Chapter 1:
A Shocking Encounter
AFTER A LONG, hard journey, we’d finally made it to the Beastman Nation.
I guess we should go to the Horned Cart Union, I said.
Hm, Fran agreed.
We left our inn and went for a walk around the city. The guild had recommended the horned carts as the preferable way to reach Bestia, the nation’s capital. There, we would find Kiara, an old Black Cat known to two of our friends from Ulmutt—their Guildmaster, Dias, and Aurel, the face of Ulmutt.
Officially, we were on a Personal Quest to confirm Kiara’s whereabouts, as she had been missing for a long time. The quest was the guild’s way of protecting Fran from the clutches of the Beast King, but as it turned out, Rigdith wasn’t so bad after all. He was a pretty good guy, in fact—and fully supportive of the Black Cats. This meant we no longer needed the protection of the Personal Quest, though there was no immediate way to revoke it. Still, at least our visit to the Beastman Nation wouldn’t be as tense as we’d initially feared.
As we walked, the beastmen in the streets turned to stare at Fran.
“Hey, isn’t that…?”
“No way…”
They couldn’t ignore the existence of an evolved Black Cat in their midst, and we no longer needed to hide it. If anything, we wanted to spread the news! We wanted as many Black Cats as possible to know the conditions for their evolution, and getting people talking about Fran was a way to achieve that.
If we could help enough Black Cats evolve, it might end the other beastmen’s disdain for them. Thanks to the Beast King’s network of merchants and aristocrats, the news was already spreading far and wide. Seeing Fran in the flesh would only cement that.
“Is that the right building?” Fran asked.
I think so. It has a blue rooftop.
The sign outside read Horned Cart Union Branch. Inside, the branch looked a lot like the Adventurer’s Guild. A uniformed receptionist even came over to welcome us with a polite “Hello, there!”
The woman was human, meaning she had no idea what Fran was. When we’d walked into the guild earlier, the beastman receptionist had given us nothing short of a royal welcome. The streets were abuzz with rumors that the so-called Black Lightning Princess walked in their midst; I’d even spotted some older beastmen clasping their hands in reverence as Fran walked past.
They seemed to take an almost primal joy in seeing an evolved Black Cat, as though they were witnessing a miracle. This would take some getting used to.
“I have some questions,” Fran told the receptionist.
“Is this your first time riding a horned cart?”
“Hm.”
The receptionist proceeded to explain the basics. A horned cart was a mode of transport powered by a rhino-like monster called a Dual Horn. The Dual Horns were fast, and had more stamina than horses, which allowed them to travel great distances without resting. They were also F-Threat monsters, so they deterred bandits and other monsters along the road as well.
“I see,” said Fran.
“Now, have a look at this.”
The receptionist unrolled a lambskin parchment containing a list of prices for horned-cart services. There were details of the routes, charter rates, and cost by distance.
“I’d like to go to the capital,” said Fran.
“A ride to Bestia starts at 40,000G for a shared cart and 120,000G for a private cart. The journey will take you ten days.”
“That’s a lot.”
No kidding! A lot of time and money. Was this our only option?
The receptionist pointed to an area on the map. “This is Grayseal, where we are. And this is Bestia.”
Fran frowned. “It doesn’t look that far.”
Grayseal was located on the eastern seaboard of the continent of Chrome. The capital was to the west. I didn’t know the map’s scale, but surely that shouldn’t take ten days to traverse?
“It is quite close as the crow flies,” said the receptionist. “But look here.”
She pointed to a patch of green that separated Grayseal and the capital on the map.
“‘Forest of the Scorpion Lion’?” Fran read.
“Yes. It is a thick forest Haunt known to be the habitat of a C-Threat Manticore.”
A C-Threat? That was powerful enough to level a large city.
“The forest stretches far to the north and south,” said the receptionist. “Skirting it adds significant time to the journey, but that’s the only way to be safe.”
I guess even the horned carts have their limits.
“Is there a way to go right through the forest?” asked Fran.
“Yes, but it’s very difficult. Maybe even impossible for anyone who isn’t a professional adventurer.”
“I’m an adventurer.”
“I see. It will still be a dangerous prospect, especially if you are traveling alone.”
What a nice lady. This was usually the part when people condescendingly lectured Fran about how she’d never make it, taking her for a powerless little girl, but this woman just politely and respectfully explained the situation. She hadn’t even mentioned money yet.
“If you are an adventurer,” she said, “you’ll want to go to this town here. It’s a sort of staging post for entering the Haunt.”
She pointed to a town right next to the Forest of the Scorpion Lion.
“‘Argent Lapin’?” Fran read.
“Yes, that’s the one. You can enter the forest from there, and you can also form an expedition party to pass through the Haunt.”
So, we could either take the long way round, or go to this town and make a beeline through the forest. The choice was obvious, really. We were more than capable of surviving a C-Rank Haunt, but that still left the problem of reaching Argent Lapin. The town was due west of here, according to the map, but the situation on the ground was probably more complicated than that. I mean, who knew what kind of terrain we’d have to pass through to get there?
“How much to Argent Lapin?” Fran asked.
“It is 3,000G for ride sharing,” said the receptionist, “and 9,000G if you wish to charter your own cart. The journey takes a day.”
Perfect! We should start by taking a horned cart to Argent Lapin, I said.
Agreed.
At least then, we don’t have to worry about getting lost! Besides, I really wanted to travel in one of these horned carts!
We put down a reservation for a shared ride the next morning. By sharing the cart, we’d have the chance to speak to the other passengers and spread the news of Black Cat evolution even further.
“May I have your identification?” the receptionist asked.
“Will my Adventurer Card do?”
“Of course.”
“Here.”
“Thank you. Wait, C-Rank? What?” She looked at the card, then at Fran, then back at the card. She even touched the card with a verification crystal and watched the crystal light up, signifying that the card was genuine. “And it’s…real?”
“Hm. Real.”
