Whale Hunt (4)

Right. Hidden missions are meant to be cleared — that's why they're made in the first place. I'd been certain a clue would turn up somewhere.

The appearance of the Sky Whales, the elves' ambush, the conversation between Roxanne and the unit commander. All of it was connected.

A quiet satisfaction settled over me. It wasn't just luck — every step had been the product of my own choices. Reveal my strength, bring the fighting to a halt…

"Commander?"

The unit commander's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. Ah, right — I'd gotten carried away by the news that I could secure an airship.

"What would you like to do? Shall we send it back?"

"No, let it stay."

"You may face questions later about why the airship wasn't returned, sir."

"That's fine. I can take responsibility. I'm sick to death of these mountains. Once the job is done, waiting around for an airship or walking back down — I'd rather not."

"Well, if you insist…"

The unit commander nodded in easy acceptance. He never said it outright, but I suspected he knew I'd parachuted into this position — that I had connections above.

A commander who dropped in from the sky. Not a bad gig, actually.

With connections upstairs, I'd hardly face a reprimand — and even if I did…

By the time this floor was over, the one getting chewed out wouldn't be me anyway.

"Oh, right — that reminds me. Where was the temporary landing pad again?"

"Pardon?"

"I left something dear to me on the airship I rode in on. I was thinking of retrieving it, but my memory's terrible — I can't quite recall which direction it was."

"Ah… I see. It's on the side of Peak Twenty-One."

"Aha, now I remember. Thank you."

"Then I'll take my leave."

"Of course. I'll be working on a plan to capture the elves myself."

The unit commander saluted and turned to go.

Then a question struck me. If airships were available nearby, why weren't they being used to hunt the Sky Whales?

I'd only intended to use one for escape, but from the extermination squad's perspective, it was an obvious tool as well.

I called after the commander as he was leaving the barracks.

"Commander."

"Yes, Commander."

"I'm a little curious — why don't you hunt from an airship? Sprinkle the lure incense from above, and the hunt would be a breeze."

Up in the sky, the elves' interference couldn't reach them. And if there were airships used for trade, there had to be ones built for combat too. Surely deploying a combat airship would be far easier than sending out a squad like this?

The unit commander stared at me with a baffled expression.

"Are you really asking because you don't know?"

"I am."

Would I ask questions I already knew the answer to, just to pass the time?

When I kept staring, blank-faced, his expression grew complicated. "Uh, Commander, no matter how…"

He swallowed the rest of the sentence in a hurry. If I had to guess, he'd been about to say something like, Even for a parachute hire, this is a bit much…

He let out a sigh, then looked at me the way one might regard a small child.

"You're aware, of course, that under the Continental Accord, the elves don't attack airships. But when it comes to the Sky Whales, that agreement goes out the window."

So such a treaty even existed. I gave a small nod.

"They're spirit wielders. A group of them working the wind spirits together could cripple an airship without breaking a sweat."

Right — spirits. Roxanne had used a wind spirit earlier, too. It had been my first time seeing one since coming to the Tower, and I'd found it fascinating. But the fact that such power could tear an airship apart was genuinely surprising.

"Risking that just to hunt Sky Whales is bad business. No matter how expensive a Sky Whale is, next to the price of an airship it's a drop in the bucket."

"Hmm, I see. Thank you."

As I answered coolly, all business, the unit commander added one cautious remark.

"Commander, I know you're stronger than anyone could have imagined… but going forward, I'd suggest assessing the situation on the ground before you act."

It was phrased diplomatically, but what he meant was: act like a normal person. Well, I supposed he'd cursed me out in his head a time or two as well.

It stung a little, honestly. Who would choose to show up like this? I'd wanted to arrive knowing things too.

But there was no point snapping at the unit commander over it, so I simply nodded.

"You're right. Thanks for the advice."

The unit commander saluted once more and turned away.

Right after that, I sank back into thought, organizing everything that had happened so far.

The airship problem was solved. I didn't know its exact location, but if I went to Peak Twenty-One, it would be somewhere nearby.

What remained was diverting the Sky Whale lure incense, and talking with Roxanne.

Stealing the lure incense won't be hard.

They'd hauled it out in no time when the Sky Whales appeared during the day. It was probably stacked in some supply warehouse. Hide myself with the Shadow Veil, stuff it all into the Mimic — the easiest job of the bunch.

The talk with Roxanne can wait.

Going now felt a little off, somehow. Night would be better.

No matter how much authority the unit commander had over the squad's operations, I couldn't ignore the eyes of the rank-and-file. A commander vanishing from his post in broad daylight was far too conspicuous.

Especially when I'd already revealed my strength and held a conversation with the enemy.

Piloting the airship looks like it'll work out easier than I thought…

The words "temporary landing pad" implied there were people stationed there to fly the things. Well, everyone values their own life — a little persuasion, meaning threats, should do the trick.

As for dealing with the hunters, I'd have to play that by ear when the moment came.

Now that the airship was actually secured, all the worry I'd carried around felt rather pointless. Hidden missions are made to be cleared, one way or another. Even if crisis struck, there would be a way through.

And if the airship gets shot down, I'll just kill the whales with my own two hands.

It wasn't baseless confidence. I could fire off a Lightning Bolt, or butcher the thing with a harpoon gun. From the ground, no one seemed capable of standing against me.

