Home/I Saved the Villain and Fell Asleep/ch 63

Chapter 63

Silence fell after the princess's words. It was shattered by Shimota's high-pitched laughter.

"Haha! The princess who can't even catch a single small mutant beast is talking about hunting?"

"...Why can't you understand what I'm saying?"

"What did you say?"

"If you stay here any longer, I won't be responsible for what happens."

Those words sounded like something was about to happen here.

Perhaps because of Hariella's overly calm demeanor, Fudiche found himself unconsciously listening to the sounds around him.

"Uh...?"

Hearing a rustling sound above, Eliza and Fudiche both looked up. Someone was crouched on a thick branch, looking down at them. Pink hair, green eyes—an Algenprina. Eliza's face went pale at their eerily sharp gaze.

Fudiche moved to protect Eliza, swallowing dryly.

He was just sitting on a branch looking down, but the aura he exuded sent chills down Fudiche's spine. He grabbed Eliza's arm and slowly backed away.

He was right not to have followed them.

"Late."

Those who belatedly noticed Caelius's presence screamed in surprise. Caelius, having jumped down lightly from the tree, approached Hariella with a sullen face.

"What are these?"

"Here to brag about their ribbons. I told them if they wanted more, they could stay, and if not, to leave. But they won't go?"

"Pfft!"

With just the word "brag," Hariella had dismissed Shimota's childish hierarchy games. Fudiche quickly bit his lip as if he hadn't been laughing.

"Y-you..."

Shimota stammered at Caelius, but he just picked at his ear and walked past her to stand before Hariella.

"Ah, they're in the way. Blocking me."

Caelius roughly pushed aside those in his path and stood before Hariella.

"You said you were herding the prey?"

"They'll be here soon. What are you going to do about those?"

Caelius's finger swept over the Shimota group. At that insulting gesture, a tall man behind Shimota stepped forward.

"Who do you think you're pointing at?"

"Who are you?"

"Wh-what?! Have you ever seen such rudeness! Ha! Well, I suppose expecting manners from a bastard with no real bloodline is my mistake!"

At the young lord's words, the Shimota group—except for Fudiche and Eliza—burst into loud laughter.

'Ar-are they crazy?'

Fudiche covered his mouth, which had fallen open. No real bloodline? Even as a distant relative, that man is still an Algenprina! Just his eye color alone marks him as one!! How could he say something like that?

"Pu-Pudding."

"I told you not to come, Eliza."

"I didn't know it would be this bad. Sorry..."

The two watched the Algenprina princess and young master, staying on the sidelines. Despite the insults, the young master's expression didn't change.

"Haha."

Instead, a dry laugh came from the princess. She picked at her ear with her pinky and tapped her foot.

So, the princess.

"Wh-what vulgar behavior...!"

"Ah, so when is it coming?"

"Now."

The princess and young master exchanged cryptic words. And the moment the young master finished speaking—an ominous sound came from afar.

The ground trembled faintly, leaves rustled, and the threatening growls of mutant beasts warned of danger. Those who sensed it scanned their surroundings quickly.

"What's that sound?"

"Something is approaching!"

The only calm ones in this place were the Algenprina princess and young master.

"Hey! What did you do?!"

At Shimota's shout, the princess widened her eyes and smiled innocently.

"I told you—if you plan to collect more ribbons, you're welcome to stay. But if not, you should leave. You chose to stay, Lady Shimota."

"Wh-what! Do you think you'll get away with this?!"

"That's why I told you to run. I did, personally."

In an instant, dozens of mutant beasts surrounded them.

"You asked what I did, didn't you?"

Those who had gone pale and panicked breathed heavily.

"I just herded the prey."

The moment Fudiche heard Hariella's words, he took a defensive stance, shielding Eliza. She felt like not just the mutant beasts, but everyone gathered here, were the Algenprina's prey.

The terrified people began protesting to the princess and young master.

