"—Ouch!"
How unlucky. To think that there was a rock where I landed.
!!
More importantly, how about the others. Were they able to move away in time?!
"Are you guys alright?!!"
"Ptchu! Phweh! Dithgusthing! Dirth ing my mouh! (Dirt in my mouth!)"
"The blanket! I just bought that earlier!"
…Guess I don't have to worry about those two.
What about Akemi–?
"Kuh. How disappointing. Just when I was able to eat a luxurious meal…"
Why isn't there a single one of you asking about what fell down on us?! And I agree. That was kind of disappointing but…
Just when the dust was clearing away, a figure of a dragon-like creature appeared.
It stayed silent and still.
It's two-legged, and it has two wings and sharp claws.
Is this a wyvern?
"Be ready to cast magic if something happens, Hiro."
"Got it."
"…H-Hey, what is that? Is it still alive?"
"This isn't a dragon or a wyvern, right?"
Slowly and quietly, we went closer to the monster and checked if it's still alive.
"Of course, it isn't. If it were then we wouldn't have been able to get away from it. This is just a Guivre. A smaller specie of a dragon. They can spew poison that can melt your skin in contact."
Alex explained as we were observing it's features.
"Scary!"
"You sure know a lot…"
"That's only natural. Unlike you, I have an intelligence that can be boasted at school."
...I want to wipe that smug look on his face but not right now…
"Also, a Guivre can sense how strong its enemies are by the mana that comes from their body or the mana surrounding them. Therefore, it…"
Ignoring Alex who is explaining things to himself, I observed the Guivre.
So, it's called a Guivre, huh. Looking closely, it doesn't have two claws on its finger joint, and its scales are less spiky like a wyvern's. It's my first time seeing a monster this close. I've only seen some tied up by some of our villagers from a distance.
"How did this even fall down?"
Just as Akemi asked that, I noticed an arrow in its throat.
"There's an arrow in its throat."
Maybe somebody nearby shot it down.
I looked around to see if there are adventurers but there aren't any. While I was thinking about it, the others were examining Guivre.
"You're right."
"That arrow might be enchanted with lightning magic. It might be from an adventurer."
The arrow that penetrated its throat was making electrical discharges at the Guivre's scales.
Maybe it's paralyzed… or not.
Since it isn't even making a slight movement.
…Now that I think about it if it tastes the same as a wyvern then…
"…Hey. Can I take this home with me?"
"?!!" 3x
Hearing my suggestion, the other three looked at me in surprise.
"Ha?! What are you talking about, you idiot? Can you even carry this home?!"
"I don't know if you can, Hiroki, but if it's really adventurers who shot this down then we can't do anything to it."
"Hiro, I think I know what you're thinking. Stewed wyvern tail is your favorite but…"
"F-Fine. Got it…"
I was just asking, you know…
"Also, those people over there are probably the ones who shot it down, right?"
We followed Alex's gaze and saw some adventurers on their way here.
"Tch. What a waste."
"Stop already…"
"Hmm? Hey. I think they're shouting at us…"
Feeling a bit uncomfortable, we stayed silent.
"Wait. I think I can understand what they're saying."
Akemi, using wind magic to hear far away in the distance, said,
"'Get away from there! That thing is still alive!' Says one guy."
Changing her pitch as if to mimic the voice.
…What!?
We looked at each other with a surprised expression and slowly walked away from the Guivre without bothering ourselves to look at it.
"...Ehehehe. That's impossible. It should be dead. After all, it took an arrow in its throat. There's no way it's alive, right?"
I convinced myself with my voice trembling without even looking back.
"...Hey. That's bad luck."
"...Those statements are bad luck, Hiroki."
Noticing a movement from behind us, we turned slowly to look. Then for a moment we saw the Guivre open its eyes and move its wings feebly.
...It's not my fault, right?
Spotting the four of us the Guivre forced itself to stand up and spread its wings, roars weirdly because of its injured neck.
It was only paralyzed after all!
The Guivre give us a glare, Haruko and Alex shouts,
"Gah! I-I knew it! It was still alive! And my blanket!"
"Don't move! It won't attack you if you don't move!"
Really?! Then it's best if we just stay–!?
"Hey! Then why are you walking away, you bastard!?"
Alex backs away with small steps as if to not alarm the Guivre.
"D-D-Don't get the wrong idea. I-I-I'm only going to call for help."
"Help, my ass! You're running away–! Hey! Hii!!"
The Guivre suddenly screeched, lowering its body and showing its wings as if it's on guard. Noticing this, all of us stood still, not moving a muscle. The others are also freaking out.
Scary! A monster up close it totally terrifying! I want to use magic now, but we'll get caught up in the explosion. Gah! I don't care! I'll do it! I will!
"Hey. Doesn't it look scared? I think it's trying to distance itself away from us."
Akemi asks with a composed face as all of this is nothing.
"T-T-That's stupid. W-Why would it run away when it's two times larger than us–??"
