Today Rich.e.l.lo came to Elmel’s place, where she was lazing around. With some doc.u.ments in his hands, he was asked what he came for. Not like the usual invitations, it was about things concerning the school. Kou, who was floating around the window, stayed like that and focused his consciousness on their conversation.
“It’s about the joint reinforcement training camp the day after tomorrow, it seems like they have chosen to hold it at the hills in the west this time.”
“I see, the west……. Wasn’t it reported that there were sightings of mutated ones there, have they already been eliminated?”
“A part of the hills that is. It seems like they have decided it isn’t a problem, as long as they don’t enter deep into the mountain.”
“Didn’t the students get seriously injured two years ago because of irresponsible decisions like that?”
‘Isn’t their recognition of safety standards messed up’ Elmel complained, thinking about the awareness the upper echelons of the Adventurer’s Academy have toward risk management.
The joint exercise training camp that is held every year, includes all students from the lowest cla.s.s of beginners, to those who are near graduation. It is supposed to be a training camp like mountain camping for students who wish to partic.i.p.ate, but it is known as an infamous event because of the injured students it produces.
However, because it is known as such a dangerous event, ‘those who have experienced that training camp’ is what they get to be referred to, so many wished to partic.i.p.ate. It is certainly a fairly difficult training, but there are many that partic.i.p.ate in order to bond and gain trust with other students. Mostly between boys and girls.
“Well~, most injuries are caused because of youthful impulses, if we stay on the lookout then it’ll probably be alright.”
A situation where you meet each other, while camping in the wilds. Different from normal, it’s a special environment; concentrating only on a single night’s experience, those with indecent thoughts slip away from the camp and go further inside the mountains in the dark. Because they underestimated it, it becomes a ha.s.sle to handle the incidents where they get attacked by wild animals.
“Hmph. On that point, I don’t know whether to call you bold or an idiot…….”
“Uu…….. please forget about that time~”
Rich.e.l.lo raises a pathetic voice to Elmel, who reminded him of something of the past, with a wry smile. Afterwards, the cat that had been on his walk, came back through the window. Kou raised his voice, and said ‘Nya’, then he began to sit.
It seems like the cat can see Kou’s figure. ‘Welcome back~’ while saying that Kou possesses the cat.
“Oh yeah Kou, do you want to come along?”
“Nya Nya~” [I’ll go I’ll go.]
“That’s right, if you’re there then it’ll be easier.”
“Nya~Nyanyanyanya~nyaa~” [I have a lot of things, like medicine.]
This day, the training camp meeting together with the cat Kou, went on until late in the night.
On the day of the joint exercise training camp – a camp at the foot of a mountain some distance from the town of Bara.s.s had been set up while the students were constructing the training field. Most of the beginners are in charge of setting up the tents, while the practical cla.s.s was setting up scarecrows within the vicinity. The water and food supply within the carriage is more than enough, but the students will still hunt for food since it’s in their program. There are four instructors and thirty students. The plan for those who wished to join, but couldn’t partic.i.p.ate in today’s training camp, is to come with another group on a different day.
Around the time when the training camp began to take form, near where the luggage was being stored, the beginner cla.s.s Nina was talking with her childhood friend Lukabell about the cat Kou, the brooch, and the large bat.
“Certainly, it is the thing I gave you…..”
“Right? I also got interested in just what is happening.”
Why did instructor Elmel’s cat, whose name is Kou, bring the brooch that was supposed to be lost within the dungeon. Is there a connection between him and the large bat, Kou-chan, the single mystery about the brooch was stirring up their adventurer’s soul.
“You there, what are you lazing around for.”
“Wha- Elmel sensei.”
Even though the construction work may be almost over, instead of seeing them helping others out, Elmel found a couple that was already being close with each other, and she gave them a warning. Nina was paying attention to Elmel sensei’s scolding, but Lukabell was thinking about the cat Kou and the brooch.
“Ms. Elmel.”
“Hm? What wrong.”
