「Haaa!」
「Gyaahhh!!」
The sensation of the sinewy flesh while cutting the bones ran through my hand.
The creature that cried in pain spanned over two meters, it was a monster that looked just like a large wild boar. However, apart from the slight resemblance it obviously differs from a normal wild boar, its bristles were dyed in a vibrant green and protruding from its head was a large black horn the size of a fist.
The creature was a monster was called "Green Boar", it stood alongside goblins as monsters that beginner adventurers hunt down as a source of income. Their numbers were less than that of goblins (rather, goblins just bred too quickly). Although the power of its blows was slightly stronger than that of a goblin, it's an easy prey to hunt as its only attack was basically a linear rush.
Above all else, unlike the goblins, their meat could be eaten.
It couldn't be called appetizing, and no matter what, this meat wouldn't be anything other than the lowest grade of meat. However, processing it into dried meat allowed it to last for a long time and for the beginners that earned little, it became a reliable emergency ration.
「Gyaaah, Gyaaaah!」
Cutting off its right foreleg as I moved past it, I cleanly decapitated the incapacitated Green Boar with the [Soul Sword of Beginning]. Without thinking, I ended up picking it up from its hind legs to drain the crimson blood that was spewing out. But really though, I've secured way too much Green Boar meat and so I just threw it back to the ground without hanging it on a tree.
If I came back in a few hours, the dog-shaped monster, Garms would probably gather, attracted by the smell of blood. Since they were not very smart, they would start eating the meat of the Green Boar on the spot without paying any attention to its surrounding.
The plan was to gain experience easily using surprise attacks from behind.
「Fuuu, at last I've passed 3000…」
For the time being, I checked the amount of experience points I acquired from the earlier battles on my way back to the base where Minnalis was waiting at.
It was now the second day since we escaped from the town's walls.
I tirelessly hunted the Goblins, Green Boars and Garms, that dwell in the forest surrounding the Royal Capital.
Of course, the purpose was to collect experience points and to increase our combat effectiveness.
If it's the level of the rabble which made up the princess' imperial knights that were in the area of the summoning, then I could probably cut my way through even if I was surrounded from the front with twice the number of people. However, unlike the ornamental knights that fundamentally cared only about their appearance and position with only stats to show, it would be impossible with the actual knight corp under the command of the knight Captain.
The former was a group whose parents were aristocrats and raised their levels by leveling in safety, surrounded by their followers. So to speak, they were mascots playing the "Admirable Knight Sirs", decorations used to appeal to the masses.
The latter, however, was an armed force that exists with the sole purpose of fighting—genuine knights. Charging through monster subjugations and wars as the vanguards, the knights that danced a waltz with the Death God on the line between of life and death. Naturally, their bodies were minced full of scars, and a few even had a look that would make the masses hesitate to call them out as the people's heroes.
Still, that power alone was genuine.
If I was surrounded from the front by any more than 10 of them as I am right now, there's probably no choice but to escape whilst being prepared to receive some injuries. Otherwise, what was left would be a scene of me turning into a bloodied corpse, a shadow of my former self.
At the moment, whether it's levelling up using the experience points, or unlocking the soul sword, my first priority was to hurry it up and get more power within my grasp once again.
「Though I say that…, this -20,000 is just too much no matter how you look at it, Kami-sama…」
Without thinking, I heaved a deep sigh.
By the way, I've killed nearly 50 Goblins, Green Boars and Garms in total over the last two days, and the experience I received amounted to roughly 2,000.
Adding the remaining that I haven't allocated, the experience points that could be allocated was no more than a meager 3,000 points, which falls far from the 20,000. Moreover, it was because I had a stroke of fortuitous luck and managed to discover several hordes that I could kill nearly 50 of them in two days; it would be difficult to hunt that number on a regular basis.
「Shit, what New Game+? Isn't this second run-through just a hard mode grind?」
Monsters in the vicinity of the capital were quite weak, and the average level of monsters were about 20. Which was basically about the same level as an adult male who was born and lived within the walls of a city.
