Chapter 107
I took out Cecil's Stitch. The Stitch itself showed no reaction, but the light was emanating from the parchment stored with it.
What happened to Cecil?
There seemed to be something hidden, but there was no way to figure it out immediately.
Is she trying to call me?
I had no intention of contacting Cecil in the dangerous zone. Calling Cecil would be like calling her entire group.
If surplus personnel joined us in the dangerous zone, the burden on Luna and me would increase. Our actions would be restricted and it would be difficult to draw my magic sword immediately even in crisis. Besides Cecil, no one would be helpful for our task.
In our current situation targeting the circulatory system's apex predator, they would all be burdens.
I put the Stitch and magic marking paper back in my pocket. If I were to contact her, it should be after the joint class ends.
"This is nothing."
As I tried to leave the cave, Luna rose and awkwardly waved her hand.
"Um... Take... care."
Though Luna probably didn't intend it, seeing her like that made me feel like a household head going out to earn money. It felt strange.
"By the way, do you eat pork well?"
Luna nodded twice.
What could that mean?
She usually never nods more than once, so were two nods strong affirmation?
"I'll be back."
I took off my outer clothes and hung them on the cave wall, going out wearing just a thin shirt.
The heavy rain made it difficult to secure visibility.
It felt a bit chilly getting completely soaked. I opened a Griffin Potion and put about half in my mouth. It was to stimulate my heartbeat and raise my body temperature.
The reason I mentioned pork was that I had discovered wild boar traces while gathering firewood.
I moved straight to the location I had remembered.
The light leaking from my pocket grew stronger but I deliberately ignored it and continued searching.
Though footprints were erased by rain, the path formed by that massive body moving through the forest remained until plants grew.
While searching the forest, I sensed a presence behind me and turned my head.
About thirty paces behind me stood one of Luna's wolf spirits.
Had Luna sent it?
"Don't worry about me, go watch over Luna."
The beast showed no reaction, unclear whether it was listening to my words or not.
When I moved again, it followed. It seemed Luna had indeed sent it. Though I appreciated the thought, with such a large creature following me, the boars would all flee before I could do anything.
When I turned my head back again, it sat down on its hindquarters, stuck out its tongue, and caught its breath.
"Stay further back. You're making all the prey run away."
Seeing it didn't even pretend to listen, it seemed to only follow Luna's words. I gave up and continued searching.
The wild boars' paths were wider than expected. Wide enough that it seemed a carriage could pass through. Hair was stuck to tree bark and there were occasional bloodstains. Heavy footprints that even rain couldn't wash away were imprinted. Seeing there wasn't just one, they seemed to move in groups.
We were getting closer to the wild boars' habitat. I drew my wooden sword to prepare for sudden situations.
Just then, the wolf spirit suddenly started barking.
Soon after, something of unknown identity rustled in the bushes beside the path.
That something approached me, splashing through puddles. The footsteps lacked the heaviness of a wild animal, and it wasn't four-legged.
Sensing a person approaching, I gripped my sword tightly.
Before they emerged from the bushes, I spoke first, "Who is it?"
With my question, the rustling stopped. Then, a voice rang out from that direction.
"...Who are you?"
It was a familiar woman's voice.
"..."
Suddenly the Stitch in my pocket started acting up trying to get out. When I opened the pocket's mouth, it flew out toward where the mysterious woman was.
"So it is you, Candy."
Cecil emerged from the bushes. Her front buttons were undone and her clothes were completely soaked through.
And for some reason, she was alone.
"What brings you... here?"
"I have nowhere to go. More importantly... could you help me?"
Having been in the rain for a long time, Cecil's skin was pale and her lips had lost their color.
When her legs lost strength and she staggered, I grabbed her shoulders to support her.
"Still, I'm glad I found you... Actually, I was trying to surprise you. I didn't know I'd get this soaked."
From how she spoke, it seemed the Stitch had some kind of location tracking. Fortunately, I usually kept the Stitch in the labyrinth just in case. I could have been in big trouble if I had been careless.
Seeing her condition, it wasn't time for casual conversation. We needed to return to the cave before she lost consciousness from hypothermia.
"Can you walk?"
"No... No, ah! W-wait a moment!"
I lifted Cecil up suddenly. She seemed embarrassed and hit my chest with her fists before covering her face with one hand. Some color returned to her pale face.
"N-next time, say something before lifting."
"...What about your group members?" I subtly asked, wondering if something had happened to Trisha.
"The river suddenly rose and separated us. The group members are fine."
***
Luna was drying Damian's coat he had left by the fire.
She occasionally turned her gaze outside the cave wondering when he would return, but sighed seeing nothing could be confirmed through the heavy rain and water mist.
Not long after, a figure appeared approaching the cave. A sword at the waist and something held in both arms. Thanks to his unique presence, she sensed it was Damian returning from hunting.
