Me, the Weakest Member of the Hero’s Party? I’m the Villain Though? - Chapter 14
“We’re out of ingredients for tonight’s dinner, so either someone goes to gather food or we go hungry.”
At Elonen’s bombshell of an announcement, Kakaros drooped his shoulders in disappointment.
“Kakaros doesn’t want to starve. Will go fish hunting.”
“Are there even any fish around here?”
Since the forest was overflowing with miasma, I assumed fish couldn’t survive here—but apparently not.
“Water doesn’t get contaminated by miasma.”
Gerard answered my doubt with a tone that suggested I should’ve known better. Kakaros stared at me silently for a moment, then tilted his head.
“Will you come with Kakaros?”
His invitation caught me off guard. I hadn’t expected Kakaros to suggest something like that to me.
Though I hadn’t said it aloud, Kakaros was the one I felt most uncomfortable with in the group.
Kyle was overly friendly, Elonen was kind, and while Gerard could be a jerk, he wasn’t hard to be around.
But Kakaros always wore a blank expression and said very little, making it impossible to read his thoughts. Plus, the way he referred to himself in the third person was… odd.
In the original novel, Kakaros wasn’t a particularly important character either. He was more like a quiet presence, barely there, just filling out the party roster.
Aside from his excellent tracking and pathfinding skills that made him useful to the group, I didn’t know much else about him.
“…Alright.”
Though I wasn’t keen on going with him, I figured he hadn’t said it with ill intent, so I nodded.
“Great, then you two go together. I’ll start preparing the meal in the meantime, so while you’re at it, could you also refill the water pouch?”
Elonen said, naturally handing me the leather canteen.
Kakaros silently took the lead. I followed behind him, and before long, a waterfall came into view.
It was already getting dark, so I couldn’t see any sign of fish. As I looked at the back of his head, I opened my mouth to speak.
“How do you even catch—Ugh!”
Kakaros suddenly turned around and, without warning, kicked me square in the solar plexus. I was thrown back before I could even react, slamming into a tree with a heavy thud.
“What the hell was—!”
“Stay still. If you move, your heart’ll get ripped right out.”
Kakaros’s hand reached directly for my heart. At the tips of his fingers, dangerously sharp claws had emerged.
That’s when I remembered. Kakaros had the ability to transform into a beast.
“Can you at least explain what’s going on…?”
As I protested in confusion, Kakaros suddenly thrust his face right up to mine. Alarmed by how close he was, I instinctively turned my head away.
He buried his nose in the crook of my neck and began sniffing, his breath warm on my skin.
“My senses are sharper than normal humans’. That’s why, the moment we entered the lair, I realized it smelled exactly the same as when I first met you.”
Thump-thump. My heart started racing. The hair on the back of my neck stood on end, and goosebumps crawled over my skin.
Just a moment ago he’d been speaking in his usual stilted way, but now his tone and gaze had completely changed, like he was someone else entirely.
“Wh-what are you talking about…”
“And your heartbeat—it’s different from a normal human’s. You’re trying to hide it, but I can feel faint traces of miasma leaking from your heart.”
With every word, his breath tickled my neck.
Swallowing hard, I glanced sideways at him. His eyes glowed like bright yellow starlight, the pupils long and vertical like a cat’s.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
I decided to play dumb for now. Kakaros grabbed my chin and forced my head to face him, staring into my eyes like he could pierce right through me.
“I don’t care what your connection to the Black Flame Dragon is, or what you’re scheming. I trust Kyle’s judgment, so I won’t ask further.”
His words surprised me enough to widen my eyes. I’d thought Kakaros had also been hurt by the Black Flame Dragon and wanted revenge.
“All I care about is protecting my family. But if you try anything stupid, I’ll rip your heart out while you’re still alive. Got it?”
His sharp claws dug into my skin. The sting of pain made me nod before I even realized it.
“…Got it.”
At my answer, Kakaros withdrew the hand that had been pressed against my chest.
“I’ll go catch the fish. Whether you go back or not, do as you please.”
Watching his back as he began to walk away, I swallowed hard.
I had the distinct feeling that this guy might turn out to be a serious threat.
