Chapter 43: Full Moon Wolf 3
TL/Editor: Raei
Schedule: 5/Week Wed-Sun
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In the plains where the Full Moon Wolf vanished, only the sorrowful howls of the Horned Wolves echoed through the air.
As the sun replaced the full moon, adventurers from every corner began to gather around the scarred clearing where the Horned Wolves remained.
They were hired by mages and effectively dealt with the Horned Wolves in the field, tearing them apart brutally.
Their numbers may have been great, but there was no chance they could bridge the significant difference in ability.
The day's expedition wrapped up with a bang, as adventurers looked to profit by selling the materials of the Horned Wolves.
"Um, Mr. Roland? I'm not sure if there will be a next time, but..."
"Yes, I see. I understand."
In the midst of busy adventurers, a mage awkwardly converses with me.
As adventurers dealt with the remains of the Horned Wolves, the mages were collectively scouring the ruined clearing.
This was to find the loot of the Full Moon Wolf that disappeared, buried under piles of dirt.
... I'm relieved there's no bloody corpse, but I don't appreciate the loot being blasted away by the shockwave.
I admit I struck down too hard because I was fighting a boss monster, but I didn't expect the loot to end up hidden in the dirt.
"I found one!"
"Me too... no, wait, this just looks like one from a regular Horned Wolf?"
While the novice mages, much like graduate students, crawl on the dirt floor looking for loot, Irene also lends a hand, sifting through the soil.
How can I just watch while a party member, and a saint candidate at that, lend a hand?
Irene's protective shield easily blocked the dirt explosion, but sadly, nearby Horned Wolves died from flying gravel.
This mixed the loot of the Full Moon Wolf and the Horned Wolves.
In this ridiculous situation where digging the ground is like looking for buried treasure, Han Se-ah's face turns a shade darker.
"As expected, all the Full Moon Wolf loot seem like unsellable quest items. If the tower takes them all to construct the 10th-floor gate, there'll be nothing left. You guys should quit dreaming about slaying a Full Moon Wolf and buying gear with the money..."
Of course, they wouldn't give players loot that could easily bring in hundreds of gold coins.
She'd dreamt of striking it rich, mumbling to her viewers with a pout on her face.
The sound might not reach us, but the actions are visible, leading Irene to address Han Se-ah as she walks by.
"Sister Hanna, if you're tired, why don't you head back to the carriage and rest?"
"No! I'm fine. It's not that I'm tired, I was just...surprised. I was thinking about when I could become as strong as that... hehe."
Han Se-ah desperately made excuses, surprised to be singled out by the 5 nun.
Grace, who has unearthed a fair number of Horned Wolf loot from the dirt, silently passes some items to Han Se-ah.
Leaving Irene and Han Se-ah, Grace walks over to me.
"Um, Roland. Were you always this strong...?"
"I got my job as a monster hunter because of my strength."
"I didn't know you were this strong. You seem much stronger than the knights who occasionally come to the village to help with subjugations."
Her grumbling felt like it came not from the Ranger Grace, but from the village girl Grace.
A hint of embarrassment mixed in her eyes, and I had a hunch about what was going on.
"Why? Did you think that I risked my life in a desperate, hard-fought battle to protect your village?"
"...Ah, really."
When I asked with a smirk, her face fell as if she'd been hit square on.
Leaving her village to become an adventurer, joining my party at first sight, drunkenly latching onto me.
Her unusually bold behavior seemed motivated by a mix of affection and a sense of debt.
Yet, Grace, who didn't seem to dislike it, nudged my arm and refocused on the dirt floor, scratching the ground with her foot.
I joined her, chuckling quietly.
"We've collected all the Full Moon Wolf loot"
Han Se-ah announced, brandishing her staff.
She confidently declared that there were no more loot, perhaps confirmed through the quest window.
The novice mages sprung from the soil upon hearing her, their faces lighting up with relief.
They were understandably thrilled to be freed from their dirt-digging duties.
Of course, their break wouldn't last.
Now, they had to construct a gate connecting the 10th floor to the city using the Full Moon Wolf materials that Han Se-ah had diligently collected.
Considering it's a game, the creation wouldn't take long, and if they wanted to expedite the process, they would need to mobilize an excessive amount of manpower...
Who else could it be?
Some seemed to grasp their future tasks, their faces returning to a gloomy expression.
"Did you find everything? Let's see."
