Stomp Stomp Stomp
The sound of footsteps echoed across the fields as little figures ran around. Some were chasing, while some were being chased. The children were playing a game of tag with large smiles on their faces,
Well, it wasn't only the children which were playing. Grey, Yuna, Reina, and Zeke were also playing with them and entertaining them while the adults continued their work at the vineyard. The atmosphere couldn't be any warmer.
"Tag! Big Sis Reina is 'it'!" ［Ruru］
"Fwueh?! Me again?!" ［Reina］
While the other three were simply just playing along with the children and getting tagged on purpose, the same couldn't be said about Reina. Her weak stamina and low physical abilities make her just on par with the children. Even when she tries her hardest, the children would still be able to catch her.
Whenever the children couldn't catch someone else, their eyes would always turn towards Reina, marking her as their next target. Some could even say Reina was being bullied by the children to some degree.
Well, Reina isn't complaining about it. In fact, she was also enjoying herself despite being "it" about a third of the time. The children were also the same. They were also having the best times of their lives.
"Kids～! Take a break first!" ［Rozelia］
"But Mommy, we're still playing!" ［Ruru］
"I know, I know, but look at our little Ruru. You're drenched in sweat already. Come here, Mommy will wipe your sweat." ［Rozelia］
"Mommy, that tickles!" ［Ruru］
With Rozelia taking the lead, the other parents also approached their children to wipe away their sweat and give them water to hydrate themselves with. All had a gentle and warm atmosphere about them as they took care of their children.
"No! Big Sis, I can already do it by myself!" ［Zeke］
"What do you mean "no"? In my eyes, you're still a kid, so take off your shirt so I can wipe away your sweat." ［Reina］
"Ugh... This is so embarrassing...!" ［Zeke］
Even when Reina was usually timid, she was surprisingly firm and stern when it came to Zeke. Now that neither their mother nor father was around, she was taking her role as the older sister seriously and doing what the other parents were doing to their children to Zeke.
Zeke, on the other hand, was super embarrassed about being treated like a child out in the open. He was especially embarrassed when Grey and Yuna, whom he admires, looked at them so openly with such warm gazes for a short moment.
"Hmm... Yuna, should I wipe away your sweat too?" ［Grey］
"Grey... Even if I love you, that would still be too embarrassing... And stop teasing me, you...!" ［Yuna］
"Hahaha. Well, I tried." ［Grey］
"Grey!" ［Yuna］
As for Grey and Yuna, they were teasing one another. Or rather, Grey was having his fun, poking fun at his girlfriend who easily gets flustered. Though he would be lying if he said he didn't mean his words even by a tiny bit. There was a little bit of desire and curiosity in his heart when he said those words.
Whoooshhh
With just a flick of a finger, Grey and Yuna quickly dried their sweat with the use of magic. They weren't even sweating much in the first place so it was quite easy to dry their sweat before it sticks to their clothes.
After the children were wiped dry and hydrated, they were taken to the resting shed to rest under the shadows before they started running and playing around again. Truthfully, it was time for their afternoon nap, but with Grey and Yuna present, not a single one of them wanted to.
In the end, the parents were forced to give up, leaving the children to Grey and Yuna's care in the meantime. They are now listening to the stories about the outside world once again, behaving themselves like good children would.
"Then, the flowers glowed brightly andー" ［Grey］
"Oh, Miss Yuna, Mister Grey, fancy meeting you here." ［Nestor］
Just as Grey was telling some stories to the children, two familiar figures walked in on the resting shed. They were Nestor and Alto who brought with them a couple of guards, weapons and traps by their sides.
If one were to look at them closely, it was obvious that they were all going for a hunt. With how dangerous the forest is for normal people, it was the guards' duty to hunt for meat and bring them back home to the village.
Of course, there are livestock being raised in the village, but every once in a while, the guards gather to hunt together. The reason was none other than to celebrate something, be it important dates or something similar, they only wanted to hunt a large game animal for the village to feast on.
"Oh, everyone! You're here already?!" ［Zeke］
"Hahaha, Little Zeke, aren't you too relaxed for someone who's about to go hunting? Where is your sword?" ［Nestor］
"Ah... I left it at home. Couldn't I just borrow one from you?" ［Zeke］
"Haah... But only this time, okay?" ［Nestor］
Just as he was saying so, Nestor unstrapped one of his belts where a sword and scabbard were attached. He then gave it to Zeke who excitedly wore it around his torso. Since his hips were smaller than Nestor's, he opted to place it around his torso so that it fits perfectly.
There also aren't many problems in regards with Nestor. Since his main weapon was a spear. The sword was just a spare weapon in case something happened to his spear. In fact, he had only used it a couple of times.
