Chapter 34 - A New Method for Rat Extermination
Today is rat extermination day.
It's me, Beatrix, and Paul-san. Since the Marcelo Company took over the monster extermination contract, it was decided that we could do the rat extermination in the underground sewers without Beowulf.
When we go to the Guard station to give our greetings, Hans-san is there as usual.
"Hey, Acting Captain Hans. We're going rat extermination today."
"Good work. If a former hunter and sewer specialist is going, we can expect a big haul today."
That's exactly right. Beatrix and I are fully intent on breaking our record of fifteen rats exterminated in a single day.
"I've never done rat extermination in my life."
"Eh?"
The voices of everyone except Paul-san overlapped.
"What are you so surprised about?"
No, of course we're surprised. Paul-san, you were the head of sewage management, right?
"Rat extermination is the Guard's job. The Water and Sewage Management Office handles the management of water and sewage facilities and sewage treatment at the processing plant. Monster extermination wasn't included in the contract."
Paul-san alone has a puzzled look on his face.
"Well, that's certainly true..."
Hans-san seems to have lost his words, his expectations thwarted.
"Not even once?"
"Not even once."
"Like during inspections..."
"There's no need to do rat extermination during an inspection, right? Dealing with them was a hassle, so when I found them, I just blew them away with wind magic and that was it. I didn't check if they died or not."
"I see."
Beatrix also seemed convinced.
Is it the composure of a former hunter, or what they call a difference in skill? Somehow, we, who were desperately doing rat extermination, feel quite powerless.
While we were in a somewhat dejected state, Hans-san asked us for a favor.
He wants us to check if the spiders have increased once we go underground.
I don't really know what he means, but since Mayor Adolf also told me to look closely at the number and size of insects encountered in the sewers, I replied "Understood" and set off.
We decided to have Paul-san, who has never done rat extermination, experience the Birdcage Strategy we usually use.
We decided to have Paul-san play the role of the stone-thrower that Beowulf usually does, but as expected of a former hunter... no, a currently active hunter who has returned to the field, he made the four cornered rats unable to move in an instant. The finishing blows were struck by mine and Beatrix's magic. To be precise, he let us have them.
According to Paul-san, there's no need to deliver the finishing blow with a stone; you just need to aim for the head to knock them unconscious and then take your time exterminating them. When I said that was impossible, he told me that since attacking with stones—whether thrown by hand or using a sling—is something even powerless priests and mages can do, I should practice it.
That's exactly right. Since I haven't learned staff techniques, I can't do close-quarters combat. He said even if I don't hit, it serves as a deterrent, so I'll practice from now on.
At any rate, that's the first four. A great start. It would be good if we could continue exterminating at the same pace in the next four locations, but the number of appearances gradually decreases because of the loud noise when the gate is dropped. In the end, it usually ends up being around twelve or thirteen rats. To increase the count, this is a problem that must be solved.
When I asked Paul-san for his impressions, he said the same thing.
However, Beatrix and I can't use magic to silence sound, and we can't use magic without chanting.
When the sound of the chant reaches the rats, they become wary. To prevent the gathered rats from escaping, a birdcage is necessary, and when that birdcage is dropped, it makes a loud noise. Even the subsequent stone-throwing and magic attacks still make noise.
When we told Paul-san the magic we could use as he asked, he said we might not need to drop the cage. When I asked if Paul-san would use magic, he said that wasn't it. He said we need to eventually be able to do rat extermination on our own, and he seems to be thinking of a method the two of us can do alone.
Paul-san took the cage made of wire apart into four wire meshes and lined them up on the floor where the rats gather. There, he splashed a large amount of salt water made by mixing salt into water drawn from above ground, creating a puddle. After that, he set a lit torch in a wall bracket and we went up above the hole, where Paul-san and I hung the chicken carcass bait. We just stayed like that, watching the situation below from above the hole. That was all.
Beatrix is at a distance. She's keeping her distance so that even if she chants, her voice won't reach the rats. Just in case, I had her face the other way when she chants.
We wait for a while like that.
Squeaking voices can be heard; the rats must have gathered.
Since we've set a torch, the smell of the oil should mask our scent considerably.
When I gave the signal, Beatrix turned away. It seems she's started the magic chant.
Whether she's using a low voice or not, we can't hear it.
When I held up a hand mirror to check the situation below, four rats had gathered here as well.
Beatrix turns back toward us. The chant must be complete. Something hazy is drifting in the palms of her outstretched hands.
She's using both hands on Paul-san's instruction.
Using both hands, but not at full power.
Normal magic concentrates mana in the palm of the dominant hand, but if you handle magic with both hands—with the image of supporting the dominant hand with the other—the power of a single shot increases. If you go at full power, the power increases even further, but the fatigue also becomes greater. It's like whether you run the same distance slowly, quickly, or at a full sprint.
When I sent the second signal to Beatrix, she walked over slowly so as not to make footsteps. She then held both hands over the hole and released the magic.
"[Energy Bolt]!"
A small bolt of lightning fell from Beatrix's hand to the floor of the sewer.
Crack! A sound like something being struck was heard from below the hole.
Light scattered on the floor, illuminating the surroundings.
A moment later, silence returned, and only the faint sound of the torch burning could be heard.
When I peeked down, the rats were rolled over and twitching. It seems they were paralyzed by the shock and haven't died.
