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Edited by: Jae

We are now start with new arc. Raw don’t really have name but it was about a Fox Loli.

Let just call it “Fox Little Sister” arc.

Sorry, yesterday I still working with next chapter (but can’t finish yet).

And I forgot to remind you, Cliff Hanger is back.

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Chapter 34 (Prologue): Convenience on legs.

“N, n~ n…n… afu ~uu~u…… I’m sleepy~”
“Argento, weren’t you just sleeping?”
“I’m still short of sleeping a proper twelve hours, I need least that much if I don’t want to feel sleepy.”

For some reason, Neguseo stopped for a moment. After blowing his nose, he started walking again.

Did I say something strange?

Even if I’m asleep, Neguseo will keep my journey on track, only moving when I’m awake wouldn’t be all that ideal. Now that I think about it; since the winds blowing through the meadow at a comfortable pace, it’s the perfect weather for a nap. It’s a good thing I can sleep a little more.

“N, fu ni…yu~”
“Are you going to sleep again?”
“If there is something… Please wake me up…”
“Wait, Argento.”
“…what is it?”

Just as I was drifting off, my mind calming, Argento’s voice wakes me up. I get a little sleepy listening to that low and calm voice of Neguseo, but if he ask me to wait, I’m fine with talking to him. Since we’re traveling together, I should at least communicate with him. Although he’s a horse, I can talk with him thanks to translation skill.

“Could you also do a ‘blood-contract’ with me?”
“Okay… I don’t mind, please wait a bit.”

Although I do not know why Neguseo wants me to do that, I still accept his request, hardly giving it a thought, because there’s no disadvantage. Since the ability’s improved, it seems that there are plenty of advantages. Especially if his physical strength improves, the distance he could travel while I’m sleeping will increase a great deal. If he could improve from this, I’d be rather be happy.

Lightly biting my fingers, deep enough to leave a cut, I let blood drip on Neguseo’s back. With that, all I have to do is speak my keyword.

“‘Blood-contract’.”

Just like what happened with Oswald-kun, I could feel, something like a ‘mutual-existence’ between us, as the skill connected. Unlike with the boat, Pisces, if you use ‘blood-contracts’ on living things, you’ll be able to strongly recognize their existence, just as they’ll recognize yours. It’s a strange feeling; somehow, we can even understand each other’s physical condition and mood.

By the way, Oswald-kun is a bit tired, but I ‘feel’ like he is feeling well, so I guess he is training at the moment. He hopes to overcome his problematic speed, but that will depend on him.

“HM!”

Unlike Oswald-kun, Neguseo didn’t exaggerate his change.
With just a step on the ground and a turn with all four of his feet so as to ascertain his own condition, and a released a word, the change finished. It was a cool way to check himself.

“Are you satisfied?”
“Thank you very much, Argento. I can run faster now.”

Oh, was that the reason?

I was feeling a bit bad that I didn’t do anything in return for the ride, so I’d be happy if he was satisfied. After closing the finger injury by touching the wound and saying ‘pain pain go away’, I close my eyes. Well, finally, it’s time to -Huh?

“-Argento.” Neguseo said.
“Yes, I noticed.”

I smelled something burning, I could smell a few things, but one of the stronger smells was…meat. The range a horse can smell is much stronger than a humans. The same can be said of a vampire as well. The smell we recognize was transmitted to each-other right as we got it. (Blood Contract can shared info)

“What will you do?” He asked.
“It’d be troublesome…”

I really feel like ignoring it, but if it’s more than just a fire…

While it’d be a bother, let’s at least check it out. When we got closer, I tried looking around, while I can’t see any flames or smoke. I could see a blacken landscape in the distance, ash spread out into the forest like it had been blown away. All around that burnt landscape I could see curved grass, burnt short by the heat. (ED: This paragraph, and the paragraph above it were really confusingly phrased, so I was forced to re-interpret it a bit.)

“Looks like whatever burnt is long gone.” I say.
“Ah, then it seems okay to leave it alone?”
“Since I smell smoke, let’s check whether it disappeared properly or not, since it might be dangerous.“
“I’m going to go too?” 
“Would you please, Neguseo?”
“…Okay.”

If checked by myself, it would probably be frustrating, but since he has those convenient legs, it’s less of a pain. Neguseo walked towards the black landscape, blowing his big nose like a human sighing. 

If he don’t like it, why doesn’t he just say it? People’s expression are easier to understand than a horse. Then again, if he was a human, I would have changed my requested reward for that duel, into one where he needs to feed me.

Too bad he isn’t human…

“Argento, I feel like you might be thinking something strange.”
“I thought that Neguse was a good horse.”
“Hmm, is that right?”

Is he angry? I can feel his body shaking before he suddenly accelerates, his feet shifting unnaturally as we arrive at the scene we saw from a distance.

The first thing I thought when I looked around was, “Beautiful”. Ignoring the blackened patch of land, the rest of the area was decorated with many flowers, all of them unique enough that I couldn’t think of their names.  

While looking around the blacken flower garden of unique plans, I noticed there there’s something still burning, the traces made it seem like the fire only burned through a target. Looking around further, it seems like the grass around the blackened ground was still healthy, so there was nothing dry to cling onto. Like it was an intended fire, rather then something naturally spread.

“…it looks like it burnt in a strange way?” I ask.
“Maybe it was caused by magic?”
“Do you even understand that kind of thing?”
“You’re being insensitive.” (ED: Awkward sentence, but I can’t think of another word that fits Agre’s joke.)
“To be sure, I am dull, in the dullest of terms, and I’m like a synonym for lazy people”
“I didn’t say that!”

I got off from Negseo and stepped on the burnt ground.
If I concentrate my consciousness, I felt my skin tingle. It feels a bit like a sun bathing, so it feels calm.

…Magical residue?

Is this the feeling that Neguseo feels?
I thought about asking, but Neguseo have wandered away to eating the burnt grass a little away. 

Interrupting meals is bad. So I decide to leave him alone.

…’Is smell of burnt meat coming from this?’

Looking around I noticed were several people shaped piece of charcoal burnt into the ground. Probably, these were once living things…

Although they are damaged, I could still make out limbs. Though their skulls looked close to dogs. Rather than people, maybe I could call them human wolves?

They look similar to the Kobolt’s  I saw in the forest, but those Koboldt were only as tall as my waist. The bodies in front of  me were bigger, leaving a much taller corpse. Though, it’s still smaller than an adult man.

Something similar to a man was burned entirely, leaving only the shape of a grimy skeleton. Light enough that the corpse moves a little every time the wind blows. Given how damaged they are, I can be tell considerable fire power was used on them.

“Hmm……”

I notice a beast smell mixed in with the burning smell. It is not from charcoal in front of my, it’s fresher, or still fresh. If I concentrate a bit more on smell, I may find something-

“N nya?”

The moment I focus, that burnt smell assaults my senses, and surprise flames hit me directly. (T.N: it’s hot, hot like summer wind, make me suprised for a second there)

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Sorry, yesterday I still working with next chapter (but can’t finish).

And I forgot to remind you, Cliff Hanger is back.