Chapter 13 – 43 Wolves

Aiming for the dragon cave at a forced march. We set a fire before we could see the cave, set up camp and spent the night.

In the morning, we would jump into the dragon cave since the dragon cultivates its spirit at night.

“The dragon is nocturnal. If we jump in now, we would be at a disadvantage. I want to take a rest and challenge it in perfect physical condition.” When I said this, I filled the pot I was holding with water. I cut the salted bacon, put it in and removed the dashi stock. Placing the vegetables I brought from home into the pot. When it stewed, it smelled good.

“Will is good at cooking.” Luna Maria complimented me.

“I don’t think so.”

“You’re good. You’re good at cutting the bacon and vegetables. It sounds so rhythmic. This is proof that you’re used to it.”

“In the mountains, I cook on duty. In the past, my mother and father cooked in order but nowadays I’m also a part of the rotation. I’m better than Mother Miria. Only in kitchen knives.”

“Goddess Miria. I was surprised when she first asked us to kiss.”

“Maybe it was my mother’s joke.” I looked at Luna Maria’s lips, wondering what would have happened if she had answered immediately and I kissed her. Her lips painted in cherry blossoms, looked very soft. I felt my cheeks dye red. I was fortunate that she had no light. I tried to count prime numbers to keep calm.

“…By the way, does Luna Maria cook?”

“Yes, the shrine maiden has to do everything herself.”

“Wouldn’t you cut your finger with a kitchen knife?”

“I wouldn’t because I’m cautious because I can’t see.”

“That’s good. Then, if we are travelling, Luna Maria can make it too.”

“I don’t know if it will fit your taste. I forgot because Will-sama casually made it but I basically prepare meals.”

“Eh? That’s bad. Let’s put it on duty.”

“I’m Will’s servant. My job is to do things around me. From now on, use me like a maid.” She put bacon and vegetable soup on a wooden plate and gave it to me. It looked very dexterous and she didn’t look blind at all.

“-you really can’t see, right?” I asked her when I received the soup.

“Yes.” She took off her mask. Under the mask, she had a very neat appearance. Her eyes appeared to be normal but when she opened her eyelids, he noticed that her eyes were cloudy and out of focus.

“When I was young, I lost the light to serve the Earth mother goddess. I drank a medicine to make myself blind.”

“Why did you do that?”

“To serve the Earth mother goddess.”

“Have you been a shrine maiden since you were born?”

She shook her head. “No, I was born on a poor farm. I was the youngest daughter of five siblings but my parents died of an epidemic so I was taken over to the temple and became what I am now.”

“Then, isn’t this half compulsory?”

“That’s not the case. It’s my destiny. The day before I became a shrine maiden, I heard the voice of god.”

“Voice of god?”

“Yes. I was told that I would be a shrine maiden and ten years later I would meet a brave man who should give his life. All that oracle said has come true,” Luna Maria said with a smile.

There was no feeling of sadness. For her, fulfilling her mission as a shrine maiden may sound as synonymous as breathing. As I thought this, I didn’t say anything further.

She flattened the soup she gave me, then brushed her teeth with a wooden toothbrush and wrapped it in a blanket. The moment she slept, she said “The moment I heard God’s prophecy. The moment I felt God’s sigh. I was very happy – I am still. It is very comfortable to sleep in front of a bonfire with a brave man. I feel as if I am protected.” She sighed as she said so.

Is it because I’m used to adventures that I couldn’t sleep in front of a person I met for the first time? On the other hand, I was confused by the situation that there was a woman next to me. I didn’t feel anything when Miria and others came into my bed naked but I couldn’t sleep when I thought of Luna Maria next to me. When I looked away from Luna Maria’s sleeping form, I counted the number of wolves.

Sleepiness came to me with the 43rd wolf but after that, I counted nearly 100 more to sleep. Because the 44th wolf was a male and female wold named Schwartz and Weiss. They were very close to each other in the form of a married couple. Once again conscious of Luna Maria, I managed to shake the thought of her away and forced myself to sleep.