#5 Beast Hunting (3)
“Hey, I almost didn’t recognize you! Why did you change like this?”
Lutten laughed and said cheerfully.
At that, Elric let out a mocking laugh.
“You haven’t changed at all. It was just big.”
“What? Why are you talking like that again?”
“This friend is really… .”
Meeting a relationship from the good times is enjoyable no matter how many times it is experienced.
Even more so if it was a close friend.
“Let’s go inside. You have worked hard to come a long way.”
“Yes, yes, oh, I forgot to say hello to your wife! My name is Ruten, the knight of Gideon! Yes, I used to be the right hand of the captain here!”
“i look forward to.”
Tyria, as always, bowed her head slightly and responded to him.
Entering the mansion like that, Elric was delighted to forget his original purpose and began to unravel his thoughts.
“I heard that you became a knight, but I didn’t know you were in the next estate. Why not at Weebin?”
“You don’t pick up more articles here. Gideon is still running the Knights in the name of maintaining dignity. Oh, are you not cursing Weebin?”
“I don’t care about that, so don’t worry about it.”
“Then I’m glad.”
The story went on for quite a while.
After going over how I’ve been for the past 10 years, the current situation of other close friends, and what happened at the recent harvest festival, the ending is, of course, nostalgic.
A smile did not leave Elric’s lips as he recalled the incident as vividly as it was yesterday.
It was shortly after that the conversation was cut off.
“I’m sorry to break the magic so much, but can we talk about it soon?”
“Oh, sorry. I’m so excited.”
“no.”
It was Tyria’s intervention.
Unfortunately, the timing was just right, and the conversation might continue all night.
Lutten also laughed and agreed with Tyria’s opinion.
“Yes, I am also in the position of being dispatched. Did you say monster hunting? Ma’am, can we hear more about it?”
“It’s nothing complicated. The demon from the mountain behind the village came down to the village and was tyrannical. According to the investigation, Caliso Wolf is the most likely, but the head of the household gave an opinion that there should be at least one knight for safety.”
“Hmmm, I’m sure if it’s a Witchbeast I can help. I’ve hunted a few times in Gideon.”
Elric smiled awkwardly and listened to their conversation.
I have to assume Blade Wolf, not Caliso Wolf, but I can see Tyria’s notice to say how he figured it out right away.
Wouldn’t it be nice to meet Rutten later and talk to him?
Thinking of that, Elric carefully observed Lutten.
‘Well trained.’
Lutten’s mana was very stable.
Haha, since he was a friend who knew how strong he was since he was young, hard training shouldn’t have been a big problem.
This is enough power to launch an all-out war even with Blade Wolf.
I wonder if it would be enough for him to cut his toenails with his sword and pierce the beast with his matchlock.
“… okay. Our troops are three hunters with matchlocks. one guide. Not bad. It’s far too safe for hunting wolves.”
Lutten trembled and chuckled.
“We’re leaving right away. Captain, let’s talk about the rest!”
It was the moment he stood up.
Lutten, who was looking out the window, glanced out the window and said, “Huh?” He tilted his head and expressed bewilderment.
Elric followed him and cast his gaze out the window.
“Why… hmm.”
Elric’s brow narrowed.
“It’s snowing.”
White grains began to fall from the sky to the ground.
Judging by the thickness of the grains, it was snow piling up.
*
There were problems with moving straight ahead.
When the road was frozen, it was difficult to move the wagon or horse, and the biggest problem was the drop in body temperature when the body was wet with falling snow.
Lutten is a knight who handles mana, so it’s okay, but other people might be affected.
That’s why you can’t just leave the Witchbeast alone.
In the end, the conclusion came down to one direction.
“Well, let’s move as soon as the eyes stop.”
It was Lutton’s opinion.
“I can’t see it being that bad. The accumulation of snow means that the Witchbeast’s footprints will be dug more clearly. It is much easier to identify migration routes and habitats.”
“When do you think it will stop?”
“Will it stop by afternoon though?”
Elric and Tyria agreed as it did not take long.
After lunch, it wasn’t long before the three of them were ready to depart.
From noble mtl dot com
Rutten asked.
“But will you really follow me?”
“hmm? Is there any problem?”
“Why do you think there isn’t?”
Lutten’s gaze turned to Elric’s knee.
Elric smiled shyly.
Well, it’s worth worrying that he’s following a mountain hike even though he can’t even walk properly without a cane.
But from Elric’s point of view, it wasn’t even funny.
“Even if you look at it like this, he is a person who has traveled around the continent for 10 years. I can’t go back to goal with an injury like this.”
“Then there’s no way I can stop you… Still, when the demon comes out, you have to stick behind me?”
“Not mind.”
In fact, even in the midst of this, Elric wanted to leave Tyria, but as a crippled body, it was dangerous, so wouldn’t it be ridiculous to say that you should leave?
More than anything else, it was really hard to add anything else because of her strong will to follow.
Elric glanced at her.
‘Um, I don’t have anything to say today.’
