Chapter 101: In A Different League
Chapter 101: In A Different League
I wonder how long it has been since we rode on this swaying, and rattling carriage.
The city of Kikka can no longer be seen anymore, right now we can only see a wide expanse of plains with trees and mountains in the distance.
The sun has moved past its zenith, the warm sunlight shone upon us.
I wanted to bask in the sunlight on the roof and fall asleep like this. I wonder if the sleep-deprived Irvine and Mort are also the same as me, but they’re on alert, watching the surroundings without falling asleep.
「Are the two of you not sleepy?」
「I’m sleepy, but we’re working as the guard for this trip. So we can’t sleep.」
「Sometimes we had quests where we had to move without getting a wink of sleep.」
They usually look sloppy, but it seems that these two did their job properly.
Oh well, that’s the responsibility of the adventurers who accept this job, and it also affects their reputation. So I guess they have to work properly.
Tori said that to take on escort missions, not only the adventurer's competency is needed, but the adventurer’s credibility and nature are also required.
They look around their surroundings while enduring their sleepiness, giving a sense of security.
Because our current location has a good view with very little obstruction, even if monsters are attacking us, they will be able to notice it immediately.
Let’s take it easy since I - as the target of protection - is sitting beside these two diligent men.
When I was relaxing beside these two diligent men, it’s as if I looked like the only person slacking off, making me excited. It’s like, I’m playing games at home even though my coworkers are working in the company.
When I think like that, I feel a bit of a guilty pleasure while at the same time excited, and I can appreciate the value of the time when I can be lazy just like this.
Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to look back and appreciate this time later on?
My grandmother in the previous life also told me to somehow live my life every day with gratitude, so there’s no problem here.
With that in mind, I will unreservedly savor this freedom while sitting beside these two people, who endured their sleepiness while working.
As I’m lying around on the roof of the carriage, a butterfly with yellow wings approaches me.
「Waaー, a butterflyー」
I followed the butterfly that was flapping its wings in front of me.
「……I’m feeling sleepy when I listen to Alfried-sama’s voice.」
I guess it’s fine to interpret my voice as being pleasant to listen to, right?
「Kuu, I also want to lie down.」
Mort sent me a fleeting glance and cried.
Haha, hang in there adventurers-san. Do your job, your job.
Just when I sent them some ale in my heart while lying sprawled, I could hear a thud from beside me.
「Oi, Irvine that’s enviab…why are you sleeping, huh. You should keep watch.」
Mort warned Irvine, who began to lie down. Needless to say, his anger is mixed with envy.
「I’m not slacking off ya know. Hey, Mort.」
「Haa?」
When Mort has a question mark on top of his head, Irvine tells him that as if there’s nothing to be ashamed of.
「I’m keeping an eye on the sky.」
I see. Is there really something up there?
「That’s unfair. Oi!」
「You idiot. Have you forgotten about the horror of Slash Hawk? Those things have sharp talons, will swoop down from the sky to stab us with their sharp talons…」
「What’s that monster. But they sound like a scary monster.」
Just when you were basking in the sun, a Slash Hawk swooped down to split your head. I don’t want that. I shudder at the thought.
「That’s why I’m watching the sky like this.」
「Indeed. Irvine, watch the sky properly」
「Leave it to me」
Irvine shows a slight smile on his gaunt-like face and gives me a thumbs-up. It’s a corporate slave-like smile.
「Oi!?」
「Hey, you have to watch the surroundings, Mort. A Sword Boar can easily appear around here. It can topple the carriage over you know.」
Irvine made a shoo-ing gesture with his hand *shishi*, as if to chase Mort - who raised his voice to complain - away.
Rather than hearing Mort loudly complaining as he kicked up a fuss, I’m more concerned about that monster with a dangerous name.
「That Sword Boar, what kind of monsters are they?」
「It’s a large boar-shaped monster, their fangs are as sharp as a blade. If you got charged at, their fangs can pierce you deeply and it can cut you cleanly by simply touching their blade-like fangs.」
What kind of monster is that, scary! Compared with the Slash Hawk from before, aren’t those monsters from Aldonia too brutal? As for the monsters near Koryatt village, they are Walking Mushroom, Goblin, and bear monster called Blue Bear, and they belong to the docile category, aren’t they?
No, when I reincarnated into this world, Kami-sama said that there are only weak monsters in our territory.
As expected, my decision to choose Koryatt village at that time was not wrong.
「……Mort, keep a proper lookout, yeah」
「Oh look, it’s an order from big shot-san」
「Sonnuva! Just you watch!」
Hearing Mort’s parting threat, Irvine laughed cheerfully *hahaha*.
Irvine will protect me from an imminent, dangerous monster that may attack us from the sky like Slash Hawk……… Huh? Rather than letting the vanguard Irvine take on the monster from the sky, it should be those two magicians who keep a lookout, right? I mean, those two can attack Slash Hawk with their magic as soon as they see them flying in the sky.
