Chapter 6 - Chapter 6: Hunting is a Noble's Pastime
Gokigenyou. I am Violia Nico Fortesia. I have just been called out to by some young master or other.
The young master before my eyes is a noble. He is a noble, through and through.
He is likely younger than I. With his silky blonde hair that is clearly well-maintained, his skin as smooth as porcelain, and his large eyes like the blue sky, his appearance screams 'well-bred young master.'
I suppose he intends to be incognito. His clothing is styled like that of a novice mage, but to me, it is painfully obvious. A silk robe with defensive magic woven heavily into the lining—what kind of novice equipment is that!? Are you mocking novices!?
"What do you want? Please be brief. I am in a hurry."
With that, I shall preemptively check him.
If he is a noble, he might be someone targeting me. Unfortunately, I have no intention of falling behind a spindly little young master like this, but there is no telling what might be backing him up.
...And so, I said those words while giving him a firm glare.
"W-Would you like to form a party with me!?"
"...Hah?"
Somehow, an answer came from a completely unexpected direction.
"You're going to slay a dragon now, aren't you!?"
"Yes, that is correct."
He overheard my conversation with the Pin-Hane Girl earlier, and it is not something I need to hide, so I answered. Upon my reply, the young master's sky-blue eyes sparkled so brightly... I have nothing but a bad feeling about this.
"Then please take me with you! I absolutely must slay a dragon!"
"Is that so? I refuse. I have no need for dead weight."
I have no reason to accept. I refuse. Honestly, if he thought I would accept just like that, he is a considerable sweet summer child.
"W... Why?"
He was a sweet summer child. A massive sweet summer child. This boy is incredibly spoiled.
"I'm sure I can be of use! I've even mastered a bit of magic..."
"If you believe that 'mastering a bit' of magic makes you useful for a dragon hunt, you would be better off returning to your estate."
Nothing good will come of speaking further. Having judged so, I decide to leave the area quickly.
"W-Wait! Please! I really need to slay a dragon! I'll give you a reward!"
...However.
There are a few things that pique my interest.
"I, well, I'm a noble. I'm disguised as an adventurer for certain reasons, but..."
It was painfully obvious. It is simply laughable to see you making a face as if you are revealing some grave secret.
"...I suppose I could at least hear you out."
Well, since a noble young master is wandering around alone like this, it seems I might be able to make use of him, no?
"My name is Lital Pia Esclan. I am the third son of House Esclan."
...Oh, as I thought.
I felt like I had seen that face somewhere before, and I was right.
"House Esclan... that would be a branch family of the prestigious House Clarino, would it not?"
"You know of us!?"
"House Clarino is one of the most prominent families in the Royal Capital. I am somewhat aware of their branch families as well."
Well, I do not know much about the Esclans, but I know House Clarino very well. After all, they are relatives of the house I plan to crush.
...Yes.
House Clarino! They are part of that group of lunatics who framed me and made me a fallen noblewoman! Unforgivable!
"Furthermore, you bear a striking resemblance to the son of House Clarino."
The members of House Clarino all have silky blonde hair and blue eyes. While their features were not quite as androgynous as this young master's, the general coloring is certainly similar.
"I-Is that so? My family tells me I don't look like Brother Chris at all..."
...Yes. Well.
'Brother Chris' likely refers to Chris Bay Clarino. The only son of House Clarino.
Chris Bay Clarino is indeed a beautiful young man with the same blonde hair and blue eyes as this boy, but the direction of their beauty is quite different.
The young master before me is androgynous, to the point where one cannot tell if he is male or female, whereas Chris Bay Clarino has a face and body that says 'I am definitely a man.' Well, they are a family of soldiers, so he must have inherited that blood strongly.
"I have a weak constitution, and compared to Brother Chris and the other men in the family, I'm much weaker... They say I'm better at magic than the sword, and that I'm not manly..."
Well, I can see that. He looks like a total weakling. I shall not say it, though.
"...I heard that Brother Chris was already participating in dragon subjugation units when he was my age...! I want to be like Brother Chris! To do that, I wanted to gain the same experience... You might think that's pathetic, but..."
...Oh. So that is his goal. Well, it is a commendable mindset, I suppose.
"Please! To put my father and mother at ease! I want to prove that I can do well!"
I understand his spirit. However, is that not a bit too shallow of a thought?
"Is the conclusion you desire to be bitten through the head by a dragon and never return? As I said before, you are dead weight."
"Ugh..."
"I have no obligation to help you gain experience, do I? I could understand if you followed your estate's knight order, but to ask to form a party with me... essentially, are you not just a parasite looking for a free ride?"
"Uuu..."
Logical arguments pierce a sweet summer child quite effectively. For now, I shall just keep stabbing and see how the young master reacts.
