Chapter 38 - The Hunter Father and Daughter
To be honest, one was the limit this time.
Paul-san said that if we chased after the boars that fled, we'd have to face all the rest of them, so we gave up. There's no way we could fight all seven.
Well, we didn't have much time either. Even though the reward is low, selling the meat and tusks will bring in ten silver coins, so there's no need for further pursuit... right?
While Beatrix and I were desperately making excuses, Paul-san agreed to withdraw.
After Paul-san bled the boar, Beatrix used ice magic to lightly freeze it.The plan was to send it to the Marcelo Company warehouse using a [Teleport] scroll given to us by Marcelo-san, and then have the owner of the Forest Bounty Tavern contacted to pick it up.
"So, in the end, just one?"
At the Town Guard station, we showed the pair of evidence tusks to Hans-san and claimed our results.Beatrix gave a brief explanation of how things went down.
"So, while Paul held it back, the three of you took it down. Not bad."
We were praised.We couldn't have done it without Paul-san, and seven got away. It's not a result to be very proud of, but being praised still makes me happy. The three of us—Beatrix, Beowulf, and I—looked at each other with smirks on our faces.
"The problem is the remaining seven, but since no reports of damage have come in this year, there's no rush. Just do it without overextending yourselves."
It seems most of the wheat harvest has already finished safely. The fact that there's no damage means the boars have enough to eat in the forest this year.With our current strength, it's difficult to take them all down at once, so we'll have to gradually reduce their numbers. Of course, if Paul-san were to get truly serious, he might be able to take them all down together, but thankfully he's sticking to his position of providing us with technical guidance.
By the way, Hans-san changed the subject.
"Were there many spiders?"
Just in case, I had recorded the number of spiderwebs I found in the margins of the map.
"It didn't seem like they had particularly increased."
Paul-san answered. As expected of a hunter. Even though he's been retired from active duty for a long time, he remembers the forest well.
"Is something going on?"
"No, as long as they haven't increased, it's fine."
"Why do you care?"
Beatrix bit. Once she's like this, it won't end until she's satisfied.With a sigh, Hans-san explained, though he looked reluctant.
Besides magic beast types like rats and boars, there are various other types of monsters, and the one in question this time is apparently an insect-type spider. It seems a spider monster has appeared.
I say "apparently" because it hasn't been clearly confirmed.
According to Paul-san, insect-type monsters usually live in places where they don't interact with humans, but occasionally they appear in places where people see them. They are to be watched out for because their prey includes livestock and humans. As a precursor, the number of ordinary insects of the same species increases in the surrounding area, which means they are being driven out as rivals in the same habitat.
After all, they lay many eggs. After hatching all at once and scattering around, they are eaten by birds and other creatures, gradually decreasing in number as they grow larger. Only those that win the struggle for territory, including cannibalism and other magic beasts, build giant nests.
Recently, information has been coming in from hunters in the Nakanohara District that forest spiders have increased, and if they are increasing around here too, it's dangerous, so the Town Guard wants to take action early.
"Whereabouts are they increasing?"
When Paul-san asked, the answer came back that it was toward the east.
Speaking of the east, there should be several villages where Revenants rose from the graveyards. They've already been purified, but after moving corpses, it's spiders? We really have no luck.
"Well, for now, it's uncertain information. Can't say anything for sure."
Paul-san said he'd keep it in mind, and Beatrix seemed satisfied, so the conversation didn't go any further here.
Dinner was grilled boar meat skewers at the Forest Bounty Tavern.Magic beast meat is tastier than normal animal meat. However, it's expensive, so we can't usually eat it.At the Forest Bounty Tavern, those who catch a monster get their first dish made from it at half price. It seems to be a pact among fellow hunters, and for us, who get full on just one dish, it was extremely convenient.
Other customers toasted us for successfully exterminating one.Apparently, you're only recognized as a full-fledged hunter once you've exterminated a boar.
Come to think of it, I feel like the Town Guard said something similar. It seems to be a goal for rookies, but I wonder if that's an honor for the boars?
Among the people who toasted us was a familiar face. It was Hanna-san, the receptionist from the town hall.She was eating with a middle-aged man wearing a fur coat similar to Paul-san's. I thought it was a strange combination, but he seemed to be an acquaintance of Paul-san.
"Hey, Angus. You were here?"
"Paul, how many years has it been? I heard the rumors, but you really did return to being a hunter."
"Call me a technical advisor. The ones actually doing the exterminating are these three. Ah, Hanna knows the circumstances around that."
"Good evening, Paul-san. Everyone from the Class of 175."
Hanna-san greeted us with the elegant gestures typical of a receptionist. She's a regular acquaintance for us; when we go to see Adolf-san, she not only announces us but always brings out drinks and snacks.She's not exactly a beauty, but she has a cute face and treats everyone with kindness. She's a girl with a good reputation among the men of the town.
When we returned the greeting, the man called Angus widened his eyes.
