Three hours after we left the royal capital, Mulia, we got off the carriage on the road near the ruins of Dior.

(We've finally arrived!)

　Reaching my feet on the unshakable ground, I stretch out wide and relax my hardened body.

　Spread out around me is a green meadow.
　It's undulating like a stormy sea, with rocks 10 to 30 meters high growing in places.

　There is no village or town.
　Truly, we are in the middle of a city road.

(Ah, the forest.)

　All the way down the sloping grassland from here is a dense cluster of dark green trees.

That's it?

　Solstice came up next to me and muttered, holding her purple hair in the wind.
　I nodded.

'Yeah, I'm sure.'

　There are goblins in there.
　And there are demons lurking in the woods that we need to kill.

(Let's do it, Merle.)

　Along with my resolve, I clench my right hand.

　Solstice looks at my profile and says, "Hmm? I muttered with a strangely impressed look on my face.

　While we were having a brief conversation, Illtimina was unloading her large backpack and sandbag-like leather bag from the carriage and Kilt was paying Gosha. The carriage is supposed to wait in a nearby village and come back to this location in six hours.

　I look around.

(.........hmm?)

　In a different direction from where the forest was, on a rolling grassy hillside, I saw a small building.

　It was an old stone building.
　Partly weathered and partly broken, more than half of it was buried under the ground.

'Hey, Solstice?　Could that be the ruins of Dior?
Hmm?

　She looks at what I'm pointing at.

"Yeah, maybe.

　I knew it.

'So that's where Asbel-san and the others are, then.
Asbell and the others, the search?
Yes.

　I told him in the carriage that he helped me choose my quest.
　Of course, I didn't tell him about my one act with Ryuta-san and Garion-san.

'But those ruins are so small,'

　I honestly said what I thought.

　Those ruins are like a little temple.
　I feel like the search will be over soon.

　Solstice cowered.

'The visible part, yes. But the Dior Ruins must have been spread out on about three levels underground.
Underground?
Yeah. The remains have been found for 50 years. But last month, they found a hidden passage to the fourth level.
Oh, yeah?

　So, do you think Asbell and the others are exploring those four levels?

In the meantime, the kingdom's 'demonologists' are planning to look into it. Before that, Asbell and the others are going to check for any dangerous traps or demons and eliminate them.
I see.
'Well, Asbell and the others are blue marked, so I don't think they're in any danger.

　Hmm.

(But an underground dungeon. ...I'd like to go there someday.)

　It gets my blood pumping as an adventurer.　

　Cotson.

Ouch.

　I was struck in the back of the head with Solstice's great cane.

"Merle?　Don't worry about other people's quests, just focus on your own first.
Oh.
You looked so good before. I'll give you points for this.

　...........
　It was.

(I'm in the middle of an exam right now.)

　Focus, Merle.

"Hmm.

　Solstice nods in satisfaction when she sees my changing expression.

　Iltimina-san and Kilt-san also come over to us as the carriage leaves.

''Sorry for the wait,''
What's wrong with you two?
Nope.
Nothing.

　We shook our heads.
　Then I took a deep breath and said, ready to go.

"Okay, let's all go.
Yes, sir.
Hmm.
Yes.

　The three of us nodded, and then we all four walked together into the forest beyond the grassy field.

　--Now, this is where the real work begins.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇.


　I lead the way through the forest.

(Well ... where's the sun?)

　Sometimes I check through the trees to get a sense of direction.
　Failing to do this, I would get lost.

　When I lived in the Great Forest of Aldoria, I used to walk through the forest in the same way, using the tower as a landmark. It's a bit nostalgic.

''Hmm.''
You're doing just fine.
Shit.

　From behind me, I hear two admiring voices and one disappointed.
　...No, Mr. Solstice?

(But then again, it makes me nervous when you look at me like this.)

　I feel like I'm being watched.
　It's an exam, I can't help it.

　Well, let's not worry about it.

(Okay, focus, focus!)

　I walked slowly through a world filled with the smell of plants.

　And then - there's another smell mixed in.

'It's the smell of water,'

　The three men behind me look at each other.

'Do you understand?'
No.
I'm so glad.