"Oh, Zeke, you're going to hunt as well?" ［Grey］
"Yes! It's a part of my training to become stronger. Big Sis Aria also did the same when she was my age." ［Zeke］
"Yeah. Miss Aria back then was an amazing hunter. In fact, she even hunts alone most of the time, bringing prey to the village all by herself." ［Alto］
"Tell me about it... I could still remember that one time she took down a Mad Ox in a single shot. I still get goosebumps thinking about it. She was only thirteen years old at the time, too." ［Nestor］
To Nestor and Alto's words, all the other guards nodded in agreement. And hearing her older sister's exploits, Zeke couldn't stop himself from smiling. It was obvious that she was proud of her and wanted to become like her when he grows up.
Well, despite not being as talented as Aria, Zeke was already an F-ranker. He was already on par with the students of the Royal Academy's alpha classes despite being a few years younger. He was still a genius amongst his peers.
Whilst Aria became an archer like Falroe, Zeke became a swordsman like Valka, but not entirely the same as he inherited his father's lightning attribute, unlike Aria who got Valka's wind attribute. It was like a mix and match between their family members.
"How about you, Reina? Will you be going as well?" ［Yuna］
"N-No, not at all! I'm just going to be a burden if I follow them. And also, the forest is really scary, I don't wanna go there..." ［Reina］
And unlike her siblings, Reina was quite fainthearted. It was not only borne of her inexperience in fighting but also because of a trauma in her childhood days where she was chased by a juvenile wild boar when she tried to sneak out one time.
Luckily, Falroe was there to save her. Well, the little biar wasn't even that dangerous to begin with. Even then, that experience gave her quite a shock. Since then, she never went out unless she had others with her. It was an understandable reason for someone to be wary, especially someone so timid.
Meanwhile, while Reina was reliving her distant memories, all the while trembling adorably, Nestor's eyes fell towards Grey and Yuna. There was a certain idea revolving around his head that he wasn't quite sure what to do with.
"Oh, how about it, Mister Grey, Miss Yuna, do you want to join us in our hunt?" ［Nestor］
"Huh?" ［Grey］ "Eh?" ［Yuna］
In the end, Nestor decided just to go for it and just ask ahead. He was a little curious about Grey and Yuna's capabilities and wanted to see them in action even if it's only for a little bit. He wanted to see what S-rankers were capable of.
It wasn't only Nestor who was curious. The others were also the same, thinking about what the "Heroes of Alfrione" could pull off. Zeke was especially excited as he looked at Grey and Yuna with expectant eyes. They were the same eyes the children wore before when they were still telling stories.
『Yuna, what do you think?』 ［Grey］
『There's nothing to think about! Let's join them! I also want to see how others hunt compared to us.』 ［Yuna］
Yuna didn't even think too much about it. All she knew was that she had never been with a hunting group before and was interested in how it would feel. Her personality was nowhere near the same when he was still interacting with the children.
『Haah... Alright, but don't go overboard, okay? Don't just go around chasing boars and turkeys when you see them.』 ［Grey］
『Grey... You don't have to remind me about that...』 ［Yuna］
『Just saying. You were even excited back then.』 ［Grey］
『Uuu... Grey, you meanie...』 ［Yuna］
It didn't take too long for a decision to be made between Grey and Yuna, and of course, there was a little mischief mixed in their telepathy. Grey was once again teasing Yuna, not getting tired of his girlfriend's cute reactions.
"Alright, we'll join you." ［Grey］
"We'll be in your care!" ［Yuna］
"Great, great, the more the merrier!" ［Nestor］
As soon as Grey and Yuna agreed, the hunting group quickly departed from the vineyard headed towards the dense, verdant forest. They headed northwards where a multitude of beasts and animals were gathered.
Their targets were Red-Eyed Boars, an F-rank beasts whose strength lies on its great physical strength. Grey and Yuna had the pleasure of fighting against before in one of their quests and it was quite the tough opponent compared to other F-rank beasts. On the other hand, its meat was also delicious, a high-risk, high-reward situation.
The day before, the hunting group had already laid out traps throughout the forest, and now, it was time to reap the harvests. It would be best if they could procure two adult boars with the traps they laid out.
"Oh, right... By the way, Mister Nestor, why are you hunting today? Is there some sort of celebration later?" ［Grey］
"Huh? Didn't the Chief tell you? It's your welcoming party." ［Nestor］
""Eh?"" ［Grey and Yuna］
Silence swallowed the forest as Grey, Yuna, and Nestor looked at one another's eyes with confusion. Neither of the two parties expected such a situation and so, an awkward silence loomed over them for quite some time.
