Chapter 155 - The Forest Serpent’s Misfortune
(Note: A giant serpent appears, and there is some discussion of food. Please proceed with caution if either makes you uncomfortable.)
***
The sky, with autumn having only just begun, was a clear, pale blue, with white clouds drifting across it like brushstrokes.
In a grassland a short distance from the highway, members of the Monster Subjugation Squad were cutting back vines with scythes.
However, those black vines moved around quite a bit.
They were, in fact, monsters known as Nettle Devils.
These troublesome monsters wrapped themselves around any prey that approached and sucked its blood until it died. Their stems were covered in sharp thorns, and once a thorn pierced the skin, its barbs made it difficult to pull out.
Although the area was some distance from the highway, their habitat had spread farther than usual that year, so the squad had been dispatched to reduce their numbers.
"This year looks easier than last year."
"That's thanks to Volf and Kirk."
"But seriously, Volf's scythe work is incredible. He's the very embodiment of the 'Black Grim Reaper.'"
The squad members were looking toward Volf, who was running around in red armor with a large scythe in hand. His movements were so light that one might have thought he weighed nothing at all, let alone the weapon he was carrying.
He raced past the edge of the Nettle Devils' colony at a terrifying speed, slicing off the tips of their writhing vines one after another.
Several red-armored knights, including Dorino, followed close behind him, moving at considerable speed themselves.
Providing them with close-range wind magic to boost their speed were Kirk, a junior knight, and the wind-magic-wielding mages.
Until last year, the wind mages had used offensive spells against the Nettle Devils. This year, however, they had adopted a new strategy: assisting the knights by increasing their speed so they could cut off the dangerous tips of the vines first.
"First wave! We've finished cutting off the tips!"
"Second wave! Advance while supporting the mages!"
Orders came immediately in response to the reports.
With the knights handling their defense, the mages attacked from mid range, combining fire and water magic to unleash scalding water.
Once the Nettle Devils within a designated area were doused with it, their movements slowed.
"Everyone, clear out the Nettle Devils within the area!"
The squad members, including the red-armored knights from the first wave, immediately set to work cutting down the Nettle Devils with their scythes and long swords.
It took hardly any time at all to eliminate the monsters from the designated area.
"Wouldn't it be better to just drive the Nettle Devils to extinction?"
After the extermination, as the squad made its way toward the campsite along the highway, one young knight muttered in complaint.
Even through his leather gloves, one of the thorns must have pierced his hand deeply. Blood was seeping from the back of his hand, and he was licking the wound.
"If we wipe them out too thoroughly, it'll become easier for monsters from the forest behind us to cross the grassland and reach the highway. Besides, although it's rare, they're also used to make medicine that works against certain epidemic diseases. We can't just go around exterminating them."
"But even if they can be used to make medicine, it's not as though we can grow them inside the Royal Capital, right?"
The young knight sighed as he gazed somewhat resentfully at the small hole in his still-new leather glove.
"That should be easy enough to mend. Just take it to the repair shop at the Royal Castle. They'll fix it for free."
"Someone gave these to me. I'm dreading having to tell them I tore them."
"Oh? Your lover? Your fiancée?"
"...My mother."
Dorino patted the honest knight on the shoulder two or three times.
Volf removed his gloves, damp with sweat, and wiped his Sköll bracelet with a handkerchief.
Then, for some reason, he found himself thinking of Dahlia's slender left wrist.
The golden bracelet Dahlia wore for self-defense.
It was a magic tool with a wide range of protective effects. It provided complete protection against poison and prevented confusion and petrification. It also rendered sleeping drugs, paralytic agents, aphrodisiacs, and similar substances ineffective.
Dahlia was currently borrowing the bracelet from Ozwald, and she had said that she intended to make one herself eventually.
Volf had initially thought she could simply make it right away and return the borrowed one. But once he'd asked about the materials, he understood why it wasn't so simple.
