NOVEL NEXT Chapter 6 - Episode 006: Headhunter, Camping with Family
Episode 006: Headhunter, Camping with Family
While taking numerous breaks to accommodate Tina, Ack and his companions slowly made their way toward their destination.
This was their umpteenth break today.
“Hehehe.”
“Kyukyuu!”
Tina sat down on a rock by the riverside, dipping her feet into the shallow water and splashing it around, while Snow frolicked happily in the midst of it all.
Ack watched this scene with a warm smile.
—Zabaaaaann!!
However, at that moment, a pillar of water shot up from deep within the river.
“Gishaaaaa!!”
As the water column subsided, a massive snake over five meters long emerged.
“Tina!!”
In an instant, Ack moved between the water column and Tina, brandishing his large sword.
Reverse Snake.
A monster that lurks in rivers, sneaking up on prey near the riverbank, dragging them underwater, and swallowing them whole. It can even gulp down creatures as large as cows, making small humans like Tina easy prey.
“I won’t forgive anyone who targets my family…”
Ack muttered quietly, glaring at the Reverse Snake.
“!?!”
Despite being a snake monster, the Reverse Snake froze in place like a frog caught in a snake’s gaze.
Very few could move normally under the genuine intimidation of Ack, the most feared and powerful mercenary. This applied to both humans and monsters alike.
“Haa!!”
Ack leaped up and swung his sword with all his might.
—Zubaaaa!!
The head of the Reverse Snake was severed, and its body lost its strength, hitting the water’s surface.
—Zabaaaaann!!
As intense splashes and waves surged forth, Ack positioned himself in front of Tina and Snow to protect them.
“Hmph!!”
With just a swing of his sword, he nullified everything.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah.”
“Kyuu.”
Ack breathed a sigh of relief when he turned around and saw that both Tina and Snow were unharmed.
“Family?”
Tina murmured as if recalling something.
It was the word Ack had used earlier when confronting the Reverse Snake.
Ack suddenly felt embarrassed.
“…Did you dislike it?”
At the same time, he worried if he had imposed the term “family” on them without their consent.
“Ack and family. Happy.”
“I see… I see.”
Realizing it was needless worry, Ack felt relieved from the bottom of his heart.
Switching gears, Ack approached the carcass of the Reverse Snake.
“Just right.”
The meat of the Reverse Snake is lean, tender like chicken breast, easy on the stomach, and rich in nutrients, making it an ideal ingredient for Tina’s nutrition.
Encountering it here was rather fortunate.
“Wait a moment.”
“Got it.”
“Snow, I’m counting on you.”
“Kyuu.”
Leaving Tina to Snow’s care, Ack pulled up the corpse of the Reverse Snake for butchering.
He let the blood flow into the river, bled the carcass, removed the meat from the bones, and cut it into bite-sized pieces, tossing them into the Magic Bag.
“Phew… The sun is setting.”
“Yeah.”
By the time he finished butchering, the surroundings were bathed in crimson, and the sun would soon set.
While Ack could walk through the night alone, Tina needed proper sleep. It would be better to stop advancing any further.
“We’ll camp here tonight.”
“Understood.”
With practiced ease, Ack lit a fire, set up tents, and prepared for camping. Sitting on a small chair he had taken out, Ack watched with interest as Tina observed his preparations.
Once everything was ready, it was time for dinner.
Since Ack had planned to open a café from the start, he had apprenticed under the head chef of the mercenary group’s kitchen during his mercenary days and learned to cook.
Tonight’s dinner was a thick, nutritious soup with well-cooked ingredients. He also added minced Reverse Snake meat for extra nutrition.
“It’s hot.”
“Mm.”
Scooping some into a small bowl and adding a spoon, Ack handed it to Tina, who received it with her tiny hands.
“Kyukyuu.”
“Got it.”
Seeing Snow wanting some too, he served it in a shallow bowl on the ground. Despite its heat, Snow plunged his head into the bowl and ate fervently.
“It’s hot.”
Tina stuck out her tongue slightly, grimacing in pain.
“Let me have it.”
Unable to bear watching her discomfort, Ack postponed his own meal and moved to Tina’s side, taking the bowl from her.
“Phew, phew.”
Seeing that it was too hot for the child, Ack blew on the soup with his breath to cool it down.
“Here.”
“Mm.”
Once it cooled down enough, he brought it to Tina’s lips. Tina took a bite.
Chewing slowly, she swallowed it down.
“Delicious.”
“Is it?”
“More.”
“Okay.”
Tina asked for seconds. Ack continued to feed her until she was satisfied.
“…”
After eating until satisfied, Tina began to doze off halfway through Ack finishing the remaining food and cleaning up. Ack lifted Tina up and laid her down in the tent. Entrusting Tina’s watch to Snow, Ack finished his meal and cleanup before returning to the tent.
“Hm? You’re taking the night watch?”
“Kyuu.”
“Thanks.”
“Kyunkyunn.”
With Snow taking over the watch, Ack decided to sleep inside the tent. He lay down to rest, being careful not to disturb Tina.
“Ack…”
Looking over, he saw Tina sleeping peacefully, murmuring in her sleep with an innocent expression.
Never did he imagine himself raising a girl…
“Haha.”
Ack couldn’t help but chuckle at the unexpected turn of events.
He resolved to continue doing his best to protect this sleeping face in the future.
With that thought in mind, Ack drifted off to sleep.