Chapter 461 - Chapter 5: Re-infiltration ②
Since he got into a good mood after drinking wine and eating dried meat, I asked various things while we introduced ourselves.
Since Violet is also a beastman, there's a possibility of becoming friends with the Fox too.
"Do you usually do things like boar hunting or bear hunting?"
After glancing here, he snorted, "Hmph!" and looked at Godwynn-sama's face. It was as if to say, 'Shut her up.'
"This Bishop Jeanne is a skilled monster hunter with the title of Dragon Killer. Along with Bishop Harris next to her, she's a high-level holy mage and a veteran who participated in the Demon Lord subjugation war."
"So what?"
"Besides, she's the seller of that dried meat. It's better not to be so cold to her."
"W-What?"
As expected of a Fox. He's quick to spot a profit.
According to the Fox Man, foxes are individualistic and don't use group tactics. They specialize in status-effect magic, approaching prey with Camouflage and Mute, and taking them down with bows and arrows.
"Boars are one thing, but bears are a bit too much to handle. It's not that we can't do it, but they're heavy, so transporting them is hard. In this area, it's more efficient to hunt two boars, which are numerous, than to search for a single bear, which are few."
Then, it's simple. There's a way to make a bear come just by waiting.
When I immediately said there's a simple way to lure a bear, he took the bait.
"Luring a bear?"
"Yes, they'll come easily. I always use that method for bear hunting. It requires some materials, but anyone can do it easily and repeatedly. However, if you're alone, you need the skill to take down a bear with one shot; are you alright with that?"
When I lightly provoked him, he told me not to make a fool of him. He fell for it easily.
"I have two silver arrowheads, my prized possessions. If I use those, it'll be fine."
Saying so, he took two arrows out of the quiver hanging on the wall and showed them. The color of the fletching and arrowheads was different from the others.
"Then, shall we hunt as soon as tomorrow?"
"Ugh," he got stuck and looked at Godwynn-sama.
"The bear hunting of the Class of 175, huh. I've heard stories from my subordinates. Apparently, after setting the trap, a bear comes in less than half an hour just by waiting."
"Do they really come that easily?"
His narrowed eyes were wide and round.
"Apparently. How about it? I'll give you two silver-headed arrows. And if a bear is really caught, will you cooperate with us? Of course, the bear will be all yours."
When Godwynn-sama started talking, the Fox Man leaned in.
The next morning, I woke up to the sound of birds.
Inside the hut, it's easy to see because light is shining in. It's the same as a mountain hut made by humans. However, light only comes in from one direction, and there isn't even a window on the opposite side. There's only one door. It must be connected to a cave.
Since I was told to provide my own food, I took out Highway Cookies. The Fox Man picked one up and was sniffing it.
"It's a cookie. It uses the same ingredients as bread; is it okay for you to eat?"
"Does it contain things like chives or onions?"
"No, it doesn't. Since it's a sweet, flour, butter, and sugar are the main ingredients. Since it's a commercial product, to be honest, I don't know all the ingredients, but I also sell ones with raisins and such, and the difference is immediately obvious. This is the one without them."
"I see."
He seemed convinced by the explanation and ate a bite.
"D-Delicious, isn't it."
Alright! A great victory!
"But it's a bit sweet for an adult."
Well, it is a sweet. If there were children, I'd hand them out...
At that moment, there was a thud beyond the door, and the door opened.
There's a small child with fox ears with both hands on the ground.
They suddenly looked up.
Cute! Kyaa! In human terms, maybe five or six years old?
"H-Hey! I told you not to come out!"
"I-I'm sorry, Papa. But it's unfair that only Papa is eating sweets."
"W-What are you saying. Among the things humans eat, there are things that would kill us if we ate them. T-That's why I'm doing a taste test..."
Beyond the door, there was someone who seemed to be the mother, trying to catch the child and take them to the back.
"It's alright. It's not anything strange. It doesn't contain chives or onions that would cause poisoning for you. We don't use those in sweets. Children would hate them. Although I look like this, I have a companion who makes sweets and bread, so even if it's a commercial product, you'll know once you eat it."
As an aside, I know very well that Violet hates those kinds of plants too. Violet basically eats meat dishes specially made by Angelica-san at banquets, but humans often use chives or onions for seasoning meat. At a banquet one day, meat sliced thinly with those things sandwiched in between was served. After taking a bite, she grimaced and spat it out. She hurriedly rinsed her mouth with water and nothing serious happened, but it caused a bit of a stir. Angelica-san, who deeply reflected on it, has since made Violet's portions special orders with strictly selected ingredients. By the way, Miana, who is helping, can also make them.
