第１５３掘：お約束はもういいわ (Part2)
"Um, since we're beastmen, they aren't being too wary of us, but they seem to think they're 'protecting' us, so we can't move."
"Yes. They're saying they're going to defeat the humans who are attacking us right now..."
"...Can I just beat these guys up?"
"Kaya, wait. Prioritize talking first!!"
Speaking of which, what about Aslin and the others?
"Shera, Aslin, Firia, Labyris, can you hear me!!"
"Yes, we're fine. We look like children and are beastmen, so there's no harm being done to us in particular..."
"Big Brother, be careful. You and Ria-onee-sama are humans, after all."
"That's right, Brother. Please be careful."
"Exactly. If Yuki gets even a scratch, I might end up slaughtering every single one of these people."
Eek!!
The biggest problem is that I’m the one who might end up getting hurt here!
And so, I’ve reached the point where I have to find a way to calm them down without getting injured myself and without killing them.
Ria is also human and serves as my attendant, so she's being attacked by other men as well.
She has the cheat-level armor, so she doesn't seem to be struggling much, but as for my equipment... I'm basically wearing cloth clothes. Maybe I should consider wearing armor.
"You're quick on your feet!! You think a human can keep up with a beastman like me in physical ability!!"
"That's why I'm telling you to listen!! I just saved these people!!"
"Yes, Set, calm down!! These people really are..."
"What evidence is there that you aren't just being forced to say that by threats!!"
This is hopeless.
Change of plans. I'll knock them out and create some distance.
Otherwise, we'll never get anywhere.
"Everyone, gather in front of the dungeon. If anyone gets in your way, beat them up—just don't kill them. I'll heal them later. Words aren't working anymore."
"Understood."
I dodged an attack from the middle-aged, dandy rabbit-beastman named Set by a hair's breadth and countered with a punch, dropping him in one hit.
There was no reason to go through the trouble of creating distance.
To begin with, our raw power was just too different.
"...Guh."
The rabbit-eared dandy, Set, seemed unable to speak from the sheer impact of the blow.
"Um, what was your name again?"
"Ah, um, my name is Naya."
So the married elf with a child is named Naya.
"Alright, Naya-san. I'll leave the persuasion of these people to you. Since they won't listen to reason, we'll be in front of the dungeon for now, so please come by once things have calmed down. I'll even treat the people who are hurting over there, as long as the condition is that they don't attack us."
"...I am terribly sorry."
For now, I'll leave the persuasion to her and the people we saved.
I looked over at Ria, and it seemed she had finished her side easily as well; she was looking at me, waiting.
"Well then, let's head to the dungeon entrance."
"Yes, let's. We can't do anything until they calm down."
As the two of us walked away, Zargis came chasing after us from behind.
"Wait a moment. Do you intend to leave me behind?"
"No, you were just standing there, weren't you?"
"That's right."
"No, I was conducting magical research and observing their movements, you know!?"
Ah, right. He's a researcher, isn't he?
Since he wasn't fighting, I thought he was just slacking off.
On the way to the dungeon, the men searching the village attacked us three more times, but we just beat them back each time.
They're attacking us based on a misunderstanding, so they should just put up with that much.
They'd be dead under normal circumstances, so they should consider themselves lucky.
The cliché of being misunderstood.
But I’m not going to play along with that kind of trope.
For now, I'll just blow them away.
That’s the best way. It’s the only way to make them listen, after all.