Argna and Yola, and the Centaurs, I bid farewell.
As we were told, we decided to head back to town. As we passed through the gate, people were busy with reconstruction. Several Centaurs, following Tad, were walking around.
By the way, the armory Karubene had destroyed had turned into a large, scorched black mark.
“Is the explosion sound we heard from inside that?”
Philiana shielded her eyes from the sun with her hand and looked up.
“Honestly, I thought I was going to die.”
It seemed the explosion was loud enough to be heard outside, and everyone’s faces were contorted in fear. Then, in the center of town, we saw Tad talking busily while holding several papers.
I quietly called out to him from the side, so as not to get in the way. He turned around with a smile I had never seen before.
“Oh, you’re here. It’s still tattered, but please, make yourself at home.”
“Is everything alright now?”
“What do you mean ‘alright’? Ah, you mean about the humans. Don’t worry, I’ve acquired the rights to this town.”
Then he told us about his future plans. He was more spirited than when we first met, as if he had found his calling. Philiana smiled, looking happy at his demeanor.
“I’m glad. You looked troubled. Aren’t you returning to your herd?”
“I’ve left that to my brother. I’m starting a new business here. Speaking of which, Philiana, how about Argna? He’s refreshing, but a bit reserved.”
Philiana frowned at Tad, who was acting like a doting uncle. Karubene nudged Tad in the side with his elbow.
“What are you saying? He already has the perfect girl for him.”
Tad seemed to not understand Karubene’s meaningful wink.
“See, maybe you don’t get it. Actually, you’re the one who’s hopeless!”
“What do you mean ‘hopeless’… Ah, ah, I see now.”
Everyone sighed in relief, but the person in question was just laughing and scratching his head. I happened to notice a horse walking nearby and remembered Philiana’s hooves.
“Right, the horseshoes. Don’t you need to have them fitted?”
“Horseshoes? You mentioned that, didn’t you? There’s a farrier in the stable.”
Philiana and I did as we were told and went to the stable. We called out to a man who was hammering a horseshoe, like a blacksmith.
“Excuse me, could you fix her horseshoe?”
The man looked up and replied, “Ah.”
“Huh, I thought you guys didn’t wear them,” he said.
While saying that, he skillfully tied Philiana’s leg to the fence. Then, he measured the size of her hoof with an old ruler, and pressed the heated horseshoe against it. White smoke rose from the gaps. After removing it again, he hammered it, gradually shaping it.
Finally, he pressed it against the hoof and hammered in the long nails.
“It looks painful. Doesn’t it hurt?”
“Well, if I had to say, it’s just boring. I wish I could read a book. Oh, could you get one from my bag?”
It was just like being at a beauty salon. I handed her a book, as it looked like it would take a while, and decided to gather the necessary supplies.
