Chapter 7: Dwarven girl

AN: Sorry for not posting this sooner, but my file got corrupted and I had to redo the entire thing from scrach. Anyway, I'm back so enjoy the chapter :)
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Once we left the merchant and the adventurers behind us, me Syl and the dwarven girl in my arms left for a nearby forest that was detached from the Forest of Death up in the north.

"I must say, this girl is little slender for a dwarf… I guess she's a half human."

"Oh? This is my first time hearing about half humans are they different from demihumans."

"Well to begin with, Demihumans is general term humans use for all intelligent creatures that aren't humans. You could separate them into three groups Fairyfolk, Beastmen and Demi-beasts."

"Demi-beasts?"

"They look like normal animals, but if need calls for it, they can transform their bodies to more humanoid shape, Beastmen are simmilar in this part, but they turn into beasts instead. Though Demi-beasts can also comunicate with telepathy which is rather rare ability. If you see a beastman with more human features then beast features, those are what we call half humans, due to human blood being in their bodies."

"So half humans are not completly beastmen nor human," I guess this is bye-bye to dream of being pampered by rabbit-eared beauty.

"You're thinking something really inpropper, aren't you?" Syl looked at me with cold gaze.

Damn she's cute when she's angry.

"You're imagining things," I smiled at her warmly and shifted the dwarven girl higher on my shoulder, "Anyway tell me more about the Fairyfolk, are they like, dwarves, elves and such?"

"Yeah, but demonfolk, dragons and pixies count here too."

"Dragons?"

"You see, fairyfolk is a term used for races with long lifespan. Usually, dwarves and elves live for eight to nine hundread years, Dragons however, get more powerful the older they get. Some say that the continent to east is ruled by dragons and the strongest of them, the Dragon emperor, is said to be over ten thousand years old."

"Wow that's a lot."

"I guess it's not hard to imagine why the humans try to hunt Fairyfolk."

"They hunt the you?"

"No one is strong enough to defeat a dragon nowadays. Dragons are like a storm, a force of nature that can't be stopped, but the other races are not that powerful so they are usually kidnapped and used for god-knows-what."

"Have you met a dragon before?"

"Yeah, one of the oldest witches on this continent, the teacher of my teacher is a dragon. She took a human form however, and is so good at illusion magic that no one actually knows how she look."

"Heh, that's quite the charracter."

"She really is…" Syl smiled reminiscing of the past, "She was a great teacher. Though she spanked me a lot…"

"Well, you can't be spoiling too much your apprentice's apprentice, right?"

"Yeah… and she let me stay with her after that incident with my master too…"

Ah, she's talking about that massacre of the village nearby their home.

"I guess she really liked you."

"Hmm…" Syl smiled distantly as she looked into the distant skies.

"Anyway! Let's get hunting those Running mushes. Any weakness you know about?"

"We only need their caps so if you cut their bodies in half, it should be okay. Though, like any other plant type monster like them or treants, one stabb into their face and you are done."

"Okay, let's do this then!"

Pumping up my fists towards the sky to lift up the mood, we set out looking for the place we needed.

Highly humid and shaded area… with moss covering most of the bark of the trees… there!

Looking through the bushes, we found two brown caps of Running mushes. Their bodies were halfway covered in moss, but I somehow could feel the ominous presence of monsters. Feels kinda weak, nothing like the bear or the mantis…

I took out my saber from it's sheathe and slashed at the mushrooms before me. I cleanly cut under the cap, separating it from the rest of the body.

"Oh, a nice one. Now let me do my magic," Syl smiled as she placed the dwarven girl on the ground and brandished her knife.

I in the meanwhile took the caps and placed them next to the still sleeping girl. Now that I look closer at her, doesn't she look like a middle schooler? It's hard to imagine she have enough strenght to break a tree with just her hands.

"Alright, the bodies are now minced enough to let out it's odor so we just have to sprinkle a little bit of salt on top," Syl hummed a little tune as she disected the bodies of Running mushes with big smile on her face.

"Wh-what… happened?" as if on cue, the dwarven girl woke up.

"Hey there, how are you feeling?" I smiled at the girl as I placed my hand on her forehead. Luckily, she didn't have fever or anything of the sorts.

"What? I… where am I?"

"The slave merchant beat you unconscious, though I stopped him before he could kill you and took you as a reward for defeating that Hunter mantis."

"I, see… master, from now on, this Azu, shall be your tool, use it as you see fit," Azu got on her knees and prostrated before me.

"This isn't needed. Just focus on recovery for now," I patted her shoulder and she look up at me, though her eyes were empty with no life reflecting in them.

"But, I'm a tool, I should perish if you so wish it."

"I do not and dying won't help me, so don't do that either. Only thing I will want from you is to perform maintainance on our equipment and craft new one, once we get enough materials that is."

"But…"

"Well, we will need to get you some tools for that. Let's say tomorrow morning?"

"That sounds good. After we sell these caps we should have four coppers, I think? That deffinitely will be a lot," Syl smiled provocatively.

"Oh, shut it. There are more monsters then that in this forest, right? Maybe we will ecounter some big game."

