The Forsaken Saintess and her Foodie Roadtrip in Another World (Light Novel), Volume 4 Chapter 3

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Volume Four, Chapter Three

By the time we have dashed through the familiar secret underground passage and pushed open the door of the secluded shop, night has already settled over the city. Lights glow in the windows of houses, while a full moon and a crescent moon hang in the sky.

The sound of our hurried footsteps echoes through the stone-built streets, now empty of pedestrians. Mr. Ville leads the way, weaving through narrow back alleys and gaps between buildings as if he knows every inch of this place.

“So, we’re heading straight to the site as planned, right?”

“Yeah. There haven’t been any reports of residents being attacked yet, but the sooner we can resolve this, the better.”

“Good point… If we leave now, we should be able to reach the village in your Camping Car, Rin!”

As I sought confirmation from Mr. Ville and Mr. Xenon walking ahead, slipping through narrow gaps between buildings, they answered without glancing back.

Even with streetlights, the city feels quite dark, so a smaller village must be even darker. Darkness multiplies anxiety and makes you think of unpleasant things. I understand why Mr. Ville is in a hurry. It’s obviously better to resolve this quickly so people can live without fear.

And besides…

“From what your brother told me, Mr. Ville, after a saint is summoned, power spots sometimes appear where she can gain strength.”

As I speak, slightly out of breath, Mr. Ville, who shows no signs of exertion, widens his eyes in surprise. His strawberry-colored eyes gleam sharply in the dim light.

“Power spots? You mean places where one can gain power?”

“It seems so. Though, I don’t really know what kind of power exactly…”

Mr. Noah said the saint’s purpose in the game was to gain strength and defeat the Demon King, but I hadn’t asked exactly what kind of power she would gain. In the game, it would probably be leveling up, but how would that be expressed in this world?

"I see… In any case, we need to get there as quickly as possible. We don’t know the objective of people who summoned a saint, but judging from how they’ve treated you, Rin, there’s no telling what they might do next.”

“Yes. Your brother also said, ‘If this incident is related, stopping their power-up is the best course of action.’”

After confirming my nod, Mr. Ville pushes off the ground even harder, his back rapidly growing distant.

The sudden pace increase leaves me… completely overwhelmed! This speed is a bit too much while carrying Gomamiso, so I take the liberty of releasing the kitten at an appropriate moment!

Despite being unceremoniously dropped, Gomamiso lands perfectly on the ground and begins running, using its entire body like a spring. Its graceful body control truly befits a feline.

Wow… seriously? I don’t know Gomamiso has such athletic ability…

“I… never… thought… you… will be… so… agile… Gomamiso…!”

‘I’m athletic, you know! Can’t you see how wild and energetic this me is?’

Gomamiso, who has been running alongside me with its tail and wings swaying, puffs out its chest and then bounds ahead to catch up with Mr. Ville and Mr. Xenon at the front.

…Woooow… amazing… it has so much energy…

Unlike Gomamiso with its abundant stamina, I desperately move my feet and fight for breath, continuing this aerobic exercise somewhere between power walking and running for who knows how long… Before I know it, my body has carried me to the edge of the city… in front of the guard post built into the city wall.

I have no idea where or how I ran, but if you just keep moving your body, you’ll reach your destination. The power of unconscious actions is impressive!

Fortunately, or perhaps inevitably… despite it being relatively late by this world’s standards, the documents Mr. Ville’s brother had given us seemed to carry significant weight, as the guards let us through the exit without any fuss.

The stone-built city was beautiful, and I never felt it was cramped, but standing here in an open field under an unobstructed starry sky made me realize the city had its own kind of oppressiveness.

As I take deep breaths to supply oxygen to my still-gasping brain, a sweet floral scent wafted from somewhere. Moonlight and the scent of flowers… How elegant and refined… Now, I just pray that no smell of blood mixes with this air.

We moved quickly down the road, away from the lit guardhouse.

Even with the moonlight, as we put some distance, our figures should become quite hard to see… When the light from the gate we’d just exited becomes as tiny as a grain of rice, I materialize the Camping Car.

The artificial light sears my retina, but surely, this too would be invisible to others.

The party members, including Gomamiso, go into the cabin. With Mr. Ville in the passenger seat as navigator, the night drive begins!

I climb into the driver’s seat and start the engine, feeling the low rumble and slight vibrations through the seat. Just as I am about to check the rearview and side mirrors to start moving… something crosses the edge of my vision.

Visible through the driver’s side window is a large shadow, blocking out the light of the full moon and crescent moon brilliantly illuminating the night sky.

“Mr. Ville! That! Could that be the thing we’re looking for…!?”

“Indeed… a giant shadow crossing the night sky…”

I hurriedly tapped Mr. Ville’s arm in the passenger seat to get his attention, and the shadow swiftly changed course toward the village we were heading to and flew away.

Nine times out of ten, that shadow is undoubtedly our target for this request.

“For now, I’ll follow that shadow! It’s probably heading to that village…”

“Yes, please do! At this hour, we likely won’t need to worry about other travelers on the road.”

I shift gears and press down on the accelerator. With a light engine sound, the Camping Car starts down the road.

I don’t know what dangers lie ahead, but that unidentified flying object will surely show itself.

“Well, not knowing what it is makes it scary, but there’s no choice but to go!”

Following Mr. Ville’s directions from the passenger seat, I turn the steering wheel left and right.

The moons are still high in the sky.

Though we have headlights, the moonlight is very helpful. Under the night sky, the Camping Car cruises smoothly along the road, its engine reverberating. The Camping Car’s navigation system is super excellent, but it tends to prioritize detour routes with maximum safety margins. That setting is fine under normal circumstances, but in cases like this where we need to hurry, Mr. Ville, who knows the shortest route, acts as my direction guide while I operate the steering wheel accordingly.

We veer off the well-paved Highway onto bare ground, but it is firmly packed down and not too bumpy. Seeing the thin lines like cart tracks and traces of livestock hooves scattered about, there must be a fair amount of traffic as the main road to the village. That said, it would probably get a bit muddy after rain. Fortunately, we aren’t caught in the rain this time, so it works out fine.

“By the way, it’s gotten pretty late. Will we be alright?”

“According to the report, the mysterious shadows’ activity becomes more active around this time until midnight.”

“Ah… so I guess this timing is just right…”

Stroking Gomamiso, who has fallen asleep on his lap at some point, Mr. Ville waves the document in his other hand, indicating that we are arriving at a good time for investigation.

Thanks to the moonlight and headlights, the road ahead is relatively well-lit for a night drive. As we head toward the mountains, I keep an eye out for animals that might dart out from the sides or overhanging branches, while steering around occasional deep grooves in the road. Soon, flickering lights appear in the distance. It seems we are approaching our destination.

I park the Camping Car in a bushy area and get out with everyone. An unfamiliar screeching sound reached our ears—high-pitched, rough, and unpleasantly grating on the eardrums. While resisting the urge to cover my ears and focusing on getting ready, I suddenly have an idea.

“Oh, right! Before we go to the village, please wait a moment!”

Everyone will probably be hungry after we solve this problem. Since the oven in the Camping Car keeps running even when I dismiss it, I thought I’d prepare a forest boar roast now! While Mr. Ville and the rest look a little puzzled, they nod willingly, for which I am grateful. I take out the marinated boar meat from the fridge.

The meat has absorbed the fruit juices and spices, developing a nice aroma of maturation. I place the meat with its sauce on a baking sheet, put it in the built-in oven, and set it to bake at medium heat for about an hour.

“Alright! Now I just need to leave it to the oven, and it should be ready by the time we return. Super easy!”

“I see. So it will be baking while we’re conducting our investigation.”

“Yes! Some recipes rely on residual heat to finish cooking, so I’m planning to use that approach for this one!”

Mr. Ville nods with a look of understanding.

Waiting for food to be ready on an empty stomach is tough, after all.

After washing my dirty hands, I pick up the sleepy, fussy Gomamiso, who has moved to the sofa at some point, and leave the car.

Outside, everyone is waiting with their battle preparations complete.

“Sorry for the wait! The late-night snack preparations are all set.”

“No, we are looking forward to when it’s ready.”

“Alright then, shall we head out?”

Mr. Ed creates a magical orb that floats around and illuminates our surroundings, so we all walk along the night path using it as a flashlight.

This time, I’ve been allowed to join this investigation. They think there may be too many monsters, and they don’t want to leave me behind with just one person on guard in case something happens… They are worried. It seems they also think it’s easier to protect me if I’m with them. Everyone seems to have been really shocked when I was kidnapped by the princess dragon—I mean, Lady Meel—at Melnoa Volcano. Since they let me come along, I’ll do my best not to get in the way.

With the moonlight above and these incredibly reliable party members by my side, I don’t feel particularly scared walking down this night path with mysterious sounds echoing around us.

“That’s quite a large bonfire… Do they have night watchmen?”

“Yes, I can see figures near the village entrance. They seem to be on high alert, just as we were informed.”

“They’re… holding something like sticks.”

As we approach, the flickering lights turn out to be a sizeable bonfire. Mr. Ville and Ms. Aria, with their superior night vision, can apparently see people standing guard in a state of high alert, but I can’t see a thing… So, I can understand why the villagers wanted to keep things as bright as possible, whether or not the shadows fear the light or fire. Better visibility is always comforting.

Finally, as we get close enough for even my eyes to see, I can make out two men holding pole-like objects standing at a gap in a simple fence. The fact that I—a completely ordinary human—can see them means the villagers can certainly see us too…

“W-Who goes there?!”