The rare materials set into the inside of the bracelet consisted of four different types, each in a different color.
The white one was a unicorn's horn, the black one was a bicorn's horn, the red one was a Fire Dragon's scale, and the green one was a Forest Serpent's heart.
At least Dahlia already had a unicorn's horn in her possession. As for the bicorn, Volf had slain one recently, and its horn had already been delivered to Dahlia.
That left the Fire Dragon's scale and the Forest Serpent's heart.
He'd heard that Fire Dragons lived far to the south, but he'd never seen one himself. Apparently, their scales occasionally appeared at auctions, so it would probably be better to ask his older brother to find one.
Forest Serpents had enormous territories, making them monsters one rarely encountered.
The squad had run into one recently, but Volf hadn't seen it. He'd been too busy writing a report on five-toed socks.
He regretted not having killed it and reserved its heart, but he hadn't known he would need one at the time, so there was nothing he could do about it now.
"Hmm? What's that sound...?"
"Looks like something big is coming."
Everyone immediately drew their weapons, took up their stances, and formed a battle formation.
From the forest bordering the grassland came the sound of branches snapping, accompanied by the distinctive noise of something immensely heavy dragging itself along the ground.
A gigantic green body emerged, weaving between the tall trees.
It towered above them, and its body was as thick as the trees beside it, stretching far back into the forest.
Its green eyes, tinged with black, gleamed with the joy of having found its prey.
The Forest Serpent, also known as the Green King.
Travelers and merchants had a saying:
It’s rare to encounter the Green King on a highway or in a forest. But if you do, abandon your cargo and horses without hesitation. Even then, pray to the gods if you wish to survive.
"Hissss!"
The mighty roar of the king of the forest rang out across the blue sky.
"Oh! It's a Forest Serpent! Volf, weren't you looking for one?"
"Yeah, perfect timing! It's one of the materials Dahlia needs!"
Volf answered the dark-blue-haired man with a beaming smile.
There was no fear or tension among the men. Although they had taken up their fighting stances, they continued chatting together in high spirits.
"Lady Dahlia is looking for one? Then we absolutely have to take it down."
"Agreed. Let's surround it quickly so it can't escape."
"Mages, let's split up and move to either side to keep it in place. The archers will move to the front."
"Understood. Oh, if we're going to use it for materials, we shouldn't hit it carelessly, right?"
"Volf, which part do you want to take?"
"The heart."
Every squad member's gaze turned toward the Forest Serpent at once.
Flicking its dark green tongue in and out, the Forest Serpent seemed to have a giant question mark plastered across its face.
"Hiiisss..."
Its threatening hiss seemed to have grown a little quieter.
Perhaps the reason its enormous body no longer seemed quite so intimidating was that it had somehow picked up on at least a little of what they were saying.
"Captain Grato, may we have permission to subjugate it? ...Wait, you can't use Ash Hand! The heart will either turn to ash or become too desiccated!"
"Hmm, is that so?"
A knight desperately stopped Grato, who had already drawn his sword.
A thin wisp of smoke was already rising from its gray blade. Apparently, he'd intended to be the first to charge in.
"Very well. I'll refrain, then. You have my permission to subjugate it."
"Anyone who wants to join the hunt, raise your hand... Actually, there's no need to ask. Archers and mages, keep it pinned down! Volf, you're the expert here, so take command from here on!"
Every single man raised his hand. Some even raised both, getting carried away with the excitement.
Apparently, there had been no point in asking.
"Thank you! As long as we don't burn the heart itself, it's fine to divide it into two or three pieces. I hear they're going to infuse it with magic and crystallize it anyway. Let's use the first formation for large monsters, keep the magic to a minimum, and have everyone cut it down all at once once it's been immobilized."
"Understood. Hold it in place, then cut it up. Would you like any of the other materials, too?"
"The hide should fetch a decent price. We can send it to the Adventurers Guild. We might even be able to add some good meat to our meals."
While they were talking, the archers and mages were already working to immobilize the Forest Serpent.
