Chapter 11

“Right, I’ll be off then . ”

I called out to Maria but no response came .

She didn’t come to wake me up today .

As expected, the shock from last night was too big .

My lodging expires today so I paid one silver to extend my stay for two nights, but only a hand came out from underneath the counter .

“If you’re down there you could’ve shown your face . If you turn like this with just that much then you’ll die when you get married, you know . ”

“The pervert should hurry up and get to work~!”

I thought she’d cheer up by tomorrow so I went to the wolf hunt assembly point, the North Gate .

Of course, I didn’t forget to buy apples from Ruu .

The apples were good, but more than that, watering the little girl now will get me a delicious harvest after she’s all grown up .

“Yo Aegir! Looks like you finished off 10 wolves without a scratch yesterday . ”

It seems the one in charge of guarding the coaches today is Grey again .

“It’s not like I did it by myself . There’s a sharp one in the party, too . Without the element of surprise, wolves are just dogs . ”

“But you can do it by yourself, can’t you?”

*grin*, Grey smiled .

I smiled back, but nothing came out of my mouth .

Hurting his feelings will get me nothing .

“Yo, you’re early today . ”

“Morning . ”

I met up with Mireille and Carla .

Carla’s behaviour was somehow gentler than yesterday .

“Yo, I’ll be counting on you again today . ”

“Quite the enviable party you got there . ”

Grey came and teased me .

“Come on, if you’ve got your party together hop on board! We’re going to have another happy hunting today!”

Like yesterday we were tossed around inside the carriage while having a merry chat .

Unlike yesterday, Carla sat next to me today, and once in a while she would bring up a topic to talk about .

“I heard you just came here the day before yesterday, but immediately got into trouble . ”

“Did you hear it from Grey? That was just me playing along with some kids’ pranks . ”

“Really? Anyway, the inn you’re staying at is the Little Bird Bower, right? How is it? Good?”

“The bed and room is clean, and most of all they give me hot water, so nice . ”

“Such luxury… . When I came to town my money soon ran out . Hunted game doesn’t turn into much money at all . ”

“A wild boar disappearing into two days’ worth of hotel charges, can you believe it?” she said .

“I think it’s just because you don’t like sleeping with people, Carla . ”

Carla glared at Mireille who cut into her talk .

It’s like she’s trying to say, “I’m not talking to you today . ”

Giving up, Mireille threw herself down on the grass, saying, “yeah, yeah, keep at it . ”

“Ahem, but still, I’m a girl, so not getting a bath for a few days is a problem! I get all dirty and smelly . ”

“Didn’t you say when you jumped into a bog before that you won’t be noticed easily by prey that way or someWAAAA! Peh peh peh!”

Carla kicked up dirt at Mireille who was lying down .

“Also, because of yesterday’s hunting, we got some surplus for now, so I we think we’re going to get good earnings in this party from now on, so we thought we should move to Little Bird Bower . See, they have hot water there, too . ”

“I never heard of that!” Mireille fussed, but Carla ignored her and continued .

“When we’re done hunting today, we’re going to the Little Bird Bower together…… can we at least have a meal together? I also think it’s weird to stay at different places even though we’re in a party . ”

“I don’t mind . Being clean is good for a girl . Of course, I’ll gladly have a meal, drink booze, and play on the bed with you . ”

“We’re not going that far! So there, Mireille~ we’re going to look for a room at Little Bird Bower okay!”

“Sheesh, don’t decide on your own~ Our earnings will go down to almost nothing if we stay at a good inn like that, it doesn’t pay . ”

“It’s all right isn’t it? If you only think about money you’re going to live poor . ”

“But we’re actually poor,” said Mireille, but it looks like she’s not going to put up any more resistance .

For some reason she grinned while looking at me, but I’m sure she’s telling me to ‘eat up Carla’ .

That’s good too, and if I brought new guests over Maria’s mood is going to get better too .

“They’re here!”

Carla shouted, and we simultaneously stood up and took our weapons .

Really, things are easier with her here .

There was a pack of 5 wolves lined up in a row .

