MTM 12

The rain had continued all night, finally stopping in the afternoon. The gloomy clouds ha dcleared, and the sky, now turning a golden yellow, illuminated Zed and Harto as they headed to the river.

Clunk. Clunk.

Zed carried wooden water buckets with handles hung on a long pole across his shoulders, and he was unusually quiet. Harto, who had been lost in admiration of the beautiful scenery, hurried to walk beside him.

“Zed. Aren’t the buckets heavy? Should I carry them?”

“It’s fine.”

“Then give me just one. I’ll take it.”

“Just walk.”

“Uh…”

Harto pouted at the abrupt remark. Last night the mood had been nice, and they talked quite a bit, but why was he so curt today? Did he make some mistake? Or was last night only a whim brought by the rain? Harto started to feel a little hurt.

“Wow…!”

But Harto’s sadness disappeared like a breeze as soon as they reached the river.

The river’s surface, now saturated with rising water, was bathed in a sunset glow, its ripples sparkling silver. Perhaps thanks to the rain, the water was so clear that he could see the loaches swimming diligently beneath the rocks.

“Do you think it’s okay to drink it?”

Harto skipped across the large boulder. A c ool breeze blew along the river. He carefully put his hand into the trickling water and drank “Ah!” he exclaimed as soon as he swallowed. Just as Zed had said, the water was pure and refreshing.

Then he caught sight of a large fish splashing away to the other side.

“Zed! Did you see that? The fish was as big as your arm!”

Harto pointed at it with his hand and laughed. His joy looked no different from a child’s delight at something small. Even though not long ago he almost died here after being pierced by an arrow, his face was bright as if he had forgotten it completely.

“……”

Zed put the buckets down and glanced at his own arm, then lifted his head toward the direction Harto pointed.

North. The direction Zed needed to go. Once he crossed the mountains, he would be out of this place in half a day. His body had already recovered, and he could immediately leave. According to the message he received through the hunters, the Night Rage mercenary group was waiting for him.

That was right. Coming to the river like this was not part of his plan. He had intended to leave as soon as the rain stopped. But…

‘When the rain stops, winter will begin.’

‘After the rain stops, let’s go fetch water.’

‘Do you want to sleep on the sofa?’

‘Will you be alright even if I’m not here?’

Even now, those were strange words, so unlike him.

He hesitated to leave Harto behind. Or maybe it was because Harto now had the shape of a human. His pure and innocent face made it hard to believe he was a monster.

Even in his monster form, there were many things about Harto that did not match what monsters were like. He had none of their natural malice.

Yes, thinking about it carefully, Harto needed someone’s care. Even though he could control fire, he seemed unable to use even ten percent of his power. He never tried to attack the hunters, as if he only knew how to light firewood.

‘But when winter comes, snow falls. When snow falls… I want to make a snowman…’

“Ha…”

Even remembering it now, it was so ridiculous that he couldn’t even laugh. A monster wanting to make a snowman. It was strange that he had managed to stay alive with such a pure heart that even a child would not have.

But Harto was a monster. It was impossible for a human to take care of a monster. Especially one that had already grown up. It would be hard, but Harto could live on his own. He had lived that way until now.

Maybe it would even be easier from now on. The villagers would keep watching any outsider who hunted nearby, and even if someone found out what he was, they would not care much about a low-level mimic type monster.

So there was no reason not to leave.

‘Then why am I so upset…’

He knew all that well, but something was pulling at his heart.

‘He will live fine even without me…’

That made it worse. Because he really felt like Harto would be fine without him.

Zed felt an unnamed cold feeling spread inside him, and his body slowly lost its strength.

“Zed! Look at this!”

“What…?”

At that moment, Harto suddenly shouted toward Zed. He climbed onto a rock and held a small minnow in his hand, eyes bright.

“I caught it! With my hand!”

He proudly waved his arm but wobbled and lost his balance.

“…Uh, uhoh?!”

“Harto!”

Zed threw down the water bucket and ran to Harto, forgetting that his trousers were soaking wet. His lips were pressed together, his heart pounding in his ears.

“Hehe, I didn’t fall!”

At that moment, Zed suddenly came to his senses at the sound of a playful laugh.

Harto was standing on his two feet just below the rock, smiling brightly.

“You fell for it! It’s super shallow here! Even if I fall I won’t sink….”

Whoosh.

Before he could even finish his sentence, Sed grabbed Harto’s arm with a powerful force. His small body was dragged into Sed’s grasp, practically floating in the air.

“Do you want to die?!”

A cracked voice echoed along the riverbank. Zed was glaring at Harto with a pale face.

“Ze, Zed…?”

“I saved you from dying, and now you’re pr etending to die again?!”

Harto gaped, speechless. The suddenly thick air suffocated him. Something lurking beneath his darkened eyes weighed on him.

‘I can’t, I can’t move…’

Fear shook Harto’s body. It was only a prank, only an attempt to lighten the mood, but…

Harto closed his eyes because Zed’s face was too frightening.

“…Harto.”

Time passed, then Zed’s breath hitched. He seemed to realize only then that he was holding Harto’s wrist too tightly, and he slowly loosened his hold.

“You scared me. Don’t do that again.”

“U-uh….”

“And shallow places can be more dangerous. Don’t be careless.”

His tone softened. Harto opened his eyes and nodded.

“I am sorry….”

Harto apologized with a voice barely able to suppress tremors.

“Okay….”

Zed slowly closed his eyes, seemingly tired, and then he quietly placed his hand on Harto’s head. He simply wanted to stroke it, but Harto flinched away.

“…….”

Zed’s face instantly hardened, but Harto did not know. Zed did not touch him further and stepped back.

“…Let’s fetch water and return quickly.”

“Okay….”

A strong wind blew from the north, he could feel that winter was really upon them.

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚

As the sun began to set, the two men roasted and ate salted venison.

Since coming to the cabin, Harto rarely spoke. His face remained stern, it wasn’t until dinner that his expression finally relaxed.

“Here.”

Zed put a slice of well-cooked meat on a plate. Harto murmured “thanks” and blew to cool the meat before eating.

“It’s really good. Without Zed, I probably couldn’t have eaten rabbit or this meat at all. Thanks. I won’t forget this until I die….”

“…….”

Harto, his face as red as a wood fire, turned his head. Though his eyes weren’t filled with tears, his throat was sore, so he quickly quenched his thirst with elm bark tea.

Zed watched Harto and then spoke in a low voice.

“Harto.”

“Yes….”

Harto looked up. He showed a nervous face as if he already guessed what Zed wanted to say.

“Come with me.”

Harto blinked at Zed’s sudden proposal. He looked as if he did not understand at all.

“…Huh?”

“Come with me.”

Zed looked Harto in the eyes and repeated.

Startled, Harto’s eyes widened, and he asked late, “Huh? Where to? Why?”

“To kill Hartiros.”

“……!”

The warm atmosphere froze the moment those words fell.

It did not take long for Harto to understand Zed’s meaning.

‘He’s going to go kill me…??’

This was because Hartiros was the name of the doomed villain possessed by Harto.