Chapter 10 - The Night Companion (Part 3)

 

Strictly speaking, "we" is not quite the right word, because the duo of Chubby and Boney was not interested in me, but in Ervena.

I tapped Erwen's leg again.

"Mmm...

Not "mmm". Wake up faster. I know you're awake.

As soon as I heard their voices, I looked back and saw that she had covered her face with a blanket.

"Oh!"

Arguing with her was a waste of time, so I just grabbed her by the shoulder and forced her to her feet.

"Why are you pretending to be asleep?"

"Because...

Ervena broke off in mid-sentence and avoided my gaze.

It was quite unpleasant for me because I needed to get information from her as quickly as possible in order to make a decision.

As I grabbed her chin to look into her eyes, Ervena spoke reluctantly.

"Because you'll leave as soon as I wake up..."

Really.

I made a promise: if there was a fight with the explorer when one of us was on the Night's Watch, we would fight him together. But, unfortunately, this situation happened during my last promised shift.

Well, I didn't care about the honor of a warrior or anything like that, but... This woman doesn't know that.

She wanted our union to last as long as possible. She knew that as soon as she opened her eyes, our night companion pact would end.

First, I took a deep breath. If a grown man like Uncle Hans did something like that, I'd get angry... However, since she was only 20 years old, a feeling of pity arose in me.

Of course, this was this, and this was that.

"What happened to those two?"

"Nothing.

"Then why were you hiding?"

— ... The symbol engraved on their clothes was the same as that of the person who tried to harm me. They must belong to the same group.

Group... Hell, things are getting more serious.

I began to wonder if it would be better to just say goodbye to this elf and go our separate ways.

"Let's talk while we're moving."

"Will you help me?"

"After I find out the rest.

First I led Ervena out of this place. And while we were almost running, I tried to understand the situation.

"Tell me everything that happened."

As if understanding the atmosphere, Ervena briefly recounted only the important information without unnecessary details.

"On the first day, I met a night companion who attacked me while I was sleeping. Later I found out that he was a member of a band whose main stage was the 1st floor.

For reference, the name of the group is "Crystal Union".

"I managed to escape, but since then, people from the same organization have attacked me whenever they saw me. That's how I got wounded.

I stopped her there.

"Wait, how did they know what happened?"

— The Communication Stone.

What is this? The game I played didn't have anything like that.

— In more detail.

"This is a magical tool that allows you to communicate with the stones of the message, which have resonated with each other in advance. I heard that the range is about 300 yards (270 m).

- I see.

It was something like a walkie-talkie. If the frequency has been set in advance, communication is possible within a radius of up to 300 yards.

Gradually, I began to understand the situation. If these people had such magical tools and enough manpower, the transfer of information would be easy even in such a closed environment.

However, the problem was as follows...

"Why did they go so far as to catch you?"

Ervena did nothing wrong. So why are they trying so hard to pursue this victim?

"Is it to silence you?"

— ... I don't think that's the only thing.

"Is there anything else?"

"Because...

Ervena, who had previously answered questions in a straightforward manner, did not dare to speak this time. There was nothing I could do about it.

At least, that's what I was thinking when she finally answered:

"When I first escaped, I swung a knife. But it so happened that I ended up in a not very good place...

— ... Not very good?

Goosebumps ran through my body. A cold breeze swept past my groin.

"You know, it's... This is... is this place...?

I was right.

"Ahem, anyway, according to those who chased me, it was completely cut off, so it can't be restored even with a potion..." I think that's why...

Now I understood why their eyes were burning with revenge.

"P-p-p-I'm sorry...

But there was nothing to apologize for. Wasn't he the one who ran into it in the first place? It was karma. The problem was that there were too many people in the world who didn't understand this simple logic.

"Uncle, I think someone is following us.

"What?"

"Don't look back.

I focused on hearing him, but I couldn't hear anything.

"Distance... They're about 150 yards away.

It was a strange distance to feel someone's presence, but it didn't feel like a lie. She had no reason to lie.

So this is the innate ability of elves to detect Qi?

Suddenly, she looked different in my eyes.

"We need to speed up, do you mind?"

— Yes. I can still stand it.

Despite the fact that the white bandage was stained red from the wound, Ervena did not utter a sound of pain. She showed great determination. This complicated my understanding of it.

"How far is the tracker?"

— ... It's still about 150 yards away.

Even though I've increased my speed, the distance between us hasn't changed. Things were not going well. Now the ranger must be communicating our location to his comrades with the help of a stone or something else.

Get rid of him?

If it were me, I would certainly have made such a decision. But I was still just running. After killing one of them, I couldn't retreat anymore. Therefore, I needed to clarify something before making a decision.

"D-Uncle...?"

How much risk do I take, and what can I get in return? I needed more information.

"Ervena."

"D-yes?"

"What can you do?"

"I know how to wash and tidy. I don't know how to cook, but...

What does it bring?

"What can you do in battle!"

