Chapter 3 (1/2)

”Majuu bone knives 10, majuu's fangs 20, emergency food, drinking water, rope…”

It’s finally the day to hunt majuus.

I have to carefully prepare.

I put necessities such as weapons into my magic bag.

By the way, a magic bag is a convenient item which lin ets you put more items than you’d think by its appearance.

However, it's said to be sacred relic, and uses techniques that can't be replicated in the present era, so it's a precious item.

”——Also, your bento.”

*Don* Right in front of my eyes, Arisa places a large bento box.

(……As expected, I won't have the leeway to eat this much, will I?)

When I thought that and looked up, Arisa had already finished preparing it.

She gathered her long hair onto her side, and attached a magic bag to her waist.

”You're pitch black today.”

”Yeah, since sun is my natural enemy. While hunting majuus, I can't carry a parasol with me.”

A black s.h.i.+rt and trousers were wrapped around Arisa's too-white skin.

It's also accented here and there with red embroideries.

”Edgar, are you ready? Can we go?”

”I'm ready, let's go.”

I hook the magic bag on my waist, and check the knife holders on my belt, shoulders, and trousers, so I can use them at a moment's notice.

——Then, for the first time since I came to this world, I took a step outside Arisa's barrier.

From Arisa's house, there are several paths to get to the forest.

They seemed to be used when Arisa goes to hunt majuus, rarely goes out into town, or when she goes to the Magician's a.s.sociation to publish her research.

Even though I call them paths, they're more rough roads, like animal trails,

We used one of these, and went to one of Arisa's hunting spots.

When we walked through the forest for about an hour, we reached a open s.p.a.ce like place near a lake.

Arisa hides in the bushes, overlooking the whole area.

I followed her lead, and hid my body in the nearby bushes.

”——Edgar, over there.”

Arisa pointed at the lake.

Is she saying that the target will go over there?

”Can you do it from a good viewpoint like this?

The majuu will notice us, won't it run away?”

When I said that, Arisa swung her finger a little.

”The majuu won't run away.

When they see humans, they definitely attack them.”

”…that's also a problem.”

'But', I say and continue.

”Well then on the contrary, how about we use that trait and draw it into a trap? Wouldn't that make it easier to kill? ……Well, I guess since that can't be done, people keep having a hard time with them though.”

Arisa nods.

”Yeah, that's one of the reasons they're such a threat, and on of their mysteries.

It'd be easy to trap them if you could take advantage of that trait, but even if you kill them, and kill even more of them, majuus won't disappear. No matter how many you kill, you'll only temporarily reduce their numbers, and they'll bounce back soon enough. We don't know whether their reproductive abilities are high, or it's because of some unknown mechanism in the environment……

Well, it doesn't really matter. More importantly, look over there.”

Looking towards where Arisa's pointing, there's three dog-like majuus headed for the open s.p.a.ce by the lake.

”Those are majuus……there's not much difference between them and beasts.”

”Don't be negligent. Majuu strengthen their bodies with magic. Compared to beasts, they're much more fierce and powerful. I told you before that majuu's materials are easily influenced by magic. That might be one of the reasons behind why they're so strong.”

”So, what should I do?”

”Those majuus will enter the lake to catch fish. I'll freeze their feet with magic, so defeat them then. First, cut their legs so they can't move, then deliver the final blow to their heads. That should be the safest method.”

”——What if I can't do it?”

Arisa *jii* stares at me, and opens her mouth.

”……You'll die.”

*Zokuri* My back twitches, and we get wrapped by a heavy silence.

After staring at me for a while, Arisa laughed mischievously.

”——That was a lie. If that happens, I'll freeze the entire area and we'll run back to the laboratory. The majuus can't follow us all the way to the barrier anyways.”

(Don't scare me like that……)

I *hotto* stroke my chest.

”For the time being, I'm relieved. After you freeze their legs, I'll attack and kill them. Is this simple strategy good enough?”

”The strategy is perfect like that. Ed, you're really worrywart.” (TLN: Sounds terrible, but I couldn't think of anything else)