Late at night, in the forest.
I am running behind Delta.
Just as I was worrying about Delta's secret infiltration being exposed, she had quietly appeared in my room at the dormitory, just as I had told her to.
Her innate abilities weren't anything for me to worry about. Delta is really good at hunting. That's why there's no need to worry about concealing ourselves. I guess it's a token of being one of the Seven Shadows.
Furthermore, her innate ability to detect prey is not to be underestimated. To be honest, I don't think I can win against her in smelling or hearing. Even if humans can enchant parts of their bodies with magic power to strengthen them, we don't stand a chance against a beastkin's natural talents.
Delta's existence, other than her miso brain, is high spec.
So as such, Delta plays the role of running at the front and acts like a bandit radar.
To be honest about bandit hunting, finding the thieves is the hardest part and takes the longest time. In this regard, If you let Delta run in front, she will guide you to the bandits with no trouble whatsoever, so long as you follow her the process becomes pretty straightforward.
As she runs in front of me, Delta's ears twitch, and her tail shakes.
Those signs are the proof that there are bandits nearby.
Delta increases her speed, she went from running on two legs to sprinting on all fours. I rush through the forest at a tremendous pace and thrust into the light in the distance.
And then, screams can be heard.
Arriving after Delta, I could see there were already several thieves torn apart and dead, their limbs are scattered before the bonfire.
Aa, It's still as usual,
There are not only merits to hunting bandits with Delta. Of course, there are demerits as well.
Delta cannot “wait” in front of prey.
Her bandit hunting is a one-sided slaughter, there is no element of fun in it.
It would be perfect if she didn't have such a flaw.
By the way, strictly speaking, it's not like she can't “wait.” If I call Delta, she will wait as I say.
However, having Delta wait in front of her prey can be a tremendous stress for her.
(TLN: just like a dog staring at a hot dog.)
That's why when she's in front of me she would be obedient, but when I'm not around, she will have to vent that stress. A problem always arises somewhere.
Back then she would sit on top of Gamma, cut the trees behind the cabin, eat all the vegetable in the field, etc…
It was only to this level when she was little, but as she grew, her means of stress relief also grew. I have no idea what to do with her.
In the meantime, it seems that bandit hunting is about to end.
There was no need for me to appear.
“W-wait!”
The surviving thieves started to beg for their lives.
It was a familiar sight, but their tearful pleas were not heard y Delta.
She smiles like a savage beast and then mows them down with a jet black blade.
I cannot feel any technique behind it other than a forced blow. However,
her sword is not only fast but also lengthens and remains flexible.
I wonder if this is her innate talent.
Her sword, aimed at the head of bandits, only stopped just before cutting the skin.
“Nn?”
Delta stopped……This can't be, is this a dream?.
Delta sniffs at the bandits with her nose.
“I-is that you Sarah? It's me, Olé.”
The man called Olé, repeatedly called out nervously to Delta, while removing his mask.
Under the mask of that guy was a face that no longer showed any fear. One noteworthy thing to inspect is that this man has dog ears that are the same colour and shape as Delta's.
“Sarah, are you Sarah? It's me, Olé, your Aniki-da.” (EN: a j.a.panese honourable term for an older brother or a superior. For those who don't know)
Delta made a KunKun sound from her nose and tilted her head while looking towards me.
The usual pattern for when she's asking for permission.
I nodded, allowing her to do whatever she wants.
“My father's scent……but, I cannot remember.”
Delta took the mask and exposed his face and tail.
“No doubt about it, It's you, Sarah. I heard that our father was hunting for you as you came down with demon possession……but well, it seems you survived father's hunt.”
“Delta is the best at hide and seek.”
“Delta? Is that what you call yourself? Hey, please help me, I am your older brother.”
The man tries to flatter Delta.
Delta's tail begins to sway slowly, giving off a threatening impression. Ah, yup, that's a bad sign.
“A week fellow like you cannot be my brother.”
