Chapter 17

Chapter 17

17. First Request (4)

─Pat!

Matthew rolled on the ground with an oops expression, and Bram who threw the flute also ran as if flying and stood with his back to Benrik’s front.

─Rustle···.

“My, the fuss. Calm down.”

Saying so what parted the bushes and came out was an armed man.

“I particularly have no heart to fight.”

Following behind such a man four or five more revealed their appearances from the bushes. One and all they were armed with weapons such as spears and swords, and bows on their backs.

Benrik examined the opponent with calm eyes.

‘Not mercenaries.’

The gait and atmosphere were quite different from what the child knew. Rather than rough mercenaries, it is a feeling similar to the checkpoint soldiers seen in front of the city gate a while ago.

The leading man raised the hand holding the weapon above his head as if expressing surrender. Then the men behind also carefully sheathed their weapons following him and raised their hands above their heads.

Unlike saying there is no heart to fight no one put the weapons down on the ground or anything.

But with just that the tension that had been sharply going back and forth between the two groups loosened a degree.

Benrik also while sensing the still bristling nape slightly turned the direction of the crossbow downward.

‘The most dangerous is that person.’

The man looking at Benrik’s group with sharp eyes from the front.

What Crisis Sense reacts to most densely is right, that man. Even now he is just looking but sweat is seeping thickly from the palms.

‘If a battle occurs I have to kill that man first.’

At this distance, there is no chance the crossbow will miss.

Unless quite trained an opening will arise with just that. A group that lost the leader is bound to have an opening.

This was a truth that penetrates magical beasts and animals, human races.

‘Next the far right.’

The man holding the bow.

The existence of a long-range attacker always draws out variables. It was the same when hunting magical beasts. Even magical beasts of the same grade the ones that do long-range attacks were more dangerous.

Benrik who was calmly calculating based on the things caught in the retina paused for a moment.

He was surprised at himself at the flow of consciousness that naturally continued.

Even though he had never killed a living being other than magical beasts and wild animals, he found himself strange for thinking of killing a person who shares the same language first.

Then Bram asked in a soft but polite voice.

“We are mercenaries belonging to Jenkinson’s mercenary group, as you can see we were in the middle of performing a request to subjugate magical beasts.”

The man who had been persistently chasing Benrik and the others with slanted eyes as if looking for something chuckled and said.

“······Ah- Jenkinson’s mercenary group, are you talking about the mercenary group made by Drenor Vinter. I have heard of it.”

‘Drenor Vinter?’

It seems he is talking about Jenkinson’s father. What is that human calling a noble’s name like calling a bakery owner’s name.

When Benrik was thinking, Bram asked again.

“Who are you? Why were you hiding?” “Hiding? No, no. It is not that we were hiding. We were watching for an opportunity to help.”

The previous polite speech is nowhere to be found, a tone that is even somewhat high-pressure.

The man’s gaze turned to the wooden logs sprawled all over.

“Well, it seems there was no particular need for that.”

The man who lightly nods his head as if that is the answer.

“You still haven’t answered the first question.”

“That is difficult to answer.”

Bram who had been blankly looking at him asked again.

“Then, what were you doing here?” “There is also no reason to answer that.”

Saying so he gently narrows the corners of his eyes.

“···By the way this kind of attitude is a bit unpleasant. I said it. We were watching for an opportunity to help.”

Then Benrik suddenly wrinkled the bridge of his nose.

There was a smell faintly conveyed on the wind.

It was a smell in a not so old memory.

‘Fairy?’

A smell exactly like the one smelled from the fairy seen in Bromwood’s market a while ago.

But,

‘Extremely faint.’

The fairy seen in the market was about ten meters away but emitted a quite intense fragrance. There was also something else puzzling.

That among the armed men there is no one of similar exterior to the fairy seen then.

“Then each go our own way. I hope there is no chance of seeing again.”

The man who left warning-like words turned his back.

Only then the Crisis Sense that had been raising Benrik’s tension also slowly, began to subside.

“······.”

Only after they completely disappeared from the field of vision did Benrik softly open his mouth.

“They seem to be soldiers.”

At the child’s words Bram opened his eyes round.

“How did you know?” “Just, the feeling is similar to the soldiers seen at the checkpoint last time.” “Is the eye for detail good? Anyway it is correct. Though not Bromwood’s city soldiers.”

Bram added while unsatisfactorily glaring at the direction they disappeared.

“They seem to be a noble’s private soldiers.”

The reason for deliberately hiding the family crest and status is of course because they are doing something not upright.

Hearing that story Benrik’s eyes shone for a moment.

Because the reason what kind of outrageous act they are doing was vaguely inferred.

‘This maybe···.’

When Benrik was thinking,

“There’s nothing good about getting involved with things like that for nothing. One avoids because shit is dirty, does one avoid because scared?”

Matthew who muttered as if the mood was spoiled started collecting the sprawled remains.

“By the way that forest keeper bastard···. Does it make sense to treat ten as one? This is a request of a level that a Silver Badge mercenary should have come, I will get at least one gold coin.” “Where does the forest keeper have that much money? Even 50 silver coins would be an amount he put effort into in his own way.” “Oh Bram, this dull fellow. Whose ownership is the forest?”

“···Well it is the lord of Bromwood’s possession.” “Then would the forest keeper have spent his own money?” “Hmm···.”

