CHATTER CHATTER CHATTER
The sun has risen once again, waking up the slumbering world and chasing away the darkness once looming over it. Now, the morning birds are flying freely and the crowd is buzzing about like busy bees, the sound of rolling wheels accompanying them.
They were all clattering and chattering, walking left and right as they went about their day. Some raised the covers from their stalls, some moved heavy crates, and some were busy repairing their houses. Each part of the city was busy and full of life.
"Fuwaahhh～～!" ［Yuna］
A subtle and lengthy yawn danced in the air, her strides as silent as her breath as she opened her mouth. A small tear formed in the corner of her eyes, yawning once more whilst she walked down the streets. It was Yuna.
"Haah... This is why I told you to sleep early last night. Now look at you, you look like a walking zombie... Just how many potions did you make?" ［Grey］
"Umm... 300... No, 400...? Wait, a thousand? How many was it again?" ［Yuna］
"Haah... No matter how many it is, I'm sure you made too much. You can't even keep track of them anymore. Seriously... You should take care more of yourself." ［Grey］
"Sorry... It won't happen again, I promise..." ［Yuna］
Said the young lady, but Grey looked far from convinced. It wasn't the first time she promised so, and she had broken them all without fail. The moment she gets excited, there is no stopping her, Yuna going all out every time.
In fact, she was so excited, she made a few thousand potions yesterday. 4.208 of them, to be exact. She might have lost count, but Grey could still remember clearly, all of which now inside the young lady's storage ring.
Of course, they weren't anything too precious. They were just potions Middle-Grade, Mid-Tier potions. Though, churning out such a large number of potions in all but a single night was nothing short than amazing. Yuna's speed was beyond incredible.
"Forget it. Just make sure to get a good night's rest later. If you don't follow up on that, I'll make sure to confiscate all your alchemy equipment." ［Grey］
"Uuu... Grey, that's too mean...!" ［Yuna］
"Then just don't sleep late again. It's as easy as that, and I won't be changing my mind no matter what you do.... Do I make myself understood?" ［Grey］
"... Okay.., Fine... I promise... I'll sleep early tonight..." ［Yuna］
The weekend has come, and now, Grey and Yuna are out in the streets, heading towards the Adventurers' Guild. They already made plans to go into the forest and collect herbs and material today, watching to stretch their bodies after a while.
They continued their strides, their footsteps barely making any sounds in the streets, and soon enough, they finally arrived at their destination. A familiar yet unfamiliar building standing proud and mighty before them. It was Xeros' Adventurers' Guild.
There were as many people as usual, easily numbering a few hundred. They were all there to work, most of the adventurers looking up the quest boards with their parties, discussing seriously what quests they should be taking for the day.
The layout of the guild wasn't too different than usual, only the style of architecture and the materials used differing. There were still all the necessary counters and all the facilities of a Guild, adventurers and receptionist buzzing about the place.
"Mmn... There's so many herb collection quests..." ［Yuna］
"Do you want to take some for the day?" ［Grey］
"No... I want to fight some monsters for today. I heard that there's been a lot of Kobolds around the forest lately. Should we go for them." ［Yuna］
"Kobolds, huh... Did a horde spawn recently?" ［Grey］
The two whispered quietly as they looked at the subjugation requests posted before them, and unsurprisingly, there were quite a number of subjugation quests which required the subjugation of not just Kobolds, but Kobold Warriors and Elites as well.
Kobolds are wind-attribute, warrior-type monsters which look like werewolves, only that it was with a hyena rather than a wolf. They are a size smaller than a werebeast, but it makes up for it for speed and nimbleness.
For Grey, they are the most interesting of monsters. After all, not only are they of the wind-attribute, the higher variants of such monsters are ones who use gauntlets and brawl against their enemies at close combat. They were the most similar to him.
"Do you think a Kobold King is leading them, Grey?" ［Yuna］
"That's a bit hard to imagine. If they were, they would have already reached Xeros by now. I think that's pushing it a bit too far." ［Grey］
"Hm? What if it's not a horde but a nest instead?" ［Yuna］
"That may be possible... It's been some time since we've seen one." ［Grey］
Hordes and nests, they're rare occurrences which spawns abnormally large numbers of similar monsters, with the only difference that one was always in the move and one was stationary. Nonetheless, both of them are interesting to see.
Though they won't be taking any herb collection quests, it was worth reading through them and gathering a bit of information on where to find them, how abundant they were, and what dangers lurk near such locations.
It was especially helpful for rare herbs at higher-ranked quests they can't take with the ranks of their alternate cards. They'll be able to receive large amounts of money, but compared to exposing their identities, it was not worth it.
