Some places are so dangerous you should avoid entering them at all costs. Chief among these are mountains and forests not under any state’s jurisdiction. At least, they are for normal travelers. Adventuresome treasure hunters tend to forget this.
Areas crossed by ley lines, the veins through which mana material flows, are especially abundant in valuable resources. Since they’re populated by powerful monsters and phantoms, items recovered from those regions tend to go for high prices.
The Galest Mountain Range in the northern reaches of the empire was one of those dangerous places that humans tended to steer clear of. The almost nonexistent road was ancient and had not been maintained for a long time. It was barely wide enough for a single carriage to pass through. Plus, even inside the carriage, I could tell just how fraught the terrain was. It must have been almost completely unused.
While being rocked side to side, I averted my mind from reality by pondering the idea that this trail might one day fade away, just as everything does.
Loud cries echoed back and forth outside the carriage. The curtains were closed so I couldn’t see out there, but I could hear the horrific growls and screams of monsters and feel the carriage wobble. The horses’ whinnies overlapped with some sort of metallic sound. Drink howled and Killiam sounded excited.
Liz lay on her back and rubbed her tummy with a lackadaisical smile.
“Hey, Krai Baby, what should I say to those guys next time? What’ll really piss ’em off? What’ll make them fly at us with rage? Let’s think about it!”
“Oh, that’s right, Krai,” Sitri said. “I hear a roving ogre lives in the Galest mountains. It’s not much more than a rumor though. Not many have encountered one and lived to tell about it after all. However, those rumors might be why so few pass through here.”
I might also mention the reason treasure hunters tended to forget the dangers of forests and mountains: they were always clearing treasure vaults, some of the most treacherous places in existence. I suppose monsters, which left behind profitable meat when killed, were preferable to phantoms, which manifested almost without end and left nothing behind. It was sound reasoning, but I thought both warranted caution.
I didn’t think I’d be able to get through to Liz so I looked at Sitri and tried to pivot the subject from her terrifying ideas.
“Hey, uh, are we going to be all right?” I asked.
“We will. I think. We’re not very far into the forest, you see. Is there something concerning you?” Sitri responded.
“Huh. No, if you think we’re fine then that’s enough.”
“This is also a good opportunity for Drink’s combat training! I was quite uncertain when to start. At the clan house, I was able to let it practice against humans, but I struggled to find a good chance for it to fight monsters. Orcs are cowardly and wouldn’t be of any use but the aggressive monsters of the Galest mountains are a perfect fit!”
“Ah. So that blood, that was orc blood?”
“It was! Drink just loves the flesh of orcs! Having a full stomach seems to have put it in a very good mood!” Sitri said as she gleefully clapped her hands together.
Apparently, when we met up with the carriage and found Drink and Killiam covered in blood, it was because they had just been eating orcs. I wondered if perhaps they had attacked the orc pack that had fled their fort. Not everyone could do that and come back in one piece.
We sure are running into a lot of monsters. Funny to think we didn’t run into any on the way here. It’s not like I want to stop Drink from training, but isn’t this a bit too many?
The only person who might share this sentiment was Tino and she was looking down and clutching her knees. She wouldn’t face me and her only movements were from the vibrations of the carriage. The constant screams and sounds of battle couldn’t have been good for her peace of mind. It was all I could do to just pretend to be calm.
The Galest mountains seemed to have far more monsters than I had imagined. On top of that, they were vicious monsters who saw Drink and still considered us prey.
“There are far more monsters than I had anticipated,” Siddy said with a smile. “Perhaps this is a sign that something much stronger might appear!”
You sure seem happy about that.
The carriage would occasionally come to a sudden stop and, judging from the screams outside, it seemed we didn’t have enough guards out there. I had anticipated monster attacks, maybe not this many, but I had still considered the possibility. What I hadn’t expected was...
I looked at Liz, rolling around and resting her cheek against my knees. I looked at Sitri, her eyes glimmering. I looked at Tino, clutching her knees and off in her own world.
How come you three aren’t helping?
I had chosen the mountain route because I didn’t think monsters would be a problem. After all, we had not only Drink, Killiam, and Sitri’s hired hands, but also Liz, Sitri, and Tino. Usually, Liz would be itching to go out into the fray.
