Publishedat 4th of April 2019 11:44:52 AMChapter 120
We were able to find the cave rather easily, thanks to the brute force method of pushing away the mist and slaughtering the goblins in front of us . The entrance was hidden between two boulders and would have probably evaded my eye if I was alone .
“This is most likely the tunnel that will connect to the orc settlement . Please take a look here . ”
I looked to where Angelica was pointing . There were several layers of footprints that went in and that went out . It was proof that this path had been used repeatedly .
“Alright . This means that we have found what we were looking for!”
I nod at this declaration by Lauria . We accomplished that goal . Once I knew the place, I just needed to make an emergency report to the base and then go and search for Ness and the others . Blocking this entrance may hinder their operations a little, but it wouldn’t mean too much since they had hole moles . They would just dig through it again .
There were better things to spend your time doing .
“Let’s return with haste . I’ll bring you all back to the surface in the same way we descended . Stay on the alert while you wait . ”
“I will be last then . Please take the others . ”
Angelica said as she inspected the cave . Alright, first was Lauria .
“Here we go . ”
“Ah, ahh, of course…!”
She became red again as she clutched onto me tightly . If I were Matsumoto, I would be bounding down the harem path right about now…
This time, Olive and Oregano were much calmer . If anything, their unimpressed faces seemed to say, ‘is that as fast as you can go?’ They got familiar with it quick… Perhaps it was a quality of Adventurers?
“Angelica . You’re up now . ”
“Yes, thank you!”
I picked her up and kicked the air while I asked,
“What were you doing in the cave?”
“Hehe . I left some gunpowder . One trip over the wire I placed there and the place will go boom! Indeed!”
“Are you serious…”
This n.o.blewoman was not to be messed with . A good reminder .
“You should all return together from here . I’ll tell Virgil everything . ”
“Are you going on ahead, Asagi?”
“Yeah . I’m sorry, but we have to part ways here . Sorry, Lauria . ”
“Wh-why are you apologizing to me!?”
There was merit in teasing her because of such visible reactions . She was like a cheeky younger sister . I was an only child, so it was certainly new… I hope she comes back safely .
“Alright, I’m off!”
I said, and then dashed forward with the power of silver and green wind . I could run here, as I was not yet in the forest, but I would have to move to the sky once the trees grew thick . If the orcs were prepared to ambush me, it wouldn’t matter if I was running in the forest or above it . In that case, it was best to take the fastest route .
While I ran along the valley rim, I found something . Well, no . I had known about it all along .
It was a log . I had seen it when we were making our way towards the end of the valley . At first, I had thought that it was something that people who lived around here were using, and paid it no attention . However, I saw things differently now . This log could be used as a bridge for the orcs…they could easily cross to the Replant side . And since this place was out of the way, there was less chance of them being seen .
“It may not buy us any time, but…!”
I didn’t want to leave it now that the thought came to me . If it turned out that we needed it later, I would just have to come back with a different log .
And so I unleashed a Legs of the Forest Wolf reinforced kick into the log . The log split cleanly into half and tumbled down into the valley . There was no saying that the orcs wouldn’t prepare another one quickly, but when can hope… Alright, I can’t waste any more time on detours . I have to return to the camp as soon as possible .
As they had made Replant their home of operations, it was no surprise that these magicians were brilliant . Most of those who resided in the Adventure City did so due to their skill . However…
“Miss! What is the secret to using wind magic!?”
“Please tell me as well!”
“I want to know too . May I suggest some night-time lessons?”
These ones were a little…unique, to say the least .
“But you are a fire magic user . And you, are you not a water magic user? You are not fit for wind magic . And no, I intend to sleep at night . Sleep is most important . ”
“But, miss…!”
Ah, what in… Please save me, Asagi…!
“Hey, isn’t that wind from Silvergreen?”
I heard someone say . I turn my head . There was some wind coming from the forest that was silver and green in color . Indeed, it was Asagi’s wind . Surely this meant that my prayer had been answered . He was my Asagi, after all .
“Sorry, let me through! It’s an emergency!”
Asagi would usually control his wind a little more carefully in order to avoid hurting people, but this time he landed without such considerations . The wind that blasted down on the area carried away shields and shook the tents . That alone showed that things were serious . I left the girls and jogged over to Asagi as he approached Vergil’s tent .
