Chapter 233 – Special Missions
After hearing a brief explanation of the situation from Abeili, we immediately left the camp and headed for the logging site.
The guys living in the camp were the knights of Count Arpagon, so there was one among them who knew about Nataliya after listening to Jace, so he might get into a fight.
Compared to the previous request to hunt man-eating bears, the logging area was wider.
Roin, who was walking while looking around, opened his mouth.
“There is no answer even if you walk blindly. Availly… Did you say There must be a hint in the situation the article said.”
“Hint?”
“Huh. Lets think. They said that workers who went out during the night disappeared, or disappeared during the day. So, that means he attacks people day or night.”
“Uhm…”
“It’s pretty unusual. They are active during the day and also move nocturnally.”
“Isn’t there anything you can guess?”
“Hmm… It’s not certain, but there’s a possibility that it’s an area-type monster.”
“Area… ?”
When is a territorial animal is that territorial?
“Night and day, people disappear all the time, but there’s no way he won’t sleep, so he might be a guy who doesn’t miss the enemy who enters his territory and attacks. Even if they are active nocturnally, if they have a personality that cannot tolerate other creatures entering their territory, it is explained that people disappear day and night.”
“I see…”
“The next thing to think about is a story about a worker who disappeared during the day. You said you heard a strange sound, went to where it came from, screamed, and disappeared.”
“Huh.”
“Do you know what the characteristics of those who disappeared are?”
“What?”
I do not know.
“It left no trace. It’s normal to leave bloodstains or something, but they said they disappeared without leaving any traces. Then he must be big enough to swallow a man in one bite.”
“Ohh…”
You can think so. You must have heard the same story as me. The information you get there is clearly different.
Roin scratched the back of his head.
“Well, it could have been done by a guy with high intelligence enough to kidnap and take people alive.”
“Are you kidnapping people?”
“However, the possibility of kidnapping is very small.”
“Why?”
“Do you know what the characteristics of a person who is kidnapped by a monster are?”
“What?”
“It’s a woman.”
“Ah…”
There was a little bit of something in Roin’s words. Goblins, trolls… Even the giant ants who can’t speak, aside from those who can talk, have used females as milk dispensers exclusively for their larvae.
“You want to use it for breeding?”
“Yes. But the workers here are all men. I can’t use them for breeding, so I can’t kidnap them. Unlike women, they’ll have strong resistance, and they’re big, so it’s normal for most of them to disassemble and drag them to their lair.”
“But since you said there are no traces of blood here, are you saying it must be big enough to eat an adult man in one bite?”
“That’s right! He is also my husband Are you quick to understand?”
My shoulders shake for some reason at the praise.
“Then what should I look for?”
“A guy big enough to swallow a man in one bite, he wouldn’t have been running around in a bunch of trees.”
“Shouldn’t he be looking around for a place with enough space between the trees to make it easier for him to move around?”
“That’s right. The next thing to think about is that I made a sound… Hmm… I can’t say anything about this because the story isn’t clear. For now, I think it would be better to search mainly for places that meet the conditions I said.”
In the surrounding forest, the range to be found has been drastically reduced due to the reasoning of the old man. This alone is a great performance.
Natalya, who was quietly listening to her story, nodded her head.
“Then I think I’ll just look around the places Mr. Roin just mentioned and see if I can feel the energy of death.”
“Oh. That’s good.”
Those who were eaten by unknown monsters must have left the energy of death. You can use Natalia’s search ability based on the old man’s reasoning.
Then what do I do?
What do you do You can just blow your nose without touching it as usual.
Competent women make me very comfortable.
With a somewhat relaxed mindset, I looked around and followed the old man as he walked. He was wearing the robe I gave him as a gift, so he couldn’t see the old man’s dog-like nipple.
Unfortunately, I held Natalya’s hand as she was walking beside me.
“Let’s finish this job neatly and go back.”
“Yes!”
Together with Natalya, who responded cheerfully, they followed the old man through a forest full of tree stumps.
Roin and Natalya, who were walking in the lead, stopped at the same time. The old man looked into the woods and turned to Natalia.
“I think it would be appropriate here… It’s natalie how is it?”
“Um… I can’t feel anything.”
“Okay… ? Then next.”
Natalya shook her head, and the old man glanced around her, then took the lead again. When Roin finds a place where the monster might have passed, Natalya seeks out her death aura.
After hitting her in the face three or four times, Natalya nodded her head.
“Yes. I can faintly feel the aura of death from within. Someone must have died here.”
“Hmm… Let’s see.”
At Natalya’s reply, the old man bent over her and began to look around the floor and the trees. Her robes do not hide the outline of her large hips.
