Chapter 72
Chapter 72
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 72
>Chapter Title: I Hate Little Rats
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After parting ways with Fischer.
I returned to the lodging and had Railey prepare our gear.
“Um…… are the Aviot mercenaries coming with us too?”
“What did you hear earlier?”
At my nonchalant reply, Railey glanced sideways at Obern.
It was as if he had something to say, but he seemed wary of Obern’s gaze.
“Just speak freely.”
“Haha…….”
Railey gave an awkward smile.
It wasn’t hard to understand.
‘Yeah, his condition really is awful.’
After yesterday’s confrontation with Fischer, Obern’s state was the worst. No, “worst” didn’t even begin to cover it.
His eyes, which hadn’t lost their shine even in the harsh environment of the Hamern Great Forest, were now dull like those of a dead goblin, and his skin, which had glistened with luster, was deathly pale like that of a sick patient.
And in front of him sat a single tray of food.
It was the breakfast brought by an Aviot mercenary that morning, but he hadn’t touched it and was just staring blankly at it.
“You gonna say it or not?”
“Well…….”
“Want me to make it so you can’t talk?”
Railey glanced at Obern once more before cautiously opening his mouth.
“Truth be told…… in my personal opinion, it’s a good thing.”
“A good thing?”
“Yes. The Aviot mercenaries are a mercenary group with quite a storied history. I hear they’ve been guarding the 1st Base Camp for nearly two hundred years…… Gah!”
“Giving a history lesson?”
I’m a guy who doesn’t even know the full history of the Decullan Family, where I spent my whole life.
What’s the empire’s history? What’s the kingdom’s?
Listening to their this and that doesn’t put food on the table.
“Get to the point.”
“……Fuck.”
“What?”
“No, I mean. I was going to mention up to eighteen years ago, but I’ll just give my own thoughts.”
Railey brushed it off innocently.
I’d heard it, but reacting to every detail would never end.
“Anyway, spit it out.”
“Yes, sir.”
Railey kept rubbing his aching head as he continued.
“So, to cut to the conclusion, it’s like we’ve gained a pretty solid ally.”
“A solid ally?”
“Yes. Did you see the Aviot mercenaries? They say a wizard of your caliber can gauge their realms…….”
“Realms…… well, something like that.”
I couldn’t pinpoint their exact realms.
I just sensed their presence through my aura detection.
Generally, presence correlates with realm, so Railey’s point wasn’t entirely off.
However.
“Nothing special about them, is there? Aside from Fischer and a few others, they’re all just average.”
By mercenary standards, even that might be impressive, but only to that extent.
“Well. From your perspective as a wizard, maybe. But the Aviot mercenaries are a bit special. How should I put it…… like hunters?”
“Hunters?”
“Yes, monster-hunting hunters.”
“Hmm, hunters…….”
Hearing that clicked something into place.
Suppose there’s a hunter who catches bears.
Would that hunter be stronger than the bear? Thicker-skinned? Faster?
‘None of that.’
Hunters are generally weaker than their prey.
Yet, an ordinary person who’s never learned any secret arts can take down bears and tigers.
“They know how to win.”
“……Pardon?”
“Whatever. Point is, they’ll be helpful.”
They definitely seemed helpful.
Dozens of hunters versed in ether.
‘No, just the old-timers, so maybe a bit fewer.’
With them banded together, most monsters wouldn’t even be an issue.
“Of course, what monsters could possibly hinder a wizard like you…… but they’ll still be a big help. Especially in shortening the schedule.”
“Yeah, hope so…….”
I trailed off indifferently.
Honestly, the monster part would be a significant help.
‘Better to conserve stamina.’
The swamp ruler we encountered in the wetlands.
Who knows how many such beasts lurk in the Hamern Great Forest.
According to Railey……
- Even in the outskirts, ancient species aren’t entirely absent. The swamp ruler is just particularly well-known.
Such creatures might migrate due to these changes and appear before us!
The schedule shortening, though……
‘More heads mean more drawbacks too.’
It could even extend the timeline.
Still, I accepted the Aviot mercenaries because I judged the value outweighed the losses.
Anyway, that’s when.
“Hmm.”
I crossed my arms and looked at Railey.
“But aren’t you packing?”
“Huh?”
I’d told him to gear up, yet Railey was still empty-handed.
“Haha, I’ve already packed everything.”
“True, you don’t need gear when you croak.”
“Ah, not that. You gave me that sub-space pocket, right? I put it all in there.”
I stared silently at Railey, who chattered on proudly and gratefully.
A thought suddenly struck me.
“Must be handy for running away now.”
“……I’m not running.”
“Sure, sure.”
“Instead, though…….”
“Instead?”
I eyed him suspiciously.
A guy who’d always been on the lookout for a chance to bolt wouldn’t change overnight.
But hearing what he said next revealed his true intentions.
“If things wrap up okay, could you maybe keep me on? I’m not good at much, but I handle odd jobs well. Quick on the uptake too.”
“Ah.”
So, he was betting his life on a gamble.
‘Commendable.’
Life’s all about the big score.
Chasing safe paths never leads to greatness.
In that sense, Railey’s gamble was praiseworthy, a bold move!
And……
‘Lucky bastard.’
Where else would he find a reliable backer like me?
Nowhere.
Of course……
‘He could die in Decullan. Or get tangled with the Gold Horse Society or whatever. And…….’
Destrow alone would be no picnic.
‘But still. If he survives these, who else could rise as high as me?’
Nobody.
