Chapter 93 - Escape from Northern Nishi-Nakanohara
The needle-thin leaves were still a deep green. At the ends of the branches spreading horizontally, pinecones so large they would require both hands to pluck were attached.
It seemed that similar trees grew all around this area, and the deep green of the shaded parts and the slightly paler green where the sun hit created an ambiguous striped pattern.
Through the gaps in the leaves that obstructed my view, I could see a pack of creatures that looked like a cross between a pig and a wild boar, walking on two legs, wearing chainmail, and carrying spears, loitering about.
"Those are definitely Orcs, aren't they?"
I asked Paul-san in a small, whispering voice.
"So they are. They're Orcs."
Paul-san also lowered his voice and whispered back.
"Aren't there Ogres mixed in with the Orcs too?"
"So there are. There are Ogres too."
It was probably better not to look at my feet too much. I am not particularly good with high places.
Since I was in a place with such a good view, I should just calm my heart and enjoy the beautiful scenery.
Looking up at the sky, there were about thirty lumps of stone flying overhead, each worth ten gold coins.
"Those are definitely Gargoyles, aren't they?"
"So they are. They're Gargoyles."
I heard a growl.
Turning around, I saw Beatrix glaring with her arms crossed.
"What's wrong, Beatrix?"
"What do you mean 'what's wrong'? You've been saying the same thing over and over for a while now. What are we going to do from here?"
"Don't growl so much. We have no move to make for the moment. We have no choice but to wait quietly for an opportunity."
"Honestly. It was a blind spot that while using Paul-style Flight Magic, Paul-san would be so occupied with the bowl that he wouldn't even be able to drive away the Gargoyles."
Hmm...
She's growling again.
How did it come to this?
It's because we became decoys to buy time for the Town Guard to escape.
Though, we were the ones who ended up being chased around.
The story goes back more than two hours.
After seeing Hans-san and the others off, we had been watching the situation from a suitable tree.
Just as I thought the Orcs had entered the shack, a stream of Gargoyles came out in their place. It seemed they had swapped shifts because dawn had broken.
They came flying up with a flap-flap sound.
"This is bad. The Town Guard will be found. Since they're facing humans today, they won't have Holy Water ready."
Ordinary arrows don't work on Gargoyles. There were a few mages, but dealing with flying enemies in the forest is a bit tough.
"We shall be the decoys."
"Are you sure?"
"Leave it to me. I'll lead them on a chase with Paul-style Flight Magic."
It was all well and good that we dashed out vigorously, but the opponents were superior in flight. We were chased around relentlessly.
"It cannot be helped. We shall flee to the north."
"Eh? North?"
"We cannot go south or east. Our allies might be there. On the other hand, if we go west, we won't be able to return. If it's north, we can utilize the mountain slope, and we'll be moving away from our allies."
"The slope?"
"Indeed. If we ascend higher than this, the bottom will fall out. We'll fly to the mountainside at our current height somehow and hide in the shadow of the trees."
We flew straight toward the north.
"Beatrix! They're coming!"
"Aaaah! Honestly!"
For the ones that got within point-blank range, Beatrix fired lightning magic and punched holes in their wings.
They fell while spinning round and round.
The opponents couldn't use magic. They only tried to get close and swipe with their claws.
With the bowl in the lead, the Gargoyles formed an almost straight line.
"It's easy since they come one by one."
"We should have just done this from the start!"
In the aerial battle over the mountain shack, both of them had missed many times because the bowl changed direction so often.
While I was soothing Beatrix, who was shooting down Gargoyles with lightning magic while fuming, our altitude gradually dropped.
No, that's not it. We had reached the mountain slope.
"Wait, are we okay? We won't get caught on a tree and fall, will we?"
"Jeanne. Bring out the Camouflage scroll. We'll hide ourselves and escape into the trees."
This was bad. An emergency.
I hurriedly took out the scroll and we vanished.
"Hold on tight."
The bowl, having changed direction at a sharp angle, proceeded a little to the east and then stopped near a large pine tree. We evacuated by moving onto a branch.
Naturally, the Gargoyles kept watch on the sky above. While we were lurking, the Gargoyles carried Orcs over, clutching them in their feet.
