Chapter 14

Norn is dead?

Are you telling me to accept such a cruel reality?

Damn it, that can't be.

How am I supposed to explain this to Miss Margaret?

...Huh?

This feeling... Could it be?

"I'm sensing multiple presences from over there. From the other side of the wall. It must be the effect of the Aura Perception skill."

"Master, do you have the Hunter skill?"

"Yeah, something like that."

With that, I slowly walked towards the dead-end wall.

Haru had only said that the scent continued in this direction, not that it ended here.

"Whoa..."

When I tried to push the wall, I fell through it—only to find myself on the other side.

Moreover, my lower body was on the other side of the wall—so this must be an illusionary wall.

In that case, this must be a secret hidden room?

I stood up and touched the wall I had just come through.

Sure enough, it felt like nothing at all. It was definitely a hidden passage.

Just then, the wall suddenly became soft and felt very pleasant.

"Ah..."

I heard Haru's voice nearby.

Um, so, that was—

"Hey, Haru, I didn't mean to do that just now."

Before I could finish, Haru covered my mouth.

Then—she led me back to the original crossroads, still covering my mouth.

"Master, today's results are sufficient! Let's go back!"

She shouted loudly.

Huh? Go back?

But then, Haru whispered to me in a small voice.

"Master, please be quiet."

At that moment, I realized that Haru's voice was a strategy to make the thieves let their guard down.

Indeed, if we had been making so much noise fighting goblins, they would have known we were here.

If that's the case, the thieves must be on high alert.

"That must be the thieves' hideout, right?"

"I think so. Is Norn safe?"

"I didn't smell any blood. I think she's still alive. Can you tell how many enemies there are?"

"I can't tell if they're enemies, but there are three presences around the corner and one deeper inside."

"Then let's go to the corner and check the situation."

I nodded silently in agreement with Haru's suggestion.

We stopped just before the corner.

Voices could be heard.

"...They seem to have left, but the boss still hasn't come back, huh?"

"Not yet. Damn, we finally caught the woman the boss wanted to play with."

"But she's a pretty good catch... Should we try her out first?"

"Idiot, if you do that, the boss will kill you. Have you forgotten what happened with Niks?"

"Right. But the two new guys are taking their sweet time, how long does it take to buy alcohol?"

The conversation of the three men then turned into a complaint about the new guys and the boss.

Summarizing the three men's conversation, it seems Norn is safe.

And the boss and the two new guys are not here.

"Three presences are in front, and if Norn is deeper inside, now is our chance."

"Right, let's both rush out and attack with Slash. After that, I'll fight at the front."

I nodded, and we both rushed forward,

"Slash!"

My sword hit the thief on the left, and Haru's two swords hit the middle and right thieves.

However, none of the hits were fatal. The man on the far right, who was hit by Haru's sword, fainted.

[Thief: Lv18]

[Swordsman: Lv9]

[Archer: Lv5]

"What, an attack?!"

"Damn! Tange is down!"

The two men shouted.

"Haru! The middle one is a Swordsman Level 9, the one on the left is a Thief Level 18, and the one who fainted is an Archer Level 5!"

I told Haru the enemies' classes and levels, which I saw with Class Identification.

"What?! How do you know our classes—gah!"

"Where did you get your information—gah!"

Oh, I took them down in an instant.

Is Haru this strong?

A Swordsman Level 23 is that impressive!?

I was taken aback, but this wasn't the time for that.

"Right, Norn!"

This was a small room, and there was a door at the back.

I tried to open the door, but it was locked.

"Master, move aside!"

Following Haru's voice, I stepped back, and she broke the door with her two swords.

And—behind the door—Norn was... there... *sniff*.

Nosebleed, nosebleed... this is bad.

I knew she had brown skin, but that part was... I shouldn't look!

"H-Haru! Give this to her!"

"Got it!"

I handed Haru the spare cotton clothes I had bought in my item bag.

...It's okay that she kept her underwear on...

Right, where is Norn's spear?

Let's search for items.

I collected the weapons from the unconscious thieves.

The thief had a dagger, the swordsman had an iron sword, and the archer had a bow and quiver. I collected all of them and put them in my item bag.

But where is the spear?

The only thing left is the laundry... huh...

Hey, who used Norn's spear as a clothesline?

I'll dispose of the dirty clothes and put the spear in my item bag.

"Alright, let's go back... *shudder*"

When I muttered this, a chill ran down my spine.

"Haru! Something's coming this way!"

"Could it be the enemy's boss returning?!"

The sound of "boss" made my tension skyrocket.

N-no, Haru is here. We can handle it with both of us.

"Hey, I just got back! Hey!"

A large, bearded man entered.

He was a big man with an axe.

"Huh? Who are you—huh? Hey, Andog! Pontok! Tange! Damn, did you do this?!"

The big man looked at us.

Then, I saw his class.

[Mountain Bandit: Lv14]

A mountain bandit? Like a thief, I guess.

(Mountain Bandit Level 14... Haru, can you beat him?)

I whispered to Haru.

Haru's level is higher. We should be able to handle it.

I thought. But,

(No... A Mountain Bandit is an advanced class that can only be obtained by an axe user of Level 20 or higher committing a major sin... Their strength is greater than a Swordsman, and our chances of winning are slim.)

...You're kidding, right?

Then, can we somehow trick him?

"A-ah... Actually, everyone passed out from drinking, hahaha."

I laughed, but I knew it wouldn't work.

"Hmm, one man, one woman... Oh, I see. You must be the new recruits for our thief guild. I see, I see."

...Huh? You're kidding, right?

Can we really trick him like that?

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