Disclaimers: Written by Rime. Translated by Arcana. Approved by Rime to transfer from pixiv. The characters were not owned by the writer nor the translator. Characters were borrowed from the players of MHD. To members of MHD, if there are any problems, there would be no problem in removing.
Chapter Notes: The Genealogy of Hunters 9: Case jack
Theme: Written as Intelligence, Read as Life
Characters: jack, Carry, Falt, Nobutuna, Mr. Sido
Chapter Summary:
jack was a researcher, and when he heard from a friend that his research details were spread out, he hired a hunter from the guild as a bodyguard. He felt uneasy when he knew that the hunter dispatched was too skillful.
"You might think that repeating watching the process is unnecessary, but by diluting with the juice of bitterbug, there is a possibility that it will not affect human body... It might not necessarily work for monster-use drugs though"
"Ha-. I don't possibly think that you will study sleep herbs to that extent. Then, one suggestion."
"What?"
"Can it apply on parashroom? Aren't monster-use tranquilizers, too strong for human body. If we can add one more procedure before combining, will it be able to work on humans?"
"...For what?"
"Something like, a painkiller?"
"Isn't grinding parashroom, good enough?"
"That's only for injuries. For like, operations. As expected, using parashroom directly on the internal organs, will be too dangerous, because it'll break down the functions."
"In other words, remove only the pain while the functions are still working"
"If it's only injuries, by taking all the functions adversely, the healing will be faster because it'll be hard to move when numb, that's why parashroom only will be good. ...For a hunter that has the belly busted, already really, we cannot but only have to keep he with his willpower? ...Even if tranquilizer bombs are used, the monsters are still alive. Though they can't move. Can such a state, be made on human?"
"How about, using diluted tranquilizer?"
"Overrule. By diluting with water, unless very purified water is used, a sense of uneasiness will be left."
"...Have you tried, bitterbug?"
"I think, I don't know will it go fine. If bitterbug can cancel out the strong effect of sleep herb, it might cancel out the effect of parashroom in the same way. How about normal drugs, from a little more direction of medical, I think if such medicines exist, it will be quite good."
"...Drugs you say"
"In the town which I went recently, it seems to be circulating around at a bargain price."
"The town that you went recently, is the town where the Rathian subspecies appeared?"
"Yes. A doctor there who has the sample, made an ingredient list. The main constituents are tranquilizer plus poison and medical herbs"
"...Parashroom, sleep herb, poison and medical herbs? The guy that made it, must have a mind of a maniac. Is that for drinking?"
"It's some powders stuff in huskberry"
"That means, on the account of immediate effects... Wow, seriously what a disgusting bad drug..."
"Seriously true"
"Does antidote work as counteracts?"
"No-–pe. Now, under treatment. A large proportion is up to the human self-healing abilities. There are many people that can't pull out of it."
"Cases of complete recovery?"
"There are three cases. ... But, all are cases of little consumption."
"Hmm. ...I see. I got it. I'll slightly study it again."
"Thank you. ...Oh yes, jack. There's still one more thing, I need to tell you"
"Huh-–?"
"About the lifecrystal"
jack frowned.
It was developed by his father and mother, and it was now circulated in the world, used to save people's lives in every places, it was a considerable keyword, to him now.
"About your study contents, a few, has leaked out"
"...No way. Let alone said occupations, I do not even submit it to the research institute. Only to sis..."
"The royal knights have such a rumor. I wondered too, and I was able to investigate without any hindrance... but I don't know the source. It's better, to be a little careful"
"Be careful you say... What kind of rumor is that"
"There's a man studying about the elixir of immortality."
What a nonsense. Mr. shrugged, and declared.
"But, there is still more in the world that we do not know yet. ... You, have even meddled with the elder dragon blood?"
"..."
"Didn't I tell you that the things of the dragon class are dangerous. Please don't produce any strange stuffs... If you have done to that extent, surely, there will be no help even if the contents are to be checked."
"...Err, though I know about that..."
"Anyway, you better report and consult the guild once. When it comes, there may be a chance that even you alone can not do anything, right? There is also something called outnumbered. If it's the Hunters Guild, it may be able to take measures in its own way. ...Should I talk to Carry also?"
"...No, I'll do it by myself. Sorry, to have you worry."
"I heard that the movements of the Secret guild are intense recently... They are no longer secret, but gradually becoming a public... Be really, careful"
"Ahh"
"...Cause rather than a researcher, jack totally, researches more like a philosopher, I sometimes really worry for you"
"I'll be all right. Everything will be fine."
Because, my aim is.
"I still, see it properly"
"...Okay."
Then, I already have to go. There doesn't seem to be enough hunters on the snow mountain. Mr. waved his hand. Oh, see you. jack waved his hand in return.
The world was a treasure house of questions. It depended on the sensitivity of a person whether a question is a treasure. Things that could not be disintegrate theoretically were mysteries to him, and it was a pleasant feeling to elucidate. Loosening the twisted up thread, and when it become a straight line, that length was endless. The world was rolled up with innumerable lumps of threads, by untying one after one carefully, while arranging several lines, he would want to know what was beyond the point. The intellectual curiosity of humans were merely, hoping that there would be something in the end, jack thought, the reason was to face the product.
He had not arrived, at what was ahead. Because there were after all innumerable lumps of thread rolled up, that there was almost no meaning even if tried and tried. It was probably impossible to turn all the rolled-up lines in the world into straight lines, while he lived. Still, what made he deeply attached to untie those lumps of lines was, because he would be impressed by the length, when he turned around, after untying, and standing by the edge of the straightened line.
Without shaking, without any distortion, a white straight line was drawn, straight in the darkness. jack thought that, such things were called as knowledge.
That white line would become a sign for people. It would become a sign for himself. The line continued. To live, was to make a line and trace the line. Rarely, they would overlap with the lines made by another person, mixed together, and became a point. That point, was the meeting of others, and, the causes of involving a new thread, a lump of thread which led to a method for a person to draw a line again. The line was the trace of people, the point was an encounter of people. By tying a point to a different point, another new line was made.
Mr. Sido was another line, which entered and divided the line drew by jack. They once had an intense debate competition in the scientific society, and the surroundings were swelled up with impatience. In exchange of swirling everything, even theories, techniques, constitutions, and grounds in, they were amazed to an extent of without knowing that a smile floated on each other's lips.
In exchange of the agenda developed into talking about morality, ethicality and true characteristic, before long were words of Mr. Sido telling the end. He said. This is meaningless. But, it is meaningless therefore it has a meaning. There, jack finally understood.
Knowledge was unnecessary in the living originally. Even if there were no numerical formulas, and efficiencies, alone with physiological desires one could live onwards. Thoughts and studies and researches, were only meaningless to the world, still humans elucidated the things that were merely there as they were, it was only humans that would want to elucidate it. In order word, it was a useless thing. It was a meaningless thing.
However, towards he who said that therefore it had a meaning, jack agreed absolutely.
Things that were a waste and meaningless, could be just the reason why a person was a person.
Mr. asked for his name. Thereafter they were friends. They were fellow researchers, who would enjoy together the useless and meaningless things.
Knowing upon that even things good for humans, were originally products of useless things, there were few people that understood about the sense of them, who developed things good for humans.
"...But, for what reason do we have to talk with the guild? This side hasn't gotten any damages"
"Even if you say so, it is important that the studies have leak to the outside. Unless I can hold a conference to announce the right of the study contents, I want to seal it flat."
"Talk about what. Are you going to have even a bodyguard to follow you?"
"The truth is I actually am going to ask Mr. for the flavor... However basically me and that fellow, we have different feelings to the ultimate goal"
"Sido, doesn't seem to like this study"
"That's because if it is completed, the skills of hunters generally may decrease... Even if the hunting groups specialized in party play, not soloists, will increase too many, a trouble is a trouble."