“I-I’m so sorry! Here is your card. I apologize for my terrible manners.”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“But…wow, a C-Rank adventurer!” The receptionist was still being polite, but she clearly saw Fran in a different light now. Great respect had replaced her warm feelings for a young adventurer.
“Hm.”
“We’re actually offering discounts to adventurers who can double as guards,” said the receptionist. “There’s been a shortage of people to guard the horned carts recently, you see. A C-Rank adventurer like yourself would get fifty percent off. What do you think?”
“A guard shortage?” Fran asked. “I thought this city had a lot of adventurers.”
“Most are busy protecting the ships,” said the receptionist. “Also, things have been a little tense lately.”
“What do you mean?”
“Aah. Did you just arrive in town?”
“Hm.”
“Well, our king is away at the moment, so tensions with neighboring nations have been high. Most of our soldiers are posted along the borders, which means there are fewer patrolling the cities.”
“Is there going to be a war?” Fran asked.
“I don’t think so. We do have a treaty with Basharl, although we’ve never been on good terms with our neighbors.”
The Beastman Nation espoused peace and equality these days, but they’d done some pretty terrible things to other people in the past. Basharl was founded by humans who had fled from the Beastman Nation—or been driven out, some might say. The humans founded their own kingdom and had had little to do with the beastmen since. In fact, Basharl’s politics had grown increasingly extreme in that time, to the point that ideas of human supremacy were gaining ground.
“I know I’m human,” said the receptionist. “But Basharl went too far. I mean, they used to proclaim that beastmen were an inferior species. They even tried to enslave them!”
“But they don’t do that anymore?” Fran asked.
“No. A moderate took the throne of Basharl about a hundred years ago. Since then, the two nations have virtually ignored each other.”
Better that than all-out war, I supposed, but the situation was still far from ideal. Both states were left eyeing each other warily across the border. The Beast King commanded a mighty army, and it was unlikely Basharl would try anything. However, they were still mustering their forces, so the Beastman Nation had to do the same. Basharl’s official story was that they were preparing to conquer a dungeon, but the receptionist was unconvinced.
“I’ve never heard anything about dungeons in that region,” she said. “If one’s newly established, they shouldn’t need tens of thousands of soldiers to clean it out. I think they’re just trying to intimidate us.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Anyway, that’s why we’re looking for caravan guards. What do you say?”
The discount wasn’t much use to us, but guarding the caravan was an official, guild-approved quest, so we accepted all the same. We were already riding the horned cart to Argent Lupin—might as well make the journey more interesting.
“I’ll keep the horned cart safe to Argent Lupin,” Fran said.
“Thank you. Your ride will leave at six o’clock tomorrow morning. Is that all right?”
“Hm. No problem.”
“Thank you very much. We’ll be waiting.”
And with that, our ride was sorted out.
Let’s look for an inn, I suggested. Then we can take it easy until tomorrow.
“No. We have to eat the local signature dishes first.”
Signature dishes?
“That’s what the sign said.”
Of course. Fran’s sharp eyes were second to none when it came to food. Besides, there were plenty of inns in town. Even if they were somehow all booked, we could always stay at the Adventurer’s Guild.
All right, then. Let’s go to the shop you saw.
“Hm!” Fran nodded, her eyes twinkling.
“Woof!”
Of course, Jet—who’d been asleep in Fran’s shadow until then—was awake at the first mention of food. Honestly, he was just as big a glutton as her. At least it would be interesting to learn a thing or two about the local cuisine.
So, where is the shop? I asked.
“Over there. Let’s go.”
“Woof woof!”
The horned cart rattled swiftly along the path, moving much faster than its horse-drawn cousins. As it sped along the road to Argent Lupin, we kept watch for any bandits or monsters, but so far everything was quiet. With no enemies around, this was just like any other cart ride. Well, aside from the speed.
“Please, Lady Fran. Take this.”
“Thanks.”
“You should have this as well.”
“Hm.”
“This too, if you’d be so kind—”
The other beastmen in the cart clearly enjoyed Fran’s company. They doted on her, showering her with snacks and bread. Most were older citizens, though despite their advanced age, none had managed to evolve. Perhaps that was why they showed Fran such special reverence—or perhaps it was because of the news that the reviled Black Cats had finally rediscovered the secrets of evolution. A passerby might take the scene for a group of grandparents doting on their favorite grandchild, but I could tell they looked at Fran like she was some kind of national hero.
The beastmen’s actual grandchildren were also awed by Fran, albeit much more cheerful and vocal about it.
“It’s so cool to be evolved.”
“Yes, Lady Fran!”
“You’re the coolest!”
“M-monsters!” the driver shouted.
The smiles disappeared from everyone’s faces at once.
“Monsters?”
“Eeek!”
“I’m scared!”
“What’s going on…?”
Suddenly, the atmosphere was tense. The elderly beastmen shrank back with fear, and the children retreated toward them. Everyone’s eyes turned on Fran, pleading for her help.
“Don’t worry,” she said. “I’ll handle it.”
“Wow!”
“Yeah!”
“You can do it, Lady Fran!”
Fran patted the children’s heads, then climbed up to sit beside the driver.
“L-Lady Fran!”
“What are we up against?” she asked.
“Them!”
A few small shadows surrounded the cart. The driver was a deer beastman, a tribe known for good eyesight. He’d spotted the shadows early, but now the creatures started to move in. There were ten canine monsters in total, each around the size of a German Shepherd.
“Can’t you just blow through them?” Fran asked.
“Pl-please be reasonable, ma’am!”
Really? I would have thought that the rhinoceros-like Dual Horn would make short work of these things. Sure, there was a pack of them, but they didn’t look that strong.
Only as the monsters drew closer did I understand the problem. These were Venom Dogs, notorious for their deadly venom. Weak as they were, a single graze from their fangs would guarantee death. This many Venom Dogs could even incapacitate our Dual Horn. We had to kill them before they got any closer.
“Keep going,” said Fran. “Don’t slow down.”
“A-are you sure?”
“I’ve got this.”
“Y-yes, ma’am!”
The driver obeyed Fran without any further argument. I figured being evolved had some benefits after all.
