Vol 1 Chapter 12 (2/2)

The two took their guild cards out of their chests which displayed their names and ranks.

Because the card doesn’t react to anyone but the owner, it confirmed their status of an adventurer.

Arnold-san, too, lowered his sword.

「Sorry for earlier. So, what happened?」

「W-We, friends, accepted the Orc subjugation quest. When we entered the forest……an Orc……suddenly……a Blood Ogre……」

「Wha……t……?」

Bays-san was frowning without even attempting to hide it.

It’s my first time seeing this look on his face.

「Why would a Blood Ogre……appear in this area? The Orcs are their food……Now I get why the Orcs have been showing up on the highway……They were driven out of their habitat.」

While Bays-san was muttering to himself, the two adventurers asked in a quivering voice.

「I-Is there anyone i-in your group who’s able to kill the Blood Ogres? We have one more friend, we lost them while escaping……」

「Everyone here is taking the promotion exam to rank D. A Blood Ogre is a monster that can only be subdued by multiple rank B adventurers……」

Bays-san cut his words, nimbly took his short spear out and dusted it off.

「It’ll be a bit difficult to do it alone.」

Bays……san?

「Guys, take Batteau-san and get away from here quickly. And you, adventurers, return to Pascam and report at the guild immediately.」

He fixed his gla.s.ses and issued the instructions.

「Aah……If you safely complete Batteau-san’s escort quest, you’ll pa.s.s the promotion exam. Please complete the formal procedure in Merville.」

「……Whenever possible, save your life. In case of danger, turn your tail and run away. Thereafter, inform the guild of the situation. Do you understand?」

While saying so, he ran off into the direction pointed out by the adventurers.

Why……Even though he was sitting on the coachman’s rack, relaxed, just a while ago.

「——Yareyare……What an incompetent man. What kind of examiner leaves the examinees in the middle of an exam?」

Glancing alternately, Arnold-san uttered such words.

Feeling the old scar on his ear, he tightened his lips.

「Seiji, Lim, escort the carriage through the highway.」

「……Arnold-san?」

「I’ll go and bring that examiner-dono back.」

「Eh……Wha!?」

The scary-faced beastkin said so and vanished off into the forest.

What……?

This situation.

……It’ll be alright, I think. After all, Arnold-san should be a rank B equivalent for he fought Bays-san on equal footing.

We couldn’t afford to leave Batteau-san on his own, of course, so we proceeded.

The post station should be ahead. Should we wait there for the two of them to return……?

While I was thinking so, I caught a shadow moving through the corner of my eye. No more time to think.

「——Hey, where are you going……Lim!」

I ran after Lim and grabbed her arm to detain her.

……It’s not like I don’t understand how she’s feeling.

However, Lim is the weakest amongst us.

I can’t allow her to go.

「Let me go……If anything happens to Papa……I’ll hate you……!」

When tears glistened in her eyes, I loosened the grip of my palm on Lim’s arm. For a moment, I couldn’t take my eyes off my hand.

「Thanks.」

——Just now, that word……What did it mean?

I recalled the sensation on my palm from last night.

Even though the night had pa.s.sed, I could still not shake it off.

Was she thanking me only to go and die right after? Why was she thanking me?

I clenched my fist and took a deep breath to calm my heart down.

When I turned around to Batteau-san, he said something idiotic yet miraculous.

「Oh, I forgot to buy one item, I have to go back to Pascam. Those two adventurers are returning to Pascam, right? Then I’ll ask them to accompany me.」

「A-Aah」

「Well then, Seiji-san. Until your examiner returns, the escort quest shall remain pending.」

After bowing unnaturally, Batteau-san turned the carriage around and rushed into the direction of the adventurers who were heading back to Pascam.

Hey……Why is everyone trying to act so cool?

In but a few moments, I was the only one left on the highway.

Even though I just wanted to give my all to the quest.

……Indeed……Nothing goes the way you want it to.

With the legs, which had recovered after having a night’s sleep, I kicked the ground and took off.

Destination——Forest, of course.

I can still……catch up.

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