"Measures, have you think about that?"
"So-so"
"Really? Because you will sometimes, forget about things like these, I'm anxious about you"
Even I really don't want him or others to worry about me, jack thought slightly disappointed. He did not intend to be a child so much.
Carry handled the hem of the white robe and stood up. Combing up the forelock that had grew easily, she took in her hands a bunch of documents at hand.
"First of all consult the guild master, see if you can have them give you somebody. Some subsidies will go out of the society. ...Though you might have to show, a little, of your studies"
"...Is this really okay. Sis"
"It can't be helped, in this circumstances. ...Have you advanced?"
"No-–pe. Deadlock"
"That's unusual in spite of being my younger brother."
"It is really a deadlock that I cannot say no problem. ... Sis, do you have any interesting idea"
"There's none. I already gave you all. In the days of beginning, didn't you erase mercilessly even people's sleeping time and bathing time for talking all through the night. Are you not satisfied?"
"Not satisfied"
"Seriously"
Still, this elder sister was the only one, that would keep company of the intellectual curiosity of jack till the last. As their parents died early, as much as the two of them had walked the same steps, she understood well about her younger brother.
"jack, I, have one question"
"Huh?"
"Something that are fine grains which is excessively in active, in particular during sleeps that rise the body temperature, promoting the spontaneous recovery ability of a person, regardless of internal injuries. This is lifecrystals. ...How do you plan to adapt this, in party play? What must be done to these crystals to let them be work in a party in the same time?"
"...Like scatter by shooting with a bow. Shooting them in with bowgun types?"
"What to do about parties with only close-rangers"
"...No idea"
"Even if it is said as crystals, they are grains after all. It does not go against the gravity and spread widely. Not more than the radius of one meter. ...For example, even if launching with a bow, if it is mixed incompetently even the enemy may be recovered. The characteristic of this grain that worked only for human beings, can not be deleted?"
"Uh-–..."
"You must consider it as a tool too"
All he could say was that it was a blind spot.
A potion that could restore all the members at the same time, in a wide area. Though this was what he aimed for, he could not deny the fact that he had considered avoiding from this was not magic. It reached the level of speaking impossibility in terms of theory. A tool that would not show its effect unless meeting many conditions, was far from using as practice.
However, with that, it may be possible to prevent companions dying in front of their eyes.
jack started this study only for that.
"Research leader, be firm? There are mountains of things you need to consider"
"...Research vice-leader. My ear, hurts"
"Don't mind. It'll work out somehow. Because both you and me, are the children of father and mother"
He smiled back at her elder sister saying laughingly. It seems to be so. Me and this person too, inherited the blood of the people, who only wished and wanted to help many people.
"...Yeah"
"Then, cause I have to prepare for my own research publication, I'll go now. Is there, anything else?"
"Oh-–. Yes yes"
What, to his sister that tilted her head, he flung the words said every time every time incorrigibly.
"Stop wearing only your underwear under the white coat."
It was a feast for the eyes, but bad for the heart.
It doesn't matter it's not as if I'm going wear like this except in front of you. He pushed the back of his older sister who was complaining and sent her away.
There were quite many treatment-use tools, and there were innumerable way of handling them, therefore research institute lifework of the jack's morning, needed time more than one hour.
First thing after getting up was to tie his hair, with an absentminded look, he would then washed his hands. Frequently next he would put a face mask made with the skin of Khezu to his mouth, and wore a glove of thin elastic skin made from the internal organs of monsters. There were a flat container with the size of a cutting board, as made with iron ore, it had a comparative weight. He would soak it into tepid water, and put together carefully the bowl for mixing, wooden pestle, a measuring spoon, tweezers, et cetera. While giving time for the attached dust to float up, he would put a needle into a different small container. It was consider particularly thin even among the wyvern bones, the size was good for the use of sewing, but what was different was that there was a cavity in the midmost. The needle was used when extracting liquid with the point of filler and when medicine was needed to be injected into human's blood vessel, but it could be developed with iron ores other than wyvern bones. The former was for infectious disease, the latter might be affected by mineral poison, thus both must be purified carefully. Because the way of neutralizing infectious disease with temperature and medicine was easy, jack mainly used it. But, there were precious for finding such small sized one among the wyvern bones was hard, due to the small and rare amount. Speaking confidently, he chose dual swords for hunting Velocipreys and collecting ancient fish.
Next, he would combine some antidote, and diluted them with boiled water. Because there were generally the risk of burning at this procedure, his eyes would be opened. Draining the light blue liquid into a needle and transferring them into a caliber, this would take time of approximately of ten minutes to purify. During this period, he would wash the small bottle for combining, and divided the items for painting the inwards with thin layers medical herb juice, and the items that were not so into half-and-half, furthermore, he would adjust the weighted balance and the scale, and washed thoroughly the various tools used for experiments, combining, and others.
He ground the toadstool, and vaporized it in a transparent box mixing with water. After approximately three minutes, the box would be filled with it, and he would inject the antidote from the gap for vaporizing. By the time the microbes inside perished, he would place the washed items in an order inside. Though the other air would mix in through the emptied gap when he put things in, the extent was only amiability. When it was over he would also drink an antidote, therefore re-arousal took place, and his brain would begin to be active.
When the sterilization of all the tools finished, he would arrange them back into the box like the condition it was before, sealed his box, and opened the window. Finally he would begin the normal cleaning.
There was a knock on the door, when he was beating drastically the dust from a white cloth casually.
"Hi"
He easily opened the door, and somewhat an eccentric stood there.
"Bye"
"Wait wait wait wait! Don't close the door! All of a sudden this correspondence is just mean!"
"I do not think I know any Yian Garuga"
"Yian Garuga doesn't speak"
"Then why are you covered with something like a Garuga fake"
"It's easy to attach earplugs"
"...Stressing on skills"
"Cause I'm a gunner"
Communication possible, judging so, jack opened the door greatly. People that could not follow his own pace, could never enter the laboratory. jack was the only one that could behave going my way in the laboratory.
"Welcome all the way from the long road. My bad"
"It's fine. It's a work after all"
"Aren't the reward a drop in the bucket"
"Yes-–, that's terrible. That is a terrible reward. However, I, declined one mission before, so I wasn't able to decline it even if I want to-–-"
"Your name?"
"Falt"
"I'm jack"
"Nice to meet you"
The hand that grasped the held out hand, was a little smaller than his own.
With consultation to the Hunters Guild, he could predictive immediately that he was the hunter dispatched. A quite well experienced, and, long-range one. Because himself was a super close-ranger, he judged that that would be a better circumstances. As a result he was the one that came.
"...You're tall"
"People often say so"
"You grew a lot"
"You must have shrunk a lot"
"Why shrunk! I just didn't get to grow!"
"That's too bad"
"Truly"
"Thus you measure you height counting the ears of the Garuga"
"You discovered?"
"I already found out"
"That's a shame"
Oh, he thought. Comparing to general hunters, don't our wavelength matches strangely.
"I'm sorry but I'm in the middle of a work. Can you wait around a little"
"Even if I talk?"
"I don't mind"
Drastically he pulled the fluttering white cloth on to the table, and placed a wooden small rack on it. Crushing the the heaping bowlful of paper at a stretch, in the litter bin lying beside the table, he pushed them into every bag in an opened closet. He put files and books and reference materials, a quill, ink and documents onto a different desk.
"...Bodyguard, I heard about it, but who are you being targeted by?"
"Now you mention I don't really know whom, but such things increase necessarily when having such a job,"
"...Why?"
"The study contents, depending on how the evaluation is, the rewards from both the Doctors Guild, and the Hunters Guild will be indifferent in the digit. If the Kingdom wants it, that alone will be profitable enough... Studies cost money, it is comparatively gambling. It is quite common even for the money spent to become double. The study contents all the more is appropriate to the world."
