Manowa 327

 Chapter 327 - Let's Go to the Forest


The day after they made a fuss in the bar. After early morning training and breakfast were over, Kazane and the others said goodbye to Yohan and Margo at the carriage station for Wombard City. They had already registered as a party, which meant they could exchange emails. Mutually telling each other to get in touch if anything happened, Kazane's group parted from the sunglasses pair.


After that was independent action time. The girl's group decided to part with Naoki, Jinrai, Louise, and Mefirus to go shopping. Well, there were various things that only girls had to buy. Perhaps other players had spread such things, as fortunately, Kazane and the others hadn't really been troubled in that direction. Hooray for modern knowledge cheat.


And when Kazane and the others were finished shopping, they returned to the inn. Lyle and Naoki were waiting together there, and Naoki was holding a request from the Adventurers Guild.



◎ Shijiri City, Bolshisa Inn


「Naoki, what is that?」

Kazane asked while looking at the request form fluttering in Naoki's hands.

「A request. Ah, of course, I haven't accepted it yet.」

Naoki didn't plan to accept quests without the input of his older sister... or, rather, the party leader.

Though at this point, there was still a month before the coronation. Kazane thought it would be fine for him to accept an individual request, but that didn't seem to be the situation here.

「It's just, someone clung to me in tears for a little when I went to the Adventurers Guild. For now, I only consulted with some friends and brought this.」

The request was apparently suggested to Naoki by an acquaintance.

Naoki was staying in this Shijiri City before he met Kazane and the others. And while working as a bouncer at Jin Sword Tavern, he also acted as an adventurer, so he was fairly well known in this town. Putting it more simply, he was a handsome guy with high communication ability, so he was very popular.

「It seems quite troublesome. Can I take a look?」

Naoki handed the request form to Kazane, who checked the contents. Then Emily's gaze pierced Naoki.

「Hey, Naoki. The person you said clung to you in tears was a receptionist, wasn't it.」

「Well... yeah.」

「No way. Is that lipstick mark on your neck from that receptionist?」

「Ah? Seriously? No, this is from Organ's place.」

It was jokingly attached when they met a woman in the red-light district shop under Organ's protection. Lyle in the back had a kiss mark on his cheek, and he had an ecstatic expression.

「Ah, is that sooo. Realllly?」

Then Emily's cold words and Tiara's sad gaze were turned toward Naoki. After Naoki's words, Kazane looked at him like she was looking at a disappointing child and thought (Ah, he's putting on airs...). On the other hand, Yumika didn't care. Also, Lyle seemed happy and thought (This is nice) as he watched with a warm gaze. It felt like their behavior wasn't something high school girls would normally do to an older boy, but it seemed that was completely ignored, so it couldn't be helped.

「No, nothing happened. There was nothing, Aneki.」

Naoki's words were fully anxious about his sister's gaze, but Kazane nodded with an expression full of fondness.

(I understand. I get it. You did your best to draw the kiss mark yourself, didn't you.)

While exuding such warm tenderness, she nodded.

「Wel, well, if you understand, then it's fine.」

Naoki thought her actions meant she believed his words, and he sighed with relief. Naoki probably would have noticed Emily and Tiara's jealousy if Kazane wasn't there, but Naoki felt like he had earned his older sister's trust, so he was completely self-absorbed in thinking「Good.」He was a sinful man.

「So then, this request is for a quest in the Black Stone Forest.」

「It says Mad Spider subjugation.」

The Black Stone Forest was a place where Black Crystals could be harvested. It was said that Ogres and the like lived there.

「That's right. Since the number of Ogres has decreased recently, it seems Mad Spiders have spread from the Dark Forest.」

「If I remember correctly, we heard about the Black Stone Forest during the Berserk Ogre incident...」

Yumika remembered and so muttered. Kazane nodded after those words.

「That's right. If I'm not mistaken, the Berserk Ogre left that forest with his companions when he attacked Winlard.」

The Ogre invasion called『Berserk Ogre Swarm Subjugation』that attacked Winlard City. That was when the name Ogre Killing Princess became known to the world, and THAT was the core of the Ogre band who had lived in the Black Stone Forest.

And when he heard that story, the『Dragon Eating Ogre King's Greaves』that Kazane was wearing, which had an organic shape like black muscles, started shaking.

「Nn, he's reacting?」

Yumika happened to see that situation and asked Kazane.

「Mmm. It looks like he's angry that his territory has been invaded. It seems the Ogres and Mad Spiders in that area are on considerably bad terms.」

Kazane answered based on the image transmitted from her『Dragon Eating Ogre King's Greaves』.

「Even in Minshiana, the Dark Forest is only moderately far.」

In Hyvern, the Dark Forest was just below the floating island, but Dark Forests were normally in remote hinterlands. Even in the same forest, the types of monsters changed depending on the density of Magic Particles. There were monsters that weren't super strong inhabiting the areas where Magic Particles were relatively thin.

「The area near the entrance to the forest is a habitat for Mad Spiders, and it seems they've often fought against the Ogres in the Black Stone Forest since long ago.」

Naoki heard from the receptionist that such scenes had been witnessed and reported by adventurers many times.

「Hmm. It says the rank is B or higher.」

It seemed the monster called Mad Spider was considered that dangerous.