Of course, if the levels were the same, it does not mean that their strengths were the same. Basically, the monsters have higher stats even if their levels were the same. Since their combat instincts were strongly embedded in their bones, if ordinary people who have not been trained to fight head on in a one vs one with something of the same level as goblins, they would most likely be defeated.
However, what matters was not the level difference, the point was that it depended on the correction of the difference in stats. No matter how great the level difference, if you kill an opponent that fell behind in stats, you won't receive as much experience points.
And so, I may be Level 1 right now but with the Soul Sword and the effects of the unidentifiable [Title] both raising my stats, then without any bias from me, it should roughly be about the stats of a Level 50.
Though no matter how much stronger they were to humans of the same level, there definitely weren't any monsters around these parts other than the 『Low Rank』 mobs.
「Let's leave levelling up alone for now. For the time being, I should unlock the [Eight Eyed Transparent Tome Sword].」
After I made the Status Board appear, I tapped on the [Eight Eyed Transparent Tome Sword] in the Soul Sword column.
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After allocating the experience points, the window disappears and in my right hand the [Eight Eyed Transparent Tome Sword] appeared.
What settled in my hand was a Soul Sword in the shape of a survival knife, a large knife with a slight curvature. On the opposite side of the blade were jagged notches and in the thick body of the blade were 8 round holes the size of a thumb.
In those holes were embedded crystals that were faintly colored like the 7 colors of the rainbow, and a crystal that was black.
Embedded in the pommel of the grip was a transparent crystal that held a design of a tome inside, and attached to it was a ring made of metal.
Turning the ring a quarter of a turn and the design of the closed tome changed into that of an opened one. At the same time, a translucent green board that had a similar look to the Status Board appeared, it was the Data Board.
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「Hm? So the data from the first run hasn't disappeared.」
Just in case, I tapped the screen to display the data on items, and the data was properly displayed.
Turning the ring on top of the crystal in the pommel once again, the Data Board closed and since I didn't have a scabbard I wrapped the blade with leather straps and hung the sword from my sword belt. That's because I wouldn't be able to use appraisal if I recalled the sword. And since it's a type of Soul Sword that doesn't use MP while it's just summoned, I would normally wear it on me in its summoned state.
「Open Status, 『Appraisal』」
Next, I used 『Appraisal』 from the [Eight Eyed Transparent Tome Sword] on my own Status Board. Doing so, like the blue Status Board, the green Data Board appeared.
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Now then, since the information on each of the stats were now all present, let's run through each status all over again.
『HP』
Hit Point.
Vitality shown in numerical value. Taking wounds, succumbing to poison or illness will reduce this. You die when this value reaches 0.
『MP』
Magic Point.
The magical power that exists within the body shown in numerical value. Using spells or skills that include the likes of 『Coercion』 and 『Magic Edge』 will reduce this.
『Strength』
The upper limit value of the strength that the body is able to demonstrate.
『Stamina』
The durability of the strength that the body is able to demonstrate.
『Endurance』
The value concerning the reduction in damage to HP received from physical attacks.
『Agility』
The upper limit value of the speed that the body is able to demonstrate.
『Magic Power』
The output power when activating a spell or skill with mana above the minimum required.
『Magic Resist』
The value concerning the reduction in damage received to HP from spells and mana itself.
Up to this point has been the values of the stats normally mentioned in the Status Board. Status Boards cannot be seen by other people, but whilst I can see anyone's, it's possible for others to see the Status Board as long as the person himself has given permission to do so. (That I could see Minnalis' Status at the slave store without permission was because of the effects of the title [Avenger's Master].)
Although the people of this world most likely don't know of this, in truth there were stats that existed outside of these. That is, what's showing right now on the Data Board is the Hidden Status.