"Did you hear that, Paul? 'Everyone,' she says! You've become quite refined, haven't you?"
"Yeah, I can't believe she's your daughter."
Daughter!
This time, it was our turn to widen our eyes.
"I haven't introduced him to everyone from the Class of 175 yet. Belatedly, this is my father, Angus. He makes his living as a hunter in a village two towns over."
She made the introduction, but Angus-san's eyes were still wide.
"Did you hear that, Paul?"
He was pointing at his daughter.
"Stop it, Dad. This kind of language is standard at the town hall!"
She waved her hands frantically, looking flustered.Not very refined. Just your average town girl.
"Oh, there she is. She's my daughter after all."
Because Hanna-san is a receptionist, her language is refined and polite. He seemed surprised by the sheer difference from her usual self. As a father, perhaps it's good to see his daughter's work performance once in a while.
"That's enough. It's better to be refined. If you keep treating her like a country girl, don't blame me if her marriage prospects decrease."
"Geez, even Paul-san. Please stop it."
While Hanna-san spoke as if she were angry, the old men were laughing loudly. In short, they were just teasing her. What a pair of difficult old men.
"By the way, why are you in this town? You've already received your reward money, haven't you?"
"Well, yeah. I fought alongside the Mayor, so it was a pretty good amount."
I heard that the people who fought outside the town with Adolf-san received one gold coin, and specifically, the three hunters received two.
"That's right. Even though I and everyone else fought together, we only got one silver coin. I have no complaints about the reward, but don't you think he could at least treat us to dinner?"
Hanna-san was smiling.That's true. Especially if they're father and daughter—wait, she fought? With Revenants? The receptionist lady?
"Where were you fighting?"
Beatrix must have found it unexpected too. She immediately jumped in.
"Behind the orphanage. I was shooting arrows with tips soaked in holy water and purifying the Revenants."
She made a gesture of shooting a bow and winked.
I was surprised. Certainly, she would be a member of the vigilantes, but I had assumed she was looking after children and the elderly at the shelter. To think she was a combatant.
She looked happy, saying she took down seven.
"That's my daughter for you."
Angus-san, with his rugged face and fur coat, was also beaming with pride.I see, at the end of the day, she's a hunter's daughter.
"Angus-san, you helped the Mayor, right? How did you fight?"
When Beatrix asked, Angus-san made a gesture of shooting a bow and winked, saying, "With a bow."His face is rugged, but he's surprisingly playful.
"The Mayor was struggling. I drove them off with special arrowheads that had silver coins attached to them."
What is that? Can you defeat monsters by sticking silver coins on them?
When I asked, I was told it's a hunter's trump card for dealing with strong monsters. Silver or white-silver arrowheads would be highly effective, but since they're expensive, they use silver coins as a substitute. If they recover them, they can be used as silver coins again.
"Can you take down boars too?"
Beowulf, who can use a bow, asked eagerly. If they could be defeated with arrowheads with silver coins attached, we might be able to manage even if there are many boars.
"If you have the skill to hit them exactly between the eyes, you can take one down with a single shot."
Beowulf waved her hands frantically. It seems it's impossible for her. Let's practice, okay?
"Hanna. What was the biggest thing you've taken down?"
Angus-san threw the conversation to his daughter. This feeling—it's definitely going to be a story to brag about his daughter.Since she's apparently good with a bow, maybe she took down a boar.
"A bear, I suppose. It was when my father took me beyond the lake north of the town. But it took two shots."
"A bear!"
The three of us reflexively shouted.
"Oh, it's not that big a deal. It just happened to go well. Besides, a skilled hunter would have done it in one shot, but it took me two."
Hanna-san made excuses frantically while waving her hands.
No, that's not being humble at all. We can't possibly stand against a bear.
"In the hands of a good hunter, even a bear is like that. Do you understand now why the subjugation rewards are so low?"
I could accept it when Paul-san said it. Beatrix let out a sigh.
"If you want to earn money from subjugation rewards, magic beasts are difficult. Aim for something more 'vicious.'"
When Angus-san said that with a laugh, Hanna-san stepped in to stop him.
"They've only just started monster extermination. They can use magic, so they'll be able to take down something like a bear in no time."
She said "something like a bear." I feel a distinct gap in our levels.
"By the way, what kind of things are 'vicious'?"
I'll ask for future reference.
"The one that attacked the Mayor the other day might be worth a fair amount of gold. Driving it off earned one gold coin."
No, that's impossible. That's the opponent that almost killed Adolf-san. Don't say such reckless things.
"Geez, enough already. I'm sorry, as an apology, my father will treat everyone today. Oh, right, we should have something to drink. Like imported wine."
"Nice! As expected of the popular receptionist! No wonder you're well-liked by the townspeople."
Beatrix followed up instantly, and Hanna-san immediately called over a waitress.
"Even the man called 'Angus of the Bow' is no match for his daughter," Paul-san said with a laugh, looking at Angus-san, who had his mouth hanging open.