The fact that I was distracted by the conversation with Lutten and didn’t pay attention to it is now starting to appear one by one.
Are you still nervous?
For some reason, his expression looked more firm than usual.
That was the moment.
“Let’s go.”
Tyria’s horse moved the carriage.
It was about an hour later that we arrived at the village.
When they arrived, they were greeted by three hunters, guides, and village chiefs who had already arrived here the day before.
“Hey, are the lord and wife going too?”
The village chief spoke with a flag, but there was no way to stop the lord and his wife.
The only thing he could do was to bow his head in disbelief at Elric’s words.
It was fortunate for Elric.
“Don’t worry and take care of the villagers.”
Elric grinned and addressed the hunters.
“Okay, it looks like everyone is ready, so let’s start.”
“yes!”
So the walk started.
Even though it was a mountain behind the village, it was a huge mountain range, among which the witches were presumed to have descended.
Elric surveyed the surroundings, keeping a close eye on the hunters and Lutten climbing the mountain.
It was to give a word about Blade Wolf.
‘It’s time to start seeing traces.’
There was a better way than saying directly, ‘This is a trace of Blade Wolf’.
In any case, it would be much easier for them to point out the traces left around them and make them realize the species of the demons again than to identify the species of the demons by digging through the village or the state where the fence was cut.
Elric had no intention of going to the front right away.
“I found it!”
In the meantime, one of the hunters shouted.
Elric checked that way.
‘Um, that’s ambiguous.’
The eyes narrow.
What the hunter found were footprints.
Although larger in size than a normal Caliso Wolf, it does not have the unique characteristics of a Blade Wolf.
“Your footprint is quite large.”
All I can do is say that.
However, the reaction that followed was as expected.
“Certainly worth digging through a village. It is very large.”
“Yes, even among adults, he looks pretty decent.”
After all, is it impossible with only footprints?
Elric sighed.
“Let’s move again.”
I wish I could find more solid evidence.
The fortunate thing is that there is still room for it.
Usually, it’s after the fifth valley that monsters nest, so you don’t have to worry about an unexpected attack at this point, since it’s still the first valley.
Above all, the mana net spread by Elric did not catch any sign of the beast.
‘Okay.’
I was in the middle of climbing the second valley for a long time.
Lutten frowned.
“… driving me crazy.”
As he said, it was a crazy and jumping situation.
“The sky was clear, but why is this guy’s snow suddenly falling again?”
Suddenly dark clouds gather and snow begins to pile up.
It was embarrassing even for Elric.
It’s not that difficult to move the steps so far, but if you accumulate more here, it’s clear that there will be considerable restrictions on movement.
Plus, there were bigger problems than that.
“Madam, are you okay?”
“… yes.”
Tyria’s complexion was not good.
Elric finally realized the strangeness of her condition.
I thought it was just the cold because my face was red, but it wasn’t.
He took off his glove and placed his hand over her face, feeling the heat.
“Catch a cold.”
Elric’s expression hardened.
Tyria’s gaze turned to the floor.
“… It’s nothing.”
“No, why didn’t you speak in this condition?”
“… .”
Tyria was silent.
Others also made troubled faces.
“What are you going to do, boss? Shall we go down?”
No, we’ve come too far to go down.
By the time you go down to the village and try to warm her up, you’ll already be overheated and pass out.
Action must be taken as soon as possible.
Elric’s thought, which had been thinking, reached a point and stopped there.
“… Lutten, go there.”
“huh?”
“hut. There is a cabin here in the second valley.”
Lutten’s eyes widened at his words.
“… ah! The place where you learned the sword from that bandit!”
“A knight.”
“anyway!”
Lutten’s face brightened.
“okay! If it’s there, I’ll be able to avoid my eyes right away and melt my wife’s body! Let’s go!”
“Madam, can you walk a little longer?”
Tyria’s head nodded up and down.
Elric said, holding her by the shoulder.
“Please be patient.”
“… yes.”
Elric immediately began to support her and follow her steps.
Fortunately, Lutten also remembered the cabin, so there was no hesitation in the steps ahead.
*
Sabak, Sabak-
The sound of stepping on the snow echoes all over.
In the middle of it, Tyria glanced at Elric.
It was a very worried face.
‘I never thought the fever would rise this far… .’
Tyria scolded herself for her complacency.
However, if I had known this in advance, I would not have come… will shake your head
It’s also because of worry.
This is because there are memories that come to mind when these mountains in this season and Elric are together.
In the midst of dizziness from the heat, the blurry landscape in my memory began to overlap over the familiar snowy mountain landscape.
– You run away first!
The brown-haired child was crying out with blood dripping down the back of his neck.
The expression on his face was impassioned.
After that, there was a black magic beast with yellow eyes shining.
-hurry!!!
At the same time as the feeling that the cry echoes clearly in my head for some reason,
dump-
Tyria lost consciousness and collapsed.
“ma’am!!!”
Elric’s startled voice was the last one she remembered.
Finally got some backstory