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Translator: Wisteria
Proofreader: Silavin
“Monster attacks… does that happen a lot here?”
“Well it’s neither too frequent nor too rare.”
At the forest a little removed from Shiki. Lady Violet and I were marching through the forest while keeping a wary eye out. The reason for this outing was a monster attack in one of the farms somewhere that happened this morning.
Monster attacks weren’t unusual in Shiki. They rarely attack humans, maybe because they are aware that they would be actively hunted down if they ever did, but instead descend the mountain and destroy produce in search of food. That said, the incident this time was a bit peculiar.
“I’ve never seen such footprints before.”
“Me neither.”
The footprints left behind by the monster this time belonged to an unidentified kind. If it were of a new species and not local, the countermeasures that need to be taken will also vary. That’s why I requested Cyan and Priest Snow White to guard the town for the time being…
“I wish Robot were here at times like these… he takes off somewhere now and then.”
“He said something about saving the Sea God before running off yesterday.”
“Eh, really? Then he probably won’t be back for a few days.”
“Judging from your reaction, this doesn’t look like the first time something like this has happened…”
We’d have more firepower on our side with Robot, but it can’t be helped if he’s gone off to save the Sea God. To be honest, I don’t know much about the Sea God and whatnot but he mentioned it was for ‘Peace’, so I suppose it’s important. Anyway, that’s why people capable of fighting have split up into groups and are sweeping the area.
Since it’s rather dangerous, I wanted Lady Violet to stay with the rest of the townspeople, but she volunteered saying she should participate all the more if so. While I was wondering if this was the right choice, I had to remind myself that she had way better command of magic than me. I’ve yet to see her put that power to practical use in a fight, but I’m sure her magic is stronger than mine.
That said, since she was still unfamiliar with the territory, she had to team up with me to take part in the hunt…
“Hm, probably because of the rain yesterday, the ground is squishy here and there… we need to be careful where we step.”
“Yes. It’s much easier to lose your balance than you think, so please watch out.”
It’s been three weeks since Lady Violet arrived in Shiki. At first, she was a little lost and unfamiliar with the lifestyle here, but she has been unexpectedly proactive when it comes to helping out with my job or mingling with the townspeople.
I feel like she hasn’t quite accepted the townspeople into her fold yet, but she’s exceeded my expectations with how fast she has accustomed to the lifestyle in Shiki. In fact, her wanting to join us in the hunt this time is also further proof of that. Just that, she’s much different from the image I had of her.
“By the way, do you have any experience fighting in such an environment?”
“I’ve had some training navigating through terrain with poor footing in the academy, but it was specifically maintained that way for training purposes.”
“Ah right, the spot that’s a little removed from the academy. I’ve seen many event cards related to that.”
“Card?”
I remember event cards with scenarios like, poor footing tripping up the love interest (hero) and him pinning down the protagonist (heroine), or conversely, the heroine tipping over and the hero embracing her to stop her fall. In short, it was a pretty convenient place perfect for events to happen.
“Anyway, like I mentioned before, I’ve never actually had to walk anywhere. I’ve grown used to it to an extent… but I apologize if I cause you any trouble.”
“That’s alright. Everyone starts somewhere. Partners exist to support each other.”
“Ah, sorry and thanks.”
No offense but Lady Violet is a lot more honest than I expected. She doesn’t treat all townspeople equally but if she doesn’t understand anything, she asks right away and helps around proactively. Even when it comes to cooking, after learning from me and Gray, she’s able to handle a lot of it by herself, albeit slowly.
As her stats were already crazy to begin with, she picks things up quickly. Though she hasn’t fully accustomed to life in the country which is no different from a commoner’s, she’s still making an effort to adapt.
As I am a noble more or less and also her husband, I have a better standing than the heroine who is a commoner, but maybe I’m just seeing sides of her that I didn’t know of…
“Eek?! The ground is slushy!”
“Are you alright?! Ah, Lady Violet, that ivy can’t support your weight.”
“Eh, gahh! Oh thanks, Lord Clo. You really saved me.”
“Not at all. I’m glad you’re not hurt.”
I caught Lady Violet as she tripped for which she thanked me. Maybe it’s just a matter of course, but it clashes with the image of her in my head.
… Ah, when I held her for a moment, she felt so soft… no. Stop with the weird thoughts. Just focus on the hunt right now. Let’s just set aside the fact that Lady Violet is incomparably soft and different from my expectations for later. Let’s also not think of words like squishy or soft.
“Hm, Lord Clo. Shush.”
“I wasn’t thinking about anything.”
“What?”
Oops, my mistake. This isn’t the time to be making weird responses. Looks like Lady Violet sensed something. I switched gears, stood still and strained my ears to get a feel of our surroundings.
“… Water?”
“Yes, it seems to be.”
Upon trying to pick up sounds from around, what we heard wasn’t the sound of nature or that of small animals but the sound of water. However, there isn’t supposed to be a river in the vicinity. I wonder if the monsters are playing around in puddles. But it sounds too loud for that.
“If it’s a group of monsters, we should retreat after checking them out. It’s better to not pursue them.”
“Understood. I’ll cast spells to erase our scents and hide our presence just in case. Don’t stray too far from me.”
We whispered to each other and Lady Violet used ‘Space Preservation’ magic that erases our scent within a certain perimeter among other things, and ‘Perception Obstruction’ magic that hides our presence though it doesn’t fully conceal us. Though basic magic they may be, the fact that she could easily cast two different kinds of spells simultaneously made me feel a bit envious. Because I wouldn’t be able to do it as swiftly.
Anyway, as stealthily as possible, we made our way to the source of the noise. I took one step forward at a time as I shielded Lady Violet.
“… A woman’s voice?”
Though I meant to stay quiet, hearing the voice made me speak out involuntarily. Yes, what we heard was a woman’s voice. Don’t tell me she’s being attacked?!
“Let’s hurry. It could be a lost traveler under attack.”
“Ahh.”
Naturally, we transitioned from a walk to a run. If she’s being attacked, we need to rescue her. However, if there’s a group of monsters, rushing in recklessly would only make things more dangerous. Calm down. I quickly made my way towards the source of the voice. For some reason, it felt strangely hot, but I had no time to entertain that thought.
Finally, we reached a clearing while following the direction of the voice. And there…
“Beauty, Beauty, Beauty! Good job, my children! Let me convey my gratitude to this place, to this hot spring! Come on, let’s jump in!”
“Ruff! Ruff!”
“Oh, I see! I see! You guys also want to sing praises of my beauty!”
There, we saw a pervert go into the hot springs with monsters and strike poses in the nude. The woman assumed poses, in succession, one would typically see in works of art and demanded approval of her beauty from the monsters.
… Hm, what can I say? I’m lost for words.
“Does this happen a lot here?”
“God forbid.”
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