Chapter 282 - 282. The Three Skinheads and Okita Village Next Door
As Fam led us along a mountain path that resembled an animal trail, a wooden watchtower soon came into view. Two skinhead dog-eared men were standing guard atop the tower, and they seemed to have noticed us, drawing their bows closer. Their muscular bodies were clad in shoulder pads studded with numerous spike-like rivets, gleaming fiercely under the sun. Had the surrounding villages hired mercenaries due to Fam’s village being attacked? The way they glared down at us suggested they weren’t exactly well-bred. Fam turned to look at us. Seeing us hesitate in the face of the guards' intimidation, she tilted her head in confusion.
"What are you waiting for? Let's hurry to the village!"
She grabbed Marmie’s hand and pulled her along.
"...I, I don’t want to..."
Marmie dug in her heels and resisted.
"Why not?"
"...Those people are giving us murderous looks. How about I blast them with lightning?"
"Don’t be ridiculous. They may be rough, violent, and barbaric, but they're better than you, Master."
Fam tried to drag Marmie along as she tried to bolt.
"Hey, what do you mean they’re better than me?!"
Hearing my words, Fam released Marmie’s hand and turned to me. Suddenly losing support, Marmie swayed backward and landed on her rear.
"Those people gave Sam and me spare ribs when we visited this village!"
"Why does that make them better than me?!"
"Unlike Master, they don’t have any lecherous intentions!"
"Tch... Fine, whatever. If you know them, that’s good. So, what are their names?"
Though still dissatisfied, I calmed myself, not wanting to start a fight in front of the guards. Still, Fam’s susceptibility to food needed to be monitored. I had assumed it only applied to me, but apparently not. I had to make sure she didn’t blindly follow anyone who offered her treats. Also, if her village had such intimidating guards, it probably wouldn’t have been attacked in the first place.
"S-something..."
Fam averted her gaze.
"You don’t remember the names of the people who treated you?"
"I only know their older brother's name—Erne."
"Knowing your older brother’s name is useless! How can you not know?!"
"Maybe... Hyatter?"
That was a strange name. Would any parent give a child such a name? Or was it a common name among the dog-eared race? I pondered this while Mizuki, Maira, Marmie, and Nefee all furrowed their brows.
"Which one is Hyatter, and what’s the other’s name?"
"The other one is also Hyatter."
"..."
Fam’s nonchalant attitude suggested they were harmless, but I couldn’t shake my unease. As I thought this, Fam helped Marmie to her feet and dragged her toward the village. Marmie seemed resigned to her fate. We followed them, watching their backs as they trudged on.
As we approached, the two skinhead men descended from the watchtower. They looked very similar but were definitely not identical. They brandished clubs studded with countless headless nails.
"Hyaahhhhhhhaaaah! Welcome!"
"…Eep!"
Marmie cowered, trying to flee, but Fam’s firm grip kept her in place, forcing her to face the men with a pale face. One of the skinheads grabbed her by the collar and turned her to face them.
"Huh? So you're not a pervert after all…"
Fam lowered her eyes at the man’s words.
"Sam is in the city of Migul. He can’t bring himself to come yet."
"Well, as long as he’s safe, that’s all that matters. If he’s in the city, we can go visit him."
The man forced a smile, his expression strained. Fam’s words seemed to dampen his usual demeanor. Despite their intimidating appearance, they might actually be good people, as Fam had said. Just then, Marmie’s leg swung backward with considerable force.
"...Hmph!"
Her foot, kicked with full swing, disappeared into the man’s crotch.
"Ugh!"
The man groaned, collapsing to his knees. My own crotch recoiled in sympathy. Released, Marmie scurried behind me, though she scared me more than anything. Nefee shot me a cold glance, noticing the scene.
"You’re not that different from that guy, Mash…"
Her low mutter warranted a mental note to pay her back for that comment later. Meanwhile, I turned back to the man, who was now being tended to by the other guard, who was patting his waist area. I glanced at Maira.
"Maira, can you heal him?"
"You don’t have to look at me with such pleading eyes… I’ll try, but will healing magic even work on a man’s... that?"