「Yeah. It seems quite a few adventurers left after the number of Ogres decreased. There aren't many remaining who can deal with them.」

「That's why the request came to you?」

「I'm much obliged to her for before. I want to accept.」

Emily and Tiara had a stinging aura after Naoki said「I'm much obliged to her for before,」but neither Kazane nor Naoki noticed. Yumika and Lyle considered it no concern of theirs.

「Understood. We'll ask Jinrai-san and the others when they return. If they have no problems with it, we'll accept this request.」

It was a chance for Kazane to acquire new Skills. She felt like her Level was also close to rising, so there was no reason not to take it.

And there was no way Jinrai would refuse such an appealing request, so the party decided to head for the Black Stone Forest.



◎ Minshiana Kingdom, Road to Black Stone Forest


「Kazane. I will live earnestly.」

「Eh, okay? Do your be...st?」


Jinrai was in the coachman's seat of the Thunder Chariot, and unusually, Kazane was next to him. Although she tilted her head when she heard Jinrai's sudden declaration of resolve, living earnestly was a good thing, so she nodded.

As a matter of fact, Jinrai was terribly shocked when Kazane gave permission for Margo to sample him. And he had been reflecting on his own behavior.

In other words, the current words were Jinrai's own way of making a distinction. In summary, he was saying「Grandpa will do his best to live earnestly, so please don't forsake me.」They were words said due to the anxiety he felt from thinking about what he would do if the girl he considered a grandchild came to dislike him. He had absolutely no such thoughts about his true grandchildren, so as before, this man was disqualified as a human being, but the people around him who had excused his behavior also shared some blame. A person was shaped by their environment.

Tatsuo and Yuuko-nee harmoniously cried「Kuwaa」and「Nyaa」from on top of the carriage as they watched the two.

Then the Black Stone Forest came into view. Naoki and Lyle had gone ahead to take a look, and Kazane waved when she saw them returning on their Hippo-kuns.


「Oi! How is it?」


Naoki had made his Hippo-kun start running alongside the carriage, and he shook his head after Kazane's words.

「It was an awful sight. The woods are full of spider webs.」

Naoki had used Remote Viewing from a position quite close to the forest to investigate the situation, but everything in the vicinity of the forest's entrance was already covered with spider webs.

「Troublesome.」

They had heard that several adventurer parties that had gone inside hadn't returned, but it seemed the situation was beyond what they had imagined.

While they were slightly inferior to Ogres in a head-on fight, Mad Spiders were powerful monsters. They were considerably troublesome when they could act within their own territory, and furthermore, they called out for allies.

「It would be preferable to burn the forest... but we can't do that, right?」

「If the trees are dead, maybe we can, but simply building nests doesn't seem like it would cause that problem.」

The Black Crystals that could be obtained in this Black Stone Forest were the crystallized sap of the Black Stone Trees. Naturally, if they burned the trees, black crystals would no longer be harvestable.


In any case, for now, Kazane and the others decided to go as far as the entrance of the forest and see the situation.



Name: Yuihama Kazane

Occupation: Summoning Fighter

Title: Ogre Killer, Dragon Slayer, High Beast Summoner, Rea King

Equipment: Staff 『White Blaze』, Two Handed Sword『Black Fang』, Draghorn Tonfa x2, Dragonscale Breastplate, Drake Gauntlets, Silver Sheep Clothes, Sylphyn Skirt, Plasma Pants, Dragon Eating Ogre King's Greaves, Indestructible Cloak, Mysterious Pouch, Crimson Saint Coffin, Heroic Spirit Summoning Ring, Circlet of Wisdom, Aim Bracelet, Magic Accumulator, White Magic Accumulator, Rainbow Necklace, Rainbow Dragon Ring, Angel Bracelet

Level : 36

Health: 145

Magic Power: 304+420

Strength: 67+20

Agility: 71+14

Endurance: 38

Wisdom : 72

Dexterity : 47

Spell : 『Fly』『Torch』『Fire』『Heal』『Firestorm』『Healer Ray』『High Heal』『Golden Dusk「Dragon Exclusive」』『Mirror Shield』

Skill : 『Kick Devil』『Warrior's Memory: Lv2』『Night Vision』『Crushing Blow』『Dog's Sense of Smell: Lv2』『Golem Maker: Lv4』『Aegis Shield』『Fire Principle: Third Chapter』『Healing Principle: Fourth Chapter』『Air Jump: Lv2』『Killing Leg: Lv3』『Fear Voice』『Invisible』『Tiger Eye』『Wall Walking』『Intuition』『Cheat Death』『Nimble』『Charge』『Material Shield: Lv2』『Information Link: Lv2』『Optical Camouflage』『High Dash』『Bloodsucking Blade』『Dragonization: Lv2「Dragon」』『Regenerate』『Soul Breaking Blade』『Stealthy Hand Placement』『Thunder Chariot: Lv2』『Sturdier Teeth: Lv2「Dragon」』『Crystallization: Lv2「Dragon」』『Devil King's Intimidation』『Stone Minotaur: Lv2』『Mega Beam: Lv2』『Space Expansion』『Pseudo-Silver Creation』『Poison Claw』『Fireball「Dragon」』『Cuticle「Dragon」』『Arms Creation: Black Flame』『Ingredient Connoisseur』『Dragon Pheromone「Dragon」』『Boost』『Monkey's Strong Arm』『Two-sword Style』『Boobies Plus』『Living Armor』『Alarm』『Six-sword Style』『Mental Attack Complete Protection』



Kazane:「A normal job has come.」

Yumika:「It seems like it will be a somewhat large-scale issue, though.」