Chapter 66

It turned out just as I imagined, he was a villain.

"There have been a series of incidents where items and money from the store would disappear without anyone noticing. Even when we set up a stakeout, they would vanish without a trace. Some even started to speculate that it might be some kind of supernatural phenomenon."

This incident happened when Kokushin had just become a guard. Gradually, the methods became bolder, and there were even instances where items disappeared right in front of the guards.

The resolution came by chance. While on stakeout, a child ran in and bumped into something. Suddenly, a figure appeared. It was a man who was just about to stuff goods into his pocket. He tried to flee in a panic but was easily caught.

That man had the skill of Concealment.

He had always had a bad habit, and while secretly committing crimes, he was granted the skill of Concealment.

"Everyone was at a loss, wondering what kind of skill to give him as a result of his efforts."

"Indeed. It's a mix of persistence and something else. Perhaps it's a good thing it only involved theft."

Kokushin glanced at me.

"Good thing?"

"It's the same as with the monster earlier. If it suddenly vanished, there would be no way to defend against it, right?"

I don't know if the weapons he carries would also disappear. No, it's not invisibility, so it should be fine. There's no information about him being completely naked, and the stolen items wouldn't disappear either. With Concealment, it means his form becomes invisible, not that he himself disappears. If he used it for theft, it means that the items he touched would also disappear.

"Don't say such scary things."

Kokushin frowned. But it's not impossible. It's not like he's the only one with Concealment. Normally, it's just a handy tool for hunting. Come to think of it, Concealment and a bow are a good combination, aren't they?

"Couldn't you escape? Like, disappear during the transfer?"

"Yeah, he almost did. But it was quickly realized that he couldn't disappear if someone was constantly watching or holding onto him. Just becoming invisible doesn't mean the shackles or ropes would come off."

Hmm. It doesn't activate if there's a line of sight or contact. Maybe there's also a time limit. I kind of want it, but I won't say that. I won't use it for evil, of course. Maybe for pranks, though.

"It's hard to apply to monsters, right?"

"Meaning, to see through Concealment?"

"Exactly. If you know they're there, you can just keep an eye on them. But you have to be careful of surprise attacks."

"Always stay alert, then."

"Exactly."

Always being on high alert is mentally and physically demanding. But that's what adventurers are for, I think.

"I wonder if that hippo-like creature is delicious."

Even in tense situations, you need some relaxation.

"We should be at the campsite soon."

Kokushin looked up at the sky. The sun was starting to set. There have been no attacks so far.

"Ugh, my head is spinning."

As soon as we reached the campsite, Rada tumbled out of the carriage. Her eyes were spinning. Behind her, Lady Nirva descended with a smile. She didn't seem to have read the text.

When I asked, it turned out that Lady Nirva had been talking non-stop, just like when I was with her, and Rada seemed to be overwhelmed. History lessons can be confusing for those who aren't interested.

Quen was scouting the surroundings. The preparation was just setting up the tents. Lady Nirva and the driver would rest inside the carriage.

"Hey, Lady Nirva, can you bring out the one we killed at noon? I need to prepare it."

"Sure, just a moment."

She placed it down in an open spot. Lady Nirva doesn't touch the object when putting it in or taking it out. She's really used to handling monster corpses. She even peered at a monster with half its head missing, saying, "I've never seen one before."

Since time is stopped, the blood is still fresh. I should start draining the blood. If I put it in Lady Nirva's bag, I can drain the blood and still eat everything.

"Nelgie, which part of this monster is the most delicious?"

I asked the leader, who had finished tending to the horse and Suberaga, about the monster. Nelgie tilted her head at the monster, which was headless and hanging upside down in a hole.

"What are you doing?"

"Draining the blood. It improves the taste of the meat. But it spoils faster, though with Lady Nirva around, it's fine."

"You're taking advantage of the client... But whatever. I don't know which part is the most delicious. I've only eaten the processed meat."

Is this really called a hippo-like creature?

"Kakurehippouo."

The name includes something like Concealment. So it wasn't just that particular individual. I need to be careful when collecting them near water.

"Oh, and don't throw away the parts we can't eat, like the organs. Give them to Suberaga."

"Got it."

I forgot to use my appraisal skill. Knowing the name of an unknown monster might raise suspicion, but it's fine this way. If I had it, I might forget about it. Let's see.

**Kakurehippouo**

**Skill: Hide-and-Seek.** Despite being a fish, its flesh is like marbled beef. However, eating too much can cause diarrhea. It's a rare creature that rarely appears in front of people.

Hide-and-Seek, huh? Is it a playful skill? But it's rare, so I might want to look for more on the way back. Marbled beef, you can only get that by hunting! But I can't eat too much, and I'll be parting ways with Lady Nirva.

For now, I'll prepare it. The red flesh is beautifully marbled. I think it would be best to grill it with just salt and pepper. If it's fatty, maybe shabu-shabu would be good. I don't have raw eggs, but I do have chili oil. No, I should remove the fat and add oil... Citrus would be nice.

I didn't forget to take out the magic stone. No one knew the kill part, so I didn't worry about it. Nelgie put the organs and head, which were to be discarded, in a bucket and took them to Suberaga. They only need one meal a day. Suberaga has good fuel efficiency and apparently prefers meat, though they are omnivores.

By the way, can we make something like a campfire grill I saw on a camping show? Just piling up dry wood for a campfire makes cooking difficult. While I was trying to build a platform with stones, Lady Nirva took something similar out of her magic bag. It exists! A nice setup with a grill. As I was admiring it, she lent it to me for the duration of the expedition. I wonder if she could just give it to me?

Then, let's grill! I used earth magic to make a makeshift stove and boiled water in a pot. I tried to make a fish sauce and eat it shabu-shabu style.

The meat, or rather the fish meat, sizzled nicely on the grill. The fat dripped down. It smelled amazing. Someone's stomach growled.

"Let's eat!"