84 - Alleyway Skirmish
On days when I have class at the Menhishumi Church, I get invited to take detours almost every time. I failed at trying to make my guardian (Leonardo) say the refusal for me, so I made an effort to refuse on my own about once every three times. I pushed down the cowardice from my past life that made it hard to say no, and mustered up the courage to politely decline, but honestly I was relieved that no one seemed terribly offended. Actually, maybe I'm the superior one among them. Regardless of my birth, here in this city of Grenore, the signboard of being the Black Knight (Leonardo)'s little sister wields terrifying power.
...This, you know. If this were Mirshe-chan's story, I'd be in the position of the mean villainess, and Elke and the others would be her hangers-on.
Fortunately, or I suppose, I don't have the airheadedness to delude myself into thinking I'm great just because of my guardian's assets and status, like a villainess in a story. I don't have any hobby of bullying people through my hangers-on, nor any hobby of throwing my weight around with my guardian's power.
...I don't, but... wait?
They're not hangers-on, but I do have people assigned as attendants. I don't think I'm throwing my weight around with my guardian's power, but everyone around me is always conscious of the guardian (Leonardo) behind me.
...Yeah. I need to be careful.
When I think about it carefully, I'm close to a villainess in a story. I really have to be conscious that my guardian is the highest authority in the city, and act with awareness of how I, as Leonardo's ward, am seen by those around me.
Refusing detours would also reduce time with Mirshe, but if I think of it as also reducing the time Mirshe has to feel uncomfortable, it shouldn't be so bad. As always, Mirshe sits next to me in the classroom, so I do get time to talk with her.
"...Oh? Lusio."
When class ends and I leave the classroom, I spot Lusio, who I haven't seen in a while. Since Teo was expelled from the classroom, Lusio's guard duty in the classroom also ended, and he went back to his original work. So this really is the first time I've seen him in a while.
"Long time no reshu ne. What brings you here today reshu ka?"
"Your young lady's servants couldn't come pick you up today, so me and Nils are gonna escort you to the mansion."
"Lusio and Nils will escort me deshu ka? Then it seems better not to take any detours reshu ne."
There's no way escorting me around is normal business for the Menhishumi Church. I should think of it as extra work. If so, I shouldn't take detours.
I tried to refuse the invitation to take a detour on the grounds that there was no pickup, but Lusio and Nils themselves dismissed it, saying I shouldn't worry. They said they were just substitutes for the servants, so the master shouldn't worry about the servants' convenience.
...Got it. Next time I refuse an invitation using someone as an excuse, I'll use Leonardo-san as my pretext.
Leonardo, the master of Grenore Fortress, had said he also does lord-like work. Roughly speaking, he's the highest authority in the city of Grenore. If I refuse using Leonardo as my excuse, everyone should accept it.
...The problem is that it's a move I can't use when it's Leonardo-san himself who comes to pick me up.
In that case, he'll probably scoop me up right away anyway, so I could just whisper in his ear. Tell him I'm not in the mood for a detour, so please refuse.
...Expecting Leonardo-san to read the atmosphere... I shouldn't. I've learned this properly too.
Besides, it's better to actually say it out loud with words rather than expecting him to read the atmosphere. It's better for both of us than misusing weird tact and spinning our wheels.
"There's a sweets shop at the end of this side alley that's really delicious."
Today, it seems we're going to a sweets shop guided by Petrona. As Petrona tried to lead us through the alley, I made a regretful face, seizing the opportunity.
"I'm sorry. Leonyaldo-san told me I must not take that road, so..."
I gently conveyed that if it was a shop you could only reach by taking that road, I couldn't go. Still, why do they always pick places where you spend money? I wish they'd sometimes consider Mirshe's situation and guide us to a place that doesn't cost money.
...And why an alleyway? I think Petrona's from a decent family... so how does she know about shops in alleyways?
When I gently asked, it turned out that the shops on the main street were already known to both me and Elke, so there was no point in inviting us on detours. For that reason, Petrona had been deliberately going into side streets to find new shops. I thought it might be indirect bullying of Mirshe, but it seems Petrona was just trying to do something nice for me in her own way.
...When she says she searched for it for me, it's hard to refuse.
Leonardo said I shouldn't go through alleyways, but what should I do? As someone being taken care of, breaking his instructions doesn't seem right, but on the other hand, brushing off Petrona's goodwill also doesn't seem right. If the concern is that alleys are dangerous and I shouldn't walk through them, I do have Lusio and Nils as guards, and there are three other girls, so I can't imagine we'd get caught up in something dangerous so easily.
...Ah, screw it! If I don't tell, no one will know, and getting scolded for it is all part of the fun!!
After hesitating for a bit, I step into the alley. I hate getting scolded for reasons I can't accept, like that other time, but if I'm in a situation where I can acknowledge I was in the wrong, I intend to listen properly to the lecture.
Seeing me step into the alley, Petrona and the others who were guiding me start walking ahead. Then Lusio goes ahead to check the safety ahead, and I follow behind holding Mirshe's hand. Nils is at the rear, but I feel a tug on my skirt hem and stop.
