Chapter 98.2 - The Second Year at the Academy - Consequences of a Chain (2)
After that, I attended lectures all night and returned to the ranch in the afternoon.
The corpses of the Dekrama that had been lined up were no longer there, and sand had been scattered to conceal the soaked blood.
Since Amber was nearby, I inquired about the situation.
It seemed that the ranch leaders were surprised by the number of Dekrama.
They apologized for hesitating to use livestock as bait.
The sacrificed livestock were buried in the corner of the pasture, and the Declama corpses were helped by the shepherd and disposed of in the forest.
The purpose was to warn other Dekrama, but since the corpses could attract other monsters or carnivores, they were carried a little deeper into the forest and divided into several places.
I think it was difficult to carry 25 bodies.
At that time, no traces or noticeable abnormalities of the Dekrama were found.
I thanked Amber and entered the management building to rest.
I peeked into Serade's resting room, and four people were sound asleep on sofas and the floor.
Even they seemed thoroughly exhausted.
Also, Elliott, a fellow student from the academy, had informed the academy that he would rest for a while.
The agility is typical of a merchant.
The son of a noble has a position and cannot neglect his studies for personal matters.
Above all, it's the father who pays the tuition—tracing back, it's the blood tax of the commoners.
A few hours later, before the sun set, I woke up and went alone to the forest.
Despite concerns from Sekies and Amber, and having received approval from Velotte, who explored with me, and Varner, who witnessed the Dekrama battle, I was allowed to act alone.
Entering the forest, I circled where the Dekrama corpses had been discarded during the exploration.
Surprisingly, there was small damage, and insects were swarming around.
As a precaution, I also checked the surrounding treetops but found no traces of Dekrama or Nudlok approaching.
So many Dekrama attacked.
Perhaps the Declamas are no longer nearby, or other monsters are keeping their distance in caution.
It's likely to take a while for results to show. I promptly ended the reconnaissance and returned to the ranch.
Two more days passed since the Dekrama attack.
After finishing lectures and heading towards the ranch, the shepherds greeted me.
If you spend six days together, you get to know each other.
Adventurers are the same.
While I was resting, it seemed Ted and the others were receiving training from Sekies and Varner.
Even if you cooperate with a superior, it's meaningless if you're disliked.
Yabushou is an experienced person, and there will be much to gain.
"Good morning."
Noticing my arrival, Vero appeared from the management building.
After exchanging customary greetings, I turned my gaze to the forest.
"How's it going?"
"There are no traces at all. It should be completed soon."
"That's a relief. Both they and I have lives to live. If it drags on, it'll be tough."
Also, the first-term outdoor exercise is approaching.
There is still over a week, but if a new Dekrama is discovered, vigilance will be extended, and the outdoor exercise will significantly affect grades.
So Elliott couldn't take a break.
"By the way…"
Vero casually began.
"We discussed it together and decided to distribute the reward. We'll pay an amount appropriate to your rank. Especially since Tenko-san has worked as much as we have."
"No, the reward is—"
"Don't refuse. Adventurers shouldn't casually say they work without compensation."
Saying that, Vero smiled wryly.
It doesn't make sense to intrude without compensation.
But if I refuse, Ted and the others may also decline.
It's a statement made with that in mind.
He seems more capable than I thought.
I might as well accept it gratefully.
"Understood, I'll take it. You guys are doing more than your fair share."
"In return, we're making things easier for you."
Vero laughed cheerfully.
This request is designated as D-rank or higher.
I expect the reward to be increased due to the large number of Dekrama, but even so, it should be lower than the average for C-rank.
Once distributed, their shares will likely decrease significantly.
After parting ways with Velo, I went to the forest without taking too much of a nap.
The main reward is Dana's safety.
Getting monetary compensation on top of that means I have to work even harder.
I circled the shallow parts of the forest, checked around the Dekrama corpses, and investigated the site of the first discovery, where they had their meal.
We found no traces of Dekrama.
If the completion of the request is near, should I expand the search range?
After a little thought, I headed west.
While listening to birds chirping, I examined treetops, tree roots, mossy rock surfaces, and dense bushes.
We found no traces of Dekramas or other monsters like Nudlok.
Did that herd really wreak havoc around here?
If the Nudlok that claimed this territory got wiped out, it might take more time for the forest to settle down. After walking for a while and still not encountering any monsters, I only saw small animals and deer.
I've gone too far from the ranch.
Continuing westward is meaningless.
Should I make a large detour north or south and return east?
While thinking about that, I absentmindedly raised my gaze.
Immediately, I froze.
When did it get here?
Clinging to the trunk of a tree was a giant dragonfly.
Its total length easily exceeded a meter, and had fist-sized compound eyes staring at me.
Dreppen. Up close, it had quite a menacing appearance.
Moreover, [Stealth 4]—even with my [Detection 5], I wouldn't notice it without being consciously aware.
And it's fast. Its straightforward combat power is below an orc, but its agility is high at 24.
Additionally, the modifiers from [Acceleration Enhancement 2] and [Mobility Enhancement 4], increased to 28 and 33, respectively.
That's a speed close to the mutated species of Hunter Fitches.
Average adventurers wouldn't be able to land a hit, and if it uses [Stealth] from above, one could get attacked without even realizing it.
As we stared at each other in silence, vague presences increased.
All of them activated [Stealth] while silently descending.
Before long, 8 Dreppen gathered.
This can't be a coincidence.
Am I the prey?
Three days in a row, I've been alone in the forest.
They noticed and have been waiting for an opportunity.
I recall Rebecca's words.
It might have sounded like a joke, but she was genuinely worried.
Indeed, for them, a child would be an easy target.
However, I smiled.
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