Herb Gathering Quest #5
Herb Gathering Quest #5
A sharp crack rang out as the mana sphere struck the kelpie square between the eyes. Even Rebecca, who had batted the sphere forward, looked surprised that it actually connected.
"Incredible!"
This was a Magic Missile capable of pulverizing solid stone.
No matter how tough a kelpie's hide, a direct hit to the head would deal damage.
I expected the kelpie to collapse from the first strike.
But the moment the creature's legs started buckling, ominous words slipped from Rebecca's mouth.
"Did we get it—?"
The forbidden phrase. The one thing you must never say in a situation like this!
Those words must have breathed new strength into the staggering beast.
The kelpie planted its hooves into the earth and managed to remain standing.
It snorted heavily, clearly enraged.
Pff-hrhrhr—!!
"Ah, it's still moving!"
"That's because you said something so ominous!"
"What do you mean, ominous?!"
I clutched my head, losing all hope.
Bouncing the mana sphere into the target had basically been a fluke. Luck like that wouldn't come twice.
Yeah. We were screwed.
A genuinely furious kelpie was about to slaughter our entire party.
A horrific image surfaced in my mind: my body being bitten and dragged to the bottom of the lake by the kelpie.
Contrary to my thoughts, however, the area around the lake was anything but chaotic.
"......?"
The kelpie did not attack Rebecca, who was standing right in front of it.
Nor did it approach the fallen burlap sack. Instead, the beast spun in circles like an animal that had lost all sense of direction.
Rebecca, who inadvertently ended up in the dead center of the kelpie's circle, wore a baffled expression.
"What is this horseshit...?"
"I-I don't know either, okay?"
Then something even stranger happened.
After spinning in place for a long while, the kelpie began walking toward the lake.
Without a backward glance, the kelpie submerged its body into the water.
It disappeared completely beneath the surface, vanishing from Rebecca's sight and mine.
"It's gone."
"You don't think it'll come back out?"
I couldn't bring myself to relax.
When we first encountered it, the kelpie was intelligent enough to deceive every party member.
It could easily be setting up an ambush under the water for its own amusement.
"*Cough*... you managed to drive the kelpie off. Both of you, that was impressive skill."
Ethan, who had been collapsed on the ground, finally spoke up.
Only after hearing Ethan's explanation did I understand what had actually happened.
"Drove it off?"
"There are cases among adventurers who have survived encounters with powerful monsters. Monsters develop a sense of caution against unfamiliar, strong stimuli. Rather than thinking of destroying the enemy that caused it pain, they may choose to flee the area first. Did you see how that thing was spinning in circles earlier?"
"Yes. Did that have some special significance?"
"It means the kelpie sustained a brain injury and couldn't control its body properly. Wild animals often spin in place to calm their confusion. It's quite clear that your magic dealt substantial damage."
"I-Is that so? So in short, the kelpie got scared and bolted?"
Lying on the ground, Ethan confirmed it.
It sounded quite plausible.
He did hold the title of Monster Behavior Specialist, so his words weren't baseless. When enough time had passed and the kelpie never crawled back onto land, I could finally feel that the danger was over.
"We should move camp, just in case. It could ambush us again while we're asleep. Ethan, are you okay?"
"I'm fine. I might not look it, but I'm quite sturdy."
With a short groan, Ethan staggered to his feet.
The sight surprised me a little.
He took a full-on kick from a horse-sized creature and could still move!
His claim of being sturdy when we first met apparently wasn't an empty boast.
"Let's make camp somewhere far from the lake."
After walking for quite some time, my party and I chose a thicket as our campsite. We were too exhausted from dealing with the kelpie to put effort into making a proper hideout. We quickly decided the order for the night watch, and then I crawled into my sleeping bag and rested. My shift was the last one, so I would likely sleep comfortably until dawn.
I passed out the moment I lay down.
Sleeping outdoors had become somewhat familiar after living as an adventurer.
I'd learned that the only one who loses out is me if I can't sleep when I get the chance.
Rebecca, being a first-time adventurer, didn't seem quite accustomed to roughing it outside yet.
When I got up after a deep sleep and stood for my night watch shift, then shook the others awake, I noticed Rebecca looked utterly exhausted.
"Did you sleep well?"
