Danger in Amarante
アマランテの危機
The training with the twins is smooth and steady.
After getting legally adopted, I am thinking of letting them have a feel for combat in the forest and while at it, it would be nice to try out that untouched dungeon too. There goes to hoping.
Well, that should be soon though according to Lady Anna. While the process usually took a lot of background checks, money, and other procedures. The adoption process for the twins however sped up due to less hassle of background checks. Normally, the couple will undergo relentless background investigation before one could file for an adoption. Thanks to the Hunter’s Guild known for their detailed background check and the Church backing their claim it sped that very process.
Financial issue also would not be a problem. With the revenue of ‘Lover’s Nest’, the couple have a stable enough income and should merit favorable towards their claim. Their finances would also likely double when quests from the untouched Dungeon from the Hunter’s Guild fully open.
Other procedures include the orphanage’s confirmation and approval. However, with the West Orphanage’s management in question, their confirmation and approval became unnecessary which led the Church to take over that process. With the Church in the helm, Lady Anna and sir Heid will eventually get their custody for both Ran and Len sooner than later.
“Hyaaa!!!”
“Shouting would not help you get a sneak attack, Len.” This time I am training them to take out enemy unaware, or so that was what I told them. “And Ran there is no point in any sneak attack if you come from the front with too much hostility.”
The two are now on the ground with a completely dumbfounded face. Their combat skills have indeed improved, but I guess their immaturity still lingers. It should be expected, though; after all, they are still 13-year-old youngsters who were simply taught brute force.
“You don’t have to hit us too hard you know!” Ran finally stood up and shouted at me, Len was nodding with her sister’s words. “What if you have gotten us injured?”
For sure, I thought that Ran hates me, but she never misses training with me. I guess she really wants to get stronger for Lady Anna and Sir Heid.
“Everyone it is almost noon, and we have more guest soon.”
“Yes, mama!” the two eagerly runs off to Lady Anna. To which Lady Anna answers with a bright smile of her own.
Their smiles were so bright I had already forgotten the sour look they had when they first came and tried to burn the mansion. On the side note, something I noticed these past few weeks, the twins seem to choose to be close with one of their parents.
While they both show equal love to both Lady Anna and sir Heid, most of if not always, I see them each with the other. The shy and timid Len would try to learn cooking with Lady Anna while the competitive and compulsive Ran would stick close to Sir Heid and learn bureaucracy.
This is another of their achievements, back then on the first seven days of confinement in the mansion, they had refused to be separated and always hold hands with one another. Now they are now able to be apart from one another. That is because they know that the other will always be safe.
While everything and everyone is trying to get that peaceful atmosphere plastered there for eternity. There are simply things that are just out of our control.
*****
“Sir Heid, we have trouble!” a man in light armor, probably a local militia came spouting troublesome words while we were serving food to our guests. “[FOREST WOLVES] are moving towards the town’s western gate!”
It is amazing that they had to come here to the Lover’s Nest when it would have been easier to go and report to the Town Elder’s house. Was it because they had seen the Romaria more capable than the Town Elder? Increasing my perception range the wolves indeed are moving from the Dark Forest towards the western gates.
With the Guild Agents yet to arrive, it is a given that the Guild is still non-operational, but…
“At the moment where is the local militia!” Sir Heid who was a noble who supervise this kind of situation before immediately took action with logistics and mobility.
“They are the gates, but…” he gulped at his own saliva, he might have assumed they are unable to cope with the battle against wolves. “They completely disoriented and do not know what to do.” He then looked at me. I see, they must have known that was the one that slayed the wolves that attacked the woodcutters.
“Ace, you think you can deal with that number?” He was slightly hesitant with his words, but his voice was firm.
“6… 8… 12… just twelve wolves, it is doable.” I gave my assurance. It was a number that would instantly make me run if I were still in the previous world. But I had battled multiple wolves and had trained with a rather large and aggressive one before so I assented my confidence.
“Then can I ask it from you?” as usual he never forces anyone. Anybody asked to take care of 12 hungry wolves would have said: ‘NO’. However, as sir Heid asked earnestly I gave my immediate ‘Yes’.
“We can go too!” the voices came from the twins -Ran and Len.
“No!” Sir Heid gave a worried shout. “I’m sorry if I shouted but…” but the twin’s shoulders begun to deflate.
The two seem disheartened, but they do understand that their father was just worried for them. Lady Anna gave them that affirmation by holding their hands firmly and shaking her head.
“Ran! Len!” I called out their names. “I will take care of the Forest Wolves, what is your job?”
At first, they did not understand my question as they pondered silently. After a few ‘Ticks’ they soon answered in unison and with great conviction.
“…To protect mama and papa!” un unison.
“Good answers.” After confirming the twins resolves, I then sped to the western gates where the wolves are inching closer.
The western gate was about 225 Meters away from the Romaria Mansion. Thanks to my Half-Step and Flash Steps, I was able to get there faster.
Half-Step can take me a maximum of 6 Meters with one-step, while Flash Step can accelerate me a max 12 meters in one-step. I had to activate the two alternately for couple of times to cover that 225-Meter ground. Thanks to that, I was able to get to the Gate before the wolves were able to get closer.
“How is the situation?” roughly knowing the situation, I still alerted the local militia to my presence.
