Ch.55Hunting #5

“I see. Your main purpose is hunting, and you just stopped by to greet me…”

There was no need to meet formally face to face, nor did I intend to be indebted to the Count.

It was merely a courtesy to show my face once to give the impression that I wasn’t ignoring him.

Whether the Margrave understood Helena’s intention or not, he remained standing in the front yard, stroking his chin.

“Well, what use would it be for me to guess the Duke’s intentions? In any case, having a renowned Master lend their strength is certainly welcome. I don’t know how long you’ll be staying, but I look forward to your assistance.”

“Yes, thank you.”

The two nobles briefly shook hands to conclude their greeting, then turned away without lingering.

The Count headed toward the mansion, while we made our way to the west gate where the frontline base was located.

Monsters, like humans, are more active in warm weather, but that’s when people are busy.

Starting with the basics of farming, it’s truly a hectic time.

That’s why they actively go hunting during winter when people are relatively free.

“These days, there seem to be many strange things happening. I never thought I’d see another human who doesn’t frown at the sight of us.”

Ellen spoke while lifting her gaze to the sky, as if recalling the Count’s face.

From her perspective, it must have been quite remarkable.

Even the mere absence of openly displayed disgust would have been rare.

“The land itself isn’t bad, but this place is harsh in the sense that it constantly borders with monsters. In such a place, a culture of using whatever is useful, regardless of what it is, must have developed.”

“Hmm. Now that you mention it, that seems right. Judging by the lower concentration of stares here compared to other domains…”

The concentration of stares Ellen refers to is essentially the concentration of hatred.

Of course, I couldn’t claim there was no hatred at all, but I couldn’t deny that the degree was much better compared to other domains.

I thought it might be due to the pragmatic mindset of those who survive and live in such harsh lands.

In my opinion, I suspected that if these people were cornered, they might even resort to throwing excrement from latrines. It could cover eyes or noses, or cause distress with its foul smell.

“Oh, by the way, what do you plan to do when we reach the frontline base, Duke? Do you intend to pay them and set up within their fence?”

“No. Even if it’s somewhat inconvenient, I’d prefer to stay away from the fence. While I do need reputation to improve the current situation, I’m not keen on staying amidst such thorny gazes.”

It’s true that I came to change the direction of the gazes cast upon Dark Elves, but it’s not something that happens overnight.

And I don’t even know if I can achieve results.

If I were to stay within the safe confines of the fence, I might have to endure piercing stares.

As Helena said, there’s no need to subject ourselves to unnecessary stress.

If it works, great; if not, so be it. It’s better to avoid what can be avoided in the process.

No matter how accustomed one is to such gazes, they would still be bothersome.

“Thank you for your consideration.”

“Though different in nature, that place is also a battlefield. On a battlefield, nerves are inevitably on edge, so I’d rather avoid unnecessary fatigue, even in that regard.”

Ellen shook her head as if shaking something off, then smiled slightly.

She seemed touched by Helena’s considerate words, despite her being a Duke.

She gave a respectful look, suggesting that other Dark Elves would feel the same.

“I am Helena Krauser. I’ve come to go hunting.”

Soldiers standing guard on the wall. And sentries guarding the firmly closed gate.

Since this was the frontline where the forest was visible as soon as one left the gate, the military discipline here seemed more stringent than elsewhere.

While the east gate where we first entered also had good discipline, it was clearly incomparable to this west gate.

“We’ve already received word. Welcome.”

The sentry gave a precise military salute, then immediately took out a sheet of paper from the desk beside him and handed it to Helena.

Curious, I glanced at it and saw it was a kind of contract with simple content.

“In case you’re not aware, let me explain. Not far beyond this west gate is the frontline base established by our lord. For a fee, you can stay on a specially prepared site there, but we don’t provide supplies. You must prepare all camping equipment, including tents, yourself. All we can offer is alerting you to emergencies and standing guard.”

From the perspective of the domain’s soldiers, they would have to take turns standing guard anyway, but the situation changes somewhat when outsiders join in.

The night watch that would normally be mandatory becomes unnecessary, and an environment is created where everyone can rest safely.

If trouble breaks out, it starts at the outermost perimeter, and those positioned inside can hear the commotion and assess the situation.

To put it somewhat negatively, one could use the Margrave’s soldiers as meat shields to establish a foothold for escape or counterattack.

That’s why some people paid to stay there.

Just having someone to take their turn on watch greatly reduced mental fatigue, making it quite popular.

Come to think of it, I heard the money earned this way is quite substantial…

It seems the Margrave has quite a knack for business.

“Also, you’re free to act independently without staying with us. However, in that case, we take no responsibility whatsoever. No exceptions, even for a Duke. That’s why we issue these contracts, but what will you decide?”

“Of course, we’ll act separately.”

“Understood. In that case, please sign here…”

Helena signed the contract the sentry offered without hesitation.

Though signatures could potentially be forged, they had her prick her finger with something like a needle, placing a drop of blood next to the signature.