When Damian entered the cave, Luna was startled to see his prey in his arms.
A person was being carried. A familiar face. It was Cecil Fontar whom she had encountered several times in the dormitory. She couldn't understand why she suddenly appeared being carried by Damian.
Damian carefully sat Cecil down in front of the campfire.
"Thank you, Candy."
And Cecil was also startled seeing Luna's face across from her.
"...?"
"...?"
Cecil asked with uncertainty, "Candy, did you... happen to meet this one by chance too?"
For someone picked up on the road, Luna's clothes were clean like new.
"She's my friend. Rest. I'll go hunting."
Damian left those words and suddenly disappeared outside the cave.
And an awkward silence followed.
His casually thrown word "friend" resonated in Cecil's heart. Since he always covered his face, hid his identity, and barely spoke, she had naturally thought she was his only friend.
Luna understood why he had to bring her here seeing Cecil's pale face. But Cecil couldn't understand Luna's presence.
Cecil had been willing to form a group if Candy asked, pretending she couldn't refuse.
She had even given him a Stitch telling him to contact her often, but he disappeared after finishing his business. And behind the scenes, he had skillfully seduced a girl and was getting along well with her?
And not just any girl, but the Magic Department’s top seat.
Though she wasn't feeling great as this was far from the situation she had expected, she was aware that she was strictly an uninvited guest receiving help. So she didn't act presumptuously.
She finished warming herself and carefully greeted Luna, "You're Luna, right? I'm Cecil. We've met a few times before and now we meet again. Nice to see you."
Luna returned the greeting stiffly.
"...Hello."
"So you two are a group?"
"Yes."
"Then, do you know Candy's identity?"
Luna shook her head.
"No."
Though it felt like an interrogation and made her feel guilty, Cecil seemed like she would keep it in her heart if her curiosity wasn't satisfied.
"Really? What did Candy promise to give you in exchange for grouping together?"
Cecil thought there was no way she would accompany a man whose identity she didn't know to the dangerous zone without conditions.
But Luna said something that broke expectations.
"Candy is my friend. No payment needed."
"..."
Feeling frustrated, Cecil took out her soaked tobacco and dried it earnestly by the fire.
Then, a thought suddenly occurred and she asked Luna, "But... is it okay to let Candy go alone?"
Luna nodded.
The creatures of the circulatory system generally had some resistance to magic.
When magic was cast, animals used mana to change part of their outer covering to defend themselves from various attributes. Because of this, even wild animals were quite tricky to deal with.
And deep in the dangerous zone, a mad beast called the “wingless dragon” lurked.
If Candy used something like an enchanted sword, he could be at a disadvantage due to an unfavorable matchup.
Just then, heavy footsteps that shook the ground were heard from the entrance.
Only then did Cecil realize it wasn't time to worry about Candy.
***
Now not one but three wolf spirits followed behind Damian.
Though Damian was starting to feel watched, he pushed it from his mind and continued tracking the wild boars.
The wild boars' paths were tangled like a maze. Because of this, their sense of direction became hazier the deeper he went. Though traces were getting stronger, he still hadn't directly witnessed any wild boars.
Just then the wolf spirits startled and rushed past him forward.
One stopped and signaled him to follow by continuously wagging its tail. Its gestures seemed urgent.
Sensing some sudden situation had arisen, he hurriedly moved through the passage following the spirit.
Past a round tunnel-like vine forest, what appeared slightly at its end was the cave where they were staying.
That cave had actually been one of the wild boar's territories.
***
Snort
A rough snorting sound pierced into the cave through the heavy rain.
Luna and Cecil sensed something was wrong and jumped to their feet.
Something was outside.
A massive form the size of a carriage was slowly approaching the cave entrance.
And red eyes flashed through the water mist.
It approached the entrance shaking the ground. It was a huge spotted wild boar. Its head looked like it could crush a bull like clay if it rammed something.
Of all times to encounter a circulatory system wild animal… why did it have to be when I was still recovering and was absent? Such bad luck.
Cecil took out magic bombs from her waist. But it was uncertain how effective these would be against creatures with strong magic resistance.
They couldn't escape with the wild boar blocking the entrance.
Deep anger at strangers invading its territory was evident in the wild boar's eyes.
It stamped its feet preparing to charge.
And at that moment, an intense light burst from one direction outside the cave.
Soon after, that pure white light swept away where the wild boar stood in an instant and caused an explosion that made their eardrums go numb.
When Cecil opened her eyes again, Candy was before her. He stood at the entrance quietly watching where the wild boar had flown.
That huge wild boar had been swept away without being able to resist.
He calmly entered the cave and asked Cecil, "Do you eat pork well?"
Indeed, his skill proving why he was first place overall was undeniable.
He was a man she wouldn't trade even for a hundred others like Victor, Gale, Bertrand, etc.