Chapter 239

Chapter 239: Archie’s Story (5)

Archie ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍knocked on the door of the old cabin again today.

It ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was early dawn, but he knew Amy had already woken and begun her day.

As ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍proof, light and cheerful footsteps came from inside.

-You’re ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍here? You came early today.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍door swung open, and Amy’s brightly smiling face greeted Archie.

-If ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍I had been someone dangerous, you would have just lost your life. Do not open the door without checking.

Archie scolded her as he stepped inside.

And he found what he had said a little funny.

“If I had been someone dangerous,” really? There probably isn’t anyone more dangerous than me.

But Archie had not the slightest intention of confessing this fact with his own mouth, so he looked around the inside of the house with a shameless face.

Over the course of greeting four winters, Amy’s house had changed into a place that looked more lived-in than it had at first.

On one side of the fireplace, firewood, jerky, and flour to get through the winter were stacked, and in the center stood a tattered table that had been broken and repaired over and over.

That ragged table contained the history of Archie growing used to pretending to be human.

Several times, Archie, still clumsy at acting human and unable to control his strength, had broken and repaired it. Now, Archie knew exactly how much strength he had to take out of his feet when pushing the table in order to move an old piece of wood without breaking it.

While Archie moved the table to the window with a creak, Amy brought over a pot of well-boiled stew and set it on the table.

-Who would come to a forest like this? This is the fourth winter I’ve spent here, and I haven’t seen a single person all this time. Not even monsters show up.

Archie pretended not to see the strangely regretful look on her face and brought out tableware from the cupboard.

-You are the one who said no one knows what might happen. It means no one knows when someone might suddenly break into the house, or when someone might grab you by the back of the neck out of nowhere one day.

-When I look at you, you seem less like a hunter and more like a swindler. You’ve gotten talkative.

Amy muttered in dissatisfaction, but perhaps it was not a truly sincere complaint, because she soon ladled stew into the bowl before her and handed it to Archie.

-You are the one with no measures. Next time, if you open the door without checking who it is......

-Ah, I said I get it. Just you wait. Next time, you’ll have to suffer proving you’re Archie with only your voice.

Amy muttered, waving her hand as if shooing away a fly.

Though she said that, Archie knew Amy would open the door and welcome him the next time too, the moment she heard his voice.

That was how much this foolish human trusted him.

The certainty that a next time would definitely exist was proof.

And Archie had to admit that it was not too bad.

No, it even seemed rather amusing.

He liked that Amy, who acted as if she would die at any moment, smiled freely when she saw his face.

-We shall see. The next time we meet will be at least a week later.

Archie had been about to tease Amy, asking whether she would remember today’s resolution well until then, but for some reason, he did not feel like it and closed his mouth.

Amy too stirred her stew with a strangely subdued face, so a strange silence began between the two.

But thanks to Amy, who opened the conversation again with a smiling face, it did not last long.

-Then I’ll pray hard. I’ll ask him to help you come back this time too without any injuries.

Archie’s opinion that this praise of the Imperial Family was insane nonsense still had not changed.

Archie was no longer as bothered by Amy’s nonsense as before.

He also found it a little funny that she prayed to a god whose name she felt too reverent to even utter, asking that a monster be protected.

-Though I don’t know whether he will listen to my prayers......

But he did not like that sickly guilt.

Archie glared at Amy’s face, where her playful smile had faded, then stood with the plate he had emptied long ago.

-Last time, you said you would make me winter clothes, did you not?

Archie reminded her of Amy’s offer, which he had refused several times.

Since she owed him so much, she wanted to make him warm outerwear, or at the very least something to block wind from seeping into his neck. It had been a somewhat strange offer.

Archie, who found the winter clothes he wore even now while pretending to be human already plenty cumbersome, had firmly refused it.

For some reason, Amy had been unable to hide her disappointment that day.

He still did not know why, but Archie had a feeling that making his clothes would lift Amy’s spirits.

Just as expected, Amy’s face brightened and she began putting the stew she had been stirring into her mouth.