"Alright, let's take this one then." ［Grey］
Before long, they finally picked a quest. It was an F-rank quests named "Kobold Warrior Subjugation", which as the name suggests, they are tasked to subjugate a total of 5 Kobold Warriors, and bring their mana claws and mana crystals as proof.
The two didn't dilly-dally any longer and headed straight towards the reception desk with the quest forms in hand. The receptionist greeted them with a smile as per usual, processing their quest without wasting even a single second.
"Here you go, Mister Shin, Miss Elena."
"Thank you." ［Grey］
The moment they received their quest, the two of them quickly headed towards the eastern gates. It didn't really matter which gate they went out of as they would still be entering the Lorinia Forest anyway. They simply picked at random and headed there.
They stepped out of the city, and into the forest in a matter of seconds. A deep sea of green and brown greeted the two of them, the moist and earthy scent of the forest tickling their noses, subtle scents dancing in the air from time to time.
Steps echoed and the branches cracked. As the leaves rustled and the vines danced in the air, a variety of herbs and flowers started popping out left and right, getting more and more abundant the deeper they went into the forest.
"Ohh!! So many herbs! It truly is abundant as they say!" ［Yuna］
It wasn't too long before Yuna started going ham, running all around the place the moment she was surrounded by all sorts of materials. It hasn't even been a couple minutes and there were already wild medicinal herbs to be seen everywhere.
Of course, Yuna didn't waste any more time and started preparing right away, taking out her harvesting tools and preparing bags and sacks while she was at it. It was as if the tiredness she once felt was all a lie, looking as energetic as can be,
"Grey, here you go. You help out too." ［Yuna］
"Hm? I'm helping you out as well? I was thinking of scouting ahead for Kobolds and other monsters though." ［Grey］
"No! That can wait! I promise this will only take a while!" ［Yuna］
Or so she says, but with how excited her eyes were, there was no way it would be ending in "only a while". Rather, Grey was sure it would take them at least a couple hours at the very least. They may even be there until the sun sets.
Well, not that Grey could really go against the young lady's wishes. He could refuse her, but she would immediately start pouting the moment he does, trying to convince him persistently every time she can. All her sparkly eyes spelt was trouble,
"Haah... Fine... As long as you promise that we'll go back before sunset. Any longer and I'll leave you behind. I'll be going home first." ［Grey］
"Okay～! I'll keep that in mind! Let's start foraging!" ［Yuna］
"Hey, Yuna. Are you even listening?" ［Grey］
No... The answer was no...
The moment Grey agreed, Yuna's mind quickly drifted away into space, her pointy ears not listening anymore. All that mattered to her was that agreed, quickly handing the trowel, scissors, harvesting knives, and many more items to her.
Grey didn't know whether he should laugh or cry at how whimsical and free spirited his beloved fiancée was, looking at her with a conflicted expression whilst she smiled ever so happily. A smile which didn't last too long...
TWHACK
"Oww!" ［Yuna］
... Soon turning into quite a pained expression the moment Grey flicked her forehead with his fingers. The young lady was shocked, covering her forehead with her hands whilst the pain settled in, looking at Grey with an expression confused as can be.
"Wh... Why...? Why did you do that...?" ［Yuna］
"Just because." ［Grey］
"Eh?! Why?! You meanie! That hurt a bit, you know?!" ［Yuna］
Now, it was the young lady who was complaining and Grey who wasn't listening. He simply casted "Silence" in the forest and humming to himself, ignoring Yuna as if she was invisible to him. He may love her, but that doesn't mean he can't be petty,
Shenanigans aside, Grey and Yuna soon started picking up the herbs and foraging fruits, nuts, and berries while they were at it. Not only were there rare herbs, there were also some magic plants blooming in some secluded places.
There were also a number of wild animals which happened to be abundant in the forest. Some of them were simple forest animals, but some were very special. Not only are some of their organs useful in alchemy, some also had very fine and lean meat known to be delicacies in Xeros.
BUHHIIIIKKK BUHHIIIKKKK HIIIKKKKK
Now, they weren't just foraging, but hunting as well, a large boar running throughout its forest, the ground shaking and trembling with every step. It was even bigger than a bear, dashing with all its might and destroying the boulders blocking its path.
It was an E-rank beast, "Smash Boar", a null-attribute beast known for its superior strength which is capable of smashing trees and boulders. It was a fearsome beast many adventurers and alchemists avoided unless they were confident in their skills.
"Come here, Mister Piggy～! Don't make things harder for yourself!" ［Yuna］
And that very same beast was now running away from the young lady with extreme terror in its eyes, even shedding tears from fear in its eyes. It was running away with all its might, knowing full well that death was chasing it fervently.