Ah. I want to sleep.
“Come to think of it, why are we the only ones in the logging area?”
“Other mercenaries must have already gone deep into the forest. Hmm… That’s right. Looks like someone found the trail before us. Human footprints lead into the forest. And… This.”
The old man who had gone deep into the forest stood up and pointed to the floor. He followed the old man into the bush and looked where he pointed with his fingertips. There were marks bigger than my upper body.
“Could these be footprints?”
“I think that’s right. Judging by the spacing of the steps, it seems to be walking on four legs… Judging by the huge scuff mark in the middle, it seems that there is also a tail…”
“These are marks from walking on four legs and sweeping the floor with the tail…”
At least it doesn’t look like an ogre.
So what the hell is it?
“What?”
Roin crossed his arms and stroked his chin, contemplating.
“Would you have to think about it to get an answer? For now, let’s follow the footprints. Other mercenaries also went here. Even if there was a problem, the guys who entered first would have a problem.”
“Okay, let’s go for now.”
As soon as I finished my words, Natalia’s skeleton started walking in the lead.
“What do you think Natalya might be?”
“Monster is not my major, so I don’t know… Sorry.”
“What are you sorry about? Are you okay.”
There are human footprints on the long traces that seem to have been swept by the tail. Before long, I was able to encounter those who left footprints on the monster’s tracks. We stopped and hid before they noticed our presence.
“Hey, look like the mercenaries who were ahead of me.”
“Huh. See.”
Number three. One man in a brown robe and two men in gray robes. I listened to the guys’ conversation. The voice was a bit loud, probably because of an argument, so I could hear it well.
“What are you talking about withdrawing! Even if you pick up the monster’s hair, you won’t get paid!”
“It’s dangerous to go any deeper than this! For now, it’s right to step back, report to the Knights, and call in more people!”
“If the number of people increases, the money we receive will decrease! That’s not allowed!”
“There is only one life!”
“You don’t know about high-risk high-return?! You have to risk your life to hit the jackpot and live happily! If you run into a monster, you can just run away! What are mercenaries so afraid of?! This is why pussy bitches!”
“What year? Are you done talking now?!”
It’s a vulgar conversation. And the woman’s voice is oddly familiar.
“Isn’t that a fade?”
“Brown robe… I think it fits.”
Okay… Fade is a hunter. It shouldn’t be difficult to find traces of monsters. Being here makes perfect sense.
But what are you doing with them?
“If you’re that anxious, get out of here! We only need to follow the traces, so there’s no problem if we go on our own!”
“Because it’s not like that!”
I do not think that the fight between Fade, who wants to withdraw, and the men, who want to continue, will end easily.
It’s hard to fight like that in front of you. Since the road is only this way, if you follow the trail of the monsters, you will have no choice but to pass them.
And I’m not careful to avoid guys who get in my way. I’m not afraid of anything because Natalia and Roin are with me!
“Let’s just go. Anyway, if they keep doing that, we won’t be able to pass.”
“Yes.”
“Huh.”
At my words, Natalya and Roin nodded.
As the skeleton clattered towards us, they stopped talking and looked in our direction.
“Um, what are those skeletons?”
“Tsk, the other guys are already attached.”
The men clicked their tongues at us, and Fade gave her a somewhat pleased look.
“Hanseong… ! Long time no see.”
“I know. See you here again struggling Can I pass by?”
He greeted Fade by raising her hand and tried to sneak past, but men in gray robes stopped him.
“Stop! We found them first! Where are you going to just pass by!”
“What?”
I frowned and looked at the guys blocking the road. It was a bald man whose forehead and top of his head had been completely shaved, leaving hair only on the sides and back of his head, and a full-bodied man with a messy beard and a slightly protruding belly.
They are insignificant men.
No one is good enough to be the opponent of this Han Sung-gi.
“What is it! Are you guys trying to follow this trail?”
“However?”
“Did we find it first?”
“Whatever?”
“Uh?”
The bald head made a strange noise at my cold reaction.
“It’s not about what to do… We have priority.”
“Did you put saliva on these marks?”
“Kid! Why would someone who knows do this?”
Are they asking them to pay a fee because they have priority? This is why you shouldn’t do business with rough mercenaries. It’s not a complete robbery! This fucking rom!
“We only used our skills to find and follow the traces of the monsters, and you guys have stopped while looking for traces. You have no power to stop us like ant tears. If you understand, don’t block the road and get out of the way.”
“I just can’t get out of the way!”
“Write…”
It’s only a trace of a monster, but why is it so damn good?
