Chapter 8: What I Picked Up in the Forest [Part 3]

Slash!

With a solid impact, red blood burst from the drake’s massive tail, scattering into the air as droplets.

I hadn’t been able to sever it completely, but I had managed to inflict a deep wound.

Seeing the tail’s movement slow slightly, I kicked off the ground at once.

Leaping into the air, I used that momentum to deliver another slash at the very wound I had just made.

Slash!!

This time—

A section of the severed tail spun through the air.

It was quite long, and as it obeyed gravity, it fell to the ground with a heavy thud.

Keeeeeen!

The drake let out a tremendous roar that echoed throughout the forest.

Unafazed by the voice twisted with agony and rage, I closed the distance the moment I landed.

Now that it had lost its powerful tail, what would the drake do next?

Abandoning tail attacks, it opened its enormous mouth wide once more.

That massive maw, large enough to swallow two humans whole, came down over me as if to engulf me entirely.

Just as its shadow was about to cover my head—

I stopped my feet.

And instead, I leapt forward into the drake’s gaping mouth.

Twisting my body in a spinning motion, I unleashed a low, sweeping slash.

From the inside, I cut upward toward the corner of its jaws.

“Got youuu!”

Slaaaash!

The sensation of blade cleaving through flesh.

Then the upper half of the drake’s face burst apart spectacularly into blood and chunks of meat.

With overwhelming weight, blood sprayed in all directions.

The drake’s roar cut off abruptly.

Half its face—part of its brain—had been destroyed.

That should have finished it.

…Or so I thought.

Despite losing half its head, the drake still moved.

Its massive body convulsed, scattering blood as it crawled deeper into the forest in retreat.

I had dealt a fatal wound, but I hadn’t been able to completely finish it off.

But there was something more important than pursuit right now.

After confirming the drake had vanished entirely from sight, I shook the blood from my blade and sheathed it.

Then I hurried to the girl.

She still lay collapsed on the road, covered by my cloak.

Carefully, I touched her shoulder.

She felt cool, but she was breathing faintly.

Unconscious, but alive.

Good.

I sat on the ground and tried to lift her, but it seemed difficult.

Right after a battle, carrying an unconscious girl through this forest to a safe place was unrealistic.

It couldn’t be helped.

I would have to wait for her to regain consciousness.

Fortunately, I had driven the drake off.

Its foul scent still lingered in the air.

That would likely deter other unnecessary monsters.

For a while, this place should be safe.

I began preparing a simple campsite in an open area by the roadside.

I gathered dry branches to prepare a fire and took a blanket from my backpack.

Wrapping the girl in the blanket, I laid her near the fire.

By the time night had fully fallen and the fire crackled softly, I found myself nodding off.

Perhaps because the tension had faded, I felt utterly exhausted.

A faint sound woke me.

The girl who had been lying beside me was slowly trying to sit up.

“…Mm…?”

A hoarse voice.

It seemed her consciousness had returned.

“Ah, you’re awake.”

I felt relieved.

The person I had saved was safe.

That alone made me glad.

The girl looked around abruptly.

She didn’t seem to understand where she was or what had happened.

Her frightened eyes flickered in the light of the campfire.

“It’s alright. I drove it off.”

As I said that, I pointed with the stick in my hand toward the opposite side of the road.

There lay the severed portion of the drake’s tail and the bloodied upper half of its face.

Seeing that, the girl let out a small scream.

Then, as if I too were some kind of monster for defeating it, she trembled and tried to hide behind me.

“H-hh…”

“It’s alright. That thing won’t move anymore.”

I hurriedly explained.

Back when I was a guard, I had dealt with civilians who encountered monsters.

I had some idea how to approach someone who was frightened.

“That was a monster called a drake. I drove it away. I couldn’t finish it, but you can see, right? I dealt it a fatal wound. It should be safe for a while.”

I spoke slowly and calmly.

The girl swallowed nervously, still looking frightened.

It seemed she hadn’t fully processed the situation yet.

“For now, have this and catch your breath.”

I took out a canteen from my backpack and handed it to her along with a small pouch of dried fruit.

“It’s water and something sweet. It should help you calm down.”

The girl accepted them with trembling hands and cautiously brought the canteen to her lips.

Her eyes still trembled with fear.