Unlike the other stats, these are graded not with numerical values but with SSS being the highest rank stepping down to G being lowest rank. Explaining each one respectively:
『Technique』
The stat concerning the technical level of Body Control and similar skills.
The variable that shows what extent of technical mastery is possible.
『Thought Processing Speed』
The speed at which the information from the 5 senses, skills, or spells is processed.
The stat shines especially when concerning the speed of thought during a battle.
『Body Recovery Rate』
The rank concerning the natural recovery rate of HP, MP.
The speed of the natural recovery from abnormal statuses and recovery of damaged parts of the body are also affected.
And so it goes.
These were displayed precisely because of the [Eight Eyed Transparent Tome Sword]. Even if an 『Appraisal』 spell was used, they won't display.
In regards to magic aptitude, with the 『Aptitude Crystal』 manufactured and owned by the Magician's Guild an approximate understanding could be made. But, because it's quite costly, people without a lot of money wouldn't try it.
This magic aptitude differs from mana, it affects how quickly the magic of the attribute can level up and ease of which mana is converted into spells.
To make it short, it's easy to raise the skill of spells in the attributes with high aptitude, and when forming spells from mana, controlling it is easy. For example, if one's Fire aptitude is high then the Fire Magic's skill would rise quickly, even difficult magic would be easy to use compared to those with low aptitude, so to speak.
Incidentally, non-elemental magic corresponds to enhancement magic like 『Force up』 and 『Physical Up』, and non-attribute magic corresponds to hex magic, illusion magic, spirit magic, ceremonial magic and such unique magic.
Magic aptitude is an ability completely decided upon birth, afterwhich there was practically no method of changing this.
Now then, it's probably been noted by now—my magic aptitudes are all 0.
In short, I can't use magic. In the first place, I can't even form spells from mana.
That said, the unique power of the Soul Sword was similar to that of magic and since I don't need to process my mana personally, and also with it being fine as long as I just insert the mana, there's no problem in particular.
However, on top of most unique abilities eating a stupid amount of mana, they're high-powered and have the weakness of being too large and grand to be flexible in combat, though it can be considered similar to magic when thinking about the quality and scale of most magic spells.
Back on topic, the last is about the titles.
About this, there are parts that even I personally don't understand but just like passive skills, their acquisition seems to be tied to fulfilling some sort of prerequisite.
Titles have varying effects, for example, the title 『Otherworlder』 earns the characteristic skill of 『Language Comprehension』 and the title 『Hero』 grants a growth correction to the experience points obtained and skill proficiencies.
Like before, these titles cannot be seen without the appraisal of the [Eight Eyed Transparent Tome Sword], so essentially there should be no one who knew of them.
「As I thought, the titles were left as they were…」
I couldn't confirm it as I didn't have appraisal at the time, but even then with only a look at my stats and knowing the effects of the Soul Sword I thought that my Endurance, Agility, and Magic Resist stats were a little bit high? Now I can finally confirm it as such.
I closed the Data Board after having confirmed several things and coincidentally arrived at the hunter's cabin that we made into our base.
「Ah, master. Welcome back.」
「Oi, didn't I tell you to rest properly?」
I said with a slight frown to Minnalis who was lightly wiping away a fair bit of sweat.
The rabbit-brain that seemed to have forgotten how I had said to rest properly before I left, was practicing a few sword swings in the cleared land in front of the hunter's cabin.
There's no one to see right now so the fluffy rabbit ears and tail were swaying about with the illusion magic cancelled.
「I'm fine already, the 'weakened' abnormal status already wore off just a little less than an hour ago. More like, sleeping too much would be worse for my body.」
Said Minnalis nonchalantly, it certainly seems like her state of health had made a thorough 180-degree turn for the better.
Just in case, I have a look at it using the appraisal that I got just now.
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As expected of a beastkin, the recovery rate wasn't average.
Incidentally, on the topic of recovery rate, whilst it was possible to raise it with spells and skills, normally veteran soldiers with experience in war were averaging an E rank.