"What is it, Nils?"
"Huh?"
Since my skirt was tugged, I thought Nils was calling me for something, and turned around. Nils, being turned to, blinked with a puzzled look.
"Oh? Isn't it Nils?"
"What do you me... Ah!"
Seeing a moving black shadow in the corner of our vision, we both look down at the same time. Attached to the hem of my skirt was a large black lump.
"Ehh? Why a dog!?"
Looking closely, the large black lump is a dog. A big dog, for some reason, is biting my skirt.
"P-please let go...!"
Is this what they call instant karma? The moment I broke Leonardo's instruction and entered the alley, the worst unexpected thing appeared.
...No, I mean, suddenly having a dog bite your skirt... nobody would expect that!!
I timidly try pulling my skirt, but the black dog shows no sign of letting go. But the black dog seems to understand that our attention is on it. Just as I think it's starting to growl low, it barks threateningly with a "Woof!" and lets go of my skirt for just an instant. Of course, I can't retrieve the hem of my skirt in such a brief moment.
"Hyawa!? Why!? Why are you suddenly barking at me!?"
Nils, who was supposed to be my guard, apparently can't do anything when faced with a dog either. With a confused look, he glances between me and the dog. Mirshe has somehow hidden behind me. I don't think I can win against a dog, but as the older one I want to protect Mirshe, so honestly I'm grateful she's hiding behind me.
The black dog, having gathered the attention of all three of us, finally releases my skirt. I thought if I stayed still it would get bored and go somewhere, but the dog's gaze never left me. It stares up at me, poised to pounce at any moment.
...How do you drive away a dog again? Are you supposed to make eye contact? Or not make eye contact? Which one!?
I desperately try to recall knowledge from my past life, but instead I remember too many contradictory patterns, and I can't recall anything I'm confident is correct. I think with gorillas, you're not supposed to make eye contact.
...Okay, I'll slowly back away.
Holding my breath and shielding Mirshe, I press my back against the wall. If I keep my back fully covered, I should be safe from a bite from behind. As I try to slowly leave the area, moving deeper into the alley away from the black dog, it triggers something and the dog starts barking furiously.
"Hyaaaaaah!?"
Taking Mirshe's hand, I run deeper into the alley. I knew the common wisdom... don't show your back, and dogs chase after things that run... but I couldn't help fleeing. And at the fastest speed I could manage.
"Tina-sama!"
I hear Nils calling from far away, but I can't stop. I knew running was a bad move, but I couldn't keep facing off against the dog either.
When I exit the alley, I come out into a slightly open area. The surroundings suddenly brighten and open up, and I spot wooden crates stacked by the back entrance of a shop.
"Mirshe-chan, let's climb on that!"
"Okay!"
Using the momentum of our run, I jump onto the crates and pull Mirshe up onto them. The black dog, which caught up immediately, starts circling around the crates. It's only a temporary solution, but I feel a bit safer having escaped to higher ground. Just to be sure, Mirshe and I move up to another, higher crate.
"...Are you all right, Tina-sama?"
Nils, who caught up, looks up at us on the crates from a safe distance. Since we came running in a big commotion, Lusio and the others who should have gone ahead also returned to the area around the crates.
"What happened, Tina-chan?"
"Mirshe, are you okay?"
"What's going on?"
Even though four children gathered around, the black dog's gaze remained fixed on us. It showed no sign of changing targets or giving up on us.
"You damn mutt!"
Trying to blind the dog, Lusio took off his shirt and approached the black dog from behind. The black dog didn't even look back at Lusio, easily dodging his attack. I worried that this would shift the dog's target to Lusio, but after dodging Lusio, it only growled once, then kept staring at us on the crates.
"Nils, go get an adult! If you say a young lady's being chased by a dog, the Black Knights on patrol or whoever will come right away, right!?"
"Got it!"
Nils spun around and ran off, but still the black dog didn't change targets. A normal dog would chase something that runs, but this black dog is somehow strange.
...Huh? Isn't this black dog the one I saw the other day?
I remember seeing it on the way back the other day when I took a detour with Leonardo accompanying us. I recall it running across the street as if following behind Mirshe.
"...Hey, Mirshe-chan. Don't you recognize this dog reshu ka?"
"Huh?"
If it was following Mirshe then, and is still chasing Mirshe now, I thought it might be a dog Mirshe recognized. So I asked, but it didn't ring a bell for Mirshe.
...But if it's after Mirshe-chan, then I'm not involved, right?
When I tried moving around to the opposite side of the crates, the black dog moved precisely to match me. It seems the cause isn't Mirshe after all.
...No, but I don't recall being chased by some stranger dog either!?
While the black dog was fixated on me, Lusio tried to rescue Mirshe from the opposite side. So now the only child left on the crate, being barked at by the dog, was me.
...And so it turns out it wasn't after Mirshe-chan after all.
The black dog shows no interest in Mirshe, who got down from the crates. It just keeps staring up at me and growling.
...Ugh, the passersby's stares are starting to hurt.