When I abruptly stood up and looked behind us, there’s Aleutia-san who kept a lookout for monsters in the sky.
Roomba sits somewhere near her looking bored, and also Ilya-san who keeps a watchful eye on the plains.
So Irvine doesn’t have to be on the lookout for monsters in the sky.
「Hey Irvine, get up. If there were monsters like Slash Hawk attacking from the sky, then the ones who should keep a lookout for them are the magicians, right. Don’t slack off.」
Taking advantage of what people don’t know, then instigating a person’s fear to slack off, really the worst.
Just when I was about to lightly hit Irvine’s stomach *peshipeshi*, that guy slowly got up.
「……che, so you noticed. I was just taking a short break」
「Rather, for Mort to notice――」
「Stop it. If you said any more than that, then someone, in particular, would get hurt. 」
「Aah, that’s right. If I said more than this then the idiot will be revealed, huh.」
「You, can you stop such a roundabout verbal abuse!?」
They continued talking just like that, for a while.
I heard a metallic sound coming from the back.
When I looked back to look for the source of the sound, Roomba was standing on the roof of the carriage at the back with a large sword in his hand.
There are only the spacious plains at the end of Roomba’s line of sight.
On a closer look, however, I can see around, four shadows in the distance?
When I concentrate my magic power into my eyes, I can see a wild boar with blade-like fangs over there.
A large boar with light brown fur covering its body. There’s something like a big uneven lump on its head, and it has a skull that looks hard.
And above all, those two fangs that grew out of its mouth remind me of a drawn sword. They are slightly curved, shining dully under the sunlight.
Those are the Sword Boar that Irvine talked about a short while ago.
Four Sword Boars forcefully blowing the earth and grass of the plains up, approaching us.
「……really, that person’s perception is as strange as ever.」
「That, huh? He noticed them somehow because he got the most natural sense, right?」
Before I knew it, Mort and Irvine - who was sitting near me - had stood up.
They’re a little late compared to Roomba, but it seems that these two also noticed the presence of those monsters.
Speaking of which, even with that large build of his, Roomba can surprisingly hide from monsters, and he’s also good at detecting them. I felt it keenly when we went together to the forest back then.
He can sense them at a glance, but it seems that he’s bad at hiding his presence.
I think it’s his senses, just like what Mort said.
Incidentally, every time I’m quarreling with Eleonora-neesan, our skill in hiding and detecting each other has increased.
Each time Eleonora-neesan can sense me, I feel like my ability in hiding increases by leaps and bounds.
Is it that? The feeling that I’m improving after my experience has accumulated?
「Monsters are approaching! Stop the carriage!」
Mort shouted, warning the coachman.
Then the carriage slowly stopped, maybe because his warning was conveyed to the coachman.
It’s been moving continuously until just a moment ago, so it feels kinda strange when it stopped so suddenly. I feel like the carriage is still moving even now.
「Is it monsters!?」
「There’s four Sword Boar!」
Mort answered Tori, who came out of the carriage in a hurry.
「Then it’s no problem. I’ll leave it to you, yeah!」
Maybe it’s because it happened often on his journey, Tori has already become used to it and he asks them to deal with it as if there’s nothing wrong.
After that, all the members of the Silver Wind party answered unanimously.
Even if there are four Sword Boar, they’re probably not amounting too much for a B-rank party.
Nevertheless, a moment of carelessness or mistakes in a battle against monsters can result in a serious injury. The opponent is not a person, they were born with strong physical ability, moreover, they also have horns and fangs.
No matter what kind of opponent you have, you have to stay on your toes.
The members of the Silver Wind fully understand that they naturally don’t have any laid-back atmosphere around them now.
Everyone has a serious expression, they stand ready for the approaching Sword Boars.
As for the two magicians - Ilya and Aleutia -, they’re holding their wand as they take up a position on the carriage’s roof.
Securing a wider field of vision, probably as a precaution for other monsters that sometimes might appear.
They said that there are Slash Hawks around here
And if you’re in a high place, there’s also the advantage that it can increase the power of the casted magic.
I don’t feel like being an Adventurer whatsoever, but I still need to learn.
Just when I was impressed seeing the two of them, Mort and Irvine started running toward the Sword Boars with swords in their hands.
Would they charge headlong toward those - probably 2 meters in overall length - Sword Boars? The opponent would have a considerable weight, and they’re running with considerable momentum.
If they clash with them directly, then they would just fall prey to those blade-like fangs. Just what are they trying to do?
When I look at Mort and Irvine who charged toward those Sword Boars, a beautiful voice can be heard coming from behind.
『I asketh thee Of pure water Gather around and become a ball』
A chanting that was pieced together in a flowing-like manner.
Magic to create a water ball ―― Water Ball.
Water gathered and condensed from the tip of Aleutia’s wand, soon a water ball formed. It appears that it doesn’t consume unnecessary magic power, as can be seen from the steady water ball.
