It was a dazzlingly clear day, yet deep in the woods, the forest canopy was so thick that only the rare crack of sunlight managed to peek through. There, my lady trudged through the undergrowth using her staff—a family heirloom—to push the dense foliage out of the way or, at times, to all-out bushwhack.
“With this much vegetation, I doubt that it’s struggling to find food. There are plenty of burrows too. I imagine that it has managed to grow quite large without needing to worry about any natural predators,” she said.
“Hmm... I suppose we can’t be too hopeful, then...” I replied.
This deep region of the forest was untouched by people. However, while there was no semblance of any man-made path, there was an animal trail through the trees: a huge, long indentation that looked as if it were made by a giant snake. While its winding course made the journey easier than expected, what lay at said course’s end was something far more dangerous.
This trail had actually been formed by a hydra, the very monster that we were looking for. Hydras were a type of two-headed lesser wyrm. In layman’s terms, they were akin to gigantic snakes. Based on the information at the guild, there was a single hydra lurking in this area. It was five meters tall, far outclassing the average hydra (and who knew how long the thing was). Given the venom and deadly fire that they could expel from their two heads, hydras were tenacious creatures that not even a strong four-member adventurer party could defeat; they’d be left with no other option but to flee.
In fact, according to the guild’s report, one such four-man party had accepted the quest to take down this hydra, but ultimately were forced to leave one of their members behind to distract the beast while the rest fled to safety.
“It’s not as if anyone lives or even comes this deep into the forest... I think they could’ve just let it be, to be honest.”
“That’s just how humans are, my lady. They fear whatever they deem abnormal. Though I will say that it would be a disaster if this hydra were to attack a nearby settlement.”
“Well, it might if it has decided that humans are a threat after this string of events.”
“That would not be ideal...”
“I think they should just have left it alone to start with. It’s not like this forest has anything worth taking,” she said. Then in a mumble, she continued, “I really don’t get humans.”
After around an hour of walking, we reached an open area.
It wasn’t a natural field, however. A burning smell filled the air. Trees that had once stood tall, thanks to being free from the influence of humankind, had been razed to the ground. The whole surrounding area had been carved out to form an open space.
“Oh!” my lady exclaimed. I could see it too.
A young man was lying on the ground. He was covered in blood and missing his right forearm. Across from him was the creature we had been searching for. With a mammoth body that was almost one meter thick, there was no mistaking it. It was the hydra.
Like the young man, the beast wasn’t moving—because it was missing its heads. They lay next to the body, eyes stuck open in death, all three huge enough to swallow a grown person whole.
“They must have finished each other off at the same time.”
“It looks that way. An impressive effort from a single fighter, but that was as far as his energy could take him.”
My lady approached the young man, crouched down, and began examining him. He wasn’t in good condition. His skin was peeling due to the venom, and his entire body was covered in scratches and burns. She looked around and found his arm lying nearby. Fang marks indicated that it had been bitten off.
“What to do...”
“It would take too much time for the two of us alone to mourn him. We should take his belongings home for him and—”
“No. How about we just pretend we didn’t see him and take credit for his victory?”
“I don’t remember raising you to be such a coldhearted person, my lady!”
What an unbelievable proposition. The young man had literally given up his life to slay this creature. His valor didn’t deserve to be stolen.
“Actually, let’s cancel that plan.”
I wasn’t so foolish to think my plea had changed her mind. I was well aware she wasn’t quite that laudable a person. Rather, my lady had prodded the young man’s dead body and noticed it twitch in response.
The man we’d assumed to be dead was alive.
“Did you see that, my lady?”
She heaved a huge sigh, not even trying to hide the disdain in her expression.
“I do hope he survives, but that’s for fate to decide, not me.”