Okami Wa Nemuranai

Episode 3.14

It's not clear when it all started, but among villages governed by lord of Vouka, there lives two tamer families, one that tames Longarm Apes in Rumoi village, and another that tames Wood Wolves (Toruje) in Patsu village.

The wealthy living in Vouka Town purchase Longarm Apes and Wood Wolves from those two families, in accordance to their wishes and requirements.

The lord himself purchases either one of the two to guard his garden, and to decide that, both families have a competition held every ten years.

In short, the winner of that fight will live in the lord's mansion for ten years, while the loser will be returned to its tamer.

In olden times, the winner of these matches tend to alternate, but before anyone knew, Wood Wolves kept a steady winning streak, and eventually the custom was for the lord to buy Wood Wolves, and the competition ceased to be held.

However, the other day, the lord who was visiting Rumoi village in an inspection was deeply impressed by Parade's intensity, he revived the old custom and declared the two villages to compete with their tamed monsters.

That said, it's not like all the villagers are working as tamers, but as the event is practically a showdown between two villages, the villagers are really getting into it.

The day of the match has been decided. Parade will represent Rumoi village. Patsu village will be represented by two Wood Wolves. This is because traditionally one Longarm Ape is considered worth of two Wood Wolves, both in size and prices. In fact, the lord will employ five Longarm Apes or ten Wood Wolves to guard his mansion depending on the result.

Anyway, the two villages are eager to show their superiority, as the winner of this match will obtain the position as the lord's purveyor.

However, Doni has something else in mind.

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From Doni's perspective, Wood Wolves are magic beasts well suited for battle, they help people precisely by fighting. As such, they're appropriate as the guardian beasts of the lord's mansion

However, even though Longarm Apes are capable of protecting people by fighting as well, they're magic beasts that help people in daily life, they're not needed in the lord's mansion with their abundance of employees. On the contrary, they'd be happier to work in houses lacking in manpower, as both a worker and family.

However, he cannot go against the lord's will.

After racking his brain, he came to a conclusion that he could cancel the competition if he let Parade run away in the forest.

His plan was to hire an adventurer without giving them the magic whip used to command tamed Longarm Apes, and order Parade to flee deep in the forest, canceling the combat entirely.

"You'd lower the adventurer's evaluation by failing their quest."

"N-no. Once Parade safely got away, I would have handed over the quest completion mark."

"No adventurer would take that unless they have no shame at all. But well, I guess you were going to cough up one big silver coin as an apology for that adventurer."

"Y-yes."

<TLN: If you're reading this novel at any other site than you might be reading an unedited, uncorrected version of the novel.>

"Fumu. I know not how magic beasts feel. Do you?"

"I'd like to think that I do."

"Why didn't Parade run away."

"Eh? Wasn't it because you pressured him into it?"

"Even so, he would have tried to run away if he really wanted to. He didn't because he wished to go back to you. Even after you gave the order to make him stay in the forest."

"T-that can't be."

"You believe that it's pitiful for Parade to fight huh."

"Of course I do. Like there's anyone who would willingly engage in a fight to death."

"That's humans' belief."

"Eh?"

"Magic beasts probably have a different belief."

"How does it differ?"

"Who knows. I don't really get it either. But, I do not believe there is a magic beast that would be pleased being told <you're not fit for battle>."

"N-no, but it's"

"You and Parade must have got quite a strong bond."

"He's more important to me than anything else in this world."

"Being commanded to fight by one such partner gives a warrior the most supreme joy."

"Eh?"

"'Win for me', when a warrior is told that by a master they truly respect, they shall be at their strongest."

"Magic beasts... are warriors."

"Either way, he'd probably go back his own even if you left him in the forest. Besides, with all the excitements for the event, they would just ask for Parade's substitute anyway. You cannot avoid fighting."

"Uuu. Is there really no way to avoid it I wonder."

"Even if there's one, as the master of Parade, there's only one thing you could do."

"W-what would that be?"

"Combat training. To ensure Parade's victory."

"C-combat training. We've been taught in such but I personally am not that good at it."

"Post a quest."

"Eh?"

"The match is in five days, no? I'll take Parade to the forest and teach him how to fight every day until the day."

"Y-yes."