Chapter 54: Practice

While drinking, I was shown the appraisal sheet, and the numbers lined up in a way completely different from my usual bird-hunting earnings.

• Brown Bear – 1 head: 1,450,000 Dara
• Red Bear – 2 heads: 900,000 × 2 = 1,800,000 Dara
• Big Elk – 4 head: 45,000 × 4 = 140,000 Dara
• Big Horn Boar – 3 head: 90,000 × 3 = 270,000 Dara
• High Orc – 3 head: 120,000 × 3 = 360,000 Dara
• Orc – 10 head: 85,000 × 10 = 850,000 Dara
• Black Goat – 4 head: 750,000 × 4 = 3,000,000 Dara

Total: 7,870,000 Darla.

“I earn decently from birds too, but… this is an incredible amount.”

“It’s only because you were with us that we got these.”

“The brown bear and black goats especially.”

“Yeah. Seeing how you dragged down black goats in a snowstorm… that’s a method none of us could have thought of.”

“For now, we’ll divide everything equally among the eight of us and deposit it at the guild. Leon, that okay with you?”

I agreed, and Jaeger took all our guild cards to the settlement counter.

* * * * * * *

After the deposits were made and guild cards returned, Jaeger said he was heading to the client to deliver the requested prey.

Payment would be transferred to the party account in two days, so we were told to meet in the guild cafeteria at noon two days later.

With some free time, I headed to the market to buy food, then left the city to test a magic I’d been thinking about.

I went to the place Jaeger once guided me to for dome-strength testing, cutting down six slender thorn trees along the way and shaving off all the thorns.

After carefully confirming that no one was nearby, I began practicing creating upward wind currents around my own body—training I had been doing on the way back to the capital.

Starting with a gentle breeze, I gradually strengthened it. My clothes and hair began lifting upward. I had a feeling this idea might actually work.

Since I didn’t have a lovely magical umbrella like that old lady who flew with one, I tied a long pole along the long edge of a tarp, and shorter poles on the short sides to make it roughly square…
But since it wouldn’t stay square, I had to search for new shorter poles.

By early afternoon I had made something like a crude kite. I held the center and produced a breeze.

The 3 m × 4 m tarp-kite lifted easily enough—but it was unstable.
If I relaxed even for a moment, it spun out of my grip and flew away in circles. Very dangerous.

That old lady holding her umbrella from the center under the handle… she had the right idea.

Adventurers’ round shields were sturdy, but seemed too small.
I thought of round, light things, but the only example that came to mind was a barrel lid.

Like a balloon… yes, a balloon!

I could make a large balloon like the ones used to slow fall, then lift that with upward wind.
Even if it failed, the falling speed would be slow, so injury would be less likely. And I bought healing potions anyway.

I surrounded myself with a [Hollow Balloon!] and gently applied [Updraft!]—
“Owahhh!”

A crosswind I hadn’t accounted for blew me sideways and sent me rolling.

Big balloons were too vulnerable to crosswinds. I downsized to a balloon about 3 meters in diameter so I could withstand lateral gusts.

It seemed promising, but still unstable. Without a way to stabilize the balloon on the updraft, I wouldn’t be able to fly.
So I suspended practice for now and headed back to the capital.

* * * * * * *

I took a street carriage to the Grandis Trading Company on Sandria Street. As always, I presented my ID and told the servant Nielsen I had come to see him.

Before I could sit down in the receiving room, Nielsen arrived.

“Did you get them?”

“Yes, two armored buffalo. And I also have a winter-coat gray fox.”

“A winter-coat gray fox?”

“You once mentioned silver foxes. Gray foxes in winter have pure white fur.”

“I’ll ask the master. Wait here.”

Nielsen hurried out, and before long returned—this time with Chairman Grandis himself and several guards.

“You’ve done well. Let me see the armored buffalo and this winter-coat gray fox.”

Jaeger bowed, and Grandis addressed him.

Nielsen nodded and guided us to the usual training yard used by the guards, where we laid out the armored buffalo and the gray fox.

Voices of astonishment rose from Grandis, Nielsen, and the guards.

“I’ve never seen an armored buffalo of this size. And this fox—what magnificent fur. Both of these shall be presented as gifts. Notify Chancellor Brighton.”

“What should we do about the reward for Jaeger’s group?”

