CH 11

“I consider myself quite attentive, but I completely failed to notice Cross’s presence,” lamented Franz.

“I was too focused on defending myself from the attacks, I didn’t have the luxury to be aware,” replied the samurai.

During their exchange, Franz’s sense of feeling gradually returned to his legs. He wobbled to his feet and, as if checking his condition, took a few steps while casting a sidelong glance at the giant carcass, where his companions were engaged in conversation.

Although they had not found the forest wolves they initially set out to hunt, they were now battle-worn, their shields and armor in tatters. Considering the injuries sustained by the two frontline fighters, it was far too dangerous to camp within the bewitched forest.

Even if they hurriedly turned back now, it was doubtful whether they would make it in time for the final departure of the shared carriage. However, they at least wanted to reach the grassy plains beyond the forest before nightfall.

In haste to retreat, Franz promptly took out his knife and began the process of severing the giant’s fingers. As he struggled with the obstinately tough skin, he suddenly realized that Cross was standing behind him.

“Franz, what are you doing?” questioned Cross with a hint of anger laced in his voice.

With a tinge of regret, Franz became aware of his own mistake. He had intended to be helpful and take care of the menial task, but it seemed as though he was perceived as stealing the spoils.

“I-I apologize. Since I wasn’t of much use in the battle, I thought I could at least assist in collecting the remains. Of course, I don’t mind if you claim all the rewards for the subjugation,” Franz explained.

Although he conveyed his lack of ill intentions, Cross still wore a perplexed expression on his face, unsatisfied with the explanation.

…Damn it.

He had intended to be considerate and help with the miscellaneous tasks, but it seemed as if he was perceived as snatching away the prey.

“What are you talking about? I am asking why you are trying to sever the finger of this corpse,” Cross questioned. “And what do you mean by ‘rewards for the subjugation’?”

“…? Ah, I see! Cross, you’re not an adventurer!” Franz exclaimed.

Dumbfounded by the battle with the giant, he had forgotten that Cross had indeed mentioned not being familiar with adventurers. It was only natural that the term “rewards for the subjugation” did not resonate with him.

Fully abandoning their chances of catching the shared carriage, Franz decided to settle down with his companions and engage in a conversation with Cross.

It turned out that Cross was indeed a foreigner from a place called “Nihon.” He had been traveling through this land when he somehow found himself standing in the midst of this forest.

Although the vast Bewitched Forest spanned several countries, Franz had never heard of a country called Nihon. Thus, it meant that Cross had wandered into this forest from a distant land.

Cross himself seemed unfamiliar with the name “Pharas Kingdom,” and he appeared greatly astonished upon being informed that this was the remote western border of the kingdom.

How shall I put it… He’s quite a remarkable lost soul.

“I couldn’t find a single highway. I was searching for human settlements. Sorry to bother you, but could you guide me to the nearest town?” Cross requested.

“Of course. We’re heading back to town as well, so let’s go together,” Franz replied.

“With Franz and Bart in this state, we could really use your help,” another companion chimed in.

“Although it may not be enough to express our gratitude for saving us,” Franz added.

As Franz inquired about the country Cross came from, another shocking revelation surfaced. It appeared that there were no monsters in that country.

This revelation left everyone dumbfounded to the point that they involuntarily gasped.

Monsters were the natural enemies of humanity, no matter where in the world one found themselves. It was believed that the threat of monsters remained unchanged, regardless of the location.

“To think such a country exists…”

“A land without monsters. I never even imagined such a thing… It’s like a paradise.”

“If you lived in such a country, it’s only natural that you wouldn’t know about adventurers…”

“Wait, does that mean you fought the giants without knowing their true nature?”

“Are they considered monsters too? I assumed they were a kind of supernatural being, based on your use of the term ‘monstrosity.'”

In the land of Cross, it was considered taboo to toy with the corpses of even hostile adversaries. Although they understood that the Titans were not human, Franz found it disturbing to think that he was playfully damaging the remains for his own amusement.

When he explained that they needed to submit proof of subjugating monsters in order to receive rewards from the Adventurers’ Guild, he promptly understood, though he couldn’t quite grasp the concept.

“Proof of subjugation varies depending on the monster. For Titans, it’s their right thumb, while for imps and forest wolves, it’s their right ear,” Franz explained.

“So, the reward is a form of gratitude for defeating the monster?” he inquired.

“It’s not exactly a reward. We’re not exactly serving the Adventurers’ Guild… How do I explain it?” Franz pondered.

“Let’s say when a village’s fields are ravaged by monsters and the villagers can’t handle it themselves, they pay a fee to the Adventurers’ Guild to request subjugation. We adventurers hunt down the monsters as part of that request and receive a subjugation reward. So, it’s more like compensation than a reward… Well, the guild does take a percentage as an intermediary fee from the original request fee,” Franz clarified.

“I see, it’s quite different from being a servant. You accept a request, fight, and receive compensation in return, similar to the duties of a ninja or a mercenary,” Cross deduced.

“I’m not familiar with the term ‘ninja,’ but in terms of the system, it’s similar to mercenaries. The difference is that mercenaries generally fight against humans, while adventurers fight against monsters. Moreover, we also take on requests other than combat. It can range from collecting herbs and minerals, finding missing people, delivering letters, cleaning sewers, or even carrying the belongings of elderly women. Mercenaries may refer to adventurers as ‘convenience workers,’ but unlike warmongers, we don’t get bored,” Franz explained.

Bart, his magnificent braided white beard swaying, chuckled heartily. “You could call us a ‘jack-of-all-trades’ or something of the sort… It seems like quite a demanding job. So, were you in the forest for the purpose of subduing the Titans this time?” he asked.

“We came to subdue forest wolves, not Titans. Meeting the Titans was simply unfortunate,” Franz replied.

“Ah, so it wasn’t part of a request. In that case, the battle against the Titans was in vain,” Cross remarked.

“Well, not exactly. Even without accepting a request, the guild occasionally provides special rewards for subjugating dangerous monsters. And this Titan is undoubtedly a ‘dangerous monster.’ I believe it will fetch a considerable sum. Besides, I’ve heard that Titan skin and magic stones sell for a high price…” I shared.

Maury looked at the lifeless Titan with a complex expression. His gaze focused on the right thumb that Franz had been desperately trying to sever but had only managed to cut halfway, even with a knife meant for dismemberment.

“So, how would one go about skinning a monster with impenetrable hide? It’s a pity, but we’ll have to give up on salvaging the materials,” Maury lamented.

If they had a Mithril knife, they might have been able to skin it. However, Franz and his penniless party naturally didn’t possess such an expensive item.

Cross’s sword was capable of cleaving through Titans, most likely an extraordinarily high-class weapon. If it were made entirely of enchanted silver, they might even need platinum coins to purchase it.

They couldn’t even bring themselves to ask for assistance in skinning.

As Franz and his companions looked disappointed, Cross stood up and retrieved a beautifully adorned knife from his pocket.

With purposeful strides, he approached the giant’s corpse and lightly swung the knife towards its arm.

“Huh?”

“Is this for real?”

“Wow, that’s incredible.”

Upon closer inspection, the skin on the Titan’s arm had been neatly severed.

“With this dagger, I might be able to skin it… However, I don’t have the confidence to do it properly. What do you say? If you take care of the skinning for me, I’ll split the money we get from selling it as the guide fee to the town,” Cross proposed.

“Please, we’d be grateful!” they all exclaimed with beaming smiles.