Let’s get to it!
“Hm.”
Fran drew me and threw me from her hand straight into the pack. Thanks to Mana Sense, I knew the exact location of the Venom Dogs’ crystals. I propelled myself with Telekinetic Catapult and split two monsters’ heads, swallowing their delicious crystals. I held the rest in place with Telekinesis and Wind Magic, then made quick work of them. Their fangs were dangerous, but had no effect on steel.
I absorbed the last crystals and collected their corpses—they weren’t valuable, but it was always worth taking things if you could.
“That…” said the driver.
“Hm?”
“That was amazing, ma’am. That’s all.”
He looked both astonished and confused, but didn’t ask Fran any questions. That would’ve been a breach of basic adventurer etiquette, after all.
“That’s the last of them,” said Fran. “They’re all gone now.”
“I see. Thank you for your help.”
I surveyed the area for more monsters before returning to Fran’s side. She put me back in my sheath, and we returned inside the horned cart. The elderly beastmen were already showering us with gratitude.
“Thank you so much!”
“You’re safe now,” said Fran.
“I owe you my life!”
“You really don’t.”
“Thank you so much, dear.”
“All in a day’s work.”
Fran tried to be polite, but the praise just kept coming. Unused to this kind of treatment, she didn’t really know what to do. In the end, she said she was going to go look out for more monsters, then fled to sit beside the driver. We wanted other beastmen to see what an evolved Black Cat could do, but Fran needed some rest too.
“That was quite a commotion you had going there,” said the driver.
“Hm.”
He laughed politely, then left Fran alone to focus on his driving. She settled back beside him and sighed with relief. She wasn’t bothered by the silence, watching the path as the horned cart charged down the road.
We encountered no further monsters, and the rhythmic vibrations of the cart made Fran sleepy. Soon, she slipped into a well-earned afternoon nap.
Four hours later, we finally saw a town on the horizon, protected by high walls.
“Is that it?” Fran asked.
“Yes. That’s Argent Lupin.”
We were finally here!
“Is there an Adventurer’s Guild there?”
“Oh yes, and it’s a big one, too. It’s right inside the entrance; you can’t miss it.”
The horned cart stopped just outside the city walls, pulling up alongside some horse-drawn vehicles. Apparently, this was the equivalent of a bus terminal.
“And that marks the end of your guard duty,” said the driver. “Thanks again.”
“Hm.”
Since our payment had been a discount, no money changed hands. The driver turned to inform the passengers that we had arrived at our destination, and they all cheered as we disembarked. Four hours was a long time to go without a rest stop, but stops were reserved for ultra-long-distance trips.
Once we were on the ground, everyone bowed to Fran.
“Thank you so much, young lady!”
“Thank you, dear.”
“Goodbye, Lady Fran!”
“Hm.”
Was it going to be like this the whole time we were in the Beastman Nation? That might be an unavoidable part of our quest to change how people saw the Black Cats, but Fran would have a rough time if this continued.
“Teacher?”
What’s up?
“I’m tired.”
We’d just have to find a way to get used to it.
At least we had no trouble getting into the town—the second the guards spotted Fran, they stepped aside to let her through. They even saluted her as we passed!
Just as the driver said, the Adventurer’s Guild was right by the gate. The one back in Grayseal had been large, but this one was even more impressively built. Were all the guildhouses in the Beastman Nation this huge? Maybe it was just a question of supply and demand. The one in Grayseal served a big and bustling port town, after all, and Argent Lupin was located right next to the Forest of the Scorpion Lion.
There’re lots of adventurers here.
“Hm.”
We spotted at least thirty adventurers in the guild tavern. The moment we set foot in the building, all their eyes were on Fran. Most looked shocked. I even heard something crash to the floor.
Best of all, not a single adventurer came forward to taunt us.
“W-welcome.” The receptionist greeted Fran with as much composure as she could muster.
“I’d like to sell some monster parts,” Fran said.
“I see. May I check your guild card for identification?”
“Hm.” Fran handed it over. “Fran, C-Rank Adventurer.”
“I-I knew it!”
Whoa—even the receptionist recognized her! As she studied Fran’s card, the woman’s face lit up even more.
“What’s wrong?” Fran asked.
“O-oh, excuse me. You wanted to sell monster parts. Please proceed to the trade counter over there. Do you have them with you?”
“Hm. Lots.”
“Very well. Right this way.” The receptionist led us to a space between the counter and the bar.
“Shall I just put them all here?” Fran asked.
“Yes.”
Should we really pile a heap of monster corpses right there? A whole herd of adventurers was drinking right next to us. Still, Fran took the receptionist’s words at face value and dropped the Venom Dog corpses where she indicated. We hadn’t had time to carve them up on the road, so they were still whole.
One adventurer let out a startled yelp, but after that, everyone settled down again. I guessed that they were used to this kind of thing. The looks they gave Fran were full of admiration, if anything. What was going on? Venom Dogs were only F-Threats.
“Did you…take out the whole pack?” the receptionist asked.
“Hm.”
“I see. Very impressive.”
As it turned out, Venom Dogs were much more dangerous than we’d given them credit for. Their fangs had put an end to many a low-rank adventurer’s career, and a pack was actually considered an E-Threat. You had to be at least D-Rank to stand a chance, and we’d annihilated them all with one hit.
The sharp-eyed adventurers noticed the corpses, as well as Fran’s Pocket Dimension, and immediately adjusted their opinion of how powerful she was.
“Can you eat these?” Fran asked the receptionist.
“Their flesh is poisonous, so no. However, you can use them to produce an antivenom, so they fetch a decent price.”
Deducting the butchering fee, each Venom Dog corpse (without its crystal) fetched around 5,000G. Pretty good for an E-Threat! That should cover our food and lodging quite nicely.
“Here you go,” said the receptionist, handing over the coins.
“Thanks. One more question.”
“Yes?”
“How do I get to the capital?”
“Here, let me show you.” The receptionist pulled out a map. This one was much more detailed than the one we’d seen at Grayseal’s Horned Cart Union, showing the various paths through the Haunt. “These are the available routes.”