“Asagi . ”
“Daniela! Perfect . Come with me!”
“Aye . ”
That was all we said, but I could see that Asagi had calmed down a little . Perhaps I had that effect on him . Such were the foolish thoughts that entered my mind as we went to the tent . But Virgil must have heard the commotion, because he came out before we reached it .
“What’s happening!? What is it!?”
“I’m one to talk, but you should calm down . We’ll talk inside . ”
Asagi said as he slapped a hand on Virgil’s shoulder and indicated towards the tent . And so all three of us entered . There was a table that had been brought from somewhere and a detailed map of the terrain was laid out on it . It had probably been made by one of the Adventurers here .
“Please calm down and listen to me . The traces that the surface squad found . I think that it’s a trap . ”
“You what!?”
“Calm down, Virgil . I’m not finished yet!”
Asagi said in an unusually rough voice . It was a rare sight indeed, and my shoulders jumped .
“My report of the valley squad’s search . There were no traces of anything at the end of the valley . This means they had no reason to go there . On the other hand, there was a cave on the northwest side . ”
It was what we had been searching for . I gasped without thinking .
“We saw evidence of people entering and leaving . ”
“Good…!”
Virgil made a tight, triumphant fist . But Asagi’s face remained dark .
“Asagi, is there something else?”
“…Yes . The important part is this . ”
Asagi nodded to my question and continued .
“There were no traces around the valley, right? That means that they haven’t come to this side any further than the cave . And then there is the tunnel that connects the valley and the surface . I don’t think they would dig so far . In other words, I think the settlement is on the way here . ”
“However, there was nothing…”
“Yes, nothing . On the side that we were walking . ”
“…!!”
Virgil gasped . I too froze at Asagi’s words .
“Do you get it?”
“They were…watching us…?”
“Exactly . I think they know about our location . ”
“Then those traces…”
“I believe it was a trap to lead the scouts in the wrong direction . Well, it might also have been an accident… But I am quite sure that this place is going to be ambushed . ”
Everyone fell silent . We had been searching for the orcs, when all along, they had known where we were . And plotting an ambush no less… It made me shudder .
“Asagi, we have to get Ness and the others back . ”
“Yeah, I’ll go . Virgil, is that alright?”
“Ye-yes… d.a.m.n it . To come here…”
His fist tightened even harder .
“…Very well . Asagi, once you retrieve Ness and the others, have them go to the cave . ”
“What about the ambush? If they are headed here, they might b.u.mp into each other?”
“Gardo will be there . He and a few others will be added to the surface squad . We’ll have them do a little forceful scouting . It will be better to go out on the offensive than stay here and be ambushed . ”
“Understood . Then I will leave right away . ”
“Good luck!”
Asagi ran out of the tent . Or he was about to, but then he stopped and looked at me . Without saying anything, he just smiled gently, and then looked away and ran . The tent swayed in the wind and Asagi was gone . He could be impatient at times, but he would not forget that I was there . Really, it was quite adorable .
“I have a request to make, Daniela . ”
“What?”
“There should be users of earth magic in the group . You can take a few of my potions here and have them create a wall to surround this area . ”
“But are we not going out on the attack? Is this necessary?”
I asked, and Virgil’s eyes dropped to the map .
“If we make an enclosure with only one opening, the orcs will have to come in through there . I do not want to create a situation where we have a disadvantage if the scouts fail . ”
Hmmm… It was important to consider the possibility of failure . It suggested to me that this man had a lot of experience fighting .
“Understood . I will go and give the order then . I too can use earth magic and should be able to help . ”
“Here are the potions . There are four that you can share . Good luck . The entrance should be facing the valley . ”
“Yes, leave it to me . ”
I accepted the potions and left the tent . I glanced at my surroundings, but Asagi was unsurprisingly nowhere in sight . But I knew that he would return safely . After all, it is I who he is returning to . Hehe . The little rascal . d.a.m.n it . And now, I must fulfill my own role so he can return safely .
However, I could not be blamed for taking my time before taking the first step back towards those waiting girls .
We were able to find the cave rather easily, thanks to the brute force method of pushing away the mist and slaughtering the goblins in front of us . The entrance was hidden between two boulders and would have probably evaded my eye if I was alone
.