"Ah, I see…"

"What do you see?" I asked Azu who was looking between me and Syl.

"I should've known that you already have a partner for nighttime activities… my use will be rather limited, it seems…" Azu's eyes turned even grimmer.

"Nighttime?!"

"She means sex."

"You don't have to tell me Syl! I know good well what she meant!!" I snapped back.

"Oh, don't be so angry. You know you don't look nice when you get like that~"

Damn this teasing… no Tarumi, it's wrong to be angry, you tease her as much yourself.

"AnyWAY! No nighttime activities will be needed or asked for. Also, Syl isn't a slave and I don't plan on using you like one."

"But, she's a pretty elf, how could she not be slave?"

"Well, she definitely is gorgeous, but she's not my slave. I'm not follower of Church of Origin nor citizen of Bartmaira kingdom. I'm a free man."

"G-gorgeous?! You definitely don't mean me…" Syl blushed and hide her face with her hands.

"Hm? But you are beautiful, no need to hide it."

"Wa-waaaaaaaaah!!!! Tarumi you idiooooooooot!" Syl turned as red as certain flag and started running away.

"Uh, not good. Azu go after her."

"You won't go master?"

"I won't be of any help right now so please go in my stead."

"Understood," Azu nodded and run off towards the place where Syl disappeared into.

♦♦♦ ※Syl's POV

What got into me? Why am I running?

"Remember little girl, a witch never shows her emotions, her love belongs to only her. Your heart is yours only."

Why do I remember my master's words now? It's not like I'm in love… why would Tarumi call me gorgeous? I'm stained with blood and grime! I make people around me suffer…

"Seize your futile resistence and lie down like a good dog you god forgotten pest!!"

When was that? When people surrounded us? I remember that officer of the church, I skined him after all…

My legs suddenly lost all strenght and I fell on the ground.

"Why… why do I feel so pathetic…" looking at my hand, an image of blood dripping from it appeared in back of my mind, "Tarumi… he should be with someone else… I'm… stained…" somehow, the words I wanted to say, could not exit my mouth. Why? What is happening to me?

"Miss… haaaah, miss Syl… I finally… caught up…" a voice called out to me from behind.

The voice belonged to the dwarven girl. The ragged fabric she wore instead of clothes sticked to her body due to her sweat.

"Why did you come after me?"

"Master said… that it would be better if I go. I guess he wants to give you time to calm down."

That sounds like him, all right. Eh? Why am I smiling? This isn't like me…

"She definitely is gorgeous…"

His voice resounded in my ears. Why does it make me so shaky? Am I nervous? No… I know… I'm just happy.

"Haaaaah, I definitely overreacted…" I took a deep breath and noticed a sound of water little way from us. "It seems there is creek this way, what do you say we would take a bath before we go back?"

"I will wash your back, if that's your wish, miss Syl," Azu nodded, her brownish hair falling down from her shoulders.

"Just call me Syl. And I'm sure Tarumi would be happier if you called him by his name when it's just us three."

"I certainly can not! I'm a slave and I know my place."

"Aaaah, you girl will be a piece of work. How long have you been a slave?"

"I belive it's about fourty years since my village was raided and I became a slave."

"That makes you… about fifty years old, right? In that case you should grow beard already if not, does that mean you are half human?"

"I indeed am. Though that's also the reason why humans never bought me, I look too human."

"So you were moving between slave traders for all that time?" I was surprised by learning that, but on the other hand, they would most likely don't want to buy a girl that looked like a ten year old.

"That's how it always was…" Azu got distant look in her eyes.

Not knowing what else to say I pushed forward and get to the creek. At the place we arrived at, we found a small pond under slightly elevated waterfall. Though, the waterfall was so small it could also work as a chair.

"Let's take a quick dip. I have a soap with me so we can wash off the dirt."

"Okay," Azu nodded and there was a slight shimer in her eyes.

Does she have a thing for baths? That's good to know.

We quickly got undressed and went to the water. Of course, the water was cold, but it was also really refreshing.

"I see you have quite nice figure, Azu. It's not something that can be seen among slaves."

"Well, the slaves at the company thought I was a child so they shared their food with me…"

"Oh, aren't you a shrewd one."

"It's hard to say no to free food."

"Heheh, I get that."

Silence spread between the two of us and only bubbling waterfall interrupted it. Not knowing what to talk about I listened for signs of monsters getting closer, but did not hear anything.

"Will I… really not be used for nighttime activities?" Azu said while looking down at her reflection in the water.

"Tarumi isn't like that. We spent last night together and he didn't even tried to touch me…"

Wait, why did my voice just sound irritated?!

"A-anyway we should finish quickly and return. When I first met Tarumi he attacked Devil bear without sword or magic, who knows what kind of crazy idea he will get when left alone." As I took my clothes, I took a spare out of the bag and handed it to Azu.

"This?"

"My spare clothes. When I was living in the forest I had to make do with whatever I could find so I enchanted everything I could with Size adjustment. Take it. When we get to town we will get you some proper equipment."