-You said you didn’t need it then.

-I have to go somewhere quite far this time.

-I guess you’re going somewhere very cold.

Despite not even feeling the cold, Archie nodded without his expression changing.

Because he judged that making her move her hands would be better than letting her have stupid thoughts again.

Before Archie could change his mind, Amy quickly cleared the table, brought cloth and thread, and made Archie stand beside the table.

Then, excited, she began measuring things like the length of Archie’s arms.

Archie still could not understand why Amy had become so energetic.

But he knew well enough that there was nothing bad for him in Amy staying in this cabin in the forest, so Archie let Amy measure the length of his shoulders rather than think useless thoughts.

-You definitely like me after all.

Amy, who had been humming as she held cloth beneath Archie’s face, burst into laughter and muttered.

Amy sometimes said things like this, things that could not be told apart as jokes or confidence.

Archie, who had been looking down at her rather happy face, stopped himself from dismissing her words as nonsense and raised the corner of his mouth along with Amy.

-Is that something like a prayer too?

-What?

Amy, unable to understand Archie’s question, rolled her eyes.

-Whenever you want something, you always pray like that. Are you not saying what you want steadily for three years?

Amy, who had been moving her hands lightly, widened her eyes.

Soon, her face flushed red.

But Amy’s face soon returned to its original paleness, and her wavering eyes also found their place again.

-No. I’m praying that it won’t turn out that way. Because I hope you like me even a little less.

-......I see.

If she herself said so, there was no particular reason to refute it, and Archie had no desire to either, so he added nothing else.

For some reason, it felt as if there was regret, but watching Amy move busily before his eyes, he did not care much about such trivial problems.

Archie was satisfied with the current situation.

The time he spent with the slightly insane Amy was not boring, and Amy’s whims, which he could not understand, were interesting too.

If things continued to be the same as the past three years, that would probably not be bad either.

Everything was perfect.

***

Pretending not to hear Amy see him off, telling him to look forward to the finished product, Archie left the cabin and headed with slow steps toward the village closest to the cabin.

After circling the village once for a while and disposing of the animals he had hunted for a suitable price, the place Archie headed was the apothecary.

-What do you need today?

The shop owner, who greeted Archie familiarly without an introduction, asked.

-Something that can be used as wound medicine, and anything that has the function of stimulating appetite when eaten.

Even at Archie’s somewhat absurd order, the owner began wrapping medicinal herbs without showing any sign of fluster.

He was a tight-lipped man, and Archie was not a picky customer, so the two were quite satisfactory trading partners to each other.

Though between the two of them, there was a thick, invisible familiarity the apothecary had built up alone in secret.

Because the owner felt gratitude and favor toward the nameless customer who always bought goods and paid briskly.

Archie, who neither demanded credit by force, nor insisted that the medicine was ineffective, nor was even rude, was the best customer to him.

Hiding the fact that if Archie had known this, he would have immediately stopped coming, the owner wrapped the dried herbs.

-Seeing as you are buying wound medicine again, it seems the previous medicine did not have much effect. It would be good if you told me a little more specifically what the condition is.

Though he spoke as if regretful, the owner did not expect this taciturn customer to give a proper answer.

Because until now, Archie had never opened his mouth except to say the minimum words needed to exchange goods and money with the owner.

-Are there wounds that look cleanly healed on the outside but fester inwardly?

Because of that, even with Archie before him, the owner had to check for a moment whether some other customer had entered the shop.

-Did you not hear me?

-Ah, no, I heard you clearly!

The owner, coming to his senses at the repeated question, answered.

It was the first incident in which Archie, who did not speak except for what was necessary, had asked him for help.

The owner was willing to answer his question even if he had to draw out all the knowledge in his head.

-Well, if something has gone wrong inside any wound, I think it would be difficult for it to heal perfectly. Some signs would show. Could you perhaps describe what form the wound healed into?

-From the outside, nothing is wrong. It healed without leaving even a scar.

No matter how many years he had lived selling medicinal herbs, there was no way he would know how to treat a symptom he had never heard of in his life.