After all, other than the fact that it was absurdly powerful compared to other E-rank monsters, it was also known for one other thing. That was that its meat was insanely tender and delicious, nobles and royals fancying them quite a bit.
"Mister Piggy, I'm coming for you～!" ［Yuna］
Of course, as a gourmet such as herself, there was no way Yuna was passing on the opportunity to taste such delicious meat. She was fervently chasing the Smash Boar, her eyes sparkling like that of a starving predator.
"I'll make sure to eat you happily, Mister Piggy!" ［Yuna］
Said Yuna as she leaped towards the air, jumping much further ahead than the Smash Boar. The latter was able to step on the brakes and stop itself, but it was already far too late, the young lady now clenching one of her fists tightly.
"Haap!" ［Yuna］
She threw her punch and a loud boom echoed all throughout the place, the punch connecting perfectly towards the Smash Boar. Its whole momentum was stopped, its body blasted several meters away without any resistance.
Yuna didn't pour in her all into the attack, but her strike was more than enough to send the Smash Boar to the afterlife, its eyes white as snow as its mouth was filled with froths and bubbles, twitching a little bit before finally freezing up.
As for Yuna herself, there was a proud and expectant smile blooming on her face as she looked at the Smash Boar. No matter how much she eats, with how big the boar was, it would be able to last them a long time.
"Oh, looks like you just finished as well." ［Grey］
"Ah, welcome back, Grey, everyone." ［Yuna］
"Yeah! Keep up the good work, Mistress!" ［Vega］
"You caught an even bigger one than mine, Mistress! You're amazing!" ［Procyon］
Well, it wasn't just Yuna who was hunting, Grey was as well. And to make things much easier for them, they also summoned the familiars and the spirits to aid them. They moved more than a dozen times quicker than before because of them.
They weren't just hunting Smash Boars, but other beasts and animals as well, making sure not to hunt too much that it will hurt the ecosystem. Even then, they were able to gain quite a lot, a few tons of ingredients added inside Grey's "Inventory".
With the Smash Boar Yuna just hunted, one more ingredient was now added to their arsenal. With them, there was no better way to celebrate Yuna's birthday other than cooking with the new and exquisite ingredients they just acquired.
"Grey, what should we cook for tomorrow? Do you have anything new?" ［Yuna］
"Do you mean a meat dish or for desserts?" ［Grey］
"Both! I want to eat new dishes! Your cooking is the best, after all!" ［Yuna］
"Alright. I'll think of something." ［Grey］
"Un! I'm looking forward to it!" ［Yuna］
Or so what Grey promised, but in truth, he had already planned a number of things for Yuna's birthday. It only happens once a year, after all. There was no way he was going to be cheap about it. He's going to make sure it was the best.
The foraging and hunting continued as usual, everyone going around the place with excitement still looming in their hearts. They continued to find rare magic plants and beasts in the Lorinia Forest, the "Inventory" once again with a mountain of items.
Well, other than herbs, magic plants, and beasts, there were also some spirits to be found, a couple Lesser Spirits popping out here and there, dancing along numerous Floating Spirits. The sound of soft chimes drifted in the air.
"Hmm... There's not a lot of them, huh..." ［Yuna］
"It must be because we're far from the Labyrinths," ［Grey］
And though they were numerous, they were nothing in comparison to the number of spirits Grey and Yuna once saw when they were still back in Avalon. Even when they were in places with such abundant and bountiful nature, they were not that many
It seems like the spirits have been dispersing and scattering around the whole world, their appearance getting rarer and rarer with the passing of time, slowly but surely cleansing the world of corruption and getting stronger themselves.
THWACK THWACK FWOOSH FWOOSH WHIP
And speaking of spirits, Grey and Yuna's contracted spirits are now engaging in battle with monsters to grow stronger. They were just like the High Dragons who absorb the corruption of those they defeat, turning them to nourishment.
From "Explorers", the Spirits have now reached a higher rank or Lesser Spirits, all of them now "Adventurers". They are now at F-rank, able to go toe to toe with ogres and defeat even E-rank foes if the 4 of them work together.
Of course, with the advancement in rank, their forms now looked a bit different than before, looking more refined and more distinguishable from normal things in nature.
Scheat now had more flames surrounding it, Markab now grew metals all over its rocky body, Alpheratz grew a couple roots and a flower atop of it, and Algenib has frosty crystals and snowflakes surrounding it.