“S-Sorry, we’re not allowing entry to the village at night…”

I hear a sharp voice tinged with fear and another slightly high-pitched voice refusing us entry. What I thought were poles turned out to be simple spears. Their tips are pointed at us. Ah, yup. Of course, they’d be scared if a group of strangers emerged from the darkness, especially when scary things have been happening.

Mr. Ville seems to have anticipated this reaction. With practiced ease, he calls the floating light orb closer and takes out his guild card from his chest pocket, holding it up for them to see.

“Sorry for startling you. We’re the adventurer party ‘Gourmands,’ sent from the royal capital in response to a request to deal with those unidentified shadows.”

“Ah… a guild card… it’s real! I’ll go get the village chief!”

“We’re s-sorry for the rude welcome! Everyone’s on edge because of those shadows…”

After hearing Mr. Ville introduce himself and confirming the details on his guild card, the guards must have realized he was telling the truth. Their expressions visibly relaxed as they lowered their spears. The younger guard on the left ran deeper into the village, while the other one bowed and moved the barricade blocking the entrance.

Inside the village, there are streetlamps like the ones in the royal capital, but there are far fewer of them and they don’t seem to provide enough light. For the people here, bonfires may be more practical than magical tools, with plenty of firewood readily available in the surroundings…

As we walk towards what seems to be the village center, I see the young man from earlier returning with another person.

“I apologize for the delayed welcome. We didn’t expect you to arrive so quickly…”

“No, we should be the ones apologizing for arriving so suddenly at night without notice. We set out as soon as we received the report.”

The man who bows to us seems to be middle-aged… or perhaps approaching elderly. His body still looks robust from years of labor, but his closely cropped hair is predominantly gray. As he shook hands with Mr. Ville during their greetings, I could see his hands were those of a hardworking man—slightly lean but still sturdy. His face, which seems relieved to see us, breaks into a smile that makes his drooping eye corners fall even further, giving him a gentle impression. He looks every bit the quintessential village elder.

“So, since you’ve come, does this mean you’ve accepted our request…?”

“Yes. We, the Gourmands, have accepted it. We’ll start our investigation right away.”

Mr. Ville nods firmly as he places his other hand on the village chief’s, who is clasping his hand almost desperately.

The chief invites us to rest in the village first, but we politely decline, deciding to hear the details outdoors before heading straight to our investigation. It’s more efficient for us to do it this way.

According to the somewhat exhausted-looking village chief, the mysterious creatures started appearing a little while ago—specifically, around the time the saint summoning took place and brought me and the high school girl to this world. Though they haven’t attacked any villagers or livestock, just flying around the night sky… the eerie sounds heard throughout the night and the anxiety of potentially being attacked someday have been causing stress to accumulate among the villagers.

Well, that’s understandable. They must be exhausted from their daily work, unable to sleep soundly at night, and constantly on alert for a possible attack that may or may not come…That kind of constant strain would drain both their physical and mental strength.

But what the village chief is most concerned about is…

“We adults can still endure it. But the children are at their limit…”

“Ah… kids are pretty sensitive, after all.”

“They must be sensing the adults’ anxiety and the unsettling atmosphere…”

The village chief lowers his eyebrows sadly, and at the end of his dropped hand stands a small girl who has appeared without us noticing. She looks about 5 years old. Her features somewhat resemble the village chief’s, so she’s probably his granddaughter.

Her small, plump hands gripping the chief’s clothes, her chubby cheeks, her large round eyes that seem about to overflow… she’s a cute child who will surely grow into a beauty, but her poor complexion ruins that cuteness.

Oh… poor thing, she’s really affected by all this…

While the men are talking with the village chief, why don’t Ms. Aria and I keep this cutie company? What? "Cutie" is an outdated term? Oh, don’t sweat the small stuff!

“Nice to meet you! I’m Rin, the cook of the Gourmands!”

“Mm. Same… here. I’m… Aria… from the Gourmands.”

“! I’m Meia from Sawashi Village! Are you big sisters adventurers too?”

When we crouched down in front of the girl and introduced ourselves, she smiled shyly and responded with an energetic voice.

…Oh, so this village is called Sawashi… I didn’t know that!

Still, while she’s a bit clumsy with her words, I don’t expect to hear the word "adventurer" from such a small child. Well, even adults may find it difficult to pronounce "adventurer", so it’s natural for a child to stumble over it. She probably learned the word "adventurer" from overhearing adults talking. Maybe she’s at that age where she wants to try using new words, or maybe she just assumes that any unfamiliar visitor to the village is an adventurer… Or maybe it’s both?

“I’m an adventurer. I slash enemies, check for traps, and hunt for meat and fish.”

“I’m an adventurer too! I’m the one who cooks meals with what everyone hunts.”

“Wow! Meia’s papa and mama go hunting and cook meals too!”

Honestly, I’m still not sure if it’s okay to call the cook an adventurer, but I have explored dungeons and completed gathering quests, so it counts, right? I wondered if a cook would really count as an adventurer in a child’s eyes… but for Meia, it seemed totally fine! Judging by her response, her parents are both hunters who also cook their own meals, so maybe that made it easier for her to relate?

When I offer my hand to Meia, who is looking at me with sparkling eyes, she grasps it tightly with her small hand and swings our connected hands up and down.

This kind of interaction might be like divine service to people with certain… preferences, I suppose? Could this be what they call fan service?

‘I’m here too! This me is all about cuteness!’

“Wow! A kitty! It’s so big!”

With the background of the vast night sky behind us, Gomamiso suddenly pops its face out from near our feet. Meia laughs, repeating "big kitty" as she watches Gomamiso puff out its chest proudly. Gomamiso is still a kitten, but I guess to a child, a cat the size of a basketball seems big.

Before I know it, Meia’s pale face has gained a slight flush of color as she beams while petting Gomamiso. Has she regained some of her energy?

Gomamiso, this is quite an impressive achievement for you.

After stroking Gomamiso’s head and under its chin for a while, Meia’s hand suddenly stops.

Before I can wonder why, Meia looks up, and her childlike eyes intently examine us as if appraising something. The surface of her candy-like large eyes is covered with a thick film of water.

At that moment, the eerie squeaking that had been so persistent just moments ago ceases completely, and silence falls. Wind passes through the trees and gusts between us.

“…Will you big sisters defeat the scary things?”

Whether blown away by the wind or because the surface tension has reached its limit… tears spill from Meia’s eyes.

Ahhh… Of course! That’s right! The village chief did say that the little ones were at their limit!

Meia must have been holding back a lot too!

“…Meia, scary things… don’t want anymore…”

“Mm! That’s why… we came… to do something about it!”

“Absolutely! We’ll catch everything scary and turn it into a roast!”

Ms. Aria wipes the tears that are silently falling from Meia’s eyes and clenches her fist with determination, her eyes sharp. I follow suit, flexing my arm to show my muscles. Seeing us give a thumbs up, Meia’s crying face softened into a smile.

Gomamiso rubbing its head against her affectionately also seems to help ease the tension. Animal therapy is amazing!

As the three of us—Ms. Aria, Gomamiso, and I—are comforting Meia, I see Mr. Ville quickly approaching us. It seems the discussion with the village chief has ended.

“Rin, Aria. We’ve been told where the creatures’ likely lair is. We’re heading out to investigate now. Are you ready?”

“I’m ready to go anytime!”

“Mm! Feeling motivated!”

‘Me too! This me is going too!’

Perhaps because there’s a small child present, despite the aura of enthusiasm, his voice maintains a relatively gentle tone when speaking to us.

Meia, whose tears had completely dried, looks up at us in response to Mr. Ville’s mention of going on an investigation.

“We will definitely get to the bottom of what those shadows are. Soon, you won’t have to be afraid of the night anymore.”

“That’s right! We’ll be back in a jiffy after taking care of business!”

“Get some rest… and wait for us, okay?”

‘With this me around, there’s nothing to worry about!’

Hands of various sizes take turns ruffling Meia’s head.

I suddenly realize that the mysterious cries, which had gone quiet, are once again filling the night sky.

Well then, shall we set off on our nighttime adventure?

The lair the village chief told us about was at a small hill-like area a bit away from the village. Upon approaching, I understand why—there is indeed a cave-like opening leading underground. The entrance is just barely large enough for the Camping Car to squeeze through, if at all.

“There’s no doubt this cave serves as the entrance and exit.”

Hiding in nearby bushes to observe, we can see large and small shadows coming and going. I thought the shadow we caught a glimpse of looked big from a distance, but up close, they’re even bigger. The wingspan is probably wider than Mr. Ville’s outstretched arms.

The identity of the mysterious creatures emitting those sharp, screeching cries… appears to be bats. At first, I thought there were just a bunch of big bats, but I see there are smaller ones mixed in too. Well, “small” still means they’re about the size of a large umbrella.

“Hmm… considering the white tips on their wings and the center of their backs, plus their red eyes and flattened noses, the closest match would be Giant Bats.”

“Do they normally grow this big?”

“No, typically they’re only about the size of that smaller one at most.”

After observing the shadows for a while, Mr. Xenon looked up. Giant Bats… certainly sound like big creatures. But just as I was thinking that, some unexpected information was dropped. Mr. Xenon was pointing at one of the smaller shadows—an individual about the size of a large umbrella.

Wait… hold on… I thought that one was pretty big already, but that size is considered standard size!?

Then why have some grown even more enormous?

“…Perhaps gigantism due to a sudden mutation?”

