'What what what? What's going to happen?'

Lizzie's eyes were shining. I sipped the delicious tea that Citri had made for me and relaxed, escaping reality.
It's been about ten minutes, but the concerto of thunder and alarm shows no sign of ending.

Tino's cheeks, which had been red just a moment ago, began to blush. Her cheeks were a little tighter, but she didn't blame me, and she looked uncomfortably out the window.

A lightning bolt flashed, and I gulped down my tea.

Zebrudia is known for its safety compared to other countries. Knights organized by the country or the lord are stationed in certain large towns to protect the town from demons, phantoms, and human criminals.
The knights of Zebrudia are excellent. Of course, the quality varies slightly from place to place, but many of them are former hunters and can solve ordinary problems. When things get out of hand, requests for help are sometimes posted to the Explorers Society, but this is rarely the case.

So what is this alarm?

This house is located in a residential area far from the main road. It's hard to believe that an alarm would be sounded in Elan, which is a rather large town, let alone in a small village, but if the alarm were to reach this far, it must mean that there was an incident that could endanger the citizens.

I sighed heavily and crossed my legs for now.

'Sitri, do you have any snacks?

'Oh, ...... that's right! I've got some chocolates that Crye might like.

Cicely, who had been released from Liz, brought a small bowl of chocolates wrapped in shiny wrapping paper in a variety of colors. They must have been imported from some industrialized nation.
I struggled to get the blaring alarm out of my brain and peeled the paper off the chocolate. Tino asks me fearfully.

'Are you sure you want to go to ......?

'An alarm? It's none of my business.

I don't have a request, and even if I did, I would have the right to decide whether or not to accept it.
In the first place, the hunter's main job is to search for the treasure hall, and the maintenance of the city's security is the domain of the Order. That's why we pay taxes. If you're a level 8, you can't afford to have anything brought into the city.

Well, if you are a top hunter, you should take the initiative and cooperate when you hear the alarm, but I don't have the power to do that.

I'm sure you have some thoughts as a hunter, but I beckoned to Tino, who was getting nervous.
You'll be able to find a lot more than just a few of these in the marketplace.

'Don't worry, this is within my expectations. Besides, we agreed that there would be no fighting this time, right?

I'm used to being involved in accidents. It's not the first time I've heard the alarm.
And I knew that. In times like this, it's best to stay put. If you stay put, someone will usually figure it out.

Lise leaned forward and made a sweet sound.

'What? Aren't you going to stick your neck out?'

'No, I'm not. Lizzie, don't you remember what we're here for?

'Purpose?'

Liz rolled her eyes and tilted her head seriously. I've explained so much to her, but it seems to have slipped her mind. Her fondness for festivals is out of the ordinary.

'It's a vacation. It's a vacation!

I can't let her stumble at this first step. Besides, if I poke my head in, they'll know I'm here.
If they ask me to do something directly, I'll have to think of something to do as the Clan Master of Footprints. I have to avoid that.

'Citri, no one knows we're here, right?

'Of course not. We haven't even shown up at the local chapter of the Explorers Society. We've been vetted, so they'll know we're in town, but they won't know we're here.

Excellent. You're right, Citri is not like me. It looks like I don't have to worry about getting Tino involved this time.
All I have to do now is wait for the storm to pass. If I go out and run into someone who knows my face, I'll be in trouble.

It would be boring to get caught trying to leave town in a hurry. I guess I'll just stay in.
And as far as being a hermit goes, I'm no better than anyone else in the Footprints. I made a quick decision.

'Let's not leave this house until the ruckus dies down. Do you have a stockpile?

'Food-wise, we should be fine for about a month. As for other resources--'

A month, huh? That should be enough.
Or rather, there's too much room. I really wonder what Citri was expecting. ...... Is he planning to have a siege war?

'Look, Tino. In times like these it's important to stay calm. I told you, didn't I? I'm not going to join the fight. Don't worry, the alarms will stop soon, come on, sit down.'

'Oh, I see. ...... This is all in the palm of your hand, isn't it ......?

I'm sure Tino doesn't want to force himself to get involved in the commotion.
At my words, Tino sits back on the couch, showing his trust in me for nothing.

But the problem is not with Tino, who is basically straightforward.

'Yeah, yeah, yeah. Liz, sit down. Don't ever go out there, okay?

Liz. The problem is she's too eager to get involved in the ruckus. The problem is she's too quick to forget what I say.
If I don't hold her down long enough, she'll disappear like a broken spring toy, looking for trouble.

'Yeah, ...... Cry is awful.'