So it's fine, I said as I held a new one taken out of the box, and after the mother ate the remainder of what the father bit and gave the OK.
The fox child came running. Unlike a dog, they don't wag their tail.
"Here, this. It's delicious."
"T-Thank you."
When I handed one over, they tried to put it in their mouth in a hurry.
"Now, now, if you don't eat slowly..."
Even as I said it, they were gobbling it up.
"Sweets make you thirsty, so some drink... Oh, Mother. Do you have any milk?"
They seem to keep goats, as milk came out. I mixed in a little honey and let them drink.
"Thank you, human sister."
"How was it? Was the cookie delicious?"
"Yeah. Even compared to what Papa has brought before, it's the most delicious."
"Really? Thank you. Then, I'll leave this box with your mother as a souvenir, so eat it bit by bit."
"Really! Yay!"
When I handed the box to the mother, she was overjoyed.
"Don't eat it all at once. You'll get a stomachache."
I told the mother, who was bewildered, that it's not meat, so only one a day.
"Yeah. Understood."
"What a good girl."
"Ehehe."
When I crouched down and patted her head, she wagged her tail. So cute.
"As expected, you're used to this."
Harris-sama said to me.
"I was in an orphanage."
I frequently took care of children around this age.
"Human children and beastman children are the same."
"That's impressive."
Perhaps because the child took a liking to me, the father Fox Man's attitude also changed.
It was decided that after the bear hunt, he would guide us into the forest... in other words, into the beastman territory.
Since teaching the bear hunt is a condition, I immediately set up the pot. Since I had given away the Highway Cookies I intended for breakfast, I borrowed the hearth and made a dried meat pot with oats, dried herbs, and cheese fragments for breakfast.
"Sister. What's this?"
The child talks to me.
"This? It's a pot with boar dried meat. You put in oats, cheese, and dried herbs like this."
"It has a strange smell."
"Dried herbs. It's a good flavor for humans, but it would be poisonous if you ate it, so I can't give you this."
"I see."
While disappointed, they were staring at the pot with their stomach growling.
"Haven't you had breakfast yet?"
"Yeah. Not yet. It's still cold, so prey is scarce."
Come to think of it, it's still March. Although the cold has eased, it's cold in the mountains.
"Then, shall I make some with less oats and no herbs? Do you want to eat with us?"
"Eh? Is it okay? Big sister."
"It's Jeanne."
After confirming with the mother that cheese is okay, we decided to all eat together. Perhaps as a thank you, she brought a jar filled with freshly squeezed milk.
When we all ate the cheese pot, it was highly praised.
Since both parents and child liked it, I decided to give them the remaining dried meat and cheese. Since I brought two this time, I have one more dried meat for emergency rations. It's a family of three. If it's a cheese pot with just meat and no oats, it should last for several days.
After eating together and becoming completely relaxed, it was time for the bear hunt. Since it's too early to teach Flight Magic, we decided to aim from atop a tree deep in the forest... away from the house, and wait after setting up the pot in a hole dug near the roots.
Since it would be too much for everyone to climb the tree, the Fox Man, I, and Godwynn-sama climbed up. Harris-sama and the two scouts stayed behind in case, by some chance, a bear attacked the Fox Man's house.
About half an hour passed, and it was about time for it to come...
The sound of rustling through the bushes was heard. A bear?
The Fox Man and Godwynn-sama notched arrows with silver heads to their bows. I held my staff with both hands.
"Yo! Fox. That's a pretty delicious smell you've got there."
Suddenly, a voice called out from below the tree. The sound in the bushes seemed to be a decoy.
Looking down, there were three men with gray hair. From the coloring, they might be wolves. All of them had quivers and bows on their shoulders and swords on their backs.
"W-Wolves..."
The Fox Man, who put away his arrow, hurriedly jumped down from the tree. Godwynn-sama also removed the notched arrow from his bow and held it in his right hand. It must be to show no hostility.
But as expected, they are Wolf Men. Compared to the Fox Man, who is almost the same as an average human male, they are a head taller.
"Are you involved with humans again? You."
One of the Wolf Men was looking down at the Fox Man from above. He looked ready to push him around. The other two were looking up here. Some were about to notch arrows to their bows.