“That would be a reasonable assumption, but there are too many mutated individuals. It’s more likely that an external factor caused their growth.”

“I agree. There are definitely stages—normal-sized ones, ones in the process of growing larger, and ones that have fully grown.”

Mr. Ed joined our conversation while pointing out several different individuals. Now that he mentioned it, shadows of various sizes were indeed flying around.

Hmm… if there are stages in their size, it probably isn’t a sudden mutation…

Mr. Xenon’s external factors theory makes more sense, but what factors? The first thing that comes to mind is that maybe they found some super nutritious food and grew from eating it?

Wait, what do these Giant Bats eat anyway?

“By the way, what do Giant Bats feed on?”

“They’re basically omnivorous, eating insects and fruits.”

“But to maintain those huge bodies, they’d need to eat a ton, right?”

While we are huddled in the bushes, speaking in hushed tones, there is a rustling sound behind us. The two men instantly move to protect me and take combat stances, when something is tossed out with a dry rustling sound.

Peeking between their legs, I see a large yellow and black striped abdomen and familiar light blue shoes beside it.

“…They probably eat those.”

“This is… a Mud Hornet!? But this size…”

“Don’t tell me all the insects around here have grown gigantic too!?”

As the two men relax their guard, I peek out from behind them to see Ms. Aria standing there. At her feet is a massive hornet, its wings, legs, thorax, and mandibles all bound up in thread. It is about the size of a Shiba Inu! However, the poor hornet, restrained by Ms. Aria’s thread and unable to fly, crawl, or bite, can only wiggle helplessly on the ground.

Judging from the astonished expressions on Mr. Xenon and Mr. Ed’s faces, this hornet must be abnormally large too.

This size will certainly fill those bats’ stomachs.

Wait, if Mr. Ed’s guess is correct, isn’t this an extremely serious problem!?

Even if the bats are hunting some of them, having hornets and other carnivorous insects this size running around would be absolute chaos in every sense!

“It’s probably just these Mud Hornets. We searched the area but didn’t see any other gigantic insects.”

“…The nest… it feels strange… so maybe… that’s the cause…?”

Mr. Ville explains that while the three of us were observing the bats, he and Ms. Aria found this hornet and followed it, discovering an enormous nest. A suspiciously large nest, oversized hornets, and gigantic bats presumably eating them… At that moment, we all reach the same conclusion—the hornet nest must be the cause!

Additionally, I’m convinced of one more thing: whatever made these hornets abnormal must be a key point in this scenario!

We nod silently to each other and quietly stand up, but just then—

Gomamiso sways its tail and pounces on the struggling hornet. Though still a kitten, it uses its sharp claws to gouge at the abdomen—the part with the stinger—and sinks its fangs between the head and thorax to decapitate it.

Oof… I was thinking we shouldn’t leave it in such a half-dead state, but I never expected Gomamiso to deliver the coup de grace.

The cat flicks its bright red tongue over the bodily fluids splattered across its mouth and front legs, then narrows its eyes and opens its mouth. Combined with its bouncy voice, it seems to be laughing happily.

“Eh, wait… Go-Gomamiso…?”

‘Hey… this stuff… has such a yummy smell… and taste!’

Huh…? What do you mean by yummy smell and taste…?

As I puzzle over these mystifying words, I see Gomamiso finish grooming itself and try to rub its face against my legs.

“N-No! Don’t rub against me with that face and mouth that just licked insect fluids!”

‘Huh? What’s wrong with cute me wanting to snuggle?’

“Stay away, don’t come near me! I think you’re cute, but insects are a no! Stop it!”

Perhaps unhappy at being stopped, Gomamiso taps the ground with its front paws as I carefully keep my distance. I have many questions, but please don’t try to lick me with that mouth that just did things to a bug! First, clean that mouth of yours… then we can talk!

“Good grief… It’s nice that you two get along, but don’t play around too much, alright?”

“Ugh… I’m sorry…”

A faint green light envelops Gomamiso’s body with a whoosh. With a troubled smile, Mr. Ville cast a cleaning spell on the kitten. Thanks to that, the cuddle war between Gomamiso and me somehow managed to reach a ceasefire.

After that, with a very pleased Gomamiso nestled in my arms as I stroke its back, we follow Ms. Aria’s lead toward the problematic hornet nest…

…Yup, I can hear it. The buzzing of hornets! Aren’t hornets supposed to be sleeping in their nests at night!?

Following Ms. Aria’s silent hand signals for "quiet" and "stay low," I crouch down to hide in the surrounding bushes.

…Wow… what is THAT…?

The moment I lay eyes on that nest, those words almost escape my mouth.

How can I describe this… imagine several absolutely massive hornet nests fused together into one monstrous mega-nest! And around that nest, those Shiba Inu-sized hornets are buzzing all over the place! The sheer thrill and intensity! This is the kind of thing that would shock Earth into tears!

…Come to think of it, I read in some books that the larger a body becomes, the more heat it produces… Perhaps they’re moving around even at night when their activity should decrease due to lower temperatures because they’re producing so much heat? But wait, insects are cold-blooded, so their body temperature should be affected by the surrounding temperature, right? Maybe they’re on high alert because Giant Bats are flying around, snatching and eating any stray hornets? Or perhaps they’ve mutated and become somewhat resistant to temperature changes? Hmm… It’s a mystery…

…Wait a minute…! Are we seriously planning to do something about this heavily guarded hornet’s nest!?

“Um… do you think we can just charge in and handle this somehow…?”

“No… directly attacking that would be a bit… challenging.”

When I moved closer to Mr. Ville and asked in a hushed voice, he frowned just like me and gently shook his head with a pained expression.

Of course! This is definitely a situation that needs a proper strategy! So, what kind of strategy should we use…?

“…Maybe you could catch the flying hornets with your threads, Ms. Aria?”

“Mm! Could make a net… with threads… But if reinforcements attack… might run out of thread… lots of complications…”

“Ahhh… right… There are plenty of reinforcements in the nest…!”

When I glanced at Ms. Aria, she puffed out her chest proudly, but the next moment her shoulders and eyebrows drooped.

No, no, no! I was the naive one for thinking this strategy would work just because you could catch one! Don’t get so discouraged…! It’s difficult to deal with an enemy when you don’t know how many reinforcements they might have! I’m sorry!

…But if she can handle the hornets outside, then we just need to deal with the ones inside the nest, right…?

Though insecticide probably wouldn’t work well inside the nest, and we don’t even have any here anyway…

Something else that might work… Hmm? Oh, wait, I think there was an insecticide that freezes pests… though it was meant for crawling insects, not flying ones. But that approach might work!

“What if we just freeze the entire nest? Insects become immobile when it gets cold, right?”

“The entire nest? That huge thing… no, wait, could it work?”

“With that size? No problem at all!”

When I glanced at Mr. Ville, his gaze shifted to Mr. Ed. Following his lead, I looked toward Mr. Ed, who had apparently been estimating the nest’s size, and he gave us a bright smile with a thumbs up.

Mr. Ed is amazing, giving such a quick answer even though it’s quite a large target!

That said, there’s a chance some of the flying hornets could get through… So we decided to use a capture net made from Ms. Aria’s threads, along with Mr. Xenon’s backup support spells for sleep and paralysis, though he warned they might not work.

‘Me too! This me will go swoosh-swoosh too! This royal me is an †excellent† and †ruthless† hunter! A true predator!’

“Oh, predator! Well, I’ve heard hornet larvae can be tasty… like how locusts are made into a braised dish… but could you maybe not eat them raw and wriggling?”

By the way, my job is to keep Gomamiso under control as it stares at the flying hornets intently and makes little "kaka-kak" noises! Come on, don’t start cracking here! They’ll notice us!

For the record, our last line of defense is Mr. Ville with his great sword, though it doesn’t seem very maneuverable.

…Maybe I should have brought a frying pan…

These thoughts cross my mind amid the low drone of hornet wings vibrating my eardrums and the irritating shrieks of Giant Bats as they fly around. Add Gomamiso’s hunting sounds to that, and the scene has become quite lively.

Maybe its instincts are on high alert, as Gomamiso lets out sharp cries while swishing its tail. I hug it tightly, and just then, Mr. Ed, who has been talking with Ms. Aria, relaxes into a soft smile. He really loves her… And Ms. Aria treats him a bit differently from others. I think it’s beautiful when people get along well.

“So I just need to use magic to surround the nest and prevent reinforcements from coming, right?”

“Mm. The hornets around… I’ll handle them… somehow… with my net!”

After exchanging looks and bumping fists with matching grins, Mr. Ed stands up straight.

Though he’s the smallest among the men in our party, Mr. Ed is still fairly large by general standards, and his figure completely emerged from the bushes.

Won’t the vigilant hornets notice him…!? Before I could stop him, the giant hornets had already spotted us.

All the hovering hornets around the nest turn their eerie compound eyes toward us, and threatening buzzing echoes through the area. That low clicking sound—is that their massive jaws that could probably bite through anything…?

Did we fail from the start?

…But I needn’t have worried.

The hornets must have taken Mr. Ed’s hand movement as a declaration of war. As the swarm of giant insects rushes at him all at once, Ms. Aria’s thread, woven like a net, catches them and instantly drags them to the ground. While the hornets continue showing aggression, clicking their jaws and extending their stingers even after being pinned to the bare earth, Mr. Ed raises his hand. He freezes the giant nest solid, including the countless entrances where reinforcements are about to emerge, along with the surrounding air. As if adding the finishing touch, Mr. Xenon goes around casting paralysis and sleep magic on the giant hornets writhing on the ground. Though he said he wasn’t sure if it would work, it seemed to be working perfectly. The affected hornets are convulsing in the net.