“…” most of them just look at me with almost no surprise or worry painted on their faces. It was as if they had been waiting for me. That felt a bit eerie, and a bad feeling started to dawn on me.
The odd things keep on hitting danger signs on me, for this size of town, it would not be surprising to have 100 or more soldiers to keep peace and security and yet a threat of twelve monsters attacking the town and Town Elder only sends 15?
Are these guys’ elite soldiers or something, where one of them is equivalent to 10 soldiers? That should not be the case. While their MANA and KI are indeed on par with the brutes that attacked the Romarias outside Amarante, the [ADULT FOREST WOLVES] are vicious type of monsters and always attack in packs, the numbers definitely closing in are visually only 12 but I could sense more just barely at the edge of the forest.
“As you can see 12 [FOREST WOLVES] are moving closer to the gate” 3 of the 15 soldiers appeared to be troubled compared to the rest, and started to give me the rundown of the situation I needed the most. “We have asked the remaining soldiers to start evacuating civilians to the northern side.”
True, it would not be strange for the wolves to stray at the other gates now that something is hindering their path here. I could also see that the gate has started to close. As soon as the gates closed though, a huge KI gets caught in my net. It is on the northern side. Specifically, at the Romaria’s Mansion!
“A strong monster is on the Northern side!” I immediately alerted the soldiers of the sudden appearance of monster and its possible location.
All were shocked, but 12 of the soldiers were clearly shocked for a different reason. There was fear, not towards the 12 monsters approaching from the front, or the unconfirmed monster that appeared on the far north, but towards me. Why?
Then it dawned on me.
I see, I finally understand. Why there are only 15 soldiers here and not the entire local militia. Why the gate closed when I arrived. Why they were so calm when I asked for the situation. Why the monsters closing in are slow on moving forward. This was a trap, a trap for the Romarias and they needed me their bodyguard away from them.
“Help us!” when I was about to head inside, a merchant caravan was coming this way via untreaded road.
“Tche! They sure pick the right time to get here” the irritation in my voice could not be hidden. While it would be easy to just leave this situation to the local militia, however, I did not want to leave a bad after taste in this situation were merchant caravan getting mauled by the wolves. There was only one way to remedy this. “I’ll draw the monsters to me and get the civilians inside the gates.”
.Log{
•Captain, you have Activated Intimidation
•Captain, we need to hurry. Lady Anna, Sir Heid and the children are in danger.
•Let’s move!
}
Even Grim-chan is irritated at this situation, by activating Intimidation Skill I started to lure the monsters away from caravan. Thankfully, the soldiers even though they had conspired for this still headed my call and aided the fast delivery of the merchants.
The wolves also begun their assualt. The remaining ones inside the forest continue the look-and-see status. “If this continues, I should be able to scare off the remaining wolves by defeating these twelve.”
However, another problem started to rise as soon as we heard the howl in the northern side. “Ran and Len must have done something to anger the beast.”
The spectating wolves at the edge of the forest started to come out of the forest one after another. For the first time panic could be seen through the faces of the 12 soldiers who were clearly collaborators of this stupid scheme.
That can’t be helped, with the 8 remaining wolves from the initial 12, 17 more came out as reinforcement. What’s more these wolves had formed an inverse ‘V’ for their siege, clearly making sure no one will escape their siege.
“You will take the right and left flank I will take the middle.” I ordered the panic-stricken militia while I started to plow on the monsters. Thankfully, only the 12 who came out first were ADULT FOREST WOLVES (Monster Threat Rank E), the 17 reinforcements were only TEEN FOREST WOLVES (Monster Threat Rank F).
While I had easily defeated the central area of the formation, the Local Militia however had difficulties in defending their side of the formation. It goes to show that they were amateurs in combat all the while acting tough on the crowd.
When the last of the wolves were eliminated, I lead through wall activated Flash Step – Half-Step Maneuver and sped through the 225 Meters. “I needed to get to the North! You take over the clean up!” I shouted at the militia.
Their eyes wide open. Well, this can’t also be helped, after all their closed-gates-to-stop-me-from-entering-strategy was easily rendered moot. I was able to scale the walls easily even if they tightly secured the gates. The only reason I had stayed was because, I hated the after thought of leaving someone behind for other’s stupid schemes.
With another Half-Step and Flash-Step combo, I sped through the streets for the Romaria Mansion.
*****
Upon arriving at the scene, I could see an unconscious town elder, an exhausted Ran and Len, Sir Heid and Lady Anna going outside the mansions door to trying to protect the twins, and a [RAVENOUS FOREST WOLF].
A [RAVENOUS FOREST WOLF] was a ‘Rank C’ monster according to the Guild’s standards. While the twins were able to fend its strong attacks, the beast had won the battle of attrition against the still in training twins.
Frankly speaking, I was quite proud at their feats. But it was not the time to be impressed at my disciples’ growths. After all, there was only one action to take.
“SENKIDOURYUU IKAZUCHI NO MAE – RAIJIN RAIKOU” with the speed of lightning I bolted towards the [RAVENOUS FOREST WOLF] and obliterated the wolf’s body with a speedy lightning thrust.
“Ran! Len! Are you okay?” Three voices resounded at the same time.
“We are fine.” The two smiled with their fists raised through the air. They were fine. Relief immediately comforted us three.
Looking at the unconscious Town Elder, it should be safe to assume that this series of events was nearing its closure.
