Outside the Blanket is Still Dangerous!
“Want to go on a pre-scout?”
At Blackrose’s question, Edmon Portridge nodded.
“Yes.”
“Is the research done?”
“I judge it sufficient.”
Behind Edmon stood Bina Seleze and I, side by side. Seeing those two fidgeting at the back didn’t exactly inspire confidence.
“Edmon.”
“Yes, Instructor.”
“What’s the monster’s name?”
“Al Miraz.”
“Where does it live?”
“In places humans rarely tread. And places with lots of hiding spots, from what I know. I think that’s why the evaluation site is Eoduk Forest.”
Blackrose nodded at the smooth answers. Then she glanced at Bina behind him.
“Bina.”
“Y-yes!”
“What does Al Miraz mainly eat?”
“Gr-grass……maybe?”
“Maybe?”
“Uh, um.”
The answer wasn’t confident. Blackrose narrowed her eyes.
“Thought it eats grass because it’s a rabbit monster? You nailed the name and habitat, but……the details are lacking.”
Al Miraz definitely looked like a rabbit, but it was closer to carnivorous omnivore. It mainly hunted small animals smaller than itself, only grazing if there was nothing else.
“Ppikak.”
“Yes, ma’am?!”
“Tell me how to capture Al Miraz.”
Edmon raised his hand instead at the question.
“Instructor, that’s still……”
“Shut it, Edmon. I asked Ppikak.”
We were doing the pre-scout to figure out capture methods too. You had to scout the terrain and, if possible, spot the real thing to discuss capture.
That’s why Edmon jumped in, but it just made the mood tense.
“Uh……th-that……um.”
I twisted my body in agony, then blurted out whatever came to mind.
“Sh-shasha! Run up and grab it……wouldn’t that work?!”
A chill settled over the office.
“Your team leader’s got it rough.”
Thud.
Blackrose stamped the approval. Outing permission granted.
It had been a while since we left the training camp. By now, everyone’s research was done, so we weren’t the only ones granted outing permission. Several teams had gone ahead, all in suits.
We never wore them in camp, but agents always wore suits outside—it was the rule.
“Ugh, this is so uncomfortable.”
Bina was walking with her tie still half-done, looking like a fresh newbie.
Edmon, on the other hand, suited up perfectly. Model student vibe—totally lawyer material.
“Lemme fix it! I’ll do it.”
I stopped, stood on tiptoes, and looped the tie around Bina’s neck. Quick knots, then yank.
“Yufir, you’re so good at this?”
“Dad runs a suit shop.”
“Ah, that explains it.”
Bina looked me up and down.
“Your build shouldn’t suit suits, but somehow you carry it well.”
“Heehee, really?”
Even back at City Hall, Dad hand-tailored all my suits. Perfect fit, super comfy to move in.
“Next chance, I’ll ask Dad to do yours too!”
“For real? I’d be honored.”
I glanced at Edmon ahead.
“Hurry. We need to scout the planned spots before sunset, and spot a real Al Miraz if possible.”
If Edmon took an MBTI test, he’d be a dead-cert J. Super grateful, as a total P myself.
The camp was technically in the capital but on the outskirts, and so was Eoduk Forest. Long detour on foot—no carriages, roads undeveloped.
An hour of boredom later, we reached the forest edge, where sunlight barely pierced.
“Remember the goal?”
Edmon asked us.
“Midway into Eoduk Forest, search for Al Miraz traces?”
Edmon nodded at Bina.
“Right. Deeper risks overlapping with other monsters or beasts.”
“Coming here, I can’t imagine how dark it gets at night.”
“People do get lost. Jokes say dozens become monster chow yearly……”
“N-nooo!”
I yanked Edmon’s jacket at the horrifying tale.
“Don’t say scary stuff like we’ll be monster food!”
“I didn’t say that far……but caution’s good.”
Edmon adjusted his glasses, hand on his waist sword.
“That’s why we’re allowed weapons.”
Outing permit included weapon carry. Even non-knights favored swords—standard here.
Bina was ace at hand-to-hand but carried one too.