She pointed to the Forest of the Scorpion Lion. There was a narrow path just slightly south of the town.
“As you can see,” said the receptionist, “there’s a path through this part of the forest. It’s known as the adventurer’s shortcut. If you take it, you should get through in around a day.”
“I hear there are Manticores,” said Fran. “What are my odds of running into one?”
“Oh, only one in a hundred, I’d say.”
Those weren’t bad odds, especially considering that the Haunt was named after them. I’d expected the whole area to be crawling with Scorpion Lions.
“That’s all?” Fran asked, sounding a little disappointed.
“Adventurers make for difficult prey.”
That meant the monsters were smart enough to assess the risk profile of their meals. The smarter beasts were likeliest to survive to old age, and were clever enough to hide in the thickest parts of the forest, whilst the younger, inexperienced Manticores were frequently seen around the shortcut. Groups of them even fought over territory there.
“There’s a clear path to the shortcut,” said the receptionist. “So, you shouldn’t have trouble finding it.”
According to the map, there was a town called Rose Raccoon at the other side of the shortcut. Much like Argent Lupin, it was a gathering place for adventurers preparing to enter the forest.
“I know you’ll be fine on your own, Lady Fran, but you should still put up a party posting once you’re there.”
“Party posting?” Fran asked.
“Yes. Traveling as part of a large group will make the trip safer, even if some members aren’t very good at fighting.”
Good, old-fashioned numbers were always useful against powerful enemies. And if we ran into something too strong for us, we could make a break for it while the monster was occupied with killing someone else. It was brutal, but adventurers knew the risks when they formed temporary caravans to set out into the forest together. However, we didn’t need a party. Other people would just slow us down, if anything.
We turned to leave, but a rather handsome adventurer called out to stop us. “Hello, there.”
“Hm? Hello.”
“I hear you’re going down the shortcut. Would you like to team up with us? We’re an E-Rank party, so we can pull our own weight.”
I don’t know, Fran. This guy looks pretty shady! He was an E-Rank, and human. I didn’t think he realized just how strong Fran was.
“Why me?” she asked.
“Well, everyone was staring at you,” he said. “Besides, I heard that you were C-Rank.”
“And you believe it?”
“Well, beastmen generally have better stats, and they’re way stronger in combat. Plus, I just ran into an awfully strong beastgirl the other day, and you’re clearly at least as powerful as she was.”
“I see.”
Apparently, he just wanted to see what Fran was made of. Still, we had to refuse. He wasn’t leaving until the day after tomorrow, and we weren’t waiting that long.
We had considered riding Jet over the forest, but there was no telling how much mana that would take. It wasn’t worth the risk of plummeting to earth somewhere in the deepest parts of the woods.
Well, let’s get going.
“Hm.”
We thanked the receptionist lady and left the guild.
It’s still early. We should make for the shortcut.
“Do you think we’ll run into Manticores?” Fran asked.
I know you’re excited, but you really shouldn’t jinx it.
Fran wasn’t deterred. “I can’t wait!”
Jinxes were one of the scariest things in the world. Sometimes, they helped some slack-jawed nobody hook up with the local beauty queen. Other times, they ruthlessly killed an old soldier reminiscing over a portrait of his daughter. The worst jinxes of all were the ones that ensured total and absolute defeat as soon as you muttered the magic words, “Did we win?”
Urgh—it was too late. Fran had done it now. I could feel it in my bones.
Something moved in the undergrowth. “Grooooar!”
One-in-a-hundred encounter rate, my hilt!
“Lucky us!” Fran cheered.
A giant lion with a scorpion’s tail broke out of the woods and charged straight at us.
Name: Manticore
Race: Lion
Level: 31
HP: 399/819; Magic: 81/196; Strength: 201; Agility: 350
Skills: Sensitive Sole 1; Heightened Olfactory 6; Stealth 4; Flame Breath 6; Vigilance 4; Harden 8; Brute Force 5; Impact Resistance 6; Abnormal Status Resistance 6; Life Sense 4; Claw Mastery 7; Claw Arts 7; Earth Magic 5; Poison Shot 6; Tail Strike 9; Fire Magic 3; Physical Barrier 7; Roar 5; Nightvision; Spirit Manipulation; Enhanced Fur; Hardened Fur; Venomfang
Lore: A monster with the body of a lion and the tail of a scorpion. Boasts higher-than-usual defense, but attack power is lower than creatures of a similar threat level. Comparatively easy to kill, as long as you are cautious with its poison stinger. Care should be taken, however, as Manticores often hunt in groups.
C-Threat
Crystal location: Heart
The Manticore’s stats were a little lower than other C-Threats we had fought in the past, but it was still tough. It had a decent amount of health, and an obscene amount of Resistance and Defense-based Skills. It was best not to get complacent. Venomfang and Brute Force made the monster a real force to be reckoned with on the battlefield.
At least, it would have been…if it were at full health.
“It’s almost dead,” said Fran.
Looks like it. More than half its life is gone.
The Manticore was covered in deep wounds. One of its front paws bled heavily, and its left eye was completely crushed. Even half of the creature’s tail was torn off—its stinger was no more.
Had it been fighting other Manticores for territory? The receptionist had told us that the young ones sometimes burst onto the path to avoid being killed by older ones. Either way, this Manticore had seen better days.
“Hm.”
“Grrr.” The Manticore sensed Fran’s strength and recoiled, but it was too wounded to run away. Instead, it hunkered down and prepared to attack.
Let’s get its crystal!
“Hm!”
Jet, you’re our lookout. There might be other Manticores nearby.
“Woof!”
Come on, Fran!
“Hm! Awaken!”
It’d be best if I took the lead in this fight. After all, the Manticore was particularly resilient against physical attacks. Magic was a better option.
“Groooar!”
“Hmph.” Fran focused on defense and evasion, repelling the creature’s attacks with Absolute Defense and Sword King Mastery.