「Certainly, it does look like the weakening already wore off, doesn't it.」
Nevertheless, it would seem that Minnalis' aptitude for Light, Darkness, Non-attribute magic was actually pretty high. Though normally it would be said that those with a magic aptitude of 40 and over should aim to become a magician of that particular attribute. However, the beastkin had their natural characteristic of easily having their mana dispersed, otherwise, they probably would have been trained as a backline artillery or even frontline magicians.
Even if mana was formed into spells, that dispersive nature of their mana wouldn't change so that kind of outlook becomes voided.
「Well, let's have food for now.」
「Yes, I've made the preparations.」
「Mm, thank you.」
「As a slave, it's an obvious responsibility.」
Back when she was mana drunk, her face would turn red as if she was embarrassed when I praised her, but now with a thorough poker face like she had plastered herself (even though I praised her, it hurts to think that she had no interest in it at all), Minnalis showed me a face full of composure and walked into the cabin.
In the cabin were 2 beds (one of which was a bed made by piling up a mountain with the spoils of the hunters and covering it with a cloth making it an instant bed), a small table, and a small fireplace. It was a simple room.
After I did a little cleaning of the dust covered cabin that been disused for many years when we arrived for the first time 2 days ago, I had Minnalis sleep on the bed after giving her the relief potion for the weakened status. After which she repeated the cycle of eating and sleeping.
Due to her having beastkin's high recovery rate, she's already completely recovered as if the frailness on her body was swept away in one fell swoop.
Her skin and hair had their shine returned and there's not a single sign of the deep pits carved around her eyes to be seen.
The only issue was that the size of her chest hasn't returned to how it was before, (even though it's obviously already larger than average), leaving her in a subtle state of sadness.
And so, these two days were spent fine tuning and understanding our desires for revenge.
Since the exchanged experiences leading to each of our reasons for revenge from the time of the contract feels like a summary, the emotions, and simple events have without fail burnt into our minds but the details for what lead to these experiences were impossible to be conveyed.
So first, we began with the reasons and targets of Minnalis' revenge.
Betrayed by the one she saved, and those she trusted as friends became enemies.
I did think that anyone and everyone's reasons for revenge would have some similarities but, it was definitely disgusting how exceedingly similar it was to my reason for revenge.
I had no words for Minnalis whilst I was listening to her, nor after she finished talking.
"It must've been tough" or "that's unforgivable", I had no such words of comfort to speak of.
Sympathy, pity, and the likes from the unrelated come off as nothing but scornful remarks to those beneath them. Even if the words comes from good intentions, the essence of those words won't change.
That's why, people who hold the same emotions understand more than anyone how humiliating those words of pity were, and that's why they won't say anything.
...The ones that can speak those words are able to only because they are people who have never been inflicted by this pain.
To speak further, this revenge may belong to Minnalis, but at the same time, it was already my own as well. Unfortunately, the time to pity ourselves about our own circumstances had already long since passed.
And so last night Minnalis and I finished our talk up to when we got acquainted. This time it was my turn and I spoke all the way back to my origins.
About how I'm a hero summoned from another world. Having experienced the world once over, betrayed by the princess and my friends, and how I swore revenge. About how I roflstomped the princess and her imperial knights and escaped after I started my second run.
When I finished the story from start to end, Minnalis couldn't understand any more than about half of the story. With a little help from how she knew about the exchanged experiences, she finally understood it all after explaining in detail several times over.
If you think about it carefully, then with the standards of this world, just the fact that Minnalis who was nothing more than a simple village girl could read and write (it seems from time to time she had the peddlers and their guards teach her) was already excellent.
Most likely, it would make you think Minnalis might make a good lord, wouldn't she?
Beautiful and smart, and on top of that, she's athletic. To have someone who would be called an unattainable flower in the previous world become involved with me as an accomplice like this, such a mystery it is.
