Chapter 47

※This passage contains a description of hunting. Those who are uncomfortable with such content may skip to the ----- mark.

Al arrived at the edge of the Nash Mountains as he had been instructed and stopped to look around. The surroundings were almost like a wasteland, with exposed slopes and trees scattered here and there. There seemed to be a route at the level of a game trail, but it was not something a human could easily climb. The deer he was asked to find, of course, were nowhere to be seen.

Al first placed his backpack, which contained tools and clothing, on a disc created by a transportation spell to keep it out of the way. He then cast a concealment spell on the backpack. He had recently noticed that this not only blocked the small sounds and odors produced by the bulky backpack but also prevented it from getting caught on tree branches during movement.

Next, he checked the straps of his nearly new leather armor, which still felt a bit unfamiliar. This armor was quite different from the full-body leather armor he had used before, as the important areas such as the neck, chest, and abdomen, as well as the shoulders and upper arms, which are often used to protect the body, were made from the rough, hard parts of the back of a large-mouthed lizard, which had a dull black shine. If he could use it to its full potential, it would likely provide considerable protection. However, Al was not particularly skilled at using armor for defense. While the quality was certainly impressive, he still felt a bit uncomfortable with it and planned to consult Orson about it again.

Despite his concerns, Al finished his preparations and lightened his load. He then cast a perception enhancement spell to strengthen his sense of smell and began to investigate the surroundings, paying attention to the direction of the wind. Various odors mixed with the overwhelming scent of summer grass. The most common were insects, but among them were the odors of groundhogs, rabbits, and, of course, deer. Given that they were considered pests in the fields, it was likely that they frequented this area. He also detected faint odors of wolves, goblins, and orcs, but they were quite far away.

Al followed the trail of the deer's odor. The nearest deer seemed to be a young male. At this time of year, male deer would be well-fattened in preparation for the autumn breeding season. Al thought the meat from the shoulder area would be delicious when grilled. The deer was moving through the trees on a slope with many undulations. While it would be difficult for an ordinary human to navigate, Al used a physical enhancement spell to strengthen his legs and continued to track the deer, leaping lightly.

After about 20 minutes, Al finally caught sight of the deer eating tree buds. The deer was about 2 meters long and weighed around 150 kg. Its antlers were about 50 cm long and pointed. Although it was not yet the season for aggressive behavior, he could not afford to be careless.

Even from 50 meters away, the deer seemed to notice Al and stared at him. Their eyes met. Al involuntarily held his breath and stared back. For about three seconds... the next moment, the deer leaped.

'Magic Arrow' - Convergence, Distance Extension

A glowing arrow-like object flew from Al's right hand, which he had been waiting for. Having helped with hunting since he was a child, Al could predict the deer's behavior to some extent. The magic arrow struck deep into the deer's neck.

"Got it!"

Al couldn't help but shout. He approached the deer, which was staggering and bleeding from the neck wound. He grabbed the antlers from behind, pulled out his knife from his waist, and without hesitation, slit the thick vein in the neck. The deer's body trembled, and blood gushed out. It was best to bleed the deer while its heart was still beating. Laying the convulsing deer on the slope, Al waited for a while, alert to any approaching threats. After about 10 minutes, the deer gave a final shudder and stopped moving.

Having seen this, Al removed the concealment spell and put his backpack back on, which he had placed on the transportation spell disc. He then placed the still-warm deer carcass on the disc. Although it was quite heavy, his proficiency with the transportation spell had improved since he used it to carry Eric, and he managed to load it.

Looking up at the sky, it seemed that the sun would not set for a while. Al set out to find water. It was a hot season, so it was best to process the deer quickly. Fortunately, he found a river nearby. It was about 3 meters wide and 1 meter deep, with a decent flow.

Al moved to the riverbank and, with practiced movements, changed the shape of the transportation spell disc to fix the deer carcass on its back, submerging the lower half in the flowing water. He then proceeded to cool it while processing the internal organs, skinning, and dismembering the deer. In this way, Al successfully completed the hunt before nightfall.

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"Wow, wow, what the heck is this? The meat is on a tray that's floating in the air!"

Gabi, who had been skeptical, was wide-eyed and made a big fuss when Al returned with the dismembered deer meat piled on the transportation spell disc. When Al explained that he could use magic, her attitude completely changed, and she treated him with a reverent attitude. Ethel also welcomed him, and Al, grateful for the lodging, consulted her about how to distribute the remaining parts of the deer to the villagers. Ethel, who was surprised that Al had hunted a deer on his first outing, offered to take him to the village chief's house.

When asked where to place the deer meat, he was led to what seemed to be a kitchen. By then, the news had spread, and nearly ten women were waiting there.

"Hello, I'm Al, a scout. I've already talked to Ethel, but I'm looking for someone."

The village chief, a slightly overweight man in his early 40s, stood beside the women. His dark brown hair was cut short, and he seemed to be in a good mood.

"Yes, I heard about it. A man with a limp did come to this village about a month ago. I don't know what he's doing now, but since he hasn't come down, he's probably still at the hot spring resort. Are you staying at Gabi's place tonight? I'll have her show you around tomorrow."

The hot spring resort he mentioned was a cave near a hot spring where one could shelter from the rain. It might be the same cave that Orson had mentioned to Cordy. In the end, Alnait was a story Orson had sold to her, and it was unclear what the place was like until he went there.

"I heard that there's unrest in the Tempest Kingdom. Has anything happened around here?"

Al was concerned about the talk of a major war in the neighboring country that Maddock and the others had mentioned. They had left for a profitable job in the border city of Parker, which was also close to the border.

"No, everything is fine around here. About two months ago, we did receive a warning to be on alert. I went to the fortress to get more details. It seems there is a conflict between the royal family and the Prentiss Marquess, who was the prime minister, in the neighboring Tempest Kingdom. There are many rumors, and it's unclear which side is right. The northern border city of Parker is having a hard time with many refugees, but so far, things are peaceful here. The roads are too dangerous, and it's impossible to cross unless you're very familiar with the mountain paths. In any case, it's unlikely that the war will reach our border."

The fortress the village chief mentioned was probably the one visible near the top of the mountain from the village. Al had been worried that Orson might have been caught up in the fighting, but it seemed unlikely. So, it seemed that the hot spring treatment was taking longer than expected. Given Orson's character, it was unlikely that he would be late for an appointment. However, there was no point in worrying too much. Al decided to leave early the next morning.

"Thank you for the information. I'll be staying overnight."

Al bowed and stood up. In the kitchen, the women had finished distributing the deer meat, and Gabi and her mother, who seemed to be waiting, were holding a board with a chunk of meat on it.

"Thank you, Mr. Al. We'll have a feast with the meat you gave us."

"Thanks, Mr. Al."

Al smiled, somehow reminded of his family in the village.

Thank you for reading.

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On May 16, 2023, I made some changes to the description of the armor (the content should remain largely the same...).