Noticing the Guivre step back as if it's afraid if something. It's keeping its eyes on each of us alternately while screeching.
Though it's still scary when I think that it might move suddenly and attack us.
"I-I-I can't take this. Hiroki, blast it away."
"Ha?! Why should I be the one to–!"
The Guivre tries to cough up something but it seems to fail.
Then something like a digestive fluid leaked out of its mouth, dissolving the grass on the ground upon contact with it.
Gross! Is that the poison that melts your skin?
"Ice Dagger."
Appearing on Akemi's hand was a dagger made of ice.
"Hey. What are you doing!"
"Eh? I'm going to attack it, of course."
"Don't even try it! Why do you say it like it's the most natural thing to do?!"
Maybe surprised by my raised voice, the Guivre screeched, spreading its wing and flew off the ground.
"It flew!!" 3x
Screeching again, we thought that it would dive and grab one of us or something. Instead, the Guivre flew away in the river's direction.
"Ah. There it goes. That monster was hurting and was terrified. Maybe it's because of the arrow in its throat."
Akemi said while staring at the Guivre flying in the distance.
Are you pitying that monster? How about you? Weren't you scared at all? And how do you keep that composed face of yours in that situation?!
"Guess I won't be needing this…"
The ice dagger shattered in pieces in Akemi's hand and disappeared into thin air.
...She was the only one here who wasn't fazed by the Guivre earlier, right? And what were we boys doing…
"Whatever… I think I'm still trembling… Weren't we just eating so peacefully ten minutes ago? What's with that sudden development?"
"Wasn't it supposed to attack us? It was quite scared, don't you think? Was that one a coward?"
"Y-You two. We should just be grateful nothing happened to us."
Haruko exclaimed.
"Hey! Are you kids alright?!"
The three adventurers from earlier arrived finally. The one leading them was wearing light armor and a sheathed sword in his waist, a fencer. Behind him is an archer wearing a hood, covering half of his face and a fighter, wearing tight gloves with metal knuckles.
"Y-Yes!" 3x
Adventurers! Up close!
As one who aspires to be an adventurer, of course I'd look at them with eyes of admiration. The same goes for Alex. Slightly for Haruko. It may be because he sees a lot of them in their pub when he works.
Sighing in relief, the three adventurers inhaled then exhaled. They are even sweating a lot, looking nervous.
Are they that worried we might be hurt from earlier?
"That's good, that's good, sorry for that. We shot it down so it would be easier to kill it on land, but we didn't expect anyone to be here so we apologize for that. You kids did great to stay away from it."
"Thank you very much, sir!"
"We are honored, sir!"
"Thank you for saving us, sir!"
The three of us bowed our heads.
They're concerned with our wellbeing. What wonderful adventurers. The Guivre was the one staying away from us but never mind that.
"No need, no need."
"Well, it can't be helped if it escaped. What's important is that you kids are safe."
So kindhearted. We are touched to hear those words.
"Where are your parents? They aren't with you? Is that young girl there your friend too?"
The fighter one asked and pointed at Akemi who was looking at the broken lunchbox and tattered blanket. Squatted down and fixed her beat up basket.
…What is she doing...?
Alex and Haruko replied,
"Yes, sir."
"We came here to eat lunch with our friends."
"I see… So, it wasn't a coincidence that you came here after all."
"S-Shut it, you!"
Laughing, except for the archer who has half of his face covered with his hood, they seem to be happy with our argument.
"Well then. You kids seem alright. Things are kind of unusual in this town these days, so you'd better be careful now. Don't go outside town, okay?"
The fencer who turned to leave and the other two followed him.
"Yes, sir!" 3x
That made me nervous. Is speaking with real adventurers that hard?
"That made me nervous. Is speaking with real adventurers that hard?"
Alex voiced out my thoughts.
"Good thing they arrived. Maybe the Guivre got scared because of those adventurers. They must be some skilled people."
"Yeah. I remember Alex saying that Guivres can sense their enemy's mana, right?"
"Yeah, I did. It spews poison to protect itself actually. But that one earlier, I guess it couldn't spew poison because of the arrow in its throat."
So, it was trying to throw up digestive fluids?! We're lucky it didn't succeed.
"Well. I guess today isn't all bad after all. I thought it will end up me being traumatized or something."
"That's impossible. I haven't heard anyone being traumatized by monsters."
"I guess that's true."
Alex replied and I agreed with him, then the three of us laughed.
By the way, what's with Akemi during a chance like that? She didn't even thank those adventurers. How ungrateful.
Looking back, I saw Akemi, carrying her fixed basket, walking towards us with stooped shoulders.
"Hiro, I'm going back for now."
"Eh? Sure, I guess."
Akemi said dejectedly and waved goodbye to us with a bit of a smile.
...Is she that disappointed about the lunch? When it comes to food and recipes, she gets fired up for no reason… but who am I to judge.
"What's this? You two are that close?"
"No! Are you mocking me?!"
"Eh? You don't have to shout, you bastard. You looking for a fight?!"
"Now, now. You two."