Chapter 22

In the forest, Estelle faced a Rockworm. The Rockworm was a giant caterpillar, over a meter long.

Its body was covered in a skin as hard as rock, making it difficult for Estelle's sword to make a dent.

Moreover, despite its caterpillar-like appearance, the Rockworm was carnivorous. It would eat anything, even humans.

It was a very ferocious and troublesome monster.

Estelle had entered the forest on a request from the guild to investigate, but she never imagined that Rockworms would be breeding. She had only thought that the Silver Wolves had overpopulated.

Her thinking had been too naive.

"...I messed up."

To defeat a Rockworm, one needed the strength of an adventurer ranked D. So when Estelle saw it, she immediately fled.

Estelle was about to become a D-rank adventurer, but she was currently E-rank. She could win a fight, but that was only if there was one Rockworm.

What Estelle saw was a group of over ten Rockworms. There was no chance of winning a fight against them.

Therefore, Estelle fled like a hare.

Fleeing was the right choice.

However, she should not have lost her composure during her escape.

Estelle, who had barely escaped, lost her way due to her desperate flight.

She had visited the Finris Forest many times to complete guild requests, but this was the first time she had ventured this deep into the forest.

The Finris Forest was deep and vast. If you lost your way, there was no guarantee you could return safely.

Still, Estelle did not give up. She relied on her senses and memory to try to escape the forest.

While trembling in fear of the Rockworms and other monsters, Estelle desperately aimed to get out of the forest, day and night.

It was the third day since she had become lost in the forest.

Estelle discovered a square space that had suddenly appeared in the forest.

The space, neatly arranged in a square, was large enough to build four houses.

At the edge of the space, there were piles of large trees that had been felled when the area was cleared.

The trees had been cut neatly about ten centimeters above the ground.

The cross-sections were incredibly smooth, as if they had been cut with a sharp blade.

However, it was impossible to cut a large tree with a single stroke of a blade.

"What is this...?"

Who had cleared the Finris Forest, and why?

What was the purpose of this space?

(The fact that the large trees are left here means that something will be built here in the future? But who...?)

Estelle was momentarily stunned by the sight that was impossible under normal circumstances.

That was when it happened.

--Crack.

A dry sound echoed through the forest. Estelle reacted quickly, drew her sword, and looked in the direction of the sound.

There,

"Damn...!"

were countless Rockworms. The Rockworms had already targeted Estelle. Some had already raised their heads, ready to attack. They showed no signs of letting her go.

Estelle hesitated.

Rockworms were relatively slow.

With the <<Strength Enhancement>> spell, Estelle had a chance to escape.

However, she still did not know which direction would lead her out of the forest.

If she fled now, she could escape the Rockworms.

But in return, Estelle might end up deeper in the forest.

--What should she do?

In this brief moment of hesitation, Estelle had lost her chance to escape.

"--Damn!"

She was surrounded by Rockworms.

Without the trees, their movements were swift.

Estelle immediately assumed a battle stance, dodged the Rockworms' attacks, and countered with her sword.

"Damn... It's so hard!"

Her hand tingled as if she had struck a rock.

Estelle grimaced.

The sword she currently held was a mass-produced one. It was a weapon of average price at the Finris armory.

However, it was of top-notch durability. No matter how hard she struck a monster, it would neither break nor bend.

It was a reliable partner that would not fail her in a crisis.

But in front of an opponent that could not be cut, it was useless.

(...No, the one who is unreliable is me.)

A sword saint does not choose their sword.

What was lacking was not the sharpness of the blade, but her own skill.

(If I were a little stronger...)

Estelle clenched her teeth in frustration.

Fortunately, Rockworms were slow. She was confident that she would not receive a fatal wound if she focused on dodging.

While dodging, Estelle searched for the direction to escape.

At the same time, she continued to attack the Rockworms.

The battle was relatively stable.

But it was only a matter of time.

"Wh--Damn!?"

Suddenly, Estelle's knee buckled.

Her magic power had run out due to the continuous use of <<Strength Enhancement>>.

Seizing the opportunity, the Rockworms raised their heads and aimed at Estelle.

The tips of their mouths curled up like the skin of a ripe chestnut.

"A, ah..."

It's over.

I'm going to die here.