It was essentially a form of fingerprinting.

In a way, it might have seemed somewhat disrespectful to inflict a wound on a noble, but nobles themselves rarely came to sign contracts for monster hunting.

So there was probably no need to change the contract procedure.

“This concludes the contract. Thank you for your cooperation.”

“You’re working hard on guard duty. Well then, I’ll take my leave.”

Receiving the salute from the sentry who opened the gate for us, we immediately headed outside.

The vast forest that spread before our eyes was overwhelming, and the outpost facing it was quite substantial in size.

The outpost was built on a flat area that seemed to have been cleared from part of the forest.

It gave the impression of a hole punched through, with trees surrounding the front and sides except for the rear.

“We should set up our tent too. Where should we put it?”

“Not too deep but not too shallow either. Ellen, I apologize, but shall we cut down some trees and go in a bit?”

“Alright. And don’t worry about us cutting trees. Given the environment we’ve lived in, please feel free to ask if you need anything.”

“Thank you.”

Ellen, as if wanting to show gratitude for Helena’s consideration, took the initiative by casting spirit magic.

It was a type that used wind, sending sharp wind blades to cut down trees as we advanced.

With loud thuds, several trees fell.

Though it looked like a noisy large-scale land clearing operation, it was impressive how everyone worked together, dividing roles.

I had once mistakenly thought it would be fine to just find a suitable spot and cut down only the trees around it.

Of course, I would have continued to misunderstand if I hadn’t realized it was about paving a way to transport monster carcasses and securing a wide retreat path.

“Haa…!”

I exhaled heavily as I pushed aside the trees we had cut down together with the Dark Elves.

If I had been my old self before knowing about mana, I would have struggled to move even one, so I couldn’t help but feel fortunate.

“This space is quite wide. There’s enough room for several tents and more.”

“Understood.”

I immediately ran to the site they had picked out, carrying the camping equipment.

Since they had already cleaned the area with magic, there was nothing in the way, and it was an optimal place to pitch tents.

The nearby tree stumps could serve as tables, and we had plenty of firewood from cutting down trees.

“Well, we’ve secured a site. Are we going hunting right away?”

Ellen’s question flew in as soon as I put down my luggage in the tent.

She seemed slightly tired, but not enough to hinder activity.

Above all, the entire Dark Elf group, including herself, was full of enthusiasm.

“No. The day is already fading, so let’s rest for today.”

“Ah. Now that you mention it, the sunset is already…”

As if she hadn’t noticed the time passing while working, Ellen looked up at the sky with a dazed expression.

The crimson sunset was gradually disappearing beyond the horizon, and the moon in the sky was beginning to show its outline, emerging from the misty heavens.

Then, nodding her head, she raised her hand in agreement with Helena’s opinion.

“As the Duke said. It’s best to rest today.”

◎◎◎

Perhaps it’s because the sun has set, but the air feels quite restless.

I could sense it despite the faint voices of people in the distance being barely audible.

It wasn’t just because of people’s voices, but because the atmosphere of this forest had clearly changed.

It’s not simply because of the cold weather.

Perhaps because it was night, it felt as if the ominous gaze of monsters was licking past us.

Clearly, in terms of depth, we were just at the entrance, near the edge, but it already felt like being inside a beast’s maw.

It wasn’t just me; the other women were also visibly on guard.

Helena, who was shoulder to shoulder with me, maintained a posture ready to draw her sword at any moment, and even the Dark Elves who appeared to be casually chatting were busy scanning the surroundings with sharp eyes.

“The atmosphere is as fierce as any battlefield. If one were to fall asleep carelessly in a place like this, they’d easily become a corpse in no time.”

Ellen spoke in a subdued voice after gulping down a water droplet created by spirit magic.

From lighting the fire with the firewood gathered in one corner to other tasks, it was truly useful in many ways, not just for combat but also for daily life.

“Indeed. Since we’re on the topic, how about we decide on night watch shifts now? Of course, please count me and Jion as one person.”

“Ah, umm. Let’s do that. Then for the order…”

Even in this situation, Helena actively asserted her self-interest to influence the night watch.

As a result, we got the first shift, which is considered the sweetest among night watches.

It seemed like the privilege of nobility was at work, but at this moment, I couldn’t help but be simply glad.

“Are you really okay with this? Despite everything, I feel bad about making you take night watch too, so perhaps you should rest comfortably…”

“It’s fine. Besides, the first shift is the least burdensome. And in such a dangerous place, it feels stifling to worry about status.”

Helena’s opinion, expressed with a matter-of-fact smile, had merit.

It wasn’t a naive environment where one could strut around flaunting their nobility, and doing so might even get one stabbed and killed.

Authority seemed to weigh heavily on one’s shoulders at times, yet at other times, it appeared as light as a feather.

“I see. I truly admire the Duke’s kindness and thoughtfulness.”

“You embarrass me. It’s nothing to admire. Anyway, when the time comes, go in and sleep. I’ll wake you when it’s time.”