Go do the Rest
Belle and I headed toward the big boar and her baby.
The little piglet flinched, hiding behind Mama Boar, but kept peeking at us as if curious. Those round little eyes, so full of worry…
““S-So cute!!””
We accidentally shout, and the piglet scurried completely out of sight behind Mama Boar.
““Ah…””
(Don’t go scarin’ the young’un now!)
““S-Sorry.””
According to what Pearl heard from Mama Boar, they used to live deep in the forest. But recently, a giant snake showed up from who-knows-where and drove them out of their home.
[Giant Snake] A massive serpent-type monster that dwells in forests.It’s incredibly strong, swiftly constricts prey, and swallows it whole.
“A giant snake!? Seriously? I’ve never heard of one in Westwoods.”
(Must’ve slithered here from somewhere else.)
“So then, it ate the sweet potato roots just to survive after losing its home?”
(That’s what she says.)
“Hmm, I see… Hey, Pearl, can you ask if it’s okay for me to touch her? I’d like to talk to her directly.”
“J-Joan! Is that… safe?”
“Probably. But I wanna use my skill, Animal Talk, to speak face-to-face.”
“‘Probably’? Don’t go doin’ anything reckless.”
“Yeah, I know.”
(Joan, she says it’s fine.)
“Thanks. Well then, pardon me…”
Touching Mama Boar, her hide felt coarse… kind of like when I once expected a capybara to be soft and fluffy, only to find it rough. A bit disappointing.
“Uh, Mama, can you hear me?”
Startled by my voice, Mama Boar’s eyes went wide.
— How can a human child speak to me?
“Oh, it’s a skill I have. Anyway, I heard a giant snake took your home?”
— Yes… and not only our home, but one of my children… I failed to protect them.
“I see… that’s rough. But you know, raiding a farmer’s field still isn’t a good reason, right?”
— I understand… but I just wanted to save the one I have left.
“I get that. But—if that giant snake were gone, would you go back to the deep forest?”
— What!? Yes! If I could, I’d return at once.
“Alright. Hang tight while I figure something out. Oh, here—this is fine to eat.”
I pulled from my storage some gridon nuts, which I’d picked in Ripple and Crimson Woods thinking they might come in handy. I placed them at their feet. The piglet went right for a Ripple nut, happily crunching away, while Mama Boar watched with gentle eyes. When she noticed her child looking, he rolled the nut toward her, urging her to eat.
Meanwhile, we start planning.
“Mama Boar says she’ll go back if the giant snake is gone. What do you think?”
“What do I think? Joan, you want to help her, right? Otherwise, I doubt you’d let fresh pork slip away… am I wrong?”
(I agree with Belle. You were just thinking of pork recipes a moment ago.)
“Haha, fair point. Yeah, I want to help. Plus… maybe giant snake meat’s tasty.”
“(..….)”
Two sets of eyes—well, one person and one wolf—give me a flat stare.
“Sigh… Joan, only you would see a monster as ingredients.”
(Belle… noble ladies don’t register as adventurers either.)
“”……””
Why do I get the feeling Pearl’s the only one talking sense?
“Anyway, let’s hunt that giant snake. Whether it’s edible—we’ll find out.”
“Fine. Let’s hurry before it gets dark.”
(Then let’s move. I already know roughly where it is.)
“Alright, let’s go!!”
We hopped onto Pearl’s back and headed deep into the forest. Before long, the trees grew thicker, letting in almost no sunlight, the air damp—a place reptiles might like.
(Ah, this must be it?)
Pearl pointed to a long, deep track where something huge has slithered. Judging by the marks, it’s pretty big.
“This thing’s massive, huh?”
“Yeah… never seen tracks this wide before.”
(… Joan, it’s not far now.)
“Got it. Let’s try not to damage the body. Pearl, shock it with Lightning to knock it out, and once it’s stunned, we’ll slice the head clean off.”
“Sounds good~ My Fire might char it too much. So Pearl’s Lightning? As expected of a Fenrir.”
“See~? That’s why I’m fine with being Null.”
“True… wait, I hear something.”
Belle’s right—there was a dragging noise. Then, through the trees, we caught a glimpse of a massive shape.
Here it comes.
From behind a giant tree, a red tongue flickers, then our eyes meet.
“Ugh—gross!!”
“It’s coming, Joan!”
Belle’s warning made me leap back just in time to dodge the giant snake’s strike.
“Whoa! Close one. Pearl—go!”
(Alrighty…) Crackle, crackle—
Thud.
The giant snake collapsed, stunned.
“Alright, let’s finish this.”
But as I approached, it suddenly lashed its tail, coiling to constrict me.
“Ghh… being squeezed is not my thing… ngh…”
“(Joan!!)”
“Stay… back!”
I stopped them from rushing in, picturing something from my storage. As soon as it appeared in my hand, I hurled it at the snake’s face.
It loosened its grip, thrashing in pain.
“Haa… haa… That hurt. Now—just die already!”
Breaking free, I slashed at its neck. But it was so thick that the head stayed attached, and it kept on thrashing.
“Ugh… gross… I’m out.”
“What!?”
Having the “baton” now passed to them, the two grumbled but finished the job in my stead.
What do you think about this chapter?
