CH 33

“It happened just the other day. Orcs attacked while men were away from the village, and women and livestock were taken. We rushed there to try to rescue them, but as you can see, we were beaten back. I’m pretty sure they’ll be back too, now that they’ve got a taste of it.”

He says, obviously frustrated and clenching his fists.

“I see. So that’s why they all came to ask me.”

“Yes. Do you have experience fighting orcs?”

“No. And I should say this upfront, I don’t have a lot of combat experience to begin with.”

“…You say that so confidently.”

“Well, it’s the truth.”

I can’t help but smile awkwardly.

“Still, orcs… Someone should go put out a quest tomorrow.”

“Yes, you’re right.”

I just don’t want them to get their hopes up. Yes, that makes sense.

“Were there orcs in this area before?”

“There shouldn’t be. Even goblins haven’t been seen around here for years.”

“I see…”

They probably wandered here from far away. There’s a good chance that they slipped by the adventurers and knights, because it all became so hazy when that demon appeared.

“Should I hunt the wolves like I planned?”

“Yes, do that. We have orcs to worry about too, but wolves are still a threat. Ironically, they haven’t come close recently because of the orcs.”

They have a keen sense of smell, so they don’t go near a village that smells like orc.

“Shouldn’t you evacuate? You said there’s a chance the orcs might be back, right?”

“We thought about that, but we’re hesitant because we have a lot of elderly people here.”

If they’re attacked while they’re walking away from here, they’d have to use their livestock as a decoy to escape. And orcs aren’t the only threat either.

“You can sleep over there. Sorry it’s so cramped.”

“Having a roof over my head is enough.”

I am treated to a modest meal, and borrow a simple empty room.

“Status open.”

Name – (Sora Fujimiya ) / Job – (Scout) / Race – Otherworlder / No Level

HP – 360/360 / MP – 360/360 / SP – 360/360 (+100)

Strength…350 (+0) / Stamina…350 (+0) / Agility…350 (+100)

Magic power…350 (+0) / Dexterity…350 (+0) / Luck…350 (+100)

Skill – (Walking Lv36) – Effect – (User won’t get tired no matter how much they walk) – (Get one experience point with each step)

Experience points – 3/36000

Skill points – 6

Skills learned

(Appraisal LvMAX) / (Appraisal Obstruction Lv5) / (Parallel Thinking Lv5)

(Sword Master Lv6) / (Physical Strengthening Lv7) / (Presence Detection LvMAX) / (Magic Energy Detection Lv3) / (Natural Recovery Boost Lv6) / (Presence Concealment Lv6) / (Throw – Shooting Lv3)

(Magic Energy Control Lv7) / (Basic Daily Life Magic Lv6) / (Fire Magic Lv3) / (Water Magic Lv2) (Spatial Magic Lv7) / (Alchemy Lv7)

(Cooking Lv4)

New

(People Appraisal Lv2)

People Appraisal. This new skill became available when Appraisal reached level ten. Although I had to spend two skill points to learn it.

Now I can use Appraisal on people, but since its level is too low, I can only see their name, job, and race.

For example, using it on Lantz shows…

Name – (Lantz ) / Job – Hunter (Former adventurer) / Race – Human

Lantz says hunting orcs is too much for me because he’s judging it based on his experience as an adventurer.

Also, I learned a Barrier spell from Spatial Magic. If I focus only on one side, it creates something like a magic energy shield. I can increase its strength by pumping magic energy into it, but just using it normally consumes a third of my MP.

After doing some testing, I learned that by reducing its area, it can even deflect a bullet. It didn’t budge when I fired ten rounds into it, but the shield disappears after it hits its time limit.

Also, if I activate it around me, it breaks if it gets hit with one bullet. It still kills the bullet’s momentum, so it can at least stop one, but I’m going to have to test it more to see if it can reliably stop one attack.

“Orcs…”

I activate Map, and see seven wolves where Lantz told me they are.

There’s also a place with five reactions of monsters and seven reactions of people. These are the orcs and the kidnapped villagers.

I’m surprised to see neither place is very far from the village. Map wouldn’t have picked up an unexplored area if it was far.

And on the opposite side, away from the village, there is a different reaction. It’s still displayed faintly, even with a maxed out skill. I feel like I’ll lose track of it if I don’t focus, but it’s definitely there.

“It’s that…”

The same reaction I saw when I was doing that picking quest. Now I don’t lose it if I focus.

“I have to do something about that too…”

I feel like I’m being watched. It was like this when I was doing the picking quest, but they’re even following me here.

I don’t know why, but I get an indescribable sense of eeriness from it.

“But more importantly…”

Orcs being displayed on Map overlap with people.

Humanoid monsters kidnap females to use as seedbeds to increase their numbers.

I put away Map, as if looking away from it, and try to focus on sleeping. Those seven reactions stay there, like they’re burned into the back of my eyelids.