Chapter 32
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 32
Chapter Title: Skarnas's Great Crow
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“Caw! Cawww!”
Suddenly, a black crow let out a piercing cry.
Its feathers, rippling like shadows, scattered around.
The adventurers steeled themselves.
Sure, it was something pretending to be a crow, but it wasn't that big anyway.
Large for a crow, but unmistakably small compared to a human.
With five adventurers gathered, there was no way it'd charge recklessly.
The moment that thought crossed their minds, they saw it.
Crack.
The crow's neck twisting at an unnatural angle.
They knew birds could bend their joints flexibly like that, whipping their heads around wildly.
Owls and such were a prime example.
So what had just happened wasn't all that shocking.
Except the thing doing it was a crow, not an owl.
“Cawk... Kaw, cawww!”
Not just turning backward, but rotating up and down—it was a sight that terrified even the warrior Hans.
“H-Huh?!”
Hans couldn't hold back a scream-like yelp.
But no one blamed him.
If it hadn't been him, it would've been one of them.
“Almighty Arias, protect us with your eternal light. Almighty Arias...”
Priestess Mary clasped her hands and rapidly recited her prayer.
“Kawkawkawk.”
The crow smirked at Mary as she prayed.
Normally, they'd question how a bird could smile, but everyone here now knew it was possible.
“With your eternal light...”
The sky remained indifferently dark.
No light would come down in the dead of night.
The moment Mary despaired, light arrived.
“Caw, kawkawkawk.”
Three colors of intense light.
Beams shot from the crow's madly spinning head, mocking Mary.
“Kyaaah!”
She had no choice but to scream the one she'd been holding back.
When had anyone ever seen a crow spew light while spinning its head like that?
No matter how you looked at it, that thing wasn't a crow.
It had given up even pretending to be one.
So what would come next?
What would that monstrosity do now that it had lost interest in the crow act?
Terror gripped Hans's eyes once more, reflecting something grotesque.
He saw it.
A face in the black feathers.
“Ooooh!”
A black girl with hollow eyes.
“Kwaaaah!”
Hans cast aside his warrior pride and screamed.
A lace—a rare black variant at that—slumbered within his body.
“Kyaaak!”
At the horrific sight, Mary halted her prayer and screamed.
Fear is contagious, they say.
Even the elf Agwen unwittingly let out a shrill cry, turning the place into pandemonium in an instant.
“E-Ethan!”
“Tch. Everyone fall back for now! Exploration's over—retreat!”
Ethan stepped forward, sword in hand.
He needed to buy time for his comrades to escape.
“Cawww. Caw, kawkaw.”
The crow spun its head as if intrigued by the display.
“Ooooh!”
The black lace sprouting from its wings cried out in delight too.
That was when they prepared to retreat.
Whoosh.
Suddenly, black flames erupted from the ground.
“Damn it, everyone—just run!”
It was a shadow-like flame even Ethan had never seen.
Best not to approach something unknown.
As he retreated, Ethan plotted to land one hit on the crow.
His silver longsword could surely damage such a creature.
Hummm.
His sword resonated once.
As if vowing to cleave the ominous being.
The instant he thrust it forward...
“W-Wait, Ethan!”
Erica held him back.
“What are you doing right now?! Get to the side...”
“Hold on! No, don't— just go! Something's off!”
Ethan's eyebrow twitched.
Why stop him in this dire moment?
He couldn't agree with her, but her intervention ruined his plan.
If he was going to strike, it should've been right then.
A beat late now, retreat was the only option.
“Erica. You'll explain back at base.”
Ethan growled lowly at her.
“Fine, just hurry! That crow's giving me a weird look... Kyak! Run!”
Even as she screamed, Erica couldn't tear her eyes from the crow.
She'd spotted something oddly familiar.
*
“Kawkawkawk.”
Enemy force, repelled!
“Shoooong!”
Swingy, you put up a good fight too, huh?
“Shooong shooong.”
Perfectly chased them off.
Honestly, it might've been a bit much.
The burliest warrior fled snot-nosed and teary-eyed, while the priestess and archer bolted pale-faced.
But there was good reason for it.
Scare them half-heartedly and shoo them away?
