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The Otherworld Conquest Method of a Reincarnated Porter Chapter 94

Departure

「Ahn, so good, ahn, ahn, Sei, aaah~」

「Mireia!」

「Haan, ahn, Sei… Hnn.」

Having been mingling with Mireia since early in the morning, I cum into her vagina, and then intertwine my tongue with hers as we remain connected with each other. Today is the day of the subjugation of the bear, which I didn’t want to go on, and although Mireia said that she would go alone, I decided to go with her. As if covering up our anxiety with it, we mingle and stick our bodies close to each other.

「Mireia, promise me. Even if we encounter the bear today, you won’t do anything reckless and always put your own life first, no matter what. We’ll leave Astoma as soon as we finish this job.」

「Yes, I get it. I also want to go on an adventure with you, so I promise.」

「Absolutely, okay?」

「Yes, absolutely.」

「I love you, Mireia.」

「I love you, Sei.」

To finish it, we intertwine our tongues one last time, and then get up and get ready for the departure. Feeling anxious, both of us can’t help but remain silent through it. According to what Mireia told me yesterday, there is a good chance that a superior species of bear has appeared in the forest, and if it is not subjugated, bears that are defeated in the turf wars will show up on the highway one after another, which will end up obstructing the distribution of goods. There may be a superior species of bear, or may be not. Today, they are going to subjugate the last quarter moon bear that has appeared on the highway and investigate the forest. Mireia and I have decided to participate in it as adventurers.

Before heading to the meeting place, we visit the magic blacksmith Ziquis to pick up my order of one spear and six kunai made of black iron alloy. They are quite heavy and have sharp blades, so it looks like we can expect high offensive capabilities from them. If it turns into a battle against the bear, I plan to fight using the spear and take advantage of the difference in reach. It would be best if this guy didn’t get a chance to shine at all, but since Mireia intends to actively participate in the subjugation of the bear, I guess I can’t really say that. At any rate, rather than defeating the bear, I’m going to fight with the focus of supporting Mireia. To be frank, no matter what happens to the other adventurers and knights, I won’t give a damn.

We stop by the general store and buy a tent for two. If it were to rain, we would be in big trouble otherwise.

When we go to the front of the east gate, we see that there are around 20 knights and squires, as well as around 50 adventurers gathered there. The knights are shrouded with a tense air, but the adventurers are chatting and laughing, sporting a relaxed look on their faces. The knights seem to understand the threat the bears pose, but the adventurers, who have a large number, are probably thinking that this is a safe mission under the effect of crowd psychology.

When the representative of the knights begins to address the group, the adventurers stop their idle chats and turn their attention to the knights.

「O brave adventurers! I am the one serving as the representative of the knight order, Walton Melnard. On this occasion, we will be carrying out the subjugation of the bear that has appeared on the highway as well as the investigation of the ecology of the forest, but for the most part, we of the knight order will be in charge of the battle against the bear. As for you, we will have you go to your assigned area in the mountain and conduct an investigation, but if you were to run into the bear or a monster that is too much for you to handle, please report it to us immediately. Of course, if any of you would like to participate in the subjugation, you are welcome to do so. We plan give you additional rewards based on your achievements.」

Given that he has the family name of Melnard, he must be Mireia’s elder brother. If, as he says, the adventurers are mainly tasked with the investigation of the forest, there should be no need for us to fight, but it seems to me that the knights are so few in number. After all, we are dealing with a bear with a rank of 40 or more, and there is even a possibility that there is a superior species. I get the feeling that they are severely lacking in numbers. Or are the knights actually that strong?

After Walton gives us a brief explanation of the situation, it is time to depart. In the meantime, Mireia talked to a knight she was acquainted with and got some information from him.

「Sei, we’ve got a bit of a problem. It seems that my elder brothers have brought about the death of a number of the elite knights in the forest of death and labyrinth, and in order to make up for it, they are planning to accomplish the subjugation of the bear with a small number of men.」

Why would the knights lose their lives in the forest of death and the labyrinth? By some chance, were they trying to monopolize not only the medicinal herbs but also black iron, red iron, and mithril? If so, they would be beyond stupid. With such a guy in command, this job is too dangerous.

「But it seems that the knights have reported the matter to their master, the Lambert family, without going through the Melnard family. Currently, help is apparently on its way, but it seems that it won’t arrive until tomorrow or the day after.」

「I see, for the time being, let’s take it easy and get through today and tomorrow. Still, the Melnard family hasn’t reported the deaths of the knights to the Lambert family, huh. Perhaps they intend to make it like they died during the subjugation the bear?」

「I don’t think they are that stupid, but… Most likely, by subjugating the high-ranked monster that wreaks havoc on the highway without asking for help from the Lambert family, they want to make a show that they are competent as lords. Even so, since many knights’ lives were lost due to their error of judgment, I doubt the Melnard family will be exempted from the pursuit of responsibility. God forbid, but I would like to believe that they won’t be deprived of their position as proxy lord.」

Mireia should have been exiled from the Melnard family, but I wonder if she is concerned about her elder brothers. I just hope that will not have a negative impact on the subjugation of the bear.

