81 – Ruse and Scheme (6)
Three days have passed since we arrived in the swamp.
I still couldn’t find a trace of Cerberus, let alone a shadow.
Since then, even the cases of sightings have disappeared.
This was enough to make me wonder if Cerberus had disappeared.
“No matter how you think about it, it’s just too weird.”
No matter how high the difficulty of the game is, it is definitely wrong that there are no clues like this.
According to the agency’s explanation, Cerberus had been rampaging on the plains until a week before we arrived.
But now it has disappeared like a lie.
Even though we openly hunted the pack of wolves, there was no response.
As if someone was intentionally erasing the traces.
‘No matter how intelligent Cerberus is, it’s not that great.’
I’ve never heard of a monster clever enough to erase even traces of itself.
But how can you explain a ridiculous situation like this?
While I was messing with her hair and thinking about it, Erina came and sat next to me.
“Today is also a waste of time.”
Erina looked around the plain while talking to herself in a calm tone.
I killed countless monsters for three days, but there was no result.
There was no use in wandering from the center of the swamp to the outskirts.
“At this rate, I might go back after struggling for four days.”
Kayla also opened her mouth with a dark expression.
She was no longer as energetic as she was when she first came to Helen Village.
Now I am just trembling with anxiety and impatience.
Actually, even when playing the game, there are quite a lot of things that go wrong with quests.
Therefore, if you are requesting an expedition, it is basic to set the deadline comfortably for about a month.
But this time the story was different.
He searched all the places where Cerberus was likely to be, including the plains and even the center of the swamp, but he couldn’t find his target.
Now I had to find a way other than searching blindly.
We continued our meeting sitting around a campfire.
Let’s stop searching and go back.
Let’s expand the search range and go far.
Let’s go back to the plains and search again.
There were many other opinions, but it was concluded that Kayla’s suggestion was the most reasonable.
“I think it’s good to go back to the village and gather rumors.”
You could do more to search.
If you conserve food, you have two more days to search.
However, considering the progress so far, I had a hunch that I might continue to make mistakes.
I decided that it would be better to go back to the village and collect rumors and search the plains again.
“I can’t help it. Let’s all pack our bags first.”
At my words, my colleagues got up helplessly and began preparing to leave.
Unlike when I started the request three days ago, the atmosphere had calmed down a lot.
“Don’t be too depressed. The request hasn’t failed yet.”
“Yes. It’s too early to give up yet!”
Serika also found out that Kayla was down and started to cheer her up.
Kayla laughed it off as if she was fine, but she didn’t quite feel it.
I approached Kayla.
He tidied up the disheveled hair and tied the robe tightly.
“My lord. Sorry. I should have worked a little harder.”
“No. You did a good job I can’t help but be unlucky.”
From the moment she first arrived in Helen Village, Kayla vowed that she would never fail her request.
However, after her request began, Kayla’s performance was quite low.
Since Erina and Celica were together, it was only natural that their achievements were divided.
But even that, Kayla clenched her fists as if indignant.
“Don’t stress too much. Because you are doing well.”
She calmly held her hand and stroked her hair, her hard expression loosening.
Her cold face was flushed with a blush and her tightly pursed lips loosened.
Seeing that, Celica was looking at her with satisfaction.
“Let’s move fast. If you don’t want to camp today, you’ll have to move quickly.”
The road out of the swamp and into the plains was quite long.
I wondered if I could get there in a day, even if I crossed the plain from where I am now.
In the meantime, she had to take care of Celica, so her time was delayed even more.
While she was putting her backpack away and getting ready to leave, Erina said in a calm voice.
“Where is Cerberus?”
“Well, I’m not sure either. Maybe it’s not Cerberus, but some other monster.”
Because there were no traces, it came to the point where I doubted even my knowledge of the game.
In fact, it was understandable even if a monster other than Cerberus appeared.
However, I didn’t find any particularly strange traces.
“I can’t help it. I have no choice but to go back to the village.”
Erina muttered in an innocent tone. She was uncharacteristically calm.
Lately, I couldn’t tell what Erina was thinking.
Previously, she would have been nervous or annoyed because she couldn’t find Cerberus.
But for now, she is just preparing to return to the village with a detached attitude.
‘Has it really changed… ?’
There must have been a reason why she became calm.
Could it be that I’ve really changed my mind since I gave a damn in the village?
