Chapter 118 Through the Forest
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
(Hiroya’s POV)
”So, Liz? What are we going to do?”
Liz, who is leading the way, stopped her horse at a fork in the road from the village. I stopped next to her with Haya and asked her.
”Last time we went to the capital… the carriage took a route that went around the forest, right?”
”But if we go through the forest, we can save half a day! The ‘Goblin Forest’ isn’t a threat to us right now.”
”Yeah, I agree with going through the forest. …Mumble mumble…”
Dorothy was whispering something in Liz’s ear.
”Right! Okay, we’ll take the forest route!”
Liz had a big smile on her face as she took the reins and headed towards the forest.
”What’s up? Liz, you looked really happy making that decision…”
”Well… Dorothy was whispering something, I think.”
Aluda and I followed Liz and the others.
* * *
(Liz’s POV)
(“If we can save time, we can start camping earlier… with Mr. Hiroya… right? “I see, Dorothy is right ♡)
Before we left, Martina and Dorothy let me go first. Well, as long as Dorothy doesn’t get too excited.
(No, no, Lizelda can’t just be happy all the time. I’m the leader of everyone.)
I tightened my smile. I slowed down a bit and took my time on the forest path.
”It really looks like a forest now.”
Hiroya rode up next to me.
”Yeah. There are more monsters, but the types have changed. Thanks to that, the animals are lively even in winter.”
A few white forest mice, about the size of rabbits, ran alongside us for a bit before disappearing into the bushes.
”There were monster hunting requests from around here at the guild this morning. I think it was ten goblins?”
Martina, who was a bit ahead, turned around to keep an eye on things with her ‘Detection’ skill.
”…It feels like the forest has gone back to how it used to be. The biggest threat is still hiding in the dungeon, though.”
”Hunting goblins… that should be about rank E to D difficulty, right? The beginners will be excited.”
Dorothy replied with a smile to my comment.
”It might be a tough request for beginners at rank G or F… but this forest has a lot of herbs, and if you go up the mountain, you can find good ores, my grandpa said. This really is the ‘Village of Beginning Adventurers’.”
Aluda looked up at the trees from her horse.
”Yeah… this village is a great place…”
I was born and raised in this place, and I love it so much. My important friends and the villagers mean a lot to me. That’s why I’ve been fighting here. But now… I also have my important family and loved ones.
”…I would do anything for this village…”
I whispered that to no one in particular.
* * *
”Someone is fighting up ahead in the open area!”
Martina said seriously.
”Is it monsters fighting each other again?”
”My ‘Detection’ can’t see that far… I’ll go check it out.”
”Be careful, Martina.”
Martina smiled back at Hiroya, then got off her horse and quietly ran ahead.
”I’m going too. I’ll wait a little further ahead.”
I said that to Hiroya and the others, grabbed my composite bow, got off my horse, and followed Martina.
* * *
”Big Sister Liz, it looks like the Adventure Party is fighting some goblins!”
I sit next to Martina, who is crouching in the bushes, and peek in quietly.
It seems like a party of 3 adventurers is battling 5 goblins. They’ve already taken down 3 of them.
”They were fighting 3 against 8. Even though there are 5 left, they must be tired.”
”Should we help them?”
”They’re probably a party that took a quest to defeat them. It’s better if we don’t interfere… Can you go get everyone?”
”Got it.”
Martina runs off quietly.
I keep an eye on the fight. I plan to help if things get too dangerous.
(The girl in the black cloak over there… she’s a magician. And the others are… a Fighter and… a Thief, right?)
”Lotta! Use ‘Enchant’! Any element is fine!”
”Huh?”
That Fighter… isn’t that Garm?
”Noriss! Leave the front to me, and sneak around behind them!”
(Huh, he’s giving orders properly.)
”That’s… Garm. He’s back.”
I notice Hiroya is next to me.
”Yeah. He seems to be doing well.”
When I turn around, everyone is there.
”Everyone, get your arrows ready. Watch the goblins’ movements, and if they look like they’re in danger, don’t hesitate to help.”
Following my command, Hiroya, Martina, and Aluda grab their crossbows and load the bolts they took from under their cloaks. Dorothy readies her longbow, and I get my composite bow ready.
Lotta, the magician, casts ‘Enchant,’ and Garm swings his glowing red sword, taking down 2 goblins in an instant.
One goblin is killed by Noriss, the Thief, who sneaks up from behind, but the remaining 2 attack Garm.
Garm blocks a goblin’s club with his longsword, but one goblin runs past him, heading straight for the magician, Lotta.
”Lotta! Use your magic!”
Garm shouts, but Lotta stands frozen in fear.
”Fire!”
At my signal, arrows are shot at the goblins all at once. The goblins get hit by so many arrows that they look like a porcupine and get knocked back.
”Ah!”
Lotta collapses weakly.
Garm rushes over to the last goblin he just defeated and runs to the magician girl. He looks at us and asks, “Is someone there?”
”Sorry… I didn’t mean to butt in.”
Garm looks at us standing up from the bushes, surprised and with tears in his eyes.
”Liz! Hiroya and Marti!”
”Hey! You’re doing great!”
Hiroya greets him casually.
”Wait… are you Liz?”
”I was assigned to conquer the S-rank dungeon…”
Lotta, the magician who got up, and Noriss, the Thief who came running, both look shocked.
”That’s right. This is my former teammate, Liz. Next to her is the strongest boy swordsman in the kingdom, Hiroya. He’s my senior.”
Garm proudly introduces us.
”And… Marti! Long time no see! Let’s go on a date this time!”
”I’m already with Big Brother Hiroya! ♡”
”Oh no, I figured that would happen…”
Garm hangs his head in disappointment.
”Thank you for saving us. I’m Lotta Dressel, a magician. And this is Noriss Larbach, the Thief. Who are you guys?”
Lotta, still surprised, politely thanks us.
”Oh, I’m Dorothy, an elf, and this is Aluda, a dwarf.”
”Nice to meet you!”
”Nice to meet you too! If you need weapons or armor, come to ‘Blacksmith Freeberry at Razia Village’! ♡”
”Oh! The blacksmith in the southern district!”
It seems Noriss knows about it.
”Liz, introduce one of them!”
Garm leans in with a sweet voice.
”Seriously… I was impressed that you’ve grown a bit. But no way. Dorothy is Hiroya’s girl, and Aluda is also after Hiroya.”
”Ah, Aluda isn’t like that yet! …Maybe… not… really…?”
Aluda hurriedly denies it, but her voice gets quieter. She’s cute.
”Hiroya… I’ve heard rumors about you, but you seem really amazing at a lot of things…”
”Eh? Well, yeah.”
Hiroya turns his face away, blushing and scratching his cheek. So cute. The best.
Garm whispers as he watches me sway my hips while looking at Hiroya.
”I heard from big brother Ares, but… you really have fallen for Hiroya, huh Liz…”
”Of course! There’s no other guy like him.”
I hug Hiroya tightly and rub my cheek against him.
”Ah! Big Sister Liz, that’s unfair!”
”Everyone! I’m Mr. Hiroya’s pet sl*ve, you know!”
”Ugh! So jealous!”
Martina hugs Hiroya from the other side, and Dorothy squats down to hug Hiroya’s lower body. Aluda looks at us with envy.
”Ah… this is a guy’s… dream…”
Garm mutters in shock. Isn’t it great? Everyone is my precious ‘family.’
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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