Chapter 8

I decided to comfort Unica and watch Vil's battle. I'll prepare some support magic just in case, but it probably won't be necessary.

Vil drew the Witch Slayer from its sheath. Immediately, my skin prickled.

What a sinister swirl of magic.

The dull blade reflected a sinister red light. It felt as if the blood in my body had frozen.

It was that beautiful.

Even I and the Silver Wolf were transfixed.

An unnatural silence enveloped our ears.

Vil took a step forward, and the Silver Wolf kicked off the ground a moment later. The battle was over in an instant. Without regard for the thick fur wrapped in magic, Vil cut down the Silver Wolf with a single stroke.

There wasn't even a drop of blood or a single injury, and his breathing was not even. His golden eyes seemed to waver slightly at the sight of the fallen wolf, but they quickly returned to their usual state.

The blood and fat on the sword vanished with a faint sound, as if absorbed by the Witch Slayer.

A tingling sensation ran down my spine.

I've seen Vil's battle scenes in "anime" many times, but I thought they were exaggerated.

To be honest, I couldn't even see what movements Vil made when he struck. It's not just the power of the Witch Slayer. Vil's skills are truly exceptional.

"...Thank you, Vil. You're really strong, as I expected. I can rely on you."

Yeah. He was stronger than I thought. I'm a bit worried about how to handle it, but I won't show it on my face.

"Flattery is nice. What about the funeral rites?"

"Hmm. Let's do it, shall we?"

I placed my hand over the Silver Wolf, who had died on the horse.

"O soul that has passed, refine thy body and return to the cycle of heaven and earth."

As I chanted, the Silver Wolf's body was enveloped in a faint light and disappeared. To be precise, only a sharp claw from the right arm remained, while the rest vanished. Both Vil and I offered a brief moment of silence.

This is the funeral rite.

A technique to return a corpse to the flow of natural magic, but the core of a magic beast cannot be dissolved and remains. In short, the corpse disappears, and the spoils are obtained.

In the case of the Silver Wolf, the core was in the claw. It's a clump of magic and can be sold for a decent price.

...By the way, using the funeral rite on the bodies of witches or those with cores is prohibited throughout the continent. It's a result of learning from a bloody history.

Vil picked up the claw and offered it to me. Generally, the spoils belong to the one who delivered the final blow, but if there is a master-servant relationship among companions, it's different. It seems Vil has the awareness of a servant.

When I took it, I took the opportunity to pat Vil's head. But he silently avoided it after just one pat. What a shame.

"Hehe, as a reward, let's have a delicious meal tonight. What would you like?"

Vil's shoulder twitched.

"......Ku"

"Hmm?"

"......I want meat dishes."

A silly sound echoed through the forest.

Ah, that's just like the original.

We somehow managed to reach the town before sunset.

We took a room, left Unica there, and went to a nearby tavern for dinner.

Plates lined the table, and the air was filled with a fragrant mix of smells. I sipped on a sweet and sour fruit wine while watching the scene in front of me with interest.

At first, the other guests' gazes were focused on me, but now they are concentrated on my companion.

Chomp. Munch.

Fried rice, sweet and sour chicken, stir-fried pork, deer soup, and beef stew.

The numerous dishes, enough for five people, quickly disappeared into Vil's mouth.

Despite the pace, it's a strangely quiet dining scene. Eating noisily is considered rude. As a former knight of the prince, he shows at least a minimum of manners.

"Is it good?"

"Extremely delicious."

This is the first time I've received such a soft answer to my question. The corners of his mouth are slightly upturned, and he looks blissful.

He's so focused on his meal that he seems to have forgotten I'm even there.

Still, he eats a lot. I thought this was exaggerated in the "anime," but it's exactly as shown.

The Witch Slayer sword Vil wields consumes a vast amount of magic when used. This overeating is the price he pays.

In the original, he often collapsed from exhaustion, emptied the prince's wallet, and was genuinely upset when he dropped a hot dog.

This is apparently the only flaw and one of the cute points of the stoic and cool Vil.

For me, his ability to eat without gaining weight is a bit enviable. But watching Vil eat makes me lose my appetite, so it might be good for my diet.

Even after finishing most of the dishes, Vil still looked unsatisfied. It's not good to make such a gloomy face while dining with a woman.

"Here, have this."

