CH 7

[When I Subjugated the Monster, the Gaze Disappeared]

Iーwho had took subjugation requestsー arrived at the point where Mud Golem, Forest Spider, and Man Eater were likely to be present.

As I continued to take subjugation requests near Youg Hannotes for a week, the map of the surrounding area is more or less already in my mind.

It was a great point because there was also a swamp where Mud Golems sprang out, trees that were suitable for the Forest Spiders to nest, and a sunny place where Man Eaters could easily grow.

The monsters who were requested are those who are classified as strong enemies in the iron rank, but could be easily defeated if the tricks are known.

*rustling*

The grass in the back was shaking as soon as I arrived.

Is it a monster!? Eh, what, it’s Noelia, huh… what a confusing woman…

The one who shook the grass was Noelia, who continues to watching me.

The feeling to do a bit of mischief sprang up within me, so when I entered the forest, I started running and just like that, I lost her.

That Noelia used something like familiar to find and pursue me.

Huuー, it seems like I failed to shake off her pursuit, huh…

It seems that today I also have to subjugate monsters while under her hot gaze.

I was discouraged, but first, I had to turned to walk towards the swamp where the Mud Golem was likely to sprang out.

When I arrived at the swamp, I was immediately welcomed by the Mud Golems.

The pile of mud made of mana in the swamp is a human shaped monster, it’s movement is slow, so it can be surrounded by a group and attacked together, so it’s not a formidable enemy.

I pull out my cheap sword, I aim at the one who was out of the group of Mud Golems and is coming towards me, then starts moving.

I was an accessory of Alfine who became a Sword Master, but my self-esteem was restored until I thought that I could handle a sword better than an average swordsman.

When I ran up to the Mud Golem that was out of the group, I cut off it’s head in a flash.

Mud Golem will restore it’s body continuously unless the head is separated.

The only way to prevent it is to separate the head and body.

I didn’t stop moving, I turn around and ran to another one who was left out of the group and was isolated, then attacked it to reduce their numbers.

Then, the last head was cut off, and the subjugation of the Mad Golems is completed without any problem.

18, 19, 20 exactly enough, huh…

Since the request was for just 5 Mud Golems, it may be a bit overkill.

If I honestly report the number of subjugation, will Rebecca be suspicious again?

It was a bit hard for a solo iron rank beginner adventurer to hunt a Mud Golem.

I collected only 5 of the Mud Golems heads to sell and as proofs of subjugation.

I want to raise my adventurer rank quickly, but there is no point in making a fresh start at the frontier if Rebecca gets suspicious.

“Noelia, if you’re watching this, it’ll be helpful if you keep quiet about it.”

I called out to Noelia, who was peeping at my battle from behind me, and asked her to keep this to herself.

Of course, there is no reply.

However, since her gaze is directed toward my back, let’s assume that she acknowledged it.

I packed the heads of he Mud Golems in a knapsack and returned to the forest to subjugate the Forest Spiders.

When I returned to the forest, I searched all over the place where the trees were dense, and found the nest of the Forest Spider.

A spider monster that uses strong and sticky threads to form large nests between trees and prey on birds, large animals, and humans with it’s powerful jaws.

It was a dangerous monster even for an experienced adventurer, because if they touched the thread that forms the nest, it would hindered their movements.

However, if the trees were cut down, the nest will loses its effect.

If there are no webs that hindering movements, they’ll be nothing more than a big spider.

I continuously slashed the trees trunks in different parts with Iai technique, so that the threads forming the nest wouldn’t vibrated.

Then, when I pushed the trees a little, they started to collapse.

Suddenly thrown to the ground, the Forest Spider’s head was pierced by my sword before it understands what happened and died.

Then, I took off the legs of the Forest Spider, which is a proof of subjugation, from the Forest Spider who was still twitching, and stowed it in my knapsack.

Suddenly, I noticed, I couldn’t feel the gaze of Noelia, which was always pointed at me.

Until just now the gaze keep coming, and the grasses keep shaking.

I think I could see glimpses of Noelia’s white legs from the grasses, then she disappeared like something dragged her.

“He-, hey! Noelia! What happened?’

However, there is no reply.

The place where she was dragged should have led to a sunny place.

No way, Man Eater!?

I got a bad feeling, and immediately rushed to the direction where I thought Noelia was dragged to.

When I passed through the forest and come out to a sunny open place, Noelia was caught and entwined by a Man Eater’s vine.

It seems the person herself is resisting with all her efforts, but I can see that she has no wand to activate her magic essence and her mouth is also sealed by the Man Eater’s vine.

“Noelia! I’ll save you immediately!”

“!? Mmmーー!”

Noelia saw me and seems to want to say something.

When I followed her line of sight, the ground rose from behind me and a new Man Eater appeared.

The vines which came out vigorously, approached me to entangle me, but I used my sword to swipe it off.

I cut the flower part in half with my sword.

However, new vines came out of the ground all at once.

“Mmーー!?”

Meanwhile, Noelia who was captured, had her clothes melted due to the acid liquid that dissolves things that was secreted by the Man Eater’s vine, and the critical situation became more grave.

“Noelia, I’m coming immediately! Please hold on for a while!”

I decided that I had no time to waste, gave up fighting the new enemies, and ran straight to the Man Eater who was capturing Noelia.

The new Man Eaters shot seeds simultaneously on my back.

I endured the pain of the seeds hitting my back, and when I approached the Man Eater who was holding Noelia, I cut it’s vines in a flash and released her restraints.

“Pu, puhaa. Th-, thank you… very much… E-, e-, err…”

“We don’t have time right now, so hug me for the time being. We need to leave their territory at once.”

Noelia ーwho I thought would refuse or escapeー followed my instructions gently, when I princess carry her, she put her hands around my neck and hugged me.

“Y-, yes… But, I can burn them with magic.”

“I-, is that so. Then, can I count on you?”

“Y-, yes. I will eliminate them immediately.”

Noelia who hugged me, began to cast magic towards the Man Eater who are still shooting the seeds.

“Pierce my enemy with a burning spear, (Fire Lance).”

When she finished chanting with a monotonous like when I met her for the first time, an oversized fire spear shot out and burned the Man Eaters.

“Amazing…magic is convenient as expected.”

I saw the place burned to a crisp by the magic casted by Noelia, and I felt the amazing power of magic once again.