“W-wait, wait a minute, I know you've been strong since long ago, and I admit that I was never able to beat you back then. Even father would have made you the next chieftain if you weren't born as a girl. Your demon possession has been treated, right? If that's the case, I can plead for our father to welcome you back. You want that right?”
“Don't know, will return if Delta wants to return.”
“Ye-yeah, yeah. You're the boss! Then, I'll introduce you to a real big shot! You'd be surprised to hear that, I am working for the legendary “Big Wolf,” Gettan sama now.”
The rhythm of Delta's tail has changed. It's the worst pattern.
“Gettan sama… haven't you heard of him?”
I've heard his name before.
“Don't know.”
Delta shook her head with a stern expression. That's right.
“You're kidding me!? Even father didn't dare to make the legendary “Big Wolf” his enemy! The strongest wolf tribe warrior! Oh, maybe you could be chosen as a concubine for Gettan——”
"Don't know, shut up, weak dogs only bark.”
Delta said that and cut off the neck of the man who was still speaking.
“Ee……that was your brother, wasn't it?”
Delta looks at the man's head with a super grumpy face, then turns towards me smiling while shaking her tail.
“A weak dog is a shame to our clan. Happy to clean up.”
“Ahh……is that so.”
There's nothing left for me to say. Here, the thinking of beastkin is fundamentally different.
The beastkin have a wide variety of different tribes. However, about 80% of them are people whose inherent abilities are their strengths. The strong are highly respected, and those who are exceptionally proficient at hunting are also treated with great respect, it's that kind of system. Delta is, the super typical stereotype of the beastkin, now are all beastkin are like her? Probably not.
However, though most beastkin hold respect for the strong, not many take it as far as Delta does. Such thinking is common among the beastkin. Plainly speaking, the beastkin are super cheats in regards to their basic specs. Beastkin have greater physical ability, sharper senses, better reflexes, higher amounts of magic power, longer life spans, also higher fertility rates. If not for the defects in their brains they would have dominated this world.
However, going by this line of thought, as the population increases, so does the fighting between different tribes, which in turn reduces their population. Sometimes a hero appears to unify the beastkin. They would then wage war alongside the humans and elves, only to betray them and run back home. No, every time, in the beginning, the victor was the beastkin. However, the supply line extends vertically and would withdraw when starved. The same pattern every time. However, there was a beastkin tribe with intelligence. For better or worse, the beastkin are a diverse race. Yukime is also like that, the fox tribe are famous for their cunning intellect.
Tribes with such mindsets, I hope to listen to their opinions. Actually, it seems that they are always looking to others first. But when the supply line extends, Those with right mind took care of them self. But powerful beastkin abuse them as cowards and attack them.
(EN: sorry, I gave up on this paragraph)
It's ingrained in their instincts that power is to be wors.h.i.+ped.
As for a law enforced state, recently, the industry was trying their best but still makes little progress. In the end, nevertheless their brain (Raw:が力こそパワー.)
“Ma~a still, you should remember your older brother.”
“Brother? Why?”
“You don't have that many brothers and sisters, right? It's better to take care of them, it's the general rule.”
“Well, Delta's father has about twenty concubines. Over hundreds of brothers!”
“Ah, it's still not good even if only one person disappeared.”
As expected of a beastkin, the scale is different. But, a country of strength and ability, I have some interest in it.
“I wonder if I should go to the country of the beastkin someday.”
Delta's ears moved swiftly.
“I got a good idea! Boss should be the chieftain!! “
“Nn?”
“If Boss defeats the chieftain, Boss will become the new chieftain of the tribe.”
“Eeh……”
“Produce a lot of strong descendants, become the strongest clan!!”
“No, that wouldn't be good.”
“Become! Prepare hundreds of concubine!! Lots of birth, strongest in the world!! Let's do it!! Boss becomes a big hero who dominates the world!!”
“Impossible, impossible, let's just get back to the capital now.”
“No!!”
“Don't want to.”
“Uu~!!”
I dragged Delta back to the kingdom. I'm tired.
TLN: Note: Olé is the same p.r.o.nunciation as Ore, which is “me”, so just think of his name as “Mi” or “Me”.