「Do they have any information about the superior species of bears?」

「Yeah, it seems that the one that appeared more than twenty years ago was a superior species called the full moon bear, and its rank was 54. Apparently, the knights suspect that the cause of the current disturbance is also the appearance of a full moon bear.」

「Is it possible to defeat a rank 54 monster with our current strength?」

「If we challenge it with the resolution to make sacrifices, I think we can win. The knights have also defeated the labyrinth’s stratum lord, the rank 53 red iron magic puppet, after all. Perhaps my elder brothers plan to only search for the enemy, and instead of subjugating it, they will report it to the Lambert family and ask for assistance.」

「Then, whether we only search for the enemy or subjugate it, many of the adventurers and knights here will die, won’t they?」

「…..」

Looks like this is genuinely bad. We are talking about Mireia here, someone with a strong sense of justice. I doubt she will listen even if I tell her to flee, and I don’t think we will be able to avoid battle. I would like to bet on the possibility that we won’t be able to find the superior species, or that it doesn’t exist. However, Mireia’s level has already gone up to 59, the same as the top knights of Amberlius that boast enormous strength. I am reluctant to expose her to danger, but if we fight with her at the center, there is a good chance that we will be able to subjugate it. I also have two high-grade red potions that we obtained in the labyrinth that can even heal a missing body part, so let’s put them into use without hesitation. However, I will use it only on me and Mireia. I have no faintest intention of using our precious potions on anyone else.

At the young age of 21, Mireia is already a level 59 Knight. I don’t know the requirements for changing jobs, but she may eventually be able to change to the highest ranked job, Holy Knight or Mage Knight. My level is 56. I am defeating the same enemies as Mireia, but the speed at which my level is increasing is clearly faster than hers. However, there is a clear difference in strength, speed, and defense between me and Mireia that is hard to overturn. Porters can increase their levels easily, but there is no doubt that the status increase at the time of level up is low. However, thanks to my rapid growth skill, my proficiency level in body enhancement is 6. If I use full strength body enhancement, I can expect a temporary increase in ability that is close to Mireia’s full strength at least. Once my proficiency level goes up to 7, which is referred to as a master, I doubt I will be a burden in my journey with Mireia.

Once we finish our preparations and leave the town, we proceed on foot along the eastern highway with the knights in the lead. Perhaps in order to circulate iron from Astoma, there are a large number of merchants coming and going. If a high-ranked bear were to appear in such a place, it would inevitably have a negative impact on business. Knights exist exactly for such a moment, not for collecting medicinal herbs in the forest or iron in the labyrinth.

After walking for about four hours, the knights begin to prepare for lunch and encampment. Apparently, we will search the forest while using this place as our base. The knights will be on standby in the vicinity of the highway, while the adventurers will head to their assigned areas in the forest and search for the bear. Due to the fact that the adventurers who manage to find the bear will be given an additional reward of two small gold coins, everyone is overflowing with motivation. However, will they be able to safely go back from the forest after finding the rank 40 monster? The strong-armed baboon I had defeated two years ago in Sakuto village was ferocious and merciless, going around killing anyone who moved. By same chance, does Walton intend to turn the adventurers into sacrifices with money as bait? Or perhaps bears are cowardly and do not actively attack people.

「Sei, it seems that the full-scale search will begin early tomorrow morning, and today we will only search the area around the highway without going deep into the forest. The protection of the merchants is our top priority, after all. The area we’re in charge of is around here….」

Mireia begins to explain based on the rough map she was given, and we make our way through the forest toward the area we are in charge of. We get into battle against monsters a couple of times, but the ranks of the monsters around the highway seem to be only in the single digits. Although only by a small amount, the area around the highway has also been sprinkled with holy water, so it seems that high-ranked monsters don’t approach the area much.

Some adventurers are having a hard time against even low-ranked monsters. They must have participated in it after being lured by the rewards, but they are clearly lacking in strength. Even if they were to encounter the bear, they will probably end up getting killed by it before they can report it to the knight order.

We search the forest until the evening, and when we return to the encampment, we see the knights moving around noisily. Has the bear appeared?

「Sei, I’ll go take a look.」

As Mireia heads toward the knights, I set up our tent. The tent frame is pretty heavy and seems to boast a considerable durability. With this, we should be fine even if it rained.

Mireia doesn’t come back when I am done setting up the tent. By some chance, are we about to go into battle? I hope they will spare us from fighting at night. When I am laying down the duckboard bed after finishing setting up the tent, Mireia comes back. She seems to be in a bit of a panic. Damn it, as expected, have they found the bear?

「Sei, the bear has been found in an area far away from us in the forest, and the knights have subjugated it. But a lot of them ended up getting injured, you see… Sei, I want you to help us treating the knights.」

「I see, it’s already been subjugated, huh. Got it, I’ll give you a hand.」

I heave out a sigh of relief. Perhaps we will continue to search the forest tomorrow and the day after too, but it seems that the knights are on their way here from Lambert, so it looks like we will be able to avoid the worst-case scenario. Mireia and I enter the tent where the injured knights are sleeping and treat them one by one. Throughout this entire day, I have been conserving my magical energy in anticipation of the battle against the bear, so there is no problem.

Since most of the knights can use healing magic, it seems that they have administered first aid treatment at least. As they ended up exhausting their magical energy in the battle against the bear, they must have been unable to heal them completely.

When we are done with the treatment, Mireia and I return to our tent. We have our duckboard bed, so even though we are camping out in the wild, we can still take a good rest.

「Mireia, how many casualties are there today?」

「Well, three knights and eight adventurers.」

「I see, there are also a lot of wounded knights, so it’d be a good idea to call off the investigation tomorrow, don’t you think?」

「Yes. But it seems that the forest investigation will be carried out as planned.」

「…..」

Even if we do find the bear, I think it will be tough to fight any more battles. As expected, are they trying to at least confirm the existence of the superior species bear by sacrificing the adventurers? Leaving the night watch to the adventurers who are given reward for doing so, we decide to go to bed. The duckboard bed is comfortable, so while holding Mireia in my arms, I fall asleep with anxiety in my heart.