I managed to do exactly as I said and caught Liz's arm - her wrist - as she sat down next to me.
As I combed her hair, she squealed with delight and leaned in close to me, and I decided to do everything in my power to make sure this vacation went off without a hitch.

And when I return, I'll brag to my clan members about how much fun it was.
Maybe then, Tino will believe me a little more.





After a night of anxiety and discomfort, the sky was filled with a cloudless blue sky, as if yesterday's storm had been a lie.
I raised myself up from the bed and looked outside with a refreshed feeling. Peace had returned to the residential area. There were no alarms and no screams.



See, I could get by without doing anything.

There was no one in the next bed.

There were two bedrooms in Citri's lair, each with two beds, but they ended up being separated by gender.
I don't care much about this, but it's always a bad idea to share a bedroom with someone. If I sleep on the couch, they don't approve of that either.

Liz has a bad habit of sneaking into my bed, but I'm safe with Sitri.

I stretch out and change into the clothes that Sitri has prepared for me.
The hiding place was so comfortable that it didn't feel like a hiding place at all. It had a large bathroom, and Citri had cooked for me, using a stockpile of food that suited my taste. It was probably better than a small inn.
The fatigue that had built up during the march in the rain was completely gone.

I left the bedroom and headed for the living room, where I was greeted by Tino in his casual clothes.

'...... good morning.

'Good morning. ...... What's wrong? That shade.'

Unlike me, who had slept comfortably, Tino had dark circles under his eyes.
His feet were firm and his tone of voice was the same as usual, but his expression showed a deep fatigue.

'You couldn't sleep?'

'...... a little. I was lying on the couch, but I was worried about what was going on outside. It was all due to my inexperience.'

Couldn't you have lent me your bed? ...... It's true that Lyss isn't the kind of person who would put his apprentice in the same bed with him, and it would have been dangerous if he had to be mixed up with Sitri. I went to bed without thinking about it, but maybe I should have thought about Tino a little more.

However, hunters are trained to be able to sleep anywhere and at any time (I'm the best at this), but was he so anxious about the outside that he couldn't sleep even then?

'I'm fine, Master. I'm a hunter too, a night without sleep won't interfere with my activities.'

'That's fine then, but ......'.

I was going to stay in today if the trouble hadn't stopped, but it looks like the cause of the alarm has been successfully resolved.
After eating Citri's home-cooked meal, we prepared to leave the hideout together. As we walked down the main street with our hoods pulled up tightly over our faces, we naturally heard rumors of the alarm.
Merchants, hunters, knights, and townspeople were all talking about what happened yesterday.

Apparently, a very nasty demon was approaching the town. It seems that the Knights and Hunters have gone all out to intercept it.
When he heard the name, Sitri, who was walking in front of him, opened his eyes wide.

'Thunder spirit, is it ...... a high element that appears in a human village like this--'

'Oh no. I wish I could have fought them. ......'


They are not necessarily hostile to mankind, but because of their ability to manipulate natural phenomena, some regions consider them to be identical to gods.
Among the arts that mages handle, there is one that borrows the power of spirits (elements), and it is known to be a very powerful magic.
It makes sense that the great storm was the work of spirits.

I'm so glad we were able to stop Lizzie.

As I walked out of the town, relieved inside, I saw that the sturdy gate I had passed yesterday had been completely destroyed. I stopped and opened my eyes.
The large charred hole, the rubble scattered everywhere, and the blood stains seemed to indicate how horrific the battle had been yesterday. The houses near the gate were also half destroyed.

The knights were busily organizing the comings and goings of people in place of the useless gate.

I'm glad I ignored the alarm. It's hard to even communicate with a spirit.
If it had been me, I would have been torn to pieces.

'You must have worked very hard ...... to have no damage to the town despite the thunder spirits.

Unlike me, who was just relieved, Citrie's thoughts seemed to be different.
But I can certainly understand what you mean.
Spirits can fly, and there are no such things as gates. In fairy tales, there are many towns that have been destroyed by a single angry spirit. Perhaps it was fortunate that the damage was limited to this level.

At that time, one of the knights who had been organizing the personnel, perhaps having heard Citry's words, said somewhat proudly.

'Ah. We were completely unprepared for the sudden attack of the spirits, but it just so happened that a high-level certified hunter was in town, and he was able to participate in the ...... interception battle. The spirits were strong, but the hunters were strong too. It was a fierce battle, but they were able to get rid of the thunder spirits. Thanks to them, the damage to our personnel was not too great, thanks to the hunters.

There are hunters who can intercept the thunder spirits .......
I'm not sure who that is. I'd like to thank him if I ever meet him.