“Then we’ll be going first!”

I brandished my spear on my right and swept a clump of grass away .

There was a yelping sound, and blood scattered around .

I felt two reactions on my hand, then sensed a presence on my left and pushed out my shield .

Naturally, the wolf that jumped at me received the shield right on the face, toppled over, and fell prey to Mireille’s sword .

The remaining two hurriedly tried to escape, but once Carla knows the terrain there’s no escaping her bow .

They took arrows in the vitals and followed after the other ones .

“Now we’ve got the lodging fees settled, how about skinning them to earn something for our meals?”

“Nah, this season the markets are overflowing with wolf furs so you don’t get much for them . Rather than that, since it’s not even noon yet, let’s move along and find another pack . ”

“I’ll leave you to that . I’ve only started yesterday after all . ”

When we were preparing to move and earn some more money, Carla saw something strange .

“Hey… do you see that?”

“What is it? Hmm, I can’t see anything . ”

Carla’s eyesight is abnormal .

According to her, she could see stars in the sky even during the day .

I followed her gaze and faintly saw something that looks like white smoke .

“That’s a fire… smoke… no, a flare!”

The way a wolf hunt normally goes, you are sent to the hunting grounds on a coach in the morning, and called back again before dusk .

However, in case where you had to go back immediately due to unforeseen circumstances, you light up a flare to let the others know .

Then, because when you light a flare your participation fees will be forfeited as expenses, you’re not going light one for trivial matters .

Also, if you encounter an enemy that’s too strong and you want to be rescued, you mix a certain powder with the flare to change the color .

“They have critically injured people, do they? By the distance I think they’re from another coach’s party . ”

Carla’s tone of voice became cold .

“No, it seems to be worse than that . I see red smoke!”

We can’t handle it ourselves .

Please bring reinforcements and come help us .

That’s what red smoke means .

“We stop moving here! Our coach is probably coming back as well!”

As we were about to run back to the base point in double time, the situation deteriorated further .

“You’ve got to be kidding me! Red smoke to our left, and some more next to the first ones!”

“The party nearest to us are also sending smoke, they’re right next to us, everybody take caution!”

“What the hell is happening!”

“I don’t know! this never happened to me before!”

I don’t know what’s happening but I do know one thing .

All the wolf hunting parties are on the verge of crisis, and whatever’s causing it will appear before us soon .

“They’re coming from the front, numbers… uh, um…”

“[Lots of them] right? I can see them too . Incredibly many of them . ”

What was in front of us is, to all appearances, a pack of over 50 wolves .

Unlike the earlier packs, they made no effort of approaching from cover and brazenly advanced side by side .

With so many parties sending flares, even if we light one now no help would come .

It’s kill or be killed .

“By the numbers there’s probably a hungry wolf there, Aegir and I should go out in front! Carla move back a bit and cover us, you don’t have enough arrows, focus on the ones close to us, and watch your back, too!”

“Understood!”

“No, Mireille go on guard next to Carla”

I shouldered my spear and went in front of the wolves .

“What are you saying! You can’t do it alone!”

“I’ll be alright, what happened yesterday won’t happen again!”

“With women behind me it’ll feel like something worth doing, after all…”

I threw my shield down on the ground and raised the bardiche over my head, held in both hands .

“Being able to swing this thing all the way ain’t bad either!”

Dozens of wolves rushed in .

Their target is the lone me, the wolves aimed at the fewer-numbered, isolated me .

But I was not isolated .

In battle terms, it was simply that the two behind me are in my way .

If I swing this lump of iron with all my strength, they will probably got caught in it .

But now, there is nothing to hold me back .

The enemies are all coming my way, and there are no friendlies within reach of my spear .

Come to think of it, how long has it been since I fought with full power .

It feels a bit lonely that my opponents are wolves, but then again I’ll probably die if they bit into my throat .

I feel my heart catch fire .

◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇

———Carla———

“Amazing…”

“What the hell…”

We can only stare in amazement at the overwhelming scene unfolding before our eyes .

I prepared myself for the worst when at first, the area around him became surrounded with wolves .