Meanwhile, I concentrated on offense. To be on the safe side, I also prepared for teleportation—just in case we needed to get out of there. Then I pelted the Manticore with spells. Thunder Bolt! Thunder Bolt!
“Gyaaoooo!”
You gotta love Thunder Magic. Not only did it do a decent amount of damage, it paralyzed its target, locking down your enemy.
“Hm! It’s working!”
Let’s press the advantage.
I launched another barrage of thunder spells. A single Kanna Kamuy, or even a Thor’s Hammer, would have killed the Manticore in one shot, but those spells were so powerful that they tended to destroy the crystal. Better to go with a mid-tier spell!
Lightning Blast! Lightning Blast!
That was more than enough to fry one wounded C-Threat. By the fourth Lightning Blast, the Manticore had stopped moving.
“Did we win?”
Fran, stop jinxing it!
“Hm?”
Fortunately, there was nothing to worry about. The Manticore stayed dead, and none of its friends came to help.
I haven’t had a feast like this in a long time!
I stabbed the Manticore’s body and absorbed its crystal. A sudden rush of mana surged through my blade. There really was nothing like absorbing a powerful crystal! I definitely wouldn’t say no to another one of those. I got two hundred points out of that!
Unfortunately, I didn’t sense any more Manticores coming out of the bushes. I assumed Fran and I had already had our one-in-a-hundred shot.
“Grrr!” Jet growled.
“Something’s coming…!”
Yes, and it’s strong!
But this was no Manticore—it moved quickly, and carried far too much mana. Another (weaker) presence trailed behind it. If this thing was a monster, were we going to run into a whole pack?
If it comes to it, I’ll teleport us out of here.
“Hm.”
“Woof!”
Fran raised me in a guarded stance and waited for the mysterious presence to approach. I didn’t know what I expected to emerge from the bushes, but the figure that stepped out in front of us was nothing like it.
She looked down at the dead Manticore.
“Aah! That was my quarry!”
A girl. She couldn’t have been much older than Fran—she was quite small, with short, curly hair. She had a wide forehead, eyebrows so thick they looked painted on, white hair, white ears, and even snow-white skin. All of that only served to highlight the striking red of her eyes. I saw incredible power in those crimson orbs.
In contrast to her white features, she wore glistening black armor. It suited her, but looked far too heavy for a little girl to wear.
I tried to Identify her, but I couldn’t even tell which race she was. Whether by personal skill or a powerful item, she was protected from my Heavensight. Still, I’d seen enough beastmen to deduce that she was from one of the cat tribes.
She has Identity Protection, but she looks like a White Cat. What do you think, Fran? I asked.
White Cats don’t exist.
What—seriously?
Hm. I know the tribes of my own species.
O-oh.
Not a White Cat after all! So, what was she? Considering her ears and tail, she must have been some kind of cat. A White Leopard, maybe? A Tiger? Or was she something else entirely?
Fran frowned at her. She’s evolved.
Seriously? I asked.
I don’t know what race she is… That’s weird. Why can’t I tell?
As we mulled over this problem, the girl approached. We watched her, maintaining our guard. Despite the girl’s murderous stare, she didn’t look as though she meant us any immediate harm. Still, that didn’t mean we were going to let her come any closer.
“That’s as far as you go,” said Fran.
“Grr!” Jet agreed.
“Very well,” the girl said with a shrug.
She stopped where she stood, showing no indication of closing the distance. She doubtless sensed Fran’s power too, even from nearby. The girl raised her eyebrows. Perhaps she knew who Fran was? Maybe she was just surprised to see an evolved Black Cat. Her expression was hard to read.
Before we could ask any questions, something else approached through the bushes.
“Friend of yours?” Fran asked.
“Yes, indeed.”
Another figure came out from the underbrush, complaining. “You are too fast for me, young lady.”
You have to be kidding me, right?! I had seen some things in this world, but this might just take the cake. Is that…a maid?
It wasn’t like you never saw maids in this world—quite the opposite, in fact. However, something was very different about this one. Servant garb in this world generally prioritized function over style, but this woman wore a full gothloli-style French maid ensemble, complete with frills and lace.
Talk about style over substance! And yet she was nothing like the maids in the manga I used to read. Her outfit was demure, rather than titillating—a white-and-navy-blue apron, and a long skirt that was absolutely spotless, even though we were in the middle of a forest.
The maid had sharp eyes and an even sharper figure—like Fujiko from the Lupin series. Her chestnut hair was tied into a long braid, and her bangs parted right down the middle. Spectacles rested on the end of her nose. Their lenses were perfectly round. That definitely got her extra points!
She has beast ears too, I realized. They were hard to make out under her cap, but her ears were black and rather equine—pressed flat against her hair, almost blending into it.
Unlike the red-eyed girl, I could use Identify on this woman.
Name: Quina
Age: 29
Race: Gray Tapir; Dream Tapir
Class: Maid Chief
Level: 49/99
HP: 539; Magic: 651; Strength: 297; Agility: 312
Skills: Assassinate 7; Stealth 8;
Healing Magic 10; Royal Etiquette 6; Presence Sense 4; Conceal Presence 8; Illusion Magic 10; Phantom Magic 2; Bind 6; Weaving 7; Homicide Sense 8; Hush 7; Cleansing Magic 4; Abnormal Status Resistance 6; Interrogate 7; Mental Status Resistance 8; Laundry 8; Cleaning 10; Recovery Magic 4; Throwing Arts 8; Throwing Mastery 9; Venomology 8; Poison Sense 4; Magic Resistance 4; Mana Sense 6; Mana Drain 6; Water Magic 4; Cooking 8; Alchemy 4; Pain Disruption; Steadfast; Mana Control
Class Skills: Awaken; Phantasm; Maid Manners
Titles: Assassin Killer; Healing Mage; Illusion Mage; Survivor of Hell; Cleaning King; Royal Maid
Equipment: Divine Silk Maid Outfit; Divine Silk Gloves; Sorcerer’s Ring; Bracelet of Illusion Sealing
Okay, so she was pretty strong. Evolved too, and with more than a whiff of the assassin about her. By adventuring standards, she was a solid B-Rank, and it probably wouldn’t be long before she hit A-Rank.