"Yes, sis. The tower will take all of it for research, but I suppose we can have a look before handing it over."
Grace moves closer, brimming with curiosity.
The nearby mages and adventurers also subtly shift our way.
The worth of the loot doesn't diminish just because you show it to others, so Han Se-ah pulls it out of her inventory with a flourish.
Pieces of horns as large as a human arm, eyeballs resembling crystals, foot-long fangs, and even larger claws.
If the loot of a Horned Wolf resembled shards of crystals, those of a Full Moon Wolf were of such quality they could pass for luxury items in an upscale boutique.
Their stunning appearance leaves onlookers agape.
"What are you all doing? Must Miss Hanna, who dealt with the Full Moon Wolf, handle everything herself?"
"No, sir!"
"Exactly, Janson. The expedition may have ended in a day, but our research isn't over. If you want your paper considered for submission to the association, you should start preparing now, right? And to the adventurers, the mages' tower intends to pay a premium for the by-products from the Horned Wolves affected by the Full Moon Wolf. However, they've no intention of overpaying for regular Horned Wolf by-products."
An elderly man who approached swiftly disperses everyone with a few words.
The hired adventurers begin to chase after the scattered Horned Wolves with intense determination, and the mage known as Janson accepts the Full Moon Wolf loot from Han Se-ah.
"Very good. The blueprint for the gate has already been prepared, so fear not, Miss Hanna. All that remains now is..."
One of the elderly men from the carriage earlier begins to converse with Han Se-ah, after shooing away the adventurers and mages.
In his gaze is something indescribable, unique to mages, not the inappropriate desires of an old man.
Noticing Han Se-ah's face turning blue almost instantly, I opened the chat sneakily but closed it within less than five seconds.
Both current and new viewers were spamming the chat with a barrage of blazing emotes.
Even with superhuman vision, it was going by too fast to read any of the text.
It looks like the viewers are unable to adjust to the ramblings of the old mages.
Even Grace, with her friendly disposition, ran from the inn before, unable to contribute to the conversation.
"Um, Roland! We have to report to the Adventurer's Guild, don't we?"
Han Se-ah, frantically thinking, casts an anxious glance at me as she blurts out a hastily fabricated lie.
There's no need to separately report that the Full Moon Wolf has been exterminated and that the tower has purchased all its loot.
Her blue-tinged face was rather endearing, and I wanted to tease her a bit by feigning ignorance... but what concerns me is the chat.
While climbing the tower, what happened inside the carriage that made not only the regular viewers but also newcomers -even foreign usernames- flood the chat with emotes?
Viewers are literally spamming as fast as they can, even at the risk of getting banned.
"Alright. We need to report to the Adventurer's Guild, and considering the kids under Irene's care, it might be best to head to the temple right away."
"But, Miss Hanna..."
"Yes, yes. We can't show off the Full Moon Wolf loot, but everyone will enjoy hearing the tale. The children were frightened when a Horned Wolf appeared from the alley behind the temple."
"Well, we have no choice."
Even the unabashed old man seems defenseless against Irene's innocent smile.
There's nothing you can do if even the priestess declares she'll escort Han Se-ah to the temple for the sake of the orphans.
It seems I'll be spending tonight at the temple rather than celebrating.
Han Se-ah latches onto Irene's arm as if she fears being hauled off to the tower if she lets go.
"Oh my, you must have been terrified. I was shocked myself when I saw the wave of dirt covering the shield."
"Yes, yes. So, how about we go faster..."
Come to think of it, are all mages, including Charlotte, fond of chattering?
Reflecting on the mages I've met during my ten years of adventuring, about 70-80% of them appear quite talkative.
...Anyway, aren't these viewers a bit too transparent with their desires?
As Han Se-ah clings to Irene's arm and quickens their pace, Irene's figure naturally comes into view.
The thick and plain nun's robe is pulled slightly, inadvertently revealing her shapely silhouette.
Her ample bosom, rivaling Grace's, sways as the fabric of the nun's robe is gently tugged.
The emotes in the chat, which I reopened out of curiosity, quickly transform into hearts.
Really, they're brutally honest.
***
This was supposed to be out much earlier... But uhh laziness happens sometimes somewhat often... whoops. Two more chaps for Sunday.
Also changing 'byproducts' to 'loot' / 'materials' depending on the context. I was playing the new Zelda when I had a smack on the head moment from seeing a horn drop from a dead bokoblin.
3/5 Enjoy the chappy!
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