“But Yufir, you sure about that?”
“I was wondering too.”
My folding knife looked pathetic next to theirs.
“Your dagger work against Elvin……was it even dagger arts? Closer to hand-to-hand, but daggers blend with body techniques anyway, so aside from that.”
Edmon sped up suddenly.
“When you overwhelmed Elvin, I reflected. I judged you by looks—expected your loss, zero hopes for eval.”
“Wh-what?”
“Trying to rethink now. You got in at that height, so must have strengths overcoming flaws. But I stereotyped like anyone. Dangerous thinking I know, but slipped—my mistake.”
“W-wait……too fast!”
Edmon cleared his throat. “Ahem. Sorry. I ramble when embarrassed by mistakes. Explain why to avoid misunderstandings.”
“Pft, puhahaha!”
Bina burst first. I followed, roaring with laughter.
Thought he was just stiff colleague—unexpected side.
“Got it. Totally get who you are now.”
“Hmph……nothing more embarrassing than flaws exposed.”
Edmon fiddled with his glasses.
“Anyway, meant to ask: really okay with that knife?”
“Yeah.”
Ridiculously, my 15cm lightweight blade beat any fancy weapon for me now.
“Best for me.”
Edmon and Bina nodded, no doubts. Probably that flashy Elvin beat convinced them.
We scoured every burrow on entering. Flipped rock piles, rustled bushes—hunting Al Miraz hideouts.
Might not be there now, but eval day who knows—so check planned spots in order.
Other pre-scouters did same. Speed and sequence key.
Two hours, loose formation in sight. No tail glimpses. Traces our only haul.
We circled for debrief.
“……What if default is ‘can’t catch’?”
No clear criteria, but capture quests usually timed. Wouldn’t target uncatchable for most.
“Seems so.”
Edmon agreed.
“Al Miraz more alert than thought. Found old home traces, long abandoned.”
Pointing deeper: “Traces barely here means prior scouts pushed them further in.”
“M-me too!”
I showed pawprints. Faint on damp soil, rabbit-like, leading inward.
“Follow?”
“Want to, but.”
We looked up. Sun sets fast in Eoduk.
—Awooooo!
“Hiiik!”
Peak season for them too.
We exchanged looks, consensus.
“Time to head back.”
“Yeah, no gain forcing.”
“A-agree! Totally!”
Want home. Not comfy, but no mauling at camp.
“Let’s go.”
Turning—then Death’s Scent everywhere. Spine chills. Red—killing intent.
‘Close……they’re close!’
“Guys!”
I yelled warning. Bina and Edmon drew swords, backs together, scanning.
“Th-there……definitely.”
“Saw it?”
“Smelled.”
“What?”
They stared oddly, but certain. Hiding, but reeking death, watching us.
“H-hard to believe, but listen. Faint on our path……break that way!”
“Got it!”
“Roger.”
No hesitation—they trusted. Retraced, weapons ready.
Crunch.Crunch.
Quadruped pacing us.
“Real deal. Barg.”
Edmon ID’d from silhouette.
Wolf monster, Barg—6th class, weakest packers. Numbers surge seasonally, easy encirclement.
‘Most common in monster info.’
Al Miraz digs led to Barg overload.
“Remember anti-Barg tactics?”
Edmon yelled front-running.
“Uh, um! Intimidate first!”
Bina fumbled; I answered.
“Right—they pack ‘cause weak. Make ‘em think we’re stronger, they flee.”
Prime encirclement counter.
“Grrrrr!”
Three Barg blocked ahead. Stop = encircled by hidden.
“So assign one each, initial intimidate……”
Before Edmon finished, knife out—I charged.
Clang!
‘Intimidate, intimidate, intimidate!’
One thought dominated. Do something now or doom. Thick Death’s Scent spurred me. Wanna live, hate seeing Bina/Edmon hurt.
‘Me, I gotta!’
Three? Confident perfect kill. Experience assured. Frail scaredy me overcomes via red lines.
Conviction hit—body auto-tracked red. Silver trail overlaid.
Slash—!
x3
Understanding of Slaughter has increased.
Transvision