Chapter 66

I will explain the gist of my plans from tomorrow and this scheme to Alba.

From tomorrow, I will be secluding myself in the Rurubu Forest.

During that time, I won’t even look at the materials from monsters and will leave them on the spot.

You are free to collect the discarded materials as you like, but in return, you must give me 30% of the reward.

As long as you maintain a certain distance behind me, you can follow me for the purpose of collecting materials as much as you want.

However, if you encounter a monster, you must deal with it yourself or as a group.

This is just an overview, but even so, Alba’s eyes widen when he hears it.

"Wait a minute! Is there any benefit for you, no, I mean, for Loki?"

"Yes, there is. The Rurubu Forest is quite far. It’s not a distance where you can make multiple round trips in a day. I thought it would be more efficient if everyone helps with the transportation and I focus on monster hunting."

"Well, that does make sense... but you still have to kill a considerable number of monsters, right?"

"No problem. I can hunt 50 to 100 monsters a day."

"…What?"

"In the Rurubu Forest, it’s still unclear how it will go. But in the Locker Plain, I used to hunt around 100 monsters a day, so I think I can manage that much in the Rurubu Forest as well."

"So, you mean I just follow you and collect the materials from the monsters you kill...? Is such a good deal really possible...?"

"There are risks, of course. To ensure the benefits of the goddess’s prayer are not diluted, you need to maintain a certain distance—let’s say, at least as far as you can barely see me."

"Hmm..."

"I plan to hunt monsters in a way that clears the surrounding area to minimize the chances of you being attacked by monsters, but it’s impossible to prevent all encounters. You need to be prepared for some encounters."

"It’s a hunting ground I’m familiar with. It shouldn’t be a problem... but the issue is the people."

"Exactly. It would have been better if all members of Alba’s party were still around, but with just one person, the basket will fill up quickly and it’s also more dangerous. That’s why I checked if we could invite other parties."

"I see, that makes sense."

"Hey, about that deal. Can we join in too?"

At the sudden statement, I turn to the source of the voice and see a man in his 30s with a scruffy beard, similar to Alba.

When I look at Alba, he nods deeply, indicating they know each other.

"I’m Mizuru. I’m the leader of a party that hunts in Rurubu, just like Alba... Can we join in too?"

"I’m Loki. So, everyone in your party is an E-rank hunter?"

"My party is all E-rank. I heard an interesting deal. Loki hunts monsters while maintaining a certain distance, and we can collect materials freely, giving 30% of the reward to Loki. We deal with any monster encounters ourselves. These conditions sound fine to us."

"I see. Were you one of the parties Alba was planning to invite?"

"Yeah, an old acquaintance. I was going to ask you first."

I see... in that case, there’s at least some trust.

The way he talks and his appearance are things I have to overlook when dealing with hunters, so it’s not worth worrying about.

"In that case, it’s fine. Thank you for offering."

I guide Mizuru to an empty chair.

"How many people are in Mizuru’s party?"

"We’re five."

"Hmm, in that case, the estimated reward per person for a day’s hunting would be around 40,000 to 50,000 Bikes, right?"

"Right. But with this deal, it could be more, right?"

"Considering the 30% I take, the minimum income per person would be over 70,000 Bikes... so it should be quite comfortable."

"Seriously? Comfortable? That’s an incredible reward..."

"It’s simple. With Alba and Mizuru’s party of five, we’ll be six in total. Filling everyone’s baskets should be easy. Just six Orcs would fill them. Of course, we can hunt more, and you can select or mix other materials as you like."

"..."

"So, my request is that everyone carries a large basket. If needed, I can lend you even larger custom baskets. It’s best if everyone returns together when the baskets are full. This makes it easier to defend yourselves and prevents competition over materials. You can divide the rewards equally among the participants."

"Right. If the baskets start filling up, the remaining people will have a harder time."

"I agree with dividing the rewards equally. It avoids unnecessary competition and arguments, and improves efficiency."

"While one person is dismantling, another can guard. I think you can manage that well among yourselves."

"Got it, we’ll figure it out."

"Another thing, I’ll be hunting from early morning, so I won’t notice when you arrive. This is the biggest issue with this plan. If you have something that makes a loud noise, that would be helpful—do you have anything like that?"

"Probably just instruments..."

"Ah... how about a whistle? It’s the only thing that can make a decent sound easily."

"Let’s try the whistle. If I hear it, I’ll head towards the sound while hunting monsters. Of course, you can dismantle the bodies of scattered monsters in the meantime."

"Got it."

"Hmm, is there anything else... Ah, I think it’s best if I appoint someone. Alba, can you be the temporary leader?"

"Me?"

"Yes. Alba can oversee the material handover and deliver the wooden boards to Amanda. Amanda, can you help with the payment?"

"...I heard you. Another strange request... but 30% is fine. I’ll add that to Loki’s account. Is that okay?"

"Recording the daily amounts for each person would be great!"

"Hehe! This is getting exciting, man!"

"Right... no one has ever thought of discarding materials. It’s unprecedented."

"Please don’t overdo it. I plan to hunt every day, so if you need a break, let me know the day before. I’ll probably be in the deeper parts of the Rurubu Forest."

"You have to earn when you can. The rest depends on the results."

"I can’t afford to take a break. If I’m alone, I might take a break, but as long as someone wants to go, I’ll go too."

"Then let’s go together tomorrow. We’ll meet at the guild after the morning bell!"

"Sure!"

"Got it."

Thus, I shook hands with the three of them, creating an environment similar to the sub-character transportation system I had envisioned in the Locker Plain.