Volume 3 Chapter 12 It's Intense, But...
──Before leaving the royal capital, I headed to the blacksmith old man's place.
Considering that goblin nests are caves, the available space is limited.
It's difficult to maneuver with a long spear in narrow caves. I needed to acquire a weapon from the old man that would be agile enough to fight monsters.
I explained the situation to the old man and asked him to prepare a weapon quickly. He looked puzzled, just like Mikage, when he heard that the opponent was a goblin, but he seemed to understand the seriousness of the situation from my determined tone.
The weapon that was prepared was a thick and sturdy big hatchet. It was just what I liked, a practical tool without any unnecessary extras. With this, I wouldn't flinch even if I hit the cave walls.
"Kid, take this too."
I was about to leave the store when the old man handed me something. It was a dagger in a sheath.
"What's this?"
"It's like a charm. Bald guys always stick their noses in trouble. I don't want my favorite customer to get killed without a backup weapon."
"But I thought you ran this store as a hobby?"
"Shut up and take it."
"Okay, okay."
I obediently took the dagger. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that the handle and sheath were intricately decorated. When I slightly unsheathed the blade, I realized that it was of high quality. Without a doubt, it was superior to the big hatchet I received earlier.
"Gifting it as a gift to a favorite customer, isn't it quite expensive?"
"Just go already. You're in a hurry, right?"
I was urged by an old man with crossed arms and a snorting nose, so I headed towards the exit of the store.
"Hey, kid."
"What is it this time?"
As I was called by the old man, I turned around and was pierced by his intimidating gaze.
"It's fine if you break or dull the dagger... but never lose it. If you lose it, I won't be held responsible."
"O-Okay. I understand."
Overwhelmed by the unusually serious old man, I timidly nodded and left the store.
──And then, the next day after receiving the request.
After quickly finishing our preparations, we set off to the village that made the request, along with the sunrise. Although it was a distance that could be walked without any problem, we were short on time, so we rented a carriage with horses and a coachman. Considering the request fee, we would be completely in the red due to the cost of renting the carriage, but this time, lives were at stake. Fortunately, I had been steadily saving the rewards from previous requests, so my wallet wasn't too empty.
"──Are you really coming after all?"
"If we come all this way and get turned away, it would be quite inconvenient."
We have been traveling for several hours since leaving the royal capital. The sun is already up. Sitting in the swaying carriage, I asked the woman sitting in front of me, Kyunei. She is dressed in a white coat, which signifies her profession as a doctor. However, underneath that, she is wearing not only her usual provocative attire but also armor to protect her vital points.
Yesterday, when I told Kyunei that I needed to leave the royal capital urgently, she unexpectedly said she would come with me.
"In case, by any chance, the village is attacked by goblins, we will need a human capable of healing the injured villagers. Don't you think so?"
"Well, that might be true."
Kyunei may be a professional healer, but she is a novice in combat. If a horde of goblins were to attack the village, there is a high possibility of a chaotic battle. In that case, I would have no time to protect Kyunei.
"Oh, I wonder if Yukina-kun thinks I'm just a weak girl."
Kyunei chuckled, turning her gaze towards Mikage.
"Mikage, please throw that apple on the table up in the air for me."
"...? Like this?"
Mikage tossed the apple. In a flash, Kyunei's hand swiftly moved, and the next moment, the apple was pierced through its center by a thrown knife and pinned to the wall.
Both Mikage and I were left speechless. Kyunei took out a bundle of knives from somewhere and held them like a fan, laughing confidently unlike before.
"Being a pros**tute is not as sweet a world as you think, relying only on charm and tricks to rise to the top. Despite appearances, I have some knowledge of self-defense. I won't be a burden."
There was an impressive aura about her, like that of a pros**tute who once reigned at the pinnacle of the royal capital.
Because I was shown an unexpected strength, I allowed Kyunei to accompany me under the condition of 'absolutely not stepping forward'. Mikage also found it very reassuring to have a healer as a companion.
And──that judgment was correct.
"Hey, smoke is rising from the village!!"
At the coachman's shout, I peeked out from the carriage to the coachman's seat. When I focused my eyes on the direction the carriage was heading, I saw smoke rising, just as the coachman had said. And it wasn't just one, but several.
"──Yukina-sama! I smell blood on the wind!"
I gritted my teeth at Mikage's sharp sense of smell. It seemed like I had encountered the worst possible situation within my expectations.
"How far is it to the village from here?"
"I-It's not even a ten-minute walk for a person."
"Understood. Stop here!"
As we stopped the carriage, we quickly unloaded our belongings.
"Mikage! You go ahead. You're the fastest among us. But don't push yourself too hard."
"Got it!"
As soon as Mikage received my instructions, she dashed off with lightning speed.
"Yukina-kun, I'm done with the preparations over here."
Kyunei had a bag filled with medical equipment slung over her shoulder. She usually flaunts her exposed thighs, but this time she had a belt wrapped around them, equipped with several throwing knives.
Lastly, I instructed the coachman,
"You go back to the royal capital and inform the Mercenary Guild. The village is being attacked by a horde of monsters."
"Alright, I got it. But what about you guys?"
"We're── on a mission!"
With a nod from Kyunei, we all dashed off together.
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