Chapter 20: Help or Love
"Father! Who is he?", the leader of the group wondered, while looking at the chief.
"Leader, is he perhaps a spy?", the female in leather armor added as she got closer to me with her bow and arrow.
"No, he is not.", Doburo replied, shaking his head.
"Then who is he chief?", the big beastman still in his fighting stance.
"He is Iden Mak, the magic caster that is also a bodyguard for one of the nobles in E-Rantel."
"Nice to meet you all.", I saluted. First impression is important, even though they started it rough.
"And why is he here?", the leader of the group wondered.
"Because...", as Doburo stood up, he punched his head and bared his teeth at him. "HE IS THE ONE WHO SAVED YOUR LITTLE SISTER, YOU HOT-HEADED SON OF MINE!"
I knew it... I thought-sighed as watching these two parent-son relationship in front of my eyes.
Few minutes later, the group that entered sat in seiza with the son having bruises and bump on his head because of his father.
"W-We're sorry that we thought you were some kind of enemy. We are deeply sorry for it.", the female in leather armor apologized, as the others bowed.
"It's alright. I could have done the same if there was someone unknown in front of me.", I waved my hand at them, and the other in the back of my head.
"Iden-san, these are my son's squad members and friends.", Doburo presented them. "The female in leather armor is Hopy, the Ranger of the team."
She was a rabbit beastkin, having a pale skin, green sharp eyes and white short hair. She was wearing (as I said before) a light leather armor, underneath a tan shirt, grey pants, pouches on her waist, a tan combat boots, a green cloak, a brown quiver with a hunter sign and a long well-shaped wood bow.
"Nice to meet you.", she bowed.
"The big man with the with the long beard is Borzo, the Vanguard of the team."
He was much taller than the leader and less than the other one. He was a boar beastkin, had blue round eyes, tan skin, a brown long beard, a brown short hair with a small ponytail on his back side of the head and he was quite a chubby man, or beastman, but still I wouldn't know if he had muscles under that pile of armor. He was wearing a heavy iron armor with a small shield attached to his left forearm, a light-tan shirt underneath with brown pants with steel knee pads, tan gloves and wielding a steel war hammer.
"Heya friend.", he saluted while rubbing his long beard.
"The other male with the goatee is Zobro, the Rearguard of the team."
He was the tallest of the team to which he was an elephant beastkin, being more bigger than others, he could have been the same height as Cocytus, he had grey short hair with a grey goatee, pale skin and brown round-shaped eyes. He was wearing a full steel-plated armor with a big shield on his back and was wielding a long broadsword on his waist.
"Hello friend. Sorry for what just happened.", he apologized as he was being introduced.
"The other female with the black robe is Netsuki, the Mage Caster of the team."
She was much smaller than Hopy but not as a dwarf height size. She was a cat beastkin, being more intelligent than other species. She had black neck-length hair, onyx round eyes and a pale skin. She was wearing a black robe, underneath a grey dress reaching her knees with a chest pocket, a belt to which had different pouches, a black witch hat and a wood staff with a gem attached in it.
"...", she glanced at me with a curious expression.
"And lastly, the Leader of the team and my son, Dallas Inugata."
As being a mixed breed of a Doberman and a Borzoi, he had more of his father's blessings than his mother's so he had a black hair with white bleached hair. He had yellow sharp eyes, tan skin and a fang coming out of his mouth. He was wearing a black steel light-armor, as if he was wearing a samurai armor, underneath a tan shirt, black pants, grey gloves and steel combat boots. He was wielding a round steel shield and a steel sword.
"Hmph.", he gave me a annoying attitude to which his father responded with a punch on his head.
"YOU BRAT! BE MORE HUMBLE TO OUR GUEST!", Doburo yelled at him.
"I DON'T CARE! AND WHY DID YOU HAVE TO BRING HELP TO A HUMAN?! WE COULD HAVE FOUND SOMETHING FOR HER!", he yelled back.
As both parent and son were bickering, the mother came to me saying.
"Don't worry much about them.", she giggled.
"Are they always like this?", I asked, raising an eyebrow. Giving the reply to which the members of the team nodded in agreement. "I see..."
After a few minutes of parental fighting, the two of them managed to calm themselves leaving me astonished for what just happened.