Lukabell immediately told her about the brooch, and questioned her about the cat Kou———-.
“I see……..”
Elmel nodded while having her arms folded after hearing their story. Concerning the episode about Kou’s name, using a picture to communicate, Kou told them vaguely with the few words he knew. By the way, the first word Kou could write, was his own name.
After thinking a little while, Elmel decided there was nothing wrong with telling Nina, the one who named Kou, and the boy Lukabell, so she began to tell them about Kou’s existence. She didn’t want to publicly tell many people about Kou, but that large bat, Kou-chan, was probably ‘Kou’.
Being told that the popular Demon Hound from a while ago was Kou, Nina, who didn’t think that such a thing was possible, showed an honest reaction. On the other hand, having travelled from a young age with his adventurer parents, not even being able to be compared to other trainees, and with his talent as an adventurer, Lukabell, who thought that there were still many things he didn’t know, seemed to have gotten an impact on his pride.
Around the two students, who were talking with an instructor, a practical cla.s.s student came, in order to report that the construction work has been done. Having a lot of tents lined up at the foot of the mountain, they had started the cooking preparations since the training area had been secured. And the source of the topic, Kou, was——-
[Cat pu~unch! Cat pu~unch!]
Having climbed on the shoulder of the training scarecrow which had been prepared, he played with the face made of a leather helmet, and made a fierce rush of punches.
The first day the training area gets set up, part of the training camp, the real training will begin tomorrow. Around the time the sky was shrouded in darkness, in the area of the joined exercise training camp, many torches were burning brightly in front of the tents. The sight of students taking shifts for night duty could be seen. This was also part of the training camp.
“In this world, torches can become weapons when the time comes. If you can’t get one in time, you’ll have to kick the enemy and try to draw your sword—–”
While walking around the slowly burning torches, Elmel was giving a lecture. If you lower your sight from the shining moon and the stars in the sky, you can see a darkness in the form of a mountain taking your attention. Inside the darkness are many forms of life that live in harmony in many ways.
The nocturnal animals that moved in the night were fearing the presence of many humans and fire; maintaining vigilance, or perhaps curiosity, many were moving through the trees to see what’s happening. In other places, they were beginning to move to another location while showing active movement.
“Alright, I’ll leave it at here for today. Be sure to swap shifts in order to get rest. That’s all.”
Having finished her lecture for today Elmel headed toward the tent for instructors, and greeted the other instructors while on patrol. In the middle was Rich.e.l.lo, who was having a staring contest with the doc.u.ments on the table, next to him was a sprawled out cat, sleeping. Kou himself doesn’t require ‘sleep’, so he’s probably floating around somewhere inside the tent.
“What happened Rich.e.l.lo, you’re making a difficult face.”
“Yeah, it’s about the training schedule for tomorrow.”
The training camp makes use of the natural environment in the training program, the basic herb collecting, and from collecting nuts, to setting up traps to capture animals. Skills like these are basics for adventurers who have to obtain their own food, it is planned for them to train in such basic things however—–
“Is there some kind of problem?”
“I don’t know if I can call it a problem, or something to worry about…..”
It was some kind of hunch he felt from the information about the mutations within the mountain. What is known, is that there are wolf type mutations that move in packs. If you go deeper inside the mountain snake type mutations will appear.
Since the wolf type wild beast that moves in packs, had been eliminated by an adventurer team, they don’t have to worry about them getting close to the camp which has many people and campfires. Since the snake type rarely comes down the mountain, it’ll be alright as long as they don’t go deep into the mountain.
“It has been confirmed that there is the prescience of animals moving around the foot of the mountain, that caught my attention.”
“Since there are normal animals here, that means that there aren’t any mutations or monster close-by.”
It can be called proof that it is safe, but something bothered Rich.e.l.lo, something concerning the information he got from the doc.u.ments. ‘Did they overlook something?’
“It’d be great if it was just some groundless worry.”
“Since your ability to feel those kind of things is high, there may be something. I’ll think about it together with you.”
