Chapter 82 - Northern Forbidden Zone
The third day of the training camp in the forbidden zone was finally the northern shore area.
The hunt on the northern shore also served as scouting for the remnants of the Demon Lord's army lurking in the northernmost part of Nakanohara.
However, the north of the forbidden zone is a place where hunters go on expeditions to hunt bears and wolves. It's not that urgent.
We rowed the boat and landed at a candidate site for the northern shore base.
The place where two rivers flow in is a sandy or rather gravelly beach, and the area behind it up to the mountainside is a thicket. The flat area is about the same size as the goblin nest on the southern shore, and topographically it's sufficient.
The problem is that because the mountains pressing in from behind are gentle, they can't find a suitable place to light a signal fire to use for communication with the southern shore. Apparently, a high ground with a good view is preferred.
"In that case, we should just shave that down and build a watchtower."
The one pointing at the eastern ridge and trying to change the terrain was Paul-san.
After all, he has a track record in base building.
"If we shave that ridge and set up a scaffold, it should be visible from over there too. Even if the goblins live by digging holes, it'll be more comfortable for us humans if we build some kind of structure. I'll talk to the Mayor and get permission."
It was solved quite easily.
It seems he is thinking of a communal life between humans and goblins, with a vision of making the southern shore the first village and the northern shore the second village. It's just right if we think of the southern shore as a trading base with humans and the northern shore as a northern monitoring base.
Robinson-san, of course, had no objection.
The goblins also seemed happy. According to the Elder, the current cave is a bit cramped. Eventually, if the numbers increased, they would have had to consider expanding or splitting the pack. However, as long as they live with humans, the goblins cannot decide on their own. A proposal from our side must be a godsend.
Once the confirmation of the base candidate site was finished, the exploration began.
The upstream of the river is a waterfall and cannot be climbed. We climbed the ridge that was scheduled to have its tip shaved.
Apparently, there is a small pond if you follow the river past the waterfall, and that was our destination this time.
If we can't return to the southern shore by sunset, we'll be camping out.
As usual, we proceeded through pathless terrain. Fortunately, we didn't have to scramble up steep slopes, but we weren't traveling on flat land either.
So as not to fall behind, Beatrix and I were tied together with a rope and pulled along like criminals. Paul-san held the end of the rope. Since it was wrapped around our waists, we were forced to walk if pulled.
"Why are those two so energetic? Lyudmila is even carrying the pot on her back."
I feel like she said the same thing yesterday.
"Bonnie was trained by Emily-sensei, wasn't she? Lyudmila is energetic probably because she went to bed early last night."
I'm saying the same thing too.
It's just the two of us who lack sufficient training. Both of us were huffing and puffing, but we somehow managed to walk for two hours and had lunch.
After that, we spent another two hours huffing and puffing to get above the waterfall. From there, we were safely released from our bonds and walked along the river for an hour to reach the shore of the target pond.
The forbidden zone apparently ends at this pond. However, there might be hunters since there's no problem with replenishing water on the northern shore.
After taking a break, we all consulted.
It was about what to do next.
Robinson-san said that when he goes to scout for monsters in the north, he separates from the goblins here. This is because they might be found by hunters otherwise. From here on, he apparently heads further north accompanied by animals he encounters. During that time, the goblins catch fish around the waterfall.
Lunch was already over. Even if there was time before the sun went down, camping out was guaranteed if we proceeded. That said, returning without catching any prey was a bit lonely. Moreover, Beatrix and I had mostly just been tied up and walking since landing. We decided to proceed.
The goblins, perhaps used to it, went down the river quite easily after taking a dip.
To the north of the forbidden zone, gentle terrain spread out, so it wasn't that hard to walk.
Since the bird controlled by Robinson-san was scouting, it wasn't particularly dangerous.
Beatrix had prepared drawings of humans, goblins, animals, and several monsters... magic beasts, orcs, ogres, and even trolls, cyclopes, and Fenrirs. When she showed them to the returning bird, it pecked only the animals with its beak. It seemed there were no bears either.
"Thank you," she said, giving it water. When Robinson-san gave it a caterpillar he had in a small pouch, it flew away with a cry after eating it.
"That's quite impressive."
Paul-san was impressed.
"This drawing is very well done. Beatrix, would you mind giving me one?"
"Sure. If you're going to have one, I'll have Marcelo-san waterproof a more carefully drawn one and give you that."
"That would be a help. I'd appreciate it."
As expected. She's good enough to earn a living just from portraits.
"Should I draw the Headmistress too?"
"In that case, we'll have to draw the Demon Lord as well."
"I've never seen the Demon Lord, though."
"It'll be fine if you just grow horns and fangs on Bishop Catherine."
I decided to ignore the whispering of the two wizards saying such irreverent things.
If there aren't even bears, there probably won't be an invasion by the Demon Lord's army.
We proceeded through the forest with peace of mind.
While lightly climbing and descending, we came across a small stream flowing north.
Following the flow, it became a full-scale descent.
Deciding to call it a day, we climbed a tree that seemed to have a relatively good view.
Before our eyes lay a terrain that looked like a massive trench dug in an east-west direction. From here on, the descent continued for a long time. Once at the bottom, a flat forest continued. There was a break in the forest, perhaps a mountain stream. Beyond the break, the flat forest continued again, and from midway, it became a mountain range that seemed to thrust upward.