"No. I could barely sleep. I was worried that kelpie from yesterday might show up again..."
"Do you want to rest a bit more before we leave?"
"Ah, no. Let's get back to the city quickly. Even if I rest, I think an inn would be better."
Thankfully, Rebecca had excellent stamina, so it was a relief.
My party and I returned to the city at first light.
We couldn't take a carriage on the way back, so the three of us had no choice but to trudge along on foot.
By noon, when the sun was high in the sky.
When the lofty city walls surrounding Yoen-su came into view in the distance, I felt a small sense of accomplishment.
It felt like a personal achievement—that I, an incubus, had safely completed a party quest.
Not that it turned out to be the freeloader quest I'd initially figured it would be.
Well, whatever.
We cleared it. That's what counts.
"The herbalist who commissioned the request will be near the South Gate. I'll hand over the herbs and collect our pay right away."
On a street inside the South Gate, an elderly herbalist sat on a mat selling potions.
That old man was the client who had posted the herb gathering request at the Adventurer's Guild.
When Ethan took the lead and held out the burlap sack, the old man, as if he had been waiting, pulled out a coin pouch and the Antidote Herbs from within his clothes.
The total reward for the herb gathering request was 180 Copper.
Split three ways among the party members, that comes out to exactly 60 Copper each.
On top of that, we each received one Antidote Herb, so chewing on one when you're tired should help restore your energy.
"Well done. The request is over. We can split up now. I'll handle the report to the guild. I should definitely report that a kelpie has taken up residence in Mersil Lake."
"Good work, Ethan."
"Good job!"
With the pay secured, the request was finished.
There was still the procedure of reporting the results to the guild, but that was the job of our party leader, Ethan.
Meaning, our party could disband right now without any issues.
Before we parted ways, Ethan abruptly spoke to me.
"I was surprised. Luke, I never imagined you were a mage."
"What? Ah..."
"It would've been nice if you'd mentioned it beforehand. It's rare to meet an adventurer who can use magic."
Ethan was staring at me with fresh eyes.
For some reason, receiving his attention made me feel a bit awkward.
"I'm still inexperienced with casting spells. It's not something I can boast about to others. You saw me yesterday, how I fired spheres at that kelpie desperately and every single one of them missed. If Rebecca hadn't batted it in, I wouldn't have been able to hit it at all."
"Still, the fact that you can use magic doesn't change. In the adventuring industry, mages are considered valuable talents. Even an Incubus who is shunned by parties is a different story if he's learned magic. You can start fires, and at night you could use magic to light up the darkness, couldn't you? They're invaluable abilities that can't even be compared to those of sword-slingers."
"W-Well, I suppose so..."
Starting fires with magic and illuminating the darkness?
That was a story far removed from me, who had just begun learning magic.
With Magic Missile as the only spell in my arsenal, introducing myself as a mage was a bit shameless. Describing myself as a marble flinger would be more accurate.
But telling it like it is felt wrong too, so I just kept an awkward smile on my face.
Ethan, unaware of my actual situation, cautiously offered me a handshake.
"If I accept a good request later on, I'll call on you. I hope the day comes when we can party up again. I didn't contribute much during this request, but next time, I'll clearly show you my skills."
"Understood. Ethan."
After shaking hands with me, Ethan headed off toward the Adventurer's Guild.
I watched Ethan's receding figure for a moment, turning his words over in my head.
Ethan had clearly expressed his intent to party with me again.
For an Incubus who was effectively isolated in the adventuring industry, it was a rather pleasant thing to hear.
Because a hope of undertaking party quests had sprung up.
Working as a duo, rather than solo, widened the range of requests I could take on.
"Did I finally make a contact? A Bronze-tier contact?"
I was smiling and scratching my cheek when it happened.
Rebecca's voice suddenly rang out beside me.
"Mages really are rare, you know! Back in my hometown, people who could use magic were super rare too."
"Whoa!"
I hadn't even known Rebecca was still beside me.
A few minutes ago, she had apparently left this spot after hearing we could split up.
But for some reason, she had returned to my side when I wasn't looking.
"Why did you come back?"
"I had something to ask you. You were busy chatting with the shorty, so I was waiting quietly."
"What do you want to ask?"