I was about to ask them when they planned to go out and fight, but I lost my chance. The carriage shook violently and I heard roars and loud cursing. Even if we were their clients, I thought Black, White, and Gray were being treated a bit harshly. Perhaps the terms of their contract hadn’t been black-and-white enough?
I briefly hesitated before summoning my courage and asking Sitri a question.
“Hey, Sitri, about what’s going on outside...”
“Oh, yes. Drink’s combat training and meals are being conducted alongside my capability tests for those three. It’s incredibly efficient! I’ve been meaning to find out how well Killiam and Drink operate in tandem. You always come through, Krai!”
She seemed bashful as she gave her bizarre reply. Maybe that was the correct attitude for an Alchemist to take and I knew they cherished efficiency, but I still thought it was a bit much. Drink and Killiam would probably be fine but I didn’t think her hired helpers would be.
“I could bear losing Killiam but what about if your hired hands die?”
“Hm? Umm...”
Sure, death and hunters were never far apart but that didn’t mean this was a good idea. Confused, Sitri thought for a few seconds. She put a finger to her lip and tilted her head.
“I’ll...search for more?”
“I don’t think you understood the question.”
“Huh? F-Forgive me. Um, are you perhaps trying to suggest there’s another use for them?”
What peculiar sensibilities she had.
I averted my gaze and looked at Liz, who was still lying around the carriage. Her clear pink eyes looked at me questioningly. She was wearing her usual combat gear, Apex Roots, equipped to her dangling legs.
“Hm? Whatcha looking at?” she asked. “Ah, would you like to rub my belly? Here.”
She ran a finger along her exposed midriff, but I refused to play along.
I got straight to the point.
“Liz, don’t you want to fight?”
“Mmm, of course I do. Doing nothing like this makes me feel like I’ll go soft.”
Then why—
Still lying down, Liz lifted her head with a smile and rested it in my lap.
“But,” she said, “I can bear it. You banned violence on this trip, right? Look how great I’m doing. Am I great? Aren’t I great?”
Oh, right.
I finally remembered what I had said a few days ago. I had indeed prohibited violence and training, but that was so we could have a fun vacation. I had invited Liz and the others because I wanted them to have a good time. But I also wanted them as protection.
I had my reservations, but at this rate, Black, White, and Gray were going to die. I had to say it.
“Uh, the restrictions don’t apply to fighting monsters.”
“Huh?”
When I banned violence, I meant violence against humans. Really, I had just wanted to prevent them from getting in any scuffles. I had just been trying to stop them from picking any fights with any civilians, hunters, or apprentices. Sure, I wanted them to avoid doing dangerous things at all costs. However, it seemed counterproductive to let them laze about the carriage and leave the defense to a few hired helpers who were (most likely) at a disadvantage.
Besides, Liz, you provoked Arnold back there, remember? That was verbal violence.
Liz’s eyes widened. Even Sitri looked caught off guard, an unusual expression for her.
Maybe it was my fault for not being clear enough but it only makes sense tha— Huuh? Did Liz think I was telling her not to resist even if monsters attacked her? No way. Does she think I’m some sort of sicko?
Tino looked up and stared at me. I put aside my self-recriminations and spoke in a hard-boiled voice.
“Exterminating monsters isn’t violence, it’s getting rid of what’s in the way. Isn’t that right?”
The carriage rocked wildly, almost as if to make my point.
“I love you, Krai Baby!” Liz said with shining eyes. “Be back in a biiit!”
She must have really been holding it in; she flew out the door, forgetting to bring Tino along. The force of her exit caused the carriage to screech across the ground. Following that was a litany of shouting just as rough as the preceding vulgarities.
“Hey, you dumbass pissants! Get back, this isn’t goddamn amateur hour! Just protect the horses!”
“I’m sorry, Krai,” Sitri said, a bit embarrassed. “Lizzy, she’s, well, had a lot of stress pent up.”
The sounds outside took on a whole new level of intensity. I also heard screams from Sitri’s hired hands. Liz must’ve really been going all out.
Well, I was the one who gave her that weird order...
“Ah, may I also step outside?” Sitri asked. “I’d like to check on Drink’s growth and perhaps gather ingredients. There are some rare resources I can’t gather when you’re around.”
“Yeah, of course. Go ahead.”