"...I... even so, I want to participate in a dragon subjugation and... know the harshness of the world...! To be honest, I have almost no confidence that I can be useful. But, even just watching is fine..."
...The 'beginners dreaming of becoming a [Dragon Slayer]' that the Pin-Hane Girl mentioned must be exactly like this young master. Truly, what a hopeless sweet summer child.
However... a noble of a branch family of House Clarino.
It would not be bad to have him owe me a favor.
"Then, your opening words should have been different."
"Eh?"
"Instead of 'form a party with me,' you should have said 'I wish to hire you as a guard,' should you not?"
"...Eh?"
When I smiled at the young master, he blinked his large eyes... and then his face suddenly brightened.
"While I complete the dragon subjugation request, I shall also accept the job of guarding your 'Dragon Subjugation Observation Tour.' However, are you prepared? This will be expensive."
"Yes! I don't mind! Please, I look forward to working with you!"
...To say 'I look forward to working with you' without even asking the price, he really is a sweet summer child. Well, I have no intention of demanding his internal organs or anything here.
"Very well. Then we shall depart immediately. Follow me, Lital. You may call me Ayle."
"Yes! Ayle-sama!"
...And so, I ended up heading for the dragon hunt with one piece of luggage dangling behind me.
Well, one piece of luggage will not be much of a hindrance. If he truly becomes a nuisance, I shall just dump him in the mountains somewhere, so there is no need to worry.
More importantly...
"Ah, by the way, um... how much will the reward be..."
"Before that, a few points of caution regarding hiring me."
I gave him a beaming, radiant smile.
"First, you must always follow my instructions. Do not leave my side. Do not interfere with my methods. Furthermore, you are to tell no one about me. I do not wish to attract unnecessary jealousy."
"Y-Yes."
First, I must firmly secure his word. There is no telling what might happen on the road.
"...We shall discuss and decide on the reward after the dragon hunt is over."
Lital, seemingly unaware that he had stuck his head into something dangerous, nodded energetically.
And so, deciding to find lodging along the way, we departed immediately. I cannot let anyone else take the dragon. Furthermore, considering I am dragging luggage along, I should act sooner rather than later.
The journey for a dragon hunt is also arduous.
"A-Are we going through a place like this...?"
"If you dislike it, you may go home."
"Uuuu..."
It might be difficult for Lital, who is a young master from head to toe, but we will pass through forests teeming with monsters as a matter of course.
"L-Look! They're there! In the shadow of that tree! Ah! Behind that rock too!"
"It is no problem. Once I've made a few of them spray their brains about, the rest will be too terrified to attack."
"E-Eeh..."
Arrows are convenient at times like this. I stop the horse and fire an arrow from horseback.
After a few shots, there was the presence of dead monsters in the trees and behind rocks. Once a few death cries rang out, I could tell the other monsters that seemed to be lurking were intimidated.
...However.
"...Something is coming."
The depths of the forest stir. It is as if it were foretelling the arrival of a powerful being.
"W-What's coming?"
I do not answer Lital's question. Instead, I ready an arrow and wait for 'it' to appear.
...And then.
"Alright! It's here!"
Appearing while snapping and crushing trees was...
"U-Uwaah! An Ogre!"
An Ogre.
A monster known for being ferocious and powerful.
In other words, a fairly big catch!
I release the arrow I had readied, and it immediately hits the Ogre's shin. I was aiming for the knee, but my aim was slightly off.
And an Ogre is not the type to stop just because an arrow is stuck in its shin. The Ogre immediately began to charge at us.
I ready another arrow.
But.
"D-Don't come any closer! 'O Water'!"
...Lital's interference came in there.
A ball of water floated up and hit the Ogre directly in the face. ...Of course, the Ogre brushed it off immediately. If it were a monster with no resistance to magic, that might have suffocated it, but it has little effect against an Ogre.
Moreover, my arrow was pushed aside by that water ball and went astray. The arrow that was aimed at the Ogre's crown ended up only grazing its cheek.
"I-It didn't work."
"Stay back! Do not interfere! You are in the way!"
Stepping in front of Lital, I quickly prepare the next arrow.
...But the Ogre is already quite enraged after being hit once and then having its face messed with by water magic.
There is no time to hesitate. I shall surely finish it with the next strike.
I slid my finger over the arrowhead to let a bit of blood seep onto it, then aimed at the Ogre with that arrow.
"A-Ayle-sama!"
"It is fine."
It is not so difficult to aim at an Ogre charging straight at me.
As its arm was raised and approached me... I waited until the very last second and released the arrow.
"Hunting is a noble's pastime."
This time, the arrow surely pierced the Ogre's eyeball. The Ogre collapsed on the spot. After convulsing a few times, it stopped moving entirely.
Well, against my hands, a single Ogre is nothing more than this. Ohohohoho.