Chapter 196: Like a Puppy
After finishing their meal, Rest stepped out of the inn with Yuri by his side. Outside, they found Ula and a female attendant waiting for them, accompanied by armed soldiers.
“Good morning…,” Ula greeted.
“Were you waiting for a long time?” Rest asked.
“I just arrived,” Ula replied shortly.
Her cheeks were faintly flushed, suggesting she might have been waiting longer than she let on.
(The temperature is dropping, so it’s no wonder she might be a bit red from waiting in this cold…)
It was common for faces to flush when moving from a cold environment to a warm one during winter. Rest thought about this but quickly dismissed it; if he had kept her waiting, he felt a pang of guilt.
“My apologies. Well then, shall we go?”
“…Yes,” Ula nodded in response.
They were set to head to the wetlands of the plain right away.
“Um… who are those people over there?” Rest inquired, pointing.
“That would be Ostre, the commander of the Lavender Barony,” Ula replied.
A soldier standing behind Ula introduced himself with a stern expression. He was a large man in his forties, bearing deep scars on his face, exuding the aura of a seasoned warrior.
“I apologize for the inconvenience caused to Count Clover due to our shortcomings.”
“No, that’s not necessary. More importantly, could you tell me about the situation?” Rest asked.
“…I will explain as we move,” Ostre replied.
Under the guidance of the commander’s soldiers, Rest and the others entered the Subnock Plain from the east. Although Rest had visited the plain multiple times, this was his first time coming from the eastern side. Until now, they had focused on developing the western and northern areas, making this their first encounter with the eastern wetlands.
“I heard the eastern side has many poorly drained lands, but it doesn’t seem that bad,” Rest remarked.
While the vegetation was different, it didn’t appear to be the kind of wetland that would warrant such a description.
“Not all of the eastern area is like that. The wetlands lie deeper within,” Ostre explained.
“The eastern plain is divided into dry and wet lands, and the development of the dry areas is nearly complete. However, we are struggling with the worms in the wetlands… particularly one gigantic specimen that we cannot handle.”
“It hasn’t come out, so the damage is manageable,” Ula added.
Her brief words only deepened Rest’s confusion, but the female attendant quickly provided clarification.
“The worms do not leave the wetlands, so the damage isn’t too severe. However, they seem to have become more aggressive due to the barrier, so caution is necessary.”
“I see…”
The explanation was quite clear. Rest thought it would have been better if the attendant had spoken from the start instead of Ula.
“By the way… it’s a bit late to ask, but I see that Ula and the others are coming along as well.”
Even though they had already stepped onto the plain, Ula and the attendant followed without hesitation. They certainly didn’t look like combatants, but Rest wondered if it was really okay.
“There’s no problem…,” Ula assured him.
“Despite her appearance, my lady is a master of archery. She won’t be a hindrance,” the attendant added.
“Here it comes… let’s do this…!”
“Oh, it seems we have monsters appearing ahead… my lady has requested that I handle this,” Ostre said.
“…Understood.”
A black lizard, about the size of a calf, lumbered into view. Though it was called a lizard, its form was rather bulky. It resembled a giant salamander more than anything else.
“Let’s go.”
Ula swiftly drew her bow, nocking an arrow with silent precision before releasing it.
“Whoa…!”
The arrow flew straight and true, striking the lizard in the head. The creature collapsed to the ground, twitching before finally lying still.
“Impressive skill…” Rest couldn’t help but admire.
Not only was her technique remarkable, but the speed at which she drew and fired was astonishing. There hadn’t been a sound until the arrow was released.
(A hunter… or perhaps an assassin-like archer…)
Rest always maintained the Life Search spell, but he doubted he could evade Ula’s shot if she targeted him without it. He could easily be struck down without even realizing a battle had begun.
“…Ahem.”
Ula puffed out her small chest proudly. Was it just his imagination, or did she look like a puppy eager for praise?
“That was amazing. Truly impressive.”
Rest instinctively reached out to pat Ula on the head but stopped just in time. No matter how good their relationship had become, it would be disrespectful to treat a noble lady from another house that way.
“…What a disappointment.”
Was it just his imagination? Ula seemed to slightly droop her shoulders, pouting her lips in a way that suggested she felt let down.