——– The next day. The instructor who was on look out, came back to the big tent in order to rest, Rich.e.l.lo and Elmel made preparations for the students’ training. In the end they couldn’t find out what was bothering Rich.e.l.lo, so the training began as planned.
From before the dimly lit dawn, the beginner cla.s.s students kept lining up in front of the scarecrows at the training field. Rich.e.l.lo, who was in charge of them, gave commands from time to time, some students that weren’t awake yet made a bad swing and ended up hurting their wrists, so they got healed by him. The practical cla.s.s was fighting one on one with each other, under Elmel’s instructions.
The cat Kou was walking around the training area that was filled with tents, he went back and forth, while focusing his concentration on the bushes. Kou, who had heard Elmel’s and Rich.e.l.lo’s talk yesterday, was now patrolling around, in order to support the two.
[The backsides of the tents are just like the scarecrows.]
As if the feeling of hard work was being transmitted to the cat, the cat’s tail was going back and forth. It’s because of a cat’s nature, that when a bug appears from time to time, a jump and a side kick(yoko geri) were immediately made. But, Kou’s mission (it’s being called that now) permits no failure.
“Don’t lag behind! After you’ve finished eating, it’s to the training grounds for training! Even if you don’t finish eating you’ll train! Those that are late have to do 100 pushups on the spot!”
“Hiii~iiii~iii”
“Ms. Elmel is a demon.”
After the early morning training had ended, the students began their breakfast and immediately began their morning training. The laid back atmosphere on the first day had been totally dispersed, the real joined exercise of the training camp had begun.
“Alright, first let’s split the group based on ability. The members will choose a group leader and divide the roles among each other.
In the morning, the beginner cla.s.s and the practical cla.s.s had a joined morning exercise and now they would be separated. The groups shall be divided based on the capability of the students, and like that, the students began to discuss with each other who is to become the leader, and divided the roles amongst each other.
“If you’ve decided, then team one and two will perform group fight training, the practical cla.s.s will have to guide the beginners. The remaining teams will follow me.”
Leaving the group fight training teams under Rich.e.l.lo’s supervision, Elmel took teams three to five with her into the mountains. ‘Now you will try to procure food or try finding herbs, and you will learn how to make and dissemble traps, you will now be guided in those things’.
Because from tomorrow onward the food will have to be provided by themselves, they are taking it very seriously.
“Can you see that cloth wrapped around the torch over there? Be careful not to go past that point. Well then, all teams, start searching!”
The students then step onto the mountain along with the command. There are a lot of useful things around, from herbs that can be used in dishes, to seasonings, and since there are those that have poison in them mixed in, they will have to be careful and sort them correctly.
“Ms. Elmel, over there is a mountain rabbit, is it forbidden to hunt it directly?”
“No, I don’t mind. Those that have the skill can try to kill it.”
“Elmel sensei, the cat Kou-chan is being chased by a mountain cat…….”
“Hm? Ah, don’t worry about it. Continue collecting without minding it.”
The practical cla.s.s members had begun to compete with each other to hunt the mountain rabbit, the beginner cla.s.s members were continuing with collecting, ignoring the cat Kou who was happily running away from the mountain cat, which was a size larger, but had a slim body made for hunting.
[Whoa that cat is totally trying to eat me~ee!!]
The cat that was freely running around, was blowing up the leaves on the ground. Kou had left the body’s control to instinct and had half his spirit body out of the cat’s body, he a.s.sisted the cat with escaping from the mountain cat by putting his hand in front of its eyes.
The mountain cat was going after the tasty looking city cat, half because he wanted to eat, and the other was out of interest towards the human shaped thing coming from its body. From time to time, the strange one does something attack-like and the cat slips outside of his claws’ range. Because of that, he wasn’t able to catch the city cat with the speed of a mountain rabbit, but because of that, the hunt itself became fun. The mountain cat was enjoying the hunt of the strange prey.
[Neko-kun, lets run to where Elmel-san is!]