　No, really.

"But Merle has found the river before in the same way.
"Huh?
"...seriously?

　Everyone but Illtimina seems skeptical, but I walk on regardless.

　We go on for about five minutes, parting the grass and trees.
　Eventually, we parted the tall grass and a large pond appeared in front of us.

'It's really there,'
Isn't Merle a dog?

　The two of them look surprised.
　Only Illtimina-san nodded with satisfaction, "As expected of Marle.

　It was a gourd-shaped pond about 30 meters long.
　The clarity of the water was very high.
　I could see many fish swimming in the water. Some of them were as big as a meter or two.

(Yeah. This water is definitely good for drinking and catching fish.)

　I walk slowly around the pond.
　I'll walk around the pond as fast as a baby can crawl.

　I don't want to miss a beat.

"Hmm. "Let's check the straw in the other direction.
What?

　Are you sure?
　You're taking my test?　

　I was surprised, and Mr. Kirto laughed.

"I'm not going to let you do everything by yourself. I told you, I'm going to be a support person.
Uh-huh.
"If you want us to do something, command us. We'll do whatever you want.

　Can I order you to do ... anything?
　When an older, more beautiful woman says that to me, I get a little nervous.

(No, no, not at a time like this.)　

　I scolded myself and regained my composure.

'Well, please. Will you and Sol go with Mr. Kilt?
Yes.

　She, too, responds in a straightforward manner.

(Well, I suppose it's okay, but it's still better to have a two-man cell, right?)

　Miss Illtimina laughed a little happily.

'So, I'm with Marle, then?'
Yes.
Well it's just you and me.

　...........
　Stop, you'll be conscious!

　I slap my cheeks, which are about to turn red. Focus, focus!

　So we split up and walked around the pond.
　And traces were soon found.

''Oh....are those footprints?''

　There are small indented marks in the soft, watery soil.
　Iltimina nodded.

'There's no doubt about it, they're goblin tracks.
I knew it.

　She looked up and put a white finger to her lips.

　Pewey.

　A whistling sound, like a bird's call.
　Probably because if you shout, the goblins will notice you.

　Eventually, Mr. Kilt and the others will arrive.

'Merle has found a trail.
Okay.
Shit.

　So why do you look so disappointed, Mr. Solstice?

　The small footprints lead beyond the trees. The grass in that part of the path has broken off, and it still looks like a beast path.

(There's a goblin up ahead.)

　Calm down, Merle.

　I tell myself, and I take a deep breath.　
　And I look at the sky.

"..........

　The clouds are drifting away.

'What are you doing, Merle?　Let's get going.

　Solstice hurries.

'Yeah. But wait a minute.

　I took my finger in my mouth.
　I'll get it out in a minute.

　In front of a stunned Solstice, I point my wet finger to the sky. The front of my finger feels chilly.

'Good, this is downwind.'
'Oh....'

　The girl huffs and puffs.
　If it was downwind, there was little chance that the goblins would detect our presence by smell.

　The two older demon hunters nodded.

''Hm, you are cool.
If anything, Sol should be the one to notice.
...Ugugu.

　Solstice looks frustrated.
　But I didn't have time to worry about that.

'I'm going,'

　I uttered, with a sense of urgency.

　The three of them also changed their expressions.
　They nodded widely.

　Confirming that, I slowly stepped into the depths of the beast path--.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇.


　After about ten minutes, I stopped.

'What's going on?'
I smell blood.

　I answer Illtimina shortly.

　The smell of blood, like iron, emanates from beyond this forest.
　The three men behind me look at each other.

'Do you understand?'
No.
Merle the dog again.

　As they proceeded more carefully down the beast path, the three of them finally seemed to understand.
　Their expressions became that of a demon hunter.

(Behind that tree.)

　I squatted down.
　That's exactly what I did, I got down on all fours like a dog, hiding in the grass and moving closer to a position where I could see the back of the tree.

　I tell the three of them to 'wait there' with my hand.

　And then, at the end of the last part of the grass

(-- there was)

　Goblins.

　Dwarf demons with reddish-brown skin.
　There were five of them.　
　In their hands, they have the corpse of a furball rabbit, their limbs torn off and their blood dripping from their mouths, raw and ready to eat.

