The next morning, I served breakfast to the children who woke up.
Bacon and eggs, bread and vegetable soup. The bread and vegetable soup were made by the Shelter. Bacon and eggs are made by Suzuka.
While eating breakfast, I showed them the video from yesterday on the monitor I brought in.
I wasn’t sure if I should show the video or not, but I decided to show it first because I didn’t want to just use words.
And the first thing they said was this.
Don’t we usually look at our own kind first?
Or you’re shocked that those guys have been murdered.
“These are your people, right?”
“Yeah, it’s our father.”
“Ah, yes. The proud white robe. That brave and courageous figure fighting. There’s no doubt about it.”
It was obvious, but I couldn’t help but confirm it.
In the meantime, they seem to have a policy of being rather proud about the killings…… What kind of an education is that?
In case you were wondering, there was only one guy in the video who was wearing white tiger fur all over his body, and it was apparently their father.
“In the meantime, we know where they are. What do we do now?”
“I’ll go!”
“I’m coming, too!”
I’m glad.
“Hey, Toki.”
“What’s the matter, Suzuka?”
“Are you going to let these kids get to these people alone? I think it’s dangerous.”
“……”
Come to think of it, I had almost forgotten about these kids since they had come here so normally, but the other side of the wall is full of monsters. I mean, how did they get here in one piece?
“We used a beast repellent.”
“Beast repellent?”
“Yes, a strong beast. If you cover yourself in tiger or bear urine, the beasts that don’t like such beasts won’t come to you.”
No wonder they smelled so bad.
If you’re trying to return a lost child to its parents, it’s normal to send the parents to pick up the child.
“We have the coordinates, and that means we can invite them to….. here? E—, no.”
The other side was a group of murderous thugs.
Flashback to the trouble with the city to the south. I decided not to let any more dangerous people in here anymore.
“I am a bit of a mess too. You can’t just leave these kids like this, right?”
That’s right……
“Ha~a. Well, I guess I can’t help it this time. But I don’t want to put it in, so I guess I have no choice but to send them.”
Me, going to go outside~? I hate it~. It’s too much trouble. I can’t say that, though.
Doran is a one-seater, so I put them in some kind of appropriate vehicle, hand them over to their parents, and back out as fast as I can.
Yeah, this is it.
◇◆◇◆◇
And that’s how I ended up driving the ATV now.
It’s not that we don’t have other vehicles, but this is the only one that can be serviced and moved immediately.
I carry my heat gun and knife on my back and hold on to Eiga as I ride. Suzuka is armed with a stun rod in case the suitcase-type drone is out of Sin’s operating range, and she carries Junee behind her.
Suzuka’s armament was too weak, so I sent Magami’s team and Torii’s team, which had returned yesterday, to escort her.
A group of doggies running around two ATVs. In the sky above, eagles fly in a V formation, keeping a watchful eye on their surroundings.
From time to time, the beasts attacked us, but they were instantly silenced by the relentless heat guns of Magami and his men.
The kids looked like they wanted to say something, but I had told them beforehand to be quiet because “noise attracts beasts,” so they kept quiet the whole time. Good, honest kids.
And our destination.
A hundred kilometers to the southwest, they were hiding in plain sight, trying to catch their breath.
We set up guards around the perimeter and are on full alert. I’m not so airheaded that I’m willing to take Magami along in the ATV here.
Magami, wait, wait. All right. Take care of ATV.
“Who the hell are you! ?”
“Hold on! !”
“It’s Eiga and Junee!”
As I walked closer, the guards raised their weapons and shouted a warning.
Between the guards and me, Eiga and Junee hurriedly stepped forward to relieve the guards of their vigilance.
“….You guys….. hey, inform the chief.”
“Ah, Yes”
One of the guards ran off, but there was no need to wait, I wanted to get home as soon as possible.
“We took custody of these children yesterday. I’d like to hand them over to you.”
“Wait. Who are you people?”
The guards are trying to keep us back. Give me a break.
“What do you want me to say?”
“Your…..”
“Eiga—! Junee—!”
I cut through the guards’ voices and was a little freaked out when I saw the source of the echoing voice. I thought it was a tiger man.
The others are wearing fur as part of their clothing, like a waistcoat or a vest, but this father figure is wearing tiger fur on his head.
I knew it from the video, but it was quite powerful to see it from the front.
The head is covered by the tiger’s head like a hood, and the body part covers the body like a mantle.
His long, or rather uncut, hair and beard covered his neck, and his stern face and muscular body reminded me of a lion.
Such a man came running in wearing a real costume of a white tiger. I almost shot him dead, you know?
“ “Dad—! !” “
As I watched the touching reunion of father and child, I turned back on my heels while the guards were still looking at their direction.
“Yes, good, good, “
“Yeah, really.”
“Now I can go back to my normal life tomorrow. Now let’s go home.”
I just got on the ATV.
Please wait! What! ? Oh! ?”
The tiger man, who had come running, shouting, to stop us, slumped back with a startled look on his face.
There are a lot of possibilities around.
“Wolves….”
Swallowing his spit, he pulls the machete-like blade from his waist.
“Can you please not point such a disturbing thing at my lovely doggies? They’re the ones who escorted your children this far, you know?”
I soothe my irritated feelings by mooching off Magami. Magami sweetly leans in closer to me. Yes, he’s cute.
“Oh, are they following your will?”
“Yes, of course.”
“It’s unbelievable, no, the people in the city actually tamed the horses…… Is that even possible?”
He’s quite understanding.
“I’m sorry. I am the Ogre, Chief of the Tiger Hunters. I am very grateful to you for sending my children to me.”
“Toki and Suzuka. It was just a random thing that I did on my own. Don’t worry about it.”
The Ogre puts away his blade and bows his head.
“Who are you guys?”
“That question again?”
Unlike the guards, it was not hostile, but it was still a troubling question.
Haven’t you been asked? In fact, this question.
In my human life, at least, I’ve never been asked.
“It’s not that I have anything against you, but I don’t know how to answer. Your children are staying at our house for the night, so if you’re curious, you can ask them yourself.”
“…..Okay, I get it.”
He seemed convinced.
“I’ll see you next time. Please be careful not to get separated from your children again.”
“Mmm. Life may be short, but I will never forget this.”
“Eh! ?”
I stopped at a word that caught my attention.
“I’m sorry. Don’t look at me like that. The city took us by surprise and burned our home to the ground.”
“I heard about that.”
“At that time, we lost most of our hunting gear. We are going to put our pride on the line and challenge the people of the city to a battle. It’s not an opponent that we would normally lose to, but… hmm, as it is now.”
“……May I ask why you were attacked?”
“It’s not much of a story. We were in the way. They wanted us to leave so they could clear the forest, and this is what we got.”
“…..I see.”
The reason why I don’t feel like a stranger is probably because I am in a similar situation. The difference is whether or not you can protect the place you live.
I have no desire to get involved in other people’s conflicts. But instead of fighting, I’m going to intervene a little for the sake of the children.
“Five days to the southeast from here.”
“?”
“All right, listen up. If you continue to the southeast, you’ll come to a town that’s now empty.”
“O, Oh?”
“One incident four years ago caused the residents to flee the city. Because of this, there are still quite a few supplies left in the city. Weapons used by the soldiers, for example.”
“What is the incident…..?”
“The details. All I can tell you is that the source of that incident is already gone.”