Sitri dipped her head and sprang out the door with just as much energy as Liz. I wondered just what sort of materials she couldn’t gather when I was around.
I figured things would quiet down soon enough. I let out a yawn and my eyes met Tino’s.
“Master, is this where the real battle begins?” she asked, pale in the face.
“Hm? No, there’s no real battle or anything,” I said. “Right, Tino, maybe you should get some sleep. You might need it.”
“All right...” she said with a trembling voice as she hugged her knees and closed her eyes.
I wondered if she would really be able to rest like that.
The battle intensified, yet we were entirely safe in the carriage. I heard less of Black, White, and Gray, and heard more of Liz’s roars and Sitri’s orders. It could’ve been my imagination, but the carriage seemed to speed up.
The next time we stopped, it was at a fork splitting the road to the left and right. One way led to a rough stretch that could only generously be called a path. The other way was overgrown with weeds but seemed to be receiving some degree of maintenance.
“Krai, which way shall we go?” Sitri asked me from outside.
It was always my job to make the decisions. I poked my head out, took a look, and pointed to the relatively clean one. Of course I did. I wasn’t going to pick the rough path, that one had fallen trees which we would have to clear out of the way. Sitri gave me a pure smile and directed her helpers.
We continued down the lonesome path. If it weren’t for the monsters, the abundant trees and fresh scent of nature would’ve been healing for me after spending so much time in the capital. Unfortunately, it was dangerous so I couldn’t hold my head out the window. I had my Safety Rings but I still wasn’t interested in being attacked out of the blue.
It seemed I had managed to make the right decision for once as the rate of monster appearances had dropped immensely. Not that I cared why, but I thought they were possibly scared of Liz.
Sitri came back inside the carriage. Her cheeks were flushed with excitement and she proudly held up a black fang, it was roughly thirty centimeters and covered in blood and bits of flesh.
“Look, Krai! It’s the fang of a general-class troll! Even in the great Galest mountains, it’s hard to find such a valuable specimen! Those trolls are violent and troublesome even for hunters so you can almost never find these on the market. They should normally be deep in the woods but this one came to us. It was an old one, but still, what luck! You can boil it, cook it, grind it down, it’s a superb find!”
Trolls were a Sapien monster just like goblins and orcs. They were one of the stronger varieties of Sapiens as they boasted exceptional strength, size, toughness, and regenerative powers. I hadn’t known that they were in the Galest mountains, but it wasn’t too surprising since trolls lived in forests. And if we met a troll, we were unlikely to meet any other travelers.
Tino opened her eyes slightly and recoiled at the sight of the fang...or maybe it was at Sitri’s excitement. Sitri gingerly placed the fang in a leather bag and came up to me. She was smiling ear-to-ear, just like she was on vacation.
“So, Krai, what might we find at the end of this path?”
“Huh?”
“No, don’t tell me, I’ve got an idea! If it’s smart enough to make a fake path as part of a trap, it must be a fairly advanced monster! The number of monsters has fallen so I’d hazard that its territory is quite large...”
Huh? What? What’s she talking about? This is all news to me. She said, “fake.” This path is fake? Tell me these things sooner. I thought this path was well-off for one that looked untraveled.
“However, it tried to hide the other path simply with fallen trees and some debris, and this path is quite neat so I don’t imagine it’s too smart. Perhaps less than a goblin? And this wasn’t here when we first headed to Night Palace so it was probably hastily thrown up after we passed by...”
Less than a goblin? Then what does that make me if I completely fell for its trick? And if it wasn’t here the first time you passed through then say something. Don’t try to protect my feelings.
Sitri’s smile was genuine; it didn’t seem like she was making fun of me. Overall, I would’ve preferred it if she were.
“Well then,” I said with a hard-boiled smile. “I think it’s time to turn around and take the other path.”
“As you wish. Black, put us in reverse! Carriages can’t go in reverse? It’s hard to turn around like this? Well, figure something out, that’s what you’re here for!”
Sitri gave her egregious commands without a hint of displeasure. All I could do was smile.
Criticize me or something. Just don’t believe me.
The carriage came to a stop. Once I heard someone outside give the okay and I stepped onto the ground for the first time in hours. The sun was setting and the moon shimmered in the cloudless red sky. I heard a river nearby. It seemed this was where we would be resting.
