Chapter 15

This is the second update of the day ('ω')!

I hope you enjoyed it.

"Yatta...!"

Marina, drenched in splattered blood, plops down on the spot.

After confirming that the headless Zarnag had fallen to the ground, I let out a sigh.

The two behind me also seemed to be relaxing.

"Mission complete. Thank you for watching! ... 'Stream ended'"

...It was a very dangerous battle.

It was a fight that shouldn't have been entrusted to beginners.

This stream... it might have been a tailwind for Marina and the others, but for me, it's evidence of a failure.

The fact that no one was injured was due to luck, and there was a possibility that Marina could have lost her life to Zarnag's first strike.

"Good work. ...All three of you, I'll be lecturing you later."

"Eh, that's harsh!"

Marina turns to me while still sitting down.

Her face and hair are covered in Zarnag's blood, but she doesn't seem to have any noticeable injuries.

While I'm relieved by her energetic appearance, I'm also at a loss as to how to lecture this carefree girl.

"I understand. But, I will also lecture Yuki...!"

"Why is it like that..."

"Because you were ready to die, right?"

I stiffen, and Rain stares at me intently.

"I also have a comment on the orders given earlier."

"Me too!"

Oh, it's three against one.

This feels like a losing situation, or rather, it doesn't seem fair.

Indeed, the three of them, with their limited experience, probably didn't realize how dangerous the situation was, and my actions weren't entirely justified.

Even though we won in the end, it was a battle that relied heavily on luck. If the <Distorted Light Arrow> hadn't been effective, the outcome could have been much worse.

"...Let's compromise. Let's have a reflection meeting with all four of us."

"That sounds good. Let's do that."

Silk smiles at my suggestion, and Marina and Rain nod.

Relieved, I store Zarnag's headless body and head in my magic bag.

Although it was burned by the lightning strike, it's in decent condition. Selling it to the guild should fetch a decent amount of money.

"Ew... so gross..."

"You did get a full blast of it, didn't you..."

Marina frowns as the blood starts to coagulate.

Adventurers often face such situations, but it's too much to ask a young girl to ignore it.

Moreover, Zarnag's blood isn't a good substance. It's best to wash it off quickly.

"We can wash it off in the river, but there's a small spring over there. Let's take a break there."

The monster has been defeated.

We have some time to spare, so a little rest won't be penalized.

Besides, this spring was one of the planned camping sites from the beginning.

We might as well rest here today.

Since the monster is gone, the rest of the journey will be as easy as a D-rank mission.

"That sounds good. I'm exhausted from the conversation with the spirits."

"Me too. My magic is completely drained..."

I cast <Continuous Magic Recovery> on the three of them.

In particular, the <Lightning Strike> spell Rain used is a fifth-tier spell.

If an inexperienced mage were to use it, it could cause their head to boil and make them dizzy. I was quite surprised that Rain could control it so well, but the actual toll on her must have been significant.

Just looking at Rain, it's clear that she needs to rest today.

"Follow me. Take your time."

I adjust my pace to match the tired trio and head towards the spring.

It's a place I often visit to gather ingredients for healing potions, and I've confirmed that it's relatively safe for camping.

I had planned to camp here even if we hadn't encountered any monsters.

After a short walk, the view suddenly opens up.

We arrive at our campsite, where the sound of a small stream is pleasant.

"Wow, it's beautiful...!"

Marina's eyes sparkle in surprise.

Seeing her reaction, I feel a bit nostalgic.

I was also surprised by this scene when I first visited.

It's a place that seems to have opened up in the middle of the forest, with a flat rock in the center of the spring.

The water is clear and drinkable, and the deepest part only reaches my shoulders.

"The sun will set soon, so let's camp here today."

"That sounds good. The monster issue is resolved, and all we have left is to go to 'Yomun Falls'."

"Right. It's scarier to walk through the forest at night when we're tired."

Even though we've defeated the monster, there are still dangerous animals and creatures in the forest.

It's best to avoid pushing through when we're tired.

"Leave the camping preparations to me. Take it easy. Marina, go wash off the blood."

"Okay!"

I watch Marina run off and pull out a tarp and sleeping bags from my magic bag.

A tent would have been fine, but it tends to slow down the initial response if something happens, and it blocks the heat from the campfire.

"Yah-hoo!"

While the sound of Marina splashing into the spring echoes behind me, I calmly proceed with the camping preparations.

How was it ('ω')?

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