly made a decision and sprinted out of there . Facing forward in the forest, he kept his focus in getting out of there as soon as possible .

After eventually getting enough distance, Kyrill slowed down his pace .

「It’s not following, right……」

While calming his breathing, he focused all his senses into his ears . He felt the sound of his ragged breathing was more annoying than usual .

「……Huh? 」

There was no sound of a Ractor slithering on the ground . What he can hear is only the leaves rustling in the wind and distant bird chirps .

It’s the usual forest .

The noise that indicated the Ractor chasing him nor a Twin Swords in a bush wasn’t heard .

However, Kyrill tilted his head at the mysterious discomfort he felt . As he felt something was different from the usual forest in his hairs, he looked around .

「What is it? 」

Not getting an answer even if he asked, Kyrill felt an indescribable sense of discomfort wrapping around him .

He focused more with his eyes, strained his ears, and felt the vibrations from the ground with his feet .

Kyrill continued surveying around for the unexplainable discomfort but, all he could see is the tall trees that covered the sunlight, and lushy green bushes everywhere .

What he could only hear were the cries of animals that wouldn’t be a threat, and also the wind .

「Am I overthinking……? 」

Although Kyrill still felt the discomfort, it’s not like he can find out why even if he waited around .

If he stayed around, it would be more dangerous for him . Although outskirts, the Corsas Forest is still known as a hellscape .

After calming his breath, Kyrill tightened his shoelaces and turned back for once . It is the usual scenery .

While not able to answer the discomfort he had, Kyrill continued on his path towards the house with the owner absent .

Outskirts of the Corsas Forest . There was Ardis’s house situated in a place where only few mercenaries or explorers ever set foot in .

In the familiar garden, Kyrill saw two girls a little younger than him crouching near a flowerbed .

It is the two students that Kyrill has, Fillia and Riana .

「Ah, it’s Kyrill――! 」

「Welcome――! 」

The twins who had noticed Kyrill approaching waved their hands wide .

The two that would be fourteen this year grew more feminine than the first time Kyrill met them when they’re still twelve .

Although their behavior still seemed a little younger than their age, it’s still within tolerable zone of being deemed a little more 『Childish』 than other fourteen-year-olds .

With an adolescent appearance still retaining its adorableness, the energetic feeling of a wild flower decorated their faces .

Honestly speaking, Kyrill always thought they’re both considered to be really beautiful .

Although they were treated unlike human in the past and were thin, they could properly grow up under Ardis’s protection, and have grown to have a good proportion .

Even their bosom developed femininely, the fact that Kyrill helping them buy clothing in the capital is actually a mentally stressing task was something Ardis nor Nere knew .

However, Kyrill had gotten close to the twins to willingly help them . Although his students, they’re also like his younger sister at the same time . The twins waved as usual towards Kyrill as he approached .

「Where’s Nere-san? In the kitchen? 」

Kyrill asked for the whereabouts of Nere from the two .

It is because he needed to hand over the consumables such as spices that he’d bought in the capital to her .

「Nere is not around now . 」

「She went out to hunt for lunch . 」

The twins replied Kyrill’s question with the absence of Nere .

「Is that so . Well, she’ll return soon huh . 」

Although when Kyrill first started as a home tutor, there wasn’t a case where Nere left the twins on their own in the house but, that wasn’t possible when Ardis went missing a year ago .

And that’s why whenever Kyrill visited once a week, he bought the minimum necessities for them . However, their daily food couldn’t be carried over by Kyrill alone .

Naturally, Nere had to hunt in the forest, and as a result, the twins would be left alone at the house sometimes .

The fact that Nere could do that is probably because that the twins would be fine on their own to a certain degree .

On top of the fact that she had put barriers in the surroundings of the house so that beasts wouldn’t approach, the twins had also learnt enough magic to protect themselves .

「Who? 」

「Eh? 」

The words that Fillia suddenly blurted out formed a question mark above Kyrill’s head .

「Who……, is there someone? 」

He realized that not only Fillia but Riana as well was looking behind him, towards a certain spot in the dense woods .

Prompted by the two peeking behind him with him in between, Kyrill turned around as well .

However, it is the silent forest as usual . There was not even a single animal .

「Fillia-chan . Did you see someone? 」

Not glancing back towards Kyrill who asked, Fillia’s gaze was locked at the forest .

「What about Riana-chan? Did you see someone too? 」

Riana who was similarly staring in the forest shook her head and replied without her gaze moving .

「But it felt like someone was there, they’re not here anymore though . 」

「Someone…… was there? In a place like this? 」

Kyrill couldn’t tell if what Riana said was the truth . However, if there’s someone else other than himself here, there’s nothing guaranteeing that it wouldn’t be an enemy .

Kyrill understood that it will be his responsibility to protect the twins as Ardis and Nere both aren’t around currently .

「Let’s get inside . And make sure to not leave the house until Nere-san returns . 」

Kyrill pushed on the two’s back towards the house and entered the house together, before shutting the door while keeping an eye out .