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Beast Tamer Who Got Kicked Out From the Hero’s Party Chapter 29

CHAPTER 29: RECONCILIATION IN NAME ONLY

「「「「W-We’re sorry……!!!」」」」

The battle between the Hero’s Party and Rein’s party on the grassy plains finally has come to an end.

Defeated by our group, Arios and his followers dropped to their knees and bowed their heads to the ground in front of us in apology.

「Put some more sincerity into it! This isn’t sincere enough!」

「You call something like this an apology? don’t make me laugh!」

A slight correction here.

The Hero’s Party was forced to apologize to us.

「「「「W-We are so very sorry……!!!!」」」」

Just like that, Arios and the others bowed their heads once more.

Kanade and Tanya both looked at the four of them as if they were already getting bored of this situation…… and then they both looked at me.

「Well, I think so, too, but…… I mean, what should we do? Shouldn’t we already forgive them?」

「I don’t think that they have repent enough for their actions……」

「「HYIIH!?」」

Rin and Mina both jerked strongly and their shoulders shuddered.

Also, their faces contorted in fear.

……..What on earth did Tania do to those two to traumatize them so much?

I’m curious, but on the other hand I am way too scared to even ask her that.

「I felt better once I’d defeated Arios, and my overall goal here was to make them all apologize to the both of you. How about you two?」

「Well, as long as you say that you are no longer mad, Rein, then I have no reason to be mad, too!」

「I still think that their apology was really lacking in some areas, but…… Well, if my Master says that he is satisfied with this conclusion, then so be it.」

「…… Right, that’s that, then. We accept Arios and the others’ apology, no matter how it may be. With that being taken out of the way, how about we let bygones be bygones?」

「Kuh!」

Arios’s face contorted in humiliation.

But there was no point in lashing out here now because if he did just that, the only thing we would have to do would be to just beat him senseless again.

Arios seemed to understand that well, and he was holding his temper together this time around.

Arios and his friends brushed away the dirt on their knees and stood up.

They took a deep breath as if to endure all sorts of bewilderment that was brewing inside of them…… and then they opened their mouths again.

「So…… About the matter of the Lost Forest……」

「Oh, yeah. Come to think of it, you did mention something like that before.」

There was so many things going on ever since then that I have completely forgotten about it, if I was to be honest.

「Surely, you are going to lend us your aid, right? It’s no exaggeration to say that the fate of the entire world is at stake here. I don’t really think that not cooperating with us is even the option here at this point……」

「Nyah, look at them, acting all high-and-mighty once again……」

「Do you want to have a go at it again so soon?」

「Alright, alright. Easy there. Let’s just all calm down.」

Kanade and Tanya looked as though they were to assume battle positions once more at any moment now, so I took it upon myself to stop them from doing that.

「While it is true that I did not want to get myself involved with Arios and his group ever again, this time it’s a special exception. When it comes to things like that, the ‘fate of the world being at stake here’ part might not necessarily be a lie. If Arios and his team’s journey was to be delayed, the threat of the Demon Lord would increase and many people would be put in harm’s way as a result. And that is not something I wish to see happening, no matter what.

「Oh, so you at the very least understand the gravity of the situation, right?」

「Yes. And to that end, I will help you guys out.」

「It’s a wise decision. Seriously, if you had said that from the very beginning, we wouldn’t have to derail the entire conversation and go out of our way to do those needless duels.

「This Hero surely likes to talk big, despite getting his ass kicked so much not even a few moments ago.」

「Think of it as the bitterness of the loser. Or the fact that the smaller the dog, the louder it barks. …… But that is beside the point now. The way he talks so much shit is really pissing me off. Want us to crush those chumps again?」

「Like I said, I would like to avoid having to resolve to violence so soon after we just got one thing settled.」

「Guh.」

Kanade and Tanya looked mighty unhappy with that solution.

On the other hand, Arios was positively oozing with anger again.

Maybe that’s how things are going to be with those three being together in close proximity.

They apparently do not mesh all that well with one another.

I really wish that you could at least give me a break here for a moment.

「I have no real objection with cooperating with you…… but I do have one condition on my own.」

「Yeah? What is it?」

「If it is the Shield of Truth that you are looking for in that forest…… Then why don’t you leave it to us to retrieve it?」

「What do you mean by that……?」

「Our three is going to conquer the Lost Forest on our own.」

「Hoo?」

Arios looked as if he had found something really interesting just now.

「Judging from what you guys told me, it seems that the Lost Forest is easier to conquer with a small group of people. If we go in with a large group, we will be running the risk of someone getting lost or even worse.」

「So, you think that your group is better suited for that task, Rein?」

「Yes, I think we are. That, and also……」

I glanced at Kanade and Tanya really quickly.