“This is most likely the tunnel that will connect to the orc settlement . Please take a look here . ”.
.
I looked to where Angelica was pointing . There were several layers of footprints that went in and that went out . It was proof that this path had been used repeatedly
.
“Alright . This means that we have found what we were looking for!”.
.
I nod at this declaration by Lauria . We accomplished that goal . Once I knew the place, I just needed to make an emergency report to the base and then go and search for Ness and the others . Blocking this entrance may hinder their operations a little, but it wouldn’t mean too much since they had hole moles . They would just dig through it again
There were better things to spend your time doing
.
“Let’s return with haste . I’ll bring you all back to the surface in the same way we descended . Stay on the alert while you wait . ”.
“I will be last then . Please take the others . ”.
.
Angelica said as she inspected the cave . Alright, first was Lauria
.
“Here we go . ”.
“Ah, ahh, of course…!”.
.
She became red again as she clutched onto me tightly . If I were Matsumoto, I would be bounding down the harem path right about now….
This time, Olive and Oregano were much calmer . If anything, their unimpressed faces seemed to say, ‘is that as fast as you can go?’ They got familiar with it quick… Perhaps it was a quality of Adventurers?.
.
“Angelica . You’re up now . ”.
“Yes, thank you!”.
.
I picked her up and kicked the air while I asked,.
.
“What were you doing in the cave?”.
“Hehe . I left some gunpowder . One trip over the wire I placed there and the place will go boom! Indeed!”.
“Are you serious…”.
.
This n.o.blewoman was not to be messed with . A good reminder
.
“You should all return together from here . I’ll tell Virgil everything . ”.
“Are you going on ahead, Asagi?”.
“Yeah . I’m sorry, but we have to part ways here . Sorry, Lauria . ”.
“Wh-why are you apologizing to me!?”.
.
There was merit in teasing her because of such visible reactions . She was like a cheeky younger sister . I was an only child, so it was certainly new… I hope she comes back safely
.
“Alright, I’m off!”.
.
I said, and then dashed forward with the power of silver and green wind . I could run here, as I was not yet in the forest, but I would have to move to the sky once the trees grew thick . If the orcs were prepared to ambush me, it wouldn’t matter if I was running in the forest or above it . In that case, it was best to take the fastest route
.
While I ran along the valley rim, I found something . Well, no . I had known about it all along
It was a log . I had seen it when we were making our way towards the end of the valley . At first, I had thought that it was something that people who lived around here were using, and paid it no attention . However, I saw things differently now . This log could be used as a bridge for the orcs…they could easily cross to the Replant side . And since this place was out of the way, there was less chance of them being seen
.
“It may not buy us any time, but…!”.
.
I didn’t want to leave it now that the thought came to me . If it turned out that we needed it later, I would just have to come back with a different log
And so I unleashed a Legs of the Forest Wolf reinforced kick into the log . The log split cleanly into half and tumbled down into the valley . There was no saying that the orcs wouldn’t prepare another one quickly, but when can hope… Alright, I can’t waste any more time on detours . I have to return to the camp as soon as possible
As they had made Replant their home of operations, it was no surprise that these magicians were brilliant . Most of those who resided in the Adventure City did so due to their skill . However….
.
“Miss! What is the secret to using wind magic!?”.
“Please tell me as well!”.
“I want to know too . May I suggest some night-time lessons?”.
.
These ones were a little…unique, to say the least
.
“But you are a fire magic user . And you, are you not a water magic user? You are not fit for wind magic . And no, I intend to sleep at night . Sleep is most important . ”.
“But, miss…!”.
.
Ah, what in… Please save me, Asagi…!.
.
“Hey, isn’t that wind from Silvergreen?”.
.
I heard someone say . I turn my head . There was some wind coming from the forest that was silver and green in color . Indeed, it was Asagi’s wind . Surely this meant that my prayer had been answered . He was my Asagi, after all
.
“Sorry, let me through! It’s an emergency!”.
.
Asagi would usually control his wind a little more carefully in order to avoid hurting people, but this time he landed without such considerations . The wind that blasted down on the area carried away shields and shook the tents . That alone showed that things were serious . I left the girls and jogged over to Asagi as he approached Vergil’s tent
.
