Chapter 459: Invader 6

After that, everyone continued hunting for a while and subjugate a group of goblins including one Unique Monster. Then they decided to call it a day and prepared for the night camp.

They planned to camp here at night today, hunt a little more tomorrow morning, and return home before noon.

They intended to have a (light meal) lunch as a short break before leaving the forest.

And by the evening, they will be back in the royal capital.

This time, they just camp for one night.

Red Oath thought it was not good to show more crazy things, so they put up with some inconvenience, refrained from putting out large tents, beds, and portable toilet, bathroom, etc.

They decided to play “a very average Rank C party that can only use a somewhat large-capacity storage magic”.

… It was a little too late for that though.

And as for the dinner, Red Oath works with “Shining Holy Sword”, Mile refused to be a Lunch-Box supplier (かまどや調理台), bring out the large pot, and so on.

She played the role of a “normal C-rank party member” and not bring hot dishes on the plate out of the item box.

… It was a little too late for that though.

And tonight, Red Oath decided to skip “Nihon Fukashi Story” and listen to various stories from the B rank party “Shining Holy Sword”.

It’s a rare opportunity, so everyone has a lot of anticipation.

In particular, Maevis and Rena, who are highly motivated to promote, are the most excited.

If you talk about a high-ranked hunter party, they have previously done a joint request with “Mithril Roar”,

But at that time, because of their graduation test, they have a complicated atmosphere.

And the girls are able to ask a lot of new questions because they gained more experience from that point on.

And all four of Red Oath asked “Shining Holy Sword” as many questions until late at night, which can be said to be the payment for being volunteers this time.

＊ ＊

「「「「「…………」」」」」(Shining Holy Sword)

Was it because they endured a lot during the question attack last night?

Or was it because of the ridiculous storage magic?

Or did their heart break after knowing the “Unique Monster search method by fortune-telling” that they couldn’t imitate?

Anyway, all five of “Shining Holy Sword” seemed tired from the morning.

However, they eat Mile’s breakfast and soup without fail.

No matter how uncomfortable you are, eat when you can.

This is a natural act for veteran hunters.

Eating and sleeping are also part of their job.

Those who cannot manage their physical condition cannot live long.

They must hold their breath and swallow even if it tastes bad or it’s a horrible appearance food (ゲテモノ料理も).

In comparison, Mile’s food was delicious even if they got ill (ill people often lose appetite).

After that, everyone continued hunting until before noon. But there were only some normal monsters this time so they fight like normal. In the end, they couldn’t find the Unique Monster, so decided to return as they were.

＊ ＊

「Thanks for your hard work (Gokurō Datta).

It’s a good result, although there was no new information so far!」(Guild Master)

The guild master said that to Mile’s group as Mile took out the prey from the storage at the dismantling site with everyone from this joint request.

This time, there were only a few Unique Monsters. Two Orcs and one Goblin, so Red Oath looked a little apologetic. But the Guild Master’s words (maybe out of consideration) made them feel relieved.

They can’t use “Newbie” as a reason for the bad harvest anymore, so Red Oath looked weak (meek) and worried.

However, as one might expect, there can’t be so many Unique Monsters everywhere.

If other hunters could hunt this much in just one night and two days, they should be considered lucky.

The reason, why Red Oath brought a relatively large number at the beginning, was because Mile kept using the search magic at maximum range and they went through the forests, mountains in the countryside.

It’s normal that they could only hunt this much in the forest not far from the royal capital…

Rather, if they were able to hunt more in such a place, it would a bigger problem.

「Then there won’t be a problem with the Unique Monsters like Kobolds and Horn Rabbits.

It might be dangerous for children and young women in the village but it seems that normal hunters, as well as ordinary villagers or fat aunts, can slay them with easy」(Guild Master)

The Guild Master says that but it’s the case of one-on-one.

Even normal Kobolds can attack and kill an adult male with a number of them ganking on him.

When it comes to Unique Monsters, an adult who isn’t a hunter can mostly kill 2 to 3 of them.

…or even if it’s someone with an axe or hatchet or a “fat aunt”…

Mile doesn’t think the Guild Master knows that much, so it’s probably just a bit of a joke.

With that in mind, Mile didn’t do anything special.

「However, if the Ogre Unique Monster comes out…」()

Yes, this time, there was none near the capital, but if you suddenly come across such a thing, it will be dangerous even with a rank C party…

In fact, the number of annihilated parties all over the country will be increasing…

But the existence of the unique Ogre has already been confirmed.

However, as long as they can grasp the situation, it’s not a crisis of national survival.

In such a case, it would be enough to use a B rank party or higher or 2 to 3 C rank parties acting together.

Above all, they can report this to move the national armed forces, …and, of course, each lord’s army.

If you don’t use the Army in that case then when will you use it?