「Master, please eat before the food turns cold.」
「Nn, alright.」
While I rest my elbow on the table, I reflected a little as I sat on the seat cut from a log. A moment later Minnalis came out with a bowl of Green Boar soup garnished with some dried vegetables.
The soup that was made with a salt base had warm steam coming off it and looked very delicious. At the very least, it's mostly likely without a doubt better than what I made for Minnalis.
「Hmmm, what's with this cutlery?」
What we bought in town were forks and we didn't bring any spoons. However, in front of the deep-bottomed wooden bowl holding the soup was a wooden spoon.
「I made these from the branches of a tree. I figured it would be easier to eat with than a fork.」
Certainly, because the meat and vegetables in the soup were cut so finely, it might be a little difficult to eat with a fork.
「Heeh, that's quite handy. Did you also do this kind of stuff in your village?」
「Yes, during winter, it's because I made wooden carvings to ease the household finances a little. Still, I can't really make it all that well, so I'm planning on remaking it later.」
「Is that so? Though I thought it was a plenty easy to use spoon…」
In my eyes, I thought it was perfectly fine like that, but Minnalis seemed to have been left dissatisfied.
Well, even if I said it was good craftsmanship, the one concerned about the craftsmanship was Minnalis herself so I thought it was fine even if she personally couldn't be satisfied with it.
Gathering my thoughts, I promptly began to eat the soup.
「Does it suit your taste? How is it?」
「Nnn, it's good. Minnalis, so you can cook well, huh?」
Thinking about it carefully, if it were only by appearance, then the food on the first day did look delicious as well (even though it had monster-transformation poison and anti-monster poison in it).
Whilst I was eating the meat and vegetables that were soaked with flavor, without realizing I entered a trance and I ended up drinking up the entire bowl of soup.
「'Gochisousama', it was delicious.」
「I'm glad that it suits your tastes but erm, what is this "gochisousama"...?」
「Ahh, it was an act of courtesy back in my former world.」
Having said that, Minnalis showed a little anxiety.
「Master's former world… erm, will you return to your former world someday?」
「Ah, don't worry. No matter what happens, as long as my revenge is not finished, I will not return.」
As I answered, Minnalis somehow looked somewhat relieved.
「About that, even if I finish my revenge, manage to put an end to various concerns within me and even discover a way to safely return without putting myself at risk, I most likely won't be able to return. It's already probably too late for me to ever reform [to my old self].」
Saying that, I stood up holding mine and Minnalis' empty bowls.
「Now, it'll be fine to postpone the unnecessary things until after we accomplish our revenge. Leaving that aside, we should start with solving the problems in front of us.」
「Master, I will clean up so please pass me the dishes.」
「Now, the very first thing that we must do is to increase our strength.」
「Master, I will clean up so please pass me the dishes.」
「Hello, Minnalis-san, are you… Are you listening to me?」
「Master, I will do the cleaning up so please pass me the dishes.」
「...…」
Whilst I faintly smiled, as soon as I passed them over I was overpowered by Minnalis with her two hands stretched out in a manner that wasn't pulling stubbornly but brought out a mysterious strength. Was the anxious look I saw not too long ago just an illusion I wonder?
「Master, the dishes—will—be—washed—by—me.」
I'm not sure what urged her, but Minnalis slowly informed me with a smile that didn't even move so much as twitch.
Being pressed by this mysterious strength, I leave the dishes in Minnalis' hands and with a nod that seemed satisfied, she pulled the dishes towards herself.
「And then, how do you propose we do that after this, Master?」
「A-ah, a-about that.」
To Minnalis who asked as if nothing had happened, for an instant, I thought "Hm? What was I trying to say again?" and with a cough I recollected my thoughts.
「Hmmm, ten days from now, a little further from here is an undiscovered dungeon, We will sweep every monster inside.」
「Eh?」
After the cabin was once again engulfed in silence, Minnalis' voice unintentionally resounded.