"Dear, Dallas, if you two have finished with your argue. Would you kindly come over to our guest? He was kindly waiting for you and the rest of the squad.", Berna said, while the others including me were waiting for them.
"Sorry for the waiting, Iden-san. As I was saying...", Doburo calmed himself, and then looked at Dallas. "He is Iden Mak, who our spies informed us about his deeds."
"Hello.", I waved my hand.
"I...Is she fine?" He wondered with a curious but vigilant expression.
"It isn't fully known that she is totally cured for what I just saw. But at least, there would be no problem that she is fine now."
"I see...", he held his tears as the others looked happy. But then I asked.
"May I ask? What happened that she ended up in that state?", both parents looking at each other nodded and started explaining.
-Meanwhile-
Nadia walking to the last location we encountered with those mysterious people, started sniffing their scents including mine to look our whereabouts.
"They didn't go far.", as she sniffed the floor and air, ran following the scent of her creator. Identity-sama, be well and survive.
-Back to Me-
Both parents started explaining the cause of her illness. One month ago, their daughter was picking some herbs for Berna's request. It wasn't a place too dangerous for her to handle but there were monsters and poachers who appeared in the forest for what she could get in trouble.
But the worst to come, there were some rogue magic casters dwelling inside the forest and spotted her. They immediately attacked her without hesitation. She managed to defend herself with her power but it seemed that they overwhelmed her so she had to escape for her life. She had barely escaped the place but the mages casted a spell to which it hit her and left her for dead. Thanks for the scouts to which are placed not far but around the village, they managed to hear her and went straight to the origin. After retrieving her it held well the first weeks, she could do manual labors and other work but the next, her health became worse as she couldn't walk without falling, starting sweating abundantly and feeling nauseous.
Both parents don't knowing how to cure her, so they sent Dallas with his team to see if they could find something to heal her and the others (the Elites) to look for me. And now its present.
"I see. So those rogues are responsible for this act.", I said, placing my hand on my chin. "So what are you going to do now?"
"We are going to find those bastards and punish them.", Dallas stated as he stood up.
"And how are we suppose to find them? We don't even know about those rogues.", Hopy wondered, raising her eyebrow.
"Yeah, Dallas. We don't even know where those guys are from.", Zobro added.
Dallas was only frustrated hearing his companions' facts, he knew he couldn't find those bastards if they didn't even know their whereabouts and people.
"SHIT!", he cursed, clenching his fists in fury while avoiding looking at us.
"...", I know that having a familiar hurt because of some bad guys it pains me to think what would happen to those closer to mine.
"Look man.", Borzo started to speak while placing his hand on Dallas' shoulder. "I know it is hard to see your sister in pain. But you should know that we are with you to hunt those bastards."
"Thanks guys.", as everyone were laughing, one of the guards enter abruptly in the tent.
"CHIEF! WE ARE UNDER ATTACK!"
"Okay. How many are them?", Doburo asked.
"It's just... one person.", the guard replied.
"YOU INGRATS! WHERE IS HE?!", a female voice could be hear from inside.
That voice..., I thought.
As everyone got out of the tent, I was the last, they saw a female invader with her hood on and her daggers at front with a murderous aura in her fighting stance. There were some guards that were knocked out by her.
"What in the world...?", Zobro wondered, in shock.
"Chief, leave her to us.", Kitsuna assured, charging straight to the intruder with both Sappota and Kumoro behind her.
Kitsuna rushed toward her with her daggers, giving her a up-down slash but the intruder stepped back to dodge and elbowed Kituna to the abdomen to which she kneeled down in pain. The intruder looking down at her changed her glance to the other two rushing toward her. Sappota unsheathing his sword and Kumoro with his heavy gauntlets, tried to attack her but she jumped over them, landing not far from them. While Kumoro stood firm in front of the intruder, Sappota brought Kitsuna to her feet.
"Who are you? And what brings here?", Kitsuna asked, still having problems standing alone. How did she managed to make me stagger with such power? It's as if she had the same power as us!, she thought, holding her wound.
"NADIA!", I yelled bringing attention to the villagers, the chief, and Dallas' squad members.
"Iden-sama!", she turned her back in joy under the hood to see that her creator was fine but that ended up with fear when she saw me emitting some dark aura of anger for disobeying his order.
"Nadia...what did I tell you when I decided on my own to come here?", I asked, approaching her.