“Young lady, how many times must I tell you not to stray too far?”
“Sorry, Quina, but the quarry was getting away.”
“And who might this be?” Quina asked, observing Fran coldly. The maid’s eyes were half-closed, as if she were sleepy, but they had an inquisitive quality. They reminded me of Fran’s eyes, although Quina seemed more interested in other people.
The sight of Fran didn’t seem to astonish either of them, which was a surprise. This had to be the first time since we’d arrived in the Beastman Nation that someone hadn’t gaped at her. Did they not realize that Fran was evolved?
“Honestly,” said Quina, “I am doing all I can not to faint from shock.”
“Indeed,” her charge agreed. “I have never seen you this rattled!”
So, Quina had noticed that Fran was evolved, at least—she was just very good at hiding her emotions. Still, the girl could read her. They must have known each other for a long time.
“State your name!” the girl shouted, glowering at Fran.
Wasn’t it polite to introduce yourself before demanding someone’s name?
Before I could complain to Fran, the girl spoke again. “No. I shall state my name, first of all! You may call me Mea!”
“I am Quina,” said her maid.
Mea placed her hands on her hips and puffed out her chest. Beside her, Quina bowed elegantly. What a strange pair! At least they didn’t seem like bad people.
“C-Rank adventurer, Fran,” Fran replied. “This is Jet.”
“Woof!”
“Fran,” said Mea. “The Black Lightning Princess? So, it is you.”
“Hm.”
She had heard of Fran. Perhaps Mea was an adventurer…but what kind of adventurer towed her maid around with her? Maybe they were merchants? Nope, they were too strong for that. And too stupid.
“We were not expecting to see you here,” Quina told Fran. “If only we could’ve met in a more amicable fashion.”
“Right!” Mea agreed. “Anyway, how dare you steal my quarry?!”
“Quarry?”
“The Manticore! I was just about to finish it!”
Mea pointed to the sizzling Manticore corpse beside us. I guess it wasn’t fleeing a turf war after all—just trying to get away from these two. Oops. No wonder it was half dead when Fran and I found it. If these two were just run-of-the-mill adventurers, I’d have suspected them of trying to score free materials from our kill, but they were unquestionably strong enough to beat that Manticore to half-health.
It was hardly our fault that they let the beast get away, but I sympathized with Mea. Fran and I would probably feel the same if someone stole our kill.
I’d rather not fight them, I said. What should we do?
Hm? We can just give them the Manticore.
You don’t mind?
Not at all.
The corpse was a price well worth paying to avoid a fight with Mea. I hoped she and Quina would accept the creature without its crystal, which I’d already absorbed. Still, adventurers liked to collect crystals. They could fetch a fair price.
“You can have the Manticore’s body,” Fran said.
Mea’s scowl remained. “I have no use for it!”
“Yes, we do, young lady,” Quina said calmly. “You know we are running low on travel funds.”
“Fine,” Mea pouted. “We shall have it! But do not think this settles our score! You took the hunt from me! And I’m so close to leveling up!”
Ah, so they needed to kill Manticore-class monsters to gain experience. Well, it was too late for that. Besides, that Manticore would probably have killed me and Fran if we hadn’t fought back.
“Your fault for letting it go,” said Fran.
“Urgh…” Mea pouted again, but she couldn’t argue.
“The Black Lightning Princess is perfectly correct, young lady,” Quina agreed.
“Mrrgh…” Mea glared at the dead Manticore. “Let us spar together, then,” she said, turning back to Fran. “Do that, and I shall consider us even!”
She was so haughty—and also so stinking cute. Fran seemed willing to accept the challenge, too. She normally hated the nobility, but these two were different. Mea’s swagger was natural and confident, not the kind of aristocratic sneer that demanded you defer, no matter how stupid they were.
“You want a match?” Fran grinned.
Uh-oh. I recognized that look.
“Again, young lady?” Quina asked.
“The Black Lightning Princess killed our Manticore! The least she can do is compensate me for the thrill of the hunt! And if she is as strong as they say she is, a match with her is worth ten Manticores.” Mea turned to look at Fran. “What do you say, Your Highness?”
Well, of course Fran was going to take Mea up on this. Her eyes already burned with excitement! She might not be one for words, but I could almost see her vibrate with energy.
“All right,” she said.
“Very good! Let us quit this place. We cannot fight here.”
“Hm!”
I scanned Mea and Quina to see whether they were lying, but I didn’t sense any ill intent. Mea really did just want a good, clean sparring match. Well, there was no harm in that.
“Where are we going?” Fran asked.
“First, out of this forest!”
“There is an open field beyond the woods,” said Quina. “There are small monsters there, but they should not trouble us much.”
The Forest of the Scorpion Lion might be a C-Threat Haunt, but aside from the forest’s signature Manticores, the local wildlife wasn’t very threatening. There might be plenty here to challenge ordinary adventurers, but our makeshift party was on another level.
Sure enough, Mea killed any monsters that came at us on our way out. What was more, she did it so brutally that I almost felt sorry for the beasts. This kid could’ve taken down a Manticore all on her own, if she wanted to.
As we walked, we discussed what to do with the materials from the monsters Mea killed. Eventually, we agreed that she could keep them, so long as Fran and I could have the crystals. Crystals from small monsters weren’t that valuable anyway.
Meanwhile, Quina stuffed the entire Manticore corpse into her item pouch. The pouch was like nothing we had ever seen. It only had a small opening, but it sucked the massive corpse straight in, shrinking the body as it went. Where had Quina found something like that?!
Fran and Mea chatted as we moved. Eventually, inevitably, the conversation turned to the subject of food.
“Curry? I’ve never heard of such a dish—”
“It is the ultimate cuisine—”
“Pancake? Very interesting—”
“I recommend katsudon—”
Quina silently followed behind them. Her ears still seemed to lie flat on her head, but I paid careful attention to her. After a while, I noticed her ears twitching subtly, scanning our surroundings for danger. This woman was something else!