"Seriously? Did the Chief really not tell you?" ［Nestor］
"Un... This is our first time hearing about it..." ［Yuna］
"Maybe he was too busy with the wedding preparations that he forgot to tell us. After all, Miss Aria's wedding is only several days away" ［Grey］
"That does make senseー Oh! Looks like we're here." ［Nestor］
Just in time as they were wrapping with their conversation, the hunting group finally arrived near one of the traps they placed yesterday. It was just a couple dozen meters away, and so, everyone quickly raised their guards.
Carefully, the group slowly approached the trap, putting the leaves and vines away as they trudged with caution. There was no sound to be heard nearby. It was completely quiet as if they were in a graveyard, only simple rustling to be heard.
"Tsk! It's a failure, huh..." ［Alto］
Unfortunately for everyone, the trap hasn't caught anything yet. Both the bait and the trap were still untouched, without any traces of animals nor beasts to be seen nearby. It was a complete failure.
"Alright, how about we head to the next one?" ［Nestor］
But the people weren't discouraged. It was only normal for some traps to not work, and so, they continued their journey without feeling even a little down. In contrast, they just continued chatting casually as they traversed the forest.
The next trap, the one after that, and the fourth one after that. Each of the succeeding traps they checked were empty without any traces of being touched just like the first one. The trend continued like that until...
Hiiik Buhiikk Buhiiikkk
They were still quite a distance away from the next trap when they could already hear sounds of the boar's low grunting. It was a good sign which meant that they were able to catch something with their trap. Everybody was in high spirits.
Keeping their expressions calm, the hunting group approached the trap, and sure enough it had been broken. The hole was in wide view with the remnants of the traps scattered here and there along with the bait which was once placed in the center.
"Oh... Ohh!! We got one!" ［Alto］
After a quick peek inside the hole dug with earth magic, a boar could be seen struggling inside, trying to ram the wall to get out, to no avail. Loud noises quickly echoed across the forest as the guards celebrated their success.
"Then, let's finish this off once and forー" ［Alto］
Buhiiikkkkk
"Alto!" ［Nestor］
But such a celebration did not last long. Before they even noticed, another boar sprang out from the bushes and charged towards the hunting group. It has also been attracted by the remaining bait scattered on the forest floor.
Charging ever so recklessly, the red-eyed boar's target became none other than Alto who happened to be near the whole. A single mistake and he could fall inside the hole with the other boar and things could get dangerous.
⟨⟨Heavy Slash!⟩⟩ ［Zeke］
But before the boar could even go near Alto, Zeke already came to rescue and with a swing of his sword, he landed a heavy strike on the boar's vulnerable head, stunning it for a moment, enough for both him and Alto to get away.
The boar, receiving the heavy strike felt groggy for a short while, losing its balance and shaking its head repeatedly. The moment it regained consciousness, its eyes lit up with rage as it looked at the one who inflicted it pain. Now, its focus has switched towards Zeke who is only a couple of steps away.
The Boar gruntled once again as it stomped its feet towards the ground over and over again, preparing to charge towards its enemy and gathering as much power as it could. One which could easily break small trees.
Buhiiikkkk
Completing its pattern, the boar quickly dashed towards Zeke with the intention to harm him. But with just a few steps from Zeke, he was able to avoid the boar. He was like a matador gracefully dodging an enraged bull.
⟨⟨Heavy Slash!⟩⟩ ［Zeke］
Yet another strike connected towards the boar's flank, making it scream a loud screech, one full of pain and agony. The force of the attack was enough to make it stumble, almost losing its balance and falling towards the ground once again.
⟨⟨Lightning Bolt!⟩⟩ ［Zeke］
But Zeke didn't let it be. It has yet to regain its balance when suddenly, a bolt of blue lightning came flashing from Zeke's palm, striking the same wound Zeke has previously inflicted towards it, making it screech in pain once again.
""""Haap!"""
Before it could fall down towards the ground, spears, words, and arrows came flying from out of nowhere, impaling its massive body in many angles. It was now like a giant pin cushion, a lot of weapons stuck in its body.
The boar once again looked at Zeke before releasing its final breath. Without much resistance, its body fell towards the ground and a loud thud echoed throughout the air. It was a short yet aggressive battle, one won by experience and teamwork.
'Hmm... What good coordination...' ［Grey］
Meanwhile, Grey and Yuna only looked at the people from the sidelines. They have already sensed the boar approaching from far away yet they deliberately kept quiet about it. The both of them wanted to see how the hunting group would fare against such a sudden attack.