"N-No. These guys are different. Didn't a human try to go inside last night? I intend to take them along as reference for the investigation. H-Hey, you guys know him too, right? It's Godwynn. He came to pick them up."
It's not accurate, but it's not a complete lie.
"What's this? Boar meat? Something made by humans, huh."
One of the others tried to take it out of the hole to see.
"Ah, please leave that pot as it is. A bear will come."
Since it's for a bear, it shouldn't be eaten by Wolf Men. I said it in a hurry.
"A-A bear?"
"D-Don't lie! Human! Bears are scarce in this area!"
"But I've set it for over half an hour, so it wouldn't be strange for one to come at any time."
"W-What?"
They hurriedly looked around.
The Fox Man, who had been slowly backing away, hurriedly climbed up.
"Ah! Fox! You..."
"You wolves should run away too. Or are you going to do close combat against a bear?"
The surroundings are enclosed by bushes. If a bear comes out from there, it'll be a complete surprise attack for the Wolf Men.
Thinking it was bad, the Wolf Men exchanged looks. One drew the sword from his back. It's a steel sword. I wonder if it'll be effective against a bear...
"Uwaaaaa!"
A man came tumbling out of the bushes. A bear is attacking from behind.
Oh no, the one whose role was to make noise in the bushes was ambushed by the bear. It's exactly downwind of the pot.
"Gwaaaaaaaa!"
The bear stood up.
The Wolf Man who came tumbling out ended up tripping one of them due to his momentum. The Wolf Man who was about to fall clung to his companion, and three out of the four were in a disadvantageous posture. Moreover, the remaining one was behind the three who were tangled up, so he couldn't attack. The Wolf Men received a complete surprise attack.
"Y-You idiot! What are you doing!"
"S-Sorry."
This is no time for talking. Despite its large body, the bear jumped out of the bushes.
"Wind Barrier!"
Nice! Wilson-san created a wall of air about the height of the bear's waist. Since it's surrounding the bear in a semi-circle, the bear has no choice but to stand up. Its front chest, where the heart is, is wide open.
"Jeanne!"
"Yes! Holy Lance!"
It was a sudden eight-shot volley. It's excessive for a bear, but I fired it instinctively. Since the target is moving, aiming is difficult, but it's an eight-shot volley. White light of the over-log class pierced the entire chest.
The bear pitched forward and collapsed.
One more shot.
I fire it from my mouth as if in rapid succession. The bear stopped moving just like that.
"Are you alright?"
Since I successfully took down the bear, I call out to the Wolf Men below.
It seems one of the Wolf Men barely managed to draw his sword. The three were slumped down as if their legs had given out.
"A-Ah. We were saved."
The Wolf Man who called out replied.
Since they seemed alright, I climbed down from the tree and looked at the bear.
Yes, I've successfully delivered the finishing blow.
"I'm glad I made it in time. I wondered what I'd do if I missed."
"W-Was that your Holy?"
"Yes. To be precise, it's Holy Lance."
"Holy Lance! Wasn't that mid-level?"
Fufufu. He's surprised. However, the eight-shot volley is a secret.
"That's right. But it's usually like that."
"No way, are you... super high-level..."
Fufufu. It's a secret. As long as I stay silent, it's not a lie.
"I've never seen a Holy Lance with that kind of power. Moreover, she fired the second shot without a moment's delay. Bishop, as expected of a Dragon Killer."
The Fox Man raised his voice. It must be to let the Wolf Men hear.
"D-Dragon Killer? This young woman in strange clothes? Is it true? Godwynn."
Perhaps doubting the Fox Man, he asked Godwynn-sama. But my clothes aren't strange. They're popular, you know. Though it might be limited to soldiers and hunters.
"Apparently. My father said so."
I don't remember telling Harold-sama...
"It's not exactly proof, but she has the status of an audience-rank in our country and has been knighted in four countries, including Medioland and Engrio. In her home country of Sertoria, she's not a knight because there's no class system, but she's on close terms with Henry-sama and Eleanor-sama and has been invited to the Sertoria royal palace many times."
It's not a lie, but because he said it so much, the Wolf Men froze and were whispering while pointing at me.
That's rude to a priest. Well, it might not matter to beastmen.
"More importantly, I'm going to butcher the bear now, so could you help me carry it to this person's house? If you help, I'll give you two legs."
"A-Ah. Understood."
They are obeying quietly. Perhaps they are a bit scared, as they back away when I take a step forward.
"Bishop Jeanne, I'll do the butchering."
The Fox Man with a smiling face sidled up to me.