Chapter 38

Chapter 38

38. Reunion (2)

When the heat of the meal subsided a bit, Benrik asked.

“Come to think of it has Searik opened her eyes?”

Benrik who left the village right after Searik was born had never properly seen the appearance of the child opening her eyes.

“Eyes? Of course she opened them, a lighter blue color than us. Really cute, really cute. Because she is a girl? The cheeks are also really soft.”

That irritable guy shone his eyes brightly at least when talking about Searik.

Seeing that appearance, it seemed he would not make the youngest participate in the food competition so Benrik inwardly relieved.

“Is following father manageable?”

At Benrik’s question Yerik’s expression darkened sharply.

“Would it be manageable? Every day it seems I will die.”

Even when Benrik was still in the village he was particularly hard. Still he thought he would have adapted a bit by now.

When Benrik asked what is the hardest, Yerik hesitated then opened his mouth.

“If I only feel magical energy the body stiffens. After a little time passes it becomes okay. Even in front of the lowest-grade magical entity like the poison fang rabbit it is so, so father tries to kill me.”

The body stiffens if he feels magical energy?

It was an experience he had never done even once. Benrik put a handful of the last meat into his mouth and chewed while thinking for a while.

‘Is it because he is too scared?’

Such a thought entered but for that the guy was one who ran away well even while terrified when Benrik or father got angry.

If there is a difference between Yerik and Benrik it is only the presence or absence of using the tribe’s unique monstrous strength. And according to the words Gerik once said the origin of the monstrous strength residing in their blood was mana.

One does not know well, but it is said that because mana resides in the bones and muscles from birth one can use abnormal monstrous strength.

‘Is there some relation to that?’

It is a leap, but currently that is the only thing that catches. He wants to see directly what happened how.

“Think that there is a magical beast in front of you now.”

At Benrik’s words Yerik made an absurd expression.

“How do I think there is when there isn’t.” “Close your eyes and try at least.”

Yerik’s brow narrowed.

As if what kind of thing is he making him do, he was about to grumble then realizing Benrik’s gaze directed at himself tightly he quietly closes his eyes.

Benrik looked at that appearance while leaning on the chair with arms crossed.

Something strange entered the field of view of Benrik who was blankly looking at the whimpering Yerik.

Yerik’s skin faintly sparkled.

Rather than gathered from the outside a light that seemed to seep from the inside, stayed in that place without spreading like a thin film.

A blue color like starlight, it was definitely mana.

Benrik suddenly extended his hand and grabbed the child’s forearm. It was hard like a stone.

‘Muscle rigidity.’

The flinching Yerik opened his eyes half a beat late.

“What···?”

At that moment the mana particles scattered and the muscles also became soft like rice cake.

“What were you thinking just now? Tell specifically.” “Imagining that there is a huge black fang in front of the eyes and I burst that guy’s head at once and kill him.” “Hmm.”

‘I don’t know well what is what but···.’

A rough feeling came.

“Even when you are actually in front of a magical beast do you think that if it comes to it you have to catch it, or such?”

When Benrik asked Yerik opened his eyes wide.

“How did you know?” “Because it seemed so.”

It is not that it stiffens because he is scared, but because of the compulsive thought that if it comes to it he has to catch and kill the guy in front so excessive strength, that is mana resides in the muscles and it arises?

‘Originally I who has no strength so did not experience it.’

Then Yerik rolled his eyes full of distrust. As if what nonsense is he saying.

“Try believing father.” “What? How do I believe father?”

At the too valid statement Benrik lost his words for a while.

But because he is one step back from that complicated reality there were also things one can know.

He always puts on bluffs such as helping is the last this time, find your own way to live, but even so in the end at the moment of life and death he always saved.

As a result Benrik survived like this with limbs intact and became independent.

Of course there are more cases where Gerik himself feels more like a threat to life than the magical beast.

“Don’t think of catching and killing if it comes to it and try thinking of running away first.” “I understand.”

Yerik still showed eyes with deep distrust but answered so. Since it is the advice of Benrik who rolled for years next to Gerik, trying it as if being deceived would not be bad.

Like that Benrik who showed off wealth as much as possible to the younger brother he met after a long time headed to the mercenary group office together with Yerik.

Even within the short movement time the stories did not stop.

News of the village hunters, anecdotes of almost dying while wandering the mountains with Gerik, small conversations like the time Erina and Gerik fought.

In the midst of that Yerik as if recalling took something out from his pocket and showed it.

A reddish letter paper of a shape as if unfolded again what was folded tightly.

Benrik who saw that made an absurd expression.

“Why are you carrying that around?” “Because father was going to throw it away, I picked it up.”

No so, why that?

“When seeing when very angry the mood loosens a bit. Even when seeing when very hard strength comes.”

Yerik who secretly picked up what Gerik was going to throw away and made it a talisman.

“Brother is amazing.”

At Yerik who shines his eyes Benrik’s shoulders rose a bit.

“By the way I will leave early tomorrow morning.”

Benrik who arrived at the office said while giving Yerik one empty bed.

“Probably I won’t come for quite a while, so stay here until father returns. Solve meals at the restaurant we went to earlier.” “Are you running away? Can’t I go too?”

It seems he is quite scared because the money pouch Gerik gave was robbed.

Seeing that Benrik recalled an amazing thought.

“Shall I tell you a method to earn money?” “···! What? Can I do it?”

The things Yerik who has monstrous strength that lightly surpasses an adult male can do were endless. Because requests such as moving luggage were one of the most common requests.

“If you go to the adventurer guild there are simple requests one can do even without the mercenary badge. If you really don’t know go to the guide and tell him to pick a few requests you can do.”

It is a kind of job experience for the guy who will become independent someday.

