Chapter 67 - Helga and Brunhilde's Forest Investigation
Northwest forest in the central region of the Krantz Empire. The site of the Moderator's bunker. Brunhilde and Helga were diligently investigating the depths of the forest.
"Aunt Helga... we can wrap this up by tomorrow, right? I'm so bored here. It's too damn big."
Brunhilde's face was a picture of boredom. Helga, exhausted by the endless back-and-forth, replied in a weary voice.
"Quiet down, Hilde. You're the one who insisted on finishing fast, so we split into teams to cover more ground."
"Hng..."
Brunhilde pouted at Helga's curt response. Was this girl really an adult this year? She looked every bit the instinct-driven child. Helga sighed at the sight.
"Sigh... Hilde. We had zero reason to rush, but I split the team anyway because you pushed for it. Investigating a forest full of unknown dangers."
Helga's voice was calm and measured. Brunhilde knew crossing the line here would mean violence, so she listened quietly.
"Sure, we might finish quicker. But if danger hits, we'll be down half our strength just to survive. Constant vigilance is a must."
Limited visibility behind the trees. The forest depths felt like darkest night even in broad daylight. Splitting up here was far from wise.
"And Hilde, you've been complaining non-stop without even checking your surroundings. You have no idea what's approaching from your left right now, do you?"
Helga's warning of an incoming presence. Brunhilde whipped her rapier to the left.
Whoosh—
But it sliced empty air. Too high for the ghoul shambling forward with a bent waist.
Helga confirmed the miss.
Bam—!
She slammed her battle axe down, cleaving the ghoul vertically in two. Utterly overwhelming. Brunhilde broke out in cold sweat and thanked her.
"Th-thanks, Aunt Helga. Y-you're not mad, right...?"
Fists speak louder than law. Or rather, double-headed axes. She knew it wasn't aimed at her, but the chill was unavoidable.
"Hoo... I am mad, but you know what you did wrong. Save the lecture for the safe zone. Focus, Hilde."
"Y-yes! I'll focus! Vigilance at max!"
Brunhilde straightened up, replying stiffly as her senses sharpened. Helga sighed and resumed the investigation.
A forest teeming with unknown entities. Mangled and torn magic beast corpses. Occasional crippled undead. Massive animal tracks blanketing the area.
And...
"What kind of beast sharpens its claws that high up? No clue."
Claw marks gouged into a tree four stories tall. Wolf-like traces, but impossibly huge—no normal wolf.
The deeper they probed, the more Helga regretted splitting the team. What if they ran into that thing? Could they even escape alive?
If not for the shared chat room keeping comms open with the others, she'd have pulled out immediately. That convenience was poison now.
Helga sighed and checked the chat again. They needed to wrap this fast while Brunhilde was focused.
Real-time chat made her bolder than usual. She decided to press on despite the unknown tracks spotted early morning.
Had they withdrawn then, the five would be reunited outside by now. Helga gave a wry smile at her misjudgment, courtesy of the handy feature.
While she checked the chat, Brunhilde had been vigilantly scanning all directions. Tense as she was, no worries until regroup.
Slowly but surely, she was turning into a real adventurer. Like watching a granddaughter grow? Helga felt an odd satisfaction; she'd raised her since infancy.
After a day of nagging, time for a breather. She checked the Gallery clock and suggested a short break.
"3 PM. 15-minute rest, then move. Bathroom?"
"Nah! I'm hungry—snack time!"
Brunhilde perked up at "rest," replying energetically. Her voice was incorrigibly loud. Helga considered scolding but let it slide—no immediate threats.
"Uhehehe... Chicken, gotta have chicken~"
Chicken for a snack? Absurd, but par for the course. Helga sighed and looked away.
"Don't eat it noisy."
"Mm! Want some, Aunt Helga?"
Hard to stay mad at a smiling face, they say. Helga felt it keenly.
"Nah, I'm good. Eat up."
"Gotcha! Slurp... Gonna be yummy, hehe."
Chicken set up in seconds. Even cola for a full feast. Helga leaned against a tree, inhaling the savory aroma.
In the dark forest, slurping sounds echoed. Brunhilde inhaled chicken and asked,
"Aunt Helga. Slurp—why does Dad always go 'ss ss' when eating tasty stuff?"
"Cough...!"
Duke the Hero's habit. Helga was shocked he'd say it in front of his daughter—a tic from boyhood.
The continent's revered hero, but that quirk? Unforgivable.
"H-he said that in front of you...?"
"Yeah! Slurp—last time he visited, I heard him muttering it over baguette with jam!"
"Hoo..."
Relief—he hadn't said it to her face. Even a broken man wouldn't vulgarize before his daughter. Helga probed her knowledge first.
"It's his tic. Stuck with him since kid days."
"Weird habit, huh? Slurp—what's it mean?"
Clueless. Helga seriously doubted her adulthood.
"No need to know. You'll figure it out naturally later."
"Oh, got it. But Aunt Helga...? Um..."
Brunhilde trailed off unusually hesitant. Helga turned to her.
"What's up, Hilde? Why the—"
"Woof!"
Two adorable puppies right there. Despite vigilant watch, Helga couldn't fathom it.
How many could breach her senses? Only a Swordmaster or higher could approach silently.
Age dulling her? At 80+, she was steps from Swordmaster—unacceptable.
"Uh... want some?"
"Woof! Pant pant pant."
Seeing Helga flustered, Brunhilde awkwardly offered chicken too. Helga snapped to action.
"Hilde, no fried bones for animals. Debone the meat first."
Essential rule, identity unknown or not.
"Huh...? Oh, right, Aunt. But what are these guys? I was guarding the whole time while eating, then poof—here they are..."
Brunhilde insisted on her vigilance. Helga was equally baffled—no scolding possible.
"Woof!"
"Q-quick, you want it? Meat coming right up...?"
In the lightless forest depths, mysterious puppies before them. Tension hung thick as their meal began.