Chapter 116 (1/2)

Volume 2

The Simple Job of Only Perishing to the Hero Volume 3 Chapter 29

– 107.167.229.84

「……Rokuna-sama.」

「Nn?」

Ein whispered to Rokuna, who had started walking once again, from behind.

Maybe because Sharon, who was walking nearby, was nervous, she had no signs of paying attention to them at all.

「The signs of the forest are strange.」

「Signs? Ahh, I see. You were originally from the Lulugal Forest, weren’t you.」

The Lulugal Forest that was in the eastern part of the Dark Continent was the largest forest in the Dark Continent.

It was a place that many bird-type Mazoku, which Ein was before her evolution, lived in, and the monsters that lived there excelled in forest battles, and there were many who were sensitive to the flow of magical power in the forest and the changes in the atmosphere.

「And how is it strange.」

「There are no signs of living creatures.」

Hearing Ein’s words, Rokuna stopped and called out to Seira and the others.

「……Everyone, can we stop for a bit?」

「Eh?」

「Heh?」

Seira and Kain stopped and turned around to face Rokuna, while Sharon, who didn’t hear her, bumped into Kain’s chest.

「Heh? Ah, hya……s-s-s, sorry Kain!」

「Sharon, were you deep in thought again? You can’t do that, it’s dangerous out here.」

Kain caught Sharon in his arms with a look that said “it can’t be helped”.

「U, un……」

「Uー……」

Seira glared at the two of them like that, but it was something that didn’t matter to Rokuna.

Rokuna clapped her hands and drew their attention.

「Oーkay, that’s far enough. You can do that sort of thing slowly laterー.」

「There is no later!」

「Okay, let’s put an end to all of that sort of stuff tooー. This Onee-san already has had a full stomach on that bittersweet youthー.」

After Rokuna warded off Seira’s displeasure, she put up an index finger and gently brought it to her mouth.

Be silent for a bit.

Understanding the meaning of that gesture, Kain and the others stopped talking and listened carefully.

A blowing wind shook the trees of the forest, and only a *zawa zawa* sound resounded.

Kain made a face that said he suddenly realized it and then whispered.

「This forest……was it always this quiet?」

「Eh, huh. Now that you mention it……」

The voices of the living creatures that should be heard in the forest, like the birds and the insects, couldn’t be heard at all.

「Wh, what’s going on?」

Rokuna received Sharon’s gaze, and after slowly putting down the hand she put on her mouth, she expressed a fearless smile.

「It’s simple. Right now, the things that should be in this forest aren’t here. That’s all there is to it, right?」

As for why those creatures weren’t here.

What should be remembered here is the ecology of Elements.

When Elements discover creatures, they would perform the act of absorption in order to take in their magical power.

In other words──

「Could it be……an Element……?」

「Eh, but, but! It’s strange that there aren’t any creatures at all! According to the request document, it was only recently that the Elements were sighted……」

Seira flusteredly took out the request document, and started reading it.

「See, I knew it……!」

「Could you lend that to me for a bit?」

Rokuna received the request document from Seira, and checked the contents.

Request Contents: Subjugation of Earth Elements

Over the past few days, the reports of sightings of Earth Elements in the Aledona Forest have increased.

The results of investigations, a minimum of at least four Earth Elements have been confirmed.

The Guild has determined that this is an urgent situation that concerns the safety of the region, and is making a request for their subjugation.

Furthermore, at present, the request will be recognized as having been completed if the subjugation of at least one of them is performed and reported, but until it has been confirmed that the Earth Elements are completely exterminated, this request will continue its invitations.

「I see. Various parts are written slyly.」

By putting out the request, they could externally demonstrate that they are contributing to the region’s safety as the Adventurer’s Guild.

And towards the Adventurers, while the 「recognized as having been completed if the subjugation of at least one of them is performed and reported」 part is telling them to not push themselves, the 「at least four」 and 「until it has been confirmed that they are completely exterminated, this request will continue its invitations」 parts represent the fact that they don’t know the complete picture of the enemy’s fighting power.

Even in regards to the time they broke out, it only said 「over the past few days」, and there was no telling when specifically they started to come out. In reality, far from 「over the past few days」, it meant that there was the possibility that they were there for much longer before that.

「Th, then, does that mean that the Elements have turned into something even more terrible?」

「There is the possibility of that.」

Rokuna made a nod to Sharon who had signs of being frightened.

Rokuna didn’t know just how many living creatures there were in this Aledona Forest.

However, if a whole forest’s worth of creatures were thoroughly swallowed up, there might be a staggering amount of Elements, or there might be a special Element that possessed mighty magical power.

「……Rokuna-sama!」

At that moment, a gust of wind blew.

No, it wasn’t wind.

It was wind that contained magical power……a Wind Element.

It cut across as if to obstruct Ein’s path as she tried to rush over to Rokuna.

And then, soaring up into the air, it established its aim on Rokuna.

「There’s no need, Ein.」

Expressing a fearless smile, Rokuna stopped Ein.