TVCWB Chapter 36

Chapter 36 

“It’s not like that! I was just really worried…”

Perea gave Ray a small glare, but she was actually relieved.
If a man as stoic as Ray could make jokes, that meant he truly wasn’t hurt.

“Still, I told you to stay in the carriage,” Ray said.

“I may be a veterinarian, but I’m also a doctor. How could I just sit still?
There weren’t any serious injuries, so simple treatment was enough.”

“What if you had gotten hurt?”

His voice carried a scolding tone of concern. Ray looked at her, clearly displeased.

His blue eyes slowly swept over her, checking from head to toe.
Aside from some dirt clinging to her wavy brown hair, she looked fine.

Even so, for a human to rush toward the area where the monster appeared—it was reckless.
He decided he needed to lecture her properly.

Brushing dust off her hair, Ray spoke, “Monsters don’t choose who they attack, human or beastman.
What if it had been a wild one that jumped around like a Ferule?”

“Hmm…”

“Promise me you won’t leave a safe place next time.”

Ray extended his pinky finger toward her.
It was a habit—something he often did with Theo after the boy caused trouble, to make him promise not to repeat it.

When Perea didn’t immediately respond, his long tail smacked the ground in impatience.

“Not making a promise? Planning to run out every time a monster shows up?”

His low growl startled Perea into waving her hands frantically.

“N-No! Of course not! I’ll never do that again! I wasn’t thinking clearly—I just thought it was safe in the back.”

“This time, maybe. But there’s no guarantee it’ll be safe next time.”

She couldn’t argue. She realized she’d been wrong to assume that staying behind automatically meant she wasn’t causing trouble.

Perea lowered her head like a scolded child. Seeing her look so small and quiet, Ray couldn’t bring himself to say anything harsher.

If his former subordinates—who’d been scarred by his sharp words—had seen this scene, they would’ve been shocked by how gentle he was now.

“Well… thanks to you, treating the injured went smoother. You did well.”

He actually praised her. Since he said that much, Perea couldn’t stay gloomy.

Her lips curved into a shy smile, and seeing that, Ray smiled too.

Despite the unexpected monster attack, everything had ended well, with no major injuries.

A strange sense of camaraderie grew between them as they lifted their palms and clapped them together.

Smack!

A clear sound echoed—it was a high five, a small gesture of mutual praise.

* * *

When Eclit Castle heard about the monster attack, they immediately sent knights to the site.

But by the time they arrived, the Moreta was already dead, its massive body sprawled across the roadside.

The knights questioned witnesses, confused by what had happened.
Everyone said the same thing—“There was a flash, and then the monster just fell over.”

It made sense. Ordinary citizens couldn’t tell the difference between sword aura and a lightning strike in a battle that lasted only seconds.

Besides, the monster’s enormous size and Ray’s dark cloak made it even harder for anyone to see what really happened.

Whatever the case, Eclit had lucked out.
Selling just the monster’s by-products would bring in a week’s worth of tourist income.

Dozens of knights helped carry the wounded away, then joined the butchers and craftsmen to dismantle the monster’s body.

Under the direction of a local butcher—called in for his knowledge—the work continued until sunset.

While the whole city was busy celebrating their unexpected fortune, Perea’s group finally reached Eclit safely.

Throughout the journey, the wolf beastmen wagged their tails nonstop, circling around Ray like excited dogs.

They had once tried to intimidate him, but now, after seeing him defeat a monster alone, they looked at him with pure admiration.

“Sir Ray, since when have you been able to use aura?”

“…”

“They say only knights of Fifth Circle or higher can handle it… Wait—are you a Sword Master?!”

“…”

Ray said nothing. Not because of secrecy—he just found it annoying.
He preferred silence and distance, like before.

But that wish was impossible now.
To the wolf beastmen, he was already a hero—and heroes don’t get peace.

Once enemies, now they were desperate to be his friends.

Watching them, Perea and Dia both thought, ‘They’re like big puppies.’
Theo, of course, didn’t think at all—he was just happy Perea was safe.

He clung to her side, purring softly, so when Dia joined them in Perea’s carriage, she couldn’t stop smiling at the adorable scene.

“We’re in Eclit!” Theo shouted.

“Yes, we are!” Perea replied, gazing out the window in awe.

The city known as the empire’s top resort was even more breathtaking in person.
Clean white-tiled streets gleamed under the sun, small fountains sparkled at every corner, and exotic trees with wide leaves lined the paths.

People walked between them with relaxed, smiling faces, radiating joy.

Stalls stretched along the buildings, selling everything needed for a perfect vacation.

What caught Theo’s attention most were the masks—cat masks, dog masks, unicorns, whales, roses… so many shapes and designs.

Perea’s eyes widened too as Theo pointed excitedly.

“Perea, look! There’s a Rabbit Hero Sword too!”

And sure enough, a stall displayed toy versions of the famous “Rabbit Hero’s Sword,” a craze across the empire.

Theo wriggled with excitement, ready to jump out of the carriage, and Perea and Dia hurried to stop him.

“Theo! We need to rest first at the inn,” Dia said.

“Uuugh? Theo’s not tired!”

“But you need to wash up! You can’t go buy the Rabbit Hero Sword all dirty, right?” Perea said.

Theo pouted. Of course, Perea herself was the dirtiest of all, but he still nodded—because it was her saying it.

Perea laughed softly and patted his big rabbit ears.

“By the way, Dia, which hotel are you staying at?”

“I’m staying at the Road Hotel near the plaza. What about you?”

“Oh, we’re at Wing Hotel! Luckily, it’s not far.”

Since both hotels were pre-booked before the trip, changing wasn’t possible.
They both wished they’d met earlier so they could have booked the same one.

Dia sighed. She’d soon be too busy preparing for her performance to visit freely.
Having gone through so much together, both women felt attached—and sad to part.

“We’ll have plenty of time here,” Perea said. “Call us anytime!”

“I will, definitely.”

Dia nodded hard, asking again and again for Perea to come to her first concert.
Perea promised she would.

Then she opened the small window to the driver’s seat.
Ray—back in his dark cloak—was holding the reins.

“Sir Ray, could you take us to the Road Hotel first?” she asked.

“Yeah,” he replied shortly.

Ray was just as obedient to Perea as Theo was.

The time when he acted moody and unpredictable seemed to have passed.
The once fierce knight now felt calm and quiet—like a tamed cat.

The pleasant atmosphere made Perea smile again and again.

If she had noticed the way his hidden ears twitched rapidly under his hood, she might have stopped smiling from shock.

The carriage swayed gently all the way to the Road Hotel—so much that Theo eventually lost patience and punched Ray’s back softly with his little fists.