In the first place, hunters aren’t allies of justice or philanthropists.

It’s just one of the professions to earn money, to eat and to live.

… Moreover, most of them are C rank and below.

Those who receive a safe job with a survival rate of about 99.99% won’t earn enough daily money to cover the food and rent of the day.

Or no-one will be happy to receive something like a “Red Request”

Even if they were forced from above, they might not agree to do it willingly.

After all, even the most dangerous request like caravan escort is unlikely to be actually attacked. Even if the bandits are overwhelmingly dominant, the hunter won’t normally be killed if they surrender immediately…

Killing a surrendered escort hunter has no merit for bandits and they will make an enemy out of the guilds throughout the continent if they dare.

Therefore, the request like “hunting unique monster Orcs and Ogres” is…

Well, for general hunters, the balance of risk and return is so bad that it can’t be covered by just having more rewards.

It was a “Red Request”… The color of the blood that sheds, and the red of the “deficit”.

Of course, if it’s a party with high fighting power like Red Oath or “Shining Holy Sword”, they can do it without endangering themselves. So, there might be no problem depending on the party itself and if they receive the payment like 5 times of the reward, it’s a relatively delicious request.

It was difficult to bring back the whole prey though…

And you also need to find the Unique Monster…

…As expected, it seems that only Red Oath can make delicious money by hunting Unique Monsters.

「Well then, we will excuse ourselves…

Thank you for your guidance!」(Maevis)

「「「Thank you very much!」」」(Mile Rena Pauline)

The girls are grateful for various things they listen from last night.

So, instead of bowing toward the Guild Master, Red Oath bows toward the “Shining Holy Sword” and goes back to the inn.

They have already received the reward.

The reward for subjugating the monsters and the money for selling the material are 50-50 with the “Shining Holy Sword”, but Red Oath has a separate reward for nomination request, so it was a delicious job.

「Ah…」(Cadillac)

Cadillac, the leader of the Shining Holy Sword, tried to keep Red Oath by raising his right hand to call out, but he stopped in the middle and silently lowered his hand.

The Guild Master, on the other hand, is seeing Red Oath off with a smile, probably because he thinks Shining Holy Sword has learned the trick to search for Unique Monsters…

… and now, Cadillac has to explain about that.

How to discover Unique Monster by “Astrology Reading”.

「…………」(GM or Cadillac)

Well, normally, all you have to do is search for them…

At every corner of the country…

＊ ＊

「Is that okay? We left without telling…」(Mile)

「It doesn’t matter.

Even when we arrived at the capital city for the first time, we didn’t declare that we came during a training trip.

It’s okay because we actually don’t need to make a loud declaration at the entrance, we just need to make everyone think so.」(Rena)

「I see…」(Mile)

Mile is convinced with Rena’s explanation.

「Besides, if we don’t leave soon, the Guild Master will ask you to “tell me how to find the Unique Monster”.

That will be no good, Mile-chan?」(Pauline)

「Ah, yes…」(Mile)

As Pauline says, the Shining Holy Sword should have given a detailed report after Red Oath withdrew yesterday.

And perhaps, for the time being, the Guild Master already learned that the “method to find the Unique Monster” he expected, wasn’t something they could imitate…

Until they could clean up all the Unique Monsters… he would surely ask Red Oath for help.

If the girls took that request, they would probably be working with high-ranking hunters or an army, and they won’t know how long it will take.

…The end is unknown.

The land is large and not even Mile knows how many Unique Monsters there are.

And actually, it’s possible faster if Red Oath went and did it by themselves…

Anyway, they can’t spare too much time on it, they have to return home early to report and complete the original request.

So, after having breakfast at the inn, Red Oath left the capital.

「Besides, this is not just a problem for this country.

A new kind of monster that we call “Unique Monster”, and a “mysterious mastermind” that we are worried about its existence. I don’t think they will respect the borders that humans have decided on their own, right?」(Rena)

「「「Indeed……」」」(Mile’s Trio)

It is natural that everyone is convinced.

In the first place, the first incident didn’t happen in this country but in the mountains of the Marein Kingdom, near the village of Dwarves, located southwest of here.

And that place is close to the border with the eastern neighbor of the Kingdom of Marein, the Tristo Kingdom.

It’s a bit far from the Kingdom of Tyrus, home of the Red Oath, but given the distance from here to the village of Dwarves, they don’t seem to be safe either.

They can’t deny the possibility that the number of Unique Monsters may have already increased in other countries.

Anyway, right now, their top priority is to inform the top management of neighboring countries, the leaders of the Hunter Guild, a supranational organization that operates across borders, to grasp the situation.

Now isn’t the time to waste their time.

So, leaving the capital, or leaving the guild master dealing with his problem alone might not offend him.

……Maybe.