章節 19: In the field
Leo waited earlier than agreed, checking his stuff over and over.
'Weapon, shield, food...., okay. Some money, my water bottle, the sewing kit. Guess nothing is missing.'
After checking for the third time, a guild employee spoke to him.
"Going out on a mission? Be careful, and always cover your back." he said when passing.
Leo somewhat absent minded only reacted lukewarm, focused on his preparations.
Then he asked the guy:
"Oh, I have a question!"
"And that would be?" the guy replied in a bad mood.
'Did I do something? Anyway.'
"What happened to Mary? Last time I saw her, she said she can stay at a friends house. Do you know who?"
"You the guy that brought her back? You got yourself some reputation for that.
As for Mary, I heard she's staying at Mr. Sam's house. They are somewhat close, so it should be okay."
The employee left, turning his attention to another adventurer.
'That's your chance, Sam.' Leo thought bashful. 'Are you gonna play the gentleman or lend her your shoulder. Best of luck from me.'
Leo drank the water he ordered. Was free, so he only drank that when he could.
Waiting for another 10 minutes, he saw Zero walking in, completely in her leather armor, bow and quiver and daggers on the back of her hips.
Her dark green hair was hidden in her shirt, to not get in the way.
She went to Leo, who was already impatiently waiting.
"Just a moment. Come with me to the counter, we have to register this as accepted."
Together they went to the counter, Zero receiving the insignia.
The clerk repeated the mission, as she said it was to investigate the cause of a bad harvest. Mission rank G.
After getting over the necessities, they left to the south gate.
When they arrived there, they showed their cards. Leo, although feeling mana, could not control his inner Energy. So he dropped some blood on it again.
The duo walked along the path, getting into conversation.
"First time out of town" Zero asked after seeing Leo nervously observing the surrounding.
"No, but the second. My first time is a... embarrassing story, so don't ask."
She put her hands behind her head, walking leisurely.
"Keep calm, this is the main road between Naoka and Sidida. No dangerous monsters or bandits should be here."
"You are out of town often?" Leo asked her, calming down somewhat.
"Sometimes when I'm hunting, or because of my previous quest. It's nothing special after some time.
You will get used to it soon. Best is to calm down when it is safe. Else your spirit will be tired when there is real danger."
Knowing she is right, he tried to relax. He put his shield back on his back, the weapon on his belt.
Then he began to talk of the mission.
"What is your guess, for the cause of the bad harvest?"
"Mmmmmh, maybe some starving Goblins, a bunch of fanged Hares. Nothing dangerous, as the environment there is not home to strong creatures.
At worst it is the doing of a Pest Jackal." she said casually.
All the new names of creatures confused him. He could imagine a fanged hare, but a Pest Jackal?
"Never heard of a Pest Jackal. What's that?"
"You live on the moon? It is a pretty known monster around here, as the main source of diseases and illnesses. Thank Gaia we have enough herbs growing in Shan Forest to maintain our health, or else the death quote would be immensely higher."
He already prepared his excuse, telling the story of a illness with memory loss as result.
"That sucks, must be annoying to forget anything, all of yourself.", she said with some pity in her voice.
"It sure does, but to learn something new every day is interesting, so that is positive.
But back to the Jackal." Leo reminded.
"Right, the Jackal is a creature that looks like a wild dog, but has longer hind legs giving it explosive jumping power.
It body is corroded by diseases, which it distributed by just leaving salvia or its Energy.
Fortunate is that this guy is so corroded no other monster wants it in the vicinity, so it is always alone."
"Would we able to fight one?" asked Leo concerned.
She shrugged her shoulders.
"Not sure, never fought one before. But as its rank is D-E depending on the diseases it has, no.
When that is the case, we leave and report back to the Guild."
Leo accepted that, as he was not out to fight with no chance of success.
Together, they continued their journey.
Zero told him after a short time:
"See that house in front of us? That's the requester."
"Why is he that far away from the village?" wondered Leo. After all so far out here no support from the Guild or village can arrive in time if something happens.
"The earth around Sidida it not that fertile, only enough for native vegetation to grow. Here he is still near enough to get aid in case of a large scale emergency." Zero explained.
They went to the farm house, a simple building with a big stall for some cattle and a place to put the harvest.
The requestor received them when they walked to the front door.
It was a skinny man who looked pale, his clothes showing he lost some weight in the early past.
"Why are you here," asked the man suspicious, eying them thoroughly.
Zero held out the insignia, confirming their identity.
"We accepted the quest for the investigation. My partner Caesar," she casually pointed with her thumb at Leo," and me, Zero, are here to find out the cause for your problem."
Leo wanted to get more information out this guy, thus he questioned him:
"Do you perhaps have some news about the recent incidents?"
The guy opened the door a bit more, but did not let them in.
Wary, he said cold:
"Everything I know was written down by the Guild. To find out more is your job, for that you are paid.