"T-thanks…" Azu blushed slightly as she accepted the clothes.

After we were all dressed, we started our trip back. I didn't even realize how far I've actually run. It took us good fourty minutes to get back.

But, once we did, we were surprised by what we get to see. There were at least twenty five caps of the Running mushes, four fully grown Mad shrooms, two Bullwolves and Silver fanged ape.

"WHAT THE HELL?!"

♦♦♦ ※POV changes back to Tarumi

After the girls were gone, I had a lot of time to think about what to do next and as sitting unguarded was the hight of stupidity, I created a shelter using Earth spirits.

However I opened a hole directed towards the bait Syl prepared and sniped every monster that came near. But I would never expect a monkey with silver fangs and wolves with bull horns to attack the shelter. Well, not like they could get in or escape my spirit commands.

As I disected the monsters while humming a little tune I noticed that they were surprisingly simmilar to regular animals.

"WHAT THE HELL?!"

A yell of Syl made me turn around with a smile. "Welcome back."

"You're covered in blood so don't smile like a lunatic!!!" Syl yelled at me as she thew a wet towel at me. Oh, it smells like her.

"Thanks, I needed that. Look at all these beasts. For how much do you think we can sell them?"

"Haaaaah… he defeated Orange level monster and ask how much they are worth… haaaaah… Well he's not from our world so it makes sence…" Syl was mumbling to herself and looked at the piles of meat I had already prepared. "Well, they are in great condition and the dissection was like that of a pro so… yeah, if we sell all this we won't have to work for months."

"Then let's get going! It's turning dark already, I guess we have about four hours before it get's to dark to walk."

"Yeah, that's good quess… let's pack it in my magic bag and get going…" Syl somehow looked completly defeated.

In that moment Azu's stomach grumbled.

"I guess you didn't even get time to eat. Here I still have some bread sticks."

"B-but…"

"Eat it. I can't have you collapse due to hunger. Hm? You smell kinda nice, did you take a bath?"

"Y-yesh…"

"Hahah, I see! Good then, let's get packed and return to the city."

In less then ten minutes we got packed and headed on our way. We went through the place where we saved the slave trader and headed towards the city on the paved road. Once we saw the familiar stone walls and gate, all three of us let out a breath of relieve.

"Haaah, this was a long day… oh, he's here. Hey there Tarumi."

"Mr. Kork, what do I owe the pleasure of talking with you this beautiful evening?"

Mr. Kork looked at me as if trying to find out if I hide something. "Well, I heard that you saved a slave trader and two adventurers."

"Ah, I kinda did that, did something happened?"

"Indeed it did. When they went to report to the adventurers guild, the Aide's servant came there with order to arrest you."

"Oh? Arrest me? As far as I know, I didn't do any crime in the city. Syl was something we did conscidered rude?"

"No sir, we just threw out of the inn some drunks who got high and might and tried to use dangerous magic in confined area," Syl bowed politely.

Damn she's a good actress!

"I see, so the reports were correct. Good to know. You there, go inform the mayor."

"Sir!" a soldier saluted and run off.

"Um, Mr. Kork, what is this about?"

"The two adventurers and the slave trader stood up for you in the guild and when we investigated the case of the inn from previous night came to light and the Aide and his lackey got arrested for abuse of authority. All. Thanks. To. You." Mr. Kork looked at me with a glare.

"O-oh, is it really? Well, look at the time, we need to get to the guild before they close to sell our wares, good night Mr. Kork," I smiled politely and run off with the girls in tow.

"We'll let this slide for today!" I could hear Mr. Korks voice yelling after me.

***

Once we made it to the guild, we were welcomed with standing ovation. Why are people in this world so fond of clapping their hands?!

"Mr. Sojka!!!!" a receptionist that registered me run over.

"Oh, miss receptionist, I've bought the materials you asked for and little extra, could I ask you to cash them for us?"

"Of course! …I'm glad you are okay, when that fatso appeared with the knights I got really worried."

Damn, mr. Aide, you and your subordinate have no respect in the city, eh?

"Oh, that's nice of you. As you can see we are all okay. On that note, Syl. The materials."

"Yes!"

Syl stood up to a nearby counter and started putting out material after material.

"Wh-what is this?!!! All appraisers come here!!!!" miss receptionist yelled.

In next moment a goup of around ten people came to the counter. Right away few of them fainted and some of them even started foaming from their mouths. Sadly for them, miss receptionist slaped them awake with no regards for the appraisers age or gender.

"So um… we talked it over and…" miss receptionists eye ticked and few strands of her hairs stood up, "for the twenty five capsof Running Mushes, four Mad Shrooms, Hunter Mantis, two Bullwolves and Silver fanged ape… the total amount of money we will pay you is twenty gold coins. Additionally, your rank will be rised to Lime."

"SAY WHAT?!"

"That's our newbie! The Black-White hero!"

As the drunk adventurers started to laugh over each other, none of them realized that the Black-White hero will become a hot topic for nobles and high dignitaries for years to come.

"Aaaaah… this is more embarrassing then the nickname I got back home…"