TLBP 16

CHAPTER 16……………………………………….

The raccoon put the egg and the crystal into a vine pouch that looked similar to the bag tied around its waist.

A beast that knows how to use tools—smarter than I expected.

—If you’re thinking of picking a fight with me, you’d better stop. I possess a talent. If you back off now, I’ll let you go peacefully.

The raccoon bared its small fangs and growled. It seemed brimming with confidence in its own abilities.

I stood on my two legs in front of it, loosening my shoulders and neck until they cracked.

—I’ve never tried raccoon meat before.

If it wouldn’t give them back, I’d just take them. As a bonus, I could also solve tonight’s dinner—killing two birds with one stone.

The raccoon narrowed its eyes and continued to growl.

—So you really want to see blood. I’ve been craving meat myself.

—Hmph.

I snorted at the threat, unfazed, while carefully checking its claws and teeth.

True to a carnivore, its teeth were fairly sharp. But compared to wolves, they looked small and almost cute—not enough to seriously injure my skin.

Its front claws were nicely curved, but compared to mine they looked no different from well-groomed fingernails.

Judging by appearance alone, I don’t think I’ll lose. That line about having a talent does bother me a bit, though.

Ever since encountering that giant wolf, I’d become much more cautious.

You never know what someone might do when cornered.

I planned to subdue it quickly and bite the back of its neck. Just rush it before it had time to react.

As I was about to spring forward like a coiled spring—

—Idiot!

The raccoon turned and fled a step faster than me.

I was momentarily stunned, but seeing it sprint on all fours like an arrow, bag still strapped on, I immediately gave chase at full speed.

Damn, it’s faster than I thought!

I couldn’t help but admire how deftly it cut through the brush and dodged between trees. Still, despite its skillful escape, the distance between us kept shrinking.

At this rate, I figured I could sink my teeth into its neck within ten-odd seconds.

After running for a while, a huge thicket appeared, and the raccoon’s back vanished right into it.

—Hiding now won’t help!

I plunged into the dense bushes after it—and in that instant, my vision lurched and the ground dropped away beneath my feet.

—Ugh—what the hell?!

When I came to my senses, I was at the bottom of a pit several meters deep. White bones of various animals lay scattered inside.

I looked up to see the raccoon peeking out from between the bushes. It curled the corner of its mouth smugly as it looked down at me slumped in the trap.

—Idiot. What a fool. Heh heh. You can talk, so I thought you were pretty smart.

—Ha…

Realizing I’d fallen for its bait and trap, a hollow laugh escaped me.

Being outplayed mentally by a mere beast—there was no humiliation quite like it. My insides boiled, but I calmed myself and started thinking.

It’s smarter than I thought.

My wariness—and my assessment of it—rose another notch.

—You’ll regret it if you think a measly trap like this can stop me.

I dug my claws into the pit walls and started climbing.

Since the pit was made of dirt, my claws kept crumbling the walls. It required far more technique and finesse than climbing trees.

The raccoon kept pelting me with stones. Somehow it managed to hit my forehead every single time—its aim was impressively good, unlike mine.

—You little bastard. Once I get up there, you’re dead.

—I’m not a raccoon, I’m a tanuki, idiot! And you’ll never make it up here! You’ll get hit with the Magic of Silence!

—The Magic of Silence?

A deep shadow fell into the pit. I gaped at the head-sized rock in the tanuki’s hands.

—Hey, that’s going too far. Whoa, no. Put that down.

—Once this hits, everything goes quiet. That’s why it’s the Magic of Silence.

The boulder—really more like a small rock—dropped into the pit.

—Tch.

I clicked my tongue and let go of the wall to dodge it.

It was a shame to lose the progress I’d made, but if that thing had hit me square on, even I wouldn’t have escaped a concussion.

I crouched tightly at the bottom. The tanuki looked down at me, idly turning the stone in its hands.

—Giving up already? Planning to turn into bones down there?

It kept mocking me. I ignored the provocation and studied the gouges carved into the dirt walls.

Some of them were claw marks I’d made while climbing.

If I just step on those, I should be fine.

I quickly formed an escape plan. This time, instead of relying on sharp claws, I’d depend on pure strength and athleticism.

Jumping without a running start was a bit tricky, but compared to that leap I’d made underground before, this was easier.

I crouched low like a frog, tensing my muscles until my hind legs almost cramped, then leapt as high as I could toward the wall.

—What?!

The tanuki shrieked. I kicked off the grooves in the wall, climbing higher and higher.

Bounding back and forth between the walls, I soon reached the surface.

As I landed, I slammed my forepaw down on the tanuki’s neck. It writhed in shock, clearly stunned by my physical ability.

—Told you I wouldn’t let you off easy.

I opened my jaws wide to bite down on its neck. Seeing my sharp teeth, the tanuki screamed.

—W-w-wait! I—I was wrong! I’ll give everything back—the gems, the egg!