"Really? So study contents, are just like golden shards."
"That's a story only for the human world"
He looked for the materials piled up like a mountain in the box. It was jack's habit to arranged from the right the things which the result had been given. On the left side, were scales, liquids, saps taken from a far-off place, ores, he listed up every thing he could think of in one end of his brain. And, inspecting the characteristics of the materials, and the results of mixing with other things, he divided them properly.
Some materials were insufficient, for him to repeat combining endlessly today.
"Is that, unspecified. What you aim for"
"For the time being"
"What's your study contents? If I know, I can narrow it down"
"Secret"
"...Hey hey... Secrets, to a hunter that must protect you with his body from now on...?"
"You-–, are those the lines which a guy that won't show me his face can say?"
Falt seemed to be bewildered. As if he was a little troubled he tilted his head, and slightly waggled his head.
"About me. There's an incident, and, I don't have one eye"
"...Without an eye?"
"The whole eyeball was taken away. Since it's not something comfortable for people to see, therefore if possible, I'll cover it"
Among hunters, there were not so few people losing a physical part. Without an arm, the leg was artificial, an ear was deaf, the back was scrape off, there were no end to examples. In fact such hunters, jack had seen several people.
It could not be said that there was none, without did he not say that he was a gunner.
"...When?"
"Huh?"
"When, did you lose it?"
"...Around one year, just a little ago"
(One year, a little ago)
jack stopped his hand from working.
"Show me"
"Eh..."
"Show me. Have you deal with it appropriately. Have you let a doctor examine it. What's the prescription?"
"Nope, nothing in particular... I treated it as a normal wound..."
"Show me!"
That is, fatal.
A gunner, without, an eye.
"...Why, are you angry..."
While saying, he put his hand onto the holdfast of the fake. He did not seem to have any hesitation to show his face.
Silver hair tinged with a thin layer of purple. Gently, he shook, the eyelashes moving upward, was the of the right eye only.
It seemed like appropriate measures had really not been done, it looked pathetic and was twitching due to inflammation, it could also be described as if the flesh had finally made the skin. The place originally with an eyeball, was swelled up distortedly, the eyelids did not seem to barely able to close completely, the eyelashes jumped up here and there, entirely growing scattered at all directions.
(What kind of monster was it scooped out by, in order to make such an appropriate wound...?)
The wound was only at the eye. Even if the eyeball was scooped out, there was no abnormality on the appearance of the cheek and the forehead bone. Something that went in lengthwise, surely had wanted to leave a scar there.
"...What about your right eye"
"Nothing in particular, it's fine"
"Wrong. The vision. Can you see"
"..."
"It's dropping, right. Are you gradually being unable to see? It's difficult to focus on with one eye. You said that you are a gunner, what weapon"
"Bow"
"It's further difficult. How did you work as a hunter, for one year"
"Well, I was able to do so..."
"There should have been more dangerous things! Why didn't you have it examine properly...! If it festered inside and rot, the eyes are nearest to the brain!"
Putting on the gloves he was wearing until a while ago, he took out a needle which he had just sterilized. Holding onto an exclusive appliance, he burrowed into the opened box. Lifecrystals, medical herbs, and antidote for just in case. Seizing a parashroom he divide it into two with a knife. He threw it into a bowl, and with a squeeze, he crushed it with a wooden pestle.
"...Eh, wait, what are you planning to do"
"It's completely filled with pus. Drain"
"...What"
"I do not know how the muscle moves inside if I just open it up. If it rises from the depth of the flesh, the pain cannot be ordinary. Damn, because there are fools like you, hunter doctors are required... Why do you leave it, do you want to go complete blind"
"...But, one eye is still left"
To the easy remark, a feeling raised at once.
"It's not about having one left will be fine you fool!"
jack was not surprised and did not mind about him, who opened his eyes widely due to bewilderedness. Troublesome kids, which was often said by his sister Carry, but only this could not be forgiven.
"You are a human originally with both eyes even though you have only one left now, if you worked as a gunner with one eye, the pressure on that eye will be terrible, that side will also!"
He started to bark unconsciously. Irritation increased. Why. Repeating it inside his heart, his thoughts boiled. Why didn't he take good care of his body. Even though he is a hunter. Without the body, he will not be able to protect anybody. Losing it, with that alone is despair. Everything that have been done till now, everything will become impossible.
Even if able to do, that is, what a hard way of life.
"Think it's possible for it to recover! You, how many things do you think you can see with an eye! If you have both eyes, you may be able to see probably! What are you going to do if the life of the one eye is shorten you fool!"
"..."
"Ahh, damn, you really is only a fool! Notice it when the things you have are lost you fool!"
"...From, a while ago, you've been calling me a fool and a fool, don't you think you have spoken too harsh...?"
"Shut up you fool! Neglecting your body for one whole year, I don't want to understand the nerve of a guy the can still have a calm face! Do you know how much is the happiness of being born healthy and normal! Die with having all the inborn things!"
Ah, this fool. He became sad inadvertently, while saying.
"...In this world, there are, also humans, that are born without them..."
As for them, probably, they obtained a little fewer, than the people born having them.
Therefore, they sought for more, they valued everything, more than the people that were born with all. Therefore, they knew happiness.
jack had not thought of them unhappy. He did not sympathized them. However, examining such patients, made him thought more.
(If it is true, even people who was inborn, should be able too)
Because of the laziness of a person, being able to own became more natural. When one lost and noticed, they would starve to obtain once again.
He hit the tongue.
"...Look up"
He coated the juice of parashroom onto the left eye of Falt, which raised his face obediently unexpectedly. Until it sank under the skin, he mashed lifecrystals and some medical herbs in a medicine bowl, and adding a little of the thickened antidotes, he mixed them carefully.
"It might hurt a bit, bare with it"
"...Okay"
Breaking, he inserted the needle onto the outer side of the eyelid. Pulling the syringe slowly, something gray tinged with yellow appeared. It after all had festered. When the syringe became full, he discarded the content and repeated once again. It yielded. As the contents disappeared, the shape complied with the eye socket gently.
After draining a certain amount of pus, he took out a small knife. Just in case, he cut the sleep herb with it, and dribbled the juice of parashroom onto it.
"Close your right eye"
Carefully, he slid in the knife where the needle went in. Gradually he stripped the eyelid which was slightly closed together, along the part where eyelashes grew. As he thought it had not seemed to adhere completely. There was resistance, but the cutting edge passed unexpectedly smooth.
He pulled the knife out. He pushed it open with his finger tip. Inside the dark hole, some pus was still left inside, and it stopped still the muscles within.
"Don't move"
The mutter was low. The held breath returned to the sky. He poured the liquid he mixed into another syringe. Putting the needle into the pus, he injected it sinking into from the bottom. Because it was not necessary to prick it, the pus slowly broke out towards the top gently. With one hand opening the eyelid, he quickly took the needle used to drain pus a little while ago into his hand. It absorbed the liquid-like pus left on the top. Finally he injected the medicine in to the limit. The finger left. The liquid that almost spilled.
"Stay still for a while"
"...It feels throbbing"
"The medicine is in effect. ...It will be good if it works well"
From the box, jack took out one, round jewel.
It was a decoration jewel called speedy recover jewel. It was made using abundant of lifecrystals, the pale bone that was fully soaked in the pale extract extending the characteristic of materials drastically, and the Lao-Shen shell that was said to bring longevity, grinding them all and then melted into a battlefield jewel. Jewels were said to be the necessities of hunters. By grouping the same thing together, it could show an unique effect, by equipping alone a special ability that no everyman would have... something called skills would be exercised. In fact, it would only markedly widened the abilities that were held by humans originally, nothing further would be brought out. No way would one be able to breath fire like the wyverns by just equipping them.