The field is there," he showed with a nod towards a big plot of land.
"Come back if you have the cause or already solved it."
With that said, he closed the door, leaving both of them out in the open.
"Well, nice is something else." remarked Leo.
"True, but being all alone here under a near threat, who can blame him.
Come, we have a job to do." she said, walking in the fields direction.
"Should we search for clues on the field first?"
"Sure. Keep looking for unnatural holes, footprints or anything that doesn't belong here.
Some dumb creatures cannot hide their tracks well." she assured him.
Leo then walked over the field. He suspected the creatures coming from a nearby hilly area, so he was looking in that general area. There weren't that many places to hide, so he tried his luck.
And was successful.
"Hey, Zero! I think I got something." he shouted, squatting down and looked at it more exact.
Zero came, standing beside him. As a hunter, she got more experience with tracks, and could identify more clues than him.
"Good job. That hole was dug by hands, not paws. So no Pest Jackal."
Leo inwardly let out a relieved sigh, as he did not want to encounter this terrifying sounding creature.
"As you see some grass is pressed down, and the earth is on many parts more solid and shows traces of feet. Although not hundred percent sure, my guess is a group of Goblins."
"Why are they stealing vegetables? What is even their main source of food?"
Zero's dark green- brown eyes danced around the field, making out the approximate direction these creatures came from.
On the side she answered his question.
"Mainly insects, critters or weak monsters. In our case here potatoes or barley. "
She walked towards the hilly direction, winking to Leo,
"Come, I guess they have a cave over there. Should be a newly formed group. After all the farmer had no previous problems."
Leo followed, trusting her deduction.
Arriving in that area, Zero looked for more clues.
It was much harder, as the grass was taller, bushes intercepted the way and the earth was denser.
"I can't make out a path they could have used. But guessing from the environment the only hill big enough to hold a group of Goblins should be over there."
She turned her eyes to a risen piece of land. the trees grew slanted, and spread their branches far out, obstructing a easy climb.
"Take out your ration and water. WE will make a small pause, then continue making our way up there."
Leo did as told, eating some of the dried meat he bought and drinking his water.
He remembered Sam's caution when he encountered Goblins, as well his warning of a Hobgoblin.
"Is there a chance of a Hobgoblin leading this pack?" he inquired.
Zero pondered.
"No. There is a chance, sure, but if it would be so the pack would not have settled with just stealing some crop."
"Why so?" persisted Leo, securing out all possibilities.
"Hobgoblins are eager to form larger packs, so they require breeding material. Female Goblins can do the job, but a superior species like a Hob would take other races females to strengthen their offspring."
Zero fell into silence. Her mimic became more serious, reflecting on the conversation with the farmer.
'Could it be...., if so we have to be careful. In the worst case we flee.' she thought.
"What is it, did you find out something?"
Leo noticed her change. An unnerving feeling crept up to him, as if some bad news are arriving.
In a stern tone Zero warned:
"You remember how wary that guy before was, not letting us in and not providing any further info's. After all, it is his field in danger, and he just says make your thing?"
Leo thought back.
Now he got curios, too. Why would the farmer react in that way. They came to help him after all.
"Could that be a trap?" he wondered loud enough for Zero to hear.
"Maybe, but this is more likely the case of withholding information. Either that or he is just a ill-tempered person. Sure is we have to step up our awareness."
'She is taking this serious, thinking it through and sharing her thoughts.'
Leo felt more comfortable with her after that. She viewed him as a equal, providing him with her insights and raising his attention.
They broke up their little rest place, packing up and got into position.
Leo took out his shield and warpick, standing in front of Zero. She hold her Bow, fastened her quiver and nicked in an arrow.
Proceeding forwards like that, they searched around the area, investigating all places that could hold a pack of Goblins.
After some time and no results they walked upwards, climbing the hill.
Zero was especially observant, as she found some broken branches on the height of Goblins on their route.
"We should be near. Here are more tracks and over there, too."
Leo followed her lead, walking through the thick vegetation. He smelled a light, barely noticeable foul scent.
He heard Zero sniffing: she clearly smelt that.
"This reeks like a Mephidae's butt!" she exclaimed.
Leo wondered:
'Now what kind of creature is that again?'
She closed up to Leo, glancing all over the front part.
She whispered:
"We should move more cautious now. That is the smell of Goblins. Happens when you don't know the meaning of a bath and live in a cave."
She hold the bow string, vigilant and mindful. Close to Leo, as he could hear her flat breathing and smell her sweat.
But he was too nervous to savor that. The smell got more intensive the more they proceeded.
Zero stopped him, walking to the front and peeping thru the lush branches.
"As we guessed, Goblins." She said soft.
"What about the Hobgoblin?"
Leo's hands holding his weapon and shield got sweaty, and he felt his blood rushing into his body.
He was tense like a drawn bow and waiting for her comment.
She observed for a short while, saying:
"No one in sight."
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