—Too late to apologize. I’m hungry.

—I—I won’t taste good! Yeah, definitely not! Tanuki taste awful! Everyone says so!

—You won’t know until you try.

I clamped down hard on its neck. It let out a series of bizarre screams.

I hadn’t even bitten that hard—its overreaction was almost funny.

—S-spare me! I—I have babies in my belly!

—What? You’re female? You’re pregnant?

—Y-yes. At home, there are children waiting for me to come back with food…

The tanuki’s eyes welled with tears as it sniffled.

Hearing that there were children at home made me hesitate.

Alongside a flicker of guilt at killing a pregnant mother, a cold, calculating thought surfaced: Wouldn’t it be a huge gain to take over its home and eat the pups too?

—Hmm. Still, I’m hungry right now. Is that really a reason to spare you?

—H-home. Yes, at home I’ve got a hidden beehive. It’s full of honey. I hid it where the kids can’t reach. I’ll give it to you. You like honey, right? Huh?

—Hmm. A home, huh.

I pretended to think it over. The neck clenched in my jaws trembled violently—it was terrified.

At least I’d succeeded in making it seem like it would guide me home. Still, trusting it completely felt wrong.

The honey is probably a lie. The babies could be a lie too.

But having a home was likely true.

Surviving in this hellish forest and being this intelligent, it must have a fairly decent shelter.

Let’s try taking its home. Eating it can come later.

With its neck still in my mouth, I let out a low, rumbling chuckle.

*

—Are you sure we’re going the right way? Feels like we’re just going in circles.

I frowned down at the tanuki, its neck tightly bound with vines. It flinched at my question.

—Y-yes. Just a little farther. This area all looks similar—it’s confusing.

—Try anything funny and you’ll be my dinner. Same if you try to run.

I yanked the vine hard, making its body swing back and forth.

Never thought I’d live to see the day I walk a talking tanuki on a leash.

The absurdity made me laugh. It reminded me of walking my dog back when I lived with my parents.

—T-turn right here. See that big tree over there?

Standing on two legs, the tanuki pointed ahead. Where it indicated stood something like a thick, massive baobab tree.

—That’s my home.

—That tree?

I raised an eyebrow.

How could a tree be a home? Did it sleep up there?

I’d hoped for at least a decent cave, if not a nice stone house. Disappointment washed over me.

A beast is still a beast, I suppose.

—Doesn’t look like a home. Where are your kids and the honey?

—Inside the tree. It looks solid outside, but it’s hollow inside. That’s my nest.

—Ah.

I nodded slowly. If a tree that thick were hollow, it would be spacious enough for a beast or two.

I followed it toward the tree, circling around, but couldn’t find anything resembling an entrance.

—You go in from underground. Here—there’s an entrance under this stone slab.

The tanuki moved a flat stone near the tree, revealing a narrow, deep hole.

—Not bad.

—Took some effort to make it.

Pleased with the praise, it rubbed the bridge of its nose with a finger like a human.

I looked down at the hole and muttered softly.

—Then you go first. And you know what happens if you lied, right?

After issuing a firm warning, I shoved it into the hole. It crawled in skillfully.

Seems the entrance wasn’t a lie.

—Close the stone slab when you come in. Can’t leave the entrance exposed.

—I’ll handle that. Just keep moving.

I followed it into the hole. The tunnel was very narrow, and being larger, I got a bit stuck.

Big beasts like wolves wouldn’t even think of coming in here.

It was a clever way to keep out large intruders—something I’d never considered when building my own home.

The tanuki squeezed between thick tree roots and soon disappeared into an opening above.

That must be the end.

I lifted my face up as well. In that instant, a wide, open space appeared, and the claustrophobia vanished.

—Impressive.

It was quite cozy—easily five times larger than the stone house I’d built.

But nowhere in that wide space were there beehives or baby tanuki. Only strange, gleaming stones decorated the place.

—You lied. About the babies too—it was all a lie.

—Yeah. Had to, if I wanted to get home alive. The one who fell for it is the bad guy.

The tanuki smirked confidently at me as I was half inside the tree. In its hand was a long sword.

The sharp metal blade and finely crafted hilt were far too sophisticated for something a tanuki could make. It was clearly the work of a civilized being.

I didn’t know where it got it, but the idea that it lured me here relying on just that made me laugh.

—That won’t stop me. You should give up.

—You won’t know until you try!

It raised the sword high and slammed it into the ground. At first it seemed pointless, but the vines spread across the floor were cut—and suddenly my body was lifted into the air.

A tightly woven net of layered vines constricted me.

Trapped and floating near the ceiling, I felt more intrigued than panicked, a smile creeping onto my face.

Crude, but it’s a real net.

A pit trap was one thing, but I’d never imagined it could use something this technical.

Isn’t it smarter than me? How did it even make this?

Just moments ago I’d planned to eat it—but now my plans had changed.

This one might be more useful than I thought.