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Volume 9, Chapter 13

 

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Translator: Manga0205
Editor: Weasalopes

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Chivalric Order Member Screening, the final selection.

　Its start, was quite lonesome.

　The nameless mountain that was near Kashnart, which would be reached after walking a bit away from the large main road, was a place that people normally wouldn’t enter. There was a small village on the way to the mountain, but even the villagers didn’t approach the mountain all that much.

　The final selection that was being performed on such a mountain――the Goblin extermination was a so-called “the fastest one wins” competition.

　They would defeat the Goblins that were in the mountain, cut off the body part that would count as proof of its defeat, and bring those back. Their ranks would be decided by the number of those. That was all there was to it.

　The fact that the participants would be entering the mountain from their respective different directions was so that there wouldn’t be any Goblins that would escape. And then, at the same time, it was also a consideration so that the fellow participants wouldn’t obstruct each other as much as possible.

「……A mountain, huh.」

　Kain advanced through the mountain where the grass had grown tall.

　*Zaku zaku* His figure as he advanced while cutting the grass with his sword showed that he was quite an expert at it, but this was because this sort of technique was indispensable for an Adventurer.

　If not for the fact that he had the inconvenience of needing to go through this route, he wouldn’t create what was basically a path in the mountain. It was because the mountain path had poor visibility, and was dangerous when compared to flatlands.

　However, it was easy for bandits and Goblins to make strongholds in places where people’s hands wouldn’t reach. Eliminating those groups was an important job of Adventurers, therefore the 「ability to take action in the mountains」 became an indispensable ability for Adventurers.
「Yo……tto!」

　Cutting down a branch that blocked his way, Kain advanced.

　In cases of advancing through a mountain path like this, one would usually a tool dedicated for such an occasion, but Kain swung his personal sword――the Hard Sword Tilnok without any signs of worrying about it. It was because he knew that his sword wouldn’t nick or chip from something of this level.

　*Zaku zaku* Kain walked while firmly stepping on the ground, however, he made a bewildered expression.

「This is, strange……」

　Before long, Kain muttered that.

　Coming to a stop, he looked at the path he had come through up until now……and the place that he would be advancing to from now on.

　In front of him, there was tall grass and tree branches. Behind him, there was the path that he opened up and hardened.

　After that, he slowly surveyed the surroundings, and gazed at the trees and grass that rustled in the wind.

　At a glance, it was a mountain scene that seemed normal. And that is why Kain commented that it was strange.

「Are there really Goblins, on this mountain?」

　Muttering that, Kain looked at a branch that was ahead of where he was advancing towards.

　A branch that was slightly lower than Kain’s gaze swayed as if to obstruct his path. That was truly a sign that this was an undeveloped land.

　However, it wasn’t a land suitable for Goblins to live in. If Goblins were living here, it would be more――

　Thinking that far, a *gasa gasa, baki baki* sound could be heard from Kain’s right.

　Kain put himself on guard thinking that it might be a Goblin for a moment, but what came into his gaze was a gigantic body that was unbelievable for a Goblin to have.

「……Nna?」

「Ah……H, hello.」

　Unconsciously, Kain returned a greeting.

　It was a figure that had a well trained body that would cause fear for even Adventurers that were proud of their own physique, wore armor that was made of a material that felt different from metal, and carried a large sword.

　Kain recognized that woman who was much burlier than the average male Adventurer.

　That woman――Rosetta looked down at Kain, and nodded with an “ahh”.

「Erm……That’s right, if I remember correctly, yer the shitty brat who has the most experienced movements despite being the youngest. What was your name again?」

「It’s Kain. Hello, Rosetta-san.」

「Ou, good to see ya.」

　After breaking and throwing away the branch that was in her way, Rosetta came up until she was right beside Kain.

「This is a bit sudden but. What do ya think?」

「What do I think……what do you mean by that?」

「Oi oi, you ain’t blockheaded enough to not notice, right?」

　Hearing Rosetta’s words, Kain sharpened his gaze. It was because he understood that Rosetta held the same doubt that he did.

　And that was why Kain gave a short reply without dodging the question.