The studies of these jewels, called as decoration jewels in a mass, was large-scalely concerned by the Hunters Guild, the Doctors guild, in addition the ore institution and every workshops, though the results were proved by the hunters, but no elucidation of the process was reached. It was one of the lumps of thread rolling in the world.
"...Eh, you're going to fill, that in"
I can see with one eye. Towards the frozen voice appealing, stop staying silence, jack mildly ignored him.
"It was prevalent for a period, to bury jewels inside the body. Though I haven't heard of eyes before. Basically it's cutting the body, making a hole to set, one of the reasons seemed to be to make the appearance better."
"...I don't know. What's that"
"Some prodigal nobles and rotten royal family, forced it onto their slaves and subordinates... Well, there are also fools that would do it on their own. I heard there are hunters too. What a blown off bizarre-hunting hobby. I don't like it"
"Then why are you doing that to me"
"Isn't it better being able to see?"
Falt seemed to be at a lost for words.
"If the nerve and cells are still alive, and everything goes well... This will become a substitute for your eye... About what I tell you earlier, about burying jewels into the body. A phenomenon known as assimilation, is brought into question among the Doctors guild."
Burying jewels into the body was said to feel a terrible pain when it was taken out. That would be the end. The effect of the buried jewel, would begin to undermine gradually into the body. If, it was taken away by force, even by breaking it, the body that was used to the skill till then would scream, and he had only heard very few cases of being saved.
"For the turtle jewel, the hardening of the body will start. Anti-faint jewel and jolt jewel will make one unable to sleep at all. As for pierce jewel and silencer jewel, you'll know even if I don't say so. As guys that died in a miserable way increased, the buying and selling the decoration jewels itself is banned in a certain town. There's such a story."
"...And. You're burying, that in"
"Yeah. This, is a speedy recover jewel"
"...What will happen"
"I think reproduction will start for the parts that comes in contact... If anabolism is caused, the jewel and the nerves together, will reproduce, as an eye completely."
It was in a sense of good luck, that an eye was lost originally. For there was no target for recovering, the jewel would let the effects last for eternity. The jewel with a thin golden layer catching the daylight, reflected.
"For arms and legs, it cannot do more than removing phantom limb pain. Till now even result reports are raised. Something like, the drastic treatment is percolating through, the Doctors guild. ...For the eyes, disappointing that is unprecedented... The size is about the same. If it goes well, you might really be able to see again."
"...Really"
"Once it assimilates, you won't be able to take it out... I'm burying it in now. Anyway, when the eye socket remains as a cavity, the shape will be hard to keep... But, I'll take it out before assimilation... If you have the courage and readiness, I can take a look before it assimilates, but do prepare later"
Okay, saying so, jack opened the eyelid again. He slowly put in the jewel, where it was filled with medicine. When the fingers left, both closed eyes, the right eye slowly opened. Smoothly, from the edge of the left eye, liquids flowed out. It's like crying, nah, he laughed at himself who thought secretly.
"...Does it hurt"
"Nope... A little, hot"
"Tell me right away if it's painful... Just in case, I'll combine some painkiller"
"...The right eye, can see clearer, than usual"
"Of course. Eyes originally, take a balance in a pair. Since the reproduction is starting, an illusion may cause the burden to become light. Because it's something temporary, don't over do it. ...Me too, it's not as if I always got surprise attacks very frequently."
jack looked into the box. With lifecrystal in one hand, how much is left, he complained and searched. For the time being the lassitude that the treatment was over. Though he must not be off guard, it would be fine if there was no pain.
"...Hey"
"What"
"Why, do you, do this for me?"
"I tentatively is a hunter doctor... If you ask me either am I, a doctor that will leave an injured guy in front of the eyes, or a thicket when making the death decision of a patient. I'm neither of them."
"...No, not that"
"Then what"
"I, didn't ask for it, like, what should I say... Something like that?"
What is he talking about. jack turned back while thinking. Falt as if everywhere was touched in the head, exposed a prodigally childish face.
He sighed, taking a deep breath. He felt that his usual self was back.
"Is being able to see, better to you?"
"Well, yes..."
"If you think so then that will be enough"
Where on earth is a further reason, necessary.
Sun spots were made here and there.
Hearing the cries of the Aptonoths eating grasses far away, they detoured around the forest and hills gently, continuing the collection work. Falt, who was tagging along in the back, seemed somewhat very interested, poured in questions about this and that even without a chance.
"... Don't you collect by yourself?"
"Not much. I often buy them"
"How rich..."
"Hmm, maybe"
I actually rarely receives quests during the time suitable for collection, no one will be possible to say so. Falt chuckled bitterly, hiding the truth under his mask.
Searching the area where mushrooms grew in colonies with sounds of rustling, jack started to talk in a tone of not having any companion.
"Buying is good, but comparing to the things lined up in the shop, the effects of those which are collected are mostly higher. That is to say, the freshness. Basically the freshness of the materials that can be combined, have approximately the same freshness as food. The fresher, the higher the effects will be."
"After the combing, can the freshness be kept?"
"To some extent. Actually refrigerating is better. It's cruel to demand to that extent from a hunter though"
For combines of plants as the main, it was the best to group with other ingredients. Therefore, the great that was made by adding honey with potion, if had to say was better. The honey that included the elements of animals, was not only used for making cakes. It was useful in preserving suitable parts medically. Of course, the taste-like elements was included, too.
"...Making it dry, will be fine too, But that"
"Dry?"
"It could only be restorers done with animal elements... Very particular"
"Hmmm..."
At where Falt squinted his eyes, jack did not notice.
"...Insect huck discovered"
"Are there any"
"I haven't try before... It might worth trying"
"...Have hunters began to drink insect husk"
"I can't deny the possibility"
"Wow"
"Fancy that studies are composed of everyday life Falt"
"I have learned a lot Dr. jack"
Suddenly, a big shadow flashed. They looked up. A high-pitched voice echoed in the sky. With a flap, the wingbeat hit the trees and plants, and fluttered.
"...Wow, it's big"
"...What"
"It's a Yian Garuga. Now that I think of, the guild did say that one is loitering around here"
"You can see despite of the backlight?"
"I can tell by the sound"
He thought he had distinguished the dark shadow with those eyes, but Falt said so and laughed. Looking up to the sky, for some reason while looking at the black shadow that continued flapping its wings adoringly, he did not move at all.
It was as much as wearing the Garuga fake. It must be a contemplated monster to him.
"You going to hunt it?"
"It doesn't matter. It doesn't seem likely to descend to harm people. Just several months ago, because I heard that this area has became a breeding place of Yian Kut-Ku, it should have come to quarrel with the remnants."
"...Come to quarrel, how free are these monsters, professor Garuga..."
"There are types of monsters, that can live, only for that"
"...You seem to know a lot"
"It might not be so?"
Yian Garugas are lone wolves. Saying so, what do you mean, jack asked, and Falt avoided his eyes from the sky and answered, the same meaning as the words.
"Yian Garugas do not herd at any time. They don't flatter. They don't touch each other. Even the breeding season is remarkable, the male and female will battle. And, if the female wins, the male will look for another female. If the male wins, the male obtains the female. ... But then, when the copulation is over they will say goodbye immediately. After the egg is laid, the female will abandon the egg as if it doesn't want it, and fly away"
"...Aren't the possibility of that egg, hatching is very low"
"Aren't the back of Yian Garuga very hard, among the wyverns"
"Yeah"
"The eggs, are as hard as that. Bird wyverns won't be able to break it. Though I don't know what will happen, if it attacks nothing but the same place again and again with a strong perseverance. Still since only one egg will be laid for one copulation basically, they are often crushed by fire wyverns... Still, Yian Garugas, are born"
He felt that mysterious talks were starting to increase little by little. The eyes chasing the flying shadow in the sky leisurely, were the eyes of watching something beautiful.