It seemed a good thing we had turned around since we hadn’t met the big monster Sitri had been anticipating. But turning around also meant we didn’t make as much progress as we had planned. Crossing the mountains after sunset would be suicide; even Sitri wouldn’t insist we attempt it.
We were at a clearing with just enough space for a carriage and a few parties to stop and rest. It seemed likely that many travelers had once used this as a stopping point while crossing the Galest mountains. Drink carefully sniffed the ground.
Sitri began to unload our bags and gave me a blossoming smile even though I hadn’t done anything but sit in the carriage. Next to her, Liz stretched her arms with satisfaction.
“Fine work out there, Krai. That was a very good experience.”
“Mmm, ahh. That was worth the wait! Last time we barely ran into any monsters. You’re the best, Krai Baby!”
“Lizzy, that was because we had Ansem with us last time.”
“Yeah, he really sticks out. And if any monsters did show up then Luke would take them on.”
Liz was in high spirits for someone who had just been locked in nonstop combat. Meanwhile, Sitri’s three hired hands were all sitting on the ground looking close to death. Their heads were hung so I couldn’t see their faces but their armor was splattered with blood and their muscular limbs had gone limp. The contrast between them and the Smart sisters was startling.
When we first became hunters these sorts of accidents (powerful monsters appearing, natural disasters, etc.) would leave them exhausted. I wondered when they just stopped minding them altogether. And then there was me. I didn’t know if I should be thankful for such strong friends or feel left behind.
“Oh right, Lizzy, you were far too violent. Don’t make such a mess, it ruins the path for the next people who come along!”
“I don’t care about that! The next people to come will just be Arnold and his gang, won’t they? So it doesn’t matter. That’s why Krai Baby lifted the ban on combat, right?”
“No, that wasn’t quite it.”
It wasn’t even that likely that they would succeed in catching up to us. It seemed much more likely to me that they would just wait for us at the capital. Which was all the more reason I needed to have the rest of Grieving Souls with me when I came back.
Even while chatting with us, Sitri’s hands kept busy. She started a fire, fed the tired horses, and set up camp. Her fluid movements showed that she did these same chores regularly. Liz wasn’t screwing around either. She was patrolling the perimeter while whistling to herself. Sitri didn’t care for people butting into her work anyway.
When we used to travel as a party, Sitri and Lucia would set up camp while Liz, Luke, and Ansem would patrol or hunt for food. It was my job to check in with everyone to see how they were, which is to say I didn’t do anything.
“Krai, where’s T?” Sitri asked me.
“Asleep. She seemed really tired so let’s let her get a bit of shut-eye.”
I didn’t think she’d be able to stay awake much longer. She had been nodding off occasionally and we didn’t need any more people to be on guard so this seemed a good time for her to rest. She was tossing and turning in her sleep but there wasn’t much I could do to help with that.
“Hmm, if you say so, Krai Baby,” Liz said.
Surprisingly, even she could show compassion.
Sitri set up a portable cauldron and pulled out a large knife.
“Now then, with Krai joining us for the first time in a while I have all the more reason to prepare something revitalizing. I’ve gotten my hands on plenty of great ingredients,” Sitri said with a grin.
“You’re right,” I said. “It’s been so long since we’ve eaten together like this.”
Until Eliza joined us, Sitri was the only Grieving Soul who could cook and her skills were top-notch. At first, I expected it might take some time for her to become any good but she developed her skills in the blink of an eye.
The spices she used were ones she got at the market and the other ingredients were mostly from animals and vegetables that happened to be nearby. Yet her food somehow seemed to always agree with me. I hadn’t eaten her cooking in some time and just the chance to feast on it might have been enough to make this trip worth it.
I found myself a bit moved. I smiled and let out a sigh. Before we formed a clan, back when we traveled together as a party, I always felt like I was going to die from the stress of monsters, harsh environments, and treasure vaults. But I wouldn’t say I only had bad memories of that time. Sure I was talentless, so much that Evolve Greed rejected me, but back then Krai Andrey was a hunter. This trip made me remember those adventures like they were yesterday.
My trip down memory lane was interrupted when I noticed Sitri looking at me.
“Uh, I’ll go grab some water,” I said, scratching my cheek. “Since I’m just standing around anyways.”
“Oh. Please do.”