“Asagi . ”.
“Daniela! Perfect . Come with me!”.
“Aye . ”.
.
That was all we said, but I could see that Asagi had calmed down a little . Perhaps I had that effect on him . Such were the foolish thoughts that entered my mind as we went to the tent . But Virgil must have heard the commotion, because he came out before we reached it
.
“What’s happening!? What is it!?”.
“I’m one to talk, but you should calm down . We’ll talk inside . ”.
.
Asagi said as he slapped a hand on Virgil’s shoulder and indicated towards the tent . And so all three of us entered . There was a table that had been brought from somewhere and a detailed map of the terrain was laid out on it . It had probably been made by one of the Adventurers here
.
“Please calm down and listen to me . The traces that the surface squad found . I think that it’s a trap . ”.
“You what!?”.
“Calm down, Virgil . I’m not finished yet!”.
.
Asagi said in an unusually rough voice . It was a rare sight indeed, and my shoulders jumped
.
“My report of the valley squad’s search . There were no traces of anything at the end of the valley . This means they had no reason to go there . On the other hand, there was a cave on the northwest side . ”.
.
It was what we had been searching for . I gasped without thinking
.
“We saw evidence of people entering and leaving . ”.
“Good…!”.
.
Virgil made a tight, triumphant fist . But Asagi’s face remained dark
.
“Asagi, is there something else?”.
“…Yes . The important part is this . ”.
.
Asagi nodded to my question and continued
.
“There were no traces around the valley, right? That means that they haven’t come to this side any further than the cave . And then there is the tunnel that connects the valley and the surface . I don’t think they would dig so far . In other words, I think the settlement is on the way here . ”.
“However, there was nothing…”.
“Yes, nothing . On the side that we were walking . ”.
“…!!”.
.
Virgil gasped . I too froze at Asagi’s words
.
“Do you get it?”.
“They were…watching us…?”.
“Exactly . I think they know about our location . ”.
“Then those traces…”.
“I believe it was a trap to lead the scouts in the wrong direction . Well, it might also have been an accident… But I am quite sure that this place is going to be ambushed . ”.
.
Everyone fell silent . We had been searching for the orcs, when all along, they had known where we were . And plotting an ambush no less… It made me shudder
.
“Asagi, we have to get Ness and the others back . ”.
“Yeah, I’ll go . Virgil, is that alright?”.
“Ye-yes… d.a.m.n it . To come here…”.
.
His fist tightened even harder
.
“…Very well . Asagi, once you retrieve Ness and the others, have them go to the cave . ”.
“What about the ambush? If they are headed here, they might b.u.mp into each other?”.
“Gardo will be there . He and a few others will be added to the surface squad . We’ll have them do a little forceful scouting . It will be better to go out on the offensive than stay here and be ambushed . ”.
“Understood . Then I will leave right away . ”.
“Good luck!”.
.
Asagi ran out of the tent . Or he was about to, but then he stopped and looked at me . Without saying anything, he just smiled gently, and then looked away and ran . The tent swayed in the wind and Asagi was gone . He could be impatient at times, but he would not forget that I was there . Really, it was quite adorable
.
“I have a request to make, Daniela . ”.
“What?”.
“There should be users of earth magic in the group . You can take a few of my potions here and have them create a wall to surround this area . ”.
“But are we not going out on the attack? Is this necessary?”.
.
I asked, and Virgil’s eyes dropped to the map
.
“If we make an enclosure with only one opening, the orcs will have to come in through there . I do not want to create a situation where we have a disadvantage if the scouts fail . ”.
.
Hmmm… It was important to consider the possibility of failure . It suggested to me that this man had a lot of experience fighting
.
“Understood . I will go and give the order then . I too can use earth magic and should be able to help . ”.
“Here are the potions . There are four that you can share . Good luck . The entrance should be facing the valley . ”.
“Yes, leave it to me . ”.
.
I accepted the potions and left the tent . I glanced at my surroundings, but Asagi was unsurprisingly nowhere in sight . But I knew that he would return safely . After all, it is I who he is returning to . Hehe . The little rascal . d.a.m.n it . And now, I must fulfill my own role so he can return safely
However, I could not be blamed for taking my time before taking the first step back towards those waiting girls