I moved a piece of chicken thigh from my plate to Vil's.

He was a bit wary, comparing me and the chicken, but eventually reached out and took a big bite. Maybe because it was the last piece, he's savoring it a lot.

...So cute.

My cheeks naturally relaxed. I might get addicted to feeding him.

As I watched him with a smile, Vil finally noticed my gaze.

"Why are you smiling?"

"I think it's wonderful when someone eats a lot."

Vil turned away, looking embarrassed and ashamed.

"......Isn't efficiency the highest virtue?"

"Maybe you were worried? People and riding beasts are different."

Vil seemed unconvinced but finished the remaining dishes in one go.

The tavern owner praised Vil's eating and my beauty, and offered us dessert for free. As I savored the apple and honey cake, various conversations reached my ears.

"By the way, the wedding between Prince Rain and the daughter of Lord Aronia has been called off. The capital is in a panic."

"Apparently, the prince had another lover."

"Amazing! He stuck to his true love. I envy the lady."

"Are you kidding? I'm disappointed. Calling off the wedding at the last minute is extremely impolite. I'm worried about the future of Mistoria."

"Lord Aronia's daughter was said to be very beautiful. And she forgave the prince's rudeness."

"What a broad-minded young lady. Thinking about the next battle with the witches, I'm scared..."

My reputation is excellent. Since the bold act was in front of so many people, the kingdom couldn't manipulate the information to protect the prince. However, the topic of conversation is mainly about the canceled engagement, and the truth about the attack twenty years ago is not being discussed.

His Majesty the King is competent.

I wanted to listen to more gossip, but Vil seemed uncomfortable, so we decided to return to the inn.

We had booked a slightly larger room for me and a regular room for Vil. I said it was fine to share a room, but Vil insisted it was absolutely not okay.

"There are no more rooms. The prince's wedding has been canceled, and many guests are returning early... I'm sorry, but you'll have to look elsewhere."

"Please, just this once. This is our last option!"

The reception was noisy.

A family of three, a couple with a small child, were desperately trying to get a room from the innkeeper. From what I could gather, they had missed booking a room and had nowhere to stay for the night.

"Can you at least take the child? He's been feeling a bit unwell since this morning..."

"A sick child... That's unfortunate."

I saw the little boy coughing and his cheeks were a bit red. He probably had a cold. Poor thing.

I approached the reception.

"Excuse me. If you'd like, we can give you one of our rooms."

"Really?!"

"Yes. We should help each other when we're in trouble. Right, Vil?"

Vil looked like he wanted to say something but held back when he saw the child's pained expression. The lack of rooms seemed to be due to the canceled engagement, so we couldn't ignore it.

I knelt down and placed my hand on the boy's forehead. He was surprised but couldn't speak due to a sore throat. He had a rash on his neck, which was a symptom of a recent cold outbreak among children.

"Give him a drink of honey and ginger dissolved in hot water. It should ease his throat pain. He has a slight fever now, but he'll develop a high fever by noon tomorrow. It's best not to move him. Take him to the town doctor first thing in the morning."

"Y-Yes. Are you knowledgeable in medicine?"

The parents looked anxious.

"I'm still studying, but I work as a pharmacist. It's fine. It's a cold that's hard to spread to adults, and he'll recover quickly with rest. Have a good night."

When I smiled confidently, the parents and the innkeeper sighed in relief.

We gave the larger room to the family and I rolled into Vil's room.

It was a cheap room with only a single bed and a shower. The silence was even more painful in the small space.

"I'll spend the night at the tavern."

"Wait, Vil. You need to rest properly. Do you intend to put your master in danger on tomorrow's journey?"

Upon closer inspection, Vil was sweating and looked as if the world was ending.

Why is the man more nervous in this situation?

Maybe I'm being treated rudely?

"Then I'll sleep on the floor..."

"I don't mind sharing the bed. As a knight who values chivalry, nothing improper will happen, right?"

"Of course not! But I still can't share a bed. I prefer the floor..."

He ended up hugging his head in the corner of the room.

His resolve seems strong, so I'll leave him alone.

"I won't stop you if you insist. I'll use the bathroom first, okay?"

He gave a response that sounded like a groan, and I smiled.

I've seen various sides of Vil: in battle, while eating, and during unexpected events.

The journey back should be enjoyable.

The next chapter will be from Vil's perspective.