The problem was the overwhelming odds of dying.
“Fine. We’ll see how you perform.”
“Thank you! I’ll give it my all! Won’t sell my soul, though!”
Railey bowed deeply, fired up.
That’s when Fischer opened the door to the lodging.
“We’re all set.”
His face looked somewhat haggard.
I gazed at him quietly before tossing out a line.
“Already?”
“What good’s a long goodbye?”
“Fair point.”
He probably had all his words buried in his chest.
“So, departure?”
“We can go right now if you want. But…….”
Fischer looked at me and made a proposal.
“Could you persuade one person for me?”
“Persuade? Who? Bring ’em here first.”
The best persuasion is always a fist.
Even the toughest bastard listens after a few good hits. Still won’t?
‘Then you didn’t hit hard enough.’
Proper persuasion can sway any brute in the world.
Oh, I was the exception, of course.
Anyway.
“He’s not here. At the 2nd Base Camp.”
“2nd Base Camp?”
“Yeah. Persuade Chief Harig there and bring him. It’ll be a big help.”
“Hmm.”
I crossed my arms and looked at Fischer.
“So, drag the 2nd Base Camp guys along too?”
“If they’re still holding the 2nd Base Camp, that is. Or at least…….”
“At least?”
“Bare minimum, borrow their vice-captain. Name’s Plenn. Cocky little shit, but sharp as a tack strategically. Rare breed in the mercenary world.”
“Hmm…….”
In the end, Fischer wanted this “Plenn” brain of his.
He seemed to anticipate most fights against Destrow would be close-quarters with the undead.
“Sure, why not.”
I accepted readily.
A proper head on our side wouldn’t hurt.
“So, we going now?”
“If you wish. We’re ready.”
“No point delaying.”
I stood up without hesitation.
But then someone stepped forward.
“Um…….”
“……?”
Obern, who’d been staring vacantly like he was dying moments ago.
As all eyes turned to his sudden move, his head slowly bowed.
“I’m truly…… sorry about yesterday.”
No lengthy explanations.
Just that.
The sincerity in his voice was palpable.
Fischer watched quietly before gently placing a hand on Obern’s shoulder.
“I’m sorry too for yesterday. And don’t dwell on it. Nobody’s perfect. What matters is learning from mistakes.”
“……Yes, got it.”
A heartwarming scene.
If not for Railey squirming and cringing beside us.
Anyway.
“Let’s go.”
We departed the 1st Base Camp.
“No, but wizard.”
“……Yeah?”
As we trekked through the Hamern Great Forest.
Railey looked at me with a baffled, incredulous expression.
“Don’t you care about wasting mana? Why kill all these innocent bugs…… Ah, another one!”
Zap.
A bug crawling on a giant tree burst and fell from my spell.
I glanced at the remains before shrugging.
“I hate little rats.”
“Where are the rats? That’s a bug…….”
“Tell me about it.”
Railey tilted his head, utterly perplexed.
* * *
Somewhere in the Hamern Great Forest.
“Hmm.”
Belloc, who had his eyes closed, opened them with a faint grunt.
“This…… isn’t coincidence?”
The masked prey.
He’d attached familiars all over to monitor him.
But not ordinary familiars.
Ones he’d meticulously crafted, stealthy to the extreme……
- Crack!
Yet it found them every time.
Sent ones didn’t last ten minutes before the link snapped.
He must have definitely spotted them as familiars.
“As expected, he’s no pushover?”
The old war wizard of the 4th Base Camp.
Nothing short of that level could detect them, he’d boasted.
‘Could he really be that caliber?’
Belloc thought that far and let out a wry chuckle.
‘No way.’
One of the black wizards who joined had just identified the old war wizard of the 4th Base Camp.
Honestly, he hadn’t even ordered it.
Just kill him and be done.
But seeing the info the black wizard brought, he was glad to know the identity.
‘No kidding, that old geezer was him……. Whew. Nearly fucked up big time. Hid it well.’
Anyway.
No matter how much the masked one boasted, he couldn’t be that level.
But.
“Either way, good. Pretty sensitive, huh? Then I need a proper blade…….”
Someone with that keen aura sense wasn’t ideal for direct confrontation.
That’s when Belloc snapped his fingers.
‘Ah, right. This.’
Belloc looked down at the bracelet he wore. More precisely, he recalled the being slumbering within it.
Solion’s toy.
It had a formal name.
But to Belloc, it was just Solion’s plaything.
Of course, its power was no joke.
‘A guy who only digs tunnels made just three in his life. How potent must it be.’
Belloc planned to use the being in the bracelet for this hunt.
‘Meant only for emergencies, but…….’
What could he do? The prey was too tempting.
Once in hand, how to use it was his call. Solion probably foresaw such a scenario.
He’d only made three in his life, but this one was arguably a failure.
Anyway.
‘Time to prepare.’
Belloc took a crystal orb from his bosom.
A crystal infused with ancient magic. This was the true weapon for hunting prey.
‘For that, I need sacrifices, though…….’
One or two won’t do.
Fresh humans.
Dozens of them, at least. Problem was, humans were scarce in the forest—you could wash your eyes looking and still not find them!
“Hey, you.”
In the empty forest.
The voice came from Belloc’s shadow.
“Yes, Foreseer.”
“Find sacrifices. Humans. The more, the better.”
“Yes, understood.”
The shadow rippled soon after.
Left alone, Belloc smirked.
“Just wait a bit.”
His gaze fixed on the distant direction where the prey had passed.