LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 12 - First Prey
“Kaito, what are you doing?”
“Well, is this old man okay?”
“O-Orlan, Captain… acquainted…”
“I know him, but what happened?”
“Well, um… that’s…”
“Stop mumbling. Hey, what happened? Ask Kaito, Kaito, speak up.”
“They demanded money from me, saying they got tangled with those guys. It was a hassle, so I tried to restrain them and hand them over to the guards, but then they started saying I threatened them. That’s not the worst part; this old man here didn’t listen to anything I said. After making a fuss alone, he told the guards to crush me and take me away. The viscount’s identification is useless.”
Orlan chuckled, but he clearly doesn’t like troublesome matters.
“Hmm, I heard your shouting from afar, but are you sure about what Kaito said?”
“The soldier next to that old man told him about the identification. Because he was shouting without trust and not suited for security work.”
“You, are you sure about what Kaito said?”
“Well, um, you see…”
“Okay, I got it. You go back to the barracks and be on suspension. Are you the vice-captain?”
“Yes, I am.”
“You take command. I’ll contact the captain. Take those guys, arrest them, and throw them in.”
“Can I go back now?”
Since he was fluttering his hand, I decided to go back to the hotel. Phew.
Having dinner, I received a message from Hyalda saying she would pick me up tomorrow morning, and I informed her that I would be waiting.
***
After breakfast, enjoying tea in the dining room, the carriage for pick-up arrived.
There are about ten guards, isn’t that too few?
“Orlan-san, good morning. Aren’t there too few guards?”
“With you around, it should be fine. Well, both of your magic has improved significantly, so we shouldn’t need that much guard. Get on.”
“Good morning.”
“Good morning. Where are we going?”
“Go left after leaving the gate. It takes about two hours by carriage.”
On the way, we deviated from the main road, traversed the plains, and arrived shortly.
“It’s a desolate place.”
“It’s barren. Where do Kaito and the others sleep?”
“Right next to it.”
Saying that, I opened a disguised door on the rock and revealed the entrance.
“Please be careful, it’s narrow.”
I illuminated the inside with a light and entered ahead, guiding them.
But, it’s not like a capsule hotel with only two beds spread out in a space of about eight tatami mats.
Next to the room is a narrow passage 2 meters high and 1.5 meters wide, with two bunk beds on each side, making a total of 10 on each side.
Beyond that, it turns into an L-shape, and there are four toilets. There are ventilation holes in four places.
Lighting the lamp for fixtures, the room’s layout can be seen dimly.
“Where are your belongings?”
“I don’t have any; they’re in the pouch.”
“Pouch?”
“It’s a magic pouch. It’s a reproduction of a magician’s spatial storage.”
“Oh, it really exists. That’s not fair.”
I told the knight guards that they don’t need to prepare for the night and invited them inside.
Looking at the bunk beds in the passage, the knight guards were amazed.
“Orlan-san, I’m going to build a fence for the horses, so please come.”
I told them I would decide the location for the horses and build the same thing as before, and built a cage resembling a birdcage.
“If the carriage is attacked, give up.”
Entering the accommodation, I locked the latch on the entrance and went downstairs.
The knights demonstrated their efficient abilities and were busy making their own beds.
When I asked how to handle the knights’ meals, they said not to worry because they have everything in the magic pouch.
Here too, a magic pouch!?
With Hyalda and Phine, along with Orlan, the four of us had a late lunch in the eight-mat room.
A table and chairs emerged from the magic pouch.
When I saw containers with food and dishes, I couldn’t stop laughing.
While eating, I asked about it.
Now, they can make a magic pouch that can store about 12 meters in height, width, and depth.
Time stop is impossible, and fresh food and dishes are bad in about half a year.
It lasts much longer than a refrigerator. It’s definitely at a usable level.
Decided, I’ll definitely get a magic pouch.
