ALBERT and Montana returned from the job board, and we all ate while discussing the pros and cons of a few of the requests. We were having trouble coming to a unanimous decision, so after finishing our meal, the four of us went over to stand in front of the board again and hash things out some more. Finally, we decided to go with a hunt request to defeat a horned boar.
Before returning to my room to rest, I took a detour to the reference room and opened the creature encyclopedia to do some preliminary research on our prey. According to the thick volume, horned boars were monsters that were similar to regular boars, but with a single sharp horn like a unicorn. They mainly lived in forests, and were specifically found in the Sunset Forest to the east of Oranz.
I wrote down what I needed in my notebook and walked slowly down the corridor. The moon was out, but the path was dark. Still, I’d gone this way many times before, so I didn’t have any trouble walking absentmindedly while I thought.
In addition to Humankind and Destroyers, this world was inhabited by normal creatures like those on Earth as well as monsters, creatures that had absorbed mana and mutated. Monsters that had evolved from animals could also procreate with the non-monster animal version. Such offspring adapted to mana much more easily, making them more likely to transform into monsters. Left unchecked, monsters became smarter, stronger, more unpredictable, and more numerous with each generation. If their populations grew too large, the worry was that they might eventually band together to attack human settlements.
However, monsters didn’t only cause harm. Their flesh and skin were also important resources. Monster meat that had absorbed magical energy tasted better and was more nutritious and invigorating than meat from ordinary animals. Their fur could be made into high-quality clothing, and their fangs and horns could be worked into equipment.
Apparently, it was the job of the Adventurers’ Guild in this country to control monster numbers and prevent outbreaks. Many of the Guild’s standing extermination quests were aimed at thinning out monster populations and securing high-quality meat. If I got to the point where I could hunt monsters without difficulty, I wouldn’t have any qualms about calling myself a full-fledged, mid-level adventurer.
Over the past three months, I’d been slowly building up knowledge of this world between jobs. There was still a lot I didn’t know, but I had a rough mental map of the area around Oranz, which was the easternmost city in the Independent Commercial City-State of Pleine. To the east of Oranz lay the Sunset Forest, stretching from north to south. Deeper in was a barren wasteland that looked like ground zero of some horrible disaster.
In fact, the wasteland was said to be what was left after a battle that took place during a time when Humankind and the Destroyers had fought much more violently than they did now. It was called the Graveyard of the Forgotten, and it was essentially bare rock. Even now, not a single blade of grass could grow there.
Beyond that was a dangerous forest where the undead lurked. Destroyer territory. But that was only based on the testimony of an adventurer who had supposedly been there at some point, so I didn’t know how true it actually was. In short, the city of Oranz was on the front lines of the war against the Destroyers and the undead. The constant need for adventurers and the abundance of nearby forests and resources allowed the city to thrive.
When I reached my room, I collapsed onto my hard bed, which only had sheets spread out over it. Once I woke up, I would finally be ready for the work of a true adventurer. I had continued training in between jobs, but I’d grown up all my life without ever getting into a fight, so I wondered if I’d be able to handle things well enough. I can’t say I’m not worried.
But for the moment, the excitement filling my heart drowned out any worries I had.
✦ ✦ ✦
Part 3: First Kill
WE woke up brimming with excitement and gathered near the counter in the Guild lobby. Only a few adventurers were around this early in the morning. Adventurers often drank until late at night, so unsurprisingly, they usually started their days late. A few of similar rank to us were milling about, most of them headed off to do physical labor.
“Okay, guys, let’s go hunt us some horned boars!”
The three of us followed Albert, who set off eagerly.
This request was a long-standing one. There was no limit to the number of monsters you could hunt, within reason. The more you hunted, the more money you made and the higher your rating became. It was no wonder Albert was so excited.
We followed him in silence for a while as he walked without hesitation. Eventually though, I called out to him when one of the city’s gates came into view.
“Um, that’s the west gate.”
Albert stopped dead in his tracks, turned around, and started walking back the way we came without making eye contact with anyone. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” he mumbled under his breath when he reached me.
“I thought we were going shopping or something,” I said.
I hadn’t meant any harm, but I’d completely forgotten that he was directionally challenged. Corinne looked away awkwardly. She probably hadn’t noticed either that we were walking west. If she had, she would have been teasing Albert by now. But since she wasn’t the one leading the way, she probably figured she could just stay silent.
With the way those two were, I wasn’t really surprised. I expected more from Montana though.
When I turned to look at him, he blinked and inclined his head slightly. There was probably no meaning to his nod. As if he had finally woken up, he blinked repeatedly for a few moments, then surveyed our surroundings, his head tilted curiously. He really wasn’t much of a morning person.
I was starting to get worried, so I called out to Albert, still dead set on leading the way. “Why don’t I hold the map?”
Let’s do it that way from now on. Before taking the lead, I glanced at Montana. He looked serious as usual. “Okay.” That was all he said to me before giving me another slight nod. His nods really didn’t mean anything, but they were adorable, which made him even more adorable, so it was all good.