"Newborn Yian Garugas can fly immediately. Although being small, they will hunt animals that are nearby immediately. ... Only by a little, there is an exception"
"Exception?"
"Because they are birds, the probability to hatch will be higher when the egg is warmed. ...Yian Garuga that is born from a warmed egg, will show an unordinary deep attachment, to the subject that warmed it. Only that opponent, it will never eat"
"...Don't the parents not warm it"
"Sometimes there seem to have cases, that Rathians or Yian Kut-kus, warm it by mistake thinking it's their own egg... It is rare to see the child flying with them, but the loved subject is revolted by the Yian Garuga, and cases of being refused are often... Though it is not accepted anywhere, still it will love those fellows forever. It protects them"
Without being able to tolerate the cold, gathering up everything around desperately, a night spent while shivering.
In the cold, understanding that, he would die, the consciousness of the child that was violated by the fear, shivered. Only tears overflowed, that merely told and flowed onto the shell of the egg.
It was not possible to ask, why. It was not possible to, go back. Nothing changed in the place where he could go back, the voice of the parents who called his name madly, remained as if tearing the skin.
How many days, unable to sleep. Before the hunger and the body crazed by the cold told the end, the eggshell broke.
"...It will protect the somebody that given birth to it, at the risk of life. Yian Garuga, is a wolf in that sense... A crowd does not form, but the love is deep."
"..."
"I like them. Those fellows... Even when I am a hunter now, I still love them"
It's a small fake, right. This, has not been scaled-down. It is the size as it was. To the voice of whisper, jack rubbed his eyes.
"...Even if they don't have such a subject, Yian Garugas are monsters that live to fight. They always fly in the sky looking for battles... In that way, I can see them, trying to prove themselves."
"..."
"Isn't that, super cool?"
In the last, the voice bounded. Though it was a made smile, the smile was true. The eyes that bended inside the mask, pulling out an arrow, Falt started to run.
"I'll go and play!"
"Ah, hey,"
"I'm not being aimed? I'll come back immediately!"
What a self-centred guy. He stopped saying anymore.
The monsters that fought and lived. In that way, the living creatures proved themselves.
(...Though I think it's awkward)
But in the manly way, surely as he said, they may be something cool.
"Cause I haven't heard that a Rathalos will suddenly appear unexpectedly-–!"
"No one can predict such a thing you idiot. You will end up like this getting too close to the nest carelessly you idiot."
"After fool now is idiot-–?"
"What's with I'll go and play, you simpleton. Didn't you got burnt all over you simpleton. Saying something cool and you end up like this. That's not cool"
"I did defeat it properly? Can't you see the giant thing that's laying there!"
"Thank you very much. Seems like I can acquire some precious wyvern materials"
"...In contrast to your appearance, you're quite abusive..."
"It's no business of yours"
It's the influence of my big sister, he could not say that no matter what.
Yian Garuga seemed to have picked the King of Skies to quarrel with. The scoundrel that picked quarrel with the King had much courage. In the end both, lied down in front of a small human being whom charged in suddenly. It was a fierce battle in various meanings, he was able to understood that from the scars on the ground.
This much yet his wounds were mild. The guild had seemed to send a considerable hunter over.
Still this when he said to go and play, jack did not think of that as a fragment of unreasonable statement.
"Oh, it's having some nice fangs. It seems to be able to make some good crystals."
"Crystals?"
"Lifecrystals. Haven't you seen it before?"
"It's not really that useful, among the hunters. Everybody sells them all"
"It's necessities for hunter doctors like me. Now put your arm out"
"It's fine since you scolded me like that, I'll drink potions"
"You sap. Don't always rely on potions. It's gonna decline your spontaneous recovering ability. Just show me your arm."
"...You're seriously scurrilous-–..."
Not as my older sister, he could not say that no matter what.
On the festered skin, he covered it with lifecrystals in his holdings. It began to make the blister loosely, and he sprayed the white powder on the traces of blood which split open. Wetting it with water and placing some medical herbs, he wrapped it with a bandage. When they went back, the wound should be occupied.
"Because it's changing to night. Even if it hurst, it's fine to move. It isn't deep to the bone"
"...It has a mysterious way of using"
"It's drinkable too. Though it isn't much of a delicacy"
"Isn't those the powder of the godbugs? ... It's like virtually swallowing up insects"
"What are you talking about. What about the hot drinks and cool drinks. That's swallowing the whole bitterbug?"
"...Don't say it..."
""You dislike, eating bugs"
"...Cause I've ate a lot"
He looked puzzled for the words of hiding something, as the warning that he must not questioned rang, jack just stood up in an indifferent behavior. Standing in front of the head of the dead Rathalos, before taking out the carving knife, he prayed.
If someone asked whether god existed, of course there wasn't any,he was laughingly a person of no religion, still he prayed to nobody, only his a quiet heart when holding the knife.
"That Yian Garuga is really damaged out of the place"
"No-–, that's not me. It was like this originally."
"...Rathalos?"
"All are old wounds. There are warriors of series of battles. Normally, it's rare to encounter a Yian Garuga without a single wound."
"...That's manly."
"That's fine. They are fellows that will stride along even in the mountains and the volcanoes if there's no enemies, it's not rare."
They were creatures that couldn't live calmly, after all they were monsters. After all they behaved indifferently, he let the knife slipped into the gums of the wyvern. The fangs were broken to several folds. The Yian Garuda should have plunged its bill into the mouth of Rathalos. The skills of Falt, seemed to be reliable somehow or other.
(Still, the breakable places are really broken appropriately)
For another while, he looked around the body of Rathalos. The damage state of the both claws, and head were horrible, but as a hunter it could only be said as wonderful. Dual swords could only aimed at the legs, even the wings that could only be attacked when it fell, was broken wonderfully. On the back, was the trace of arrows which aimed at the gap of the scales precisely. In order to make it hard to take movements the arrows are pierced, there were parts where several sticked double.
(...Is this, human power)
At the back of the head, when it spit fire and its neck was hard to be lifted, he aimed for that time lag and attacked. If there were broken arrows, let alone arrows spring out in order to pierced. He raised his body and looked towards the tail. As expected it was not cut, but the arrows that should be sticking out in a straight straight line for the eyes, they lined up piercing through from right above. When the tail swung around, the arrows were timed and stabbed by himself in order to prevent receiving heavy damages.
(Is this, human power...)
He returned his sights. The right eye of Rathalos was shot. It was so small, yet he could shoot at it without any mistake. Besides, the opponents were the belligerent Yian Garuga and the King of Skies that it fought against.
(...One eye is supposed to be, unable to see)
Because, he himself was the one, that buried the jewel in. It was too early for the assimilation to begin. To the utmost was the illusion left on the right eye, that should have recovered the eyesight temporarily.
(He, is incredibly strong...)
Instead of saying strong, good. He was predominantly a craftsman. The technical part was surprisingly outstanding. Though he had called him a fool or idiot and made fun of him, jack thought he would never do it again. The reason why he was able to end the hunting in a short time, the destruction of precise parts, and in a mild condition. That there was such a hunter around.
(Somehow, it's too convenient...?)
To merely one researcher alone, the Hunters Guild had sent a high-level hunter over. There should be more areas in the world, which were facing clogged up conditions. There should be many places, that such a hunter was needed.
"Hey Falt"
"Huh-–?"
"How much do you take, to accept being my bodyguard?"
"What's with that, all of a sudden. I've already forgot about such things. The amount of the reward is as much as a dash of a mos."
"Then what is the content of the duty you declined from the guild before?"
"...What was that?"
I do think that it doesn't really matter, so I neglected it.
The saying voice for an instant, really for an instant sounded stiff, and jack was no able to miss that.
