Chapter 48

Why don't you shoot?

That's the problem.

It's a strange situation.

If Denya had released his powerful bow, there would be no need for this exchange, and my life would be over before I even realized it.

Do you think that a spirit-infused attack is unnecessary? That mere rapid fire is enough?

No, in the past and just now, I have deflected all the arrows that lacked spirit. I suppose you think I have that much power.

You either can't use it, or you won't.

Either way, it's a relief for me.

But the problem is that I don't understand the reason.

If that reason disappears, I might die immediately.

Unconsciously, my body retreats.

The dragon's neck comes into view.

A glimpse of a wound on the white neck.

Seeing the wound that caused this situation, I can't help but let out a sigh.

The wound that caused the rampage. Denya suspects that I inflicted it...

Yes, Denya suspects that I inflicted this wound.

That's right.

Then, this internal injury itself can be used as a counterargument against Denya's accusations.

I look at Denya again.

He holds the bow, but there is no sign of combat in his smirking face.

Finally, I understand what Denya is up to.

He didn't miss. He didn't shoot.

Seeing the internal injury and my magic was enough.

Denya has already realized.

Combat is no longer necessary.

However, Denya shows no sign of backing down.

Even if it's unnecessary, I'll demonstrate my innocence once more.

I float a large number of fireballs of various sizes around my body.

"If you can dodge, go ahead."

Then, I fire them all at Denya at once.

The power is enough to turn a normal person into charred meat.

However, I don't think Denya would be injured by this. It's a strange feeling, but I have that trust.

"It's not necessary."

Denya stands calmly, not flinching as the fireballs approach.

Then, the bow seems to blur, and the next moment, all the fireballs explode and disappear.

The splashes that burst into sparks dance in the air.

The smoke screen of sparks clears, revealing Denya standing there.

He smiles, a harmless expression on his face.

In response, I force a smile.

"You mean it's not necessary to dodge?"

"Indeed, you are perceptive. Neither is necessary."

Yes, neither is necessary.

The evasive action and the magic I deliberately let you block are no longer needed.

In other words, the suspicion has already been cleared.

The dragon's internal injury was caused by strong spirit energy. And I am a mage.

Normally, mages cannot use spirit energy.

By the time I created a wind barrier, Denya's hostility had already disappeared.

Denya unstrung his bow.

"Your suspicion has been cleared. However, there is still the possibility that you used someone else to cause this situation..."

Denya looks at the ground.

There, the scorched earth spreads.

"If you can do this, it would be faster to do it yourself."

Denya smiles and looks at me, as if satisfied.

I don't think this level of firepower is enough to do anything, but if he is satisfied, I won't argue.

The pressure disappears. It seems he had already left halfway, but with the threat to my life gone, the tension in my body dissipates.

I have the leisure to make a quip.

"I can't go near Nerg because I'm scared."

"Neither can I."

Whose mouth is saying that?

"Then, can we consider this as being cleared of all charges?"

"Well, that's how it is..."

Denya, still smiling, puts a finger to his lips and ponders.

"But..."

He cuts off his words and looks at me.

The next moment, a dull sound is heard, and a tree next to me falls.

"The suspicion is cleared only for this time. You are still an unknown entity..."

Denya's bow felled the tree.

"Do not become an enemy of the village."

I nod sincerely. Seeing this, Denya laughs happily.

"Since you have shown yourself and come to this village, you are now a guest. Please stay as long as you like."

With that, he turns and walks into the village.

I survived...

This time, I was saved by the common knowledge that mages cannot use spirit energy.

Looking at the fallen tree next to me, I feel a chill.

If I had used spirit energy to escape, I would have been in trouble.

In that case, I would probably have been forcibly eliminated.

I was saved by the habit of using magic...

In any case, I have obtained information.

The 'Mountain Thoroughfare' was used against the fire dragon. And the fire dragon was lured to the village by someone.

The destination of the fire dragon is unknown.

However, on the straight line connecting Nerg and this village, there is Iline. It's hard to say it's unrelated.

I'll ask Gustav for more information on this later.

First, I need to meet up with Reshid and return.

"I asked the villagers, but no one knew anything."

Reshid was waiting in the square. He must have been tired from walking around, as he was leaning against a tree in the shade.

"I saw the dragon's corpse, and I have one piece of information."

When I told him this, Reshid looked interested and urged me to continue.

"I also heard from Denya..."

After I finished explaining, Reshid scratched his head and closed his eyes, looking annoyed.

"It was lured intentionally..."

"That's what it seems."

Reshid grunts forcefully.

Then, after a moment, he jumps up energetically.

"Even though we don't know the background or the culprit, we have figured out the cause."

"Yes."

"Let's go back. No complaints, right?"

"Yes, thank you."

With this, our mission is over.

We leave the village and start running.

Indeed. Now that I've heard and seen it, the forest is definitely noisier than before.

There are more animal sounds than usual, and the rustling of birds' wings is more chaotic.

"Just the appearance of a dragon can change the forest so much."

After seeing that giant dragon, saying "just the appearance of a dragon" seems light-hearted.

It's probably because of Denya.

"Is that so? I don't know the usual forest, so I can't tell."

Reshid's range of activities seems to be limited to urban areas.

That makes sense.

The "dirty work" he mentioned can't happen without humans.

As soon as we start running, I feel a sense of unease.

It's different from the usual forest.

No, I've known it was different from the usual forest since just now.

I thought I heard a pained cry from a distance.

"Reshid, didn't you hear something from over there?"

"? What are you talking about?"

Reshid didn't hear it.

Maybe it was just my imagination.

Thinking about it, the pained cries of wild animals being hunted by other wild animals are always happening somewhere.

Maybe it was just my imagination, or even if it wasn't, it's a common occurrence.

Even so, the unease doesn't go away.

Yes, the forest is different from usual.

Even after the dragon disappeared and the main animals that were disturbed by its presence were hunted, it's still different from usual.

It's true that it won't calm down immediately.

But it's worrying.

Another cry is heard.

This time, it's definitely not my imagination.

"I really hear something."

"Oh, oh."

That's strange.

Probably, an animal died in almost the same place as before.

There must be something there that is killing a large number of animals.

"Huh?"

Reshid also notices something.

"Something's coming!"

I follow his gaze.

"Whoa!"

A swarm of rats rushes past our feet from the direction we were looking.

"...This is bad."

Reshid also realizes the abnormality now.

I nod.

"Can I go and investigate?"

It's an unexpected situation. I don't know if we should run away or hide.

"I'll go too."

"Thank you."

We nod at each other and look in the direction the rats came from.

Ever since the 'Mountain Thoroughfare' came, strange things have been happening.

I let out a small sigh.