When I asked about the price, for the largest one, it’s 1,500 gold coins. Roughly converted to Japanese yen, it’s about 150 million. The smaller ones with dimensions of 12, 11, 10, 9, 8 meters are cheaper. For the 8-meter class, the technology is old, and the price is reasonable. The 8-meter class is around 700 gold coins. Reasonable, my foot! For a used one, it’s around 500 gold coins. In my previous life in Japan, there was nothing as convenient, and if it were released, it would be much more expensive.
“By the way, for a slightly smaller one that nobles or wealthy merchants would give to their children, there are pouches with prices ranging from 300 to 500 gold coins.
Once we return to the city, it was promised that they would take me to a magic tool shop.
My spatial storage is officially stated to be about the size of an adventurer’s luggage, and currently, it has grown to about a 2.8-meter sphere, so I want a magic pouch.
With a magic pouch, I wouldn’t have to hide my storage magic. It’s appealing to be able to use storage magic for food and valuables and the magic pouch for everything else.
I’ve suddenly become excited about returning to the city.
Lost in thought about various things in a dreamy state, Orlan’s unsophisticated voice brings me back to reality.
“To create something like this, it must have been tough.”
“For over five days, I experienced magic exhaustion twice a day. Thanks to that, I was able to get plenty of sleep. I’d like to provide a more comfortable space, but this is my limit with my magical power.”
Hyalda and Phine exchange glances, with a faint smile. I silently think, “Just be quiet!”
Accompanying the two, I go to the lookout point and explain the target through the gap.
I convey that there are targets at distances of 90, 80, 70, 60, 50, 40, and 30 meters from right to left, and let them try shooting.
The knights and Orlan are resting on bunk beds.
I’ll show them the speed tomorrow, so today, I advise them to shoot carefully towards the targets.
During dinner, feeling the presence of beasts, I quietly stand up and the two follow me to observe together.
Since it’s a safe distance for them, and they express the desire to shoot, I let them do it.
They lose their determination to kill and shoot just to hit the target. I let them shoot simultaneously at a distance of about 60 meters, and it seems that two Fang Boars are jumping and convulsing.
It was difficult to get the excited two back to the dinner table, but I’m pleased because my inference seems correct.
Before breakfast, dragged by the two who wanted to see the prey, I go to see the Fang Boars.
I ask where each of them aimed and shot. They say they aimed at the head, abdomen, and aimed at the heart, hitting the waist.
To refresh ourselves and enjoy the fresh air, we all go outside.
This kind of easygoing night camp is the first time for everyone, and everyone seems to have relaxed.
I order one of the knights to put away the two Fang Boars, and Hyalda is smiling happily.
Hyalda is like this when she’s scheming something, but I’ll pretend not to notice.
Everyone goes back underground, and I practice magic. I have Hyalda stay in the shadow of the 30-meter target.
We shoot the 40-meter target simultaneously, with me using a basketball-sized stone.
My stone passes by the target where Hyalda is, and a moment later, Fireball hits the target.
We repeat it three times, then change with Phine. Phine and I shoot, but the result is the same.
“How was it? Remember the speed difference and the speed of my ball, and use it in your image when shooting.”
“I thought I was copying Kaito because I thought Kaito’s magic speed was fast. However, when shooting side by side, it was only half as fast as Kaito. I didn’t expect such a difference.”
“Last night, hitting the Fang Boars was just luck. How do you imagine to achieve such speed?”
“Well, it might be the difference in imagination or delusion power. I thought I could shoot magic at the speed of the stone by watching the stone fly. However, if you imagine shooting it faster than the stone when shooting magic, it’s only natural that it will be faster than the speed the stone flies.”
“That’s right. Because it’s an image faster than the original stone.”
“At a distance of 40 meters, watch from a distance of more than 30 meters to the side. This time, I’ll reduce the hardness of the ball and aim for the target. Instead of the target, try to feel the speed of my shot ball crossing without following it with your eyes.”
We shoot with a five-shot interval.
Seeing the stone ball hitting the target and making a roaring sound, Phine’s hips retreated slightly. It was a sight for sore eyes.
Returning to the dome, we practiced shooting while imagining the speed we just saw. The target was 60 meters away, and I advised them to be careful not to take their eyes off the target when shooting magic.