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Chapter 10, Part 5: Yuuji, working hard in the snow rabbit hunt together with the pioneer citizens
Chapter 10, Part 5: Yuuji, working hard in the snow rabbit hunt together with the pioneer citizens
Chapter 10, Part 5: Yuuji, working hard in the snow rabbit hunt together with the pioneer citizens
Tl: Jun
ED: Jun
“Yuuji-nii, what will you do today? Alice wants to ride the sleigh again!”
“Oh really, you had fun too, huh Alice. Uhm, today I’m going to go hunting snow rabbits though…There’s plans to use the sleigh to transport them, so how about we ask if we could go together!”
Yuuji’s living room, where the heater was fully used.
Alice begged Yuuji, who finished his breakfast, to play with the sleigh.
Perhaps having heard Alice’s words, Kotarou too leaned onto Yuuji, who was sitting on the sofa, with sparkling eyes. Hunting with the sleigh, it would be wonderful! She was highly excited as if to say that.
‘Riese, today it’s snow rabbit hunting. I’m going to use the sleigh too, but will you go too?’ ‘Yes, Riese will go as well! Yuuji-nii… I wonder, do you have a spare bow and arrows? Riese is already a lady, so she can hunt her own prey on her own, you know!’
Riese asserted to the proud Yuuji. It seems that not only did she want to participate on the sleigh, she wanted to participate in hunting as well. As usual, she did not know its relation to a lady however.
‘The crossbows are with the guys in the pioneer land, but a bow, huh… How about we ask Mrs Nina and Mrs Celine!’
Yuuji said, and got up from the sofa. It appears he had decided today’s plans.
“Aalright then, we’re going to dress up warmly!” Receiving Yuuji’s announcement, Alice and Riese both ran off to Sakura’s room.
“Huh? Are you going with everyone?”
“Yeah. We’ll get rusty after all, if we don’t hunt once every so often”
Holding an armful of signboards written in elven language that were planned to be set up in places distant from the pioneer land, Yuuji headed to the meeting place. Waiting there were the four man former adventurers party who were preparing their equipment, and the catkin Nina.
“Mr Yuuji, these are the bow and arrows for Riese-chan’s use. They were used for Mark’s trainying, so Riese-chan should have nyo problem”
What the catkin Nina held out to Yuuji was a bow and a quiver with short arrows in it. She seems to have come to lend them all due to her son, the dogkin Mark, not participating in the hunt.
Riese accepted the bow and arrows along with an explanation from Yuuji. “Thank you” she told Nina with the local language, and immediately checked the bow’s condition. That appearance of her started to look quite appropriate. It seems to be true that she was able to hunt her prey on her own.
“Alright! Shall we depart then!? Err, let’s see, the one’s pulling the sleigh will be me and…”
Said Yuuji, and he looked around.
Who heard Yuuji’s voice and responded by stepping forward were the former adventurers party leader, Blaise, and the large man with the tank role, Dominique.
And there was Kotarou, who was jumping up and down in order to make an appeal by entering Yuuji’s sight.
The ones pulling the sleigh were three people and one dog; Kotarou, Yuuji, Blaise and Dominique.
Those moving freely for vigilance to the surrounding and the search for prey were the wife duo, catkin Nina and former adventurers party archer Celine, and the scout Enzo.
On the luggage carrier were the signboards written in elven words as well as Alice and Riese.
With a large family of eight people and a dog, they departed to the winter forest for the purpose of hunting snow rabbits.
“Yuuji-nii, we’re going slowly today, aren’t we!”
“That’s right, Alice. Hunting is our objective today after all. You have to be quiet too, Alice”
The sleigh, pulled by three men and a dog, slowly advanced. Playing with the sleigh was not today’s objective. Hunting was the main objective.
Alice and Riese still looked smilingly at the flowing scenery as they glided from a low position.
The leading Kotarou was dissatisfied however. Speed seemed to be more important than enjoying the air. She was after all an animal.
The ill-humored Kotarou suddenly stopped her feet and shifted her focus on the forest on her front right. *Grrr* Kotarou let out a soft growl.
Yuuji heard Kotarou’s signal and signaled Blaise and Dominique, who were pulling together with him, to stop the sleigh.
Yuuji had trained Kotarou to growl softly if she discovered enemies and prey. Incidentally, this was the signal when it didn’t seem like she had discovered an enemy and prey. The rule was to bark three times loudly when she discovered enemies.
It was difficult to understand due to it resembling a dog’s behavior, but they were due to the advice of the bulletin board resident, who said it should be easier to understand for Kotarou if it resembles.
“I won’t hand over this winter’s first snyow rabbit”
Catkin Nina declared to the group in whispers. It was a puzzling obsession. It was a puzzling obsession, but she was the only professional hunter among the group. The archer Celine did not seem to object either. Kotarou snorted her nose once. It was an attitude of looking down on someone as though to say fine by me. She was looking up from below due to being four-legged however.
With flowing movements Nina nocked an arrow and fired.
A tiny shriek was raised and then the sound of falling down with a thud.
It appears that the arrow that Nina fired hit the snow rabbit.
On a side note, Yuuji had never come across a snow rabbit. They were small white-furred animals in a snow-covered white forest. The end result is that he recognized the sound it made for the first time.