And so, leading up to the present, Paul-san and I are confirming the types of monsters while enjoying the scenery, and Beatrix is crossing her arms and growling.
"Don't be so worried. Once night falls, we will undoubtedly be able to escape."
"Is that so?"
"Yes, if Jeanne makes her Light shine at maximum intensity, we can dazzle their eyes. If that happens, we can buy time to escape with Paul-style Flight Magic. Once we put some distance between us, we'll be fine."
That was true. Even in the Eastern Plains, Light was effective against Gargoyles. If I flickered it on and off, it would serve as a distraction.
"Then we'll be fine. Let's just lurk here quietly."
"The problem is that the Camouflage effect only lasts for about another hour, but it will take five hours until the sun completely sets."
The sun hadn't even finished climbing to the true south yet.
Hmm... I found myself crossing my arms and growling as well.
To think the sun would become an aid to the enemy...
Looking up at the southern sky, the sun was dazzling in the blue sky.
Hm? Wait a minute.
Monsters are supposed to hate sunlight... The sun is in the south, slightly to the east... If that's the case...
"Paul-san, Beatrix, can I have a moment?"
I consulted the two of them about the idea I had come up with.
"Reveal yourselves!"
I chanted the keyword to cancel the Camouflage. Simultaneously, the bowl began its flight. Once we were flying, things like Orcs were nothing to fear. Since we were flying above the trees, no arrows would reach us.
The problem was the Gargoyles.
There were about ten of them that noticed us and approached. While aiming with magic, we flew toward the sun.
Inevitably, the Gargoyles would be pursuing us... in other words, flying straight toward the sun.
"Gyah! Gyah!"
They came flying while covering their faces with both hands.
It must be dazzling. If the moon is the ally of monsters, then the sun is the ally of humans.
"Beatrix! Now!"
"You got it!"
Beatrix slowly dropped a giant pinecone from the edge of the bowl. It wasn't that heavy, but it was plenty large.
For a moment, the bowl accelerated. The pinecone, with its Wind Barrier released, was blown backward as if repelled by the force of the wind that propelled us.
They wouldn't be able to dodge while covering their eyes.
It was a direct hit. Since it was light, the damage was shallow, but it was enough as long as it caused them to stop abruptly in mid-air. The ones following behind crashed into them, and they fell in a tangled mess. We gained distance with this.
"That went better than I thought."
Beatrix gave me a high-five, but the problem started from here. We were ascending quite a bit.
"We're going to descend soon."
We couldn't just descend slowly. We would just fall.
Because he was dismantling only the back part little by little, we moved forward, but our altitude kept dropping. I desperately endured the fear of falling and glared at the Gargoyles behind us.
Since they didn't have to worry about the sun anymore, the Gargoyles also pressed their pursuit. Because there were so many, we couldn't defeat them all with magic.
Together with Beatrix, we desperately held them off by shooting down the Gargoyles one by one with magic.
We would ascend again in the middle of falling.
We held out until the last second, getting right up to the tree branches before ascending. One Gargoyle that had dived steeply crashed into a tree. It made a dull thud, so it might have shattered.
While going up and down, we gradually reduced their numbers and somehow managed to shake off the Gargoyles.
The sun passed the true south.
We had already been flying for an hour. Beatrix and I were close to running out of magic.
Looking to the right, a single plume of smoke was rising far in the distance. It was the base of those scoundrels. The Orcs must have set it on fire.
North of the mountain stream is monster territory where even veteran hunters do not set foot.
According to Paul-san, even if people who drifted in from other countries became bandits or mountain outlaws north of the stream because they were destitute, the Town Guard wouldn't go to subjugate them. This was because they would be attacked by monsters even if left alone.
"Then why this time?"
"Because there might have been kidnapped people. In such a case, we must rescue them no matter what. It is the duty of the Town Guard to protect the righteous weak."
For the sake of those who must be protected... I remembered the motto of the Town Guard.
"Protect, huh..."
Beatrix muttered.
"Since we who use magic are stronger than those who cannot, we have to protect the weak people, don't we?"
"Indeed. That is the duty of a mage."
"It's difficult, isn't it?"
"You girls are doing well."
Even while pretending to be calm, I couldn't help but feel bashful.