-......I have never seen or heard of such a wound.

In the end, he admitted his ignorance.

Archie too had not expected a human to know the treatment, so he calmly received the medicine and handed over the money.

-I hope your friend recovers quickly.

The owner spoke regretfully.

-A friend?

-Uh...... was it not a friend who was injured? You were too calm for it to be a family member......

The owner, trailing off, seemed to realize even to himself that he had spoken too much, and hurriedly covered his mouth.

-Oh dear, I am sorry. I have grown old, and my mouth has become foolish. Every household has its own circumstances, and I failed to consider that......

Archie did not bother correcting his words, which had missed the mark completely.

It was not that he could not understand why the owner could not even imagine that the one searching for a treatment was not a friend, but the person himself.

Even Archie was aware that he accepted the injury, eating away at his body far too calmly.

The chest wound he had received while fleeing the Imperial Family three years ago tormented him persistently.

Archie had become accustomed to the pain to the point that he could now casually let the spasmodic pain it caused pass.

Archie was certain that this pain crawling inside his body would ultimately kill him.

But for some reason, he was not afraid of his own end.

He did not feel as if he would be crushed by the pain eating at his flesh, or by the fear of not knowing the treatment, nor was he uneasy.

Perhaps it was because he had spent too long with a human out of her mind.

“I must be out of my mind too.”

Thinking that made it seem a little funny.

Because of that, Archie did not feel the slightest displeasure even as he left the apothecary without any particular gains.

-Come again! Next time, I will also look into another treatment!

The owner called out to him as he left the shop.

Archie moved his feet while swallowing the words that he would never come to this village again after today.

***

Around the time the sun began to set, he headed to the tavern with the most customers in the village.

Now Archie could imitate a human rather convincingly.

This also meant that as long as he sat in one corner of the tavern with a robe pulled over himself, he could listen to as much of the humans’ chatter as he wanted.

Moistening his throat with beer like ditchwater, Archie looked around at the humans moving and talking busily.

It was ridiculous.

Human Amy lived hidden away from people because she had failed to die according to the Imperial Family’s order, while he, a monster, strode among people as if it were nothing.

Scoffing at the humans’ laxness, Archie filtered useful information from the noise humans made with his hearing, which was twice as good as others’.

After some time passed, the sound Archie had been waiting for finally reached him.

The sound of two sets of footsteps that had been following him from the forest.

As soon as Archie put down his cup, the owners of the two footsteps somewhat rudely dragged chairs over in front of Archie’s table and sat down.

-There are no seats, so would you mind if we joined you?

Archie looked back and forth between the two men, who had firm bodies for their age, and the empty tables inside the shop, then nodded once.

After thanking him, they ordered a cup of beer each like Archie and watched Archie’s reaction for a moment.

After a short time of probing, the man with the fuller beard among the two opened his mouth first.

-I have seen you coming and going from the village a few times. You occasionally bring in decent prey.

-Being able to hunt at ease like this is all thanks to god’s grace.

Archie imitated Amy’s way of speaking.

-As thanks, tomorrow, I intend to go to the Temple and offer half of today’s earnings.

At Archie’s answer, the two men looked at each other with obvious relief.

-Well, you could not have spoken to me to applaud me. What is the real reason you suddenly spoke to me?

Perhaps offended by Archie’s words telling them to stop wasting time and state their business, the man’s eyebrow twitched.

Though he showed displeasure, as if having no desire to fight, he immediately revealed the reason he had approached Archie, just as Archie had said.

-......Are you perhaps acquainted with the woman who lives alone in the forest?

Though a person immediately rose in his head, Archie tapped the table with his finger as if pretending to think.

-I do not know what you are talking about.

-It is no use lying.

When Archie feigned ignorance, the man with the thick beard raised his voice.

-We have already seen you coming out of the cabin where Amy lives. It seems you do not know what kind of human that woman is. She is a criminal. A criminal who fled from the Temple.

Feeling the pain in his chest flare up, Archie stopped tapping the table with his finger.

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