7. Feet
Master pressed his raised index finger to his lips. That was the sign for, Don’t talk. Be quiet.
Yume nodded, and then Master walked down the game trail in a low posture.
Yume followed behind him.
The game trail was really narrow—not wide enough that people could walk down it normally, but it had been well trodden down. There wasn’t much grass there, and hardly any dry branches had fallen on it. That was why, so long as they progressed with caution, they could sneak along silently with relative ease.
Master came to a stop, hiding himself in the shadow of a tree. Yume was right nearby, imitating him.
Master looked around the area, moving his eyes more than he turned his head.
Yume did the same thing.
The birds and the bugs chirped.
The wind blew.
Leaves rustled.
Yume.
Master hadn’t spoken out loud. Yet, still, Yume knew she had been called.
Looking over, Master was signaling, Follow me.
Yume nodded.
They continued moving down the game trail awhile longer.
Up ahead, Master suddenly came to a dead stop. He must have found something. Where, and what?
Yume wanted to ask, but she desperately resisted the urge.
Eventually, Master approached a nearby bush and crouched down. Yume stuck close to him.
Somethin’ there? Yume asked that with her eyes, and Master pointed.
She stuck her head out of the bushes, looking in that direction.
She nearly let out a gasp, but Yume hurriedly covered her mouth with both hands.
It’s a wolf...!
It resembled the wolf-dogs raised by the guild. It had a similar build and fur, but it was completely different.
First, its fur was almost all white. Second, it wasn’t just big, it was strong. Yet, despite that, it was also nimble.
It’s cute...
For some reason, Yume teared up.
If she could, she wanted to pet it. To hug it. And if that wasn’t possible, she wanted to at least get closer.
Probably she couldn’t. If they could get any closer, Master would have done it.
That wolf was clearly difficult to approach. It was a being that humans couldn’t become close with.
That might have been why Yume was crying.
The white wolf turned their way. It fixed its eyes on Yume.
It was probably only a moment. But there was no questioning it: Yume and the white wolf had looked into one another’s eyes.
The white wolf suddenly turned to face forward again, and ran. Its movements were swift and easy, its feet light.
In no time it was off into the distance, then out of sight.
Master let out a sigh. “Well, it’s good fortune just to have been able to see one. That was no ordinary wolf.”
“Ohhhhh. It wasn’t?”
“I told you about the White God Elhit, right?”
“Yep, yep. That’s the reeeeaaaal big, reeeeaaaal white wolf god, right?”
“Elhit rules over all nature—or rather, is a symbol of nature as a whole. From the time this land of Grimgar was born, Elhit has been there, and should Elhit ever die, the land shall too, they say. Basically, Elhit must be incredibly grand, an incarnation of a massive power far beyond our understanding.”
“A musty powwow beyond our standing, huh?” Yume pondered. “Hmm...”
“You’ve mangled that horribly, but whatever. —Moving on. Great white wolves like that one, they’re seen as Elhit’s kin.”
“Kings?” Yume asked.
“Kin... Um, family, not royalty. Kin are, well... it’s like they share the same blood. It’s a mystery how they can bear the blood of a god, but that’s the belief.”
“Mwuhoooo! Soooo, that white wolf, it’s the child of a god?”
“No, it’s probably not the child.”
“The grandchild, then?”
“I doubt they’re that closely related. But sure, grandchild.”
“The grandchild, huh? Or maybe great-grandchild?”
“Could be.” Master patted Yume on the head.
He didn’t do it often, but when Master patted her head, Yume felt like she’d become a wolf or a dog. Master had to be really good at petting wolf-dogs. It felt good, so she wished he’d do it more.
“Nyunh, nyuh!” she said.
“...Urkh.” Master pulled his hand back. “S-Sorry.”
“Fwuh? For what?”
“I touched you without meaning to.”
“Master, is it wrong for you to be touchin’ Yume?”
“I-It’s not a good thing.”
“Why not?”
“Why? You... Um, well, I’m supposed to be your father, so there’s an appropriate amount of distance we should keep between us, so...”
“Distance?” Yume asked.
“Not too close, not too far, I guess?”
“Oh, yeah? Guess that’s how it goes.”
“I-It is, you know?”
“Yume doesn’t want to part with you, though. Does she have to move away?”
“N-No...!” Master seemed to struggle for some reason, clutching at his own chest. “There may not be any need... for us to part. It’s just, um, that sense of distance... Right, that’s right, distance... If we get too close, you know? There are issues...”
“Issues?” she protested.
“Yume, you’re puffing up your cheeks way too much...”
“Well, hey! Yume, she doesn’t know anything about what you’re talkin’ about! What’re these issues, huh?!”
“U-Um, well, you...”
“Yume and Master, they get along great!”
“We don’t... get along terribly, no.”
“They get along great, right?”
“Y-Yeah, sure, great... But still.”
“Yume, she’s learned a whoooole lot about bein’ a hunter from you. Issues? There’re no issues here, are there? Is she wrong?”
“Y-You’re not wrong... no.”
“Well then, this is fine. Right?”
“I... I guess so.”
“So, keep on doin’ it. Once in a while, give Yume a pet, would you?”
“O-Okay.” Master nodded awkwardly. “Only once in a while, okay?”
“Okay!”
“Damn it...”
“Foo? What’s wrong?”
“N-Nothing’s wrong... Nothing... Damn it. What’s wrong with me? It’s never been like this before. If anything, I’m a misanthrope, and that’s why I washed my hands of the whole volunteer soldiering business...”
“Master, you want to wash your hands? Next time, should Yume wash your feet for you, too?”
“Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-Why would you wash my feet?!”
“Yume, she’s always bein’ looked after by you. That’s why, yeah, she wants to wash your feet for you.”
“Noooooo! No, thank you! I’ll wash my own feet! I mean, m-m-m-m-my feet are filthy!”
“Nuoh? That’s why they’d need washin’, though. If they weren’t dirty, you wouldn’t have to wash them. Oh. If they’re that dirty, they’ve gotta be worth cleanin’ up, so Yume’s definitely gonna wash your feet!”
“I said no...! It’s embarrassing! Seriously, you don’t have to...!”
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