(It's somehow, too convenient...?)
jack felt uneasy.
Falt stood up. It didn't seem to be unnatural. Dusting off the footwear, putting the carved materials into a bag, he turned around.
"You should be having too many belongings already? Let's return...mm,"
"...Ah?"
"Ah-–...Nothing. I breathed in, the remains of the fireball carelessly. Maybe the throat is burnt?"
So that is the reason why his voice sounds stiff, jack was relieved incidentally.
"Cause a considerable flashy cloud of dust danced... Already whenever I breath, the throat tickles, I really can't stand it. That side still is smoking, too?"
"...Breathing?"
"...Huh?"
"Sand, smoke... cloud of dust..."
What of the fine grains so as to ride on the wind. By the air pressure, the gravity and the opposing principle, floating for a long time, dust storm.
"...Falt"
"Yes?"
"You genius"
"What?"
He started running. Eh, hey, what, wait a minute! The shouting voice, could no longer reach his ears.
(Everything till now, by any chance,)
Right, there is nothing in particular, and no need to draw out strongly the power of the lifecrystals. Lifecrystals that become active by the temperature of a person, shows the almost the same effect when taking them into the body. Besides, to hunters fighting, the blood pressure will rise because they are moving.
As soon as he reached the base camp, he dragged out a full-scale combining tools he brought along. It was not necessary to sterilize here and there like in the laboratory. He put the wyvern fangs he just obtained, and a godbug into a medicine bowl. A treading of grass. The breathing of Falt.
"Really jack, what's with your whimsical condition, it's really sudden! I can't keep up with your pace!"
"If it becomes more, particular,"
"...Huh?"
"More particular, becoming lighter, it should be able to ride on the wind... It's impossible for hunting grounds to be without wind, because somebody must be moving, there must be the flow of air, if, if it's picked up by it,"
"...jack?"
"Possible, it can be done... Damn, how can I forget about the environment of the hunting grounds, the characteristics of the materials, that itself... Ah, seriously Falt, you really is a genius!"
"...A while ago although you've been calling me fool or idiot or sap mercilessly... what. Won't anything like compliments appear"
"It has appeared already!"
"Are you serious!"
I don't get it! Ignoring he who was screaming, jack single-mindedly moved the wooden pestle in the medicine bowl. But, that was all to some extent, the grain of the crystal did not become small. Taking the possibility he put one more fang in, the popping frequency rose, but it did not become smaller.
"Ah almost! It's only a little more!"
"...Is that, your study?"
"Ah yes! Some unreasonable people are saying that I'm making elixir of immortality, how foolish are they to say so, what I want to make is a potion that can have effects on the whole party by using once!"
"...A potion, that can give effects to the whole group..."
(...Wait, what this guy want to make,)
Falt held his breath.
A potion that had effects on all the members. With that alone, a hunter would immediately understand, what his intention was.
(That's not what I was told)
The request that came to the Secret Guild, was from one of the nobles, of the kingdom in the far northern grounds. If such medicines were sold, the royals of this country would not die endlessly, and would began to attack the kingdom in the far northern grounds. The Secret Guild was wanted to destroy that study. If it went well, it was asked to hand all the study contents over. It was such a request saying it briefly. If putting it simple, seizure. The Order of the Black Beast accepted this mission of a dreamlike story. Because of the special reward it was. A hunter appropriate for the reward was dispatched. Therefore Falt came.
There was no one in the Order, as a hunter that believed the dream of elixir seriously. Probably, the leader was interested in it.
What is the man, who is extremely famous, and not exaggeration to say that he is the advance of the researchers, studying about.
(I, what ordered me to kill him,)
If that study was sweet to the Order, he was furthermore intended to seize it by force.
"...Hey, have you fetched the claws"
Falt understood that his voice became low. jack looked up at him with a suspicious face.
I mustn't do it. The intuition told him.
(I mustn't, I must not do something like that,)
I cannot do it anymore.
He is working hard for this study.
(Even a minor of the hunters, know,)
Many hunters know, the sorrow of a companion dying in front of their eyes.
What he wants to do, is to somehow reduce it, the depression.
(Though I have killed many,)
There is a guy who concentrates his eyes on everything, in front of my eyes, he is someone I want to save.
How can I murder this guy,
(Absolutely,)
I don't want to betray anyone anymore.
With a snap, deep inside his heart, the resolution became steel.
"The wyvern claws. Did you fetch it?"
"...Ah..."
"It's often used for making the bullets of bowguns. The diffusion power is higher than fangs."
If you don't have, I have brought it along. Falt took out a small fragment from his porch. Sounding the flintstone, he set fire to a tower nearby. Without minding that his fingers would be burnt, he put the whole wyvern claw in.
"Falt!"
"It's going to burst more than you can think of. Be careful"
He threw it which became red in an instant into the medicine bowl. Hurry. He rushed jack which minded about the burnt. Bitting his lips in a moment, he grasped the wooden pestle.
Smack, smack, the sound of bursting. In a few minutes the sound became quiet. Still it continued to burst open in the medicine bowl over and over again, before long, a white light powder started dancing by the hands of jack.
At a gulp, when the last big fragment left was smashed, softly, the lifecrystals, became dust and danced into the sky.
"...Amazing. It's pure white"
The white was slightly softer than that of the snow. A trace of wind like a light thin veil drifting in the blue sky. He touched his cheeks. Breathing in, he was surprised to find that, the pain in his throat disappeared.
"...Does it turn out well...?"
The voice sounded uneasy. Oh right, because he is not hurt, he probably can't tell the effect.
"Hey, look, jack"
"...?"
He waved his hand.
The burnt on the finger tip, was gone neatly.
Let's open the best wine. Because jack said so, do I have to take part, Falt asked. Of course, jack nodded greatly and laughed. It is made from your advice. If you do not drink, who will.
He really planned to open the best liquor. It was in transparent green, a color which looked good to the body, however it was not bitter at all, rather only the sweetness was remembered, it was a strong excellent wine.
Though I am weak. He felt a light drunkenness by the second sip. Then, the feeling of drunkenness lasted gently.
"It's a medical liquor, developed out of the selfishness of the royal nobles. ... It's not going to accelerate the drunkenness of the person, but to let it continue. Because the body temperature is raising, it'll feel rather well."
"Splendid. Medical is splendid"
By the way how much is it, Falt asked, go and defeat a Lao-Shan Lung, jack said. It was surprising.
"Cooperating with a hunter doctor I know, this is the first thing I developed. Though the aim was for study funds, this is another fine result too"
"That's luxury"
"It doesn't matter once in a while?"
By the way, before my drunkenness turns around, how's your treatment going. Putting the rock glass about half on the table, jack began to tie up his hair.
"...The arm, it's healed?"
"Not the arm. The eye."
Being said, incidentally, Falt came to his sense. That's right, I must return to the Order. Finishing the procedure of the presentation, what jack developed from lifecrystal... the lifepowder, before it was disclosed to the world on a large scale, before it could be sold, approximately another three days must be waited.
These three days. Falt could not act as a guard near him. Because the Order was fast in collecting informations, they would know it in less than one day after the procedure was finished. If it became so, the order given to Falt, would after all be killing jack and took all the study contents back, it would be something of the same kind.
Three days. Either hiding himself somewhere, or returning earlier, and sealed the study contents, but a reinforcement would be necessary, he had no choice but to say so.
(Even if, I wish to hide myself)
Thereafter, waiting for him who abandoned the duty, was a way similar to losing an eye. The wine he tasted became bitter at a stretch.
"This wine and that powder also, may have hastened assimilation. I'll take it out first"
"...Do I have a choice, to let it assimilate"
"...There is... but are you prepared?"