The west of the trench gradually narrowed, while the east conversely opened up to the south from around the forbidden zone we visited yesterday.
This side of the trench's edge was considerably higher than the other side. According to what I heard, the pond where we separated from the goblins is the highest point in the forbidden zone. No wonder the journey was so difficult.
"How far did Robinson-san go?"
"To the top of that mountain range."
He pointed straight ahead. He apparently went down following the stream and then climbed the mountain just like that. It must have been a very difficult journey.
"From here, you can get there in a full day's walk," he said, laughing as if it were nothing.
"What did you see from the top?"
"The same kind of sight as here. Beyond that mountain range, it gets lower and a forest spreads out. There are small ponds here and there, and beyond that, it connected to mountains covered in perennial snow."
"Was the Demon Lord's army there?"
"I didn't see them myself; I had the bird look for me. It seems groups of those who walk on two legs were forming packs around several ponds."
Judging from the answer he gave Beatrix and me, I felt like they might be living peacefully.
"There was one problem. Apparently, there was something like a fortress. There was someone quite scary there, so it seems the bird fled in a hurry."
For a bird to flee is a serious matter.
"I wonder what was there. It must have been someone really strong."
"It might have been a Wyvern. Since the bird fled, it's probably something that flies in the sky."
"I want to see a Wyvern."
While Bonnie and Paul-san were having a scary conversation, Lyudmila spoke up with an innocent voice. We all couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Lyudmila, why do you want to see a Wyvern?"
When I asked, it seemed she wanted to ride on its back and fly in the sky.
I don't think a Wyvern would quietly let someone ride on its back, but I can understand the feeling of wanting to fly in the sky.
"What, is that all? Shall I let you fly in the sky?"
Eh!
Everyone was astonished. Can he use such magic!
"It's easy. If you ride on a [Wind Barrier], I can let you fly."
That's certainly true. I hadn't even thought of it.
He said he thought of it while playing the role of catching monsters during the bat extermination and gargoyle countermeasures. It seems this is the first time he's putting a person on it, but it'll surely be fine.
When we all made a fuss saying we wanted to ride, it was decided that we would get to ride on the way back.
We got to ride above the waterfall. We lit a fire with dampened dead leaves to create smoke. The light gray [Wind Barrier] created by drawing in the smoke had a clearly visible shape.
Paul-san manipulated it with both hands, and when he made a shape like scooping water with his hands, the [Wind Barrier] also became a bowl-like shape.
Lyudmila, who provided the impetus, was the first to ride. The second was Robinson-san, acting as a guardian. After that, it was decided by drawing lots, and the goblins won. As expected of spirits, their luck is strong.
The smoke bowl carrying Lyudmila and the others ascended once. After flying left and right over the forest for a while, it slowly descended along the waterfall.
Those riding were in high spirits. Even Robinson-san was frolicking.
It landed on the water just like that and reached the shore while drifting on the water surface like a boat. The bowl disappeared, perhaps because he deactivated the magic. Lyudmila and the others were standing on the riverbank, waving toward us while cheering.
Next was our turn.
When the three of us climbed in, the bowl slowly ascended. We grabbed onto the edge of the bowl tightly so as not to fall.
While feeling the wind and looking down at the leaves shining yellow in the setting sun, I felt like a bird. Below the waterfall, Lyudmila and the others were looking up. When I waved, they waved back.
When descending, we got quite close to the waterfall. We ended up screaming as the spray hit us. Unfortunately, even if I reached out my hand, it didn't reach, but the sight of the water flowing down right before my eyes was an emotion that could only be described as "Awesome!"
We landed on the water away from the waterfall and reached the riverbank swaying. The brief flight experience came to an end.
So this is what it means to fly in the sky...
After we all looked around at each other's smiling faces, we put our arms around each other's shoulders and frolicked in a circle.
When I wondered what Paul-san, who was left alone, would do, he came down riding an invisible bowl.
He flew toward the lake just like that.
We chased after him in a hurry. Beatrix and I were huffing and puffing, and when we finally reached a place where we could see the lake, Paul-san was gliding over the lake surface in the dusk.
The bowl is invisible. It looks like he's standing on the water and moving. He's moving at a tremendous speed while kicking up spray.
Just when I thought he had crossed from right to left, he came back drawing a large arc on the water surface. When he came to the front, he jumped up and did a somersault before landing on the water.
"Amazing, amazing!" we all cheered and clapped together.
As if to say "one more time," he went to the right, and just when I thought he had turned around and come back, he flew quite high this time.
He did one, two somersaults, and on the third, a scream went up. With a splash, a pillar of water rose from the lake surface.
Whether you call it a landing or a fall...
We all hurried toward the shore, and he was bobbing on the surface. He came up to the shore doing the breaststroke just like that.
"Well, I got a bit carried away."
He was laughing while scratching his head.
"As expected of you, to nail the punchline so perfectly."
We all burst out laughing at Beatrix's words.
We made a bonfire to dry our clothes and grilled the fish the goblins had caught for us. Since we had a tent on the boat, we camped out just like that that night.
Later on, sightings of Paul-san floating over the lake with the goblins or spinning around the lake surface like a whirligig beetle would begin to be reported, but that is a secret just between us.