On the sixth day, the sky was perfectly clear as if yesterday’s rain had been a lie.
「All right. Time to get started」
When I headed to Kainzel-san’s house, he had taken the Pioneer out of its shed and was washing it. He must really love that thing.
I used to wash my own first car almost every week. After five years it became once a month though.
「Good morning. It finally cleared up」
「Ah. The rain lasted so long this year that we might even get snow in winter」
「Snow? It snows here?」
I thought this was a place where it never snowed.
「It only falls once or twice a year, but every few years the whole area becomes a white world」
If it is only every few years, I do not need to buy a snow vehicle. I can get by with the Pioneer.
「After breakfast we will head out for goblin extermination. Kainzel-san, what will you do? If you have something else to take care of you can prioritize that」
Kainzel-san is a contractor. Whether he helps or not is entirely up to him. I will not force anything. Teaching me swordsmanship is the main goal anyway.
「No, I will join. Goblin hunting becomes fun once you get used to it」
I envy that. I still cannot find it fun at all.
「Then the three of us will go」
「Is Miriel staying behind?」
「Yes. I will have her support us. It would be trouble if goblins gather around her again」
I will try to avoid a repeat of last time, but just in case I want her to stay in the Sefuti Home. Though I plan to take her out for a change of pace one of these days.
「Then after breakfast let’s meet at the shed」
「What about equipment?」
「Kainzel-san can use the Scorpion. I will prepare everything on my side」
Saying so, I returned to the Sefuti Home from the shed.
Today the main goal is to learn the routes, so I organized my gear into a chest rig and kept only the magazine pouch and knife on my belt.
Ladarion will use the H Sniper for long range support and Kainzel-san will shoot following my instructions.
「Take care」
Miriel saw us off as she came out in her electric wheelchair and we departed for goblin extermination.
「First we head to the town of Misrim」
I need to deliver the compass I promised.
「Damn. Even after we cleared out so many they gathered again」
I sensed around thirty of them before reaching the Arut River. Sometimes I really think they are respawning.
「Do we not need to exterminate them?」
「It will be a problem if they gather again so we start from the ones close to the town」
I will exterminate one then move a bit away and take another. A hit-and-run approach.
Still, paying money every time I cross is such a pain. Do they not have passes? Guess not. Too bad.
We entered Misrim and stopped in front of the guild branch. I had the two wait in the Pioneer while I went in alone.
「Takato-san! Good morning!」
The female staff from before hurried over with a huge smile. Wha-what is this!?
「Is Ride-san here?」
「I am sorry, the branch chief left for headquarters this morning. He should return in the afternoon」
So, he is at the guild master’s place. A branch chief must be busy.
「I see. Then please give this to Ride-san. He can pay later. Also, this is a small gift」
Her eyes were glued to what I was holding rather than to my words, so I handed her the box of doughnuts.
「Thank you so much!」
Overwhelmed by her radiant smile, I quickly left the branch. I felt something dangerous.
I jumped into the Pioneer and drove off immediately.
We passed through Misrim and headed south first.
This road should eventually lead to Korel, the town where Mishinie has her base. After a while we turned right toward the town and another bridge appeared.
「Do we have to pay here too?」
「Yeah. There is a bridge tax」
A bridge tax? That sounded like a rip-off. But taxes came from wherever they could be collected. Complaining wouldn’t help.
I paid ten coppers and we crossed.
After driving slowly along a farm road for a while we found several men who looked like farmers blocking the path.
「Is something wrong?」
I got out of the Pioneer and approached the men, showing my wooden tag.
「You an adventurer?」
「Technically I’m a sub-adventurer. The guildmaster assigned me to deal with goblins and I’m patrolling the area. If you have any information I’d appreciate it」
I already knew goblins were here but antagonizing the locals was a bad idea. Even factories needed good relations with nearby residents or trouble could escalate later. Explaining things early solved future problems.
「A fast little goblin showed up and ate our livestock. Do something about it」
Found it. Something nimble was moving around.
I climbed into the Pioneer’s bed and used my binoculars to track a fleeing goblin.
「There’s a red goblin. Probably a high rank species」
It was definitely fast. No way a two-legged creature should move like that. It had to be going fifty or sixty kilometers an hour.
「Ladarion. Let me borrow the H-Sniper」
「Right」
I took the H-Sniper and aimed at the superior species.
The distance was about three hundred meters. Hitting a moving target at that range was tough. If it stopped, I’d have a chance. I waited.
I tracked its presence through the scope. Around four hundred meters away it paused.
I aligned the crosshair with the source of its presence, calmed my breath and squeezed the trigger.
A hit. But not fatal.
「Kainzel-san, please drive! I’ll finish it! Ladarion, steady me」
I shouted while keeping my aim locked. Kainzel-san jumped into the driver’s seat. Ladarion grabbed my belt from the backseat to keep me steady.
「Here we go! Don’t fall!」
「Got it!」
The Pioneer shot forward the moment I answered.
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