10. Search Request
For a simple search mission—just hunting for traces—I didn't pack much. A crossbow, seven magazines holding about twenty bolts each, and a few magic tools that might come in handy for tracking, just in case. With Bella at my side, I climbed the mountains north of Tronen.
Thanks to that, seven magazines dangled from my belt, every pocket bulged with magic tools, and I'd even filled my canteen with water—an essential for mountain climbing. I looked like some lone soldier loaded for bear. Topping it off was the handmade leather armor Cheong-ah had sewn for me.
Bella eyed my getup and snorted. “Hey, is that what you call 'not much'? Do you really need all those magazines jangling from your belt?”
“You never know. There might be a fight.”
“Fight my ass. If it gets to the point where you have to step in, I'll have ended it already.”
I trailed after the grumbling Bella. She always seemed to pick fights when she had nothing to say or things got awkward.
We climbed on like that until—suddenly—Bella stopped at some spot and said, “Hey, fuck. I'm starting to get tired. You okay?”
“What? How far have we even gone for you to be tired?”
“Hoo. Dunno. Maybe that booze from last night hasn't worn off yet?”
“When the hell did you sneak a drink alone? Cheong-ah'll chew you out if she catches you.”
“What're you talking about? I drank with that bitch Cheong-ah last night.”
“......Huh?”
Drank with Cheong-ah...? I froze. Cheong-ah had eaten dinner with us, gone on that evening stroll, then washed up and fallen asleep beside me first. When the hell did they drink?
As my expression shifted, Bella smacked her forehead like she'd just remembered. “Oh shit... Cheong-ah told me not to tell. Hey, pretend you didn't hear that.”
“I already heard it—how am I supposed to pretend? So when did you drink?”
“Uh, at dawn? Just a little? A tiny bit?”
“Haa... A little, my ass. Where'd you drink?”
“In, uh, my room? Hey, but really, just a little. We didn't even finish one bottle!”
“Fine, whatever.”
I ground my teeth a bit. What the hell was with sneaking out at dawn while I slept to drink with Bella? It's not like I'd ever stopped her. If she'd just said she wanted a drink with Bella, I wouldn't have batted an eye. But keeping it secret pissed me off a little.
Bella's face clouded with unease at my expression. “Ian, don't tell Cheong-ah I said anything, okay?”
“I'll handle it.”
I mulled over what punishment to give Cheong-ah when we got back, but Bella nudged my side and jumped to her defense. “Come on, though—when Cheong-ah drinks, all she talks about is you. 'My husband this, my husband that.' It's all bragging about you if you listen.”
“Ahem, really?”
For some reason, my irritation melted away, and the corner of my mouth twitched up.
“Yeah, see? Don't be too hard on her.”
“Sigh, fine. I'll pretend I didn't hear a thing. Cheong-ah probably wants some alone time with you now and then. Whatever.”
“For real? Thanks, man.”
“Anyway, let's keep climbing. We've rested enough.”
“What? Already? We barely...”
I soothed the whining Bella and got her moving. Back up the mountain path we went.
How far had we climbed when suddenly—a vibration buzzed from my pants pocket.
“Nng? What the...?”
I stopped to fish it out, and Bella turned back. “Hey, what're you doing?”
“Hold on. Why's this thing suddenly vibrating?”
It was a small, pebble-shaped magic tool.
“What's that? Did you buy another weird thing? Cheong-ah didn't say shit?”
“Bought it a while back. Before she could yell at me.”
“So what does it do? Why's it shaking like crazy?”
“Nothing special... It just lets you know if blood's been spilled nearby.”
“Blood? Heh, weird shit exists.”
“Yeah, well. Some detective wizard made it, but he said it's useless—better to just cast a spell. So it was dirt cheap. Thought it was cool.”
It wasn't high-end. For the price of barely more than a single gold coin—when magic tools usually started at one—it was basically junk, just covering the magic stone cost. All it did was vibrate if there were bloodstains around.
I'd tossed it in my bag after buying it, but grabbed it on a whim today. Now that it was going off, I scanned the surroundings.
It meant blood had spilled somewhere nearby... Problem was, it only alerted to bloodstains—didn't pinpoint where. And only on floors or walls, not fresh wounds on a body. Seemed useful at first, but nah—pretty worthless. Still, cheap collectible.
“So, bloodstains nearby, right? Hold up. I'll look around.”
“You?”
“Might be a trap. Better me than your weak ass.”
“Pfft, who was huffing after a little climb earlier?”
“That was the hangover.”
Bella snatched the tool and prowled around. She headed up the path first—no vibe. Backtracked.
“Not that way. Vibration stopped.”
“Guess it's close, then.”
“Ugh, annoying.”
Bella scratched her head and veered off-path. I stood watching her back. Tight leather armor like a leotard, pants of some mystery hide. She wasn't wearing that black cloak lately. Each step made her ass cheeks flex noticeably in those snug pants. Sturdy, healthy thighs—different from Cheong-ah's slim waist flaring to wide hips. Bella was just built bigger overall. East vs. West body types? Both gorgeous and sexy, but different vibes.
Staring at that swaying ass, my lower half started to ache.
...Tch. No, don't get hard.
As I debated humming the national anthem in my head, Bella yelled like she'd found something. “Hey, Ian! Come here!”
“What? Over there?”
I paused mid-climb, shoved a hand in my pants, and adjusted my now fully erect cock. Guys get it—positioning matters. Especially hard; wrong spot and running or walking sucks.
Bella whipped her head away in a panic. “No, hey! What the fuck are you doing?!”
“Wait! This is serious!”
“You fucking... Perverted bastard! What the hell's so important about that?! Out in public?!”
“It's important to a guy!”
Honestly, it was her fault...
I fixed it quick and climbed up casually. The bulge was obvious; Bella couldn't look my way.
“Argh, fuck... Seriously. Why'd it get hard all of a sudden? What the hell.”
“Hey, I couldn't help it.”
“Help what?”
“Guys get hard seeing a pretty, sexy woman. Especially if she's mine.”
“You psycho... So you're saying you got hard looking at me?”
“Yeah.”
“Fuck, you asshole? Cut the bullshit! For real!”
Her face flushed like a bomb about to blow; she raised a fist like she'd deck me.
“Hey, if you hit me now, I'll tumble down here. You know that'd be bad, right?”
“Hah, fuck. Quit screwing around and look at this.”
Bella jabbed irritably at the ground. Following her finger: dirt, wood chips, tree root.
“What's this? Just a root?”
“Look at that root. Different color from the side.”
“Oh? You're right.”
The spot she pointed to was darker, like dried blood on the root—maroon-brown.
“Dried blood,” I said.
Bella nodded calmly and explained. Her serious demeanor felt off from her usual self.
“Yeah. Dried blood. Floor looks normal from afar, but up close? All blood. Means a big hole punched in 'em or a limb hacked off, at least.”
“So, Bella—is this the trace?”
“Not sure, but probably... Ian, duck!”
Mid-sentence, Bella slammed my head down. A long spear whistled over us.
Thuk! It embedded in a tree, piercing deep.
Bella snapped her head up and roared toward the throw's direction. A guttural, metallic screech answered.
“Which fucking bastard are you?!”
“Kurrrk... Missed by a hair.”
It was a hulking brute—muscular, green-skinned, jutting tusks like a wild boar.
“Orc...”
Dozens more like it encircled us. Bella raised her greatsword, sidling close, and muttered, “Fuck, Ian. We're screwed.”
“...Yeah, same thought here.”
I slowly raised my crossbow.