The Golden-Haired Summoner - Chapter 30

After a few steps, Aini’s piercing cries echoed behind me, along with Rai’s voice, full of glee.

While my mood was at rock bottom, Rai seemed to be in an exceptionally good one.

I glanced at him, only to see his fluffy tail wagging wildly and his large ears perked up. It was clear he was quite pleased about leaving Aini behind.

“If she’s desperate, she’ll follow us,” I muttered, grumbling as I resumed walking.

I hastened my steps, heading in the direction of the well-trodden path I had seen from above. Even as Aini cried so loudly it felt like the forest was shaking, I could hear her struggling to follow me and Rai.

Whenever she fell out of sight, hidden by the bushes, she’d suddenly reappear, sobbing with tears in her eyes and shouting at the top of her lungs.

“You’re so mean! Why are you leaving me behind? I’ll tell my mom everything!”

[Ugh, she’s following us again.]

Rai sounded disappointed, while I simply sped up.

After a short distance, I finally reached the well-maintained road. The moment I set foot on the path—after walking for a month and ten days without seeing a proper road—my spirits lifted a bit.

But as soon as I reached the path, Aini’s cries, which had been following me the entire way, abruptly stopped.

“…Huh?”

[Did she die?]

“You…!”

Wham!

[Cough! M-Master?]

Rai looked up at me with wide eyes after I kicked him. Though his fur looked soft, I knew from experience that Rai was incredibly sturdy, and now my toes throbbed from the impact. Still, I didn’t let it show.

Years of experience had taught me that no matter how hard I hit him, I was the one who’d end up in pain, so I’d hit him anyway just out of frustration.

“Tch, go check on Aini.”

[What? Why me?]

“Because I’m worried that someone like you might eat her alive! Now go and bring her here!”

[Hmph!]

I raised my foot again, ready to kick him once more, and Rai quickly tucked his tail between his legs and bolted into the forest.

For all his complaints, Rai was loyal. Once given an order, he rarely disobeyed, even if he grumbled. Though sometimes, he would handle things in a rather unexpected way.

As I watched him disappear into the forest, I began walking toward Mielta again, confident that he’d eventually catch up with me.

After a few steps, a thought crossed my mind—maybe I had been too harsh on Aini. But I quickly brushed it aside.

At her age, the kids I remembered from Drike were mature and intelligent beyond their years. None of them cried as much as Aini did, nor did they avoid solving the problems presented to them.

Granted, the students from Drike were hardly average kids, but they were still her age.

When I was ten, neither Mia, Iruje, my rival Leo, nor Mirine had acted like this. They were all proud, independent, and certainly didn’t behave like little children.

Of course, in my previous life, things were a bit different, but Aini was clearly a timid and fragile kid.

Even though she had promised Anel to behave, she had only managed to stay quiet for two days before she started sniffling at night. By the third day, she’d reverted to being a difficult, tearful brat.

She didn’t cry all the time, but she frequently complained about missing her mother and stubbornly resisted when I tried to train her. It was enough to make me consider smacking her at times.

In many ways, Aini was difficult for me to handle. I couldn’t be too kind, because she wouldn’t listen, but I couldn’t outright dislike her either, because she was Anel’s daughter, and I had to stick with her.

Her insistence on learning both summoning and swordsmanship was absurd. It showed a complete lack of respect for the art of summoning.

I was frowning deeply, lost in thought, when I sensed movement behind me.

At first, I thought it was Rai, but when I turned around, I saw figures emerging from the forest on the other side of the road.

It looked like they had also been wandering through the woods. Feeling a momentary sense of camaraderie, I observed them.

They were all cloaked, their hoods pulled low over their faces. The only things visible were the leaves and dirt clinging to their clothes.

Their dark attire didn’t strike me as strange, considering I was dressed similarly. There was no more practical outfit for traveling through the forest.

Of course, my hood and robe had been personally crafted by Adelaide, imbued with temperature-regulating and cleanliness-preserving magic. It was quite the magic item, always clean and neat, in a pleasant light-gray color. I could probably sell it for a hefty sum in the market.

Despite knowing it had a cleaning spell, I instinctively checked my clothes, just in case any leaves or dirt had stuck to them like those travelers.

Just then, the bushes rustled, and Rai emerged from the undergrowth.

[Master! I’m back. Praise me!]

Rai came bounding over, while Aini lingered at the edge of the forest, her face pale. She had a downtrodden look, and there were scratches on her cheek and blood trickling from her knee. She must have fallen in the forest.

Ugh, she looks pitiful… Now I feel guilty.

[Master, listen to this! You know why she wasn’t coming? She was stuck on the ground like an idiot! Her leg was trapped between some tree roots, and she couldn’t free herself. Isn’t she pathetic?]

“Ugh…”

Sighing, I walked over to where Aini stood awkwardly at the border between the road and the forest.

She retreated further into the trees with each step I took until she was almost hidden again by the underbrush.

I could read her emotions clearly—resentment and hurt.

She hadn’t been this angry before, but I suppose leaving her behind in the forest had made things worse.

