If it was a cave with monsters that dropped great gifts for adventurers, they would try to keep it to themselves without reporting it, which wasn’t a particularly bad thing. Even the adventurer guild didn’t put their foot down against that. But dumping trash in the forest was illegal, since it harmed the monsters.
“You know, I did hear a rumor that some adventurers trashed an area on purpose to make the monsters in it berserk so they could hide a secret cave they’ve found. Their plan failed miserably, though…so is that what’s happening here? Please tell me I’m wrong…”
Rustle, rustle.
When I heard the trees rustling nearby, I climbed the big one next to me.
Graowww.
Two gashlasses appeared, roaring and gnashing their teeth as they stomped the ground with their front legs. Gashlasses were strong but not particularly violent by nature. I had never seen them pound the earth like that.
These ones were abnormal. They had unmistakably been turned berserk by that pile of trash.
Okay, now what do I do about it? The job request said nothing about the gashlasses going berserk. This job clearly lacked oversight. I could cut the subjugation job short and leave now without a problem. It was the adventurer guild’s responsibility to find out that the gashlasses were berserk.
“I guess I could still kill them if I wanted to, though. The only issue is, am I sure there’s only two of them? What if there’s another monster nearby who’s been affected even more strongly by the trash?”
If more berserk monsters showed up, then I really would be in danger. Plus, gashlasses moved differently when they were berserk, so they were unpredictable.
Graaaga. Graaaga.
Ack, they found me!
Thunk.
“Agh!”
This can’t be happening.
The gashlasses were slamming against the tree I’d climbed. If they kept it up, I was sure to fall.
“Guess I have to kill them now.”
I looked down at the rampaging gashlasses. I’d have to attack them right when they hit the tree.
Thunk.
I waited for the moment the gashlass’s body struck the tree and thrust my sword at its neck.
Gra, gra.
Damn it, I couldn’t kill it in one blow! Well, I’ll get it next time.
Garrrr.
“Good!”
Graga, graga.
Oh shoot, there’s another one! Now I can’t run away…
Barely dodging the gashlass that was barreling toward me, I thrust at its belly with my sword.
Graga!
As a primal scream echoed through the forest, I heard scampering footsteps. The animals that were hiding nearby had just run away.
“Okay, that’s the last one!”
I removed my sword from the gashlass’s slashed belly, kicked the wobbling creature from the side, and stuck my sword into its neck as it lost its balance.
Gragaaaa…
“…Is it finally over?”
I listened to the wind and rustling trees flowing through the forest. I heard nothing unusual, so I knew there were no more berserk gashlasses in the area.
“Guess the job’s done. I should probably take the gashlass bodies back. They’ll help with the berserking investigation.”
I took out my magic bag and added the two gashlass corpses.
“Okay…it’s dark already. Looks like I’m camping here tonight.”
I’ll go back to town first thing tomorrow morning and…I’ll have some annoying things to deal with when I get back. I know, right after I report my job is done and hand over the gashlass corpses, I’ll get a new job. And if there aren’t any, I’ll just go to the next village over.
I didn’t care if my master knew, but I was certain the news had reached Gotos by now. He’d have an earful for me—which would be a hassle.
“Sleeping in a tree seems like my safest bet since aren’t any tree-dwelling monsters in these parts.”
Then again, I won’t really be sleeping, just resting a little, so I don’t have to worry about finding the perfect spot anyway.
I sat on a branch of a large tree and rested my body against its trunk. That would be more than enough.
“I wonder how they’re doing right now…”
I thought back to the looks on Egar’s and Lange’s faces when I pushed them on my master, and I laughed.
“They sure were shocked, weren’t they?”
They probably weren’t expecting me to tell my master about the Life Contract, rightfully so. You know, they both acted quite differently than they did when I first met them. They were so much more emotive than before.
“The Life Contract… It has to be. When we forged the contract, I threw caution to the wind and didn’t really think about it, but it seems like it’s having a good effect on them.”
And on me, too.
“I can do more than just take from people. Could I have…”
Could I have given something, too?
The only thing I could do for that lady assassin was kill her. But why? I’d been able to give Egar and Lange a new chance at life.
“Huh?!”
I suddenly looked around, and it seemed a bit brighter.
“Agggh. I thought I was just going to have a little rest, and I wound up dozing off.”
Well, so much for my plans. I guess I’ll be fine, though. I’ll go back to Oll and finish the job.
I picked up my bag of gashlass corpses and headed to Oll.
“Welcome back, and good work.”
I returned to the adventurer guild in Oll and announced that the job was finished. I stole a glance at the entrance, then let out a sigh.
I should’ve known. Gotos has known me a long time. Of course he would’ve predicted how I’d behave.
Still, I hadn’t expected Gotos to be waiting for me at the adventurer guild bright and early.
No way am I escaping him now. Argh…Gotos always gets so long-winded when he lectures…
“Druid.”
“Hey. What’s up?”
“Delivered your report?”
“Not yet.”
I didn’t want to be finished, but I would be once I handed over the gashlass corpses.
“Not yet, you say?”
“Yeah, I have to report an illegal dump and deliver some berserk gashlass corpses.”
“An illegal dump? But there isn’t anything around here that would draw a lot of adventurers.”
The adventurer guild employees nodded in agreement.
“I don’t know for sure, but I think they discovered a cave. All the magic items in the dump were the sort for cave exploration. Get out a map, and I’ll mark the spot for you.”
“Coming right up, sir…”
A guild employee brought me a map, which I marked to indicate the illegal dump.