"Well, what do you want me to do? It's the fault of those who didn't leave when told. If you don't want to die, catch them."

The moment the young master finished, the small mutant beasts charged in unison. Screams erupted everywhere.

"Ah, uninvited guests showed up and messed up the plan. See, Kali! You should have herded them faster."

"My fault? If you'd chased them away before I got here, that would have been fine."

"They wouldn't listen."

Dust flew from all directions. Vines from the underbrush began lashing through the air, swatting at the mutant beasts.

"Oh?"

But the attempt was clumsy. Unable to properly apply her unique magic, Shimota grunted and swung her hands wildly, and a vine struck the man next to her.

"Bwahaha! Teamkill!"

Shimota bit her lip and swung her vines wildly at the approaching mutant beasts. Even in this situation, the calm voices of the princess and young master chatting irritated her.

'What is this! This isn't what I wanted—why did it end up like this!'

"Kyaaah!!!"

There were too many mutant beasts. As people struggled with one, another would attack from behind—some were starting to tire.

"Something's going to happen at this rate."

Through the dust, a hazy fog began to spread. It covered the area, thick enough to distinguish between people and mutant beasts.

As the fog spread, the mutant beasts slowed down. Amidst their grunts, dull thuds began to echo.

Those struggling to dodge both blind magic and mutant beasts wanted to know the source of the sounds, but had no time to look.

"Kyaaak!! La-Lady Shimota!! How could you use magic on me!!"

"Ugh! Th-then why are you standing there?!"

"Stop getting in the way and move!"

Instead of standing back-to-back and catching the beasts, they were blaming and pushing each other.

"What a mess. With such good magic, they can only use it like that. What a waste."

"That's all they're capable of."

"Ah! Blood splattered on me!"

"So what? Should I burn it all?"

"Are you going to burn down the imperial forest?"

Hariella and Caelius casually struck down mutant beasts and collected the ribbons tied to their legs. Though the fog narrowed their vision, not using such wide-area magic would have been more of a loss.

"Hup! Where do you think you're biting!"

Hariella lightly swung her club at a mutant beast baring its sharp fangs. With a thud, it crashed into a tree trunk and passed out, tongue lolling.

"Oh. That guy..."

The fool who had talked about "no real bloodline" came into Hariella's view.

Pretending to catch a mutant beast, Hariella moved close and, when he let his guard down, threw a punch at his jaw. Since she'd hit him from his blind spot, he wouldn't know who it was.

"Your pathetic provocations were more annoying—just sleep."

It seemed she'd caught over half of them, but the area was still chaotic.

"If they'd just calm down and look around, they could handle it quickly. Where are they even attacking?"

"Ignore the useless ones and catch the rest."

"Why did you herd so many? Trying to wipe them out?"

"You said to bring a lot."

"Who knew you'd bring this many so bluntly?"

Hariella, who had just given a charging beast a taste of her club, paused to survey the area. Her eyes caught two young ladies working together with impressive teamwork.

They were the ones who had stood back and watched when Shimota was causing a fuss.

"Eliza! Now!"

A white light burst from Eliza's hands. As a sheet of white ice spread beneath her, the mutant beasts began to slip.

"Pudding!"

The young man called Pudding cast his magic, momentarily freezing the beasts. In that moment, Eliza struck one hard with a long staff.

"Eliza! Collect the ribbons!"

And she didn't miss the chance to gather the ribbons. Hariella's eyes sparkled as she watched the two skillfully use their unique magic.

"Don't get distracted. Hariella!"

"Huh?"

Just as she was about to tell Kali to mind his own business, she saw it—in the distance, two ominous red eyes were slowly approaching.

It was a mutant beast of a clearly different size from the small ones spread across the ground.

"...Kali. Did you go into the deep zone to herd them?"

The deep zone was, so to speak, the advanced course of the hunting grounds—where Irein had said he'd go to have fun.

"It was too far, so I didn't go."

"Then what is that...? Why is it so big?"

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