Chapter 79

As the Baume birds were gathered in one place, I peeled the magic stones off the modified Baume birds.

Then, I thought again.

How on earth was I going to carry this large number of Baume birds back?

While I was racking my brain, the voices of two men came from deep in the forest.

"Hey, bro, it's no use anymore... Once the Baume birds enter alert mode, you can't catch them with human legs..."

"Shut up, you idiot! It's because you were slacking off that they got away! If we don't catch those damn birds and recover the gold coins, we'll be in a huge deficit! I absolutely won't let them get away. Absolutely not!"

Their rough tone didn't sound very refined.

Sure enough, they've come.

Something other than Baume birds attracted by the Baume birds' cries.

Adventurers targeting Baume birds.

I didn't want to encounter other adventurers in such an isolated place.

I don't have many good memories of the adventurers in this town.

First, there was Gaston, who threatened the staff when I first visited the Adventurer Support Office.

Next, the adventurers who staged a protest at the ruins, with Gaston among them, shouting insults.

Then, the adventurers who looked at me with suspicion after I hunted a mutant, and Gaston who directly provoked me.

I've also seen adventurers fighting while drunk during the day, one of whom was Gaston.

Hmm, thinking calmly, it's mostly Gaston.

There's no need to go to such lengths to avoid them.

Two adventurers appeared from deep in the forest.

One carried an axe on his back, the other a quiver.

Both were in their late twenties, I suppose.

They looked similar.

I heard one call the other 'bro,' so they must be brothers.

The axe-wielder was taller, while the archer was round-faced and a bit overweight.

Mia grabbed my sleeve, seemingly anxious, when she saw the two adventurers.

It seems I should be the one to talk.

"What's going on here..."

The round-faced archer, probably the younger brother, muttered.

Both were well-built.

If they seemed trustworthy, maybe I could ask them to help carry the Baume birds.

The older brother looked around at the fallen Baume birds, then turned his gaze to me.

"Hey, kid. I don't recognize you, are you a newbie? What's with these Baume birds? What happened?"

"Yes. I ran away from the countryside because I couldn't follow my parents' wishes and recently started as an adventurer. I'm Abel, and she's Mia."

I explained and bowed.

It's best to be humble.

They are seniors. I might hear something valuable or get some help.

The older brother still looked suspicious.

Ah, right, the explanation about the Baume birds.

I'll just bluff a bit.

"Mia took them all down with her bow."

I pointed at Mia with my thumb and said it with a smug look.

I'm not lying.

I used magic to knock them down, but Mia finished them off with her bow.

The only Baume birds I directly took down were the modified ones.

Mia tugged at my sleeve, looking up at me with tears in her eyes.

"Mia is an expert with the bow."

Mia shook her head vigorously, almost crying.

I was starting to enjoy this.

"What? A kid like you took down this many Baume birds?"

"Bro, it's not impossible. They don't look like they're from Nox or Noire. They have a unique appearance. The girl might be from a hunting tribe in a border region with many aggressive monsters. I've heard that those with horns have excellent senses."

"Ah, I see, I see. So you're good at hunting small game. If used well, you could be profitable."

The older brother, Gordon, smiled crookedly.

"What does the white kid think?"

"He probably uses a staff, so he's a magician, but there are no magic-inflicted injuries on the Baume birds. Plus, he looks like a sculptor. He might be from a technical family. He said he ran away from his parents and has a thin build, so he probably has little hunting experience."

"Okay, okay, just a useless one then."

White kid... that's me...

I can hear everything, you know.

But, you're quite observant.

It's a good thing I already peeled the magic stones off the modified Baume birds.

"No, no, I'm late with the introductions. I'm Gordon, and this fatso is Modron. I'm a Quasi-D-Class, and Modron is an E-Class adventurer. We're your seniors."

Gordon laughed and clapped his hands.

Quasi-D-Class, the same as Gaston. Among the adventurers in Romane, they are quite high-ranking.

Gordon spread his arms and walked over.

He was surprisingly friendly, or rather, a bit too casual. He seemed like a rather frivolous man.

"Let me give you a lesson as a senior. You might not understand at first, but adventurers have a certain quality."

What's he talking about?

"It's not just about rank. It's about whether they have a role, whether they can do something that no one else can, or if they're just being dragged along by connections. It's about life and money, so it's only natural. In new parties, there's often a quality gap. I used to be kind and teamed up with useless people, but now, after learning the reality, I'm just with Modron."

"That's because you caused a big fuss over the distribution and got a bad reputation..."

Gordon smacked the back of Modron's head as he tried to speak.

But, I can see what he's getting at.

He's probably trying to poach Mia.

I shouldn't have lied. No, Gordon was probably going to negotiate anyway.

Maybe it's a good thing he didn't hit Mia directly.

I glanced at Mia's face.

She was pale and staring at the ground.

Her grip on my sleeve had weakened, and now she was just pinching it. Her fingers were trembling.

"Get it? Horn girl... Mia, right? Leave that useless white kid and come with me. A scrawny kid like that won't be much of a bodyguard in a pinch, you know. I may look tough, but I'm actually quite gentlemanly..."

Mia stumbled, and I managed to support her.

I didn't have the strength to keep supporting her, so I gently leaned her against a nearby tree.

"Are you okay, Mia, hey!"

"Useless, leave... useless..."

She repeated it in a daze, her eyes vacant.

"Hey, snap out of it! Hey!"

Really, there are no good adventurers in this town.

It's not just Gaston.

"What are you doing? Never mind, but horn girl, come with me..."

I need to get rid of these guys before I can take care of Mia.

"Regarding the party, it's our problem. Please don't interfere. Both Mia and I are satisfied with the current situation. Besides, Mia doesn't seem to be feeling well."

"Hey, hey, you can't fool me with that! Oh? You look like I hit a sore spot, hahaha!"

What's wrong with this guy?

I'm really starting to get annoyed.

"No, well..."

"Ah, I get it. I understand completely. You're desperate, and there's no point in arguing. So, as a senior, I'll test you to see if you can make it as an adventurer. It'll change the girl's mind and yours too. I don't like bullying the weak, but what can I do? It's part of a senior's role to take on the unpopular tasks."

Gordon plunged his axe into the ground and cracked his knuckles.

"What's with that tense face? Are you scared? Relax, I won't take your life. But, I might leave you so beaten up that you can never be an adventurer again. Don't hate me, though. Accidents like that happen all the time in this line of work. You can't be so naive, can you?"

Why are all the guys here so quick to fight, like Gaston?

Fine, I'll give it my all and get rid of them quickly.