As we drive toward Mirand Pass, a carriage comes into view ahead.
「A caravan?」
「No, that’s an Adventurers’ Guild carriage. They’re probably heading to Rydand to check things out」
「The guild even does that? That should originally fall under the jurisdiction of the Margrave Koraus」
How many problems does this territory have if even a capable acting lord can’t handle them? Or does that just mean the lord’s authority is that strong?
The adventurers notice us and begin to tense up in alarm, and we slow down as we approach to avoid any unnecessary conflict.
「I’m the adventurer Mishinie! Sorry, but we’re passing through!」
When Mishinie shouts that, their guard drops. Do they know her?
「Mishinie, huh. I was wondering why I hadn’t seen you lately. So you’ve been out goblin hunting」
Huh? Do they know my face too?
「Yeah. I joined a goblin extermination guild called Sefuti Bullet. Are you guys heading to Rydand?」
「Pretty much. It’s a cheap job worth three silver coins」
If it’s three silver coins just to go there and back, isn’t that a good deal? No idea what happens if something goes wrong, though.
「We’re hunting goblins at the camp site. If a Roselan shows up, we’ll take it down too. Takato」
Roger, and we pass the carriage and head toward the camp site.
We arrive in about thirty minutes. There’s no real change from a few days ago. If anything, it feels like more goblins have gathered.
「Did they form a pack?」
Goblins are clustered in several places, and I can sense presences of various sizes.
「Miriel. Put the Pioneer back at the home base. Mishinie. About twenty goblins are hiding in the western mountains, where the Roselan used to have its nest. Take them out quietly」
「Leave it to me──」
She runs off like the wind and disappears into the trees in an instant. Soon after, the goblin presences vanish, and a little over thirty thousand in rewards comes in.
「That’s good business」
Thirty thousand yen comes in even though I did nothing. If I let myself get addicted to this, I’d probably be ruined.
「Fufu. Now I can drink fifty-thousand-yen wine」
A woman who melts the money she earns into alcohol. Don’t end your life with booze.
「Let’s go to the river so we don’t get in the way of those adventurers」
Once Miriel comes out, we head to the river and decide to take a ten o’clock break after moving a little downstream.
When we return Home, Ladarion comes in shortly after.
「Ladarion. We moved to Mirand Pass. We’ll be exterminating here today」
「We went about three kilometers into the mountains. We haven’t exterminated any goblins yet. Can we scatter meat?」
「No. If you call them in now, we won’t be able to wipe out a large number at once, so don’t. Is Marg okay?」
「He’s fine. Full of energy」
After discussing the situation, I buy fifty kilograms of processed meat on the tablet.
「Do you have a lot over there?」
「About five hundred. We’ll gather them and wipe them out in one go. Also, it looks like Miriel can use sleep magic, so we’ll bring back about five of them. Have them finish a bit early and tell Gorg to make some cages」
「Got it」
We take only ten kilograms of processed meat outside. We carry it across the river and scatter it.
「You’re luring them?」
「Yeah. It’s a hassle to search around for them. Let’s have them come to us」
It’s autumn, so there should be plenty of food around, but goblins prefer meat. They should be drawn in by the smell.
As we wait while drinking canned coffee, the goblins seem to notice the smell of the meat and start moving.
「Miriel. Get the APC9 ready. They’re coming. Mishinie, watch our back」
I have more processed meat delivered, throw ten kilograms across the river, and scatter another ten kilograms around us to mask our scent.
「You can throw empty magazines on the ground. Focus on exterminating goblins. Mishinie and I will cover you」
「Do I not need to put them to sleep?」
「Let them go into a frenzy first. We only need to bring back about five」
After a while, several goblins appear on the far side of the river, pouncing on the processed meat and devouring it single-mindedly.
「Don’t shoot yet. Wait until they go into a frenzy」
I still don’t smell the scent that comes when they go into a frenzy. Once that odor spreads, they’ll keep gathering one after another. It’s a strategy that only works because Mishinie is here.
「Mishinie. They’re coming from the left and right too. Don’t attack until I give the signal. We need to draw in as many goblins as possible」
「Roger」
They have eyes only for the processed meat. Without paying us any attention, they pounce on the scattered meat and fight each other as they devour it.
「I can smell it now」
「…T-Takato-san, it stinks…」
「This is unbearable」
I must have some resistance to the smell, because it doesn’t bother me that much, but Miriel and Mishinie make faces of intense disgust and hold their noses.
「Put on the gas masks」
I have them take gas masks out of their backpacks and put them on, while I put on a regular mask. Gas masks muffle your voice.
「All right. That should be enough. Miriel, shoot the goblins on the other side of the river. I’ll support you, so don’t worry if you miss. Mishinie, cover the left and right」
「U-understood」
「Leave it to me」
When I see the two of them nod, I nod as well.
「All right, fire!」
I support the backpack Miriel is wearing and give the signal.
「Yes!」
Miriel shoulders the APC9 and fires in rapid bursts.
She couldn’t hit much in the fields, but with them packed this tightly and only ten meters away, missing would be a miracle. With thirty rounds, she manages to kill four.
「Reload. Keep firing, keep firing, fire until you drop!」
This really is a case of quantity over precision.
She seems to have gotten used to the recoil, and I judge that she’s fine without my support. I raise my Scorpion and fire rounds at the goblins as well.
「Mishinie! A whole group is coming from downstream!」
I can sense a group of nearly fifty approaching.
「Leave it to me! You take upstream!」
「Roo-ger!」
I swap magazines, aim upstream, and pull the trigger.
「You bastards! Become our sustenance!」
I too fall into a frenzy, shooting and shooting and shooting the goblins.
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