'What what what? What's going to happen?'

Lizzie's eyes were shining. I sipped the delicious tea that Citri had made for me and relaxed, escaping reality.
It's been about ten minutes, but the concerto of thunder and alarm shows no sign of ending.

Tino's cheeks, which had been red just a moment ago, began to blush. Her cheeks were a little tighter, but she didn't blame me, and she looked uncomfortably out the window.

A lightning bolt flashed, and I gulped down my tea.

Zebrudia is known for its safety compared to other countries. Knights organized by the country or the lord are stationed in certain large towns to protect the town from demons, phantoms, and human criminals.
The knights of Zebrudia are excellent. Of course, the quality varies slightly from place to place, but many of them are former hunters and can solve ordinary problems. When things get out of hand, requests for help are sometimes posted to the Explorers Society, but this is rarely the case.

So what is this alarm?

This house is located in a residential area far from the main road. It's hard to believe that an alarm would be sounded in Elan, which is a rather large town, let alone in a small village, but if the alarm were to reach this far, it must mean that there was an incident that could endanger the citizens.

I sighed heavily and crossed my legs for now.

'Sitri, do you have any snacks?

'Oh, ...... that's right! I've got some chocolates that Crye might like.

Cicely, who had been released from Liz, brought a small bowl of chocolates wrapped in shiny, colorful wrapping paper. They must have been imported from some industrialized nation.
I struggled to get the blaring alarm out of my brain and peeled the paper off the chocolate. Tino asks me fearfully.

'Are you sure you want to go to ......?

'An alarm? It's none of my business.

I don't have a request, and even if I did, I would have the right to decide whether or not to accept it.
In the first place, the hunter's main job is to search for the treasure hall, and the maintenance of the city's security is the domain of the Order. That's why we pay taxes. If you're a level 8 hunter, you can't have everything brought to you.

Well, if you are a top hunter, you should take the initiative and cooperate when you hear the alarm, but I don't have the power to do that.

I'm sure you have some thoughts as a hunter, but I beckoned to Tino, who was getting nervous.
You'll be able to find a lot more than just a few of these in the marketplace.

'Don't worry, this is within my expectations. Besides, we agreed that there would be no fighting this time, right?

I'm used to being involved in accidents. It's not the first time I've heard the alarm.
And I knew that. In times like these, it's best to stay put. If you stay put, someone will usually figure it out.

Lise leaned forward and made a sweet sound.

'What? Aren't you going to stick your neck out?'

'No, I'm not. Lizzie, don't you remember what we're here for?

'Purpose?'

Liz rolled her eyes and tilted her head seriously. I've explained so much to her, but it seems to have slipped her mind. Her fondness for festivals is out of the ordinary.

'It's a vacation. It's a vacation!

I can't let her stumble at this first step. Besides, if I poke my head in, they'll know I'm here.
If they ask me to do something directly, I'll have to think of something to do as the Clan Master of Footprints. I have to avoid that.

'Citri, no one knows we're here, right?

'Of course not. We haven't even shown up at the local chapter of the Explorers Society. We've been vetted, so they'll know we're in town, but they won't know we're here.

Excellent. You're right, Citri is not like me. It looks like I don't have to worry about getting Tino involved this time.
All I have to do now is wait for the storm to pass. If I go out and run into someone who knows my face, I'll be in trouble.

It would be boring to get caught trying to leave town in a hurry. I guess I'll just stay in.
And as far as being a hermit goes, I'm no better than anyone else in the Footprints. I made a quick decision.

'Let's not leave this house until the ruckus dies down. Do you have a stockpile?

'Food-wise, we should be fine for about a month. As for other resources--'

A month, huh? That should be enough.
Or rather, there's too much room. I really wonder what Citri was expecting. ...... Is he planning to have a siege war?

'Look, Tino. In times like these it's important to stay calm. I told you, didn't I? I'm not going to join the fight. Don't worry, the alarms will stop soon, come on, sit down.'

'Oh, I see. ...... This is all in the palm of your hand, isn't it ......?

I'm sure Tino doesn't want to force himself to get involved in the commotion.
At my words, Tino sits back on the couch, showing his trust in me for nothing.

But the problem is not with Tino, who is basically straightforward.

'Yeah, yeah, yeah. Liz, sit down. Don't ever go out there, okay?

Liz. The problem is she's too eager to get involved in the ruckus. The problem is she's too quick to forget what I say.
If I don't hold her down long enough, she'll disappear like a broken spring toy, looking for trouble.

'Yeah, ...... Cry is awful.'