“Ah, Krai Baby, let me go with you! There might be fish,” Liz said and casually linked arms with me.
After following the scent of water for a few minutes we came to a large river. Sources of water were important to humans, animals, and monsters. Except for phantoms, nothing could survive without it.
“Woo! It’s so pretty. Stuff like this is the best part of being a hunter,” Liz said as she looked at the river with wide eyes.
We must have picked the right time because there weren’t any monsters nearby. The river was a calm one, and the moon reflected off its dark surface.
“Does this look good?” I asked.
“Yeah, and I can see plenty of fish!” Liz answered with glimmering eyes.
Just because it looked clean didn’t mean it was necessarily fine to drink. Hunters with plenty of mana material had strong stomachs but I was no such hunter. Liz didn’t hesitate to step in. The water should’ve been cold but hunters weren’t easily bothered by these things.
Liz cheerfully stretched her arms.
“It’s so cooold,” she said. “I’ve still got some blood on me, maybe I’ll wash it off!”
Right in front of me, she began to undress. She tossed her gauntlets onto the riverbank and reached around to her back. She took off her armor (which only covered the top of her torso to begin with), her belt, and her shorts.
The moonlight shined on her fine skin, though I could only see her back. All that remained on her was her thin black underwear. I wished she had shown a bit more hesitation about undressing. Even if she was a hunter, she was still a girl and I thought she could be a bit more discreet. Her fingers made their way to the hook on her back and then stopped.
I regained my self-control and chided her.
“Liz, you shouldn’t do that.”
“What’s the matter? We’re comrades, aren’t we?”
Sure, I had known Liz since we were young but that didn’t mean rules of decency didn’t apply between us. If she only wanted to wash off the blood then she didn’t need to undress any further and I wanted to get water, not watch her strip.
I was puzzling over how to stop her but she suddenly looked over at me.
“Still, maybe I will stop for now,” she said. “This is a bit embarrassing and we haven’t been on an adventure together in so long.”
With a bashful and slightly alluring expression, she reached up and undid her ponytail, letting her pink hair fall across her back. Without waiting another moment, she jumped into the river. It seemed the river wasn’t that deep as she was able to stand with the water just up to her chest.
She turned around and asked me: “Are you gonna join me?”
“No, I need to get this water.”
“Oh. Darn. Well, I’m gonna catch some fish!”
She quickly dived into the water, her legs briefly kicking the air. Even at times like this, she kept Apex Roots on.
Maybe she has grown up a bit.
With feelings I wasn’t sure how to describe, I began to fill Sitri’s canteen with water.
I felt indebted to them. When operating as a party, one person’s mistake could decide the fate of everyone. Incompetency was a sin and I was incompetency made manifest. But the rest of the party never held that against me. When I quit adventuring, they never pressed me for a reason as to why. That allowed me to look back on those days as fun, if only just barely. Liz might seem inconsiderate, but even she was thinking of me. I couldn’t thank her enough.
“It’s so much more fun when you’re around. I’m glad you came,” Liz said to me.
We were enjoying a brief respite. She was sitting on the riverbank and I was combing her plentiful hair with my fingers. Her damp locks had a strange weight to them but they were without any damage in spite of her regular battles. She shivered every time my fingertips pressed against her scalp.
“Mm, it looks all right. It looks like you got the blood out.”
“Thanks. Giving off a funny smell might cause me to screw up when it counts.”
She sounded awfully relaxed when she said that.
We had completed what we came to do but it felt like a waste to head back immediately. Liz and I weren’t lovers or anything, but she wasn’t saying anything about returning and it was nice to just sit around from time to time. There was nothing uncomfortable about our silence and I wasn’t getting tired of looking at the unspoiled natural beauty around us.
I was letting my gaze fall on the water when Liz abruptly spoke up.
“Hey, Krai Baby,” she said in a serious voice. “I’m gonna become a powerful hunter.”
“Mmm, I know.”
I thought she was already plenty powerful but I didn’t doubt the determination in her voice. She was powerful, humble, dedicated, and beautiful. She was feared in the capital but she also had a number of fans.
Something about her grabbed people’s hearts and made her stand out from the rest. It was something all champions had and therefore something I would never have. I knew I wasn’t fit to be a hunter but I was still jealous of Liz’s straightforward dedication.
