Published: August 25, 2025
Today, four chapters posted simultaneously.
This story is the first chapter.
After making a contract with Korumi and discussing the details regarding the release, I returned to the entrance once. Outside the wide-open gate, Mr. Glen was waiting. Korumi, acting like a child, was hiding behind my back with only her head peeking out.
“Sorry to keep you waiting.”
“I wasn’t waiting that long. Well, I figured you handled it well… So that was the magical beast here?”
“Yes. She’s Korumi, the fairy. After subduing her once, we were able to talk, so on the condition that we release the undead, I decided not to take her life. She’s already become a familiar.”
“Huh, well, if you’re fine with that, I don’t mind. By the way, the reason the gate and fence wouldn’t open until just now was also her power, right?”
“Gate? I think so… Korumi?”
“This person kept hitting it all the time. It was tough to fix…”
“Because it fixed itself immediately, breaking through was a pain, but I never thought it was the work of such a tiny thing. So, does this mean your business here is done?”
“Actually, it might take a little longer.”
Korumi was talking about the “soul they want to wait to release.” Apparently, currently only one young cannonball rhino comes and goes around this mansion, and the soul in question belongs to that child’s mother.
The two were attacked by enemies outside and escaped to the mansion, but the mother’s injuries worsened afterward, and she passed away. Korumi, watching over this, turned the mother’s soul into an undead and has been living with the child since then.
Since they were originally wild magical beasts, they mainly live outside the mansion, but the mother can be summoned by necromancy. Of course, she can also be released, but they want to keep the young rhino with its mother a bit longer if possible.
“The kid cried, huh?”
“According to Korumi, the mother seems to accept that she died, probably because she lived in the wild. But she’s worried about the child left behind. She wants the child to join a new herd and, if possible, figure out if that herd can protect the child until it grows up.”
“...What the heck? Magical beast undead think that human-like?”
“Cannonball rhinos are among the smarter magical beasts in the Tree Sea.”
“They communicate via illusions and dark magic, and what Korumi interpreted and verbalized is what she expressed.”
“Ah, so what you said isn’t entirely the beast’s words. Even magical beasts protect their young and have feelings. And it’s amazing you can talk to them that much.”
“If Korumi fully uses her abilities, there’s no such thing as a language barrier.”
That ability is probably better than any translation device from a past life. Since thoughts leak out clearly, misunderstandings and recognition gaps hardly happen. Although, stepping further could even let her extract memories, which would be a trust issue, so it’s hard to use that power freely—that’s another story.
“According to what Korumi heard, the herd the mother and child belonged to collapsed because their leader suddenly ran amok. That leader apparently patrols this area regularly, so if we take him out when he comes, it would show sufficient power.”
“So that means they’ll be around here for a while.”
“Yes, based on past occurrences, he’s expected to come to the village’s pond within a few days. Since he always rampages noisily after going crazy, it will be obvious when he arrives... Will you stay too, Mr. Glen?”
“Yeah. My item bag still has some space, and I don’t have any urgent business elsewhere. It’s easier to come back with you anyway.”
“Well, compared to that camping earlier, I’m sure that’s true.”
I might have completely habituated him... but since he can get ready quickly and works more than enough to pay for lodging, it’s fine.
“Oh, speaking of cooking, Mr. Glen, do you butcher the prey you hunt? From what I saw, it looked like you just tossed everything into your magic tools.”