Chapter 6

Rio was carrying firewood to the charcoal shed when a few of Yude's dojo students, looking rather pleased with themselves, left the village in a group.

He thought they might be going to town for shopping, but their expressions seemed off.

Curious, he delivered the firewood to the young couple at the charcoal shed, paid them a few coins for charcoal, and asked,

"Isn't Rio going to the mountains?"

"No plans for that. Why?"

The young master, while writing something on a wooden board with charcoal-stained fingers, answered Rio's question.

"Aren't some of the dojo students forming groups to go into the mountains? Wasn't it supposed to be today?"

"Yeah, they're not going to town. I'm not going either. I haven't been to the dojo."

"Oh, right, that's true."

It seemed to be just casual conversation, and the young master changed the topic.

"You learned body strengthening, right? The firewood was light, wasn't it?"

"I carried it without using body strengthening. I want to train my body."

"Seriously!?"

The young master looked at Rio twice, a bit exaggeratedly.

"Yude and the others always use body strengthening. They say if you don't get used to it, your senses won't keep up in an emergency. It's the dojo's policy."

"I don't use it when building my base strength, but I do train, so it's fine."

"I see. By the way, Yude was boasting that only the top performers in running and other exercises at the dojo are allowed to use body strengthening regularly."

Thinking Yude might be slacking off again, Rio looked towards the mountains from the charcoal shed.

As he was pondering, a wooden box filled with charcoal was placed in front of Rio.

"If you're training, I'll help you. Carry this. I've written on the side that you'll get smoked bird as payment. Don't forget to collect it. If you want to build muscle, eat meat, meat."

Being politely asked to deliver it, Rio smiled wryly.

"Got it. I'll go while I'm at it."

Lifting the wooden box, Rio started walking. Even though he was training, the box filled with charcoal was quite heavy. Judging that he might hurt his back before even starting to train, Rio lightly activated the body strengthening magic. The box immediately felt lighter.

"Still, it's convenient."

He had been told that using body strengthening magic would make farm work much easier, but he hadn't been taught it until now. The reason was that if he relied on it too much from a young age, his bones might grow abnormally or his motor skills might be affected.

However, the main reason, as Bald had said, was that teaching it to children who didn't know how to control their strength or fight would lead to accidents. With body strengthening, a five-year-old could swing an iron hoe to plow a field. It was too dangerous.

When he delivered the wooden box to the smoking shed, the middle-aged owner and Kari were inside. Between them were smoked meats and sausages. There was even smoked pumpkin. Kari, drinking directly from a bottle with his one arm, looked at Rio with a flushed face.

"Hey, it's Rio. What's up?"

It seemed they had been drinking and enjoying smoked food since the morning.

"I came to deliver the charcoal. Still, Kari, you're always drinking."

"I always thought I had no talent for swords or adventuring, but it turns out I have a talent for drinking!"

Laughing self-deprecatingly, Kari put the bottle down and picked up a piece of smoked pumpkin.

"Hey, Rio. Adventurers are coming from the town to investigate. They'll be able to enter the mountains soon."

"…The investigation of the evil beasts isn't over yet?"

"Of course not. Adventurers spend more time outside the town. It takes time to gather information, and we have to wait for them to return. If they're investigating, it means the guild doesn't have a clue, so there's a high possibility that evil beasts are in the mountains. Don't go in by mistake."

Kari, who was about to reach for the bottle, suddenly stopped and stared at Rio.

"Hey, are you hiding something?"

"I'm not hiding anything. I just heard that some of the dojo students are going into the mountains in groups."

"I talked to the village chief and got them to stop."

"I ran into Yude and the others today."

"---Those damn brats!"

Kari, who had knocked over his chair, stood up and looked at the owner of the smoking shed.

"Report to the village chief! I'll go after them!"

"Wait, wait! If Kari goes, it might backfire. They look down on Kari!"

"If amateurs go into the forest with evil beasts, there will be secondary damage. If necessary, I'll beat them into submission. Rio, get your father to gather people. I'll go ahead and raise a signal when I find those brats!"

Kari, who seemed to have sobered up, hurriedly left the smoking shed. He was discarding the contents of the bottle as he ran, perhaps intending to use it as a blunt weapon.

Using body strengthening, Rio ran in the opposite direction. The owner of the smoking shed overtook him and ran to the village chief's house.

Using the momentum from running with body strengthening, Rio leaped over a stone wall and looked around the fields for Bald. Spotting Bald and others resting in the shade, Rio called out.

"Father! Yude and the others went into the mountains!"

Bald immediately stood up at Rio's words.

"The investigation of the evil beasts isn't over yet!?"

While running to Bald and the others, Rio explained the situation. However, they still didn't know why Yude and the others had gone into the mountains, and they looked at each other.

"Where is the dojo master Rakudoi?"

"He's in town. He went to order armor for training with body strengthening."

"So, Yude and the others went into the mountains in their regular clothes? Are they idiots!?"

Spitting, Bald turned to Rio.

"Do you know where Yude and the others went in the mountains?"

"No, but Kari went after them."

"Kari. He's a former adventurer, so he can track them. I think he'll leave a mark, but---"

"Kari said he'll raise a signal when he finds them."

"Alright. Rio, go back home and bring your father's bow. Meet at the back of the village. Hurry!"

Following Bald's instructions, Rio ran home. Thanks to using body strengthening, he quickly arrived and ran past his mother, who was hanging laundry.

"Rio? What's the rush?"

"I'll explain later! Where's Father's bow?"

"By the shed with a bundle of arrows."

"Thanks!"

Rio, who was heading to the front door, immediately changed direction and ran to the shed. Since the village rarely saw outsiders, the shed was unlocked. This carelessness was helpful at times like this.

Opening the heavy door and slipping inside, Rio found his father's bow and arrows on a shelf attached to the wall and grabbed them.

"Close the shed door!"

"Just do it yourself!"

Ignoring his mother's scolding, Rio ran out of the house at full speed. Despite being out of breath from running so hard, he didn't stop and arrived at the meeting place at the back of the village.

"I brought Father's bow."

"Good job. Rio, stay here with the village chief. Yude and the others might return first."

"Will the signal be a smoke signal?"

"Yes. Count on you. Men, let's go!"

Bald called to his companions and led the way into the mountains. Rio had thought they would wait for Kari's smoke signal, but it seemed Bald and the others intended to search separately.

Three men followed Bald, all experienced in hunting and familiar with the mountains.

After seeing Bald and the others off, Rio sat on the stone wall and looked up at the sky above the mountains. Dark gray clouds were covering the mountains.