"Y-You said to "escort lady Kayla to her manor and be with her". T-That what you ordered...", she replied with a scared tone.
"I did say that but, what...did...you...do?"
"I-I-I disobeyed your order for which I'll be punished for my selfish act."
As everyone were watching in disbelief, I sighed thinking that she was just worried about her creator to be in danger that she disobeyed my order only to bring me back.
"I'll turn a blind eye this time but I hope the next time to do as I say, you understand?", I asked with a gently expression while patting her head. Nadia was about to burst in tears thinking that her creator gave her a second chance.
"Yes!", she replied, lowering her head.
"I-Iden-san... you know her?", Doburo pointed out.
"Sure I know. She is my companion.", I said.
As Nadia stood up, she took off her hood showing a beautiful woman with white hair and purple sharp eyes. Every male beastmen were surprised by her beauty, including Dallas.
"Damn, she is quite a beauty for a human.", one of the villagers spoke.
"Yeah, if she was a beastwoman I could take my chance.", another one added.
"...", I heard them mumbling about her but thinking back, Nadia is still hiding her wolf ears as a precaution. Maybe I could tell her to show her ears if it is a beastmen village.
"Iden-san. Did they do something?", Nadia asked.
"No, they did not. They were just asking me to heal someone. It wasn't mayor to speak, but I still don't know if she is fully healed. Maybe if I asked to Hawk about her condition, he would know better.", I rubbed my chin thoughtfully.
Then the three elites walked toward us and then prostrated in front of Nadia for forgiveness.
"We're sorry we took him and threatened you people but we needed him to heal Chief's daughter back to health.", Kitsune stated.
"If Iden-sama is fine, then there is no worry what would happen to you.", she replied with a hostile attitude.
"Nadia... there is no need to be that hostile. They even made me a banquet for saving someone. So let's leave bygones be bygones, alright?"
"If Iden-sama says so...", she pouted, lowering her head.
CUTE~, everyone present thought in unison.
"Also since we are in the beastmen community you can show your true self.", I informed.
"Are you sure?", she asked with a "Really?" expression.
What are they talking about? And what does it mean to show her true self?, Doburo thought-wondered at us.
Suddenly the entire village went silent when Nadia's silver hair popped two wolf's ears. Their eyes popping out of their sockets as they wouldn't believe what they just saw.
"WHAAA~T!", everyone, except Nadia and I, shouted.
"Y-Y-You were a beast woman?", Kitsune asked.
"You can say that.", Nadia replied in a monotone.
Everyone being speechless as someone or a beast woman would follow a human by their moral code of the beastmen "to those that meet a stronger opponent and be defeated, you shall consider him/her your master until death arrives you", but to them they didn't know Nadia fully and couldn't understand their relationship at all.
I should have known... If she had the strength as us, it's no wonder that she would have been one of us, Kitsune deduced completely.
As everyone were still shocked in disbelief, someone decided to approach to Nadia, who was Dallas. Noticing him approaching her, Dallas kneeled in front of her to say.
"Please, go out with me.", a plane was starting to fly from the airs while the other males were either surprised of his boldness or jealous of his approach.
"No.", Nadia replied to which the plane was shot down and Dallas' heart suffered a direct hit.
"Ugh...", Dallas groaned on the floor with a pain.
I saw one of his team, Hopy, kind of jealous when he asked her but changed to relief when Nadia shot him down. Maybe she has something for him but that's still to which I would know in the future. After that we reunited inside the chief's tent and started talking about their daughter's attackers.
"Well, now that we finished with the intruder incident. Doburo-san, you said that your daughter was attacked by someone, but do you know who they were?", I asked with a serious expression.
"As I did say before, I don't know exactly who they were. But maybe from my spies, told me that there were some mages of the Slane Theocracy, were exiled by some unknown motives. We still don't know for sure, who they are or if they are definitely of the Slane Theocracy.", Doburo announced.
Hmm... They still don't know who they were the responsible. If there was a way to find them..., I thought with a serious expression while rubbing my chin, then glimpsed on Nadia. "THAT'S IT!"
TO BE CONTINUE
*(Author's Note: Sorry that it took long this chapter. For what you understand, it is difficult to create new characters and design of them, including their names, so if the next time it takes long it means I am having difficulties with the chapters. But rest assure, I WILL continue with this story so enjoy more of the next chapter.)*