　They don't seem to notice us.

　There's one leaning against a tree in the foreground.

　Three of them are sitting on the ground in the back.

　One of them is sitting on a rock.

(...Okay, I know where they are.)

　I went back to them, being careful not to make a sound.
　I'm going to tell them what I found.

"There were five goblins. They were too busy eating to notice us.
Okay.
What do you want to do?　
It's not up to Merle, is it?

　All eyes are on me.

　I think for a moment.

(What's that feeling?)

　It wasn't as if he was afraid to see those goblins with their mouths and hands stained with blood.
　Rather.

(Didn't goblins used to be that small?)

　I'm surprised.
　It should be the same size as the last time I saw it. But the impression was different.

　And there was a strange certainty.

(-- maybe I could win.)

　To five goblins.

　Whether it's an illusion, I don't know.
　But we don't know, so let's test it.

　This is a test.

　Why don't I put myself to the test?

　--I'm going to test myself.

I'm going to do it on my own.

　The three of them look surprised at my declaration.

'Kilt-san and Solstice, you'll stay here. We'll ask for backup in case we need it.
"Hmm.
Okay.
Illtimina, please go around to the other side. However, be careful not to turn to windward. If the goblins try to escape, finish them off.
Yes, sir.

　None of the three of them argued with my plan.

　They're just trying to figure it out.
　They're going to find out about me.

Okay, let's get started.

　Then we started to move.

　Mr. Illtimina disappears behind the grass and trees without a sound. Leaving Kilt-san and Soltis behind, I, too, approach from the opposite side of Illtimina-san's disappearance, again in the dog posture.

　The closest one is a goblin leaning against a tree.

(.........calm down.)

　I let out a long, long breath.

　...and I remember my failure to do something about it.

　I didn't do anything.
　And I still to this day, I can't figure out why.

For two reasons.

　The first is that my vision was limited.

　At that time, I was only looking at the goblins in front of me. So there was a dangerous moment when I was attacked by another goblin from the side.

(Seeing the whole situation more.)

　This time, make sure you have a good handle on the position and movements of the non-goblins in front of you, too.

　And the second reason.
　That's because I was trying to listen to Illtimina-san's words too honestly.

''Don't create any blind spots, create a one-on-one situation.''

　This.
　Her advice, of course, was not wrong.

　But I was so fixated on following it that I didn't see the situation as such.

　The goal is 'to defeat the goblins'.
　Her advice is just a means to that end.

　And yet, I forgot about it and moved with the 'means' as the 'end'.

　With my back to a tree for no reason, the goblins threw stones at me from afar, I made my own blind spot to prevent them, and then they attacked me there and almost killed me.

(I won't ... get it wrong anymore.)

　That advice is just a means to an end.
　The goal is to 'slay the goblins'.

　Not a moment too soon.

　It's okay.
　I'm a different person now.

　Maybe it's because Kirt trained me, but my body is lighter. And the image of how to fight comes up one after another.

Okay.

　I muttered only in my mouth.

　--and I grabbed the hilt of The Fang of Marl and jumped out of the grass where I was hiding.

　Tang.

　He took one step and stepped to the side of the tree.
　At the same time, he stroked the neck of the goblin that was leaning there with his drawn blade.

　Shuffling.

"Guy?

　The auburn skin is slashed, and purple blood spurts out of the jugular, raining down on tree trunks and grass.

　The goblins scowled, lost consciousness from the loss of blood, and fell to the ground as it was - at that moment, I was already on my way to the next goblin.
　My target is three of them sitting on the ground.

　The moment I arrive behind one of them, I stroke its neck with my blade.

''........Agi?''

　Fresh blood splashed out like a fountain.
　It fell on the other two goblins as well, and they finally noticed me.

''Giggles!
"Guhia!

　With a mixture of surprise and anger, he stands up, sword and club in his hands.

　Boom!

　I kick the decapitated goblin corpse as hard as I can.

"Gaggot!

　It hits one of the goblins, knocking it off balance and causing it to fall over.

(That's one on one!)

　I devised a different method of advice.

