Kays Translations

Chapter 12: Exploration, Discovery, the Monster Forest

“Stop. This is a numbing mushroom. They can be used for pain relief!”

“Ohhh! We’ll harvest them right away!”

　At my instruction the knights immediately set about gathering the mushrooms. With painkillers to hand, a wounded man can walk back to the field hospital in the rear with a smile on his face. They work on headaches and menstrual cramps too, of course.

“As expected of you, Lord Julius. You’re very well informed.”

“No, look, I’ve got Appraisal, you see…”

“Ah, of course. So you do.”

　I kept my voice down as I spoke with Lionel. Only the knight order knows I can use Appraisal. I feel bad about it, but Gyre and Christopher don’t know either.

　The two of them are seven years old, the same as me. Still children. There’s every chance they’d let it slip.

“Lord Julius, what about that unfamiliar plant?”

“That one’s just a weed.”

“Isn’t this one a medicinal herb?”

　Gyre seemed to have found his composure, and he started hunting for materials alongside me. Christopher, on the other hand, was restlessly checking left and right.

“Yes, that’s right. I could take it home, but I don’t have a magic tool that can preserve it. Right — while we’re at it, let’s make a magic tool for storage containers.”

“You can make magic tools as well, Lord Julius?”

“But of course, my good Lionel. For that I’ll need a magic stone.”

“We need magic stones! Someone go and hunt some monsters!”

　Lionel’s order drew a deep, booming “Aye!” in reply. The clatter of armour knocking together receded into the distance. Will they be all right? They’ll be all right. Our knight order is strong.

　The proof of it was that for a long time now, no monster subjugation had produced a single death. Not even Grandmother’s high-grade recovery potions do you any good once you’re dead, after all.

　After that we pressed on, gathering medicinal herbs, antidote herb, numbing mushrooms, dust mushrooms and the like. And then at last I found it.

“Mana herb! I’ve finally found some. I never thought it would be this hard to track down.”

“Mana herb fetches a high price even at the Adventurers’ Guild. Adventurers most likely harvest it as their first priority.”

“I see. So no cultivation method has been established for it.”

“Far from it — no method has been established for growing ordinary medicinal herbs either.”

“Oh dear. Does that mean that me growing them makes me rather impressive?”

“…Could it be that you hadn’t realised?”

“…Mm.”

　Lionel was giving me the look you give a hopeless case, but never mind that. Paying no heed whatsoever to such stares, I collected the mana herb seedlings. Thanks to my ‘Transplant’ skill, I got them up cleanly. I’d like a few more clumps if I can manage it.

　After that we made a circuit of the forest, and I came away with three mana herb seedlings in total. I’d have liked about ten if possible, but it can’t be helped.

“Commander! Goblins again.”

“Again? Intercept them!”

“Understood!”

　Ever since we entered the monster forest, it seems we’ve been running into goblins at regular intervals. It’s no wonder Lionel says “again.” Mind you, a lone goblin is a weak monster, so they’re no match for the knight order.

“This really is the monster forest — there are a great many goblins.”

　Christopher, who had finally grown used to the monster forest, said it while keeping a wary eye on his surroundings.

“Goblins are the small fry of small fry. Maybe you should take one down yourself, Christopher, and get a feel for it?”

　Gyre, who had been allowed to finish off a goblin earlier, said it in high spirits. He must reckon he can win now. It had been softened up considerably first, mind. Otherwise, goblin or not, there’s no way a seven-year-old could have brought it down without a scratch.

　But something’s odd here.

“Lionel, this is the area where you carried out the subjugation the other day, isn’t it? Even so, are there normally this many goblins about?”

“…Certainly, something is strange. Ordinarily, neither goblins nor any other monsters should appear for some while afterwards. Were that not so, we should have to carry out monster subjugations far more often.”

“I’ve got a bad feeling about this. Could a group of goblins be trying to migrate into this forest from somewhere? Or have they already moved in?”

　Lionel folded his arms and closed his eyes. The men of the knight order watched him uneasily. Apparently it’s a habit of his when he’s thinking.

“We carry out a subjugation, and goblins move into the ground we’ve cleared of rival predators. That’s a plausible enough story. Let’s recall the scouts at once and have them investigate.”

“Indeed. Do that.”

　My ‘Search’ skill was picking something up. At this concentration of goblins, they must be building a village or something. Where have they come from?

　Goblins breed prolifically, so the sooner they’re crushed the better. But if I named the location outright, there’d be an uproar of “How could you possibly know that?”

　For the knight order, the ‘Search’ skill is one they’d want badly enough to taste. It makes a world of difference to both safety and intelligence. If word got out, I could well end up hearing “You simply must join the knight order!”

　I have to become a magic pharmacist, not a knight.

　There came the rustle of grass and branches brushing together, and a scout returned with information. There was a look of alarm on his face.

“What is it?”

“Commander, the goblins are building a settlement.”

“So it’s that. Lord Julius, how shall we proceed?”

“That depends on the goblins’ numbers. If we can manage it with the men we have, we crush them.”

　Lionel looked my way and nodded. Gyre’s and Christopher’s faces had gone pale.

“How many?”

“Roughly thirty.”

“Good. We destroy the goblin settlement. All hands, begin preparations.”

“Hah!”

　At Lionel’s command, equipment checks began at once and a plan of attack took shape. Accepting that a few would inevitably slip through, we settled on hitting them head-on. It would have been better had we been able to flank them, but there wasn’t time.

　The sun had already begun to sink. We were reaching the hour where we’d be caught by nightfall if we didn’t turn back soon. And in the end they’re only goblins. In numbers, we match them. There was no losing this.

“Right — commence the operation!”

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