CH 32

The next day, the guild is wrapped in a heavy mood.

A third of the adventurers that went out to hunt orcs didn’t return.

The knights weren’t too bad when compared to the adventurers, but many are shaken by the thought of people they knew suddenly being gone.

People who choose to be adventurers do so with the knowledge that they’re constantly dancing with death, but the fact that it was something as shocking as being trampled by a demon is part of why people are so shaken.

Demon… They are said to have appeared in this world at the same time as the demon king.

They are like the demon king’s vanguard. Three years ago someone saw an oracle about the return of the demon king, and in this world that still only half believes it, this encounter can be said to have solidified the existence of the demon king.

Contrary to everyone else in the guild, I’m going about my business as usual. I decide to accept a hunting quest, in part to test the results of my training.

Wolves are the most profitable. Their materials can be sold, and I can use their meat to practice cooking too. They’re tasty in two different ways. And since I used a gun last time, this time I’m thinking about using a sword to take them down.

But goblins would be better to test the results of my inter-personal training. Although that feels unimportant compared to getting more money.

“Oh, you’re here to accept quests too, Sora?”

I turn around, and see Siphon. I feel like he always shows up even when he’s not called.

“Good morning. I was wondering what happened, since you didn’t show up to have breakfast.”

“…I drank too much last night. Yuno got mad at me too…”

His wife, Yuno, is said to be scary when she’s mad. At least that’s what I heard from Geitz.

I do remember hearing him say he would be drinking with Draco to console him.

“And since you’re here, are you going to accept a quest too?”

“Yes, hunting quests are really piling up. I’m not going to have peace of mind when I go to the capital unless we at least reduce their number to some extent. So, what are you accepting, Sora?”

“This wolf hunting quest.”

“Aren’t you going to challenge something new?”

“Safety first.”

“Then I’ll take this one.”

“You’re just deciding that on your own?”

“We talked about it yesterday. I’m the leader, but I can’t just pick whatever I want. And look at that, it looks like we’ll be going together for part of the way.”

Now that he mentions it, the village that put out the wolf hunting quest is on the way to his quest. Was that a coincidence? No, I think he’s just more caring than he looks. That’s probably why he’s popular.

They’re happy when I accept the hunting quest. The quests must really be piling up.

I have an early lunch, and hop on a wagon. It would take me two days to get there on foot, but this way, I’ll reach the village today.

We talk about all sorts of things on the way. Siphon and his party want to go to a place called Dungeon Town, to make a lot of money and be happy and secure in their old age. It’s not just Siphon and Yuno either, the other three feel the same way. Jin and Geitz said they want their own stores.

I’m asked what my aspirations are too, and when I say I want to travel to different countries, they’re kind of taken aback. But then they say that means we’ll probably meet in the Dungeon Town. Now that I think about it, the Kingdom of Elesya doesn’t have any dungeons.

We have fun talking, until it’s time to say goodbye, as the wagon stops at a crossroad. I jump down from the wagon, and don’t forget to say thank you. Siphon and the others still have two more days ahead of them before they reach their destination, where apparently they are going to hunt spiders.

Yuno doesn’t like that, but it seems they took the quest anyway because the pay is just too good. I don’t think anyone would want to hunt giant spiders. It’s so creepy.

The path gets narrower for me from this point forward, and the pavement is worse compared to the main road. It’s not like a wagon would be unable to pass through here, but it wouldn’t be comfortable.

I reach the village just before the sun goes down.

Village…?

In front of me is a crumbling gate. The gatekeeper… Shows up after I stand here for a while.

“What do you want!?”

I feel like I’m asked something like this in every village. Do I really not look like an adventurer?

“I’m here for the wolf hunting quest.”

“…Wolf hunting…”

He seems disappointed. It’s not like I said anything wrong.

“Ah, sorry. I’ll take you to the village chief. Follow me.”

I guess my expression shows what I feel, and he apologizes.

“Chief. I brought someone who accepted the wolf hunting quest.”

A middle-aged man appears from the back, looks at me, and then looks around.

“Are you alone?”

“Yes. I’m Sora, a D ranked adventurer. I work alone.”

“…I see. Thank you for coming all this way. Lantz can tell you more about this. Please take him to Lantz.”

“Yes. This way.”

The gatekeeper takes me to this Lantz’s house. We’ve been walking through the village, and I feel like I’m being watched. The village looks like it’s in tatters too, but did wolves do this? That house looks like it’s slanted.

“Lantz, an adventurer is here about the wolf hunting quest.”

Ou… A man comes out with his head and one of his arms wrapped in cloth.

“Wolf hunting? Do you know about the terrain of this land?”

“It’s more or less in my mind.”

Lantz explains it to me in a way that’s both easy to understand and correct. It matches what I see in Map. I actually feel bad for having him explain it to me.

“This village…”

My question is interrupted by the voices of the many men and women surrounding me. Although I saw them coming with Map.

“Are you an adventurer?”

“Please, my daughter… Save my daughter.”

“Please take those things down.”

“…My wife was taken. I implore you to bring her back.”

“Are you the only one?”

“Take revenge for…”

T-too close. Their faces are too close. And their eyes are scaring me. It feels like they’ve gone mad.

“Calm down, all of you. I’ll explain, but know that this is too much for him.”

“Lantz, but…”

“He came here to hunt wolves. And he’s D rank too, so it’s impossible for him. You’re basically telling him to go out there and die.”

“But Lantz…”

He glares down another man that’s still trying to insist, until he quiets down. This guy is scary, there’s so much pressure coming from him.

People reluctantly leave.

“Sorry. Everyone’s on edge.”

“What happened? By the looks of things, it looks like the village was attacked.”

“Yes, it happened just the other day. But before we get into it, come to my house. We do have an inn, but it’s in no condition to accept guests right now.”

I take him up on his offer.