Benrik followed the two people and collected the fragments of the Shouting Old Tree. He also did not forget to collect branches of suitable length usable as flutes.

After finishing the cleanup on the way moving to the residence of the requester forest keeper Pete, Benrik asked.

“That man earlier said it. The mercenary group founded by Drenor Vinter.” “Ah, he did. It is the leader’s father. For reference never bring up that name in front of the leader.”

As expected.

“What kind of person is he?”

He roughly knows he is not an ordinary person. What answered Benrik’s question was Matthew.

“He is a person much more noble-like than nobles who are only noble in pattern.”

He who pulled up the corners of his mouth contentedly as if recalling something continued.

“It is also the reason I became a mercenary.”

When the village he lived in as a child was attacked by a group of magical beasts the one who saved them was Jenkinson’s father, Drenor Vinter.

“Someday I will also form my own mercenary group like that person.”

So he said he would go around the empire and help villages suffering damage because of magical beasts. It seemed a feeling like a specialized magical beast elimination mercenary.

It was an extension of the story about the dream he said on the way.

Hearing the story a few things came to mind.

The part of being knowledgeable about magical beasts even though not a magical beast hunter, or the gait resembling a hunter.

There was also something realized.

‘Well, there is no law that a dream must be grand.’

Whether laborer or mercenary. If one does the work one wants to do that is all, isn’t it. Because it is not like a job in a game that once decided cannot be reversed.

Benrik who was thinking said.

“If there is something you are curious about ask anything. While I am here I will tell as much as possible.” “Oh! That is a welcome sound among those heard.”

If one can obtain even a little of Benrik’s knowledge that would know more than the magical beast society, the probability of losing one’s life would also greatly decrease.

“Then first tell the method of making that flute earlier.”

At Matthew’s first request Benrik firmly drew the line.

“That won’t do.”

Because it is a business item.

***

Around the time almost arriving at the hut, Matthew said as if in return.

“Watch well, Benrik. I will tell you how to extract the reward from guys like this.”

He doesn’t know what to watch well.

“It seems we won’t be able to receive the reward.” “Huh? What is that─”

Benrik’s answer was not needed.

Because the two people also smelled it. The fishy blood scent conveyed on the wind.

Walking along the faintly formed path for a while.

“······Huh.” “···Damn.”

At the wide open hut entrance, the appearance of the dead forest keeper Pete with eyes wide open was seen.

‘Crisis Sense···.’

Does not activate. It meant there is no risk factor.

“Ha- really unfair, damn world···.”

Benrik who passed the softly muttering Bram approached toward the hut. At that unhesitating appearance Matthew was surprised.

“You punk, knowing there is something···!” “It’s fine, there is not even one rat nearby.” “Huh? Is that so?”

Matthew who simply understood straightened the lowered posture and followed behind him.

‘It is smashed.’

On one side of the entrance the unseemly tumbled door had two or so arrows stuck. It seemed they tried to close the door and hold out, but the result was not good.

“···Hmm, is it bandits?” “Surely, what money does the forest keeper have.”

After a short question and answer the three people met eyes.

“···Is it the doing of those guys earlier?” “Well, they didn’t particularly look short of money.” “Still the possibility is the highest. Wild beasts won’t shoot bows.”

The three people took their respective roles and scattered.

Matthew decided to check the inside of the house, Bram the vicinity of the hut, and Benrik walked around the yard and the surroundings of the house examining if there was anything suspicious.

“Hmm···?”

Benrik who discovered something stopped upright.

It was a box stacked neatly in one corner of the hut.

Precisely the wide-mouthed bottle collapsed carelessly on top of that box.

That bottle somehow caught the eye.

‘···What is it?’

When blankly looking, it is emphasized like the shell game operator’s cup.

···Marcel’s Appraisal Eye.

It means there is something in that bottle. Benrik who reached out his hand opened the lid of the bottle.

─Pop···!

Along with a light sound a refreshing fragrance rushed, hooked. A cool scent to the extent of making the mind dizzy even for a moment.

─Ah···!

It was then that something popped out from the mouth of the wide bottle.

─Uh, a kid···?

Good-textured silver hair waved. From the two pairs of wings vigorously flapping something like star dust scattered.

Poll poll poll- he faced the green eyes of the thing floating in the air for a while.

“······.” ─Uh, uh that···.

Grab, Benrik’s hand moved like lightning.

─Aah! Impudent! T-this let go, let go···!

He put it in the bottle and closed it well again.

***

“There was nothing particularly suspicious. As Benrik said there was not even one rat.” “I also couldn’t find anything particularly meaningful.”

Matthew who shook his head suddenly grinned.

“···But we secured our reward.”

It seemed he found something in the forest keeper’s hut that could replace the request reward.

“That means it is not a doing aimed at money.” “It would be right? But, it seemed he found something. He overturned the house completely. Even the basement.” “······But is that okay?”

Even so the person concerned died, is it right to loot valuables from that house?

“The death is regrettable, but well is there a choice? We have to take care of our own rice bowl.” “Matthew’s words are correct. Whether we caught ten or caught one the adventurer guild will only guarantee the amount originally set.”

Is that so···. Benrik understood and said.

“I found it.” “Huh?” “What?” “I said I found it, the suspicious thing.”

How suspicious it is, it is the most suspicious among the living beings seen since birth.

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