Volume 4 Chapter 2 Forest of the Wolves
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Riding on the back of Ms. Claire the Centaurus, we race through the endless field of wall barley.
Lately, I’ve stopped clinging to her waist and instead distribute my weight between the stirrups and the saddle for better balance.
This way, I can absorb the jolts with my knees, sparing my backside, and it seems to let Ms. Claire pick up speed.
When I shift my center of gravity in sync with her gallop, it feels like I’m not adding any unnecessary strength, making me feel lighter than the luggage.
By riding the rhythm instead of being shaken by it, I find it easier, and we’re both searching for that perfect moment of harmony.
There’s still a lot to improve, but I think I’m managing to ride without being much of a burden to Ms. Claire.
When she runs comfortably, the wind whistles by my ears.
Falling off at this speed wouldn’t just be a simple mess, but I’ll push that thought aside for now.
With a healer around, anything short of death is manageable, after all.
In terms of a healer’s presence, Ms. Nina’s role is huge.
We’re discussing backup life-saving measures with Mr. Zenom too, but the key person isn’t too keen, which is a problem.
If she’s worried about the money, I think we can figure something out.
One magic crystal is worth a hundred million gold, which converts to a billion yen at ten yen per gold.
A billion yen isn’t something I’d aim to earn, but a hundred million gold feels doable.
I’ve always been pretty good at in-game finances, anyway.
I need to seriously consider Shea-Shea as a potential healer companion too.
In the game, having multiple healers in the party really boosts your survival rate.
Offense might take a hit, leading to slower annihilation, but it tends to turn into a war of attrition, which allows us to effectively use status ailments and expand our tactics.
I don’t know if it’ll work out the same way as the game, but more options are always better.
If possible, I’d rather not take another gamble like this one.
I’m leaving the route to the Trial Valley up to Ms. Claire while I do a radar scan for any threats.
It’s tough to keep a clear image of my surroundings with all this shaking; it’s making me a bit nauseous.
For now, the wall barley fields stretch on ahead.
I don’t sense any immediate danger nearby.
Occasionally, I catch a whiff of quail or spirits, but since that incident, I haven’t seen a single fox.
We left the village quite late, so the sun is already starting to dip.
There’s no way we’re reaching the Trial Valley today.
That was the plan all along, so no big deal; I’ve come prepared for a night under the stars.
Though… given the centaur tribe, I’ll just crawl into my sleeping bag while they sleep standing up.
Once a fort overlooking the canal, Toyata Village now sprawls like a pyramid on the mountainside.
By the time the tower of Toyata Church is little more than a pinprick on the horizon, I spot a forest ahead.
Rumor has it this forest is the territory of wolves, so I’ll hold off on entering for today.
They say stepping into their domain at night is a taboo, and trust me, you don’t want to flout the taboos of this world.
There are clearly defined reasons for every superstition and taboo, and breaking them could land you in dire straits, like Ani-Ani.
It’s a bit early to sleep, but I’ll set up camp right before the forest.
To me, dragons and wolf packs are equally terrifying──either one could wipe me out in an instant.
Time is precious, but if I rush and die for nothing, I won’t be able to save what needs saving.
I’ve had my fair share of experiences in games where I got killed by unrelated enemies on the way to the dungeon.
Back in middle school, I played an online game where we planned to gather at the dungeon, but someone died and had to respawn, leading to a pointless disband.
Even in this world, I’ve had some close calls in an RPG on the laptop I got here, letting my guard down on the field.
Even if it’s just a game, those experiences can be surprisingly useful.
Which is probably why the Hero Administration hands out expensive laptops, but man, this one’s a bit too bulky.
When folded, it’s almost ten centimeters thick──not a notebook, but a full encyclopedic computer.
It’s heavy, too, so there’s no way I’m lugging this thing around.
It just stays under my bed most days.
If it were at least as small as a handheld game console, I’d have brought it today without a second thought.
That RPG had the Trial Valley included as part of the questline.
I vaguely remember the map and what monsters showed up there, but just to be safe, I wanted to double-check one last time.
The autumn sun has slipped below the horizon, but the world around us still glows dimly.
After a quick meal of bread and jerky, I ask Ms. Joa to keep watch while Ms. Claire and I catch some sleep.
Catching rest whenever you can is important──running on empty just invites stupid mistakes.
* * *
I wake just before dawn.
In that half-asleep haze, I swear I heard wolves howling far off, more than once.
I didn’t sleep all that well, but I don’t feel wiped out or anything.
After a quick breakfast, Ms. Joa hooks the bag she lucked into yesterday onto both sides of Ms. Claire’s saddle.
The trick is to balance the weight evenly──if it’s off, everything feels way heavier than it actually is.
The bag’s still heavier than me, even after eating breakfast made it a little lighter.
And here I am about to climb on top, but Ms. Claire doesn’t even flinch.
Now that Ms. Joa’s free of the load, I send her back to the village.
After that, she’ll guide Ms. Ant and the others here, set up camp, and wait out the next few days.
This spot’s just outside the wolf territory, so it’s fairly safe──and it sits right between Trial Valley and the village.
If we manage to snag the Dragon God Herb, crawling back here will be a lifesaver.
Ms. Joa takes off, shrinking to a mere white dot in no time.
At that speed, she won’t even take an hour to reach the village.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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