Chapter 13: Preparation, Travel to the forest
(Edited by MaruPoyoPoyo)
For the next three days, I spent most of the time preparing for the training exercise. I asked the teacher about the place that we were going, checked which monsters appear there and if it is possible to let Ruu accompany us.... The result was that I'm allowed to take Ruu along. Sasha-sensei said that a tamer without a monster is only a hindrance. Well, it is the opinion of the teacher who is also a tamer.... After all, a tamer understands a tamer best. For the training exercise, we are going to a forest managed by the school which is roughly two days away if we go by carriage. All the strong monsters were hunted beforehand and the forest is regulated so that there aren't too many monsters. For me, I wanted to tame a strong monster….
Well, I'd rather hold onto my life. We stayed in a town for the night on the first day because our sight at night is limited. The plan is that we will arrive near the forest on the evening of the second day. The carriage that we are riding is very tight because we are a large group of students. We were separated by genders, only boys are around me and it is really noisy. Lucas is riding in one of the carriages of the girls. That's the right decision. The monsters who came along are walking on their own and they take a rest when they get tired alongside the carriages. Lime is riding on Ruu. Sometimes, during the time that we take a break, Ruu is able to fly to the town that we are going to stay at and back, this really shows how slow we’re traveling. The carriage was really crammed and I couldn't stand it, so I escaped to Ruu's back. This place is more comfortable and the other guys will surely be glad that there is one less person in the carriage anyways.
“Fuu, it is hard to move with a large number of people. Though it isn't a horse-drawn carriage, but large monsters pulling the big car"
"Guruu"
"Well they can't be tamed so easily, however, this business also seems fascinating. The monsters have power, stamina, and speed. They could move the carriages with a great number of people in a dash. A monster carriage.”
"...?"purupuru?
"That's right I want to tame more monsters, but it isn't your fault. It’s only a small goal of mine."
A monster girl harem... the journey will be long. In this training exercise, I want to tame more monsters to some extent.
On the evening of the next day, we arrived at the forest according to the schedule. Everybody gets off from the carriages in a tired state, only I'm still fine.
"Okay, everyone is here! Now we will pitch the tents where we are staying! The way was taught in class and make sure to cooperate in your groups!"
We are staying here today and training will start tomorrow. I want to get a good night's sleep so that I won't carry the fatigue from our travel over to tomorrow. It's important to set up the tent as flat as possible to the ground. After all, it’s hard to sleep when it is at a tilted angle. One tent for every group, that means all members will sleep in the same tent. I thought that men and women in each group will be divided, but typically, boys and girls make a group together and most groups don't consist of only men or only women. In other words, my group is an exception. I didn't really pay any attention to circumstances of the minority groups. Most of the first graders are still 12 or 13 years old and it is common to think that a mistake won't happen. Me? I am all right and a gentleman. Yes lolis No touch. I'm not a pedophile. If I do that, there are no arguments and I will be arrested and kicked out from the school. There isn't anyone doing it expressly in a place with people monitoring us. The training actually begins tomorrow, but the real training has already started at this time. One goes to borrow a tent and the other three people secure the place. Teamwork is important.
"Tsuchio-san, isn't it better for us to secure a place, too?"
"That's right, tomorrow will be tough if we don't sleep properly"
"Okay okay, leave it to me"
Outside, where everyone is running in our surroundings, our group was walking peacefully. Triss went to get a tent and I'm walking around with Lucas and Fal.
"Leave it to me.... Lets quickly search for a place! The area where monsters won't enter has been decided, so there is no space anymore!"
“Don't panic like that and remain calm, okay?"
I pointed to the place where Ruu and Lime were sitting together. The students taking the places around are keeping a fixed distance from Ruu, even if the place was taken properly.
"Thank you, for capturing this place"
"Guru!"
"...!" puru!
I heard that in this situation, an occasional battle was fought every time, so I asked Ruu last night to keep hold of the place where it was flat and didn't have too many stones. Other students won't get closer to Ruu so besides us, no one would try to take this place from her.
"Ah. Tsuchio! I have the tent -!”
Triss is walking towards us while holding the tent. We went to the place where Ruu was and quickly set up the tent.
After we set up the tent and finished dinner, all members slept at once in preparation for tomorrow. I was slightly looking forward to the main event of this training exercise.
On the next day, we got up early in the morning and finished eating breakfast quickly then all of the first graders were made to line up.
"Okay, everyone! We are starting the practical training now! The monsters will appear frequently and despite being small fries, you shouldn't be careless if you don't want to die! We're watching just in case, but we aren't going to lend out a helping hand! Remember what I said now and behave!"
{Yes!}
"Good answer! Then gather in each starting point according to your group!"
What do we do?
"Did all the members take up their position?...Well, the loss blinded me!"
A blindfold was placed on my face so I can't see anything in my surroundings. It is to prevent us from coming back.
"You stand in one line and put a hand on the shoulder of the person in front of you! So that the guy in front of you walks according to the hand being pulled!"
So we're doing it like that.... Is it ok? Because it seems hard to walk in the forest. Our group lines up in order of our height which is Tris-Fal-Lucas-me and behind me were Ruu and Lime. We were waiting for a while until a teacher, who I didn't recognize, came over and led us into the forest. I trip here and there, but the forest was maintained lightly so there are very few obstacles.
