Kays Translations

 Chapter 12: Presence in the Depths of the Forest

"I never expected a creature to be in such a shallow place."

"Yeah. It's definitely strange."

Hidden in the shadows of the trees, we observe a monster lingering by the stream in the forest. It's a location relatively close to Malhas, and many people come here for fishing. However, the monster we see calmly drinking water sends a shiver down our spines.

"What should we do?"

"Obviously, we'll take it down. Monster materials can be a decent source of income."

After my response, Rolo nods and casts enhancement magic on me. After waiting for that, I swiftly jump out, raising my war mace towards a bear-like monster.

"Grr!?"

Whether it was careless or engrossed in something, the monster allowed my surprise attack. The creature lets out a scream, bouncing two or three times and crashing into a tree trunk, where it remains motionless.

"As expected, your brute strength is impressive, Jurg."

"Is that a compliment?"

"Of course."

Smiling, Fimia pats my shoulder.

"Even so, encountering a Grayback Bear, such as this one, is quite an event."

"Yeah. It was a good call to warn everyone in the village."

"Right after starting the investigation, we come across this. The future looks challenging."

Looking at the subjugated Grayback Bear lying on the ground, I let out a light sigh. This oversized monster, measuring over two meters, is a highly aggressive monster that inhabits the deeper regions of the forest – the territory of monster creatures. Like the Vampire Goat we encountered earlier, it's not the kind of monster you'd want to casually encounter in public. If it appears, the Adventurer's Guild would dispatch a party for subjugation.

"Since we're here, let's clean it and bleed it. We can sell the fur and eat the meat. It might not be very tasty, though."

"I'd like some ginger or pepper."

"Ah, Fimia. Surprisingly knowledgeable about this, huh?"

"Jurg, you could use some too, you know."

Even though she's an excellent lady, it's unexpected that she has expertise in cooking. I don't know much about this woman, but with such a fine appearance, one might expect her to harbor some emotions, even if not for Albert. However, she occasionally glances at me, evaluating me as if appraising something – it's a bit unnerving.

"What's wrong, Jurg?"

"Nothing. Just──!"

I stop the conversation and signal with hand signs to alert both of them. Perhaps, despite the familiarity of the area, we've become too complacent.

"..."

The forest is unusually quiet. Usually, the cries of animals and birds can be heard from various directions, but now, only the sound of the river flowing is audible. Even the crawling insects seem to have hushed their noise.

"This presence feels unsettling. It's not very close, but not so far either."

"Yeah. It feels like my legs are getting numb. Is it directed at us?"

Rolo and I direct our gaze deep into the forest. Fimia remains silent, but she seems to sense the abnormality.

"We need to confirm it in person. I can't report anything to the guild without doing that. I'll be back in a moment."

"Wait, Jurg."

"Hm?"

I try to rush out, but Rolo grabs my hand and shakes his head.

"No reckless actions, alright?"

"I won't do anything reckless. Early surveilance is my job."

"Jurg, you always go ahead with early surveilance and start fighting on your own, right?"

A dry laugh escapes in response to Rolo's frank words.

Certainly, there is a mountain of past incidents, but with Fimia, even such recklessness is possible. Besides, without confirming it here, it won't be possible to request an investigation from the Adventurer's Guild.

"Alright. I'll check and come back."

"Promise?"

"I promise. I'll come back for sure."

After a brief silence, the grip on my hand weakens. This time, my determination prevails.

"Fimia, sorry, but I'll need your enhancement magic."

"..."

"Is something wrong, Fimia?"

"Ah, I'm sorry. I was thinking about the true identity of the monster."

Despite her relaxed expression, it seems like she's pondering about something. It's not the first time, but I don't bother about it now.

"Enhancement magic, please. Protection, arrow deflection, poison resistance, and fire resistance. Is that good enough?"

"You're still efficient as ever."

"It's to keep up with your recklessness."

The aftermath of my recklessness always falls on Fimia's shoulders. It seems she has developed a habit of ensuring accidents don't happen.

"Well then, off I go. Be a good girl and wait."

With a still dissatisfied look, I tousle the head of my best friend, and then I sprint at full speed.

I used to share the role of scout in "Silhasta" with Rolo initially, but it became more efficient for me to handle it alone due to the increasing workload.

My style, receiving maximum enhancement, involved reconnaissance and preemptive scouting. It was a perfect fit for "Silhasta." With me, we could go for an all-out assault and swiftly end the battle with minimal casualties. Rolo wasn't thrilled about it, much like now.

"Now, where are you?"

Speaking to myself, I run through the unexplored area. I try to avoid other monsters as much as possible, but their numbers are still considerable. Moreover, I encounter monsters that shouldn't be in such places.

While scanning the surroundings, I suddenly collide with a thick wall of intense hostility. It's the same presence as before.

"..."

To avoid attracting attention, I silently climb a sturdy tree and carefully observe the surroundings. It's been a while since I performed preemptive scouting rather than a forced reconnaissance, and it feels fresh. What I saw confirmed that it was the right decision.

"Scarred Beast...!"

Unintentionally, the creature's name escapes my lips. It's the name of the target for the long-standing "Special Subjugation Request" posted at the Adventurer's Guild.

The infamous and named monster, Manticore, a human-faced lion, said to have led a group of monster creatures in a wild rampage, destroying a fortress in a certain kingdom.

It was casually strolling through the forest.

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