Chapter 14 - Glasses Kun, Led Deeper into the Forest

Chapter 14 - Glasses Kun, Led Deeper into the Forest

With the matter settled, Laila rose from the bed—and at the same time, I asked the one thing that had been bothering me.

"Do I have to go to the Adventurer’s Guild? You’ll handle accepting requests and stuff, right?"

I really don’t want to go back there. People hassle me. They stare.
Since I’ve already agreed to this job, I’ll have to go if it’s absolutely necessary, but I’d rather avoid it as much as possible. That’s what I’m worried about.

"Huh? …Oh."

Laila tilted her head slightly, thinking for a moment.

"Technically, when accepting a request, there’s a rule that you have to list all participating members. If they’re registered with the Adventurer’s Guild, you write their name or ID number."

I see. Probably for dealing with accidents or damages that might happen during the job.
In the worst-case scenario—if no one comes back—it serves as a trail. It also signals that there might be a threat in the area, or maybe even helps with rescue efforts.

Either way, it’s a solid system. As expected of the city. They’ve got it figured out.

"What about me, though? Do the Adventurer’s Guild and Hunting Guild have any connection?"

Ah, right. Good thing I asked.

"Then just don’t write my name."

I’d rather not have my name spread around too much.
Rumors about my hunting results are already floating around, and if people start barging into my room to drag me on adventures… Well, Laila alone is more than enough for me.

"If I just tag along unofficially, there shouldn’t be a problem, right? Just say I’m a companion but not an adventurer."

"Hmm… Well, that is the truth."

Yeah. It really is.

"By the way, Megane."

Hm?

"What’s your name again?"

"Megane is fine."

Now that I think about it, I never introduced myself. But I brushed it off. The more my name gets around, the more trouble it’ll invite. Better to keep it to myself.

We set off early the next morning.
We agreed to meet in front of the Adventurer’s Guild while the sky was still dark.

With that settled, I skipped hunting in the afternoon and instead focused on preparing for the Red Bear.

I decided to bring iron-tipped arrows instead of lighter wooden ones.
These should be able to pierce the Red Bear’s thick hide. …Though, with my new bow, I’m still unpracticed, so I can only aim accurately at close range.
I also stocked up on some medicinal herbs and supplies, as well as a bag to store the Red Bear’s remains after butchering it.

Finishing my preparations quickly, I turned in early to rest for tomorrow.

The next day, I met up with Laila at the appointed time.
The sky was still dark, so thankfully, foot traffic in and out of the Adventurer’s Guild was minimal. Perfect for me.

"Got the request. Let’s go."

She wore a skirt-style dress reinforced with sturdy leather in key areas, with a short sword hanging at her side. This must be her battle-ready look.

And so, we headed for the southern forest.

Now then.

There were a few things I wanted to confirm.

"Can you actually use that sword?"

"Don’t underestimate me. I may not look it, but I know the basics… …Sorry. Never mind. I’m not that confident."

Figures. She just looks… awkward and weighed down by it.

"You’re a mage, right? I’ve never actually seen magic before—what can you do?"

Since the sword was practically just for show, this was the real question.

If she couldn’t rely on her weapon, Laila’s only means of attack would be magic. I needed to know what she was capable of and how much of a combat asset she’d be.

"Um, I only know two spells right now."

With that preface, Laila explained.

First, Fireball.
A projectile that explodes on impact. Even I’ve heard of it—it’s famous. Never seen it, though.

Next, Wind Blade.
A spell that conjures and launches blades of wind. In simple terms, it’s like "throwing invisible slashes." I’ve vaguely heard of this one too. Never seen it.

"Since we’ll probably be fighting in the forest, fire’s risky."

"Ah… Yeah. Starting a wildfire would be bad."

So Wind Blade would be her main weapon, then.

"How much can that Wind Blade cut? Could it take off a Red Bear’s head?"

"I’ve never tried, but—ah, it can cut through a tree about that thick."

She pointed at a tree along the path.

…That’s pretty thin.
Doubt it could sever limbs, let alone a head.

She looked oddly proud, so I said, "Wow, impressive." She got weirdly sulky, though.

Monsters tend to be massive, and the Red Bear is no exception.
The bigger ones can stand twice my height when upright. They’re broad too, with muscles and bones sturdy enough to support that bulk. Their hides are thick enough to shrug off poorly swung blades.

By the way, I did some research at the Hunting Guild yesterday.
Apparently, Red Bears are often used as promotion trials for adventurers moving from zero stars to one star.
In the city, that’s how strong they’re considered.

"Just so you know! There are people out there who can split giant trees or boulders clean in half!"

When I said, "Wow, that’s amazing," she kicked me in the rear. Women are hard to understand.

By the time the sun rose and night fully faded, we arrived at the southern forest.
I’ve hunted here before, so it’s not unfamiliar territory.

That said, the Red Bear’s territory is probably deeper than I’ve ever gone.

According to Laila, she’s been to this forest many times and had a rough idea of where the Red Bear might be based on sightings.

"This way."

Following her lead, we ventured deeper.

There was no real path, but traces of what might’ve been a game trail—likely from adventurers passing through—were visible. Laila followed it without hesitation.

We passed by remnants of campfires, both old and new, and pressed on into the unexplored depths of the forest.

…Huh. It really is a nice forest.

The deep scent of greenery, flowers, fallen ripe fruit, and beasts.
Life thrived here.

"—Should be around here."

After walking for a while, we reached what seemed to be Laila’s destination. There were signs of an old campfire.

We’d passed several others, so maybe these served as markers for adventurers.
Marking them on a map would make info-sharing easier.

Now, we’d use this spot as a base to search for the Red Bear. But first—

"Just to confirm—you brought Stench Pouches, right?"

"Of course. No way we’d come unprepared."

Good. At least she’s got the basics covered.

Red Bears are strong.
Strong enough to serve as promotion trials for rookie adventurers. Frankly, most newbies wouldn’t stand a chance.

But the most critical factor is their keen sense of smell.

That’s why Bear Repellent—a powdered extract from herbs that emit a smell Red Bears hate—is sold. Tossing one of these usually makes them flee.
They come in small pouches meant to be thrown after loosening the opening.
You could rub it on yourself, but it stinks. Not recommended.

My mentor taught me to smear it on my coat when tracking smell-sensitive prey to mask human scent.
But I’d rather not. It stinks.

The Stench Pouch is a last-resort safety measure. Its effectiveness is probably why Laila chose the Red Bear for training.

"Let’s start searching."

With our emergency countermeasure confirmed, we split up to look for traces of the Red Bear.