"Gaya Forest" monster subjugation request.
The objective is thinning out the monsters and investigating whether monster nests were built in the vicinity of the town and sweep them if they were.
――Gaya Forest.
A very dangerous forest with a degree of risk at rank A, where monsters run rampant in significant numbers.
It is said that the central part of the forest is the territory of monsters so powerful that no one was able to return from there yet safely.
But, that does not mean that monsters are concentrated only in the center of the forest. The monsters appear even along the border of the forest.
The monsters that escape from the central part are classified as C-Rank and D-Rank. Nevertheless, they are still a great threat to ordinary people.
In addition, the strong monsters... it's not like A-Rank monsters never come outside of the forest.
When they come out of the forest, the damage to humans inevitably increases.
Therefore, to influence the vicinity of the town... a sweeping force is needed to clean up the near forest.
It's usually done just by knights without needing to have the help of adventurers.
This is a special case because of the place that is Gaya Forest.
Even if one enlists to knights and diligently trains, there is only a handful of people who can stride along in the Gaya Forest.
In addition, the town of Shirin is right around the border near a town in the Argo Kingdom. Although a friendly country, the town can't be left defenseless with all influential people going to the Gaya Forest.
Because of that, adventurers are called for help.
Influential people including A-Rank and B-Rank adventurer parties are being gathered.
As for me, I have received a designated request from the Knights branch Captain Grunwald Ruven-sama to participate in the joint subjugation.
◇ ◇ ◇
On the appointed day. I stopped by the Adventurer's Guild with Allen and Elena first. My purpose was to check the details about the request.
Honestly, I didn't hear what sort of request this time's request is. Just the usual situation.
I didn't so I wanted to grasp the contents of the requests, so I won't get in the way. The Guild is on the way to the west gate, after all.
Therefore, I scanned the request board and then went to the gathering place at the west gate.
There, Knights loading several carriages and adventurers who also accepted the request are already gathered. When the people noticed our presence, they looked at us with suspicious and sharp gazes.
I know I stand out because I have children with me, but what an unpleasant atmosphere.
For now, I ignore the stares and approach Wald-sama who is giving instructions.
"Ou, you came!"
Wald-sama who noticed us lifts up one hand and walks towards us.
"Good morning, Wald-sama."
"You properly came. The little ones came too as expected."
"Since I have received the request I would naturally come. Besides, Wald-sama understood that the children would go with me when you have given me the request, right?"
Wald-sama knows the circumstances of Allen and Elena. If you knew, why would you want me to participate in the request!
"Hahaha. You guys will be all right. Besides, I put you guys into my team."
"You have divided us into teams?"
"Three teams in total. A line-up of fifteen people. The parties of adventurers were kept together."
"From what I can see there is no other three-person party beside us?"
It's easy to see each party from the way the adventurers are gathering.
"I let you guys participate on my own, after all. Ah, that way the number of knights could be decreased."
You seem to have been at least paid considerate in the party dividing.
"If you can pay that much consideration, you should have at least explained about us to the other knights. You didn't even tell them about us participating? I can feel their cold gazes since a while ago."
"Oh! I forgot!"
This person...
The knights who were listening to our conversation attentively looks at Wald-sama with indifferent expressions. I wonder if Wald-sama is always like this.
But, it should have been transmitted that the person who asked us to come was Wald-sama himself. I hope this would make conversing with the unit a bit easier, though...
Allen and Elena who are sensitive towards the surroundings took the stares of others as "hostility," but they still thankfully didn't lash out, but clung closely to my legs instead.
I decided to lift the two up because it was hard walking like that. I lifted one, I lifted the second, and now they cling to my neck instead.
This will last for a while, huh...
◇ ◇ ◇
We moved by the carriage to the Gaya Forest. Because the carriages can't be left behind outside the forest, knights who don't participate in the subjugation will take them back.
We will arrive in four to five hours.
I was able to exchange a few words with the knights in the carriage. I'm glad their attitude softened a bit.
Because I was "Forced by Wald-sama", they had a sympathizing atmosphere around them, though. Apparently, Wald-sama regularly stirs up his surroundings.
The atmosphere in the carriage loosened and we arrived at the place of destination in peace.
"Alright! The preparations are complete. From here, you will move according to your party's route towards the camping point."
This subjugation expedition is planned to last for five days. First, the three parties will move through the forest separately.
The party we are in has 10 Knights including Wald-sama. Also, 4 men party『Dragon Breath』containing an A-Rank adventurer Rudolph-san. 17 people in total.
Without delay, I follow Wald-sama's team while holding hands with Allen and Elena.
After walking in the forest for a while.
"There~"
"Coming."
It seems that Allen and Elena sensed a monster. They point to the left with their fingers while pulling the hem of my clothes.
"Thank you. Wald-sama, a monster is coming from the left side."
I immediately report to the captain of this team, Wald-sama.
"N, from left? ――… Takumi, nothing's there."
"There's still some distance. But, you should see it soon. What to do in a situation like this? Everyone takes care of it?"
The extent of Allen's and Elena's detection is vast. Therefore, we have spare time to prepare to confront the monster.
"Gilm, can you detect it?"
"Dragon Breath" leader, A-Rank Rudolph-san immediately checks with his party member.
Rudolph-san has a dignified, well-built stature, and he's carrying a spear with an ax-like blade attached... a 38 years old man carrying a halberd. Indeed, a person emitting a "veteran" atmosphere.
The one he checks with is a C-Rank scout named Gilm-san. If I'm not mistaken, he possesses a detection skill. The other two are a B-Rank swordsman Zack-san and the only woman, C-Rank magician Iris-san.
"No, there's no reaction."
"Oioi, that true? Don't say such spew such nonsense to me."
"...…"
It seems like Gilm-san's detection still didn't react.
The surroundings become noisy.
Hearing Gilm-san's results, Zack-san jeers back in doubt. But, Rudolph-san as if observing something looks at the children and me.
I have a "Detection" skill, but this uses me as a center to spread magical power and allows me to search for magical power other than mine. It uses quite the quantity of the user and is considerably different from presence detection.
Even though he has the same "Detection" like me, since the amount of magical power I have is overwhelmingly larger, I can search a wider area.
And although similar to "Detection", Allen and Elena have "Presence Detection". It's an ability which allows them to sense a malicious intent in a certain scope.
Although we have to activate the skill on our own, Allen and Elena are using the skill unconsciously.
And, the effective radius of Allen's and Elena's "Presence Detection" is vast. I checked this fact myself with my "Detection".
That's the reason, Gilm-san's detection hasn't reacted yet.
"Ah!"
"What's wrong?"
"There's a reaction. Incoming!"
It seems the monster finally appeared in his detection.
"What!?"
"Really?"
"Dragon Breath" members and knights simultaneously look towards us.
Nono, it's really the truth. It's not like I would say something irresponsible in a place like this.
Hey, what are you going to do about that? You shouldn't be paying attention here?
Immediately, a single Red Wolf enters the view. When it's seen, and everyone enters a ready for battle mode――
"Ah, oi!"
One of the knights points to a direction.
Ah, crap!
When I look to what he's pointing at, I see Allen and Elena charging at the Red Wolf.
When we were in the dungeon I told them "when you find a monster it's all right to defeat it", I remembered too late.
I forgot to tell Allen and Elena to behave...
The two drew close to the Red Wolf immediately.
There, Allen quickly kicks the chin of the Red Wolf from below. The Red Wolf raised a bit because of that kick and this time Elena drives a dropkick on its head.
The Red Wolf crashed into the ground and stopped moving.
"......…"
The knights and adventurers all have the same dumbfounded expression with their mouths agape.