When we return to the dungeon, we find Argo’s party in the house.
They have weapons I haven’t seen, so I can deduce the weapons they ordered are complete.
“Oh, you’ve come back early this time. Did you get the ore?”
I told them when we would be coming back. Did they forget?
“Yes, we just need golem magic stones and we can head to the second floor.”
“Magic stones… Are you waiting for a change?”
“I put out a request to buy them, but I didn’t offer a high sum, so who knows.”
“A lot of people out there want to take advantage of others.”
I nod.
But since we’ll be out of town for a while, I figured I might as well try.
“Are you going to the forest to test your weapons?”
“That’s the idea.”
“Can we go too? Although I think we’ll go in different directions along the way.”
We checked the quests in the guild on the way back, and there were ones about hunting monsters, mainly wolves.
And there was one about hunting goblins that have been creeping around a village
They said no one’s accepted it because it doesn’t pay much, but we did.
We tell that to Argo and the others, and apparently they were getting ready to hunt wolves outside of town.
“You just got back, so I’m sure you’re tired. How about we leave in two days?”
Says Argo out of concern for us.
“We can go tomorrow!”
Says Hikari, full of excitement.
“I-I see.”
No one objects. I think everyone wants to be out in the open, after being in a closed space like that dungeon.
◇ ◇ ◇
“Sora, this way.”
Argo calls out to me after we leave through the western gate.
“What’s here?”
“The blacksmith introduced them to us when I said we were going to the forest to test our weapons. They’re going to the forest to gather wood, and since they don’t have anything to carry on the way there, they can take us.”
“And us too?”
“Well, it’s fine.”
Argo says nonchalantly, but yes, they take us too.
These people are lumberjacks who bring trees back to the blacksmith. And on some days, they also take goods to the village where we’re going.
It should take two days by wagon to reach the forest, but once they’re loaded with trees, it will take five days to make it back.
“Thanks.”
“Don’t thank us, we enjoyed the nice meals.”
Says Argo after I try to thank him.
“We’re going into the forest to look for monsters. What about you?”
“We’re going to the village. Ah, by the way, it looks like there are monsters to the south.”
I see their reactions on Map.
It looks like Hikari wants to go, but we can’t, because the village is to the north.
“Well then Sora. I’m sure you guys will be all right, but be careful.”
We say goodbye to Argo’s party, and continue through the path to the village.
The road is only wide enough for two people to walk together, and it’s rugged.
There’s grass on both sides, but it’s been cut to about ankle length.
I think it’s because it would affect visibility if left unchecked. Although I don’t know how high it would grow.
“Hunting goblins…”
It’s been a while since we fought outside of a dungeon. And considering it’s a quest, it reminds me of that time.
“What about it?”
Asks Mia, after I whisper without thinking.
When I first got to this world, I accepted a quest to hunt goblins. I was thinking about it because it was the first quest I accepted with Rurika and Chris.”
“Master got hurt.”
Says Hikari.
“Hurt?”
“Ah, you did hurt your head. And Chris healed you.”
Says Rurika while grinning at Chris.
I remember she just closed the wound, and I walked back to the capital with a bandage around my head.
The idea was to give the impression that I was struggling even against goblins, but if Hikari knows about it, does that mean the higher ups in Elesya did too?
If they did, that means my scheme worked, and also that they were still watching me. Is that just how careful they were? Or suspicious?
But since that led me to meeting Hikari, I guess it’s not all bad.
We talk as we walk, and I see the village.
There are two people standing by the entrance holding weapons, surely watching out for goblins.
The quest said the goblins haven’t caused direct damage to the village yet, but I don’t know if that’s still the case. I think that quest has been there for a while.
“A-are you adventurers? What is your business with this village?”
Someone asks. Do we not look like adventurers?
“We accepted the quest in the guild.”
I say while showing my identification from the guild.
This never happened when I accepted quests in Elesya, but is it normal here in the empire?
One of them checks it, and we are taken into the village.
Thanks for the treat.