Supplement the robbed money, do social experience in advance, and not be bored either.

Isn’t it three birds with one stone.

Even otherwise it was just when a bit of regret entered seeing Yerik who was pouring out the hardships about magical beast hunting a little while ago that he should have told him something in advance while resting.

“If you ask Jenkinson we saw earlier where the adventurer guild is he will tell you.”

Since Yerik whose head is good next to Benrik, performing the request would not be that difficult. Benrik who said so informed a few rules to keep in the city.

Such as do not hit people carelessly, do not wander at night if possible, do not gamble.

Yerik who was listening carefully asked.

“If someone tries to kill me? Even then do I just have to take it?” “If it is not feasible one has to confront.”

That is self-defense.

“Sleep.” “Yes.”

Benrik who confirmed Yerik nodding started organizing the luggage. Because he has to leave early at dawn tomorrow he had to prepare in advance.

“Brother.” “?” “Thank you···.”

“Don’t say such empty words and sleep.”

He said curtly at the embarrassing words that suddenly come in, but Benrik was not in that bad a mood.

Thinking about it has there been a time he exchanged such sincere and also many conversations with Yerik.

‘There wasn’t.’

When living together it seems they were almost closer to food competitors not siblings. It is not that affection deepens only if one must be by the side.

Like that the night fell.

***

The next day when Yerik opened his eyes Benrik had already left.

Yerik quickly finished preparing to go out and found John’s restaurant.

Ding-

When carefully opening the door along with the bell sound and entering, the restaurant owner John discovered the child and smiled brightly.

“Oh, welcome. You came with Benrik yesterday right?”

Very brightly.

Thinking of the amount the two children ate yesterday evening it could not be helped. Even if the mercenary group discount applies if the amount is that much the profit was considerable.

“I heard the talk in the morning, sit in a comfortable place. I will bring out the food soon.” “···Thank you.”

A while later appetizing food came out.

‘It was not a dream.’

The meal that was so ecstatic last night was not a dream. Yerik enjoyed the meal mindlessly again.

Like that after filling the stomach as much as he wanted he found the adventurer guild.

‘I don’t know when father will return.’

He has to earn as much money as possible in a short time.

The moment he opened the guild door and entered, the inside became quiet as if cold water was poured.

It soon became bustling again, but Yerik could clearly feel.

The gazes gathering on himself.

And the hostility mixed in between.

Yerik who was inwardly tense because it is an unfamiliar place even otherwise raised his fur more tightly, and headed to the guide desk.

“I heard there are requests one can do even without the mercenary badge.”

The guide who tilted his head and scanned Yerik up and down pointed at the bulletin board.

“You see the request letters there right? The ones that have yellowed are such requests.”

Yerik scratched his head.

“Can you pick for me? If it is one that gives as much money as possible it would be good.” “Just a moment.”

While the guide was rummaging through the request letters, the mercenaries who were observing Yerik muttered.

“That ashen hair is that guy right? Of Jenkinson’s mercenary group···” “It seems correct?”

They were people who misunderstood Yerik as Benrik.

Most were people who harbored curiosity about Benrik the protagonist of the rumor but there were also those who were not.

“That damn bastard. Just well met.”

It was the Bronze Badge mercenary Kan who concurrently does mercenary work and highway robbery. He was also a long-time associate of the fence Oren who was detained last night.

He spat, and turned toward the child.

“Hey, Kan. Don’t make troublesome matters unnecessarily.”

Even at the colleagues’ dissuasion he did not care.

“Idiot bastard. Because you have no sense of looking do you look at a short kid’s reaction?” “It is not that but it is Jenkinson’s mercenary group, there is nothing good about being at odds unnecessarily.” “This city, if one leaves it is done. If one cut others’ livelihood one should have had this degree of resolve?”

Step by step, he who walked grabbed the child’s shoulder.

And flew in the sky.

‘···Huh?’

─Thud!

Even at the shock conveyed to the whole body Kan could not understand the situation that occurred to himself now.

“Huh···?”

Among the mercenaries who saw him stuck upside down on the wall with a blank expression laughter burst.

“Did you see just now? He flew, he flew!” “Pfft, kek- crazy.”

The moment he grabbed the shoulder the child just grabbed and threw him. Kan whose face turned red stood up with a thud.

“This damn!”

Flames soared in the eyes of the mercenary who was thinking of only scaring appropriately.

“I will kill···!”

Thud thud, emotions were fully loaded in the steps.

Yerik’s eyes looking at him were quiet.

Compared to the sticky magical energy the magical beasts emit the killing intent the man in front emits was the level of an angry wild boar.

─If it is not feasible one has to confront. That is self-defense.

On one hand he recalled Benrik’s words last night.

‘This is that is, right? Self-defense?’

It was the moment one line was added to Benrik’s abundant rumors.

***

─Paaaa!

Benrik flew in the sky today as well while being carried on Drenor’s back.

‘This is becoming adaptable.’

This too because doing it for three days straight it becomes adaptable.

That is, it became to the extent of being able to secure the field of view for a while even in the wind that slaps the cheek.

The scenery looking down from high altitude also had its own charm.

Benrik who was looking down discovered something.

‘Hmm?’

There was a huge man walking as if running on the straightly extended road.

Thinking that there is quite a distance from Bromwood going around without even one companion was an uncommon matter.

‘He seems quite confident in his skill.’

Then suddenly, the man raised his head.

Eyes met.

The blue pupils of the man who was tilting his head momentarily contained light.

─Huuuup···!

As if inhaling deeply, he lowers low as if about to run soon.

“······.”

Benrik quietly patted the old knight’s back.

“···Sir please fly quickly.” “Hmm?” “Quickly.”

© Burrito#1y0o9