Riot Grasper

Translated by mranon

2nd Volume, 8th Chapter 【Backs of the Two Conversers】 1st Part

Author's note: Happy New Year!

Please treat me well this year, too. m(^^)m

Posting the next chapter as a New Year's gift.

Go ahead.

Due to commodities moving to and from Pascam Port Town, the main road on the western side of Merville was surging with activity.

At noon, because of the people running food stalls on the road, an appetizing aroma was wafting in the area.

Speaking of time, 12 bells indicating noon had just rung.

On a lot in the aisle of stalls, two men were sitting in chairs and eating.

「――Really…? Invasion by demons… Then, your family… Are Millay-san and Lim-chan safe?」

A dog beastkin with tufty haired ears drooping on either sides on his head spoke those words.

The tail behind his waist was dangling off the chair and grazing the ground. The clothes that wrapped his well built body were an embroidered merchant outfit that was weaved abroad. Taking its high price into account, one could infer that his business was blooming.

「Ah, actually, Millay… is dead… Only I and my daughter, Lim, were able to escape safely… I don't know what became of the rest afterward.」

The one who answered the dog beastkin—Doorey—was a wolf beastkin.

Compared to Doorey's body, which couldn't be called lean by any standard, his body was tempered to fully exhibit the physical abilities characteristic of a beastkin.

He was wearing a leather armor. His beast face, that was garbed with combative assertion, could safely be called scary. However, the impression he gave off was calm.

With a height of over 190cm, he was one head taller than Doorey even when seated.

Speaking of his deceased wife, the wolf beastkin—Arnold—indistinctly grimaced.

Feeling the scar on one of his ears with his finger, he spat a breath and waited for Doorey's next words.

「…Sorry… I didn't know such a mishap had befallen. It was thoughtless of me to make you reminisce about it. Damn, if I were there… 」

Doorey used to live in the same village as Arnold. He lost his parents early. A little more than ten years ago, he decided to leave the village and be a merchant.

Doorey, who had good command of the essentials, spent each of his days in strengthening his ground as a merchant. Although he never returned to the village, his character wasn't detestable.

However, he accidentally met an old friend of his in Merville the day prior.

Rejoiced at the reunion, the two decided on this place to mutually share their situation today.

「Haha! cut it out, cut it out… With such a saggy body, what would you have done? Actually, in helping you escape, I would have ended up killed by the demons.」

Heartily laughing his friend's words away, Arnold violently patted Doorey's back.

「U… gehogeho… What did you say… Back then, I was fairly…」

Doorey objected amidst the coughing fit due to the impact on his back.

However… Even he knew that he wasn't of any use in a battle with a body that hadn't been trained for long and a belly that was flabby.

「Back then, huh? If you, who have been a merchant for more than ten years, jumped in front of a demon, you would be instakilled.」

「Reprehensible, isn't it? Alright, I'll start training over again――」

「――Stop, no… Stop it…」

The enthused Doorey was hit with those still words in a voice that contained a color of gravity.

「Wh-why all of a sudden…」

At the sudden change in tone, Doorey was astonished.

「No… Sorry… However, you should continue to live on as a merchant. Just now, it was all in jest. Even mistakenly, don't make light of demons.」

「…Aah…」

The meaning behind Arnold's serious appeal――Doorey clearly understood.

The wolf beastkin sitting across him wasn't weak by any means. In fact, he was strong.

In the olden days, he might have fought him as an equal. However, those days were more than ten years in the past.

While Arnold was gaining more strength, he was getting weaker.

Even so, the least he could do was save his friend's daughter.

He had never faced a demon before, but the terror was deep rooted.

When all's said and done――his friend next to him was concerned for him from the depths of his heart.

「――By the way, how's Lim-chan doing? I would like to meet her.」

Doorey intentionally tried to switch the topic to change the mood.

From the earlier story, his daughter must be safe.

What Doorey couldn't tell Arnold was that he held love for Millay.

Eventually, Millay tied the knot with Arnold, but Doorey didn't bear any grudge toward Arnold.

Honestly, it was more a blessing because he was close with both Arnold and Millay.

He only remembered Lim as a child; however, he remembered well that she resembled Millay.

「She looks just like Millay-san… so she will definitely become just as beautiful. I'm glad, really glad.」

「Do you mean 'I'm glad she doesn't resemble her father'…?」

After relishing the silly arguments from the days bygone, Doorey asked again.

「During our meeting, wouldn't I have to talk about the invasion of the village? She… has still not been able to digest that incident… She still gets nightmares about it.」

「I see.」

「Therefore… at the moment, she's enjoying a pleasant scenery.」

「N? What kind of…?」

While wondering at Arnold, who had interestingly loosened his cheeks, Doorey pressed him.

「When we arrived in this town, we met an interesting boy. He's of the same age as Lim, or slightly younger… Actually, he said himself that he was slightly older… Oh well, whatever…」

「A beastkin boy?」

「No, a human. You can't judge the level of his swordsmanship from his appearance. Although he was strong when I met him for the first time, he has incredibly gotten much stronger ever since. Occasionally, we receive a joint quest. Recently, he seems to have acquired magic, too. Even though I have an advantage in physical abilities… it would be difficult for me to win if we fought.」

Doorey was slightly astonished at Arnold's words.

Because a human boy made a brawny beastkin admit that he might not win.

In terms of physical abilities, beastkin were superior to humans.

And Arnold, who had been tempering his body, would be even more so.

If he could still not win, had the other party's abilities reached a point that was on a different level from Arnold's?

To begin with, there were few humans with the aptitude in magic.

Elves, dragonewts and demons were blessed with aptitude in magic. On the other hand, beastkin and dwarves who could use magic were less than rare.

「He does seem to be an extremely terrific boy… How is he related to Lim-chan?」

「He was close to her age, so I asked him if he wanted to become a companion of the depressed Lim. That's how. Lately, Lim has regained her liveliness. It may be thanks to Seiji.」

「Is Seiji the name of that boy?」

「Ah, those two must be eating lunch at this time while enjoying the scenery of the Paudal Wetland Belt.」

Although Arnold was genuinely glad for her daughter's jollity, a mischievous urge was budding inside Doorey.

It could be called a modest revenge for losing in love.

「Fu–mu, so you have already been recognized as father?」

「…What?」

When Doorey caught his quizzical expression, he pursued.

「No, Lim-chan and… Seiji-kun? But…」

「Hahaha, don't be stupid. Those two are just kids.」

He raised his voice as if he was forcibly laughing off the vague unease floating up inside his mind.

「Then, let me ask you……when was it that you became conscious of Millay as a woman?」

「…」

「Maybe your age didn't differ much from those two?」

Suddenly, a crack seemed to develop on the porcelain cup which Arnold was grasping. The next instant――

*Vein pops*… *BOOM!*

It burst.