“Then, shall we go back about now?”
Yuuji called out to the group who were taking rest after bringing down yet another snow rabbit. The hunting progress thus far were one each for Nina and Celine and two for Kotarou. It was an excellent result for a one day trip of hunting.
Incidentally, whenever they stopped to hunt or to take a rest, Yuuji steadily installed the signboards written in elven words. It was a small effort as her guardian.
‘Yuuji-nii, if we find the next one, could Riese aim at it?’
Riese, who had been sitting obediently in the carrier and enjoying the sleigh together with Alice until now, called out to Yuuji. Yuuji headed to the group and interpreted Riese’s request.
Feeling satisfied with the hunting results so far, the group approved Riese’s request. Rather, they were amusing themselves a little with it. It was rare to see elves, but their hunts and such were even rarer.
Even if they considered them not so different from humans from the fact that they use bow and arrows, the former adventurers party and Nina could not seem to control their curiosity.
Amidst that, Kotarou approached Riese and licked her hand. She was not a pervert. Be strong, okay? Kotarou encouraged her. She was a gentle woman. Riese’s hand now smelled of animals however.
The group went on their way back to the pioneer land while slightly changing their route.
And then, Kotarou pulling the sleigh at the head stopped her feet and growled softly. It seems she had found another prey. As always she had the better enemy search abilities than the third rank adventurers. Due to having better nose and ears than human beings, that may be natural however.
Riese calmly stood up from the sleigh’s carrier and went on the snow. She had a dignified expression in some respects.
Behind Riese, Alice’s eyes were sparkling in anticipation. By no means was it anticipation towards the meat. It should be anticipation towards the gallant figure of Riese, who she had become intimate friends. Surely.
Amid the silence, Riese drew her bow to its limit.
She kept that posture for a few seconds.
The arrow was then fired.
They were awkward movements compared to Celine and Nina, but the arrow seemed to have captured its prey even so.
A tiny shriek and the sound of falling could be heard.
Riese quickly began to run.
Kotarou took off the rope connecting to the sleigh and lightly chase Riese. Snow did not seem to be a considerable obstacle for Kotarou.
Riese, having reached her prey before long, held up high the snow rabbit.
“Waah, Riese-chan, amazing!”
Did she hear Alice’s praise and clapping hands? Riese showed a proud expression.
However, unlike the snow rabbits brought down by Celine and Nina, the prey Riese had brought down was bleeding profusely, dyeing the beautiful snow rabbit’s fur red.
‘Uhmm, there’s still a long way to go I guess. Riese will be scolded by father if the fur is stained this much. I have to train more!’
‘Wow, you’re amazing Riese! And besides, it’s blood so it’ll come off if we wash it won’t it?’
Although she was showing a smiling face, Riese looked somewhat dissatisfied. She was an insecure lady.
Yuuji spoke as if covering for her. Well, it would be his thoughtless real opinion rather than a cover however.
She must have grasped Yuuji’s words. That’s right, then I suppose I should wash it, whispered Riese and used magic.
‘O origin of magic, dwelling in all creation. Hear my decree and manifest. O origin of magic, take on water’s role and remain in place. Be water <<Create Water>>’
The snow rabbit in Riese’s hand was wrapped up in water. And, as if ignoring gravity, it stayed coiled around the snow rabbit, not falling down.
Riese held both the snow rabbit’s ears with her left hand and rubbed its dirtied fur with her right hand.
Was it because it was immediately after it was dirtied or because it was magic water?
The snow rabbit’s bloodstained fur regained its beautiful white.
*huff* Riese took a breath.
As if to match her long breath, the water covering the snow rabbit flowed down. As if the spell literally had come undone.
Nina and the former adventurers party had their mouth open, flabbergasted.
Yuuji and Alice stared at those five with their heads tilted.
“Huh? What’s wrong? The magic is probably unusual, but me and Alice have used it, didn’t we?”
“Ah, yeah, that’s right… No you see, I’ve also seen water generation magic. There are people who can use it among the commoners if it’s just that much. Rather, Celine over there can use ignition and water generation magic too. But mr Yuuji, normally water generation magic ain’t gonna float that way. Might as well say it, but you and Alice-chan’s magic are strange too, you know?”
Who answered Yuuji’s question was the former adventurers party scout Enzo.
“Eh? I’ve heard that people who can use magic are rare, but… if the people who can use them form an image inside their head and ordered it, then it would invoke with just the question of one’s attribute affinity and amount of magic power, said Mr Kevin”
“O- oh, is that so. Mr Kevin’s knowledge is amazing, but yours are great too I guess…
Well, that’s fine, it’s a good thing after all, yup”
Enzo shook his head and looked at Yuuji and Alice with a somewhat amazed expression.
It appears that for the first time in four years in the other world, Yuuji seemed to have received a protagonist-like evaluation where he amazed the people in his surroundings.
Well, one could also say that they were amazed by his eccentricity, including magic and the shooting however.
Unconcerned with such adults, Riese and Alice were giggling in high spirits.
Well, Kotarou too was jumping around at their feet. They were happy-go-lucky girls.
But then again, the reason they were in high spirits was a bloody one that what they were holding was dinner however.
As usual, Yuuji seemed to be surrounded by carnivorous girls.