“Compare with past auction records. That should suffice. Is that acceptable?”

“Yes, thank you very much.”

“By the way, can you obtain a Siamese or Golden Goat?”

“On the way back, the blizzard made it impossible to see anything. But before that, we managed to get four black goats, which we already submitted to the guild.”

“Black goats… well, with the armored buffalo this time, that is enough. But if you obtain Siamese or Golden Goat, you must bring them.”

“About that—those two are extremely fast, and beyond our ability. However, the man who accompanied us as defense might be able to.”

“You vouch for his skill?”

“He is the man who provided us a dome during the storm between Korfultz and Randol when we served as guards. He recently came to the capital, so we asked his help for the armored buffalo—and he exceeded expectations. With his strong winds and whirlwinds… perhaps. But, he was once pursued by the Warrens Company, so even if that danger is now gone, I don’t know whether he will accept Grandis-sama’s request. And one more thing: he is a master at capturing Chikki-Chikki Birds and Runner Birds. In a week to ten days he earns around three million Darla.”

“Why would a man of such ability agree to that person’s request?”

“I think it was curiosity. He’s been an adventurer for two and a half years now, and since he works solo, it seems he wanted to hone his skills.”

“I see. Then tell him this: if he can hunt and provide Siamese and Golden Goat, I will add a very satisfying bonus on top of the auction price.”

When I went to the guild cafeteria, the members of Fang were already waiting eagerly, all of them smiling.
After grabbing an ale and taking my seat, they handed me a sheet of paper.

Armored Buffalo – 4,200,000 × 2 = 8,400,000 dara
Grey Fox – 1,800,000 dara
Total: 10,200,000 dara
Split evenly among eight people → 1,275,000 dara each.

Including the share from the other prey: 983,000 dara.
Altogether, each person receives 2,258,000 dara.

An incredible amount of money on paper, but once split eight ways, it becomes much more modest—can’t be helped.
Since I’m used to taking the full reward myself, I guess my sense of scale is warped.

“The Armored Buffalo’s price is impressive, but the Grey Fox was 1,800,000 dara?”

“The pure-white winter coat is rare, so we got a good price. Anyway, about the Siamese and Golden Goat—we’ve been asked to hunt them, but they’re too difficult for us. So if you happen to bring one down, let me know before you turn it in to the guild.”

“Is that another request?”

“Yeah. Apparently far fewer of them get put up for auction compared to Armored Buffalo, and they taste exquisite. Same for the Golden Goat. He plans to offer them as a gift to the royal family.”

“A tribute? …Is it alright for me to hunt in that area?”

“You saw what it was like with the Black Goat, right? They’re only huntable when they happen to be nearby. As for the Siamese—close combat is impossible, arrows are deflected by the feathers, and on top of that they’re vicious and incredibly fast. But after seeing you catch a Black Goat using a whirlwind, I figured you might be able to manage it.”

“With the dome and the whirlwind together, Leon is basically unstoppable.”

“The merchant company isn’t taking a commission or anything. I’m just passing along the request—handling it or not is entirely up to you. If you do take their requests, they’ll treat you well.”

If I ever get the ability to fly, I might go once, but I won’t make any promises.

“When spring comes, I might go take a look, but I won’t touch the Armored Buffalo.”

“Heh, it’s not like we’re the only ones hunting there. You can take one down if you like.”

Very generous, considering a new hunter in that zone would reduce their earnings.

“Going back and forth takes about a month, so I wouldn’t want to go many times.
I am curious about the Sham and Golden Goat since I’ve never seen them, though.
But honestly, I feel more comfortable making pocket money hunting birds nearby.”

“Yeah, that sounds like you.”
“To say that even after earning this much… do you have no greed, or…”
“If you hunted seriously, you could reach Gold Rank in a year or two.”
“Guess he just isn’t interested.”

“If that noble hadn’t interfered, I never would’ve left my old town.
Noble trouble is a hassle, so the Submaster told me to leave town for about two years.
I plan on returning once things cool down. That’s why I want to avoid unnecessary trouble.”

“You’re in conflict with another noble too?”

“He suddenly fired a Fireball at me. When I countered, it turned out one of them was the sixth son of a Count.”

“Ahh—say no more. If someone attacks you, it’s an adventurer’s nature to fight back.
Anyone who gets themselves killed in return… well, that’s just how it is.”