Chapter 90: The Impoverished Viscount’s Second Son Searches for Eyes 12
*
Just splitting its jaw vertically wasn’t nearly enough to stop the Dragon’s attack.
Naturally, the Jewelhead Dragon stretched its neck, trying to bite me with its four-part jaw.
Of course, I had no intention of getting bitten, so I planned to dodge it with a kick or something.
The problem was that, right next to me, for some reason, stood the Bearded Man striking a Fighting Pose.
Compared to the Ogre Knight’s movements, it was considerably slower, yet fangs comparable to that fist were closing in on me.
Dodging would be easy, but if I dodged now, what would happen to the Bearded Man? Well, he’d be split clean in two.
He’s an adventurer; endings like that are common enough.
It was nice fighting alongside you at the end. I’ll miss that hairy arm of yours I reattached so many times.
Well then, goodbye— Damn it! This’ll haunt my sleep!
I cast aside all the various conflicts in my heart and scooped up the Bearded Man, escaping the Jewelhead Dragon’s jaws.
The Dragon’s jaws snapped shut with a sound that made me think clanging Iron Plates together would have been gentler.
I landed about six paces away, listening to the sound.
“…Damn it, this is the worst.”
A groan escaped me involuntarily at the undeniable karma of having the Bearded Man be the second person I’d ever carried princess-style in my life.
“…Masked Man.”
Also, stop looking at me with those sparkling eyes, Bearded Man.
Suppressing the urge to toss him aside, I set the Bearded Man down on the ground.
Taking advantage of the distance, the Jewelhead Dragon was slowly healing its split jaw and caved-in head.
I wanted to deal a bit more damage with the first strike.
Swallowing the anger rising in my throat, I asked the Bearded Man.
“What are you doing? It might sound harsh, but this opponent is way out of your league.”
“What do you mean—”
The Bearded Man replied, looking puzzled.
“Since I’m an adventurer, it’d be a lie if I didn’t buy time for those who can’t fight to escape, right, Masked Man?”
Even though we were in the middle of fighting a Jewelhead Dragon, I couldn’t help but stare intently at the Bearded Man’s face.
His expression said he didn’t understand what I was saying or asking. I looked away from him and back at the Dragon.
“I see. Reattaching your arm wasn’t a waste after all.”
My deflated spirits surged back.
“But listen, ‘Beardy’, I can buy enough time for the merchants to escape all by myself. So you should run too.”
Few people would believe a stranger telling them something like this.
But adventurers (we) don’t dislike guys who ‘talk big’ like that. It’s more like, ‘You talked the talk, now walk the walk.’ We believe in adventurers (us).
“Nah, I don’t think that’s possible, Masked Man.”
Saying that, the Bearded Man pointed behind him.
Hey Beardy, aren’t you on the adventurers’ (our) side? Surprised, I looked where the Bearded Man was pointing.
“…Damn it.”
That word escaped my lips for the umpteenth time today.
They must have panicked while trying to flee hastily.
Where I looked, three carriages had Run Aground, tangled together.
I screamed a silent curse in my mind at the sudden spike in difficulty.
*
With the merchants’ carriages having Run Aground, I lost several freedoms.
First, I lost the freedom to escape.
My freedom of movement too.
And the option to temporarily hide myself, like using hit-and-run tactics.
I hoped the merchants would abandon their carriages and flee, but that was probably wishful thinking.
If they were just Freight Wagons, that might have happened, but two of the grounded carriages were food stalls.
Carriages loaded with Magic Tools for cooking are expensive, and the merchants would likely try to avoid the risk of losing them until the very last moment.
Saying things like ‘life is the most precious thing’ is easy when it’s someone else’s problem.
It’d be foolish to think that people who’d consider doing business in a place like this, crawling with Monsters nearby, would be wealthy enough to own multiple carriages.
For them, losing their carriages and dying aren’t that far removed.
Staring at the Dragon healing its caved-in head, I asked the Bearded Man.
“Beardy, where’s your partner?”
“He went to inform the adventurers in the forest that a Jewelhead Dragon showed up.”
I see. As expected, that partner of the Bearded Man is competent.
He chose the optimal solution in an instant; he must have started moving the moment I was sent flying.
Though, he probably didn’t expect the Bearded Man, whom he left behind as a burden while running through a forest teeming with Jewelhead Bunnies, would actually strike a Fighting Pose against a Jewelhead Dragon.
“Beardy, I have a favor to ask.”
“Sure, what is it, Masked Man?”
“Help the folks with the carriages. I guarantee the Dragon won’t head your way.”
My voice was earnest, hoping the Bearded Man would trust me.
In response, the Bearded Man chuckled lightly.
“Nice, Masked Man. That’s really nice. Yeah, that’s right. That’s the kind of thing I wanted to do, why I became an adventurer.”
Even without looking at the Bearded Man, I could tell he was smiling.
“Well then, responding like this is the stylish thing to do. Leave it to me, Masked Man!”
With those words, the Bearded Man dashed off.
Nice line. My motivation’s through the roof now.
“Alright then, the break time (interval) is over for both of us.”
I said this to the Dragon glaring at me.
—————Author’s Note—————-
The apology venue for the Bearded Man is right here.