My adventurer life is ending here.

What a ridiculous way to die...

Facing certain death, Estelle's legs gave out.

"Help..."

This was deep in the forest.

Even if she called for help, no one would come.

But still, Estelle spoke the words.

"...Toll"

In the face of certain death, the face that came to Estelle's mind was not that of her parents or a friend, but the face of a boy who had effortlessly defeated a goblin.

At that moment,

"--I made it in time."

The wind swept away the Rockworms.

○

The moment he saw Estelle about to be eaten by the caterpillars, Tōru activated his magic without incantation.

He launched ten <<Air Cutters>> at the caterpillars.

--Paaan!!

As if struck by a giant hammer, the heads of the caterpillars that were about to engulf Estelle were obliterated.

Due to the forced multiple activation of the magic, the formation of the wind blades was weak. The sharpness that should have been there was lost, and they became mere air cannons.

But Estelle's life was saved.

"--I made it in time."

Tōru stood between Estelle and the caterpillars, relieved.

"T, Tōru?"

"Yeah. Are you okay, Estelle?"

"Y, yeah. But, why...?"

"I heard a little about the request you took... Well, yeah."

--I came because I was worried.

The words were pushed back into his throat by his embarrassment.

To cover up his embarrassment, Tōru raised his [Magic Sword] at the caterpillars.

The caterpillars in the front row were already dead. But the ones in the back were still alive.

If Tōru had correctly activated the <<Air Cutters>>, he could have taken out the back row as well, but it couldn't be helped.

He was not yet accustomed to using magic or fighting in a pinch.

Tōru regained his composure and attacked the caterpillars.

The caterpillars were wary of the sudden appearance of Tōru. But Tōru dispatched them without hesitation.

"...Amazing."

When all the caterpillars were defeated, Estelle muttered in a daze behind him.

"Are these caterpillars hiding in the forest too...?"

The caterpillars were the same species as the ones he had seen in the cave before.

Had they survived the cave collapse, or were they a different group?

"To think you could defeat Rockworms so easily. Tōru, you're amazing..."

"It's not that amazing. By the way, these are called Rockworms, right? They're monsters?"

"Of course not! How can such creatures be normal!"

"Y, yeah..."

Tōru had imagined that Rockworms were just ordinary bugs, so he was relieved.

(Good. It's not a world overrun by giant bugs...)

"I couldn't do anything against the hardness of the Rockworm's outer skin."

"That's true. But, if the sword was sharp enough, you could have defeated them, right?"

"That's true."

"So, Estelle, you could have defeated the Rockworms if you had a sharper sword."

"What kind of logic is that?"

Estelle chuckled.

Her tension seemed to break with that laugh, and her legs gave out.

"Are you okay, Estelle?"

Tōru quickly approached Estelle and took out water from his <Heterospace>. But Estelle gently shook her head.

"I'm fine with water. I'm just a little tired."

"But, Estelle, you've been wandering in the forest for days, right? Aren't you thirsty?"

"No, I'm fine. I always make sure to have enough water and food."

"Is that so? But, I don't see your supplies."

"That's because..."

Estelle smiled meaningfully and reached into the side of her breastplate. When she pulled her hand out, she was holding a water bag.

"Huh?"

"Actually, I have a <Heterospace> like Tōru."

"...Is that so?"

"It can only hold a limited amount of items, though."

Tōru finally understood her explanation.

Estelle had been taking out money bags and guild cards from her breastplate to hide the fact that she had a <Heterospace>.

"But, people who know would notice, right...?"

"R, really?"

"Because you're putting things in that clearly don't fit in your breastplate."

Looking at the puzzled and tilted head of Estelle, Tōru thought, 'Is this what the guard was talking about?'

She seemed to be handling the situation, but there were holes in her approach.

'That girl is a bit unreliable.'

The guard had been turning a blind eye to the fact that Estelle was using a <Heterospace>.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Nothing, never mind. So, Estelle, let's go back to...!?"

The words died in his throat.

He sensed an unpleasant presence from deep in the forest. The sensation made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

Tōru immediately raised his [Magic Sword] and stared intently into the forest.

(This feeling. Could it be...?)

The mysterious space that had suddenly appeared in the forest.

Who could have done this?