A week had passed since the annoying Prince Mistgardt came to the house. Mr. Clarye, who carried Prince Mistgardt home, came home alone later and apologized to me to the extent that I thought he was going to fall to his knees.

　We don't have a bad image of Clarrier, on the contrary, we even felt sorry for him for assisting such a stupid prince.

　So, it may be naive, but I told him that if he really felt his life was in danger, he could come to rely on me whenever he felt that Clarie-san was in real danger. It's that thing about helping that idiot prince, but I can't bear to sacrifice Mr. Clarye who is following that person.

　Hearing that, Clarye-san came apologetically, but still happily thanked me. If you leave it to Clarrier-san, there won't be any problems. Maybe. She'll be there until New Year's Eve, but I promise not to see her.

　And today.

Is everyone ready?

""Yes!"

　Because we're all going out of season today to go leaf-viewing. We'd like to go in the middle of November, but we didn't have time to go this year because we had a lot of things to do, so today was the day. Well, today is more like a picnic than leaf colour gathering, I guess.

　The place is in the mountains near the villa where I played with Alexia and her friends in a bathing suit before. I'm thankful that the king was willing to let me go there.

　He also provided a carriage for us to ride in, so we headed up the mountain. The lunch was home-made by Pricia, and I heard that Mei and Haku helped with the lunch. I'm looking forward to it.

Okay, well, let's get going.

　And we were ready to go in the carriage that the king had prepared for us.

　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇.

'Wow!　Big brother!　It's snowing!　It's snowing!

　As we got to our destination, it was just beginning to snow. Seeing this, Mei gets out of the carriage in a huff, and Roy can't help but follow her. It seems that Ekla is also following May's lead.

'Don't get too far from the villa!

Yes!

　I think it's safe to say that only beasts react to signs and such around here, but just in case.

We'll go for a little walk, too.

Yeah. It's the snow.

　With that, Alexia and her friends start playing rock-paper-scissors. What is it?　Then someone grabs my right hand. I look at that person.

Onii...

　And Haku shakes my hand. I don't have any particular reason to refuse, so I smile and give him a squeeze. Haku happily squeezes it back. Then.

'Yes!　We've won!　Mr. Ray, come and hold my hand with me!

'Yes!　Ray, I'm on the other side.......oh!

　I hear a voice from behind me. I look in its direction and see a delighted Helen and a surprised Ferris. Alexia and the others are still playing rock-paper-scissors. They've decided on the order in which to hold their hands; Helen, who won first, doesn't care and comes over and grabs the other hand, and Ferris is cringing.

'Ray's hand is warm,'

Really?　Helen's hands are warm, too.

...What about me?

And of course Haku.

That's not fair!

　That's a win for Haku's strategy. Well, it looks like it's my turn, so wait until it's my next turn, Ferris.

　Well, it was nice to see Helen take over after that, and after she was replaced by Ferris, she was in a better mood, humming a huff and a puff. It was cute that she came over and rubbed her tail sweetly.

　Then we wandered around the villa and explored around the villa, and since it was lunchtime, we decided to go back to the villa and eat Pricia's homemade lunch.

Mr. Ray, Mei and her friends aren't back yet.

　Pricia said to me.

'You weren't around?'

'Yes, I've been looking around the villa, but I couldn't find it anywhere...'

　Pricia looks at me anxiously. Everyone else looks worried as well. I activate my presence detection and magic power detection to look for Mei and the others. ........This.

I'm going out.

Mr. Ray?

　I ignore Pricia's voice and leave the villa. I didn't think she was going to the woods behind the villa!　I quickly headed down to Mei and the others.

　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇.

May, your brother says not to leave the villa too long.

"It's just a little bit!　Come on, Roy, let's go!

Cyril.

　May turns around and smiles and waves as she says that. Ekla on top of her head looks happy too. At all. Well, I'm the one who lets her do that.

　When I came to my senses, Mei and I were together. We've found ourselves eating together, growing vegetables together, spending time together.

　I didn't tell anyone, but when I told my brother I was going to follow him, I was very happy when he said May would follow me too. This is a feeling that I won't tell anyone, it's just me.

　As I'm thinking about this, Mei suddenly stops and starts scurrying around to look around. What's going on?

May, what's going on?

...someone's screaming.

Cur.

What?

　Who's screaming?　I'm trying to listen, but I don't hear those voices. Ekla seems to understand, though. I look at May again.

"Someone said, 'Help!　Help your mother! I'm screaming!

　With that, May runs off into the forest.

'Ah!　May!　In the woods.........fast!　d*mn it!

　I found myself getting pretty far away from him. My brother will probably get mad at me later, but I go after May. My brother has given me a sword with a blade in case something goes wrong.

　I don't want him to carry it, but just in case something goes wrong. I can pull the sword out at any time and activate my body strengthening. I can't do it as well as my brother, but only if I'm chasing after May.

　We chase after May for a few minutes. As I run through the branches, avoiding them, May finally stops. I finally catch up with her.

May!　What are you doing running so fast?

　I was about to ask May what was wrong when I caught up with her, and when I looked out of the corner of her eye, there it was.

"Guru.

Meow, meow!

　There was a horned tiger lying in a pool of blood, and a baby tiger, which appeared to be its child. While the mother is white, the baby tiger is black in reverse. Why is that?　May, what's going on?

May, if you go near the monster!

"Gululu!