Feeling that the host was saying ‘that is for the best’, the town cat that Kou was riding made a sharp turn by piercing his claws in the soft mountain soil, and ran toward where the trainees were. Actually, this game of tag would immediately end if Kou possessed the mountain cat. The mountain cat seemed to enjoy it, but the one who really enjoyed it was the town cat being hunted.
—–And, at that time. The mountain cat stopped moving and directed his attention towards the trees to the south, later he returned to himself and ran towards somewhere. After the mountain cat left, the town cat noticed its presence a few seconds too late, his hair stood up and he lowered his body. Beyond the trees, a cold presence could be felt from deep within the mountain. Kou, who had gone inside the town cat, was on guard until he could hear Elmel’s footsteps.
“What happened, Kou?”
“Nya nya nya nya~a nyaynyaya!” [Some kind of big creature is coming this way!]
Not seeing the presence of the mountain cat that was going after Kou, but the cat going nya nya while stomping its paw towards the trees trying to say something, Elmel who thought that it was strange, focused her ears and eyes towards the trees. Then she noticed a sudden discomfort.
“I can’t hear the cries of the birds….? Furthermore, this sound is…….—— I see!”
Rich.e.l.lo was worrying about the thing he ‘missed’ constantly last night. Elmel, who had noticed its true form, hurriedly yelled at the students to evacuate.
“Everyone stop what you’re doing and get away from this place! Run towards the training grounds!”
The students, who were thinking ‘just what is happening’, saw Elmel in a stance with her sword drawn, so they began to run. Elmel and the cat Kou both put up their guard. The bad feeling she had at the beginning of the training camp, when they said it would be held at the foot of the mountain, was finally recognized. Until now they didn’t think about the unnatural lack of sounds from the birds and the animals, and the weird movements the nocturnal animals made last night.
“I thought there were a lot of them at the foot of the mountain….. but to think that was what it was.”
“Elmel!”
Rich.e.l.lo, who ran over after hearing about the situation from the students, stood on guard next to Elmel, where he began to observe the situation.
“I told the students to get the other instructors, but just what is it?”
“I’ve understood the thing you ‘overlooked’ last night.”
The group of mutated beasts that were in the area had been chased out. But, that doesn’t mean that the normal animals, that were supposed to be their prey, could increase all of a sudden.
How could it be there were so many mountain rabbits in the vicinity this early, even though they are normal animals that are careful and afraid of humans, rather than mutated beasts.
——- hearing the sound of breaking trees, a large branch with lush leaves came falling down. When the two humans and one animal looked up, a snake with a thick body like a suspension bridge looked as if it was linking the trees together with its body, and was hissing with its tongue.
“What happens if the mutations that were driven off, begin to live deep within the mountain…….”
“Wa wa……. The prey will disappear won’t it.”
The animal mutations and the snake mutation that segregated the foot of the mountain. Even if game gathers at the foot of the mountain, it’s still risky to try and hunt it. The result, the group of beasts that move together took all the prey, so the mutated snakes came down the mountain, where all the food was gathered.
Since it was a big snake to begin with, it became even bigger after it mutated. It seemed that it was even called the lord of this mountain.
[It’s Huge! It’s Long! Amazing, it seems about eighty meters tall.]
Even if you didn’t look from a cat’s perspective, Kou had unwillingly let out a simple voice while looking at the really big snake mutation, but there was no one who noticed it. The black and ash gray pattern around the trees began to slither and the snake slowly lowered itself onto the ground. Just when you thought that the tree the snake was moving on was too thin, it broke, and the snake came falling down.
“Do you have the confidence to win against that?”
“If it’s running away, that is. Kou, be sure not to get swallowed up?”
“Nya~aa”
When they said that, the two humans and one animal turned around with a twirl. and then—–
“Run!”
“Retreat!”
“Nyaaaaaa!”
—- They ran away at full speed without a second thought.
TL note: Next chapter will be up in 12 hours, sorry for the cliffhanger~
-Honor & Tensaiz