“No, child. Are you all right?”
“Ah….”
What do I do? Seeing the hunter approach, the boy reflexively stepped backward. What else could he do? He had to run. His mind wisely reached that conclusion upon realizing there was no other way.
“You look as though you have been wandering the mountains for a very long time….”
He had not covered his tracks, so if a pursuit party followed him, they would easily reach this place. And if they encountered that hunter, a portrait of the boy—or in any case, every detail of his appearance—would fall into their hands.
Even if the boy shook off his future pursuers, a wanted notice describing him would be issued. His future would grow more arduous, and it would become more difficult for him to move freely.
The number of people who would die because of the demon would gradually increase.
But even knowing that future, the boy only watched for a chance to flee.
Kill the old hunter and prevent the information from spreading. He never once considered such an option. 『Protecting the weak and defending people is what makes a knight.』 It could not be helped. The boy had once dreamed of becoming such a being—enough that even knowing which choice was more efficient, he could not bring himself to choose it.
“Child, if you need help—”
Splash!
With a face on the verge of tears, the boy seized the moment and kicked off the ground. Water sprayed upward as his body shot in the direction opposite the hunter.
“Wait!”
I have to get as far away as possible. The boy reaffirmed the same conclusion he had reached before with even greater force. Now that someone had seen him, he had to travel…