Arios followed my gaze, too.

「Those two doesn’t seem to like you guys all that much. And it shows. I wonder how they would react if I told them we’d be working together for the time being?」

「Goodness gracious…… Since when did you learn to be this straightforward?」

「But it’s the truth, isn’t it?」

「’Well that’s fine by me. I don’t give a shit about those two monsters and how they feel about us, anyways.」

「Arios.You would do well to not put those two in the same basket as any other monsters or beasts.」

「…… Tch.」

Arios clicked his tongue, but said nothing more.

「So, that’s my proposition…… What’s your answer going to be?」

「……………」

After a moment’s hesitation, Arios gave a small nod.

「All right. We are going to leave the capture of the Lost Forest to you guys.」

「So it’s settled, then.」

「But just so that we are clear, don’t you dare to try and run away with the Shield of Truth in tow, okay?　There’s no point in doing that, anyway. That is something that only I, the Hero, can properly handle.」

「I would never think about doing something like that. And likewise, Arios. You’d better make sure that we are going to receive that reward once we get back.」

「Hmph, I know. I’m a Hero and when I said that you are going to receive your reward, then this is exactly what is going to happen. Oh, yes. We haven’t talked about the reward properly, right? Payment will be granted only upon the successful completion of the request. The reward will be twenty gold coins, is that alright with you?」

「Yeah, no problem.」

「And, you must get down to capturing the Lost Forest as soon as possible, is that clear?」

「I know. We shall get ready today and we’ll start exploring it tomorrow.」

「Great, good to hear it.」

As if to say the conversation was over, Arios turned his back to us.

「Aggath, Rin, Mina. We’re leaving!」

Calling out to his comrades, Arios and his party walked away towards the city.

「Say, Rein?」

When I turned around, I saw that Kanade and Tanya looked like they wanted to say something.

Somehow, I could understand what this was going to be, without having to ask them about it.

「Are you really going to help that lousy Hero?」

「Honestly, I’m a little bit reluctant to do this, but……」

「Thank you, both of you.」

I said as I patted them both on the heads.

「Nyah, nyah?」

「H-Hey……! Why are you stroking my head all of a sudden like that?」

「Earlier, the two of you got really angry on my behalf, right? You were that worried for me, right? I’m happy about that, hence the thank you.」

「Nyaaah…… Oh, Rein~♪!」

「T-That’s not it at all…… I-It’s not like I was worried about you, or anything like that! I was just so mad that they were trying to use you, and were ordering you around!」

「I’m glad that you both feel that way, but I’m really sorry. This time around, I really think that we should lend Arios and his group a hand.」

「And why is that?」

「It’s just like I said before. Arios is a Hero. So if his journey would come to a halt and was unable to proceed, more and more people would be harmed by it alongside the way. That’s not something that I want to see happening, no matter what. I don’t really want to help him, but…… If doing so means that his journey can move forward, and that people can be saved because of that, then I will be willing to put my personal feelings aside and just do it……」

「Seriously, Rein! Sometimes I think that you are being way too soft for your own good.」

「But that’s just the way Rein is, after all~♪」

「Yeah. And I’m sorry for you having to bear with me with things like this.」

「No, there’s no need for you to worry about that. We want to help you because it is something that we really want to do, from the bottom of our hearts. So you just make sure to focus on giving us the right commands when the time comes, alright?」

「It’s our job to take care of our oh-so-good-natured Master, isn’t it?」

Kanade and Tanya both laughed in a warm way.

Listening to them and seeing them like that made me want to laugh as well.

I’m really glad that I met these two.

I thought that from the bottom of my heart.

***

「Shit, shit, shit, shit! Damn it, damn it! Fuck, fuck, fuck, FUCK!!!!!!」

Later at night.

Outside the city’s walls, Arios was hunting a Goblin all alone.

Arios’s single sword strike was more than enough to have already defeated the Goblin.

However, Arios did not stop his sword from moving.

He thrusted his sword at the corpse, again and again and again.

Still, it didn’t make him feel any better.

His frustration would only grow, and dark emotions would build up in his mind.

「I am the greatest! I am the Hero, god damn it! There’s no way that the great Hero would lose that scum like him…… It’s impossible, unthinkable, inconceivable! I won’t allow this to happen!」

THUD.

THUD.

THUD.

Arios made a dark expression and repeatedly thrusted his sword into the Goblin’s corpse.

「I wonder what I can do to make him eat dirt…… Someday…… Definitely, I…… For sure…… Kuku, kukuku…… KUKUKUKUKU……!!!」

He then laughed.

His eyes were oozing with madness.

「Rein Shroud…… I’ll make you regret ever crossing me!!!」