The Tanaka Family Reincarnates

Chapter 17 – A Punch in a Pinch

Emma’s feet head towards a large park in the middle of the town.

This park is a natural park, so it’s quite vast. Emma has come here before to collect insects.

When I heard a cat in my room, I didn’t expect it to be this far, and I didn’t think that I would come here.

On the way, I knew in the corner of my mind that the long jump I did when I got involved with the drunkards was weird. Even so, I couldn’t stop because the cat’s cry that continues even until now.

I put off everything except the thing I’m most curious about for later. Emma’s nature couldn’t be suppressed even now when Minato, who is aware of the reincarnation, is conscious. I don’t understand how it works, but Emma and Minato becomes one individual without any discomfort.

・・・

Aaoo

Aaoo

The cat is calling.

When I entered the park, I saw human figures again.

With a number of people that’s incomparable to the drunkards a while ago.

“Where did it go!”

“Search! Increase the lights!”

I throw a side glance to the men who were speaking about searching something and run again with a *whoosh*.

The men are equipped like when Father and Older Brother go hunting for monsters, but hunters are the so-called civil servants hired in the territory. They are not as rough as those men in the park.

Although they look strong, hunters in Palace territory properly take care of their appearance.

They took care of Emma when she was collecting insects, so if it’s Palace territory’s hunters, I more or less remember their faces.

That means they’re bounty hunters from other territories? Or hoodlums?

Let’s pass through without having anything to do with them.

“What’s that! Just now!”

A surprised men’s voice came from behind the running Emma.

“Is it a cat?”

“You found it?!”

“No? That was…? A gi…rl?”

“?! Isn’t she too fast?”

It seems those men were searching for a cat.

Did they come together to pursue the cat’s voice that’s heard from somewhere?

After all, one cat equals one house’s price.

…Emma turns her head while running.

Why are those men looking for a cat? Even though it’s over there.

Emma knows certainly where the cat is. The cat’s voice is calling for Emma. Why am I searching when I already come this close? Although I can’t see its figure, I’m sure it’s there.

Just a little more.

Just less than 100 meters.

When I’m about to put more strength into my legs, I’m caught in something.

I fall forward with momentum.

“Hurt!… Eh, it doesn’t?”

The moment I was going to fall, the spider shot out threads that became a cushion.

Thanks to that, I’m uninjured even when I fell at top speed.

When I check my captured leg, something wrap around it. As I followed its direction, I saw the hand of a bounty hunter.

A whip?

The tip of that man’s whip wrapped around my leg.

“What are you doing!”

I shout without thinking, but rather than that, I should have escaped…

I’m surrounded by countless men before I could unravel the whip.

“Out for a late-night run, Young Lady?”

The men gather around me with an unpleasant smile.

It seems there’s no chance to escape, and they won’t let me either.

“Ah… Um…”

I’m so absorbed that I don’t see the surroundings, which I often regret and reflect later, but right I can’t joke about it. I have a hunch that it’s a little dangerous.

At least I have to save the spider, but when I touch my head, there’s no spider. It may have fallen from the impact when I fell.

“Head-! She’s quite a beauty?”

“Isn’t what she’s wearing high-quality silk?”

A man approaches Emma to touch her clothes.

“Please don’t touch me!”

I slapped the man’s stretched hand without thinking.

“It hurts! Don’t get cocky just because we’re nice to you!”

The slapped man gets mad and raises his hand.

‘I’m going to be hit!’ I close my eyes and protect my head with both hands.

But, nothing happens.

“?”

In Emma’s, who is currently looking down, ears, there’s a *swoosh* sound of cutting the wind, followed by a *thump* sound of something falling.

There’s a sound, but nothing is hitting Emma.

“Uwah-“

“What is it!”

I can hear the flustered voices of those men.

Swoosh

Thump

Swoosh

Thump

“Uwah-!”

“Argh-!”

Swoosh

Thump

Swoosh

Thump

I raise my head timidly…

Swoosh

A flying man…

Thump

Then a falling man… sound.