The serpent's threatening hisses and the cracking of branches as its massive body thrashed about were accompanied by the distinctive sound of the archers' powerful bows.
Next came the mages' earth magic to hold it in place, followed by wind magic to obstruct its vision.
As they reorganized their formation, Volf remembered going to a tavern with Marcella.
"Come to think of it, I heard in the downtown area that Forest Serpent is considered a delicacy. The place I went to didn't have any, though. Apparently, it's good for stamina and vitality."
"Oh? If it helps relieve fatigue, I'd like to try it regardless of how it tastes."
"Doesn't look particularly appetizing to me... The meat's white, isn't it?"
"If you grill it, it's not bad at all. It's a little expensive for ordinary folks, though. Dried Forest Serpent is pretty popular among the men in the downtown area."
With his sword hand raised, Dorino explained to the two senior knights.
"If it's not dried, it tastes like chicken with a rather strong flavor and a fair bit of fat."
"Oh, there's still a whole pot of that sweet barbecue sauce Dahlia gave the squad."
"Then we're in business!"
"That should go perfectly with it. With a monster that size, there'll be more than enough for everyone."
The men nodded enthusiastically and turned their faces toward the Forest Serpent.
A kind of gaze it had never encountered before pierced straight through the Forest Serpent.
"H-Hiiisss...?"
It was the moment their positions as predator and prey were reversed.
Once the butchering and the journey were over, the squad members began preparing dinner.
Given the distance from the Royal Capital, they planned to camp here for the night and head back first thing tomorrow morning.
There was a campfire, but everyone also began cooking with their own expedition stoves.
The name Rossetti was engraved on the back of every single stove.
Volf gazed at the name on his stove for just a moment before setting it down on a waterproof sheet and placing a pot on top.
"Volf, which would you prefer, today's spoils or the beef? You can have both if you want."
"No, I'm fine for now. I've already got something of my own."
"Volf, what's in that leather pouch?"
"Leftover beef from lunch. I'd been marinating it in the sauce I brought from home."
Even though it was the same sweet sauce, the one Dahlia had made specifically for Volf was a little different.
She'd used less honey and more ginger instead. She'd also adjusted the spices to suit Volf's tastes.
"Let me guess. Miss Dahlia made that, didn't she? You bastard, preparing something special just for yourself..."
"I'd like to propose an exchange for one slice of meat."
"Rejected!"
Volf immediately refused the offer, prompting Dorino to speak in utter exasperation.
"Hey, you. Forget the meat for a second and at least share some of that sauce. We're heading back tomorrow morning, so you'll have some left over."
"...Two tablespoons. Enough for ten people."
"For a noble from a Count’s family, aren’t you too stingy?! No, wait, you'll be from a Marquis family next year, won't you?!"
"What does that have to do with anything?!"
While the two were bickering like children, someone tugged at Volf's sleeve.
"Would you mind sharing some with me, too, Volf-senpai? I'll give you half my wine in exchange."
"Uh... Sure."
Turning to look at his junior, whose eyes were green, Volf nodded a beat late.
"Kirk's gotten stronger..."
"Yeah, but isn't he heading in the wrong direction?"
The senior knights nearby whispered among themselves.
"Fine. I'll trade you a spoonful of the jam I brought from home."
"I'm not really into sweet things..."
At Randolph's offer, Volf looked a little troubled.
"It's the recommended apple jam from the shop Lady Dahlia introduced me to, you know?"
"Randolph, I'll make the trade, but when and where did you hear about that?"
Volf turned his golden eyes toward Randolph, a hint of displeasure in them.
"Now, when and where could that have been...?"
Though the man gave an evasive answer, his reddish-brown eyes were positively gleaming with amusement.
"Hey, Randolph, don't tease Volf too much. Things'll get complicated. Anyway, Volf, you need to increase the amount a little. And everyone else who's gathered here, settle it with rock-paper-scissors!"
