Chapter 49: The Filthy Man’s Despicable Trap!

I gripped the leather pouch I borrowed from Ana-san and headed in the opposite direction outside the fortress city.

I couldn’t take the opposite city gate or I wouldn’t know the way to my destination.

I went to the northern gate I had passed through when I first arrived and, relying on my memory, headed into the back alleys.

The sun was still up, but the narrow passageways surrounded by castle walls were much darker than I had imagined.

I ran at the fastest speed I could manage without crashing into the walls, and eventually spotted the familiar wooden crate.

Since I had been here a few times already, I reached it without getting lost.

"Kemolori, where are you?"

My voice echoed through the narrow alleyway—so tight that I could touch both walls if I spread my arms.

There was no reply from Kemolori, but...

*Tap.*

A small footstep. Someone was coming from the moldy corner just ahead.

"Kukuku. You really came."

"You’re..."

Emerging from the filthy darkness with a filthy gait was the filthy man who had tried to kidnap Kemolori earlier that day.

The filthy man flashed his yellow teeth and grinned sleazily.

"You brought the money, right?"

"Yeah."

I opened the string on the leather pouch Ana-san lent me. Inside were dozens of gold coins.

*Crap...*

I didn’t know if these were 10,000-yen gold coins.

The deal was for 40,000 yen.

Should I give him four of these coins?

They’re gold coins, so they must be worth 10,000 each, right?

I carefully handed four gold coins to the filthy man, making sure not to touch his hand.

"This is..."

The filthy man’s eyes widened.

What’s with that reaction? Are these not 10,000-yen coins?

He brought the coins close to his eyes, carefully checking both sides. He even clinked two of them together near his ear.

He seemed to be verifying their authenticity. Since he didn’t complain about the number, it looked like they really were 10,000-yen gold coins.

"Hey, hurry up and hand over Kemolori."

"Hmm? Oh, she’s inside that wooden crate over there."

The filthy man gave a half-hearted reply while still examining the coins.

...Huh?

Inside the crate?

"Kukuku. No mistake. These are Lowable Gold Coins minted in the royal capital. Around here they’re worth twice as much. I’ll throw in the medicine fee for free."

"Medicine? What are you talking about?"

A bad feeling crept over me. I fearfully opened the lid of the wooden crate.

*Giii...*

"Eh?"

Inside the crate, a brown fluffy ball was curled up, hugging its arms and legs.

"Hey, Kemolori...?"

"Kukuku. I made her drink poison. She’ll be dead soon."

"Poison?!"

In my slight panic, I turned toward the filthy man.

Suddenly, two burly men emerged from the darkness.

When I turned around at the sound, two more burly men were behind me as well.

In an instant, I was surrounded by four tough guys and the filthy man.

One of the burly men behind the filthy man was slapping a club thicker than his arm against his palm.

The filthy man, clearly thinking he had the upper hand, bared his teeth and puffed out his chest.

"Kukuku. I was planning to take four coins, lightly threaten you, and sell the slave beastkin as meat for a total profit of six coins... That was the plan. But I changed my mind. If I kill an idiot who doesn’t even know the value of Lowable Gold Coins, then all dozens of coins in that pouch become mine."

"Hey, Kemolori, stay with me!"

Ignoring the filthy man, I lifted Kemolori out of the crate.

She was burning hot. Her body temperature was incomparably higher than when I had touched her paw pads earlier.

Kemolori, looking barely conscious, weakly opened her eyelids.

"Ma... Masaharu... san..."

She was conscious, but breathing heavily in pain. Beads of sweat covered her forehead.

"Hey, give me the antidote!"

"It’s a special poison made to kill slave beastkin without resistance. There’s no antidote. Kukuku. Get him!"

At the filthy man’s signal, the man behind me swung his club down. I hugged Kemolori tightly and dodged the attack from behind.

*Crash!*

The wooden crate was smashed to pieces.

Damn it! What if Kemolori gets hurt!

Anger surged inside me, but I slipped past the attacking man and broke into a sprint.

I’m one of the strongest in the country, so I should be able to win if I fight.

But right now, I need to save Kemolori as quickly as possible. I don’t have time to deal with these guys.

If I go to the church, Rafilia-san should be able to do something. When I asked about the Adventurer’s Guild, she mentioned she grows medicinal herbs at the church.

There was a lot of grass growing outside the room where Rafilia-san and Iferasky had their little accident, so the medicinal herbs must be there.

"After him!"

"Wait!"

"Leave the gold coins!"

The burly men chased after me from behind, but I ignored them.

