Volume 3 Chapter 6 Quest： Dream Castle III
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”What a freak…”
Natasha muttered, having noticed the bulge in Kian’s groin.
Yelmar thrust his greatsword into the ground and extended his right hand to Kian.
”Then, may each of our journeys be successful”
”Ah, farewell.”
Yelmar and his companions disappeared one by one into the depths of the forest.
The direction they took was opposite to the village – towards the mountains.
It seemed they intended to cross the mountains and leave the Margrave Izerland territory.
It was a dangerous domain, said to be inhabited by numerous monsters such as Griffins, yet they showed no hesitation.
What boldness.
Eventually, Yelmar, too, disappeared into the forest, accompanied by the soldiers carrying Natasha.
They were the last to leave.
The human scent vanished from the surroundings, leaving only the smell of werewolf and Sword-Cain’s blood as a reminder of the fight.
Rufna slowly lowered the sword she had been holding.
”Phew, they’re gone. I never expected the ‘Storm Herd’ to emerge from under the water”
”What were they doing in such a remote place? Raising Bloodsucking Kind?”
”Who knows? Well, there aren’t any Knights to keep the peace here, and if the villagers disappear, it could be blamed on wolves. It might be convenient for them.”
”The ‘Storm Herd’ wouldn’t conduct such strange experiments on their own. They must have been hired by someone to do something here. Hiring a former Head magician… it’s very ominous.”
”There seems to be a high-level barrier around the lake. That’s the one Natasha set up earlier. I feel the same magical power.”
”I want to dive in and check, but our territory doesn’t extend that far…”
While listening to Natra’s conversation, Kian spoke to ‘glasses’ in his mind.
(Hey, is this gold real? Is there any strange curse on it?)
’It’s a normal Franz Kingdom gold coin. There are 23 of them.’
(Really? …It certainly looks like a normal gold coin)
’Anyway, even though you suspected them, why did you allow them to escape?’
(Yeah… even if I had been deceived, I was willing to let them go as long as they didn’t fight back. My goal was only to kill the monsters threatening the mountain village and restore peace. Nothing more.)
’Well, as an adventurer, it was the right decision.’
Natra and Rufna turned back.
Natra was wrapping the werewolf’s head in cloth, while Rufna was burying the body under the earth with dirt magic.
”The objective has been achieved. We’ll leave the investigation of this site to the professionals. We’re taking the head back to the village.”
* * *
In the village, a few freemen were waiting at the hunter’s house.
They all relaxed when they saw Kian, their expressions showing relief.
Then, they widened their eyes in shock when they saw the bloodstained bundle in his hand.
Someone must have sent word, as the magistrate, Rean, and Lyritisse came hurrying down the farm road with torches.
”Magistrate! These guys brought back the monster’s head!”
A man walking beside Kian called out in a voice filled with joy.
The magistrate and the others had clearly already heard the news, as their faces were flushed red even in the torchlight.
They looked at the bloodied cloth hanging from Kian’s right hand and shouted in delight.
Applause soon started, but Kian loudly called for silence.
”Listen to me before you celebrate!”
”What is it? Isn’t that the monster that was attacking the village?”
”Yes, but it’s not that simple. Actually──”
He told them about encountering a group calling themselves ‘Storm Herd’ in the forest.
When he handed over their calling card, the magistrate, of course, and even Rean and Lyritisse peered at it with furrowed brows.
”The monster was a Wolfman kept by ‘Storm Herd’. We were surrounded by dozens of members of the reputedly strongest mercenary group in the west, but we successfully negotiated their retreat from this area through bravery.”
”Why would ‘Storm Herd’ be in such a place…”
Rean raised an eyebrow.
The magistrate looked up at Kian with a clinging gaze.
”That mercenary group won’t be coming back, will they?”
”Ah, I intended to report this to the Guild Leader as well, so a research team should be sent to the lake in the forest in the coming days. If they were still lurking in the depths, the military would likely be dispatched from the kingdom next time.”
”So, peace will return to our village…?”
”Yes.”
As Kian nodded, cheers rose once again.
The magistrate took Kian’s hand, bowing his head repeatedly while expressing his gratitude.
The situation in the village was indeed that urgent.
”We need to hurry back to report to the Guild. Please evaluate the Quest later.”
”If you’ve resolved it, there will be no complaints about the highest rating!”
”Thank you. ──Rean, Ms. Lyritisse, what will you do from here? Will you stay behind in the village for protection, just in case?”
”…If the matter is settled, I’m going home. Lyr, what about you?”
”If you’re going back, then I’ll go too. I’ve calculated the village coordinates, and the flow of the Spiritual Vein seems fine. I will open the gate.”
”I see. Please do.”
”──Everyone, thank you so very much. I don’t know how to express my gratitude.”
”I didn’t do anything. If you’re giving thanks, it should be to them—to Kian and his group.”
”Aren’t you all part of the same party?”
”No. I’m Rean, from Lion’s Companion.”
”Huh. That so?”
”I don’t get it at all!”
”Hahaha! Still, I never thought we’d get this all sorted out for just five silver coins! Right, guys?”
It’d be cruel to point out they should’ve scraped together a little more.
Kian handed the monster’s head to the magistrate and signaled to Natra and Rufna.
”Wait a moment, Kian.”
”What is it, Ms. Lyritisse?”
Lyritisse placed her hand on her chest.
”Are you planning to ride horses back again? That could be tough, so let me escort you. I will open the teleportation gate, so please, follow Sir Rean.”
”Is that alright?”
”Yes, even though we are in different parties, I can do at least that much.”
”Then I will take you up on your offer.”
”Please do.”
Lyritisse said, moving away from the group to avoid disrupting the activation of the gate.
After a while, her incantation began to resound clearly.
As the ritual magic neared completion, Rean took a sudden step closer to Kian.
Natra grasped her long sword and stepped forward, but Kian turned to face her, holding her back.
”Do you need something?”
”……”
Rean stared directly at Kian from the front.
He was silent for an unnatural length of time before finally speaking in a low voice.
”Did you make a decision?”
”Make a decision?”
”That amount of magic power, the robustness of your body──it’s clearly not the you from before.”
”What are you talking about?”
”……It’s nothing. Forget it.”
With that brief remark, Rean touched the black onyx horn cup hanging around his neck with the fingertips of his right hand.
He seemed to ponder something as he lowered his blue eyes, then abruptly turned his back on Kian.
”Sir Rean, the gate is ready.”
”Ah. ──Then, everyone, be on your way. Goodbye.”
He smiled at the magistrates and began to walk slowly towards Lyritisse’s open teleportation gate.
Kian followed behind, accompanied by Natra and Rufna.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
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