Of course, if anything were to go wrong, they would act as quickly as they could and eliminate any danger. Thankfully, there was no need to act. The hunting group, along with Zeke, was able to handle the situation skillfully.
"That was a good performance. Here, have some water." ［Grey］
"Th-Thank you, Big Bro..." ［Zeke］
Fortunately, neither Zeke nor the guards bore any hatred towards them for not helping. Rather, they were thankful that they didn't. It was an opportunity to showcase their skills towards the two of them. Besides, they trusted that they'd quickly come to their aid if something were to go wrong.
With the rogue boar finished, the hunting group finished off the other boar in the trap with a volley of arrows and spells. It didn't take too long before it drew its last breath and followed after its kin who died just recently.
Grey was about to offer his help in transporting the boars, but before he could even voice out his thoughts, the boar quickly disappeared from his sight, giving him and Yuna quite a bit of surprise.
"A storage ring?" ［Yuna］
"Ah, that's right. This is an heirloom passed down in the village. We always use it every time we hunt. It makes things convenient now that we don't have to carry such heavy loads anymore." ［Nestor］
"I see... That is quite useful." ［Grey］
Feigning ignorance, Grey didn't say anything unnecessary. Since the problem with transportation was already solved, there was no need to use his own ability and reveal his cards without any need to.
Following the successful haul, the hunting group continued their journey across the forest. After checking all the traps, they managed to catch a total of four red-eyed boar, double than what their quota. It was a successful hunt.
"That was some good haul! Tonight, we're going to feast, boys!" ［Nestor］
""""Ooohhh!"""
Everyone's spirits were through the roofs as they celebrated the success of their hunt. With how many boars they have caught, they would be able to have a lofty feast, one they only experience every once in a while.
"Alright, let's get goingー" ［Nestor］
"Wait a minute, Mister Nestor." ［Grey］
"Hm? Is something wrong?" ［Nestor］
"No. It's just that... We couldn't just go back without us giving any contributions, now could we?" ［Grey］
Said Grey as he picked up two small rocks from the forest floor. He gave one to Yuna whilst he kept the other to himself. And without any warning, the two of them threw the rocks with monstrous strength in different directions.
Buhhuuuu Unggaaaa
Two distinct sounds echoed throughout the forest shortly after Grey and Yuna threw the rocks. One was from an Ironhorn and the other was from a Mad Ox, both E-rank beasts, much stronger than red-eyed boars from before.
"Then, shall we collect them?" ［Grey］
"Y... Yes..." ［Nestor］
Everyone was speechless at Grey and Yuna's sudden actions. They didn't even see their hands move. The next thing they knew, loud screams were already echoing throughout the forest. They were both shocked and amazed at the same time.
A haul more than they ever expected, the hunting group returned to the village with large smiles on their faces. Zeke's eyes were especially sparkling as he gazed at Grey and Yuna with extreme admiration. He has become a real fanboy.
Upon their arrival, the villagers were more than shocked at what they caught. Shock which was quickly replaced with determination and excitement as the villagers dismantled them, cooking them afterwards with burning passion in their hearts.
Grilled, fried, stewed, roasted, you name it. The prey was cooked in a variety of dishes and a variety of styles that one's eyes would be boggled just trying to choose from how many there were. It was a luxurious celebration.
"Aghhh!! Hot! Hot!" ［Nestor］
"Water... Please give me some water..." ［Alto］
Of course, in such a lively feast, it wouldn't be complete with some shenanigans from the crazy ones. For reasons more than one, the men decided to start a chili eating competition amongst themselves. Grey could only laugh wryly as they observed their stupidity.
"Gwey, sher you arsh! Hew, haf sham of fish! (Grey, there you are! Here, have some of these!)" ［Yuna］
"Yuna... Don't talk when you're eating. Look how messy you are. You have some sauce on your face." ［Grey］
"Cam you wemow ish, plish～! (Can you remove it, please～!" ［Yuna］
"Haah... What am I going to do with you...?" ［Grey］
And of course, it went without saying that Yuna was stuffing her face with how much food there was. Her face looked like that of a messy child, sauce could be found here and there. Sauce Grey had to wipe clean.
The celebration continued and Grey and Yuna enjoyed the feast without leaving any regrets. They ate, drank, and ate some more. They did so until music suddenly filled the air and the people started dancing happily with one another.
"May I have this dance, Milady?" ［Grey］
"Fufufu, as you wish, Sir Grey." ［Yuna］
Two figures joined the celebration, dancing under the gentle light of the moon and stars, letting their steps be guided by the symphony of the night and the music from the celebration, blending harmoniously with one another.
Oh, what a beautiful night.
CHAPTER 142 END