Volume 5 Chapter 4 Hunting
Al arrived at the edge of the Nash Mountains and stopped to look around. The area was close to wasteland, with bare soil on the slopes and trees scattered here and there. There seemed to be a barely passable animal trail, but it wasn't something a human could easily climb. Of course, there were no signs of the deer he was looking for.
For now, Al placed his backpack, which held his tools and spare clothes, on a disk created with the 'Carrier' spell to keep it out of the way. He also cast the 'Conceal' spell on the backpack. He had recently noticed that this spell could block even the small sounds and smells that the bulky backpack made, and it helped prevent it from getting caught on branches while he moved.
Next, he checked the straps of his new leather armor, which was still almost perfect with no scratches. He had just got it before his search for Orson, so it felt a bit odd.
This armor was different from the full-body one he used before. It protected key areas like his neck, chest, and stomach. It also had strong, shiny black pieces made from the back of a Big-Mouthed Lizard on the shoulders and upper arms, which were vital for protection.
If Al could use it perfectly, his defense would probably increase a lot, but he wasn't very good at using armor for defense. Of course, the quality was impressive, so he wasn't completely dissatisfied, but he still felt a bit off about it. He planned to consult Orson about this later.
Despite his worries, Al finished getting ready and made his bag lighter. Then, he cast the 'Sensory Boost' spell to improve his sense of smell. He carefully looked around, noticing the wind's direction. The strong summer smell of grass mixed with other scents. Common ones included insects, but he also detected ground squirrels, rabbits, and deer nearby, since they were pests in the fields. He could barely catch the scents of wolves, goblins, and orcs, but they were still far away.
Following the tracks, Al picked up the scent of a deer. The closest one was a young male. At this time of year, male deer were usually well-fed to prepare for autumn mating. Al thought the meat from the shoulder would be tasty when grilled. The deer moved through the hilly trees, a tough path for most people. But Al used the 'Physical Boost' spell to boost his leg strength and continued to chase it, bouncing lightly.
After about 20 minutes, Al finally saw the deer eating tree buds. The deer was about 2 meters (�6.6 feet) long and weighed around 150 kg (�330 pounds). Its antlers were 50 cm (�19.7 inches) long and pointed at the tips. It shouldn't be dangerous this season, but Al stayed alert.
Even though it was about 50 meters (�164 feet) away, the deer quickly noticed Al and stared at him. Their eyes met. Al instinctively held his breath and stared back. For about 3 seconds... in the next moment, the deer jumped.
'Magic Missile'--Focused Power: Distance Extension
Waiting for this, a shining arrow-like object shot from Al's right hand. Having helped with hunting since he was young, Al could somewhat predict the deer's behavior. The arrow from the "Magic Missile" spell struck deep into the deer's neck.
"I did it!"
Al shouted in surprise when he saw a hurt deer bleeding from its neck. He grabbed its antlers from behind and quickly used his knife to cut the blood vessel in its neck. The deer shook, and blood flowed out. It was better to do this while the heart was still beating. After laying the trembling deer on the ground, Al waited to see if anything would come close. About ten minutes later, the deer shook one last time and then stopped moving.
Once he confirmed that, Al canceled the "Conceal" spell and adjusted his backpack over the "Carrier" spell's disk. Instead, he placed the still-warm deer carcass on it. It was quite heavy, but his skill with the "Carrier" spell had improved since he used it to carry Eric, so he managed to lift it.
Al looked up at the sky and saw he had some time before sunset. He felt the heat and knew he needed to process the deer quickly. Luckily, he found a river nearby, about 3 meters wide (� 9.8 feet) and 1 meter deep (� 3.3 feet), with plenty of water.
Moving to the riverbank, Al used a spell to create a disk that held the deer carcass on its back. He dipped the bottom part into the cool water while he skinned and processed the deer. Thanks to his quick work, he finished before sunset.
* * *
"Wow, that's amazing! What is this tray with the meat on it? It's floating in the air!"
Gabby, who was initially doubtful, was now wide-eyed and excited when Al returned with the processed deer meat on the 'Carrier' spell disk. After Al explained that he could use magic, Gabby's attitude completely changed; he looked at Al with awe. Since Ethel welcomed them, Al wanted to keep some meat to thank him and asked how he could share the rest with the villagers. Surprised that Al had hunted a deer in a new area, Gabby offered to guide him to the village head's house.
When Al asked where to put the deer meat, Gabby took him to the cooking area. By then, it seemed the news had spread throughout the village, as nearly ten women were already waiting there.
"Hello. I'm Al, a scout. I spoke with Ethel, and I'm looking for someone."
Standing next to the women was the village head, a slightly chubby man in his early forties. He had short, dark brown hair and was smiling cheerfully.
"Ah, I've heard the story. The man with the limp came to this village about a month ago. I don't know where he is now, but he hasn't come down, so he's probably still at the hot spring. You'll likely stay at Gabby's place tonight, right? I'll have him guide you tomorrow."
He mentioned that the hot spring area has bubbling hot springs and caves that provide shelter from the rain. The cave Orson talked about with Cody could be one of those. It appears that she was simply sharing a story about Alunite to Orson, and Al won't know what the place is like until he visit it.
"I heard there's been some trouble in the Tempest Kingdom. Has anything happened around here?"
What Al was worried about was the talk from Madoc and the others about a big war happening in the neighboring country. They had gone off to the border city of Parker for some business, but this place is also close to the border.
"Oh, it's fine around here. It was about 2 months ago, I think. There was indeed some talk about it, and we received a warning to be cautious. I got worried and went to the fortress to ask for details. They say there's been a conflict over in the neighboring Tempest Kingdom, between the royal family and the Prime Minister's family, the Marquis Prentis. There are all sorts of rumors flying around, and it's hard to tell which ones are true. It seems like there are many people fleeing to the northern border city of Parker, and it's quite a situation there, but for now, we're peaceful here. The roads are tough, and unless you're really used to mountain paths, it's impossible to cross over. Either way, it seems like there won't be a war on our border."
The fortress the village head talked about is the one we can see from the village, high up on the mountain. Al was worried Orson might have gotten into a fight, but it seems that's not true. It looks like the hot spring treatment is just taking longer than planned. Knowing Orson, he wouldn�t be late for that reason. There�s no need to worry too much. I�ve decided to leave early tomorrow morning.
"Thank you for the information. Well then, I'll be staying here for the night."
Al bowed and got up. In the kitchen, the women finished sharing the deer meat. Gabby, looking happy, and what appeared to be his mother, waited with a board full of meat.
"Sir Al. Thank you. We have a feast today with the meat you gave us."
"Thanks, Sir Al."
For some reason, Gabby's words reminded Al of his family back in the village, and he smiled warmly.
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