“Wow… that was so quick!”

“Hehe☆ This kind of thing is no big deal!”

“Let’s leave them like this for a while. I want to make sure we take care of the hornets inside too.”

Mr. Ville glances at Mr. Ed, who’s puffing out his chest with a proud expression similar to Ms. Aria’s, then turns his gaze back to the frozen nest. Am I imagining the slightly exasperated look on his face?

But honestly, I agree with leaving them like this for now.

…Oh, but…

“Is it okay to keep them frozen like this? Won’t it drain your magical power, Mr. Ed? Won’t you get tired?”

“Hmm. I’ve sectioned off the space there, so it won’t be affected much by outside temperature. And maintaining it isn’t hard…”

“Sectioned off the space…? I don’t really understand, but if it doesn’t affect you, that’s great!”

…Yup. That’s a bit beyond my comprehension! Maybe I should just give up trying to understand magic. I feel like I’m missing too many prerequisites and basic knowledge to get it. But well, I’m glad it won’t burden Mr. Ed!

While I’m nodding to myself, lost in thought, Gomamiso suddenly starts struggling in my arms.

What… wait…! You were just quietly making cracking noises until now! What’s gotten into you?

After breaking free from my arms, Gomamiso runs straight to the frozen nest and paws at the wall-like surface.

‘Hey! Hey! There’s a nice smell coming from inside here!’

“A nice smell!? Eh… I don’t smell anything…?”

As the kitten’s eyes sparkle and wings quiver, I sniff the air to check… but I only smell the usual forest scents, like earth and trees… I mean, it’s a pleasant smell, like forest bathing, but… hmm?

Just as a disconnect is forming between the excited Gomamiso and confused me, Mr. Xenon, who has been dealing with the hornets, intervenes:

“Rin. I do sense an odd flow of magical power from inside the nest. Perhaps that’s what Gomamiso means by a ‘nice smell’…?”

“Flow of magical power… Come to think of it, Ms. Aria mentioned something similar!”

Ms. Aria only said it gave off a strange feeling, but she definitely sensed something off about this nest. And Gomamiso also said these hornets smell and taste good… What could be in this nest…?

Mr. Noah did say there should be a useful power-up item, but… I forgot to ask exactly what it was.

A mixture of anxiety, curiosity, and a hint of fear swirls in my chest.

I can’t shake the feeling that we’re about to get caught up in something troublesome again…

While feeling an inexplicable sense of urgency gnawing at the edge of my mind, I continue to stare at the massive nest that hasn’t yet begun to thaw.

How long have I been standing like that…?

Eventually, as the ice’s edges begin to round off and dripping water starts darkening the ground, Mr. Ville gives Mr. Ed a big nod. In response, Mr. Ed raises his hand, and the ice before us simply vanishes.

It doesn’t melt… it really just vanishes!

If all that ice had melted, the ground would have turned into a muddy mess, so this is appreciated, but… where did all that mass go…?

When I nervously glance over, Mr. Ed just stands there with a bright smile.

…Right! Let’s not think about it!

‘Inside! Let’s hurry inside! It smells so good!’

“Ah, come on! Wait, Gomamiso! There might still be something dangerous in there!”

As I scoop up Gomamiso, who’s pawing at the ground and about to dash in, Ms. Aria takes the opportunity to check inside the nest. Seeing the thin silver threads covering the entire nest, I wonder if she’s sensing vibrations or something?

…Still, looking at it up close, this is quite a large nest… It’s not quite a house, but it must be the size of at least two classrooms. Judging by the tree tip poking out from the center, that must be the nest’s core.

After a moment with her eyes closed, Ms. Aria’s ice-blue eyes suddenly snap open. At the same time, the silver threads covering the nest retract back into her hands.

“There doesn’t seem to be… anything small moving inside…! But in the middle… there’s still… something big…!”

“Alright… then let’s go in…”

Upon hearing Ms. Aria’s report, Mr. Ville raises his greatsword, still in its scabbard. Using his raw strength, he struck the nest wall, shattering it and creating a large hole.

Thanks to Mr. Ed quickly sending in orbs of light through the newly made opening, there’s enough illumination to explore. Peering inside cautiously, it’s bright enough to see multiple layers of honeycomb-like structures.

…How should I put this… those white things drooping from the hexagonal cells are… larvae, right? I wonder if the cells with caps contain hornets about to become adults?

And well… there are dead giant hornets with curled-up legs scattered everywhere.

As I’m processing these mixed feelings, someone suddenly pats my shoulder.

“Let’s go, Rin.”

“Ah, yes!”

Following Mr. Ville’s gesture toward the nest’s interior, I enter while holding Gomamiso. Being a nest made by giant hornets, there’s just enough space between the combs to walk through. Still, because it was frozen earlier, it’s pretty cold inside. Walking toward the center of the silent nest, I can only hear our footsteps… no… wait… there’s another sound! I can hear a buzzing sound, like wings vibrating! The sound is coming directly from ahead… that must be the "something big in the middle" Ms. Aria mentioned!

As we pick up our pace through the nest, the mysterious buzzing grows louder, and we soon emerge into an open space.

“I see… so this is what Aria was talking about!”

“It’s huge! Is that the queen?!”

Peeking from behind Mr. Ville, who instantly shields me, I see a giant hornet that is slightly blackened overall but still vigorously threatening us.

If the earlier giant hornets were about the size of Shiba Inus, this one is much larger… maybe a Bernese Mountain Dog or even bigger?

Its size is terrifying, but thankfully it can’t fly properly. In fact, all it can do is click its jaws threateningly, and it quickly falls prey to Ms. Aria’s threads…

I thought the case was closed, but then…

As the queen hornet is torn apart without even a death cry, Gomamiso finally begins to struggle wildly in my arms.

‘That! That smells good!!!’

“Ah, hey! Gomamiso!”

I couldn’t hold the kitten with that force and ended up dropping it, but it landed perfectly and charged straight at the queen’s remains…

‘Miiiiiiiiiiaaaaaaa!’

Gomamiso’s front paw slashes through the hornet’s abdomen with a cry I can’t even interpret. Along with spraying bodily fluids, something… shiny rolls out and stops at my feet.

It is about the size of my clenched fist, looking like a deep, clear blue stone. It glints in the magical lights floating around us.

Though it’s covered in hornet fluids, my hand moves to grab it before I can feel disgusted. After all, Gomamiso has its eyes locked onto it and is charging right at it!

I snatch up whatever it is from the ground before Gomamiso can pounce on it, raising it high above my head to keep it away.

Gomamiso protests by repeatedly smacking its long tail against the ground, but I’m determined not to lower my arm.

‘Mine! That’s mine!’

“Oh, come on! This isn’t yours! This is party property!”

‘Nyaooo! That smells good! It’s tasty!’

Though Gomamiso is throwing a tantrum, it could easily jump onto my head and snatch this stone if it really wanted to… Even though it’s claiming "It’s mine!", the cat’s holding back because I grabbed it first… Like "first come, first served"?

…But it seems Gomamiso isn’t the only one who reacts to the blue stone.

When they see the stone I’m holding up, Mr. Ville and Mr. Xenon’s expressions quickly change. Noticing their reactions, Mr. Ed and Ms. Aria look over too… furrowing their brows tightly.

Huh… w-what’s this… We haven’t finished the quest yet, and there’s another problem!?

The illustration’s description: Gomamiso jumping onto the ground and Rin with her stretched hand behind it.

As I blink in confusion, only Gomamiso meowing as usual at my feet maintains any sense of normalcy.

“Sorry, Rin. Could I take a look at that for a moment?”

“Oh, yes, of course!”

With a slightly tense voice, Mr. Ville reaches out his hand. Unusually, his brow remains furrowed. Well… unlike Gomamiso, Mr. Ville wouldn’t suddenly try to eat this stone or destroy it… And as our party leader, managing loot like this is part of his job, right?!

Ignoring Gomamiso’s resentful gaze and irritably swishing tail, I hand it over without hesitation… and just as I wonder if it is okay to pass something covered in giant hornet fluids, the blue stone is already in Mr. Ville’s hand.

“It’s a bit sticky, is that okay?”

“Yeah, it’s fine…”

When I nervously spoke up, Mr. Ville, unfazed by my reluctance, simply wiped the fluids off the stone with his gloves. At the same time, he cast a cleaning spell on my hands.

…Wait, did he only cast magic on my hands?

The contrast between my now-clean hands and the stone still glistening wetly and mysteriously feels strangely unsettling.

“By the way, aren’t you going to cast magic on the stone? Also, everyone’s staring at it with such serious faces—could this be something significant…?”

“Well… this is, how should I explain…”

Watching Mr. Ville holding the stone up to Mr. Ed’s light orb, I can feel some kind of ominous atmosphere… Could this be some sort of cursed stone or something?

When I nervously asked Mr. Ville, who was examining the stone intently, a growling sound emerged from his throat. His strawberry-colored eyes darted back and forth between the blue stone and me…

“This stone is, with near certainty, what we call a ‘mana stone.’”

“A mana… stone?”

“To put it simply, it’s a lump of magical power…”

Oh! This is the kind of term you hear all the time in RPGs! Even Mr. Ville’s explanation sounds oddly familiar! I guess he didn’t cast magic on the stone to avoid adding unnecessary magical power to it.

