Chapter 187: A Brief Interlude (In a Certain Forest)
“Recently, the forest has been quite noisy.”
As he navigated through the trees with his subordinate, the man muttered to himself.
“Yes. The number of beasts is increasing. Just yesterday, the men from the village were out in full force for a bountiful hunt, dismantling their catches.”
Clearly, something was amiss. This was a sentiment shared by all members of the guard team.
Compared to previous years, deer, boars, and raccoons were more frequently spotted within their patrol area. It seemed that they were either agitated males or families, presenting a sight that was not often seen.
“I hope it’s not bad news…”
“We’ve submitted our reports, so some form of investigation should take place, but…”
However, there was no sense of a stampede, at least not yet. It felt as though the territory of the animals was gradually shifting from the depths of the forest towards the outskirts.
“Could it be that a monster stampede has begun deep within the forest…?”
“A stampede would likely be much more chaotic, though.”
The forest’s ecosystem was changing, albeit slowly but surely. For now, the increase in prey around the village was merely a cause for joy among the hunters.
If this was a temporary phenomenon, there would be no problem at all. Eventually, the population would stabilize, returning to its previous state.
However, if the animals continued to multiply…
Larger beasts and monsters might start to approach the village, drawn by the abundance of prey. While the guard team could handle a small number, it would become a different story if they encountered a larger group.
“I truly hope nothing happens.”
With only three weeks left in his term, he would soon enjoy a vacation in the city before being assigned to a new post. Thus, it was preferable that nothing occurred for at least the next three weeks.
“…Captain. Over there.”
A keen-eyed member of the team spotted something and called out to the captain.
“Hm. Is that a deer? It’s not often we see monsters like that around here.”
Before their eyes was a large deer, moving leisurely. While it appeared to be a herbivore, a monsterized deer was omnivorous. Of course, any reckless attempt to engage it could result in a painful counterattack.
“Let’s take it down. The distance to the village’s hunting grounds is too close. If we leave it be, we’ll encounter it sooner or later.”
“Agreed. Alright, ready your bows. At this distance, I’ll take the shot.”
The captain removed his bow from his back and drew an arrow from his quiver. His subordinates followed suit.
If the captain missed his first shot, the second and third would follow. However, given the captain’s skill, it was unlikely he would miss.
“Firing.”
He nocked the arrow and drew the bowstring taut, taking a deep breath and holding it steady. Time seemed to freeze.
His aim was perfect.
He released his fingers, letting the arrow fly.
The slight infusion of magic power suppressed the arrow’s deviation and minimized the deceleration caused by air resistance.
The released arrow struck true, piercing the deer’s head.
“One shot.”
“Impressive, Captain.”
The deer collapsed heavily, its life extinguished.
“Since deer don’t travel in herds, I don’t think it’s a problem… but we may need to enhance our patrols around here for a while.”
Monsters rarely appeared on the outskirts. This was because the guard team hunted them to extinction.
Any monster foolish enough to wander into the patrol area of the guard team—essentially the territory of the Forest Country (Lebresta)—had already been eradicated, and those that remained kept their distance. Occasionally, a monster might be pushed out from deeper within the forest, but it would never be a deer. Deer have a strong territorial instinct and rarely change their territory.
That said, just because such occurrences were rare didn’t mean they were nonexistent. This unusual case just happened to be one of those rare instances.
Still, that was all he hoped for.
“For now, let’s take our prize back. We’ll conclude our patrol for today and continue tomorrow.”
“Understood, Captain.”
“The equipment wear and tear for the outer guard team is increasing.”
La Aruyuntara, the officer in charge of managing the guard team’s supplies, placed the incoming equipment request forms on her desk and sighed.
“Aruyuntara, what’s wrong?”
Her superior noticed her sigh and inquired.
“Teaderada-sama, well, the number of equipment requests from the outer guard team has increased, and the quantities are also higher than usual. If this continues, we’ll run out of this year’s budget in no time.”
“…Has it suddenly increased this month?”
Ri Teaderada Jars furrowed his brow at her report. Naturally, the budget was based on previous experiences, and to see it running low within less than six months was concerning.
“It’s sudden. Up until last month, everything was normal. Look at this… From the same team, at the beginning of this month and today. Normally, we’d see requests about once every six months, or at most every three months. It’s not just this team; there are several others as well. For the time being, we’ll draw from our reserves, but if next month is the same, we’ll be out.”
“Ah, I see… Today is the day for regular shipments, right? So, does that mean there were many requests at the beginning of the month as well?”
“Hmm… Now that you mention it, there might have been more than usual. But still, I couldn’t have predicted this. I think it was only about a ten percent increase over the usual amount.”
“I see… Well, that makes it hard to gauge. It’s just the usual business, after all. Alright, understood. I’ll report this to Rabiarede-sama. Aruyuntara, could you provide me with the increase numbers and projections? Regardless, just submitting this request will leave this year’s budget in tatters.”
Teaderada instructed his subordinate and immediately stood up. It was better to discuss such information, even if uncertain, rather than presenting hard numbers without context.
“Understood. I’ll have it compiled by evening.”
“Thank you. You’re always a great help. Now, I’ll head to Rabiarede-sama’s office.”
“Safe travels.”
“Signs of a monster stampede?”
“Not yet clear. It feels more subdued than a stampede. Besides, that’s ‘chaos.’ There’s never been a confirmed sign of it.”
Receiving reports of increased monster sightings, Ri Prediuga Elemes crossed his arms.
As far as he knew, there were no relevant incidents.
The number of monster sightings had increased on the outskirts of the forest. Consequently, the number of monsters being hunted had risen, leading to an increase in the guard team’s equipment wear and tear.
While there had been no human casualties reported, it was not an urgent issue.
However, if the replenishment of equipment fell behind, it would only be a matter of time before problems arose.
“The reserve personnel can be mobilized quickly, but equipment… equipment, huh? Hmm, has peace lasted too long? The quality of the equipment has improved, but that has cut into the budget…”
“Unused equipment piling up in the warehouse is the first thing to be scrutinized. Still, I thought we had prepared adequately…”
The guard team was essential for the preservation of the Forest Country (Lebresta).
They hunted the monsters that emerged from the Demon Forest, ensuring the land remained protected. For centuries, they had patrolled to assert that this territory belonged to the Forest Country (Lebresta).
“There’s no helping it. The next Elder Council Meeting is in three days. I’ll bring this up as an urgent agenda item. Whether it becomes a Ministry of Defense issue or requires an emergency budget allocation, we’ll find a way to address it. We might have to negotiate with the badgers…”
“I’ve heard that new wine has come in through trade, so it might be relatively easy to negotiate.”
“Ah, well, yes. It’s a tough deal for us, but just right for them. Perhaps it’s a divine arrangement.”
The procurement of equipment largely relied on trade with a certain nation in the northeastern part of the Forest Country (Lebresta). Due to their nature, the Lebrestans struggled with metalworking. Thus, they entrusted production to the Rock Country (Doradia), where many metal experts resided.
Economically, they were strongly intertwined, but the citizens did not get along well. Yet, despite this state of affairs for hundreds of years, a certain level of trust had developed.
“In any case, it all depends on the outcome of the Elder Council. Fortunately, this time, Tiarirada-sama has returned. I’ve heard she has some important reports as well, but it’s unlikely they’ll outweigh our issues. After all, this concerns the preservation of our territory in the Forest Country (Lebresta).”