I ran at full speed toward the church. By the time I noticed, the pursuers were gone. I guess I was faster.

The sun seemed to be setting, and the city surrounded by high walls quickly grew dark.

The moment I burst into the cathedral, I shouted loudly.

"Rafilia-san! Where are you!"

*Where are you, where are you...* My voice echoed off the high ceiling of the nave.

Without waiting for a reply, I strode briskly toward the back of the room, avoiding the pews.

A statue of a saint or god behind the prayer platform stared at me with solemn eyes, but I had no time for proper etiquette. I raised my voice again.

"Rafilia-san!"

"Is something wrong?"

A flustered voice came from the right rear. Probably from the hut where we had breakfast. I went through the door on the right and stepped into the garden, searching for Rafilia-san.

She emerged from the hut.

I ran over to her while explaining.

"This child was poisoned. She’s a beastkin child. Please help her!"

"Eh? Poisoned? Please come this way."

Rafilia-san turned on her heel and went back inside.

I followed her.

Inside, Iferasky was sitting at the table in front of a basket of carrots, drooling. It seemed she had waited for me without eating. I was happy, but I didn’t have time to pat her head.

Rafilia-san pushed the tableware on the desk to the side.

"Please lay her on the table."

"Yes."

I followed her instructions and laid Kemolori down.

"You’ll be okay, Kemolori. You’ll get medicine soon."

"Masaharu-san, please light the candles."

"Understood."

I took the candles from the wall sconce Rafilia-san pointed at, lit them using the cooking stove in the corner of the room, and put them back. I repeated the process for all three spots.

While I was lighting the candles, Rafilia-san examined Kemolori.

Her expression as she touched Kemolori’s forehead and stomach was clouded.

"Rafilia-san, how is she? Can Kemolori be saved?"

"This is..."

Just seeing Rafilia-san’s anguished face told me what she was about to say.

"Haa... haa..."

Kemolori’s breathing was ragged. Even after wiping it away, large beads of sweat kept forming on her flushed face.

Iferasky worriedly licked Kemolori’s cheek.

"Masaharu-san... This child... is already..." 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

No...

I don’t want to hear it.

"...She can’t be saved..."

"No way..."

Why...

You said there were medicinal herbs.

You said the church has the most advanced knowledge of medicine.

Even without saying it out loud, Rafilia-san seemed to understand what I wanted to say.

"This poison..."

Rafilia-san glanced briefly at Iferasky, then looked back down at Kemolori. Her eyes were wet with regret.

"Beastkin like them... are..."

She was choosing her words carefully so Iferasky wouldn’t understand. In other words, she couldn’t say the full truth.

The filthy man had said he would sell Kemolori as meat, so this was probably a poison made specifically for that purpose.

Besides...

Beastkin are persecuted in this country. Research into medicines for beastkin might be lagging behind...

Even though I knew it was pointless to pressure Rafilia-san, I couldn’t help but speak.

"That can’t be right. Isn’t there anything you can do? I have money. I borrowed a lot of gold coins. I can buy expensive ingredients. Please save Kemolori."

"...It’s impossible."

Damn it. Rafilia-san is a professional with medicinal herbs. If even she says it’s impossible, then there really is nothing that can be done?

In this medieval European-style fantasy world where medicine isn’t advanced, she can’t be saved?

Isn’t there any recovery magic that can cure poison?

Wait.

I was so shaken I completely forgot.

I have the ultimate ally!

"Rafilia-san, Iferasky, please leave the room right now and go to the toilet."

"Eh? The toilet?"

"I’m calling Lucia."

"Lucia-san...?"

*Clatter.*

Iferasky’s face went pale as she hurriedly stood up.

"Pi!"

She let out a scream-like squeak and bolted out of the room.

Rafilia-san looked confused.

"I just went to the toilet earlier, though..."

"You might not believe this, but I’m summoning a god. Please prepare yourself."

"Eh? A god? That’s impossible. Even high-ranking priests using ritual magic can only borrow a fraction of an archangel’s power. Manifesting a god on earth is—"

Rafilia-san was saying something, but I didn’t have time.

I didn’t know how long Kemolori’s strength would last.

"Lucia, come to me!"

Please.

Please come.

I’ve never summoned her myself before.

She’s always the one who calls me.

But...

Please. Come.

I prayed with all my heart.

Whether through magic, telepathy, our bond, or any kind of power—please reach Lucia.

*Stroke stroke.*

...?

Before I knew it, a completely naked Lucia was in the room, stroking and playing with the fur on Kemolori’s belly.

I did it!

Kemolori is saved!