Still, a lump of magical power, huh…

Thinking back to Gomamiso’s behavior, it did say the stone looked "tasty"… It must be an attractive item for monsters. Maybe it’s like a power-up item that increases abilities when consumed. And if my guess is correct… the hornets probably grew giant and powered up by absorbing the mana stone, and the bats that ate the hornets were affected by it and grew giant too.

…But if that’s the case…

“Um, Mr. Ville… are mana stones commonly found?”

“No… I’ve heard about them, but this is my first time seeing one.”

“I’ve heard they’re found deep in dungeons or among treasures collected by dragons.”

I thought so! Such a valuable item wouldn’t just be lying around everywhere!

While scratching my head and staring at the actual thing Mr. Ville is holding, based on what he and Mr. Xenon who took over the explanation said, it seems like quite a rare item.

…So this must be that power-up item for the saint!

Even when I check it with Survival, all I get is a simple description: [Mana Stone. Not suitable for consumption!]

Could it be that important items always get these kinds of minimal descriptions!?

Hmm… if I put my gaming brain into full gear… categorically, it’s probably a one-time use item, but with tremendous effects? It doesn’t seem like the type that provides permanent effects just by possessing it or one that permanently boosts stats when used.

“I’ve also heard that they tend to form in places where mana easily accumulates…”

“But there aren’t any such places around here, right?”

“Mana-rich spots are like snow drifts… but this area has both rivers and wind. The flow here is too strong for mana stones to form.”

As I was running through my own analysis of the item, the brains of our party were also nodding and mulling over the situation.

Hmm… from what Mr. Ville and Mr. Xenon are saying, the possibility of a mana stone forming in this place is extremely low. My feeling that this was placed as part of a game event is getting stronger!

Glancing to the side, I see Mr. Ville and Mr. Xenon tilting their heads just like me.

“I think this is probably the effect of the saint summoning that your brother… Mr. Noah mentioned.”

At my murmured words as I picked up Gomamiso, who had seemingly given up and was rubbing against my feet, Mr. Ville and Mr. Xenon turned toward me with incredible speed.

“Rin. Right… He did mention something like that.”

“Yes. And I think that mana stone must be a power-up item for the saint…”

The place froze in silence. Even the red and blue eyes staring at me remain wide open as if forgetting to blink.

I don’t know how long we stayed like that… Eventually, Mr. Ville lets out a long-held breath. He lowers his red eyes for a moment, takes a few deep breaths, and then raises his head again as he opens them wide.

“…In any case, we’ve figured out why the bats grew giant, and we prevented any damage from the hornets. Let’s prioritize defeating the Giant Bats and reporting back to the village.”

“Should we check if anything else was left in the nest before we go deal with the bats?”

Right! I know I’m the one who brought it up, but I think it’s best to deal with the immediate problem first!

Following Mr. Ville, Mr. Xenon, Mr. Ed, and Ms. Aria who have started moving as if to change the mood, I also head to explore the nest.

◆◇◆

The inside of the nest, which I explored alongside Mr. Ville, didn’t have anything particularly noteworthy. Just some crumbling nest materials and, well, things like that. There were also some things I’d rather not look at directly, but, well… I managed with half-closed eyes, go me!

“Aside from that mana stone, nothing else stood out…”

“Since they’re hornets, there wasn’t any honey either.”

That’s right! Since they are carnivorous, we unfortunately couldn’t harvest any honey. Instead, there are plenty of larvae, but… I really don’t feel like eating those.

‘For this me, they look delicious!’

“…Even I’m finding this a bit… yup…”

“I agree, this is definitely a hard pass for me too…”

I silence Gomamiso’s demands to be fed “delicious things” by making a circle with my fingers and placing it over its mouth. At first, it struggles, but eventually, it seems to give up. It settles into my arms, though still grumbling.

Alright. Now that Gomamiso has calmed down, following the principles of democracy, I’ll proceed with the democratic decision that the larvae are a no-go!

“But I still don’t quite understand what Gomamiso finds ‘delicious’ about them…”

“For monsters, high concentrations of magical power are a feast in themselves. This place seems to have a higher concentration of magic than elsewhere.”

As I tilted my head in confusion at Gomamiso’s repeated claims about deliciousness, Mr. Ville explained while pushing aside the crumbled wall.

Apparently, monsters with magical power circulating through their bodies instinctively crave the magical energy and elements in the land. In other words, for Gomamiso, this place with its high concentration of magical power is extremely enticing.

…I see, that makes sense.

For us, it would be like being surrounded by food stalls with delicious smells wafting through the air.

“No wonder it’s hungry…”

“I can understand the feeling, but insects are really…”

“Right… I really can’t do insects either…”

According to Survival, they’re edible and nutritious, but… I don’t want to eat those things. Besides, I have plenty of other ingredients in the Camping Car, so all the more reason not to…

“I don’t sense anything unusual besides the high magical power concentration… Let’s go outside…”

“Yes… there don’t seem to be any survivors either…”

Mr. Ville, with furrowed brows, gently pushes my back.

Indeed, there are no survivors nor other monsters that have entered—it’s just like a slightly enlarged beehive if I can call it that. If asked whether there’s anything else worth looking at… it’s too ordinary, and I can’t think of anything right now.

As Mr. Ville urges me forward, I carry Gomamiso, who still seems reluctant to leave, outside. The culling of Giant Bats appears to have just finished. Mr. Ed and Mr. Xenon notice us and wave their hands after putting away their staffs.

“Ah! Ville and Rin, welcome back!”

“We’ve finished culling, focusing on the larger ones.”

“Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Ed and Mr. Xenon! Are you both uninjured?”

I rush over to check on them, but they don’t seem to be hurt. I’m quite relieved!

The Giant Bats were either charred to the core or had their heads cleanly cut off.

I’m guessing the charred ones were Mr. Ed’s work, and the decapitated ones were Mr. Xenon and Ms. Aria’s doing. Mr. Xenon probably put them to sleep with magic first, and then Ms. Aria finished them off with her threads.

Meanwhile, Ms. Aria has apparently chased down a Giant Bat that fell into the forest and is now dragging back a particularly large one from the nearby bushes. Oh, right. Both Giant Bats and Mud Hornets are magical creatures rather than monsters, so their bodies remain.

“Good work, Ms. Aria! That’s quite a large one.”

“Mm. Probably… biggest!”

Ms. Aria, who drags the Giant Bat with a proud look on her face, also appears to be uninjured. I am not particularly worried since everyone is strong, but actually confirming they’re unharmed gives me a different level of reassurance.

“…Hey, Rin… Do we eat this too?”

“Hmm… it is labeled as edible, but honestly, I don’t have much appetite for it… We have plenty of Forest Boar meat too.”

Ms. Aria pointed at the pile of bats at everyone’s feet and tilted her head with a slightly anxious look.

I get it! I really do! Throughout our journey, we’ve eaten pretty much anything that seemed edible!

But even I have to draw the line somewhere… yup.

“…So, what should we do with these?”

“We need to take some of the nest materials back for investigation, but the rest can be burned.”

Mr. Ville, who has been alternately looking at the pile of Giant Bats and the remains of the giant nest, lets out a deep sigh with his brows still furrowed. He looks a little worn out, and I am pretty sure it isn’t just my imagination.

I totally get it… seeing a mountain of bats after dealing with insects must be tough even for someone with strong mental fortitude.

“Yeah, this really doesn’t whet the appetite, does it?”

“I’ve heard that in the past, smoked bats were used as a kind of medicinal ingredient, but I find that hard to understand…”

“Mm. Doesn’t look tasty.”

Mr. Ed and Mr. Xenon nodded with weary faces, while Ms. Aria, who was wrapping the bat corpses in a large net woven from her threads, frowned. She was probably going to drag them over to the nest remains and burn them together. It looks extremely heavy, and although the nest is right in front of us, I’m just about to offer to help pull it when Mr. Ed snaps his fingers.

Instantly, the pile of bats wrapped in the net floats up. As Ms. Aria pulls the thread, the large net drifts through the air, seemingly weightless.

“Wow! I always think this, but magic is amazing…!”

“Really? To us, your cooking seems just as magical, Rin.”

“Mm. It’s truly wonderful…!”

Even though I’ve become familiar with "magic" since coming to this world, seeing it used so casually right in front of me is still overwhelming. However according to Mr. Ed and Ms. Aria, watching ingredients turn into "food" without burning to a crisp or becoming dark matter looks like "magic" to them.

Hey! That would make all of us magicians!

While I’m thinking about such a silly idea, the pile of bats lands with a plop on top of the collapsed hive… Mr. Ed smiles and holds out his hand over the various things piled up.

“Well, I guess that wraps things up for now.”

His gloved palm closed tight, and suddenly the small mountain burst into flames, turning to ash in an instant.

The firepower is as intense as ever…

After confirming it had completely turned to ash, Mr. Ed pours water over it as a precaution, and Mr. Xenon casts a purification spell to prevent any chance of forest fires or curses.

While watching the cleanup and purification progress simultaneously, I suddenly feel a tug at the hem of my clothes.

“I wonder… Is Meia already sleeping?”

“It is getting late. You wanted to see her directly and tell her everything’s okay now, right?”

The one pulling my clothes was Ms. Aria, looking slightly disappointed with her slumped shoulders. Indeed, I wanted to tell that child directly that the problem was solved too, but… the moons are already starting to tilt westward, so Meia is probably already in dreamland. We’ve thoroughly eliminated what was scaring her, so I hope she has pleasant dreams tonight…

“Mm. I hope she can sleep soundly from tomorrow on.”