“Hmph…”

As I watched her swallow her tears, my irritation flared again, but I suppressed it. I knew I had been too harsh, so I extended my hand to her.

“Come on. Let’s clean you up and get something to eat.”

But Aini didn’t take my hand. Instead, she shook her head and took a step back.

My outstretched hand hung awkwardly in the air.

This brat…

She doesn’t even realize her own mistakes and now she’s pouting like this?

[Hey! The Master said to come!]

“No! Go away!”

Before I could even react, Rai lunged forward, grabbing hold of Aini’s sleeve with his teeth. His sharp, white fangs flashed as he tugged on her clothes, causing Aini to scream and fall to the ground in terror.

Of course, she was already scared of wolves, but Rai, being a talking wolf, probably terrified her even more. Her initial refusal to ride on him back in the village was clear proof of that.

She flailed her arms, shuddering, and Rai reluctantly let go, shaking his head as if she were a nuisance.

We were close to the city now, and I didn’t want to waste any more time. Ignoring her protests, I grabbed Aini by the wrist and dragged her toward the road.

“Stop making this harder and come on!”

Aini clamped her lips shut, shaking her head furiously, but there was no way an eight-year-old girl could match my strength, so I easily pulled her onto the road.

“N-No! I don’t want to!”

Aini screamed at the top of her lungs, and I glanced down at her.

I locked eyes with her for a moment, then, without hesitation, released her wrist.

“Alright then. Stay here, Aini.”

[Wow! Let’s go, Master!]

Fine, I’m tired too.

I had seen Aini’s face turn white the moment I let go of her wrist, but I left her behind without looking back.

I knew she’d follow eventually, just like she had earlier in the forest.

And if my guess was correct, she’d start crying in about three seconds.

Let’s count.

Three, two, one…

“Waaah! I’ll tell on you! Why do you keep leaving me behind?”

“Bingo.”

I mumbled to myself.

I could have turned back at this point, but instead, I kept walking, completely unfazed by her crying.

Rai, walking a few steps ahead of me, seemed to dislike the noise as well.

“Waaah! Mooooom… Mom! Waaah!”

I was trying to toughen her up, but clearly, she was feeling overwhelmed. Aini’s sobs were so heartbreaking that I almost turned around again.

No, no. I need to discipline her properly. I can’t look back.

But just as I resolved not to turn around, a voice called out, breaking through the forest’s stillness.

“Hey, miss! You forgot your kid!”

…No way. That wasn’t directed at me, was it? It couldn’t be…

“Hey! You in the gray cloak, with the dog! Come get your daughter—”

“Ugh! Who’s a missus? Who? And don’t call me that twice!”

[Grr! Who’s a dog? Who?]

Who the hell was that?

“Arrrrgh.”

Rai bared his gleaming white fangs, growling viciously.

If I had fangs, I’d be doing the same.

I turned around to see the large man from earlier, shoulders shaking with laughter.

“Hmph, what else should I call a missus but missus? Or do you prefer ‘ma’am’?”

“…Rai, bite him.”

With that final insult, I unleashed my pent-up irritation on this unfortunate fool.

You’ve got it coming.

For the first time in a long while, I ordered Rai to attack, and he wasted no time in springing forward toward the man.

With a powerful leap, Rai closed the distance in an instant and tackled him to the ground, despite the man’s size.

“Hrk!”

Crash!

The man had managed to draw his sword halfway from its scabbard, but the blade shattered into pieces under Rai’s crushing bite.

The sound of Rai’s teeth grinding the remnants of the sword echoed in the air.

What a glutton…

I had specifically told Rai not to absorb anything in front of others, so he was probably trying to eat it the old-fashioned way.

“Crunch, crack.”

The man flailed, trying to push Rai off him, but Rai remained firmly planted on his chest, one massive paw pinning him down.

Clearly, the insult about being a “dog” had hit a nerve.

It bothered him almost as much as being called a missus did to me.

Rai bared his teeth, ready to strike again, when two of the man’s companions drew their swords and struck at Rai’s back and head.

Clang! Clang!

“Guh!”

But their swords bounced harmlessly off Rai, leaving them gaping in disbelief.

Their expressions were filled with shock as they realized how powerless they were.

By the time Rai’s fangs were inches from the man’s throat, I had to step in.

“That’s enough, Rai.”

“Grr… Hmph.”

For once, Rai had aimed for the throat instead of the rear, but at my command, he begrudgingly stepped back and stood by my side.

He looked up at me, his nose twitching.

It was clear he was disappointed at having to stop before finishing the job.

[Why the throat this time? Why not go for the rear like usual?]

If it had been the rear, I wouldn’t have stopped him.

[It’s just this body, Master. It’s natural to go for the throat. When I was a snake, it was different. But after seeing this form, he had the nerve to call me a dog! He deserved to die, Master!]

[You are a dog.]

[Gah!]

Rai’s fur, though technically a deep gold, had a color that bordered on being just plain yellow, which made it difficult to argue.

His size only made him look more like a giant dog, rather than a wolf.

“My sword…!”