Putting an object into the body, meant carrying carrying handicap. If he was wearing a mask the risk would become limitlessly lower, but by any chance, if an attack was taken there, sinking the jewel towards inside deeper, it would become irreparable. The eyes were as mucous membrane exposing on the outside, it was the part nearest to the brain.
"What it means by burying the jewel, is that it might be easy to be considered same as a slave, a mercenary, or a hunter of scoundrel. Furthermore, even if it looks dull, it should be quite heretical. ...Not to mention, it's an eye. Aren't you saying it easy"
"...I didn't say so. Only, because I can see"
While handling works with only one eye, Falt could not deny that the arrows often drove recklessly towards a terrible course.
It was alright if it was a large-sized game, but when it came to fighting with a small game, a considerable time was needed. Including times when the target was a person, he almost pulled his bow by perception. Shooting a companion came to often, although it was fine as there were many companions that would return a joke or irony, ahead from now on, if he went to the outside.
(Even if I am treated as a heretical,)
He wanted to have the possibility that, this eye could see.
"I'll leave it, if you say no. But, I, want, the eye"
"..."
"It has been a long time since, I shot the eyes of Rathalos... It was refreshing"
I after all am a hunter. Saying so he touched his eye. It was still having a light heat, but he could feel something in there. Even if it was an object, to Falt, that sense of incongruity would become hope.
"Lift your face"
"...Oh. After all, no?"
"Even if you say to let it assimilate, steps are needed. There are many methods doing so, I'll make it not painful, and with as little sense of incongruity as possible"
I'll cure you. With a smile full of confidence, jack stood high in front of the box. It's a gratitude also. I owe you one.
And, above all.
"If you say you want it, then you must be desiring for it. Then, I'll give you it"
By the tone, by the voice, there was a person Falt recalled.
I'll wait for you, he said. For three days, he had really waited.
Falt went to visit him once. Still Falt turned his back to the friend who gritted his teeth in front of the bodies of people without moving an inch. Without saying anything, he returned as if escaping in the rain. Though it was because Lamia was there. However, he could only deny that, he feared.
Leaving the Order, walking out to the world, and to face the 'reality' ahead, may be more brutal than being in the Order. And, so as to be able to see that possibility, Falt had seen too much of reality.
Still he who hunted together in the old days, had a dream even in the gloomy dark cage.
What was called dream was far apart from reality, it could be heard thinking that it was very unachievable, but still, in the reality of killing people, deceiving people, and betraying people, Nobutuna seemed to be certainly seeing the dream.
In any case, to leave the Order. To go to a place that it would be fine even if not killing anyone, even if not taking from others, even if not stealing anything, even if not telling lies and hurting others. It was only that. If a person asked it, it may be known easily. However, Falt was not able to nod to it.
Merciless even to a child, even of the same kind didn't matter, though not knowing whether what was needed in order to live, first of all 'kill each other', ahead in there was necessary 'death', if defeated by the attached fear then 'own's death', even if 'it's a different' in the love for all kinds, it would only be 'mere nothing' if died.
The truth was, he suspected whether the was there the place he really dreamed of. Falt suspected with a terrible resignation, that there might nowhere be such a place.
I'll wait for you, he said. For three days, he had really waited. On the forth morning, at least to see him off, he turned his feet. But, without replying to the voice murmuring why, he held his breath, and saw that back off feeling tightened. Then for the first time he noticed.
That he was crying.
And, the world he dreamed of, truly existed.
Later he noticed, that it was no one else but himself, that destroyed it. Still he was not able to follow that back, why didn't I follow him from the back, as if to break his throat he cursed himself.
Falt noticed that he dreamed of that world stronger than he did. Losing to the fear that was not in front, it was now, that he moved his eyes from the dream to the reality ahead. The hot pain that smolder deep inside the lost eyes, till now still left a trail all the time.
If the eye returned.
If the pain disappeared.
With the eyes that originally had been lost, he might be able to believe in the things not in front of his eyes, not even lies nor illusion.
jack had said it really casually.
"Since my friend says so, then let's do it"
"..."
"Oh, Nobutuna"
The world that you believed in is unexpectedly really close.
Because it's near, maybe I can go too.
"It'll be good if you can come to see"
"...Yeah"
Good, look up. With a shake, something at the side of his eye moved, and the buried jewel was taken out. Blowing that jewel carefully, jack soaked it into the liquid he mixed in a medicine bowl. Meanwhile finishing the sterilization of the eye socket quickly, he confirmed the twitch on the edge and the lachrymal gland of the eye.
(Anyway, I have to leave here as soon as possible)
If Falt himself disappeared, a replace would be dispatched. Or, the Order would aim at him by another route. He couldn't be here, yet he couldn't not be here.
He must protect him. At least for three days.
"Oh, jack, you're back"
Oh, this is bad. Looking up, confirming the door, jack held his breath in a second. This is bad. This is really really bad.
"...Sis..."
"Hi-–... Thank you very much for your hospitality."
Because he was still facing up, it was fortunate that Falt could not move his eyes to that direction. The voice was muffled and dull. Oh my dear, Carry chuckled.
"Is this child the hunter dispatched from the guild? Aren't you two doing something interesting"
"Yeah... Because he is with one eye less, and he said the loss was already around one year, so I'm thinking whether is there any possibility... By chance if it goes well, it can recover"
"If jack says he'll cure you then he won't let you go before it recovers, unfortunately"
She sniggered. Oh seriously. Keeping open an eye of Falt with one hand, jack let his brain worked in a frightful force, trying to think of a way to put his words. But in the end, no words were available.
"...Sis"
"What is it?"
"Clothes, put on your clothes!"
Choked.
Falt grandly boiled over.
"Why do you have to enter my laboratory without asking me in that manner! At the times if you know that there's someone else besides me here, is there a chance you will thinking of changing your clothes? Is there any?"
"Who cares, it's not as if I'm going to lose anything"
"That's not the problem!"
Falt who was coughing and choking, understood when he slowly raised his eyes.
Dressing a white coat under the underwear during daytime, crossing her arms under the chests, it was common for a man to boil. As expected, best regards from a boiling kettle to the face which erupted with a boom, a glaring look.
"jack, I'll put the book I borrowed recently here. And, I'll like to borrow for a while the Royal Paleontology Scriveners Document of herbalism theory. Plus, is there any general document concerning the archeological ancestor dragons. It's necessary for the meeting."
"...The third row from the top of the bookshelf over there, and the second row from the bottom of the bookshelf on the right in the library downstairs..."
"...Your sister...is really extraordinary..."
"Sorry..."
Why am I who is the younger brother always have to apologize. She must have heard the mutter of Falt, and Carry turned around slowly, and crossed her arms strongly. In a grin, an unpleasant smile.
"...You want to try rubbing it?"
"Kluff!"
"Idiot, don't ride on it and put your hands on it, you'll be smashed!"
"Oh, I won't do such a thing. That's mean"
It's not, that's mean.
The behavior of a beauty with an intellectual dynamite body was the character of crime of conscience. How many men on earth drew close to his sister, and nearly became a woman. It was always himself that carried out the treatment. Because of that nobody could ever be her boyfriend. That was always the complaint from her bragging young brother.
"jack, I'm sorry, but can you fetch the book on the lower floor for me? Aren't there slightly many interesting things among your bookshelves. Look out"
"...What a harsh slave driving old woman"
"Shall I beat you up?"
"I'm sorry"
He was weak.
Though she was extreme in arrogance, still jack understood to the flesh and bones that, this sister had think of her younger brother very dearly.
"...Be save, Falt"
"Don't sound as if the world's going to end!"
Opening the door of the room with a gloom expression, he turned around once more, shaking his head he looked at Flat miserably. Ah seriously, I won't touch her, there's no way I can. As expected it's not possible for me to have the determination to become a woman.