“Yes. I wish she could eat a lot, play a lot, sleep well, and grow up healthy.”

While having this conversation, I notice a beautiful flower blooming at my feet. According to Survival, it has no toxicity or danger—a pure white flower that looks like it collected the evening dew.

…That’s it! We may not be able to meet and talk to her directly, but…

“Hey, Ms. Aria. Is there any sign that this flower also has a high concentration of magical power?”

“Hmm… not particularly… Are you picking it?”

“Yes. I thought it might make a nice little gift.”

It might not be much of a reward for a child who’s been scared, but I thought it might make her happy, even a little… Since there doesn’t seem to be any magical contamination to worry about, I snap the stem at the base. When I bring it close to my nose, it has a soft, sweet scent.

“For now, let’s go report to the village that we’ve taken care of the root cause and dealt with the shadows.”

Everyone nods in agreement at Mr. Ville’s words as we watch the ashes return to the earth.

It’s quite late, but the village chief and the watchmen are waiting for us at the village entrance.

“We’ve completed the culling of the Giant Bats. We also discovered and dealt with the cause of their enlargement, so there shouldn’t be any further issues.”

“Oh! Really?! How can I ever thank you enough…!”

When Mr. Ville reported our findings to the village chief and the watchmen, cheers immediately erupted. Everyone is smiling broadly, raising their fists, or throwing their hands up in celebration. They’re incredibly happy.

The village chief firmly grasps Mr. Ville’s hand, who seems slightly taken aback by the atmosphere. Pressing the back of Mr. Ville’s hand to his forehead, he bows repeatedly. The watchmen also take turns shaking our hands, expressing their gratitude.

Well… I honestly just watched, so receiving so many thanks makes my back itch a little with embarrassment.

“That said, there’s always a chance something could happen, so if anything occurs, contact the Guild right away!”

“Y-yes! If anything happens, we’ll definitely…!”

While gently patting the back of the village chief, who seems overcome with emotion and is shedding tears, Mr. Ed softly added this advice.

Now the village chief grips Mr. Ed’s hand, nodding repeatedly through his tears before finally wiping them away.

Alright! I think we’ve got the post-mission follow-up nicely wrapped up!

“Oh, you must be tired! I apologize for keeping you standing. I can’t offer much hospitality, but please rest at my home tonight.”

“I appreciate the sentiment, but if possible, I’d like to report to the Guild first thing in the morning. We’d like to get back near the royal capital tonight.”

“Oh… in the middle of the night…!”

Mr. Ville gently declined the village chief’s offer, which was likely out of concern for our condition, with an apologetic expression.

That’s right. We made some rather strange discoveries this time, and we want to report them as soon as possible. The capital’s main gate is probably already closed, but we can at least get close enough to enter first thing in the morning.

Still, the village chief and watchmen seem reluctant to let their village saviors leave so late at night. Everyone is trying to persuade us to stay in the village. They’re probably worried we’ll be attacked by monsters or bandits… I understand that and appreciate their concern, but… our desire to hurry along is stronger.

After all, according to Mr. Noah, "Of the two key quests, the village event is just the preliminary battle." The next mission seems to be of higher importance, so it’s something we should tackle as soon as possible. That’s why I think we need to return to the royal capital quickly and start on the next quest.

“Rin, Aria! It’s time to depart!”

It seems Mr. Ville has managed to persuade the village chief and villagers. With the still-worried looking village chief and others behind us, Mr. Ville gives our shoulders a push. Gomamiso, who has learned to relax in my hood, clings tightly to me, probably startled by the sudden movement. It’s a bit painful.

“Mm. Understood!”

“Got it, but just a moment before that…!”

After nodding to Mr. Ville, I rush over to the village chief. Surprised by my sudden approach, the village chief’s soft, aged eyes widen.

“Um, this… it’s not a particularly rare flower, but please give it to Meia! Tell her everything is okay now!”

“Oh! You even thought of my granddaughter…! Thank you so much!”

Seeming to understand my intention, the village chief’s cheeks are streaked with tears again as he grips my hand with the flower.

Whoa… I haven’t done anything special, so please raise your face…!

After thanking me profusely, the village chief finally releases my hand. I bow slightly to reinforce my request, then run back to where everyone is waiting.

“Sorry! Thank you for waiting!”

“It’s fine. That child will surely be happy.”

Encouraged by Mr. Ville, who gives me a reassuring pat on the back, and watched over by the village chief and watchmen, we quietly leave the village.

Just like on the way here, Mr. Ed’s magical light serves as our torch. The difference is that it feels much quieter without the screeching sounds of the Giant Bats…

“Phew! It’s finally over! I kind of got swept up in all the emotions back there.”

“Night missions do tend to be mentally exhausting.”

Once the village lights disappear from view, Mr. Ed and Mr. Xenon sigh and stretch broadly.

I was probably a bit tense too, perhaps catching the villagers’ tension.

After all, even though it’s a game event, it’s a serious problem for the people living in this world. Of course, it was also a matter of life and death for all of us! Naturally, let’s not forget—we could still get injured or, in the worst case, die due to some mistake…!

I’m just glad everything turned out well.

“I’m… hungry…!”

“We ate before, but it really wasn’t enough.”

‘Me too! This me is hungry too!’

Ms. Aria and Mr. Ville press their stomachs with lowered brows, and Gomamiso joins in.

…Indeed, I’m a bit hungry too.

And as if anticipating this! I’m glad I prepared in advance!

“Alright! Then let’s have our special midnight snack time!”

Bright cheers ring out in the pre-dawn sky at my words and the appearance of the Camping Car, which materialized with a heavy tremor of the ground.

Excellent. Looks like everyone’s happy!

When I open the cabin door, the inside of the vehicle is filled with sweet and savory aromas. Everyone who follows me inside takes deep breaths of that scent. Every time Gomamiso’s nose twitches, its whiskers tickle my neck and cheeks, which is extremely ticklish.

Opening the oven door, the smell intensifies. The scent of roasting meat, combined with the simmered juices and fruit… It’s an aroma that hits the stomach directly.

“Hehehe…! It has such a wonderful color!”

“This is… magnificent!”

Taking out the baking sheet, I find a chunk of beautifully browned meat sitting in the center of a sauce that had thickened as the moisture evaporated. The surface, marinated in a mixture of grated onions, fruit juice, and spices, is covered with a caramelized glaze and shine created from the fat and meat juices that seeped out during roasting.

“You can tell it’s delicious just by looking at it…!”

‘Hey, hey! Can I taste it? This me can be a taste tester!’

“I’ll give you something different, Miso.”

I gently place the kitten, who has moved from my hood to my shoulder and is excitedly wagging its wings and tail, on the floor. Even if it is a monster, I don’t think it’s a good idea to feed it meat full of spices. Instead, I’ll give it some good parts of leftover meat.

After cutting some pickles that serve as a side dish a bit thickly, I place the meat, which has cooled enough to touch, impressively on the cutting board.

“Seeing it on the counter really shows how big it is!”

“It didn’t look that big outside, but now that it’s in the car, it seems pretty sizable.”

With Mr. Ed and Mr. Xenon’s impressed voices as background music, I cut into the meat, and clear juices immediately flow out. Feeling it’s a shame to let the juices spill onto the cutting board and knife, I continue cutting, revealing the slightly pinkish meat. This color is possible because I baked it at a moderate temperature of 180 degrees and let it cook slowly with residual heat.

The pure white fat is slightly translucent, and the fat that overflowed from it has soaked into the pink meat, making it glisten. I arrange the sliced meat in a circle on the plate and add half of the pickles—it looks as beautiful as a blooming flower. I hand the plate to Mr. Ed, who is closest.

“For now, please hold your hunger with this! The main dish will take a bit more time.”

“Huh, are you sure? You must be hungry too, Rin!”

“Well, you see, I’m in a position where I can taste as much as I want!”

As Mr. Ed’s green eyes, glistening with joy, are dejected the next moment, I dramatically carve a thick piece of roast boar. Sampling is the chef’s privilege! Understanding that I won’t go without, Mr. Ed smiles and takes the plate to everyone else. It seems he’s satisfied!

I pick up a slice and, forgetting my manners, push it into my mouth.

“Mmmmmm!”

As I bite down, the elastic meat slowly breaks down while pushing back against my teeth. With marbling not just in the fatty parts but throughout the lean meat, the overall result is moist and tender. The more I chew, the more meat juices and fat fill my mouth, but thanks to the citrus fragrance in the marinade, it doesn’t feel heavy.

Ahhh! Of course, the meat itself is amazing, but it also feels like all my hard work paid off!

While mentally giving myself a victory pose, I notice my sleeves are slipping down. Just as I try to push them back up, I realize my hands are dirty with marinade and meat juices. As I flutter about in front of the cooking counter, someone firmly grabs my arm. Looking up, I see Mr. Ville, who is still chewing a mouthful of meat, quickly rolling up my sleeves for me.

“So, what exactly are you planning to make, Rin?”

“Mr. Ville! I’m thinking of making a unique kind of sandwich.”

Mr. Ville swallows his meat and his eyes light up with anticipation for this unfamiliar dish as I flex my muscles to show my determination. Yes, I know my muscles are pitiful! But when it comes to getting psyched up, this pose just feels right!

After slicing all the remaining meat, I take the leftover ham and cheese from the fridge and slice them as thinly as possible. Someone may ask, "If you’re using roast boar, do you really need ham too?" But I heard it tastes better with ham!