They'd return at dawn.
With more adventurers, ready for a fight.
And those adventurers would poke around everywhere, eventually stumbling on the scarecrow—and losing.
That'd just increase the food supply.
But terrify them thoroughly like this?
They wouldn't dare set foot here again lightly.
Gathering ten is easy; a hundred takes time.
And by then, settle things with the scarecrow.
Of course, my calculations could be off.
If their base could muster a hundred fighters effortlessly, the plan crumbles.
They'd storm back with a horde right away.
But that wouldn't be bad either.
Forces or experts like that wouldn't be under Eternal Night's thrall or whatever.
The lounging scarecrow would burn to ash.
Problem solved.
Sure, they'd hunt me too, but leverage a winged bird's advantages.
Scoot off carrying Swingy and Kiwi—done.
That's why I went all out.
...Okay, it was kinda fun too.
I snuck some loot with Swingy and headed back to the mansion.
Good thing I scattered silver around—no intruders.
“You're back. Mission accomplished?”
Kiwi was bustling about industriously.
Its plump rear wiggling as it scurried along, yet that gentlemanly voice stayed steady.
“Shuuuurrr...”
Swingy reset the cloth like a cat.
It's a good kid despite the voice, so no need to be so wary.
But the mansion looks a bit different?
Kinda tidier overall?
“Caw?”
“While you were away, I tidied up a bit.”
Doing such a pretty unsolicited chore!
A sage lives up to the title.
It rearranged the scattered furniture into a makeshift maze.
The complex maze felt neat too—proof this guy's no ordinary master.
“Too big for a nest, but fitting as a battlefield against the Eternal Night host. Outdoors is ideal, but this gives a spot to fall back and regroup if things go south.”
“Kakak!”
Such profound thinking.
I'm a smart crow for a birdbrain, but no match for a sage yet.
Yeah, they might raid while I'm asleep, so these structures are smart.
Sprinkled silver coins in corners—like Lego traps.
“But my body slowed progress. Like reaching for the sun without flight.”
You've got no hands and can't fly?
The metaphor's off, but impressive for its size.
“Kawkaw.”
I shook my beak side to side.
“Shooong.”
Swingy extended its stubby arms too.
Three of us with two short arms total—better than none.
“Oh, offering to help?”
We fortified the mansion with Kiwi.
Sandwiched silver coins between sturdy furniture, barricaded my 'bedroom'.
Flapping wings and talons shoving stuff—dawn arrived.
“Keeweeek!”
Whoa, startled me.
Not a chicken—why the fuss?
“Shooowooong wooong.”
Swingy freaked out and plastered itself to my wing.
“Shooo...”
Pointing its stubby arm at Kiwi—probably saying it doesn't like the chubby guy.
“Kawkaw.”
It helped just now, so not total hate. Why, Swingy?
“Shaaak!”
Now hissing too.
“Hm, quite the fine nest now.”
Not sure about nest, but excellent bunker.
What's that new structure in the middle?
A table piled with spare silver coins, candelabras, yesterday's wine loot?
Too open for a storeroom.
I eyed the mushroom maker.
“Think of it as an altar of sorts.”
Altar?
Out of nowhere, an altar?
“Like a single fallen leaf.”
What does that mean?
Probably just storeroom-ish.
“Hm, sun's up already. Long trek last night wore me out—time to rest.”
Didn't you hitch a ride yesterday?
...Oh right, you're nocturnal.
What am I then?
I napped a bit, but worked day and night.
“Shuroloong...”
Swingy yawned after all-night work, stretching.
Nocturnal too, technically.
Hides in my feathers fine, but weakens in sunlight.
Everyone bedding down—maybe I nap too?
As I prepped to cuddle Swingy in a cozy spot...
Your notoriety spreads far and wide.
Sub-quest: Skarnas's Great Crow unlocked.
My black eyes flew wide.
What's this all of a sudden, status window?
Notoriety?
For a gentle, kind crow like me?
Sure, I mixed pheromones to seduce, stole food galore, nicked silver coins, grinned with my beak, spun my neck 270 degrees firing tricolor lights, threatened with shadow flames—but notoriety? Nah.
No, those stingy adventurers...