　I then pounced on the remaining goblin, who raised his sword wide to intercept it. But its stance is so slow and gaping compared to Kirt's movements.

(My torso is empty.)

　I was going to run my dagger there - but I stopped.

　Boom.

　The goblin who had fallen over threw the club he was holding at me.

(I can see it!)　

　I stopped and evaded, and I couldn't help but laugh.
　I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to make it work.

"Gicher!

　buzzing

　I ducked and placed The Fang of Marl in the path of his wrist as I dodged.

　Gasp!

　There was a heavy impact.
　And the goblin's hands, which were still holding onto the sword, were flying into the air.

''Higa........?　Hee-gya, hee-gyaah!'

　Stunned, and then the goblin screams in intense pain.

　Toss.

　I stabbed The Fangs of Marl into its neck.

　The goblin stops.

　I pull out the blade.

　Immediately, purple blood spurts out, and the goblin falls flat on its back, motionless, with a tearful face.

''Hi.........?''

　The goblin that had fallen over had turned pale.
　It hurriedly threw away the corpse of its companion, which had been covering it, and tried to escape with a pitiful scream.

　Huh.

　I chased after it and touched its neck with 'Marl's Fang'.
　The escaping goblin was beheaded for the distance it escaped.

　Bushuuuu.

　Purple blood gushed out.
　In that state, the goblin ran for a while. It ran, turned at an angle while running, and rolled with a rumble on the ground as it was.

(-- Last one)

　I look in that direction.
　The goblin that was sitting on the rock had already turned its back on me and was in a fleeing position.

　I switch the Fang of Marl into my reverse hand and swing it wide.

''Hm!''

　Thud.

　The single-edged dagger that he threw stabbed into the goblin's back.

''Gee, gyaa!

　The goblin falls over unbearably.
　I quickly approach and grab the hilt that is still stuck in the goblin's back and pull it out in one swift motion.

　Bushuu.

　I'm bleeding.
　It's a serious wound.
　But not yet fatal, apparently.

　Huh.

　Remembering Mr. Kilt's movements, I slashed at his jugular, spinning like a soloist.
　Following me, the hem of my traveling suit dances through the air, slowly stopping and falling.

　A hush returns to the forest.



　All five goblins are dead.　

　--I killed them.

　When I looked down, the blade, wet with purple blood, was wavering.

(...your hand is shaking now?)

　I chuckle at my pathetic self.

　Gasp.

!

　The sound of the grass swaying made me jumpy.

　When I looked up in a hurry, I saw Illtimina-san standing there with a white spear in her hand. Apparently, she was also aiming at the goblin that tried to escape, just as I asked.

''Marle........''

　She stared at me with a stunned look on her face.
　I laughed.

　.....why?
　When I looked at her face, it was as if the tension I was desperately trying to hold on to was snapped out of my mind.

(What.........I want to cry and put away.......)

　The look on my face took her breath away.
　Then she quickly moved closer and held me in a hug.

　While hugging me, she slowly unhooks my strong fingers one by one, slowly unhooks my strong fingers, and pulls the blood-stained 'Fang of Marle' from my hand.

(.........ah...)

　I relaxed and rested my head against her chest.
　A white hand strokes her hair.

"-- You did a good job, Merle. It's impressive.

　His voice is dignified and calm, but gentle.
　I nodded.

'Yes.'

　I worked hard.
　I wanted to continue to be with you guys, so I worked really hard.

　I know the quest isn't over yet, but...

(But you can pat yourself on the back a little bit, right?)

　Or so I thought.

　I noticed that Mr. Kilt and Solstice were also trying to come over here, brushing through the grass.
　Both of them were walking and looking at the goblin's corpse as if they were surprised.

''Don't tell me that Marle... alone?''
I can't believe...

　Mr. Kilt's golden eyes widen and he mutters as if he's seen something impossible, and Solstice shakes her head, shaking her purple hair as if she doesn't want to believe it.

　I chuckle and look up at the top of my head.
　Beyond the trees, a very beautiful blue sky stretches for miles.

'Phew.'

　I close my eyes as that blue color sinks in.
　And then I let out a long breath slowly, as if to pull something out of my chest.