There are fewer people passing through than on the main street, but there are still pedestrians. When they notice a child on a crate being barked at by a dog and unable to get down, I can see them pondering whether they can do something, but when adults try to approach, the black dog bares its fangs and threatens them, ignoring Lusio. I've tried several times to climb down in that opening, but every time I descend one level of the crates, the black dog comes back toward me. As I'm stuck and wondering what to do, a familiar voice rang out.
"Do not you bully my little sister!!"
A high-pitched boy's voice, and then Teo pushes through the crowd and appears. Mirshe was already off the crates, sheltered behind Lusio, but Teo, who burst out from the crowd, charged straight at the black dog with a punch.
"Idiot, Teo! Stop it!!"
Waving his arms around wildly as he charges at the black dog, Teo is being way too reckless. A human, especially a child, can't possibly take on a dog. Besides, the Mirshe he seemed to have come to rescue was already off the crates. Teo's actions are completely pointless.
"Mirshe-chan already got down! Mirshe-chan is fine, so rya!!"
"Shut uuup!!"
At first, the black dog nimbly dodged Teo's arms, but it seemed to get tired of just avoiding the persistent Teo. After pausing for just a moment, it switched targets to Teo and attacked.
"Teo!"
"Big Brother!!"
I can see the fangs sink deep into Teo's arm with a chomp. It must have happened in an instant, but it looks like slow motion. Teo shakes his arm, but the black dog doesn't let go. Seizing the chance, Lusio approached to help me down from the crates, but the black dog quickly noticed Lusio's movement and came back. As it released him, Teo's arm spilled red blood.
"Eek!?"
I had somehow braced myself when I saw the bite, but seeing actual blood made me freeze in terror. I couldn't move, and Lusio, who failed to get me down from the crates, became another resident on top of them.
"You bastard!"
Waving his bleeding arm, Teo attacked the black dog again. He grabbed its tail and pulled it backward, but when the dog turned around, it bit his hand this time.
I don't want to watch anymore. I don't want to, but I can't look away as Teo's black hair and the dog's black fur tussle violently in my vision. It's a struggle between Teo, trying to pin down the black dog, and the black dog, trying to overpower Teo who's getting in its way.
By the time Teo's arms were stained red, the voice I'd been waiting for rang out. With well-coordinated low voices from the adults, a shout of "Now!" and a black shadow passes overhead. Distracted by the shadow, I look up involuntarily, and a wide-spread net passes over, spreading over Teo and the black dog. The black dog noticed right away and fled, but Teo was caught in the net.
"Whoa!? What is this!?"
As Teo thrashed around, five Black Knights rushed over, shielding him behind them. I recognized one of their faces. It was Lorenz, who had come to Mey Village.
"Are you okay? Tina-chan."
"I'm fine reshu. But Teo...!"
Both his hands were blood-soaked from being bitten multiple times by the black dog. When they got him out from under the net and helped him up, I could see his face was also stained with blood.
The black dog looked between me and the Black Knights who had appeared with ropes and sticks, then seemed to give up and fled into another alley. Three Black Knights chased after it, but with human versus dog legs, the dog probably has the advantage. I'm sure that dog won't be caught.
"Teo, are you okay reshu ka?"
There's no way he's okay, but what comes out of my mouth is such a common line. No wit or originality. Using Lorenz's hand to climb down from the crates, Mirshe runs over to Teo.
"You idiot big brother! Waaahh! Waaaaaahhh!"
Clutching Teo's body tightly, Mirshe starts wailing loudly. I was scared too, being targeted by that black dog for some reason, but seeing her real brother covered in blood from dog bites must have been an unbearable terror for little Mirshe. Thanks to Mirshe's crying I held it in, but I was scared enough to cry too.
...But Teo isn't crying, is he.
Maybe because Mirshe is crying, Teo, who should be in the most pain, doesn't even have tears in his eyes. His mouth pressed into a thin line, he wore a sulky, displeased expression, as if enduring the pain.
"Teo, are you okay reshu ka?"
I ask again to Teo, who's annoyedly patting the crying Mirshe's back. There's no way he's okay, but I want to hear him say it himself.
"I only helped Mirshe! It wasn't for you, y'know!!"
"Huh?"
The moment our eyes met, he glared at me and shouted this. Teo, who had charged in even though Mirshe was already off the crates, apparently fought the black dog only for Mirshe's sake.
"It's only 'cause Mirshe's crying, so I had to, y'know!"
"...Yes yes. Teo is a good big brother reshu nee."
For Mirshe's sake, he apparently tried to help me too. Even though he was being way too reckless, it felt like he'd shaved years off my life just watching.
"Teo isn't a crybaby after all. Even if it was just incidental to Mirshe-chan, thank you for helping me, Teo."
When praising a child, you stroke their head, I thought, and my hand naturally reached for Teo's black hair. I stroked his head with gratitude, but it was all sticky from the dog's saliva.
The roughneck Teo has leveled up to tsundere. Typos and missing characters, I'll deal with another day...
Typos and missing characters, I found them and fixed them.