There was no way that would happen. There will definitely be a plan.
However, judging by her actions so far, she doesn’t appear to be scheming.
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He was infinitely serious in dealing with monsters.
However, when it came to the request, he was consistent with a do-it-yourself attitude.
‘Are you going to deliberately fail the request?’
Is she thinking of creating an opportunity to separate herself from Celica by failing the request?
Erina used all kinds of moves to push Celica away.
As a result, they all failed, but there was no way they had given up just yet.
“Erina. When I go back to the village, I’m thinking of inviting Celica as a party member.”
“I am absolutely against it.”
“You’re still going to keep your promise, right?”
“…”
Recruitment is subject to a majority vote.
It was a promise that I managed to placate Erina and accept.
I didn’t like it, but I kept my mouth shut as if I couldn’t say no.
I laughed as I watched her say nothing with her lips pouting.
Can a pouting figure be this cute?
“Erina. It’s all for us.”
“Yes… I know.”
While chatting like that, we headed for the outskirts of the swamp.
Even after defeating countless monsters, the cries of the monsters still did not diminish.
How many monsters live in the swamp?
Still, taking a lot of loot could be said to be comforting.
‘I think I can make a lot of money even if I just get paid for the monsters I’ve killed so far.’
Even if she gave up her request, she might be able to find the mansion that Erina wanted.
Of course, I had no intention of canceling her request.
The success of the request is related to our reputation and Colin’s career.
“Let’s find a mansion when we return to the capital.”
At my words, Erina’s eyes widened.
“Really… ?!”
“If the request is successful.”
Then Erina held my hand with her smirking smile.
Seeing her smile for the first time in a while made her heart warm.
With a lively voice, Erina fantasized about the mansion she was about to live in.
“If I were to get a room, I would like to share a room with you.”
“No, we should use a separate room.”
“Then, we share separate rooms, but can we sleep together?”
“Will you crawl in even if it doesn’t work anyway?”
“Of course. Because I have to protect you.”
What the hell is the connection between sleeping with me and protecting me?
Still, I couldn’t stop laughing as if I felt good just imagining it.
Her heart felt a little better when she saw her smiling as brightly as before.
“Seohyun. We will arrive on the plains soon.”
“Ah. Okay.”
Being only in the dark swamp area, I felt that my energy was gloomy.
She hurriedly moved her steps, thinking that she would be greeted with bright sunlight and a cool breeze after a long time.
But what awaited us was not a peaceful silver grass field.
Just before exiting the swamp, Erina’s steps stopped.
“Wait a minute.”
She immediately drew her sword. The meaning of Erina’s sudden stop was clear.
An enemy appeared. The premonition was not wrong.
Black smoke began to pour out of the forest.
Within seconds, a black mist began to surround us.
‘What… ?’
I’ve never heard of a monster that uses black mist.
However, judging from my experiences so far, I have a feeling that this is not an ordinary enemy.
The smell of rotting corpses began to spread along with the black mist.
It was a terrible stench that would give you a headache even if you covered your nose.
“Everyone unite! Something is wrong!”
Hearing my voice, Kayla and Erina quickly became alert in all directions.
I looked around while maintaining formation to protect Celica.
“Serica. Block the fog with a barrier!”
“Yes!”
Celica memorized her prayers. Immediately, the light emitted from her staff pierced the black mist and spread everywhere.
The black mist could no longer approach us.
But the moment Celica collapses, her black mist will overtake us.
“Kayla. Prepare the flame curtain.”
“Okay!”
“As soon as I give you a signal, protect Celica.”
Most of the monsters in the swamp were weak against fire.
To protect Celica, Kayla’s flame shield was the safest.
And Erina was in her upright position with her sword on her nerves.
“Erina.”
“Yes!”
“Do as you like as usual.”
Erina didn’t need a strategy.
As much as I became stronger, even without her, she was able to protect her body alone.
Anyway, it didn’t change anything if I or Kayla intervened.
It would have been better for Kayla and me to form a formation to protect Celica.
While calmly looking around, something began to rise from the floor.
“This, this… !”
“Selica! Focus! Don’t let go of the wand!”
At my scream, Celica held her staff tightly.
However, both hands were shaking.
Celica was frightened by the scene in front of her.
A lizardman with missing eyeballs. A wolf with a broken tooth. Lamia with holes in her body.
The corpses of the monsters we’ve defeated so far are standing up.