I nocked an arrow in a hurry but it slipped of .

I had no excuse for failing like that, but my hands won’t stop trembling thinking that he’s going to die .

However, he never needed that cover .

The wolves that pounced on him flew in the air with just one swing of his spear .

The wolves, the largest of which could reach the weight of a typical woman, flew away like leaves .

While the swarming wolves were blown away again and again, a few of them quick-wittedly lowered their bodies and aimed for his leg .

As I was about to yell, “Watch out!” he crushed the head of the wolf aiming for his leg with a downward thrust, and also kicked a few other wolves away .

He’s not someone skilled in using a spear, he’s simply accustomed to fighting .

Not only his spear, but his hands and feet all became one-hit-kill weapons to the wolves .

The wolves’ fangs never reached him, he slaughtered them all in one hit, a massive killing .

“I suppose we’re only holding him back after all…”

Mireille dropped her shoulders .

She’s probably right .

He probably never needed our strength in battles .

“But… I’m not frustrated . ”

He’s stronger than me .

I was frustrated before but that doesn’t matter at all now .

Rather, thinking that I was protected by him, I feel something unfamiliar growing in my heart .

◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇

My whole surroundings were rolling with dead wolves .

I can’t count the numbers, but I can already count the ones still alive .

At which point the wolves simultaneously backed away, and a large one slowly came out .

“So you’ve come . ”

It had a body twice again as big as any other wolf . Rather than a wolf, it looked more like a bear .

Then above all, it’s glaring, gleaming red eyes show that it was not just a mere beast .

An arrow lodged itself in its neck with a thwunk but other than a voice of indignation, it was not hurt in any considerable way .

Annoyed, the wolf turned towards Carla and ran .

I stopped its rush with a body slam and forced it to fight against me .

I prepped my bardiche up as a spear, since all I needed was one blow .

I taunted the wolf, who was making a low growl and not leaping in, but defending .

“You shall not pass, that over there is my woman!”

I shot out a strong thrust against the charging wolf .

That thrust that was like a flash of lightning pierced through its skull that was far thicker than any wolf’s and penetrated down to the middle of its spine .

After a short pause the axe-like blade cut its jaw . It broke in half and crumbled down .

“Amazing! You’re unbelievable!”

“You can’t quickly be able to kill a hungry wolf in just one blow you know? Even a knight needs to be at least advanced level…”

“Why is someone like you only a mere mercenary?”

“Carla, you say something too . ”

Mireille looked over her shoulder at Carla . She was plopped down on the ground with her face red .

Her bow also was dropped on the ground .

Did her legs give when she was rushed by the wolf? I thought, but her dumbfounded gaze was something else . Her eyes were fixed on me .

“I see… You’ve totally fallen for him, haven’t you . ”

Mireille shook her head in resignation .

“The other parties were probably in the same situation, if they’ve destroyed the ones next to us then they might come after us next, Carla, I’m leaving the lookout to you . ”

“Y, yes! All right . ”

“Your way of speaking is weird, you know?”

“Oh shut it!”

“Anyway, Carla, you be on the lookout like Aegir says . Aegir, you rest your body, go rub Carla’s butt or something . I’m going to go gather the fangs . ”

“Eh! Well… . not that I mind . ”

Seems like Mireille was going to gather all the fangs by herself .

Those mouths were letting out a deadly stink so I’m thankful to her for that .

“Well, just from the looks of it the ones that can be sold for money is this much . ”

The 60 wolves including the one hungry wolf I brought down presented an image of hell around me .

Let’s at least spread some beauty’s juice to neutralize it .

I rubbed Carla’s butt . I saw a gap and slid my hand inside her clothes .

She only worried a little but didn’t resist, my fingers easily reached her plump bottom .

Anyhow, I should probably put my finger in the important part .

“Ah! …… mmh …… more …… ah! Not there!”

Whoops, I put my finger in the wrong hole… .

“Aegir! I wasn’t serious when I said ‘rub her butt’! Carla, you be on guard too!”

Finally the coach came accompanied by mounted guards .