「It’s strange. That is all I can say for sure.」

「Right. There probably ain’t any Goblins in the mountain.」

　Kain opened his eyes wide at how Rosetta suddenly said the conclusion without making any sort of strategy.

　For an Adventurer, in cases like this, giving out your own information in small amounts was part of the basics.

　However, maybe it was because Rosetta didn’t like that sort of thing……or maybe, she was thinking of a possibility similar to what Kain was thinking of.

「That’s right, I think so too. But, the problem is whether or not the organizer’s side knows about this.」

「……Hn, so that really is one to doubt huh.」

「Rosetta-san, since you doubted them, you searched for me……no, for the other participants, right?」

「Pretty much. And in that sort of meaning, I was fortunate that it was you I found. Among everyone, you and that heavily equipped jerk were the best choices.」

　Hearing 「heavily equipped jerk」, Kain recalled the heavy swordsman wearing full body armor, Zegius. He must be having a hard time in the mountain with that equipment.

「There are several patterns that can be thought of. First, it’s the possibility that we’re jerks that have clogged noses and can’t even notice the horrid stench of Goblins. Second, it’s the possibility that we just happened to have bad luck and ended up starting from a place where there’s no trace of ‘em.」

　If it was the latter, they would unfortunately end up having to hand over the top rankings to the other participants.

　After nodding, Kain put up three fingers and continued Rosetta’s words.

「Third, is the case that the fact that Goblins are here was a misunderstanding, isn’t it.」

　In this case, it would end with an “it’s great that Goblins weren’t here”. It seemed like the final selection would have done another day, but it was the most peaceful pattern that could be thought of.

「Fourth……and this one is the worst pattern, but it’s the case that they knew and we were still sent here. But still……I can’t read the reason to do that. We’ll need to be cautious of it, but the possibility of it is low.」

　Kain vaguely nodded at those words, but he didn’t think that it was impossible.

　After all, Kain and Ein were subordinates of Princess Celis who was Princess Narika’s political opponent, and were even sent to assassinate Mazenda. For reasons to be targeted, there were plenty of them.

「……That’s true. But, what were you planning on doing by having that as the assumption?」

「Ah? Let’s see……It would be simple to assert that there weren’t any Goblins. But, I wouldn’t be able to make an excuse in the one in a million chance that there were some.」

「And so?」

「Ya sure are bad at guessin’, ain’t cha. If there’s even one of them out there, that’ll mean that there were Goblins. In that case, that’d mean that I was a jerk that was a blockhead that’s even less useful than a scarecrow.」

　Kain thought about the meaning of Rosetta’s words.

　In other words――

「……For the time being, you were going to search the entire mountain?」

「Pretty much. Although it’s low, as long as I can’t get rid of the fourth possibility, I wanna avoid messily walking around solo. I was lucky to have met up with you.」

　Kain made a wry smile at the nodding Rosetta.

　At that instant――*pakin*, a sound as if something was cracking resounded.

「……Ah? Uoh!?」

「Rosetta-sa……!」

　It was something behind Rosetta.

　Within the crack, it was a black hand that extended out from a richly colored airspace.

　In order to cut apart that hand that grabbed Rosetta’s face and tried to pull her in, Kain readied his sword.

「……Ara, that’s no good, Kain. Your written invitation is right here, you know?」

　With that voice that he recognized sounding from behind him――Kain’s body was grabbed by several black hands.

「Ku……AH!?」

　With his balance destroyed, he was unable to properly resist.

　Just like that, Kain was dragged into the richly colored airspace behind him.

　Like that, in that place where everyone had disappeared from, a woman with pure white hair and wore clothes that looked like a red dress smiled.

「……Thus, our dear guests have gone to the party venue. Fufufu, fufu! Sorry, Mazenda! I will borrow them for a bit! But it’s alright, it’s fine! I will make things more fun……and delicious! Yes, I……specialize in that sort of thing after all!」

　After the woman struck the air as if knocking on it, that place cracked and a richly colored airspace showed itself.

　When that woman leapt in without any hesitation, the cracked airspace closed and returned to normal.

　――And then, only silence remained.

　Without being noticed by the knights on the foot of the mountain, all of the participants of the final selection vanished from the mountain.

 

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