Part 1

"I knew something like this would happen!"

I complained out loud as I ran with all my might.

Growwlll

I thought the wolves were friendly!

Because Ryan, one of the knights had to fight to protect me, he asked me to carry Anna who was in his care.

I nodded and complied immediately. Because the deep recesses of the forest were places that the sun literally didn't shine, Anna trembled as she held on to me tightly.

"It's okay. Everything will be fine. Don't be scared, okay? Mommy's right here."

I tried soothing little Anna with words of comfort.

She nodded and buried her head in my chest.

Oh dear. 

Poor child......To be honest, I'm just as scared as her, though.

I don't want to lose any of them...

"...Please be careful. We're almost there."

Ryan, my only companion aside from Anna spoke from the front as we ran for our lives.

How do I explain this?

As soon as we entered the forest, that girl I set free had led a group of particularly skilled knights to chase after us.

With two dozen knights chasing after us, I couldn't help but worry about the safety of my children.

So I told my companions not to fight and just run away.

We'll lose them deeper in the forest.

Or so I thought. As we ran, the formation was gradually lost and we were scattered.

It just so happened that Ryan was near me when we had escaped, but to make things more troubling, giant wolves had come to attack us.

The only good thing about the wolf attack is that they are also attacking the knights following us.

I braced myself.

This is gonna be one hell of a day.

Part 2 - Reyu's Point of View

 "Wahh~ Maamaa~ W-Where are you?"

"..."

"Sigh... Your mum's not here, kid."

I released a tired sigh as I sat down on the ground and leaned my back against a tree's trunk.

The hound demi-human girl sat across me as she comforted the black haired one. I glanced sideways at them, observing their chemistry.

Man. Kids sure are troublesome.

Blacky cried without stop, calling out to her mother.

Browny patiently comforted her, rubbing her back with a straight face.

"Hmm...?"

Poor kid...

I thought as I stared at the black haired one's back.

She was wearing a one-piece dress that showed a little bit of her back, probably to ease the feeling on her wings.

...But she didn't have wings anymore.

"W-Wah...!"

The girl exclaimed as I had unconsciously touched her back. I immediately retracted my hand before apologizing.

"Oh. Sorry. I was curious."

After which I scratched the back of my head.

"We'll rest here for a few minutes, then we'll go look fer yer mum. Aight?"

I rubbed my sword clean as I spoke to them.

I have to be prepared out here.

"...Aight?" Blacky tilted her head.

I smiled wryly,

"It's an easier way to speak. Short for alright."

She probably wouldn't know what slang was, huh?

She made a face as if I had just explained the meaning of the universe to her as she then giggled, completely forgetting about our current predicament.

"Ohh! Aight!"

Still... maybe her smile is just what we need just now.

"..." The doggy... Browny kept stealing glances at me, as if intrigued by me.

...What, do I smell?

Browny's awfully quiet, too...

I leaned back on the tree again and closed my eyes....

My eyes opened.

I must've fallen asleep for... 5 minutes... probably...Ah, dude...

...Hm?

Danger.

I felt something was off, so I woke up Browny who was sleeping with her head leaning on my lap from the side for some reason and Blacky who was sleeping next to her sister.

"Hnn...?"(Ran)

'What iis iit?"

I carried both of them before they could fully wake up, so they were still a bit drowsy.

"We're leavin’. Somethin's comin’."

I immediately regret putting it that way, as I may have scared the two of them.

Well, that much is obvious since they're clinging to me tightly.

AwoooooOOooo

From a distance, I could hear the cries of the wolves as I ran towards nowhere in particular.

I ran with all my strength, but after a few minutes, I found the huge silhouettes of the wolves.

They were running after me with incredible speed.

"Wahhh~ Nooo, they're comiing!" (Reina)

Blacky bellowed at my ear, causing me to flinch.

You're too loud, brat!

Browny was quiet, but I'm sure she was scared as well.

She was trembling and her grip on my arm was even tighter than Blacky's.

Staring quietly at the shadows, I could feel her claws digging into my flesh.

When the wolves were about 40 meters away from us, Blacky and Browny yelped in fear.

I grunted before whispering in a voice only the two of them could hear,

"Don' look back and don’ worry, I'll save ya both and bring ya to yer mother, eh?"

I tried my best to look like everything was under control.

Is my face calm?

I think so, as the two of them nodded and only looked forward.

Fuck, they're 20 meters away.

They're gaining on me...

And so, I made my decision--

"Le's climb up here, then!"

I helped the two of them up a tree.

"W-Wait! Mister Helmet, what about you--"

Blacky and Browny extended her hands toward me from above.

Were they intending to pull me up?

Hahahah! ...Such cute children.

"Stay there and don' come down!"

I told them with a smile before turning around to face our pursuers.

"Wah~ No! Mister Helmet! Don't fight! Don't fiiight!"

