Chapter One Hundred and Thirty-One: Operation Hornet Nest Extermination Begins!
While I’m tightly hugging Gomamiso, who can’t stop cracking and swishing its tail due to its wild instincts being stimulated, Mr. Ed’s expression softens as he talks with Ms. Aria. Mr. Ed really loves her… And Ms. Aria treats him a bit differently from others too. It’s beautiful to see them getting along so well.
“Alright then, I’ll use magic to seal off the nest and prevent reinforcements from coming.”
“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.
Though he’s the smallest among our party’s men, Mr. Ed is still fairly tall by normal standards, and he’s completely exposed above 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 mess up our initial move!?
…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 rushed at him all at once, Ms. Aria’s thread, woven like a net, caught them and instantly dragged 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 it like this for a while. We need to make sure we get all 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 I agree that we should leave it like this for a bit.
…Oh, but…
“Is it okay to keep it frozen like this? Won’t it drain your magic power, Mr. Ed? Won’t you get tired?”
“Hmm… I’ve sectioned off the space, so it’s not really affected by outside temperature and stuff. Just maintaining it isn’t too bad?”
“Sectioned off the space…? I don’t really understand, but if it’s not affecting you, that’s what matters!”
…Yup. That was a bit too technical for an amateur like me! 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 be a burden on Mr. Ed!
While I’m nodding to myself, lost in thought, Gomamiso suddenly starts struggling in my arms.
Huh… wait…! It was making cracking noises but was calm just a moment ago! What happened all of a sudden?
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 can’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 my confusion, 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 did say these hornets smell and taste good… What could be in this nest…?
A mix of anxiety about the unknown, curiosity and a touch of fear swirls in my chest.
I have a feeling 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.
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