And cheese is also a must, so I prepare plenty of that too!

The trick is to spread the mustard generously on the bread!

“That’s quite a loaded sandwich. Perfect for us.”

“Hehehe! And I’m about to add even more calories!”

Giving an eager-looking Mr. Ville a thumbs-up, I place the frying pan onto the stove with a clatter. And into it goes another generous portion of butter.

Yes! The key to a Cuban sandwich is crisping up the baguette’s surface with butter… or so they say.

As the creamy white sea melts and bubbles in circular patterns, I place the loaded baguette sandwiches on top and press them down to cook. The soft baguette absorbs more butter than I expected, so I have to add more butter when cooking the other side.

“Ahhh… amazing… it smells sinfully good…!”

“This is… yeah, I understand what you mean…!”

The scent of butter and the light, toasty aroma of bread mix with the smell of melted cheese…!

Even though it’s still cooking, my mouth is already watering.

The golden-brown crust looks so appetizing, tempting me to think, "Maybe this is good enough?" And I’m not the only one feeling this way—next to me, I can feel Mr. Ville’s fidgety gaze saying "Isn’t it ready yet?" and I can also sense piercing stares from the table behind me…

Fighting both my inner urges and the external pressure, I hold out until both sides are nicely browned…

“Ah! I need to give some meat to Miso too!”

‘Yes! This me is wondering when you’d feed me!’

After giving a gentle pat to the kitten headbutting my shin, I take out the leftover Hot Water Monitor Lizard meat from the fridge. It’s a perfect amount—too little for all of us, but almost too much for Gomamiso.

I cut it into appropriate sizes and pile it onto a small plate.

“Here, Miso. You can eat first.”

‘Meat! Meat!’

Gomamiso’s eyes sparkle brightly as it pounces on the meat the moment I place the small dish at its feet, gobbling it up eagerly.

Wow, it must’ve been really hungry!

While watching the kitten devour its food, an especially savory aroma tickled my nose. When I poke at the sandwiches with the spatula, they feel firm and light.

“Alright! This should do it!”

“F-Finally!”

With my hunger and everyone’s pressure—led by Mr. Ville—reaching its peak, I lift the perfectly toasted Cuban sandwiches onto a large plate.

Without me saying anything, Mr. Ville takes out barley tea from the fridge and brings glasses for everyone. When we head over to the others, the sliced roast boar has completely disappeared.

“Tonight’s midnight snack is Cuban sandwiches… grilled sandwiches with roast boar!”

A chorus of cheers erupts all at once, shaking the Camping Car, despite how firmly it was planted on the ground. It really hit me—everyone had been eagerly waiting for this.

“They’re toasted on both sides, so if your hands get greasy, use this to wipe them off.”

I place the plate of Cuban sandwiches in the center of the table, wet tissues beside it, and take my seat.

“Now, help yourselves!”

As soon as I finish speaking, arms extend from all directions, snatching up the Cuban sandwiches.

I grab one of the remaining sandwiches and bite into its fragrant, toasted surface.

“Mmmmmm! It’s sooo good!”

“Rin, what is this?! It tastes sinfully delicious!”

“Eating something this decadent in the middle of the night somehow makes it taste even better…!”

The others who started eating before me are shouting with delight, but I’m feeling exactly the same way as I chew my sandwich!

When you bite through the crispy surface, the absorbed butter gushes out…! The saltiness complements the slightly sweet bread so well! The inside of the baguette, which has soaked up butter, meat juices, and melted cheese, is soft and fluffy, offering a different texture from the surface. The melted cheese clings to the salty ham, the slightly sour pickles, and… the roast boar with its citrus aroma…! Perhaps because I pressed them while cooking, the ingredients are packed tightly together, creating a unified experience. And when you wash it down with cold barley tea… it’s pure bliss!

“So, Rin… they disappeared in an instant…?”

Mr. Ville, licking his gleaming buttery lips, looks at me with eyes that ask, "Any seconds?”

I wish I could oblige, but…

“Unfortunately, what’s on the table is all there was!”

“I figured as much… darn it!”

At my words, after swallowing the last morsel, Mr. Ville hung his head in disappointment.

We may be out of roast boar and Cuban sandwiches, but we still have other meats left, and I’ll definitely make other dishes!

“…Mm… I want more…”

“I know it’s just a late-night snack, but I can’t help wanting more …!”

“I understand we’re supposed to be going to bed soon, but I could easily eat one more… no, three more…”

The illustration’s description: Aria and Ed are eating Cuban sandwiches.

Everyone looks so dejected, but I hope they won’t be too discouraged…

While everyone slumps their shoulders in disappointment, the kitten with its round belly approaches me, brushing against my legs with its tail standing straight up. When I pick it up, it purrs contentedly.

‘This me is—very full!’

“You would be! After eating all that, your tummy must be stuffed!”

As I stroke the kitten’s bulging belly, I absently watch the others begin to clean up and prepare for bed, looking like the walking dead.

◆◇◆

After taking a nap and passing through the great gate early in the morning… The conversation I had with Mr. Noah yesterday keeps swirling in my head as we head toward the royal castle.

‘Isn’t that… too dangerous…?’

‘I understand what you’re saying, Ms. Rin… If I could, I wouldn’t want to send Ville either…’

When I heard Mr. Noah’s plan, I must’ve furrowed my brow tightly. Seeing the clear refusal written all over my face, he lowered his gaze with a heavy look.

I mean… what Mr. Noah proposed was to conquer that dungeon—the very one where Mr. Ville and his party died in the game—and on top of that, to sabotage an event near the royal capital that would increase intimacy levels and experience points. Sure, the latter makes sense—sabotaging them would give us an upper hand—but the former… the former is just…!

‘But you see, the Orb Dungeon’s mechanisms are designed so they can only be solved by someone who actually came from another world…’

‘N-No way… you mean there was a hidden setting like that?!’

‘Since my coronation, I’ve sent several investigation teams… but that last door just wouldn’t budge no matter what we tried…’

Every word that slipped from Mr. Noah’s downturned lips was something I couldn’t afford to ignore.

If that was how it was set up, then the only ones who could solve the Orb Dungeon’s tricks were either me or the saint—no way! If we wanted to conquer the Orb Dungeon to interfere with the saint’s group, that meant our party had to go! But if I refused because I was worried about Mr. Ville and everyone, important items would fall into the saint’s hands, and Mr. Noah… this country might face terrible consequences!

This was… was this a checkmate situation?

No matter what, it seemed like I had no choice but to steel myself and head to the dungeon.

‘I’ll give you every bit of intel I’ve got to help with the dungeon. I can supply you with weapons, gear, and items, of course.’

I felt like I heard an unspoken plea: “So please, won’t you go to the dungeon…”

…I understood that Mr. Noah didn’t want to send his half-brother into danger by choice. And I understood that letting the saint’s group do whatever they wanted would be problematic in many ways. Because I understood, my rationality was fighting fiercely with my emotions—one saying I must agree, the other wanting to say no!

‘But Ms. Rin, I’m not asking without having a plan.’

‘Not without a plan… You mean, you’ve found a way to get through it?’

Seeing through my internal conflict, Mr. Noah spoke again. Hearing my doubtful inquiry, his sorrowful expression lightened slightly.

‘Yes. The key to conquering it is understanding that the Orb Dungeon primarily wears you down through endless monster spawns.’

‘Endless spawns…’

‘That’s how it’s set up in the game, and the advance teams have reported that no matter how many monsters they defeat, more keep appearing.’

Wow… what a troublesome dungeon! In terms of attacks, recovery, food, and rest… it’s the kind that gradually depletes your resources until you can’t move forward!

…Wait? That means…

‘With my skill… Camping Car… we could progress through such a dungeon while taking breaks…?’

‘…That’s what I’m thinking.’

Mr. Noah looked at me as I raised my head suddenly, nodding firmly to affirm my realization.

‘Of course, I’d like you to decide as soon as possible, but I understand it’s difficult to answer right away. I’d like to hear your response after you deal with the event in the nearby village.’

…Well, that’s what he told me.

I think… I’ve made up my mind.

If we don’t go to the dungeon and Mr. Noah falls, this country might be engulfed in war… I don’t want to think about that! Just imagining little kids like Meia from Sawashi Village getting caught up in it…!

After a quick nap, we slipped through the main gate at first light… then dashed through the secret passage. What greeted us at the end was Mr. Noah at a desk piled high with stacks of documents and his cheerful voice.

His red eyes, slightly lighter than Mr. Ville’s, meet mine. I feel like his gaze is silently asking, "Have you made up your mind?" I nod firmly… without saying a word.

At this point, I’m fully committed! I’ll do whatever I can!

Seeing my determination, Mr. Noah’s smile deepens. After our silent exchange, he turns his gaze to Mr. Ville.

“Thank you for your trouble, Ville.”

“You probably had your ‘shadows’ investigating anyway, right? Do you even need our report?”

“My, how harsh. This time I actually trusted you all and didn’t make any moves on my side.”

Mr. Ville snorted skeptically with a slightly pouty response, while Mr. Noah replied with a carefree voice.

As I listen to their exchange while still bowing, I hear Mr. Noah laugh softly.

“Would you all raise your heads? It’s rather difficult for me to talk to you like this.”

Mr. Noah is as easygoing as ever… Still, if he tells us to raise our faces, I have no reason not to. Taking great care not to be too early or too late compared to everyone else, I lift my head to see Mr. Noah smiling brightly, his glossy black hair translucent in the morning light.