I managed to do exactly as I said and caught Liz's arm - her wrist - as she sat down next to me.
As I combed her hair, she squealed with delight and leaned in close to me, and I decided to do everything in my power to make sure this vacation went off without a hitch.

And when I return, I'll brag to my clan members about how much fun it was.
Maybe then, Tino will believe me a little more.





After a night of anxiety and discomfort, the sky was filled with a cloudless blue sky, as if yesterday's storm had been a lie.
I raised myself up from the bed and looked outside with a refreshed feeling. Peace had returned to the residential area. There were no alarms and no screams.



See, I could get by without doing anything.

There was no one in the next bed.

There were two bedrooms in Citri's lair, each with two beds, but they ended up being separated by gender.
I don't care much about this, but it's always a bad idea to share a bedroom with someone. If I sleep on the couch, they don't approve of that either.

Liz has a bad habit of sneaking into my bed, but I'm safe with Sitri.

I stretch out and change into the clothes that Sitri has prepared for me.
The hiding place was so comfortable that it didn't feel like a hiding place at all. It had a large bathroom, and Citri had cooked for me, using a stockpile of food that suited my taste. It was probably better than a small inn.
The fatigue that had built up during the march in the rain was completely gone.

I left the bedroom and headed for the living room, where I was greeted by Tino in his casual clothes.

'...... good morning.

'Good morning. ...... What's wrong? That shade.'

Unlike me, who had slept comfortably, Tino had dark circles under his eyes.
His feet were firm and his tone of voice was the same as usual, but his expression showed a deep fatigue.

'You couldn't sleep?'

'...... a little. I was lying on the couch, but I was worried about what was going on outside. It was all due to my inexperience.'

Couldn't you have lent me your bed? ...... It's true that Lyss isn't the kind of person who would put his apprentice in the same bed with him, and it would have been dangerous if he had to be mixed up with Sitri. I went to bed without thinking about it, but maybe I should have thought about Tino a little more.

However, hunters are trained to be able to sleep anywhere and at any time (I'm the best at this), but was he so anxious about the outside that he couldn't sleep even then?

'I'm fine, Master. I'm a hunter too, a night without sleep won't interfere with my activities.'

'That's fine then, but ......'.

I was going to stay in today if the trouble hadn't stopped, but it looks like the cause of the alarm has been successfully resolved.
After eating Citri's home-cooked meal, we prepared to leave the hideout together. As we walked down the main street with our hoods pulled up tightly over our faces, we naturally heard rumors of the alarm.
Merchants, hunters, knights, and townspeople were all talking about what happened yesterday.

Apparently, a very nasty demon was approaching the town. It seems that the Knights and Hunters have gone all out to intercept it.
When he heard the name, Sitri, who was walking in front of him, opened his eyes wide.

'Thunder spirit, is it ...... a high element that appears in a human village like this--'

'Oh no. I wish I could have fought them. ......'


They are not necessarily hostile to mankind, but because of their ability to manipulate natural phenomena, some regions consider them to be identical to gods.
Among the arts that mages handle, there is one that borrows the power of spirits (elements), and it is known to be a very powerful magic.
It makes sense that the great storm was the work of spirits.

I'm so glad we were able to stop Lizzie.

As I walked out of the town, relieved inside, I saw that the sturdy gate I had passed yesterday had been completely destroyed. I stopped and opened my eyes.
The large charred hole, the rubble scattered everywhere, and the blood stains seemed to indicate how horrific yesterday's battle had been. The houses near the gate were also half destroyed.

The knights were busily organizing the comings and goings of people to replace the useless gate.

I'm glad I ignored the alarm. It's hard to even communicate with a spirit.
If it had been me, I would have been torn to pieces.

'You must have worked very hard ...... to have no damage to the town despite the thunder spirits.

Unlike me, who was just relieved, Citrie's thoughts seemed to be different.
But I can certainly understand what you mean.
Spirits can fly, and there are no such things as gates. In fairy tales, there are many towns that have been destroyed by a single angry spirit. Perhaps it was fortunate that the damage was limited to this level.

At that moment, one of the knights who had been organizing the personnel, perhaps having heard Citry's words, said somewhat proudly.

'Ah. We were completely unprepared for the sudden attack of the spirits, but it just so happened that a high-level certified hunter was in town, and he was able to participate in the ...... interception battle. The spirits were strong, but the hunters were strong too. It was a fierce battle, but they managed to get rid of the thunder spirits. Thanks to them, the damage to our personnel was not too great, thanks to the hunters.

There are hunters who can intercept the thunder spirits .......
I'm not sure who that is. I'd like to thank him if I ever meet him.