"I'll deliver the finishing blows."
No sooner had he said it than Paul-san released an arrow. When an arrow hits a rat, it doesn't make a loud noise. Of course, there's no way Paul-san would miss at this distance. The second arrow also hit beautifully. Beatrix released a [Fire Ball] and I released a [Holy], delivering the finishing blows one by one. Paul-san let us have them.
In short, he utilized the fact that lightning magic can deal damage through metal and salt water. Of course, the power is higher if you hit them directly, but just paralyzing the rats to stop their movement is enough, and the finishing blows can be delivered afterward.
Come to think of it, I've been told not to go near puddles on days when there's lightning.
According to Paul-san, it's what you call an applied use of magic.
In that case...
"Couldn't we catch the rats if we froze the ground with ice magic?"
"I wonder."
He tilted his head.
"If they were in a water tank deep enough to submerge the rats' bodies, that would be one thing, but if you can use magic enough to immobilize rats gathered in a very shallow puddle, wouldn't it be better to just blast them directly after paralyzing them with lightning?"
I see, that's true. However, since I went to the trouble of thinking of it, he said let's try it, so it was decided to try it at the last hole.
The characteristic of the Lightning Strategy—I secretly named it that—under Paul-san's guidance is that the noise during extermination is small. Therefore, even when we moved to the next hole, the number of gathered rats did not decrease. Setting aside Beatrix's [Energy Bolt] used at the beginning, after that it's just Paul-san's arrows and one magic spell each from us for training, so we're able to exterminate them with three spells per hole. If we had similar results in all five holes, achieving the dream of over twenty rats is also possible. Even if the twenty-six rats achieved by the squad led by Hans-san is impossible, it should be enough to carve the name of the Class of 175—no, the Marcelo Company—into Hans-san's heart.
By the way, at the fifth hole, although we tried freezing the puddle at their feet with ice magic, all the rats escaped.
"It's also important to try things out. Rather than thinking without doing, you should try it, confirm that it doesn't work well, and then devise further improvements. We don't call that a failure."
"That's right. Next time, next time!"
Although I was comforted by the two of them, I still ended up feeling down. I'll reflect on this.
"So, in the end, seventeen rats?"
We report to Hans-san at the Guard station.
We didn't reach twenty, but we were able to update our record. When I think that if we hadn't tried the ice magic at the last hole... I'm filled with regret.
"You updated your record. Isn't that great?"
Hans-san also praised us.
"The day we set the all-time record is close at hand, isn't it?"
Beatrix puffs out her ample chest.
"You've already set it."
Eh?
"Isn't it twenty-six?"
Beatrix asks back. What is Hans-san saying?
"That was special. The number for rats exterminated during a normal patrol is sixteen. So it was broken today."
"What. That's not a goal for a record update. It has to be the all-time record without any conditions, after all."
"Is that so," Hans-san says, looking bored.
Wait, something's different from usual.
Speaking of Hans-san, he's usually a bit more, you know.
"You're quite quiet. Did something happen?"
Paul-san also seemed to notice.
"It's nothing."
Seeing him look away makes it even more suspicious. His way of speaking is also strange.
"Come to think of it, the Guard members we met before coming here were looking this way with strangely serious expressions; did something happen?"
Now that he mentions it, that's true. They called out to us, which was fine, but something was awkward.
"I've got it. You were betting on the number of rats we'd exterminate again, weren't you? And this time, you lost."
Beatrix points her finger happily. I see, that would make sense.
Hans-san gave a single sigh and waved his hand, saying "Alright, alright."
"This time we made a bet on whether you could exterminate twenty or more."
I knew they were betting. Why are the people in the Guard like this?
"This time the amount was a bit large; forty-two people participated at one silver coin each."
Does that mean the total exceeds two gold coins? That's three times my individual reward from last month.
Hans-san continues with a tired expression.
"The Class of 175 is popular with us. And this time Paul was joining in. Most people bet on twenty or more."
Oh, we're popular. Ehehe... wait, if that's the flow, is it one person's total victory?
"And I was the only one who bet on twenty or less. Thankfully, I'm the sole winner this time too."
But wait, he has no energy. Why?
"This makes three wins in a row, but there's an unwritten rule in the Guard. A person who wins three times in a row in internal betting must treat everyone who participated in the bet..."
"Isn't that fine? You earned two gold coins, didn't you?"
"They'll definitely eat and drink for all they're worth to get their money's back. It'll be a massive deficit for sure."
Come to think of it, Beowulf said the Guard's drinking parties are incredible.
"Then, I have a good idea."
Beatrix is smirking.
"What are you plotting?"
"We're going to the Bird's Head Tavern after this..."
We have to go eat dinner as thanks for the chicken carcasses we got for rat bait.
"We're on good terms with the owner, Owen-san. I heard him say he was thinking of creating a prepaid banquet course. If you set the amount well, you can at least avoid a deficit."
"Ho ho. Let's hear the details."
"However, there's a condition."
"A condition?"
It's completely Beatrix's pace. I can pretty much imagine the condition too.
"Hey, is that girl really fifteen?"
Glancing at Beatrix, who was whispering with Hans-san, Paul-san whispered to me in a low voice.
"Unfortunately. She really is fifteen."
Hearing that, Paul-san spread his hands and gave a great shrug of his shoulders.