Led by Vice and the others, we arrived at the stables operated by the Adventurers’ Guild.
「There are a lot of them」
It is a bit late to wonder, but I do not know whether to call it a stable or a barn. Nearly ten buildings for keeping horses had been built, and horses were being let loose inside fenced areas.
「There used to be more, but my father and grandfather said that many were taken away during a war a few years ago」
War again. Seriously, in a world that already has monsters and a Demon King, humans still fight each other. That is nothing but foolishness. It is like heading straight for destruction.
「The horses here are small」
Since coming to the Margrave Koraus Territory, I have seen horses many times. Compared to thoroughbreds from my original world, they are smaller, maybe a bit bigger than ponies.
「Are horses bigger in other places?」
「Where I was, they were about two sizes larger. Well, they were bred for speed, so they seemed unsuited for running across wastelands」
Well, I never cared much about horses, so I do not really know the details.
「These horses have thick legs. They seem suited for running across open plains」
「They are not fast, but they have endurance. They do not tire even if they run for half a day」
「Wow. That is impressive」
Running for half a day is amazing. As expected of horses in another world. Common sense from my old world does not apply here.
「I will get ready too, so Vice, you guys go prepare as well. Oh, I will take care of lunch, so just prepare for the hunt」
While Vice and the others went to get ready, I brought out the Pioneer from Home.
「Bisha. Use the 416D. This will be sniping practice」
I had attached a scope to one rifle and designated it for sniping. Let’s call it the D Sniper.
「Are there goblins here?」
「Not as many as in Koraus, but there are a fair number. What do they even eat on these plains?」
In Rydand, goblin extermination is difficult without a means of transportation. Still, seeing several gathered in one place, it seems they hide in their nests during the day.
「Put on the glasses, just in case. We will see if they are useful even on the plains」
「Okay. I hope we can hunt a lot～」
「Today is for those three. Let them have the kills. You can earn plenty in autumn」
I want to let them exterminate at least five each. If they taste the benefits, they will be motivated to work hard at goblin extermination from now on.
「If those three let one escape, then it is fine, right?」
「Haa. Fine. Just make sure you never hit the three of them」
「I won’t! I’m not that stupid!」
Yes, yes. You are not stupid. Sorry, sorry. I ruffled Bisha’s head.
「We’re ready…. wait, what is that!?」
「An iron carriage?」
「I don’t really get it, but it looks cool!」
They dismounted and started walking around the Pioneer.
「It’s a magic carriage. You can buy one if you hunt five hundred goblins」
「F-five hundred?! Takato-san, have you hunted that many!?」
「Hmm. By myself, probably around three thousand. If you include my companions’, it would be close to ten thousand」
When it reaches ten thousand, I will pull the gacha lottery. Drawing something one by one without knowing what I will get is a pain.
「……Ten thousand goblins……」
「……So the Silver Seal really is legit……」
「H-he’s an incredible person……」
「Well, it’s just bad luck piling on bad luck that led to that many kills. More importantly, let’s go. I want each of you to hunt five by evening」
We boarded the Pioneer, restarted the engine, and set off.
「I don’t know how fast your horses are, so run ahead lightly for now. You choose the destination」
「Then let’s go to the Raz River」
The three took the lead and started running at about thirty kilometers per hour.
We traveled off the road and reached the so-called Raz River after about ten kilometers.
Calling it a river feels generous. It is more like a stream. The width is not even two meters. The depth is probably not even twenty centimeters.
「Are the horses still fine?」
「Yes. This was just a warm-up」
As expected of another world. That counts as a warm-up? No wonder the monsters here are strong.
「Alright. Then we’ll have a meeting」
「A meeting?」
「Well, it’s a discussion about how we fight and how we move. It’s to unify the team’s awareness and thinking. Just because you’re childhood friends doesn’t mean you understand everything about each other, right? You’re still different people, so differences in intent will arise. We do meetings to reduce that as much as possible」
I took out a sketchbook, drew the Raz River at the center, and marked east, west, south, and north as E W S N.
「I’ll give these to you. Like I said earlier, items I produce disappear if they’re not touched for fifteen days. Items produced by contractors disappear in ten days. Within those fifteen days, learn how to read directions and time」
I handed a compass and a wristwatch to each of them and spent about an hour teaching them how to use them.
「Set the time when the sun is directly overhead. That way, the error will be minimal」
Time in this world is a bit different from Earth time. I have not examined it closely, but the clock installed in the central room gradually goes out of sync. Days in this world seem slightly longer.
「Always move while being aware of where north is」
Even in another world, compasses point north. I wonder if that useless goddess used Earth as a reference.
I tested each of them to make sure they understood, did some light practice, and then began the goblin extermination.
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