Blacky called out to me from above the tree, but I ignored her as if I didn't hear her.

"Please! J-Just get up here!"

Oh. So that's what Browny sounds like.

I ignored the both of them as I took out my secret weapon.

If I'm gonna die here, I'll at least take a few of them with me...

I removed the helmet from my head and stripped off my heavy armor, as it would slow down my movement.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

I wonder... if I'll get resurrected back to earth.

Being sent here...

Having to learn their language...

It was tough, but I had fun.

I took aim with my weapon.

My blond hair swaying in the breeze.

I can handle this...

Probably.

The reason I had a wry smile on my face was because...

despite all this—

I only have four bullets left.

Part 3 

"Ryan."

"Yes, milady?"

"...There is nobody here."

"...I can see that, milady."

"Well, what do we do, then?"

"...We can wait patiently."

"We've been here for two hours!"

"...Patience is a virtue."

This guy is so hard to talk to!

Ryan is such a quiet person, I can't even hold a proper conversation!

As I grasped my hair, I clicked my tongue as I felt the presence of more wolves.

I don't really want to hurt them, but Ryan coolly takes them down with his poker face.

...He's a lot like Handsome in that aspect.

Speaking of which... I wonder when I'll get to see him again...?

I'll definitely go back home when this blows over...

Wait a minute... I... don't really think it will, though.

As I was thinking, the wolves had come out of the thickets and jumped at Ryan.

Anna, who was trembling in my arms cried as she once again delved into the deep valley that is my chest.

"Don't worry~ Ryan will save us now. So don't be afraid, hmm?"

I smiled at Anna as if there weren't any problems. No worries. Ryan is strong.

Anna looked up at me before asking,

"Is he a prince? In mother's stories... when someone else beside the prince tries to rescue the damsel, they fail..."

She looked genuinely worried, as if ready to cry.

...I must've conditioned her eccentric and child-like mind to think that only princes could save the heroine.

My bad.

"No, my dear, he isn-- Yes. Ryan is secretly a prince. But don't tell anyone else, hmm? It has to be kept a secret."

I was about to tell her the truth, but her eyes showed genuine fear for a second, so I stopped.

...I'll... tell her one day.

Ryan wordlessly listened to our little conversation as he unsheathed his blade.

"I'm no prince... but I am a knight."

He closed his helmet, protecting his face as he spoke.

"Please don't say things that might scare my child."

I reprimanded him lightly with a small smile.

AwooooOOOoo ooo

I could hear the wolves nearing.

"...And don't lose.” Ryan, with his back to me, took a stance and nodded once.

"...As you wish."

He brandished his blade and prepared to greet the wolves.

"..."

Growwwwl

Out of the shadows came out three wolves.

Oh no worries, then. I sighed in relief.

Ryan systematically fought them off.

He cut off their routes to attack Anna and I while making sure he didn't get surrounded.

One of wolves must've gotten impatient and pounced at him directly.

Ryan saw right through its attack and slashed it right in the face before shoving his steel deep into its flesh.

Because they had one less set of teeth, another wolf soon fell prey to Ryan's blade, causing the last wolf to run away for its life.

"Impressive." I praised him from behind as I clapped.

"...I'm tired."

He said as he turned around to face me for the first time.

From the front, blood was dripping down from the bite wound on his shoulder.

His face was for poker like usual, but I could see right through him.

"If it hurts, it is alright to say so." I told him as I walked closer and wiped the beads of sweat on his forehead with a handkerchief.

"...Is that so."

He said blankly.

This guy is so hard to read, geez.

As I recalled the fight earlier, I couldn't help but smile as I talked to Anna.

"See, Anna? I told you. He fights like a Prince, hmm?"

Anna nodded enthusiastically at this before saying some unexpected words. “Mm! Mister knight fights like a prince! Hey, heyy~ can I be your princess? Hmm?"

She said with a shining smile.

With her still in my arms, I moved her away from Ryan.

...What's this about being whose princess now.

I glared quietly at Ryan.

"You wouldn't delve into such... criminal acts with a child, hmm, shadow?"

In response to my thorny words, Ryan put his hand under his chin, making a contemplative gesture before he finally spoke.

"...I would... rather have the mother."

"Geh!"

W-W-W-What is this fool saying?!

Haaah? Y-You think just because you protected me from wolves, I-I'd let you get away with saying anything?! I-I-I'll cut youu!

In any case, I'm a man, so fat chance, buddy.

"...Mother, are you alright? I think you have a fever... why are you hurting prince Ryan...?"

I slowly retracted my hand which just executed a beautiful karate chop.

"I. Am. Fine. L-Let's go now, Anna. Gerald and the others shouldn't be too far away..."

Without looking at Ryan, I stomped off deeper towards the forest.

What's with this guy saying weird things...

Hmph...

"An enemy who suffers with you--

is not an enemy.

But that doesn't make him a friend.

Then what is he, you ask?

A companion."