◆ Avangarde, Forest Northwest of the Royal Capital ◆
“Ai, I’m already tired of walking…”
“Indeed. Let’s take another round.”
“What?! We’re still continuing?”
We should have jumped on the wave of requests for reconstruction work in the Royal Capital. It felt a bit off for us, as B-rank Adventurers, to take on such tasks, so we thought it would be more efficient and considerate to leave it to C-rank or lower Adventurers. That’s why we accepted the request to search for the missing persons in this forest, but so far, we’ve found nothing.
There aren’t any strong monsters around here, and this place is well-known as a training ground for D-rank Adventurers. It’s not classified as a dungeon, so anyone can step foot here. But if someone goes missing in such a place, it’s our job as B-rank Adventurers to investigate. The forest isn’t deep enough to think someone got lost, and while it’s possible they could have been killed by a monster, the absence of any corpses is suspicious. Even if a monster completely devoured them, there shouldn’t be any that are so vicious they would swallow their belongings too.
On top of that, high-level Adventurers are being dispatched to hunt down the remnants of Vandalsia, and there have been missing persons reported there as well. It wouldn’t be surprising if some remnants of Vandalsia were lurking around here, but it’s puzzling that we haven’t seen any signs of them.
“Of course. Since we accepted the request, we must achieve some results; otherwise, it will affect our reputation.”
“But isn’t it strange that we haven’t found anything after all this walking? Look, even Mi is exhausted. Right, Mi? You’re tired, aren’t you?”
I suggested taking a break by bringing up Mi. Once Mi nodded silently, we finally settled down. Ai must not have forgotten about Mi; I wonder what she’s so anxious about.
“Mai, don’t you notice?”
“Notice what?”
“The complete absence of any monster presence or sightings since earlier.”
“…Now that you mention it. So, what does that mean?”
“It means we’re in trouble.”
【Earth Beast Titanis has appeared! HP 13500】
The ground heaved, and it emerged as if it had melded with the earth itself. The dirt fell away, revealing a creature that looked like a mass of rock, nearly the same color as the soil. Its limbs were made of stone, resembling a lizard, and its face vaguely reminded me of a rat. Despite its amusing appearance, its size was enough to swallow a human whole.
I see now; it all makes sense. This creature is behind the missing persons.
“Mai, Mi. We’re running.”
“Yeah. Fighting this thing? I’m not Rua.”
I’m not foolish enough to underestimate this monster. We’ve gained considerable experience fighting monsters, and we’ve fled many times before. We’ve strategized repeatedly, considering weaknesses and habits, only to fail time and again. Yet, we ultimately succeeded in defeating them, and thanks to that, our levels have all surpassed 30 and are nearing 40 now. The three of us, the rapidly growing beautiful sisters, have started to gain some recognition.
“Alright! Mi, nice job!”
“Speed enhancement, got it!”
Once we decided to run, there was no hesitation. We’ve grown stronger, but we couldn’t even match the thieves who attacked the Royal Capital. Back then, we were still willing to fight, but against this monster, my instincts screamed to flee. This is bad, bad, bad, bad—I’m going to die. I’ll be killed.
【Earth Beast Titanis’s Ground Tremor!】
The giant rock slammed its foot into the ground. Just that alone was enough to freeze us in place as we tried to flee. It seemed this monster wasn’t going to let us escape.
◆ Airship Silverwing, Corridor ◆
“Platiu, it’s Rua! It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
“It’s me! How have you been?”
Instead of his usual jumpsuit, Platiu was wearing just a sleeveless training shirt and shorts. He was drenched in sweat, clearly having undergone some intense training. At first, I thought he was being distant due to fatigue.
“Dinner is at 6 PM.”
“Y-Yes, yes. I’ll prepare it, Rua, you should join us too… Oh, Platiu. I’m sorry, he must be nervous from the unfamiliar training.”
