Shadow Ruler Chapter 2 Part 1 (Patreon)

Chapter 2 First Encounter

"Haah... I understand how you feel, but please don't push yourself... That's really how I feel, but... Master will also be worried if we fall down due to recklessness, right? You know? We're worried about you, too. If you're thinking of us, please don't strain yourself."

(...Click)

I walked a lot without restraint, fell down and fainted, and when I woke up, the cat took care of me and the bird warned me.

I'd cry if they fell down because they were trying so hard for me... Mm... I'll be careful.

"Okay, I hope you understand how we feel. For now, let's camp out over there for a while. Fortunately, it's almost like we can get out of the rain and wind without any trouble."

I looked at the direction he was pointing with his beak and there was a large tree there with a strange shape.

There was a place underneath the tree called Roots that was in the dirt, and then there was a hole in the dirt, which turned out to be a kind of cave, but at the inside of the cave was a place wide enough for me to lie down and stretch my legs out a lot.

So, thankfully, I was allowed to rest here for the night.

The bird told me that it is very rare to find a tree of this shape, so it is very lucky that I found it when I was trying to rest.

I've never been outside before, so I don't know how I should react.

Oh well.

The entrance is large enough for me as a child, but not so large for an adult to enter, so the cat and the bird take turns watching over the entrance.

I thought it would be better for me to join them and take the night watch, but they said it would be better for me to rest, so I honestly went to sleep.

The sky was orange and beautiful at the time I fell asleep, and the bird told me that it was usually very early in the day for sleeping, but I was so tired that when I woke up, the sun was nearly at the top of the sky.

It seemed I had slept a lot.

For dinner, I ate some dumplings that the cat had made from herbs and nuts that she had ground into small pieces or kneaded into one. The cat was very good at it.

The cat is very good at it, so I think it's really tasty.

I heard that she had carefully thought out the combination of nuts and herbs so that I would find it easy to eat them, and she had also considered the nutritional balance.

I'm very happy.

Then we started walking again.

Unlike in the grasslands, it was very difficult to walk in the forest because of the roots of the trees, so it was easy to trip and fall.

...Actually, I did fall down.

That's why the bird told me to walk slower than usual and to check my footing carefully.

I was so busy walking that I didn't notice, but the bird and cat were always on the lookout and casually guiding the way to avoid encountering demons.

That's why we didn't encounter any demons at all, I realized a long time later. Rather, it was when I had the strength to walk normally and could keep an eye on my surround while walking

And so we continued on slowly, one step at a time, taking breaks as we went.

I don't know how far I've gone because there are so many trees, but the bird show us the way, so we don't get lost.

...If I were alone, I would probably get lost.

The bird told me that it was easy to get lost in the forest.

So, when my legs were getting sore, and I was about to take a break, the bird shouted to me in a very panicked tone.

"Master! Stop!"

What's going on?

I nodded my head.

"... Sorry Master... I was trying to avoid the demons, but they were smart... We're surrounded. Calm down, let's go to the big tree there first. We've got to make sure they don't take our backs."

The bird was always right, so I listened to him and used what little energy I had to go to the big tree and lean my back against it while standing.

It's one of the basic rules to avoid being surrounded by demons.

I guess that's true, if you look at it that way.

Rather than being surrounded by them and having them do whatever they want, it's less likely that they'll come at you if they're within sight.

The cat is threateningly wary of its surroundings, and the bird is calmly observing its surroundings while hovering above my head.

"Tsk! Trumadog, huh... So troublesome..."

Trumadog.

Not a wolf, but a dog demon.

Medium-sized dog in terms of size.

Their speed and strength are slightly above average for a medium-sized dog, and instead of being able to attack from a distance, such as breathing fire, they act in packs.

It is said that if you find one of them, you are already surrounded by 50 of them, and even if dealing with one is no problem, dealing with a whole pack is notoriously troublesome.

Parts that can be collected: magic stones, either fangs or fur.

"Master! Don't move from there!"

I'll do as I'm told and remain standing with my back against the big tree and try not to move.

I can't use magic, and I can't fight, so it's impossible anyway.

But when the time comes, I'm going to use what little strength I have and hit it with this staff.

That's why I hold it in both hands and keep it ready.

The dogs didn't attack all at once, so they came at us a few at a time, but the cat wagged his tail and said

-Bog!-

The cat would swing its tail and make a big poof sound against the dog's neck and knock it away.

Then the cat extends its claws about 10 centimeters and tears out the next dog's eyes.

The bird was pecking at the dog's eyes and clawing at the eyes and face with its three claws.

After the bird attacked, the dog's movements went weird, and then it became just a magic stone or something.

I was told later that the bird's claws were poisonous.

The bird explained to me that it was a slow-acting type of poison.

But since he was protecting me, one of them slipped behind him and attacked me.

"Master, you're dangerous!"

Almost at the same time as the bird shouted, one of the biggest dogs in the pack (about the size of a large dog) jumped at me.

I unconsciously extended my staff, which I was holding at the ready, so that I could poke it straight at the dog.

Fortunately, even though my strength was not that great, the dog lunged at me, so it stabbed itself on its own.

Then, it was turned into nothing but stone and fangs.

"Alright! Master nice! But sorry about that!"

I was told later that the bird's apology was for the dog's attack on me.

He had nothing to apologize for, right?

He's protected me a lot, and that's enough.

But such coincidences didn't work twice.

I had no energy to begin with, my legs were wobbly, and I was a wreck, but I had used the last of my energy to kill one of the dogs.

In other words, there was no way I could do the same thing to the second dog.

Besides, there were only three of us, while the other side had so many.

Moreover, I was the one who was slowing them down.

I'm not sure if I can do this anymore...

I could have had so many more firsts...

But I was happy enough to have lived until today, even though I was supposed to die at that time.

I was supposed to be filled with resignation, but tears started to flow from my eyes.

What?

Why am I crying?

The second dog that attacked me was a medium-sized dog, but it lightly dodged my wand and tried to bite me.

I'm sure he would have easily eaten a dog the size of me.

And then...

"Master! Damn it! We're not going to make it in time!

I hear the panicked voice of a bird and the angry purr of a cat.

They were saying, "Get out of my way! That's what he was saying to the dogs that were disturbing him.

I closed my eyes as I hugged the cane tightly, hoping that at least the last thing I did would be painless.

*Gyan!

"Water! Cut through it!"

"O-ri-yaa!!!"

"Move it, move it, move it~!!!!!"

"Get out of my way!!!"

It doesn't hurt, even after a while.

Did I really die, was that why it didn't hurt anymore?

But I never stopped feeling tired or anything like that, like the bird told me before.

My legs were still shaking, and I was exhausted as usual.

And when I opened my eyes, I saw that my eyes were surrounded by blue.

Later, I realized that the blue was a garment called a robe.

"Are you okay? I'll take care of you right away! But first! What are you doing with an innocent little girl, you dogs! How dare you!!!"

"Whoa! I understand what you're going through, but calm down!"

"Yes, that's right! Take it easy!"

"You're gonna drag us into this! Damn it! She's really going for it!"

"Water! Answer my call and pierce all my enemies!!!!"

"Stop it!!! You're gonna get us dragged into that!"

"Ouch!"