Chapter 257: 257

Yarg ties up my partner’s arms with fresh rope before taking the end of the rope and pulling her in the direction of the manticore.

Behind, Tatark is aiming his spear at her head. In his other hand, he has a lantern-like container, with glowing stones inside.

Perhaps enduring since my partner kicked him, Yarg occasionally moves to hold his nose with his bandaged hand.

Throughout the journey, many anxious glances are sent our way by Tatark. My partner glares at him, and he looks away. Averting his eyes, he opens his mouth to speak.

“…Soon, we’ll be reaching the manticore. It should be expecting our arrival following the setting of the sun. At this time it should be salivating as it waits in the shrine.”

It makes sense that there’s no guarantee it would stay in one place all day long. I wonder if it was asked to wait there by the girl with miko’s blood through [Telepathy].

At this time of day, the manticore shouldn’t be as cautious. Having the Lithovar tribe consistently bringing it gifts at this time would have that effect.

“Oi, Tatatrk. Don’t make pointless conversation.”

“Y-yes…”

Bowing to Yarg, Tatark again shifts his eyes to my partner. I get the feeling he’s asking if she really plans to fight it.

My partner ignores him, silently walking as she’s pulled by Yarg.

Finally, we arrive at an entrance to a large cave. Similar to the cave of sacrifices, it’s a hollow in the rocky mountainside. However, this cave’s entrance is much larger than that one, and it looks like it goes in deeper too.

Around the entrance, the walls are carved in depictions of the manticore. The original cave must have been spruced up for it. It looks like it was true that there’s various plans to put the manticore in a good mood.

Yarg stops in front of the entrance, glaring back at my partner through thinned eyes.

He’s probably suspicious about her lack of resistance. Thinking about her conduct so far, his suspicion is well warranted. He’s had the combo of his fingers being bitten off, his body being kicked flying, and his nose being broken by her, so it’s no wonder.

“Ah? What is it?”

“…Something’s off”

“Would it be better if I struggled?”

Yarg scowls at her, and his injured arm drops into view for a moment. It doesn’t show on his face, but he must be remembering the pain of having his fingers bitten off.

Relying on Tatark’s lantern, we continue on into the cave. Though I hadn’t realised it would be this stupidly big. It is similar in width to the red ant nest, and it’s longer than I’d thought too. With this, I’m no longer worried that it simply grabs the offering and runs away.

All that I’m worried about now is…

“…This cave, is it a dead end?”

“Th-that’s right.”

To my partner’s murmur, Tataark replies.

Great, that’s what I wanted to confirm. Thanks, partner.

“Escape won’t be easy then.”

Licking her lips, she stares into the depths of the cave.

“Oi, Tatark! How many times have I told you to not have pointless conversations!”

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Yarg shouts at Tatark. He probably took my partner’s speech as 『I can’t easily escape from the manticore』instead of『The manticore can’t easily escape from me』. There’s no way he could be thinking that she’s aiming to kill it.

The sound of my partner clicking her tongue rings out. The sound echoes throughout the cave, and in response I hear the sound of something large stirring in the depths. It sounded like something stood up.

The footfalls of a huge beast draw closer.

“…The manticore is coming.”

Yarg murmurs. There’s a slight tremble in his voice. He must be scared.

Suddenly, Tatark throws his lantern into the air, then turns his spear from my partner and charges forwards.

“Ta-Tatatrk, what are you…” 

“Yarg-san, please withdraw! Fall back!”

Tatark rams into Yarg’s shoulder. Yarg staggers, releasing his grip on my partner’s rope.

Tatark swings his spear at the rope binding my partner’s arms, but she nimbly dodges backwards to avoid it.

“Aagh!”

As a result of her unexpected movement, Tatark overbalances and all falls down. He must have wanted to ensure that she could move freely before it gets here.

…However, as we want the manticore to lower it’s guard as much as possible, it’s better if we keep our arms tied. Plus it’d only take a moment to break free.

“Tatark! You bastard, what are you thinking?! You’ve been screwing around for a while now!”

Yarg yells as he regains his footing.

“Eh, ah, no… Eh?”

Tatark looks between Yarg and my partner in confusion.

“…Hey, by any chance, should I not have dodged that?”

My partner grumbles to me. N-no, it’s good that you avoided it… Well, it couldn’t have been helped I guess.

I’d thought it might make things complicated, but it doesn’t look like there’s enough time for that. From the depths of the cave, accompanying the heavy footfalls, a familiar giant beast makes its appearance.

“Gebagebagebaah!”

We’re finally meeting the manticore again. With its overwhelming size compared to humans and it’s leopard-human face, it’s got a terrifying appearance. My body was a similar size when I met it before, so it’s not particularly frightening to me, but from a human’s perspective it’s terrible.

Seeing my partner, saliva drops from between its teeth. Yarg runs until he’s put enough distance between himself and the manticore, then turns around.

“…L-live food, we have brought you live food.”

Yarg says to the manticore as though pleading. So please don’t kill me, is what he was calling out to imply. That is the extent to which the Lithovar tribe views the manticore as an object of fear.

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