All of the fresh ingredients made for a simple breakfast with a deep range of flavors, and though it seemed like almost too much for the both of them, with their help of their familiars, there wasn’t a single scrap left. As the two slimes trembled with satisfaction, Vio let out a most fulfilled sigh.
“That was delicious,” said Shiori. “I love what they serve in the cities, but there’s just something different about the food here.”
“Yes, it’s comforting, and the scenery is stunning too. How about we try to visit outside of work next time?”
“I like that idea. Rurii can take its time visiting home, and Vio can get to know the locals.”
Once everything was settled, they’d make some time for a more casual visit. It was a future plan that would no doubt see fruition, and the thought of it made Shiori’s heart flutter.
It’s been so long since I took a holiday...
During her last year in Japan, Shiori had been so busy she could barely even make it back to visit home, let alone go on a holiday. And since arriving in Storydia, too, she’d spent her days struggling just to make sure she built a stable life for herself. Alec’s proposed Brovito holiday likely wouldn’t be feasible for at least a few months, but the idea of having enough space in her life that she could even consider a holiday was like a dream come true. It was the strangest sensation for Shiori.
The couple chatted a little more about the holiday, and let their familiars know too, then got ready to go home. It didn’t take long, being that they hadn’t packed very much in the way of luggage. And when the innkeeper came to clear away their breakfast and saw them set to go, he looked a touch disappointed.
“Oh? You’re leaving already?”
“We’ve got work to think about,” said Shiori.
“And we’ve got to find a place for Vio here,” added Alec.
“Ah, I see. I’m sure there’s a lot you’ll have to prepare, then.”
The innkeeper was a little sad to see them go, but the smile he flashed them was heartfelt.
“I do so hope you’ll come again,” he said. “Perhaps on holiday, next time.”
“That’s the plan,” said Alec. “And we’d love to stay here again too.”
“We’d be delighted to have you, and will be ready and waiting.”
“Thank you so much for everything,” said Shiori. “Breakfast was simply wonderful!”
The inn’s entire staff came out to see them off, which was a little embarrassing for Shiori, but at the same time it brought her joy—it showed the extent to which the village had come to accept Violid. She smiled as the two slimes waved their feelers and Violid woofed a goodbye, then the group headed for the main road.
“We’ll stop for some souvenirs first, but...how should we get home?” pondered Alec. “I’d love to just jump on a carriage, but we’ve got to consider Vio.”
Vio lowered his head as if to let them know he didn’t mind if they rode him home.
“Don’t worry about it,” said Alec. “Shiori might be fine, but I’m pretty heavy.”
He gave the wolf a pat, then suddenly stopped in his tracks. He was looking at a number of hunters gathered by the side of the road. Caspar was there too, talking with them. His eyebrows were creased into a stern expression.
“A flock of birds...?” uttered Alec.
The hunters were pointing to the north, where a flock of birds filled the sky. The birds themselves weren’t particularly rare, but beyond them was another flock, and this caused the adventurers to frown.
“They aren’t migrating, are they?” asked Shiori.
“I don’t know if there are any birds that migrate during this season...”
They squinted for a better look and noticed black shapes in the distance.
“Strange...” muttered Alec.
Shiori agreed. The birds flew from the distance intermittently, but it was not just one type of bird; the adventurers spotted magical beasts among them. Neither was particularly well-versed when it came to bird-type magical beasts, but both knew that their behavior was anything but ordinary. They ran over to Caspar, who flashed them a smile before his features hardened once more.
“Did something happen?” asked Shiori. “The birds... There’s just so many of them.”
“We don’t know yet,” replied the knight. “However, we believe something unusual might have taken place in the north.”
Caspar looked to the former hunter, Bjork, standing by his side.
“It just doesn’t feel right. It’s got all the beasts in the forest spooked,” said Bjork, letting out a low sigh. “I’ve seen it once a long, long time ago. But it wasn’t anything like this...”
It was some decades ago in the spring, when the old man was still a teenager. The summer birds that spent their winter in the south had returned, but then just as suddenly they’d started flying back to where they’d come from. And it wasn’t just one or two—it was almost all of them. Back then, the nation had lacked the modes of communication it now boasted, and so Bjork had never found out what caused the birds to act so panicked. However, the rumors on the wind had spoken of an extra large magical beast appearing to the north.
“A large magical beast...”
“There were rumors that it was a flock of wyverns or the Fenrir, but we never found out what it actually was,” said Bjork. “In the end, all we saw of it was the birds. For all we know, it could’ve been nothing at all.”
In this world, however, there existed a phenomenon known as a magical beast stampede. The term described a panicked state that magical beasts and animals alike fell into at the outbreak of a calamity or the appearance of an extra large magical beast. Stampedes could range in size, but one early warning sign was birds breaking from their natural flight patterns.
Shiori felt a sudden unplaceable anxiety, and inched closer to Alec’s side. Rurii and Bla both wobbled, while Violid’s golden eyes gazed off into the distance. There was a bad feeling in Shiori’s heart, and it refused to dissipate.