The man on the ground stared in disbelief at the broken hilt of his sword, his face contorted in shock.

He looked so pitiful that I couldn’t help but smirk.

Missus? Ma’am? Who does he think he’s talking to?

“Hmph! Serves you right. Who do you think you’re calling a missus?”

“Are you crazy?! Trying to kill someone over that? Are you out of your mind?”

The man leaped to his feet, shouting angrily.

Oh, so you think you can yell? You think you’re the only one who can raise their voice?

“You think I killed you? Did I kill you? You’re still alive, aren’t you?!”

I can shout too, buddy.

“What kind of insane woman are you?”

“Insane? Do you want to see just how insane I can get, huh?”

“What’s wrong with calling a missus a missus? You’re walking around with a kid—what do you expect? Trying to pass yourself off as a girl is just ridiculous!”

“W-Wait! Who said she’s my daughter?! Who?! I’m still in my teens! Look at me closely, you idiot!”

I was so incensed that I yanked my hood back, abandoning all pretense of formality.

I am nineteen years old! Sure, it’s a bit embarrassing when you consider my past life, but my face is that of a nineteen-year-old girl!

Though, maybe “girl” isn’t quite the right word anymore…

“Then who’s that?”

Aini, who had been cowering at the edge of the forest, shrank back even further when she suddenly became the center of attention.

Ugh, this timid brat…

I sighed, wondering how I was ever going to train her.

“She’s my disciple, not my daughter! Use your eyes, fool. Are those things on your face just for decoration?”

“W-What? Did you just call me a fool?”

The man, sensitive to the word “fool,” flinched and stepped forward, raising a hand as if to hit me.

But before I could call out, Rai darted forward and positioned himself between us, growling menacingly.

“Growl.”

Having already experienced Rai’s power once, the man froze in place. His two companions rushed over, grabbing him before he could make another move.

For a moment, it looked like they were hanging off him, given how much larger he was compared to them.

“Calm down, Chad! This is your fault!”

“Chad, calm down!”

One of the companions, a man with a rather plain appearance, tried to reason with him, while the other added, “Please, Chad, get a grip!”

Chad, nostrils flaring, grumbled under his breath.

“Fine! But letting a dog bite on someone? Isn’t that going too far? What if I caught rabies or something?”

[R-Rabies?]

Rai, now being accused of having rabies, was so stunned he couldn’t even respond.

“Chad! Calm down, please!”

“Chad, enough!”

Thankfully, Chad’s companions were reasonable. As they soothed him, I relaxed a little and returned to a more polite tone.

“Alright, now that you’ve calmed down, how about an apology?”

“…An apology?”

“Yes, an apology. You insulted a perfectly decent young lady, turning her into a housewife. That deserves an apology.”

[Me too! I want an apology too, Master!]

You *are* a dog.

I glanced down at Rai. Despite his size, his golden coat made him look more like a giant yellow dog than a wolf.

Too bad.

“Apologize, Chad. You were in the wrong.”

“That’s right, Chad. Apologize.”

“Ugh…”

Chad’s face twisted in frustration.

Hey, quit making that ugly face!

[Master, what about me?]

[You’re fine.]

Apparently still hoping for his own apology, Rai whimpered. But calling him a dog wasn’t exactly wrong, so I ignored him.

“…Fine. Sorry.”

“My apologies. Our companion here was out of line…”

“Please forgive us. Chad isn’t usually like this. He’s just tired from the hike. We’d appreciate your understanding.”

Though Chad’s apology was lackluster, his companions were groveling enough that I decided to let it slide.

“Well, I’m not completely satisfied, but I’ll take that as an apology. Just be more careful next time.”

[Master, are we heading to the city now?]

[Yeah.]

As I’d mentioned several times already, I was desperate for civilization. So, I turned toward the city.

First thing, I was going to get the best inn and the most expensive meal…

[Master! Hop on my back. I’ll take you there in no time!]

[Huh? You’re offering?]

Rai, who normally hated being used as a mount, had suddenly volunteered, which made me raise an eyebrow.

But it was the quickest way to get to the city, so I climbed onto his back and grabbed hold of his fur.

Rai glanced back at me, asking, [Ready? You won’t punish me later, right?]

[What? Why would I punish you?]

[Just checking, Master! Let’s go!]

I nodded, and the next moment, Rai shot forward.

The sudden acceleration made me lean back, but it didn’t last long.

Rai’s speed rivaled that of Bright’s horse, Blondi. I blinked, and before I knew it, the walls of Mielta were visible in the distance.

Unlike other cities, Mielta, the capital of the tribal nation of Korane, didn’t have guards at its gates. With so many tribes passing through, gatekeepers weren’t necessary.

Guards were only posted during times of war.

In fact, Korane only had one real city—Mielta—so the concept of gatekeepers didn’t really apply here.

Not that I minded. No guards meant less hassle for me.

Before long, we reached the city gates, and the bustling shops and streets of Mielta came into view.

Finally, I could rest!

I glanced back, and there was no sign of those three men anymore.

Rai really was fast… wait…