We walked for around 20 or 30 minutes then suddenly we stopped and I bumped into Lucas. What? Is this the start point?
"Don't move until the magic of a sign rises.This is your task for now"
The teacher who spoke hands each of us a piece of folded paper and is leaving. I didn't hear anything about the teachers giving an assignment, I forgot to say.... So we wait quietly for the start signal.
"Is it here, there or another side.... It was scary for just a moment."
"Monster seems to appear regularly."
"Is there a strong one? Ruu is here so we don't need to worry about that."
“Guru!”
The enemy can't defeat Ruu.... I'm here of course, but I can't imagine Ruu losing. Many fireballs were launched in the sky and several minutes later, they exploded. That's the sign that the training starts now.
"Let's move. First of all, we will search our surroundings."
“I'm interested in whether there is any danger around us, it’ll become a matter of concern and…. We need to do our assignment.”
“Mr. Lang didn't say anything about the assignment.”
"Surely he forgot to say it....Or he kept it a secret until just before."
"Which is also fine so let's see the contents."
I open the paper and confirm the contents. Apparently, I should read what is written to me.
"If I have to say, there is a resemblance between you and the guy in the classroom."
"As for the other guys, it is only a thing that was said during class. Well, I was prepared just in case this happened, so there are no problems.”
"Yeah you're right. It was good to prepare properly."
"Did you do such a thing?"
"I think I did, probably. I don't remember too much... "
These two people....they are not very good with classroom lecture! I can tell.
"I prepared for tomorrow's lesson together with Triss..."
“So that was it. Even I understand this myself!"
" I understand this too. I prepared for tomorrow's lesson properly!"
“Is that so, That’s great -”
“Hehehe”
After all, this boy is cute! Elementary school children in Japan are useless and cocky and compared to that, Fal isn't so. He is obedient and pretty... I’m just stating the facts. I'm definitely not a shotacon.
"Hey, let's move. I want to finish this assignment as soon as possible!"
"Ok Ok, Ruu and Lime, you guys follow us closely."
“Guru”
“Kokukoku”
The training started and several hours passed. While exploring the area, we were collecting the goods that we needed to complete the task and decided to take a rest and eat.
"There is nothing even if I say so... we must look for them."
"You're right.When encountering monsters lets take the meat..."
During the time that we walked around the forest, the strange thing is we didn't encounter any monster.When I went to the forest near the academy, I fought plenty of them... This is a slightly abnormal situation...
"It's a good thing that there are no battles. This is safer!”
"Though it was thought that we’d be having more trouble."
Triss and Fal don't seem to mind it particularly. Well, it is surely a good thing that there is no battle...
"Lucas, how does it look?"
"Umm... have you sighted any other groups?"
"I’ve tried, but this forest is wide. Even if they gather somewhere, you may not even encounter them once"
"Is that so. Hmm, any thoughts Tsuchio?"
"I want monsters to come out... Hopefully, a powerful monster or something enters this forest. Then the other monsters might run away to another place"
"Is there a strong monster near that level?"
"I am not very sure myself... But Ruu and Lime have been acting strange since a while ago. They seem to be uncomfortable."
Both of them are looking around frequently and smelling the air. It’s certain that they are cautious of something.
"That's right....We should be careful."
"We should do something about it. Let's split up to cover more ground. Two people will search for food and the others look for the monster."
I will be thankful if an ogre or a snake appears, or something... But nothing appeared.
I'm looking for something that looks edible in the environment. The forest has weed, mushrooms and nuts.
"There are various kinds when I look this way"
"Well, I can eat grass, too"
In Japan, there is mugwort and the Angelica keiskei with the mugwort rice cake which I was able to eat, but whether or not it is delicious I can't say.
"Lucas, is that mushroom edible?"
"Looking at it ??? Though it looks like a delicious mushroom, it is actually poisonous. Look, it would need to have a differently shaped umbrella."
"Is that so... Since a little while ago, all this time..."
You're right. I may have the talent to find mushrooms"
The ones that Triss is finding is only toadstools to which everything is similar to a mushroom. Well, thanks to our luck we found some that were edible.
"Yes, lime?"
"... " purupuru
Though that poisonous mushroom was one of the goods needed for the completion of the task, everything was fed to Lime since we had collected more than enough of it. Even if it’s filled with poison it won’t work on Lime. After eating and showing no adverse effects Lime went to sleep.
"We gathered plenty, let's go back soon."
"Now you're talking. Before it gets dark, we should find a place to sleep I guess."
With the goods we gathered, we returned to our camp and on the way back,
"... Gurururu"
"Often"
"Oh, do a thump Lime."
"... " Purupuru.
"Ruu? Is there anything?"
"Guru"
"I see.... Wait a minute."
Ruu seems to have felt a strange magic. Ruu can't use magic but her magic perception is great. It is her natural instinct.
"It seems to be worried about something. I will go along with Ruu and Lime, and you should stay here."
"That bothers me, what did you find?"
"I'm also not too sure. Therefore I have to go and see it."
"Will you be OK?"
"I will be OK, when it gets dangerous I will immediately run away."
"Yes, I see. Be careful. I will come find you if it gets too late."
"I'll make an effort so that it won't happen."
After I say so I walk next to Ruu. It seems to be in the complete opposite direction from where we were. I'm relieved for the time being and will check it and return quickly.