“Oooh! Aegir, your party’s unhurt!”

Grey was not in the coach, but riding on a horse, he even had a spear and was fully armed .

“Yeah, nobody injured here . We thought lighting a flare won’t help us any . ”

“Yeah, it should go without saying, but today’s hunt ends here . We’re withdrawing everyone, this is an order from the Roleil Guards Corps so you’re not allowed to refuse . ”

“I’m fine, I’ve played with wolves enough . Any more than this I’d be sick of it . ”

Grey stared at the scattered corpses in amazement .

“You’re really something… You don’t even care that it’s a hungry wolf pack, do you!”

“We here are fine since we have Aegir, but how are the other parties doing?”

A shadow was cast over Grey’s face

“The others are having it rough . A six-person party had fatalities . The first ones to light their flare was a three-person group but when we ran over there everyone had died and been eaten . ”

“Does this happen often?”

“That’s outrageous! Sometimes somebody would die, but today 20 percent of participants were killed . Never mind me never experiencing any of this, there were even no records of this ever happening!”

I see, it seems to be quite an extraordinary situation .

“Anyway, we’ll think about it once we get to town, now let’s quickly get on the coach, don’t forget about the hungry wolf fangs . ”

We entered the coach, everyone inside was in terrible condition, a lot of them were bleeding .

The coachman’s yells were somewhat impatient .

“U… . water… . water…”

The man near the door had a wounded stomach and was oozing blood from his mouth .

He’s likely beyond help, the wound on his stomach did not look like a wolf bite but a cut from a sharp edge .

Did he get clawed by a wolf?

I peeked my head out the side of the coach and called Grey, who was riding alongside .

“Did the others also meet hungry wolves?”

“Yea, I don’t get the whole situation myself, but at least all the 4 parties we picked up have seen them . ”

“4 of them at the same time, that’s extravagant . ”

“The guards were able to attack and drive them away, but including yours only two were taken down . ”

“Sheesh, if that’s the case then the hungry wolf hunt will have to be stopped from tomorrow on, huh . ”

“I guess so, but it might be too early to worry about what’ll happen tomorrow . ”

On the road to town, there were two coaches rolled down on the ground, probably the ones who left earlier, it was surrounded by human-looking things, and what might be some of their things were scattered everywhere .

“tch! Everyone be on your guard!! Form a circle! Everyone who can fight get out of the coach!”

The cavalry corps all gathered and watched all around us .

The hunting participants also took their weapons and jumped off the coach one after the other .

Two hungry wolves came out from behind the coaches, as if they had been waiting to ambush . .

They were one size bigger than the one I brought down earlier .

“You’ve got to be kidding . We’re going to fight two of them?”

“Why are they here!?”

Complaints came out one after another, but that’s not the real reason .

Hungry wolves are far stronger than wolves so they lead a large pack of them .

Since there are two hungry wolves they wouldn’t be the ones leading, they were being led .

In other words, it’s here .

There’s something here who leads them .

*HOOoooooooooooWWWWWllllll*

There was a low, cracking howl .

Another four hungry wolves appeared beside the first two .

While everyone was being petrified, “that” appeared .

It was over two meters long, it had legs the size of a human torso and its fur was snow white, but speckled red with the blood of its victims .

It also had burning red eyes and unbelievably long and large tusks (ones like those of the Saber Tigers living in the northern part of the Federation) so red it should rather be called crimson, protruded from its mouth .

“Hardlett…”

Somebody muttered something passed down in legends in this area .

The guardian of the forest incarnated as a wolf who tears down the fools who would lay waste to the forests and deliver their souls to hell .

“Stop saying something stupid! It’s no more than just a ridiculously big wolf! We won’t survive if we don’t fight, don’t be scared!”

Grey yelled loudly to encourage the men but for the six large hungry wolves and one monster-sized wolf, let alone the hunting party, even the guards’ faces were warped in despair .

Of course they would, I thought .

Fighting one of them was hard enough, but now that there’s this many, it can’t be helped if they lost the will to fight .

Furthermore, seeing the two coaches it’s evident that even the