As Maira approached the man, a figure emerged from the village. He was also bald but, unlike the two guards, had dark skin. Fam shouted and rushed toward him.
"Erne!"
She shook hands with him firmly. While ignoring the two guards, Erne approached me. "You must be Fam's Master." Apparently, this village was populated exclusively by bald men. Did Lily have a thing for baldness? If so, I should have shaved my head before coming here. I shook his massive hand, his handshake firm and warm. "Fam just calls me that."
Erne smiled faintly, shaking his head. "That’s fine. Among the dog-eared race, some take pride in finding someone to serve for life. But many never find such a master. She’s an Arbiter. I trust her judgment."
"Arbiter?"
"She can grasp matters accurately and judge correctly. Everyone in this region knows that. It’s been a while since I last saw Fam, but she hasn’t changed, has she?"
Fam smiled shyly beside Erne. Whether or not Erne or the dog-eared race were right, I wondered if I was truly the right master for her. I was just a man who happened to be there when she was in trouble. But even if she found another master, I wouldn’t let her go without a fight, no matter the cost, even if it meant she hated me.
"Anyway, she’s a figure of high regard in our village. We welcome your visit."
I gave Erne a vague smile. Just then, Mizuki elbowed me. "This isn’t the time to be so carefree, is it?"
"Right!"
My response snapped Fam out of her daze.
"Erne, I need to see the village chief. I have to tell him what just happened in my village!"
As Fam cried out, the ground seemed to distort violently, and a powerful tremor struck the village. Squatting down to endure the shaking, a deafening sound of splintering wood exploded nearby. Turning toward the noise, I saw the tower tilting precariously, on the verge of collapsing. Nefee was standing beneath it. Her name echoed, but she either hadn’t heard or hadn’t processed it. She just looked around in confusion, her trembling eyes failing to notice the immediate danger. I rushed toward her, but the shaking made it hard to move. As if trapped in quicksand, my body wouldn't move as I wanted. There was no time. "The tower’s collapsing, run!" Nefee heard me and finally glanced up at the looming shadow. The tower accelerated as it tilted, barreling toward her. She could only stare in stunned silence. At that moment, a blinding flash of lightning erupted from behind me, striking the tower. The impact momentarily halted its descent—a lightning spell from Marmie! The acrid scent of burning air filled my nostrils, and a wave of heat brushed my back. Seizing the opportunity, I sprinted toward her, embracing her to pull her from under the tower. The moment after, a deafening roar filled the air as the tower crashed to the ground. Shielding her, I endured the stinging pain of falling debris. Nefee, pinned beneath me, stared at me with wide eyes.
"Why? Why did you save me?"
"Of course I did, right?"
"That was dangerous. One wrong move, and I would have been crushed. Levante is your party, Mash. The party members should protect you."
As I tried to lift myself, my hand brushed her chest. Seemed like a convenient opportunity, so I left my hand there. She gasped softly but didn’t resist. About to answer her question, my focus drifted to the softness beneath my fingers. Appeared she was accustomed to this. She didn't seem angry. Not even a hint of rejection. Her cheeks flushed slightly, which was even more confusing. Were they used to this? My fingers traced the curve of her breasts, trying to find her nipple. Just as I was about to give up, Mizuki smacked me from behind and yanked my arm, pulling me up.
"Are you an idiot? You’re acting like this in a village you’ve never been to before."
She glared at me furiously before awkwardly looking away, seemingly more concerned with how this looked to others. Before I could retort, the earthquake subsided. The tremors ceased, and the violent shaking felt like a dream. Following Mizuki’s gaze toward the village, I saw several villagers. They had been hiding in their homes, wary of us, but had come out due to the earthquake. Some were surveying the damage to their homes, while others stared at us with curiosity. All of them, like Fam, had dog ears and tails. Was it customary to greet them? After helping Nefee to her feet, I glanced at Fam, who was gaping behind me. A few villagers also stared behind me, equally bewildered. Turning around, I couldn’t see anything. But when I looked toward the mountains surrounding the village, I saw a giant standing over the peaks. His entire body was shrouded in a black mist, like a mirage.
"Wha..."
Someone swallowed hard, and it might have been me.
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