The sound of the door closing. Taking out one from the group of books placed on the bookshelf, crossing her legs on a stepladder, Carry put it on her knees.
"...How's your wounds?"
"...I'm fine thank you"
"That's of course. Cause jack's the one that's examining you"
"You're very..."
"Ufufufu, a considerable brother con, I'm aware of it"
If a man who is better than that child appears, it might be fine for me to seriously think about love. The world won't let everything goes well. Right? Tilting her head, he could not but only smile ambiguously.
"Your companions, seem to have already come around"
At the voice cooled off to zero degree, a warning deep inside his head became strong once. He reached for his bow reflectively. The expression of Carry on the stepladder was clam and composed. The cold eyes bended.
"...I'll be troubled if you look down on the intelligence network of this side. Because that child is concentrating single-mindedly on the research now, he might feel a sense of incongruity, but he won't be able to involve in that. ... Though I don't know how much do you plan to intervene in the study, I cannot let you out of here. I'll have to let you be in the cage."
"...That's pretty, fast"
"It's not only the Secret Guild, that is good at gathering information"
"No, I mean, the information has already reached, the Secret Guild"
He could tell that the tone of his voice fell. Oh, so it is, after all my doubts are being noticed.
It may be so. During this one year after seeing Nobutuna off, the eyes looking at him in the Order, was also caution. He might come back to Falt, though it was just an estimation, the possibility still lasted.
"...I see... That means, I'm also, a target to be observed..."
"...What do you mean"
"...I don't know whether you'll believe in me if even I tell you"
I, want to leave, the Order.
Hearing the words, Carry slowly opened her eyes.
Biting his lips, he continued.
(No matter how I explain, it'll just sound suspicious?)
"I'll leave here, now. It is me that those guys aim, and that fellow also. It's better to divide the force. Three days... I''ll protect him from the Order"
"...I don't see what you're talking about"
He laughed.
The back feeling shivery, imagining what was ahead, predicting what was after.
(Solo battle!)
Furthermore this time, it was not solo hunting, rather than, the side that was being hunted. The ratio of running away was bigger. The opponent was the Order, that kept him and couldn't escape from, that was not frightened of himself so far. There wouldn't be any lacking in opponents.
That was fear, or excitement.
"What, I too am a minor of hunters. About the medical of the eye, let me pay you back tight"
He tied up his hair. Combing even all the forelock behind tight, he fastened a white ribbon around the nape. Clipping a light blue gray scarf to the white shirt of stand-up collar with a golden pin, he put on a thick coat with the same color as the scarf designated by the Doctors Guild. Decorating deeply the fold back sleeves, along the golden embroidery, was a set of cuff buttons of deep blue furiamond. Putting on the boots, hanging the dagger of courtesy as a small token,he looked at the mirror. There was no doubt he was lack of sleep, as expected there was no difference in saying so.
"jack"
"Oh, I'm coming"
The elder sister who called, also done her hair highly was a white ribbon, put on a pair of glasses loosely. The shirt opening from the neck , was as expected with the light blue gray scarf. It was only the skirt that was different from him. Suspecting for an instant, whether it was shortened, but knowing that it was useless he shook his head. The men who drew close would anyway destined to become his patients.
"...The feeling of survived is strong"
"That child contributes to the fact"
"..."
In the library of the lower floor, when he was getting along with the arrogance of his sister, the windows broke suddenly. The story started from there.
In the laboratory without weapons, even though he was able to dodge the surprise attack, he lost an escape as the windows were blocked. The opponents went in jumping off the window, the movements were considerably limited as there were four people at the same time. He was prepared for the death, for the end, yet, avoiding only himself who opened the eyes wide, an arrow flew. Kicking open the door, with a merciless urge to kill, the devil bow aimed at the throat of the opponents with firm equipments precisely. He couldn't see the face because of the Garuga fake, but the saw slightly the remaining right eye. Light of drawing an arc ran, in the small room, the bow user fluttered incredibly light. Within the distance of not exaggerating to say that almost all were direct attacks, arrows flew. The opponents ran, and without giving him time to nock, the arrows, themselves would attack them greatly.
Why, Falt, it is your mission to kill that man. Hearing the words of someone, jack turned his eyes, however Falt, only narrowed his eyes as if to deride only. In exchange of several minutes, in the middle of the enemies that all collapsed, they faced each other.
"...Will he be save"
"Surely, he will be"
What is the meaning of this, jack asked. Without answering anything, Falt walked to the broken window. What is the meaning of this, he asked once again. Falt seemed to laugh a little when he looked back towards him.
Are these your companions. They are not my companions, but they may be. Are you deceiving me. Seems like so. ... Then , what is this. It is incomprehensible. The dead bodies with the root of breath stopped. All were a single blow of fatal injury that could not be saved anymore. In the backside of the chest which frozen pressingly, like breaking a husk, he asked. He could not tell well because of the mask.
(Don't you have anything connected to)
Falt seemed to have opened his eyes wide for the words. Where will you go. Here, betraying your original companions, turning your back from me who you deceived, where on earth are you going to, alone. Don't you not just help me. Believing in the possibility, jack asked repetitively. Spending together a little time till now, in the end-to-end of the words, in the middle of his sights, watching the distance, and envying the distance, still the fact he pretended to have not looked at the distance, there was no way jack, who was engaged in medical care, could not have noticed.
When talking about Yian Garuga, his, eye color of laughing at himself, feeling pity for himself, and the the serious eyes, when he gave advice at the last combination. It could not be mistake, to have thought that the color changed. If a people was lonely, even the heart would get sick.
(Are you not lonely)
Is there not cold. Is there not frigid. Are you not freezing. Are you not lonely. Still do you intend to go. Towards he who turned his back without answering, welled up along with irritation, was not the anger of being betrayed, was not the regret of being deceived, merely.
(I feel sad)
You are sad. I won't stop you from going. If you want to live that way, no one has the right to stop you. Thanks you him, he was saved. He was not so stupid as to not know it. Therefore,
(I will pray for you)
"...When this is over, I'll, go and look for him, sis"
"That's fine. I'll go together too"
You are the second one that have said such things to me. I have betrayed the first. Therefore, I'll never betray the second one anymore. Falt said last.
(Thank you)
For the next three days, the guardian that stayed hidden, had completely kept the enemies away from jack.
"...Then, let's go"
jack took a deep breath. He straightened his back. A large-scaled suspicious announcement venue. A sea of people. People who respected, people turning eyes of contempt, people that laughed, gloomy people that looked down. The intellectuals of the royal nobles, guys that wanted to be by the side of an earnest researcher, only for getting sweet deals properly for money. Gaining the flavor of rich people, making up false theories, there were a necessary great number of people of such type that would not mind using humans as guinea pigs.
In the middle of this sort of people, it was actually very difficult for a youngster like him, to stick his chest out and walk.
(I cannot lose)
Rising on the dais, jack stopped for an instant, and whipped out his favorite sword which he hid, with both his hands. Striking down the arrow which flew, stepping towards the direction of the salute, he threw the sword in his right hand out. Stabbing the chandelier in front. A dark shadow, that fell. He breathed out. Straightening his posture, glancing at the venue that fell silent, a smile flowed on his face.
"...Passing in succession for a long time from my parents, concerning the method of combing used to make lifecrystals a practical tool in the hunting grounds, please let me begin the presentation of the result of the study"
Author's Note:
It's fiction. I think it'll be interesting if jack invented the powder. I love the cry of Yian Garugas! White jackets are justice! Too bad there's not white shirts in the world of monhun. The image of jack is "a sarcastic nice doctor". About the decorations, they're fiction too. Fantasies are accents. Falt is the shortest among the whole group.
Translator's Note:
Here's chapter nine. I've updated the timeline also. All the characters have appeared, everything will finally be put together in the next chapter. Thanks for reading! Hope you enjoy it!