Platiu didn’t look at me at all as he walked down the corridor. Genia seemed troubled, trying to be considerate of me. I couldn’t help but wonder if I had been disliked during the time we hadn’t seen each other. His sleepy eyes now looked indifferent, as if he found everything boring, and his words lacked any inflection. It felt like he was a robot from the Legion.
“What’s wrong with him…?”
“He’ll return to normal in a bit. He’s always been like that, so don’t worry. Now, we’re almost there.”
“Is that so?”
When we played cards on the ship heading to the Wizard Kingdom, he wasn’t like this at all. He was incredibly skilled at card games, always mocking me for losing. He would hug me for some reason every time. I don’t want to believe I’ve been disliked. With Genia’s hurried attitude, I began to feel a sense of unease.
“Oh, Branburm! Good to see you.”
“Mm.”
Coming towards us was Machine General Branburm, his large body swaying as he walked. He simply nodded and didn’t say anything else as he passed by.
When the Garden of Beasts attacked, he overwhelmed the monsters with his long-range attacks and power, utilizing his machinery. He was one of the Steel Five, if I remember correctly. His body was covered in mechanical armor, with only his human face attached. Now that I think about it, most of his body is mechanical. Douma, the Factory Manager of Matere Trading Company, was similar. A human with a mechanical body is something I can’t quite comprehend.
“He’s here too.”
“Things are quite dangerous lately. There are still remnants of Vandalsia wandering around this continent.”
We thought we should also deal with the remnants of Vandalsia left behind during the Royal Capital’s reconstruction, but Eeks stopped us. He insisted we should spend more time in the village. We don’t have any obligation to do it, and just defeating Vandalsia was a significant achievement. Kurinka said something similar too.
Besides, if we solve everything, this country will become overly reliant on us. If something happens, they’ll stop thinking and just depend on me, even neglecting to try to fix things themselves. That’s also why Daigami has been quietly observing the execution Coliseum. It’s not just because he was intimidated by Zaniel. As the guardian deity of Azuma, he must not disrupt the nation’s way of life.
“By the way, it seems that the Uzei Religion has been coming to the Royal Capital to spread their teachings lately.”
“The Uzei Religion? That’s quite far from the Nation of Negesta… Oh, but they did build a large temple in the Royal Capital before.”
“After retreating from the Royal Capital, it seems the remaining members continued their activities in a small way. Recently, they’ve been rapidly increasing their followers.”
“Why all of a sudden…?”
“Perhaps it’s because in times like these, people yearn for something to cling to. Having something to believe in can offer salvation; it’s not entirely wrong. Rua, you’ve fought because you have something to believe in, haven’t you?”
When I heard that, it struck a chord. So, does that mean Kurinka is my faith? I do believe in her, but I can’t help but feel uneasy being compared to those people.
“Let’s have dinner. At this pace, we should reach Ikana Village by night. We should have finished analyzing that medicine by then too.”
“Genia, do you suspect that landlady?”
“I don’t fully trust her. After all, her nation was one that invaded us not long ago.”
“That’s true…”
But there are many people grateful for the medicine, and I don’t want to think that she’s plotting something. Even if she is, I have no idea what her goal would be. If she had something planned, she could have just surrendered from the start.
◆ Silverwing, Dining Hall ◆
The large dining hall offers a view of the outside. It’s designed so we can check on anything that happens immediately. We can even confirm it on a large screen called a monitor. Metallica truly is impressive. Why does this country have so many amazing things?
“Platiu, how’s the special training going?”
“……”
“Is it tough?”
“……”
I tried talking to Platiu across the table multiple times, but he only moved his knife and fork, not looking at me at all. The lack of response made me want to cry. Did I do something to make him dislike me? Not knowing what I might have done only made it harder.
“She’s currently only focused on her training. Please don’t disturb her too much.”
“I’m sorry…”
Branburm sat heavily on the left, skillfully cutting his meat with a knife and fork. It was impressive how he could eat normally despite being mechanical. However, more than that, I was shocked by how Platiu was ignoring me.