“And I’m definitely gonna make a hunter out of Tino,” she continued. “You made her my apprentice, so just watch.”
“I believe in you. You’ve got my full support.”
Of course, there was almost nothing I could do to help but I was glad to see Liz had grown.
She stood up and turned towards me, putting her underwear-clad figure right in front of me. I looked away reflexively but she simply smiled.
“Will you stay with me forever?”
Of course.
I felt indebted. I was certain I was one of the reasons for the explosive growth of her and the rest of our friends. If I had talents like they did then maybe they would have grown up a bit more “proper.” But that guilt wasn’t the reason I accepted all their invitations even after I stopped adventuring with them. Even if they were feared in the capital, even if there was an astronomical difference in our strength, they were my precious friends, no matter how much time passed.
Wearing my usual smile, I was about to give Liz her answer—
When the sound of an explosion came from the direction of our camp.
The forest shook. Liz’s bright expression became dark.
“Ah, c’mon! That’s some bad timing, we had such a good atmosphere going!”
“Huh?”
“It went in the direction of the others, I guess. This thing’s really hard to pick up. I gotta train more...”
I sat there bewildered. Liz let out a small sigh as she squeezed the water out of her hair and tied it up. She then put her clothes and armor back on. Within a few seconds, the alluring girl had changed into a fearsome hunter. Liz smiled at me, a look brimming with its usual confidence and brilliance.
With Liz pulling my hand, we ran through the darkness. She could see in the dark and I had activated Owl’s Eye so visibility was no issue but the nighttime forest still unsettled me. I probably wouldn’t have been able to run through those woods if she hadn’t been gripping my hand.
“Siddy’s noticed it, I think we’ll be fine! She’s an Alchemist after all!”
It seemed Sitri knew we were being followed by something. Liz had said it was “hard to pick up.” It must have been something considerable if a Thief had trouble detecting it. For what it’s worth, I was getting chased all the time. At that very moment, I also had Arnold pursuing me.
A hard-boiled line seemed a good way to escape reality.
“Sure is tough being so popular,” I said.
“Ooh, that was cool!” Liz cried in a shrill voice.
The man who uttered that cool line was currently being pulled along by her and at risk of tripping at any moment. I wondered if Liz would still like me if I did something so lame.
Fast as the wind, we returned to our camp and saw a monster slugfest unfolding before us.
“Took you long enough, Lizzy!” Sitri yelled.
Killiam ripped a tree from the ground and hurled it like a javelin. Drink let out a roar and went on the attack. They were both fighting a creature I had never seen before.
It had deep green skin and abnormally long limbs. Horns protruded from multiple spots on its body which was partially covered by a crude cloth. Its face was unique but it seemed to be a sort of goblin. Its looks were creepy, but what truly unsettled me was its swift and silent movements.
Killiam was strong, it excelled through pure strength and endurance and was the equivalent of at least a Level 5 hunter. Drink’s lionlike form suggested it was formidable as well. And yet their attacks weren’t leaving a scratch on the strange monster. With eerie, slippery movements it dodged the incoming tree and deflected Drink with a refinement atypical of monsters.
All three of Sitri’s hired hands were cowering by the carriage. Tino had awoken from her sleep and was already in a combat stance but seemed unable to find an opening for her to attack. It was too fast for me to even properly follow it with my eyes. I would have completely lost track of it if it weren’t for my night vision Relic.
“What’s that?” Liz asked with wide eyes.
“A roving ogre,” Sitri answered.
I see, so this is the roving ogre Sitri was talking about. Looks like I’ve got another entry to the list of rare monsters I’ve encountered.
“It would seem this is the monster that made the fake path,” Sitri continued, not taking her eyes off the monster. “I imagine it came after us because we entered its territory. Just as Krai calculated.”
My calculations suck.
Killiam roared, clenched its fists, and charged. However, the difference in reach was too large. Multiple large bruises were left on its gray body. The roving ogre looked at us and in almost the same instant its long arms shook.
It had thrown something. It had thrown a rock. By the time I had realized what was happening, a red burning rock was closing in on my face. But the comet-like projectile stopped before it could hit me and it wasn’t thanks to a Safety Ring.
Liz’s slender arm entered my vision, her small hand catching the flaming rock.
“Die,” she said.
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