"Scheat, be careful not to burn the forest." ［Yuna］
CLING CLING CLING CLING
They are also now able to follow more complex instructions, and respond much better to circumstances. The spirits are now able to express themselves more freely than before, personalities starting to take shape in their cores.
"Ahh! Algenib! Watch out!" ［Procyon］
Shouted Procyon, urgency traced in her voice. Whilst it was letting its guard down, one of the enemy Hobgoblins suddenly sprung up towards it, raising its spear with much vigor, its eyes screaming out with ill intent and hostility.
Normally, such attacks wouldn't work to spirits, but after the contract in which they gained physical forms, in exchange for being able to exert their full power into the physical world, they are now vulnerable to both physical and magical attacks unless they go back to their spiritual state.
However, it was far too late to turn back now. The moment the little mass of ice and snow realized that it was in danger, the spear was already pointed towards it, only a couple moments before it would reach her.
"Tsk! How dare you, you ugly f*cker!" ［Procyon］
Well, not that Procyon would just let things so south. The very moment she warned the little snowball, she opened her mouth and fired off a beam of light towards their direction, a bright shimmer flashing in the deep and verdant forest.
The attack was a perfect hit, a golden javelin of light piercing the Hobgoblin's head and boring a hole through it. It didn't even get a chance to graze Algenib, a subtle thud resounding in the air as the hobgoblin fell helplessly towards the ground.
"Algenib, are you okay?! Are you hurt anywhere?!" ［Procyon］
CLING CLING CLING CLING
"Why are you acting so happy?! Do you not understand what just happened?! Even if you're stronger than that ugly f*cker, that was still dangerous!" ［Procyon］
CLING CLING CLING CLING
Procyon tried to reprimand the little spirit, but rather than act dejected, it acted very happily and cheerfully, dancing around her as the sound of sweet and soft chimes drifted in the air, much to Procyon's dread. It was pointless.
The little spirits may now be able to understand better than before, but their mind is no better than a toddler's, only having a simple understanding of the world. To Algenib, it only seemed like Procyon was playing with them rather than scolding them.
Now, Procyon finally knows what it feels like having younger siblings. They may be cute most of the time, but they can also be irritating and frustrating with how careless they are. Even her fierce personality has now turned to a worried one when facing them.
"Fufufu! Having younger siblings is fun, isn't it, Procyon?" ［Vega］
"Please shut up, Second Sister..." ［Procyon］
"Oh? Are you going against your older sister now?" ［Vega］
Well, it wasn't just the contracted spirits she had to worry about, but her older siblings as well. Especially Vega. Now that she has more younger siblings, she has been acting more annoyingly. Grey and Yuna could only chuckle and giggle at the sight.
The tour in the forest continued and so did the picking of herbs. Time passed hastily, lunch soon arriving with the bright shimmer of the sun. And so, everyone had a quick lunch where they enjoyed themselves, resting for the long afternoon ahead of them.
"Yuna, slow down a little bit. No one's chasing you, you know?" ［Grey］
"I kow! But we shill haff a wot of erbs to pik! Mmm～! Wis ish dewishosh! (I know! But we still have a lot of herbs to pick! Mmn～! This is delicious!)" ［Yuna］
"Yuna... Don't talk when your mouth is full." ［Grey］
Yet another flick was delivered towards Yuna's forehead, the young lady squealing out another "Owww!" and her tears forming in the corner of her eyes. It was such a lovely lunch together, not void of any excitement.
Lunch was quickly over, and everyone resumed everything they were doing, picking out even more herbs and hunting even more tasty beasts and animals. They also went fishing by the river and caught some crabs, lobsters, and fish for themselves.
But perhaps the most exciting part was the taking down of Kobolds which suddenly appeared before then. Not only were they able to complete their quest, they were also able to stretch their bodies and have a little bit of fun.
"There really are a lot of them, huh... No wonder the Professors kept on warning us. This really is dangerous for the students." ［Grey］
"I know, right?... Ah, Grey! Why don't you check with your eyes. Maybe there are still more of them around our area." ［Yuna］
"Good call. I was just about to do so anyway..." ［Grey］
And so, Grey used his "Heaven's Eye" once more, scouring all over the forest and searching for any more Kobolds. It didn't take too long for him to find themー No, it would be more appropriate to say hundreds of them.
There were only a few of them around them, but the further he searched, the more kobolds he saw, higher variants present, and acting like guards protecting a certain area of the forest. It wasn't just a simple horde...
"Haha... Looks like we got lucky..." ［Grey］
"Hm? Are there really a lot of them?" ［Yuna］
"There's not just a lot of them... There's a nest ahead of us." ［Grey］
CHAPTER 369 END