The Strongest Wizard Becomes a Countryside Guardsman After Taking an Arrow to the Knee

Chapter 85 – The Junior Adventurer’s Suffering

The next day, as I went to do my guarding duties, the adventurers came to me.

They greeted me enthusiastically.

「Good morning!」

「Morning. Will you drop by again on your way home?」

I rubbed Shiggy’s head as it sat inside my chest pocket.

It was quiet…maybe asleep.

Anton answered my question.

「It seems we’re completing our quest, so…」

「I see.」

While we were conversing, Femm walked beside me and dutifully sat.

Just like a very intelligent dog.

One of the adventurers, the archer Liza, then said,

「The hot springs were marvelous. And the chief’s very kind. It’s a nice village.」

「I am honored for you to say such things.」

Then the adventurers looked over at Moofy.

Moofy was now sitting right next to Femm.

It’s natural for a dog to sit and watch you, but weirder than anything for a cow to do the same.

I think Moofy did it so she wouldn’t stand out, though.

The light-armored warrior, Emmy now asked me,

「That reminds me, this cow was here yesterday.」

「Oh, you mean this cow?」

「Moo?」

Moofy looked confused. Also cute, it her confused state.

「This isn’t a stabled cow, but something like a pet.」

「Wow, that’s rare!」

「And cute.」

「Moo Mooo」

I rubbed Moofy’s head and it happily mooed away.

The adventurers seemed to just accept it.

Moofy was cute, so it wasn’t strange to have her as a pet.

After talking a bit, the adventurers began their journey away.

「Be careful. I pray you meet no danger.」

「Thank you very much.」

They walked away from the village, all of them smiling.

『I’m glad this worked out well.』

「Me too.」

「Ryaa ryaa」

Shiggy started crying from my chest.

Then it rubbed its head into me.

「What is it, Shiggy?」

「Ryaa ryaa!!」

I took Shiggy out and it seemed to protest it.

It might have been nice and warm.

「Just relax, you’re okay.」

「Ryyaaa」

I complimented it and Shiggy proudly flapped its wings.

I had no worries about that band of adventurers.

They were all a superior B-rank.

And, there were no strong monsters in the wolves’ woods. Femm had also chased the really hostile ones away as well.

For now, the area around here was safe.

◇◇◇

That night.

I was sleeping soundly, and Femm woke me up.

「What is it?」

『Someone’s approaching.』

「A demon?」

『Those adventurers from the morning.』

「At this time of night?」

I got up. Moofy was already awake.

Shiggy was sleeping and protesting the noise with a 「ryaaa」.

「Sorry, Shiggy. You can sleep here.」

「ryaaa」

The dragon jumped and clasped onto my chest. I stuffed it into my chest pocket.

As I left the house, the night air chilled me.

Femm and Moofy came along. Perhaps because she was cold, Moofy shivered a bit outside

『There are two.』

「Not three?」

『Yes.』

And the adventurers that arrived were all covered with wounds.

The archer was limping, and the light-armor Emmy was holding her up on her shoulder.

The light-armored warrior wasn’t untouched either. Her head was wrapped up.

You could see that the bandage hadn’t stopped the blood flowing down her head.

And their leader, the heavy-armored warrior, was nowhere to be seen.

「Femm!」

「Wuff」

I called for Femm, and Femm ran into my house.

Femm dragged one of the greatest healers in the kingdom, Yureena, from my house to treat them.

「What’s happened to you?」

「We were attacked by magic beasts…」

Emmy answered.

The archer looked the most injured. Almost unconscious. If she was left alone, she would die.

Femm brought Yureena up to them. Cruz was there too.

They had been sleeping in the same room, I bet.

Yureena really loved Cruz. She would always want to sleep in the same bed as her.

「…what’s the problem?」

「Injured. Take care of them.」

「Sure, leave it to me.」

Yureena said in a still sleepy voice.

Living creatures normally change.

One had to correctly assess the change in one’s physiognomy and then adjust the magic to fit the condition.

That’s why healing magic is so difficult.

It’s impossible for me to assess people like that. Even though I’m a wizard, my magic is a completely different type from those of the healers.

「Please…heal my little sister Liza first!」

「I know…but I can heal you both at once.」

Yureena’s ability with healing magic is miraculous. In an instant, she’s able to heal both of their wounds.

It seems that the light-armored Emmy and the archer Liza were sisters.

The healed Emmy now bowed over and over to Yureena.

Liza had snapped from the mental strain…she was completely unconscious.

「I can’t believe that there’s a healer in this village. You helped us so much. Thank you.」

「I can’t restore the blood you’ve lost, so please, lie down.」

「Please help my little sister. I must go back.」

「Don’t be foolish.」

「But my brother…」

It seems that all of them were siblings. A party of an older brother and two younger sisters.

Emmy stood up quickly and prepared herself to run back to the fray. However, even if she went, she’d just end up dead.

Just then, I heard Luka’s voice.

「So, what kind of beast attacked you?」

「Um…」

「She’s a researched of magical beasts. If you explain, we might be able to think of a method of attack.」

Emmy seemed lost, but once we explained it to her, she assented.

Then she explained.

We had found the place where the herbs were, and we were attacked by five basilisks.

A basilisk is a B-rank magical beast.

Usually a B-rank parky can take out a single basilisk quite easily.

But five of them was impossible. Even hard for an A-rank adventurer.

Before they were about to be slaughtered, the leader stood up to the beasts and allowed the other two to flee.

「And they’re …」

『In the forest of the magical wolves.』

「Right.」

I thought the basilisks had been chased out of the forest.

Perhaps the wolves let these ones get away.

「I have to help my brother!」

「If you go alone, you’ll die!」

「But…!」

I didn’t want to say so, but if her brother was there alone, it’s possible he’s already dead. However, I know how he felt not wanting to let his other party members be killed. Especially as a bigger brother.

I turned to Cruz and said,

「I’ll be right back.」

「Okay, leave the village to me.」

「Do you want me to go with you?」

「Luka, thank for the help, but I’ll be okay. You can take care of Shiggy…」

「Ryaaa!」

Shiggy cried out from the pocket in my shirt.

It seemed it really wanted to go with me.

It might be a good education to see a wizard fight a battle.

「Okay then, Shiggy. Just stay quiet.」

「ryaaa」

「Femm, please, let me on.」

『No problem.』

Femm grew back to his regular size…a horse.

Emmy stumbled back with her mouth open in shock after seeing all this happen.

Without blinking, I asked her,

「Can you ride a horse?」

「Ah, yeah. I guess.」

「Well, it’s no real difference from riding a cow. Get on Moofy and show me where he is!」

「Moo mooo!」

「Ah…okay then…」

Luka had already brought over a saddle for Moofy.

She knew exactly what was needed without me having to say a thing.

That’s why she’s one of the best.

「Well, I guess I should go too.」

「Sure, get on.」

Yureena got behind me on Femm.

I don’t think that a healer’s going to matter with the state that the brother is probably in right now.

If he’s dead, then a healer won’t do anything. The strongest possibility is that we’ll be collecting remains.

If he’s lucky enough to almost be dead, then Yureena might have a chance at helping.

Emmy anxiously got on top of Moofy, and then Femm ran off.