Something felt off. Not only was Platiu acting strangely, but I could have sworn I saw Branburm smile just a little. Even his words seemed to carry a hint of amusement. It left me feeling rather gloomy. The steak I was eating, tender and delicious, merely slid down my throat without any enjoyment.
“Well, it looks like we’ve finished our meal. Let’s continue,” Branburm announced.
Without nodding or replying, Platiu stood up and followed him. I hastily finished my food, shoving it down as if I were in a race.
“Genia, what kind of training does Platiu undergo?” I asked.
“I’m sorry, but that’s classified information…” Genia replied.
“Does that mean Platiu enjoys it?” I pressed.
“Yes.”
“That’s a lie! You’re hiding something, aren’t you?”
“Of course, it’s classified, so there are secrets involved. But more importantly, don’t you have people in the village you should be worried about, Rua?”
It irked me that she used the villagers to divert the topic, but she was right, and I couldn’t retort. I felt an overwhelming guilt for Kurinka and everyone else in the village who was still suffering.
“Director Genia, the analysis results are in. Could you please come to the Infirmary later?”
“Oh, it seems like it’s finished,” Genia said.
A voice floated down from the ceiling—Harp’s voice. She must be speaking from that strange room. I was no longer surprised by it and had begun to understand how it worked.
“Will it be good news or bad? I’m so excited!” Genia exclaimed.
“Not really…” I muttered.
With Platiu on my mind, I felt a subtle heaviness in my heart. If the results turned out to be strange, I would only feel worse.
◆ Silverwing – Infirmary ◆
The room was filled with a strange, pungent smell, and Harp sat in a white coat, waiting in a chair. As she exhaled deeply, I could tell without asking what the results would be.
“First, regarding the antibiotics present…” she began.
“Oh, I don’t understand those complicated things. Just give me the results, please,” I interrupted.
“Understood.”
Harp organized a stack of papers on the desk and took a breath.
“You must not administer this medication. If a human infected with Divils takes it, it can cause a highly dangerous allergic reaction. There is a significant chance of death within a few days.”
The part about death rang loudly in my ears. Thoughts of the people in the Royal Capital flooded my mind, and anxiety gripped me at the thought of what could have happened if they had unknowingly taken this.
“So, what about the medication distributed in the Royal Capital?” I asked.
“I can’t say for certain since we haven’t analyzed it, but it is likely safe. If there were issues, we would have seen a significant number of casualties. However…”
“However?”
“If there happens to be something similar among the distributed special medicines, then that wouldn’t apply.”
“Hahaha! See? I knew it!” Genia laughed, clapping her hands.
“W-What do you mean, ‘I knew it’?!”
I felt irritation rise at Genia’s laughter. Nothing about this was funny.
“No, no, I’m sorry. Harp’s concerns are valid, but I doubt that would happen,” she said.
“Is that so?”
“If that were the case, it would be the end of everything, in many ways.”
“Then why was it only given to me?”
“That’s a simple answer. They were targeting you and your group specifically.”
Shock piled upon shock, and my legs began to tremble. I hadn’t fully trusted that landlady, but somewhere deep down, I had believed in her. If it weren’t for Genia and the others, I would have ended up killing the villagers. It was too late to regret not trying to find a way to help them with the Power of Destruction. I was… I was…
“Well then, regardless of anything else, let’s first help the people of Ikana Village. Harp, prepare the medicine.”
“Yes, it’s already ready.”
Medicine, medicine, medicine. Something that could so easily take a life. I was starting to lose faith in even that.
◆ Shin Report ◆
ku su ri so ko ni a ro ru ro
Monster Compendium
【Earth Beast Titanis HP 13500】
A monster that can merge with the earth, specifically with minerals. By absorbing minerals, it can fortify its own armor. It can move freely underground, making it nearly impossible to kill while in transit. It is capable of moving at incredible speeds, with some saying it can cross the continent in just a few days. With enough strength to cause small earthquakes with a single foot, it also possesses high resistance to various forms of damage. However, the greatest mystery surrounding this monster is the complete lack of information regarding its evolutionary process.