　The mother tiger is also threatening May. But when she tries to stand, she doesn't know if it's because she can't muster the strength or because she's injured, but she slumps down immediately. But he doesn't take his eyes off of May.

It's going to be okay. I'm not going to do anything, okay?

　When May speaks with a smile, the mother tiger is still lying down and looking at May. Nah, are you okay?

'Gulu, Gulu Lara?　Galle.
(People there seem to understand the language.) Can you do me a favor and take care of this girl for me?　(Because I'm not going to make it.)

But. I'm human, you know?　Are you sure?

Grrrrrl, Gallach.
If you stay in the forest, you'll die. Then we'd be better off leaving her with you.

Meow!　Catnip!
No, Mom!　(Don't leave me!)

　One and two of them are talking to each other, but I don't understand them. I guess May can understand the language so we can have a conversation. Even Ekra-san above my head is quietly listening.

''Garuru-lau. Gululu, gullah.
You will live. Live and be strong.

　The mother tiger finally squealed something and lowered her head to the ground with a thud. The little tiger licks the mother tiger's face repeatedly, but the mother tiger never opens her eyes. Mei is crying too. I tried to get to Mei's side.

Gululu!

　And Ekla suddenly looked deep into the forest and started squealing. I looked in that direction too and that's where I got it from.

Bumoo!

　And three orcs came running in. You've been lured by the blood of a mother tiger!　I pull my sword out immediately.

"May!　Take that baby tiger and move back!　Ekla, May, please!

Clu!

Roy-kun!

　I'm going to re-initiate my body strengthening. ...you're huge. He's about twice my size, but I'm not knocking him over backwards!

Bumoo!

　The Orcs have noticed us, and they scream and increase their running speed. The orcs on my left will be the first to collide with us. I start running towards the orc on my left. I'm sure we're evenly matched in speed.

Blah!

　The orc swings the club in his hand sideways, and I crouch down to avoid it, and then I slash him in the side. Hard!　I couldn't get my sword in too much due to the fat choking me. On top of that, the orc was angry at being cut and started screaming out loud.

　This isn't good at all.....d*mn it!　Before I knew it, the other orcs had caught up and were surrounding me. I fly sideways to avoid the club being swung down from behind. Badly, the ground that was hit by the orcs is slammed in.

'Bralalaa!'

　Oh, shit!　Another orc struck me and I dodged a.........

Roy!　No!

　Haha, it looks so slow. Sorry May. And just like that, the orc swings his arm down...

"Gullah!

　The moment I thought that I was going to be able to do that, a flash of lightning-clad lightning pierced the orc's arm. What, what?　I look at the source of the flash and there it is.

Curl!

　Ekla-san, whose body was clothed in magical power, was flying. And when Ekla-san made a single sound, a sphere of light appeared around Ekla-san, making a crunching sound and flying around her. And then

"Gyula-la-la-la-la!

　That sphere of light is released with an eye on the orcs. Zuodong!　A sphere descends with a sound. A dust cloud danced with the momentum of hitting the ground. Gehoge!　What a power. And when the dust cloud subsides, there it is.

Oh, f*ck.

　It was the figure of an orc who had been pierced all over his body by Ekra-san's attack and was covered in holes. Sooooooooooo. Just there.

May, Roy!　Are you safe?!

　And then my brother came over. I sat down when I was relieved. Thank God~.

　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇.

　I was running underneath Mei and her friends, who were caught up in the signs, when suddenly, thud!　And. You're in a battle!　And when you get there, there's a black tiger?　Roy is frozen with his sword at the ready as Mei holds the dead orc corpse, full of holes and dead orcs.

"CURU-LU-LU!

　And then there was Ekla, who was squealing. Was this Ekla's doing?　Awesome. Well, it's more than that.

May, Roy!　Are you safe?

　If I don't make sure they're both safe, Roy sits down when he sees me coming, and May comes running down to me. But it looks somewhat awkward.

'Mei-chan?'

"...I went into the forest on my own!　Because there's nothing wrong with you, Roy!　If you're going to be mad at me, get mad at me!

　Oh, you were worried about what I said about not going into the woods. I smile and stroke Mei-chan's head. Mei-chan freaks out the moment my hand touches her head, but when she thinks there's nothing there, she opens her eyes fearfully.

'I wouldn't be mad if Mei-chan herself feels bad about it. But don't do it next time. I don't know if Ekla will be around, and I don't know if I'll be able to come either. Until she's a little older, okay?

　I said, and May nodded. I'll go under Roy.

You okay, Roy?

"...my brother. It wasn't good at all. If it wasn't for Miss Ekla, I'd be dead.

　Roy says and looks down. I don't want to ask why, but he pats Roy's head in a crumpled heap.

You're not going to be able to get out of this one. You have survived your first battle. That's all you need to know. The only thing left to do is to make use of the experience. Do your best.

Yes.

　Roy can be strong if he works hard enough. Don't give up.

"G'lulu!　Squeak!

　Ekla comes flying in when she sees that I've finished talking to Roy. Praise, praise, praise!　He clings to my face as if to say, "I'm not going to do it. I pull it off.

'Buh-hah, Ekla. You saved me, didn't you?　Thanks. It's quirky.

Squeak!

　I pet Ekla and she squeals happily as I stroke her around. But I don't know what would have happened if it wasn't for Ekla. I'm really glad. I'll treat her to a full meal today.