At Dorino's call as he took charge of the situation, the young knights prepared to compete.
It looked like things wouldn't be getting quiet anytime soon.
"...Honestly, they're like children on their very first school outing."
A middle-aged knight watched the squad members with an amused smile.
The young men within his field of vision were making a racket, laughing as they grilled meat and arguing over how to divide it up.
"They've let their guard down completely."
"It's fine. They're keeping proper watch, and no one's forgotten their weapons. I suppose this is what future expeditions will be like. Fight when it's time to fight, eat when it's time to eat, sleep when there's a chance to sleep, and as long as we can all laugh together and return home, that's enough."
At Grato's words, the knight's expression turned slightly sour.
"...Does it bother you?"
"...To be honest, yes. I'm a little frustrated. I can't help thinking how much better things would have been if we'd reached this point sooner."
"If you start counting all the things you couldn't do, people will start calling you an old man."
Grato took a silver flask from inside his coat and poured a small amount into each of two wooden cups.
"I've always considered myself old enough already... Captain, what is this?"
The knight narrowed his eyes as he looked at the wooden cup handed to him. The amber liquid had an exquisite aroma.
"A friend gave me some good distilled liquor, so I brought it along. We can't let the young ones be the only ones enjoying themselves. There's only enough for three servings, so don't let them find out."
The remaining serving in the flask was poured over the blade of Ash Hand, which Grato had drawn from its scabbard.
The middle-aged knight silently raised his cup to eye level.
During an expedition, they had been unable to bring home the bodies of their fallen comrades. To keep them from being devoured by monsters or beasts, he had stabbed the bodies a second time with his sword.
Grato still remembered the sensation of piercing his comrades with perfect clarity.
The sword hissed softly and dried almost immediately, as though drinking up the alcohol, before returning to its usual gray blade.
He gently returned it to its scabbard, then downed a mouthful of the strong liquor himself.
"Would you care to try some Forest Serpent, too, Captain? It's surprisingly tasty."
Just as he'd emptied his cup, a cheerful voice rang out. A young man with black hair had approached, carrying a plate of meat.
"I've eaten it on expeditions before. It was rather greasy and not particularly good..."
"If you grill it while letting the fat drip away, it goes really well with the sweet sauce Dahlia gave us."
"I'll have some, then."
Using a grill he'd brought along, Volf deftly began cooking the white meat.
As its savory aroma spread through the air, Volf turned back to Grato.
"Captain Grato, I have a favor to ask, though I realize I'm being presumptuous."
"What is it?"
"The Forest Serpent won't all fit in the carriage, so I was wondering if you could use Ash Hand to dry some of it out, if possible..."
"Are you planning to sell it to the Adventurers Guild?"
"No. I was hoping to distribute it among the squad members who'd like some dried meat. The senior knights have told me that when they return home exhausted from an expedition, they're sometimes too tired to even talk to their families. Forest Serpent is said to be good for stamina and vitality, and apparently it's a popular delicacy among men in the downtown area. I imagine it would help to some extent."
"Volf, I can understand your reasoning, but the captain's magic sword isn't a machine for making dried meat."
At the middle-aged knight's words of protest, Volf's expression began to take on a look of resignation.
Grato would probably have refused if this had happened in the past.
He wouldn't have been able to reconcile himself to making dried meat with the sword he'd used to cut down his comrades, the same sword he'd used to slay monsters.
But he was fine with it now. He would accept it all.
The laughter as they cooked, their cheerful conversations, the good liquor and delicious food.
They were alive here, standing upon the lives of their comrades and the lives of monsters.
All they could do was savor life to the fullest and keep moving forward.
"I don't mind. I'll do it. The Ash Hand hasn't seen much action lately, either. I ought to put it to use."
"Thank you!"
With his words of gratitude, Volf offered him a skewer of perfectly grilled white meat.
Taking it, Grato replied with a smile.
"In that case, I'll put in a request for some dried meat myself."
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