Even if the extermination squad came after me, a one-man guerrilla campaign would be manageable.

"Dobby, get some rest. We might be busy tonight."

"Kkiik! Got it!"

With everything that had been weighing on my mind now neatly settled, I felt considerably lighter. Time to set my worries down for a while and rest.

Night comes early in the mountains. The moment the sun slipped behind the western peaks, the Tumei range was plunged into utter darkness.

Apart from the few squad members on watch, even the camp itself was still.

The instant I stepped out of the barracks, I activated the Shadow Veil.

"Stay quiet, and follow me closely."

Dobby nodded solemnly, his face rigid. He knew something was about to happen, and his expression was one of grim resolve — which was, honestly, rather adorable.

I gave him a small smile, then set off again.

Patrolling squad members brushed right past us, and true to form, noticed nothing.

Hmm, the warehouse should be around there…

I made for the place the squad members had hurried toward earlier when the Sky Whales appeared.

I hadn't yet settled the departure timing with Roxanne, but I'd decided to grab the lure incense first. The elves' primary goal was stopping the extermination squad, after all — they wouldn't have anything else on their plate tonight.

My plan was to steal the airship outright this very night.

Huh?

When I reached the supply warehouse, the situation was decidedly awkward. A sentry stood posted at the entrance, and the warehouse door was locked.

The lock was no problem, but the sentry was.

Even if I'm stealing the airship tonight…

I couldn't very well lay hands on a guard out in the open. The night watch rotated every two or three hours, so even if I knocked him out, the next guard would find ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠him within three.

And I have no idea how long the talk with the elves will take.

One slip, and the squad might reach the airship before we did. The longer it took them to realize I'd betrayed them, the better.

What do I do?

Just as I was racking my brain, a spark of an idea flashed through my mind.

I circled around behind the warehouse and dropped the Shadow Veil. Leaving Dobby waiting for a moment, I strolled leisurely toward the sentry.

"Hard at work, I see. Keeping a good watch?"

"C-Commander! Yes, sir! Right on it, sir!"

The man snapped to attention and saluted in a rush. Beneath the flustered look was a flicker of fear — no doubt a leftover from the day's events.

I clapped him on the shoulder.

"How long have you been on duty?"

"About an hour now, sir."

"Then you've still got a while to go. Go take a bathroom break. If you smoke, have yourself a cigarette too."

"Yes…?"

The sentry threw out a bewildered question, then quickly straightened himself. "No, sir! I'm fine!"

But I could see the corner of his mouth creeping upward.

Figured. I knew this would happen. No one on duty refuses this kind of consideration from a superior — I certainly never did. And for a smoker, even less so.

It was the smell of cigarettes clinging to him that had given me the idea. He couldn't light up anywhere near a supply warehouse, so he'd have to go a good distance away.

I gave the man's shoulder a gentle push.

"Hurry back, now. Don't take too long."

When I said it with an easy smile, he finally stopped trying to hide his grin.

"Oh — and I hate cigarette smoke, so smoke as far away as you can."

"Haha, understood, sir! Thank you so much, Commander! I'll be right back!"

I answered with a smile instead of words. Worried I might change my mind, the sentry scurried off at a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠trot.

The moment he vanished from view, I pulled the universal slime key from my Mimic. I'd bought it at the shop after passing through Floor 27, Roteis's Hospital. I never imagined I'd use it this soon, but it was sure earning its keep.

I pressed it against the lock, and the slime key slid inside, molding itself to the shape of the mechanism.

It's supposed to open the moment it hardens, right?

Click—

The instant the door swung open, the scent of the lure incense I'd smelled during the day drifted out from somewhere within. I hurried inside and found it stacked in sacks, some forty bags' worth.

Should be more than enough, no?

I swept every last bag into the Mimic. With superhuman strength, it didn't take long at all.

Then I slipped back out, relocked the door, and waited leisurely for the sentry to return.

About a minute later, the man reappeared in the distance. He quickened his pace, came up to me, and saluted.

"Thank you, Commander!"

"Don't mention it. Good work out here."

"You take care, sir!"

I turned away with a wave. Mmm… seeing him beaming like that did stir a twinge of guilt.

If the unit commander discovered tomorrow that the warehouse was empty of lure incense… I could see exactly how that sentry's future would unfold. Knowing the commander's strict streak from the day, the man would not have ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠a pleasant time of it.

I offered a brief, silent prayer for the sentry's future.

Finding Roxanne wasn't difficult. I channeled mana into the ring, and the wind rose to guide me.

Time was of the essence, so I practically ran the whole way with Dobby tucked in my arms. After sprinting ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠for perhaps thirty minutes, I finally spotted the elven camp.

Twang!

An arrow came flying at us — but I could tell it wasn't aimed at me, so I stayed where I was. It buried itself in the ground just shy of my feet, its fletching quivering back and forth.

"Human! Turn back if you value your life!"

The wary shout left me puzzled. Had Roxanne not told them?

Come to think of it, she'd only said we'd talk once I secured an airship — nothing had been confirmed yet. I could understand her position.

To show I had no hostile intent, I raised both arms toward the sky and shouted back.

"I'm the extermination commander who spoke with Roxanne this afternoon! Tell Roxanne I've found a way!"