Even so, that is a magic extremely unsuitable to use against monsters. I wonder how she would use that.
There are two large Sword Boars that stood up among them, behind them are the other two Sword Boars following closely. Can they do something with just a water ball?
I was still in doubt when Aleutia launched the water ball and split it in two and flew away.
Seeing the water ball appear, the two Sword Boars in front are not flustered, they charged forward with a snort.
However, the water ball curved smoothly to the side as if to avoid the Sword Boar’s charge, and hit their flank.
There was an intense popping sound of water that sounded out, and to my surprise, the Sword Boar tumbled down as if it lost its balance.
Does that water ball really have that much power? No, I guess it’s because of the timing when the water ball hit the Sword Boar as they were in mid-air as they charged when they could easily lose their balance. Maybe the Sword Boar lost its posture when they were pushed from the side by the water ball?
It’s not flashy in any way, but it shows a satisfactory result with less force. As expected from the adventurers who are used to battle. Their magic control is skillful.
「There’s no enemy as easy as an unmoving enemy.」
「Take them out now!」
Perhaps Irvine and Mort understood that they would fall, they stabbed their sword into the two fallen and unmoving Sword Boars.
……but the way they finished the monsters off while laughing loudly is more suited for villains rather than adventurers.
Leaving those two aside, there are two monsters left. Because the two monsters in front suddenly fell, they split up in two directions as if to avoid them.
I wonder how would they deal with that?
I watch over excitedly for their next move. It feels like watching a game while being ignored and also being protected at the side.
『I asketh thee Of Earth Rise and turn into a sturdy wall』
Ilya’s bell-like voice resounded.
Immediately after that, a wall of earth appeared as if it rose from the ground in front of the right-side Sword Boar.
The Sword Boar was charging at such speed that it hit the Earth Wall without being able to stop or dodge.
It banged its head on the wall and tried to commit suicide, or so I thought, but the Sword Boar desperately scratched the ground with its hind legs in front of the wall.
「Nn? It’s trying to commit suicide………?」
When I looked closely while tilting my head, the Sword Boar’s sharp fangs were stuck in the Earth Wall.
It looks funny as it tries to desperately pull its fangs from the wall, and struggles to break it using its fangs.
Ilya had probably softened the earth to some extent, so I guess it made it easy for the fangs to get stuck. Despite all of that - because of the excellent adjustment by Ilya - it doesn’t break due to the impact. Truly skillful.
「「Hehehe! Piggie-chan! Your back is defenseless, yeahー?」」
Without a moment’s delay, the two vanguards aim for them.
「……those two, looks like they’re having funー. Ooh, there is still another Sword Boar――」
「Hah!」
At the same time as I look back, Roomba jumped from the other side.
He doesn’t care about the forcefully-charging Sword Boar, as he assumed a joudan stance and slammed it down to the Sword Boar.
The blow was backed with Roomba’s whole body weight behind it, easily smashing the tough skull of the Sword Boar, chopping its head.
The large sword smashed forcefully into the ground without being weakened as is.
A sound that resonates in your stomach reverberates in the air, and spiderweb-like cracks were made as it entered the ground.
It was just a simple move with all of his strength, without something like tricks or plan behind it. It’s just a swing from overhead.
He hasn’t even filled the large sword with magic power, and he doesn’t even use physical strengthening.
And yet, he made a small crater.
「What a great physical strength……… It’s a cheat, isn’t it?」
Eleonora-neesan has a hard time when practicing with Roomba because of that.
「Even if you use physical strengthening, it’s usually not that powerful you know. 」
「It doesn’t make any sense.」
Before I knew it, Irvine and Mort came near me and muttered, looking amazed.
「……B-rank adventurers are amazing, aren’t they?」
「Oi oi, don’t lump us together with someone abnormal like Roomba-san, okay?」
No sooner had I muttered and when I was staring fixedly at Roomba, Irvine interrupted me.
「Eh? You’re all also B-rank adventurers, right?」
They might have a different type than Roomba, but they're the same B-rank adventurers. Irvine and the others are also pretty strong……
「Don’t be stupid. We are evaluated as B-rank adventurers with the four of us combined, but that person is rated as a B-rank adventurer by himself.」
「Haa?」
So even though the Silver Wind adventurers are a four-person party, they barely qualify as B-rank adventurers, while Roomba alone is a B-rank adventurer?
He’s really strong, isn’t he!
Err, I already knew that he was strong because he’s traveling by himself, and when he practiced as Eleonora-neesan’s opponent, alright?
「So individually, at best we’re around C rank, maybe?」
「Setting Ilya and Aleutia aside, we might be evaluated as D rank I guess………」
So Nord-tousan who is far above all that is truly amazing isn’t he. So an A rank Dragon Slayer is not for show.
Author Note :
It was like the first time fighting against a monster for the first time in a while.
Next up, playing inside the carriage. And after that, the third princess, Layla's idle talk.
Then next I think they will arrive at Esport!