***
Two hours later, we finally made it out of the forest and to the edge of a vast field. It was all exactly as Quina had described it.
“Now,” Mea cried, “have at you!”
“Hm!”
As soon as Mea and Fran were out of the forest, they drew their weapons and turned on each other. They were definitely keen, but Quina grabbed Mea’s head to stop her.
“One moment.”
“What is it now, Quina?!”
Wasn’t grabbing your mistress by her head a little disrespectful? Mea didn’t seem to mind, though. What a strange relationship.
“Let us go farther into the plains,” Quina said. “If you fight here, the two of you will hinder other travelers.”
Good point. After all, I doubted that mere swordplay would satisfy Fran and Mea. If they fought here, they might well rip up the whole path.
“Indeed,” Mea conceded. “You have a point! Come then, Fran!”
“All right.”
“This way,” Quina said.
She led us through the meadow for another ten minutes before we arrived in a wide clearing. It was perfect. Out here, we shouldn’t disturb anyone.
“You may begin your match here,” said Quina. “But you must take care not to kill each other. And no Awakens, please.”
“I know,” Mea sighed.
“Hm!” Fran agreed.
I might not have been able to Identify Mea, but it was no surprise that she could use Awaken. Given how strong she was, I would have been surprised if she couldn’t.
“However,” Quina went on, “you may critically injure each other if you wish. In that event, I shall heal you.”
“Ha ha!” Mea laughed. “I cannot wait!”
“Same.”
“What about your wolf friend?” Mea asked, gesturing to Jet. “Will he fight as well? I do not mind.”
Fran frowned. “But it’ll be two on one.”
“I shall manage!”
Fran tilted her head, but Mea just gave her a wide grin as she drew her sword. It had a wine-red grip and a pommel of glistening gold. It was of excellent quality, and glamorous to boot, but its most striking feature was the crimson dragon inlay that ran the length of its silver blade. From what we had seen so far, this enchanted sword was as deadly as it was beautiful.
“Mwa ha ha ha!” Mea laughed, pointing her sword toward the sky. “Come, Lind!”
What’s with all this mana?! It rushed from Mea like a wave, followed by a red shape rising out of the sword’s blade. Is that…a dragon?!
The red dragon emerged from Mea’s sword and came to life. The inlay was still on the blade, but the beast was right in front of us.
“Kyuooo!” it cried.
“Cute,” Fran said.
The beast was small, though. Only about a meter long, at most. Honestly, it was more of a drake than a dragon.
“Is that a Beast Weapon?” Fran asked.
“Nwa ha ha ha! Impressive, is it not? This is the Drakeblade Lind!”
Mea’s Identity Protection didn’t extend to her sword, so I took a look.
Name: Drakeblade Lind
Attack: 963; MP: 669; Durability: 887
Mana Conductivity: B+
Skills: Flame Resistance; Self-Repair; Summon Drakesoul
That was one strong sword…! Not only was its Attack value higher than mine, it also had an actual dragon living inside it. It might not have been a Godsword, but it was definitely in a league of its own.
B-but I still had more skills! I hadn’t lost yet! Sure, that sword was strong, but it wasn’t that strong! I could still do this!
Anyway, what was the dragon like?
Name: Lind
Race: Dragon Spirit
HP: 887; Magic: 669; Strength: 120; Agility: 300
Skills: Flame Breath 6; Fang Arts 4; Fang Mastery 5; Presence Sense 4; Regeneration 5; Abnormal Status Resistance 5; Mental Status Resistance 5; Rush 6; Thermal Detection 5; Flight 8; Fire Magic 5; Roar 4; Flame Immunity; Mana Manipulation
Unique Skill: Essence of Pyromancy 6
Lore: None
What, no lore or other details? I guessed that was because the dragon only lived in this one piece of equipment. Either way, it was strong. Not quite as strong as Jet, but still a solid D-Threat. It even possessed a Unique Skill.
I investigated Essence of Pyromancy, and discovered that it allowed the dragon to control any flames in its surroundings. I had no idea how that worked, but it seemed mighty useful.
“Lind shall face your wolf!” Mea declared.
“All right. Don’t lose, Jet.”
“Woof!” Jet agreed, turning to growl at Mea’s dragon.
“Ha ha!” Mea laughed. “He has no chance! Lind, show them the glory of the dragons!”
“Kyuooo!”
I figured everyone was getting pretty motivated.
“Let us begin the match,” said Quina. “May there be no hard feelings, no matter who rises victorious.”
“Of course,” Fran agreed.
Mea nodded. “Didn’t plan on it.”
The match started on Quina’s signal, but neither Mea nor Fran moved. Instead, they just glared at each other, swords at the ready.
“…”
“…”
After a few moments, they began taking very small steps, circling each other and exchanging advanced feints.
Mea seemed to realize that they were at an early stalemate, and rushed in to break the stillness. “Haaaa!”
“Hmph!”
The sharp clang of metal signaled the beginning of battle. Mea was pretty good with the sword. Good enough to keep up with Fran, although Fran’s Sword King Mastery quickly outclassed the girl. Soon enough, Mea had to defend herself against Fran’s flurry of strikes, but she didn’t seem fazed by going on the defensive. Her savage smile just grew broader, if anything.
“Ha ha ha! Impressive, Black Lightning Princess! As expected of the legendary lost tribe!”
“You’re not half bad yourself.”
“As much as it pains me to admit it, you are the better swordsman! But now, I shall hold nothing back!”
“Bring it on!”
They exchanged barbs alongside their blows. These two blood knights really were a good match for each other.
“You’ve proven yourself a master swordsman,” said Mea. “Now, how are you with magic?”
Mea shot out some flame spells, but Fran only put up a barrier and deflected them. The whirl of magic and sword strikes grew more and more intense—Fran only got faster and faster, while Mea used her superior strength to aim for a fatal blow. They were both smart enough to play to their strengths. With the way things were going, a single touch could mean death. But they just kept grinning, throwing everything they had into the fight.