“First of all, thank you for your night mission. From the looks of it, I assume it went well? Please share your report.”

Prompted by Mr. Noah’s graceful wave, Mr. Ville reluctantly begins speaking. He tells about seeing a large shadow before reaching the village, and how that shadow turned out to be a Giant Bat. Then, during the investigation, we discovered an oversized hive and took care of it. And from within the body of what appeared to be the queen, we discovered a mana stone…

“Hmm… so it has appeared after all…”

For the first time, Mr. Noah’s brow furrows as he examines the actual stone placed on his desk. I wonder if even though Mr. Noah knew about the event, hearing a direct report from someone close makes it feel more real?

…Come to think of it… looking at them like this, Mr. Noah and Mr. Ville seem somewhat alike! Even with different mothers, they share the same blood, so of course they’d have similarities.

Mr. Ville, completely unaware of my thoughts, seems to catch on to Mr. Noah’s choice of words.

“’After all’? Does that mean there were signs beforehand!?”

“Not signs exactly. Now, let me present some information from my side.”

Mr. Noah smoothly evaded Mr. Ville’s confrontational tone and firmly tapped the mountain of documents on his desk.

…Huh… wait…?

Could it be that the information is… all those documents?! I thought he’d just verbally share information about the game scenario, but he actually gathered materials too?! Gathering that much information… just how long must that have taken…!?

As I feel dizzy at the thought, Mr. Noah deepens his smile in front of me—well, technically in front of everyone, considering our positions.

“I did a little digging into the saint summoning myself… but the only detailed information I could find was in a book compiling oral traditions and legends, accessible only to the royal family.”

“…You’ve dug up some rather antiquated information… So, did you find anything?!”

“Don’t be so impatient, Ville. It seems that after a saint is summoned, ‘strange occurrences’ tend to happen.”

As Mr. Ville leaned forward, Mr. Noah restrained his brother’s eagerness with his palm and responded while massaging his brow.

According to the records Mr. Noah held, the summoning of a saint is accompanied by mutated monsters, sudden appearances of dungeons, or—as in this case—special items like mana stones acting as a core and causing surrounding flora and fauna to mutate.

…However, I don’t know if this is true or false. There is always a chance that Mr. Noah, with his game knowledge, fabricated this…

I try not to let it show on my face, but my emotions threaten to spill over—I bite my lip hard. Glancing at Mr. Ville, I can see the tension in his clenched fist.

“I obviously can’t show you the original texts or go into detail, but doesn’t this help some pieces fall into place?”

“…Y-yeah… I suppose… but still…”

Mr. Ville’s voice was slightly hoarse and trembling as he responded to Mr. Noah, who had glanced at our undisguised agitation with compassionate eyes. Without commenting on or teasing him, Mr. Noah pulls out a section from the stack of documents.

“Also, I’ve received intel from a ‘shadow’ regarding the group behind this saint summoning.”

Mr. Ville takes the offered documents and silently begins flipping through the pages.

“The ringleaders this time are from the neighboring country… It’s members of the royal family and high-ranking nobles, though I’m not sure if we can still call them that way.”

“……Hmm… A perfect gathering of third sons and below, all staunch human supremacists…”

“Yes. The truth is probably just that these sidelined individuals got carried away and acted on their own.”

…Wow… just listening to these two talks, some pretty ominous terms are popping up! I tighten my grip on Gomamiso, who has grown completely bored and starts squirming in my arms, while still focusing on their conversation.

Apparently, as far as the current situation goes, this world has developed a fairly advanced level of tolerance toward other races.

What Mr. Ville called "human supremacists" refers literally to people with exclusive attitudes toward non-human races. Currently, various races live together in cities, and most humans are tolerant of other races, but in the past, humans, being the most populous race, often discriminated unfairly against other races.

Now, those with exclusive mindsets are more likely to be frowned upon… and it seems the saint summoning was carried out unilaterally by those with strong beliefs in their superiority.

If only they’d failed… but thanks to their unnecessarily high capabilities, they actually managed to pull off the summoning.

“Apparently, they’re using the ‘presence of the saint’ as a pretext to go around ‘slaying monsters’—blasting forests with large-scale magic and killing beasts and magical creatures… That’s a bit of a problem, to say the least.”

Despite saying it’s a problem, Mr. Noah’s face doesn’t look troubled at all as he smiles with that cold glint in the depths of his eyes that definitely isn’t my imagination! When he makes that face, I really think he resembles Mr. Ville.

Hearing Mr. Noah’s words, Mr. Ville, who has been tilting his head in confusion, opens his mouth with visible hesitation.

“As a pretext…? Even if she’s revered as a ‘saint,’ she shouldn’t have that much authority, right? Aren’t there any complaints?”

“Yes. The saint is said to drive away evil, purify miasma, and lead the world to peace—but she’s not a godlike figure no one dares to oppose. However…”

With his cold smile still in place, Mr. Noah, who has been listening to Mr. Ville’s words, places a finger on his chin. His thin, well-shaped lips curve upward like a crescent moon. The red eyes beneath his brows trace an arc, gleaming with even more frigid intensity.

“If a girl suddenly shows up in front of people troubled by monsters and says, ‘I’m a saint! I can defeat monsters!’—and even if the collateral damage is huge, she does take them down… there aren’t many who’d complain, don’t you think?”

Ahhh, I get it now. When I was summoned to this world, they called my skills “trash” and tossed me aside, but the other girl got the full “Lady Saint” treatment… I mean, even I had a skill, even if they called it trash, and I got another one as a kind of isekai’d bonus… so it’s not strange if the girl they call “saint” ended up with purification or monster-slaying skills! Assuming that’s the case, it’s not surprising that Lady Saint and her entourage can defeat monsters…

If people caught up in monster troubles, like the Sawashi village yesterday, were helped by the saint’s group… if the danger actually disappeared and they could live safely… would they tolerate a certain amount of damage? Hmm…

Or maybe they were convinced that destroying forests and wiping out beasts and magical creatures was just “necessary for monster subjugation”…?

…Sure, they’re helping people, I guess… but something still doesn’t sit right with me…

“They’ve just entered our country. They haven’t crossed the line yet, but I intend to report them to their country soon and have them retrieved.”

It seems like the king wants to keep them under observation for a bit longer. There’s been a notice to avoid contact with the saint’s group as much as possible!

Maybe the plan is to steadily accumulate evidence and then strike back all at once, once something undeniable happens?

Hmm… A small sparrow like me doesn’t really understand the ambitions of a great swan!

“…Wait, what are they even doing here in Riessfeld…?”

“Ah. They were rampaging in their home country for a while, but their true objective is our country… or rather, my head, as they call me the ‘Demon King’.”

In front of Mr. Ville, who had voiced an obvious question, Mr. Noah smiled nicely and made a chopping motion at his neck.

Mr. Ville, caught completely off guard, is left speechless. His throat makes a sharp, startled gasp.

“Wh-what!? Bro… you… uh… your head!?”

“It seems they consider me the root of all evil. Well, of course, I’ve made preparations, so it’ll be fine.”

Even Mr. Ville, usually composed, seemed flustered—starting to speak, stopping, then trying again in a loop. Meanwhile, Mr. Noah remained calm, casually waving his hand without breaking his serene smile.

…If the saint believes Mr. Noah is the Demon King, maybe she has been treating her monster-hunting journey like a grind to level up… and now that she has stockpiled enough experience, she and her group have come to this country to defeat the “Demon King”…?

Really… are there actually people who think of reality like a game? Well, I also thought "It’s like a game!" at first, and it is basically a game world…

There’s a non-zero possibility that the saint knows about the game "The Wild Rose Maiden," but I doubt it’s likely. Even so, she gets summoned and told to defeat the Demon King, and she just goes “Sure thing!”—really?

But then again, it’s possible that the game scenario’s coercive force is designed to make her think that way…

“Of course, I have shadows monitoring their actions, so there’s no way they could do anything to me.”

“That’s… that’s only natural!”

Mr. Ville raised his voice in frustration at Mr. Noah’s casual response.

Even I’m feeling this way just listening to the story, so it’s understandable that Mr. Ville, who’s close to Mr. Noah, would be confused…

“That’s why I want you and your party to go to a dungeon. It’s not too far from here, and I think you can clear it in less than a week. Conquering it will really help us going forward.”

“A dungeon…? Was there such a thing near the royal capital?”

“Hehehe… It’s a classified dungeon. Very few people would know about this.”

Mr. Noah hands a thick stack of documents to Mr. Ville, who has held his breath for just a moment. It’s the type where quite a number of papers are bound together with string.

“According to legends passed down through generations, there’s an orb with powerful forces hidden deep in that dungeon.”

“…I see… If we can seize it before the saint’s group, it would both strengthen our forces and weaken theirs… is that it?”

“You can think of it that way. It involves some danger, but I believe the dungeon is worth the danger for the reward it offers.”

Mr. Noah quietly spins his words toward Mr. Ville, who has already started turning the pages.

Since I already know the situation, I can stay calm, but I’m just praying that Mr. Ville doesn’t get overwhelmed by the amount of information!

With eyes full of determination, Mr. Noah looks at Mr. Ville and continues to speak.

“The advance team has reported that it’s the type of dungeon where a considerable number of monsters appear, but I believe with Ms. Rin’s skill, conquering it should be possible.”

“Rin’s!?”

I nod firmly to Mr. Ville, who turns to me as if startled.

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