"About these rat tails. Where am I supposed to sell them?"
Rebecca pulled a thick tail out of her backpack.
The tail from the monster mole we hunted on the plains yesterday.
A junk item that sold for 2 Copper each.
"You can sell them at any general store that handles medicinal ingredients. There are a few shops in the city that give a good price... Tell you what, I'll just guide you myself. Follow me."
"Hm? You can just explain it with words. I'm not being a bother, am I?"
"I have to get rid of my own rat tails anyway. Think of it as me helping out while I'm at it."
"I'd be grateful if you showed me."
Rebecca looked at me, her eyes curving in a gentle smile.
A moment later, she began trailing after me, pitter-patter.
She looked exactly like a baby duckling following its mother.
The way she kept glancing around as she followed—the unfamiliar city scenery seemed to fascinate her.
The more I saw, the more I felt it: she was a woman who had come from a distant, foreign land.
I guided Rebecca to a general store that adventurers frequented.
"Welcome."
It was a shop run by a bald owner.
In contrast to his hair, he had a conscience—this shop never lowballed the buying price.
Leaving the hesitant Rebecca behind, I placed my rat tails on the counter first.
"Monster mole tails. Shall I value them at 2 Copper each?"
The bald owner quoted a fair price without any unnecessary nitpicking.
The quick transactions were another good thing about this shop. After I sold off three tails, Rebecca, now looking at ease, completed her transaction too. She happily pocketed the 2 Copper she received for her single tail.
"See? Make sure to remember this shop. As you live as an adventurer, you'll find yourself visiting general stores often."
"Thanks, Luke! I would've been wandering around a lot if not for you. I still don't know my way around this city very well."
"Then go get some good rest. And from your next request onward, don't forget to tell your party members that you're a first-timer."
I'd introduced her to the shop, so my job was done.
I figured this was enough to fulfill my role as a senior adventurer looking out for a newbie. I hadn't done a good deed expecting repayment, so I was about to cleanly part ways with Rebecca when—
"Wait a sec!"
"What now?"
"Do you have time in the evening, by any chance?"
"If you're asking for more help, I can't. I do have a private life, you know. How about trying to solve things on your own instead of constantly asking?"
"That's not it...! You've done nothing but help me since yesterday, and it feels wrong to part ways without repaying you at all. If I received a kindness, I should repay it. I'll buy you drinks in the evening, or something."
"Repaying a kindness, huh."
Free booze!
I had absolutely not done a good deed expecting a reward.
However, I had no reason to refuse when someone offered to buy me free drinks.
My expression shifted in an instant, and I nodded my head.
"Then of course I'll go. Where should we meet?"
"Is there a decent tavern in the city? Nothing too pricey."
I told Rebecca about a place called "Moon's Blessing."
It was a tavern located near the entrance of Yoen-su's market district.
The food wasn't exceptional, but it was a place that prioritized quantity over quality.
A tavern perfectly suited to Rebecca's request.
"Then I'll see you at the tavern this evening! Don't be late!"
There was quite a bit of time left until evening.
Rebecca and I decided to take care of our own business in the meantime and meet again at the tavern. As I watched Rebecca's retreating figure, I felt an unfamiliar sensation.
Even if it was just repayment for helping her out—
Anyway, I had a chance to drink alone with a beautiful woman, right?
A red-haired swordswoman with a killer body, no less.
All sorts of thoughts naturally started bubbling up in my head.
Maybe things would go well and we'd develop a close relationship. Or even further, maybe we'd become deeply intimate.
A bed ending where Rebecca and I headed straight to an inn.
In my imagination, Rebecca was giving me a cute wink.
'Is it possible I'll lose my virginity tonight? Could I escape from being a virgin Incubus?'
Fueling delusions of happiness over a pretty girl was a hallmark of virgins.
As I pictured Rebecca's naked body, I couldn't suppress a stiffening excitement.
The Excalibur hidden beneath my pants was trying to rise proudly.
"Mommy, that mister's pants suddenly got puffy!!"
"Shh! Be quiet!"
I quickly hunched my waist when I heard a voice from nearby.
Hastily, I fervently sang the national anthem in my heart to make my erection subside.
Until the appointed time, I decided to return to the inn and rest.