There was little for me to do besides relax and enjoy the battle. Perhaps that was why I noticed that Mea sometimes fired a flame spell without casting anything. Was it some kind of silent magic, or could she control flames the same way that the Beast King could? Surely, she couldn’t be a Red Cat. She was bone white!
Still, I couldn’t deny that she and the Beast King were very much alike—if not in appearance, then in personality. Their vicious grins and combat styles were the same, too. I remembered Rigdith telling us about his daughter, but I couldn’t imagine that the princess of the Beastman Nation would be free to travel around like an adventurer, would she? Then again, this was Rigdith’s daughter. Could it be? I wasn’t quite sure what to make of it all.
As I pondered Mea’s identity, I turned my attention to Jet and the dragon. Now, that was a high-speed match!
“Grrrr!”
“Kyuooo!”
The two monsters chased each other around the clearing, bouncing off trees and rocks. To an ordinary observer, it would look like the two familiars were blinking in and out of existence as they fought.
Lind’s quickness truly shocked me. Somehow, the dragon reached top speed in mere moments, despite the fact that Jet was the one with the Agility advantage. Lind seemed to use jets of flame to accelerate, much like the flame spell Vernier. The creature had complete control over its movement, and could even turn tight corners in the blink of an eye.
Still, Jet had the advantage in every other respect. With his superior evasive and regenerative abilities, there was no way for Lind to finish him off. It didn’t look as though I had anything to worry about on that front, at least.
“Hm!”
“Bwa ha ha ha!” Mea laughed as she and Fran clashed swords.
They were both mightily enjoying the fight, but the stalemate was breaking. Mea was bleeding from several wounds, while Fran’s only injuries were superficial grazes. Fran was superior in both swordplay and magic, and Mea was having a hard time keeping up. Still, she showed no sign of giving in.
Mea put up a flame barrier and skipped backward to gain some distance. I sensed her battle fury rising. Surely, she must have something up her sleeve? Fran dispersed the barrier easily, but I still couldn’t figure out what Mea was up to. Her eyes shone with rage, and she let out an animalistic growl.
“Grrr…”
Then mana surged out of her—so much that the air crackled. Was Mea Awakening, or was this some other skill?
I watched her closely, preparing to teleport us to safety, even as Fran’s heart swelled with excitement and expectation. But then, Fran’s gaze shifted to something behind Mea. With a single strike, the figure dispersed Mea’s gathering cloud of mana.
“Gyaaaa!”
“Stop being foolish, young lady. Don’t think I don’t know what you were about to do.”
“Q-Quina…”
Quina had snuck up behind Mea, casting a water spell to pour buckets of the stuff over Mea’s head. The girl yelped with shock, then looked pitifully at her maidservant.
Quina must have used some kind of illusion spell to interrupt the duel unnoticed by Mea. When I saw Quina coming toward us, I thought she was about to intervene to stop Mea from losing, but soon I realized that Quina’s attention wasn’t focused on Fran.
“Were you seriously going to try and kill her, young lady?” Quina asked.
“I-I was about to lose—”
“So what if you were? Remember, this is a sparring match.”
“Urk.”
“Do you have anything to say for yourself, young lady?”
“I-I apologize!”
I guessed that that was the end of the match. Fran looked a little disappointed that she hadn’t gotten to finish fighting Mea, but she was satisfied enough not to insist on another round, at least.
Well, this had been an interesting encounter. We’d avoided Mea’s wrath, and Fran got to stretch her legs in the bargain. The two might have come uncomfortably close to killing each other, but strangely, they seemed to get along very well.
“You are indeed as strong as the rumors say, Fran!”
“You’re strong too, Mea.”
They shook hands.
Fran might have won this round, but Mea still had an ace up her sleeve for next time. “You should join us, Fran. We could travel together and duel all you want.”
“…!”
“Although…I suppose we are going in the opposite direction. Still, how about it?”
Wait, should this girl really be inviting total strangers to join up with her? Then again, maybe I was reading too much into it. Who knew what Mea’s circumstances were?
Fran’s eyes sparkled as she heard the proposal, but eventually she sighed and shook her head. “Sorry. I have a job to do.”
“Ah, I see.”
“But you could come with me, if you want,” Fran said.
A counterattack! Guess she didn’t want to part ways with Mea just yet.
“Are you going on to the capital from Rose Raccoon?” Mea asked.
“Hm.”
“Then I apologize. For my own reasons, I cannot go to either of those places,” Mea said, bowing her head.
“Reasons?” Fran asked.
“I cannot say. I’m sorry.”
Five minutes later, we were back on the road.
“Prepare yourself for the next time we meet,” said Mea. “For I shall surely win!”
“Kyuiiiii!”
We bade them farewell and made for the town, following Mea and Quina’s directions. Not bad, not bad at all. I got to see an awesome maid, and Fran made a new friend.
Lively to the end, those two, I said.
“Hm. I’ll win next time.”
“Woof!” Jet barked, reminding Fran of his existence.
“You’re right,” she corrected herself. “We’ll win next time.”
“Woof woof!”
We’ll have to get stronger by then, I told her.
“Hm!”
And we’d have to watch out for Quina. She was a pretty slippery character, while Mea seemed to prefer more straightforward strategies. Fran might have beaten the girl within the confines of a duel, but we had no idea what would happen if they both went all out. There was so much about Mea that we didn’t know.
This was the first time Fran had fought someone her age to a standstill. Of course, she had friends of her own, the prince and princess of Seedrun among them. But none of her peers fought with a sword and spells the way Fran did. Her duel with Mea taught her a lot—enough that I was worried she would become even more of a battle junkie!
As I fretted, Fran and Jet chased each other across the field toward Rose Raccoon, still hyped up from their duel. It made for a pretty intense game, but at least they weren’t attacking each other. Still, it was probably the only game of tag to incorporate Air Hops and a bunch of other movement skills.
“Teacher,” Fran said, “I can see the town!”
Yeah?
I wondered what Rose Raccoon was like. I hoped it had good food, at least. Fran and Jet would certainly be on the lookout for it!
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