— ... A — shoot a bow! Oh, and elemental magic too!

A standard elf archer.

"Type?"

— ... Fire.

Hmph, this was the most valuable type of magic. Thanks to this, I could now imagine him in my head.

"Have you ever killed anyone?"

"No... But I could.

It was something you could only think you knew.

- I see.

I finally asked her.

"Erwina, would you like to be my companion?" The duration is until we get out of the maze, and the loot is distributed as follows: 90% for me and 10% for you.

"I... I agree!

And this served as an excuse for me.

"I swear by the name of my clan.

"I also swear by the honor of a warrior.

We sealed it as a sign of trust as before, and developed relationships from night companion to temporary teammates.

At the same time, of course, they fled like crazy.

"Distance?"

"About 100 yards!"

Even at my maximum speed, the distance between us and him was getting smaller. I decided.

"We'll run away to the outskirts."

"Good!"

I turned around and walked into the dark passages. The crystals shining on the walls and ceilings became fewer and fewer, and soon complete darkness descended on us.

I had mixed emotions. After all, I didn't know that I would come back here on my own feet.

"Erwena, summon the spirit.

Watermelon-sized flames floated in her palm, illuminating the surroundings. Watching the floor, we quickly made our way through the darkness.

And then...

"Recall the spirit."

We hid in the dark.

"A pursuer?"

"You'll be able to hear it soon, too."

- I see.

I kept my composure as much as I could and focused on listening. It would be best if the ranger let us pass and pass by. Then there would be no need to kill him, and I would be able to get out of this deal.

*Tap-tap-tap-tap-tap-

Soon I heard the footsteps of the running tracker even with my own ears. However, contrary to my hopes, he did not pass us by. The sound of his footsteps stopped right before the intersection from which we had turned.

!

It seems that the ranger had a way of tracking us down. A smell, a sound, or perhaps even something magical.

— …

*Tap-tap-tap*

He turned and walked slowly toward us, stopping about 30 yards away, right at the border, where the bottomless darkness begins.

He stuck his head inside and looked around. We held our breath from the inside and watched.

"There you are.

The man sniffed several times in the silence and muttered to himself. Then he took something out of his pocket. It was an object that I had never seen in my life, but intuitively understood its purpose.

The Stone of Communication.

As soon as I saw the object, I gave a signal in a low voice in the direction of Ervena, who had been directing her arrow with a taut string all this time.

"Shoot."

*Whoosh... Shonnk*

Before I could finish speaking, an arrow pierced the man's forehead.

*Thangq*

Despite the fact that the man was lying dead on the ground, I did not immediately move.

I could feel the uncontrollable trembling of Ervena, who was next to me.

"Good job. If you hesitated, it would be dangerous.

It was not an empty compliment, but the truth. Didn't I pause when I lowered my shield? Ervena didn't even have time for that. Even if I hadn't told her, she knew it herself. She couldn't hesitate.

"Yes...

"Rest a little."

At this point, the comforting words ended. I stepped out of the darkness and searched the pursuer's body. Perhaps he left his backpack behind to move faster, because it was so modestly equipped.

First, after removing all of the ranger's gear from head to toe, I arranged the items one by one.

A belt, a leather shirt and pants, two daggers, a rather weighty bag with mana stones, a bottle of potion that was kept in a pocket tied to the belt, and even a communication stone.

After a rough classification, I called Ervena.

"Good. Come here.

Then I removed her bandages and treated the wound with a potion. The wound began to heal with a hissing sound.

"*Ugh*...

It was okay to make noise, but Ervena gritted her teeth and endured.

So this woman also had a hard side. Or maybe she just lost him?

I hoped it was the first. But I wasn't sure.

"Are you better?"

— Yes. Much better.

"Then change into this."

After a few minutes of treating the wound, I held out the leather shirt and underwear I had just obtained. I decided that it was much more practical than loose clothing.

"Let me go put this on."

Perhaps she decided that following my judgment was the best way to save her life. They might have been uncomfortable, but Ervena immediately picked up her clothes and stepped into the darkness to change her clothes.

"It's a bit of a hindrance. Come here.

I cut off the protruding hem on her arms and legs for her.

"Put this on too." It will be a little better.

Overall, she looked a little baggy, but with a belt, she looked quite comfortable. However, due to the change of clothes, she emitted a completely different aura. If before she looked like an elf on a walk, now she looked like a full-fledged female warrior. Even the expression on his face.

— ... The sensations are very strange.

"You'll get used to it.

"Really...?"

"Yes, you'll get used to it.

I stuffed all the other things into my backpack and dragged the naked corpse into the darkness. Then I took the message stone in my hand.

— How to use it?

"Wait a minute." I'll try.

Erwina looked at the message stone and pressed something.

[... Cerdin was chasing an elf bitch and a barbarian, but we lost contact. Everyone who has received this message is to gather in the Goblin Zone].

So far, everything has gone as I expected.