Volume 2 Chapter 9 What Was Waiting in Hiding at the End of the Escape
Belle led us down an alley on the east side, where the villagers were waiting in ambush.
However, since there were only a few of them, we managed to slip by while keeping ourselves hidden.
After moving forward for a while, I asked Lene to dispel the spell.
I really pushed her quite hard.
"Lene, you did great. How's your Magic Power holding up?"
"Thank you. Well, I'm not exactly overflowing with Magic Power right now."
Lene's face showed clear signs of fatigue.
I guess that's to be expected.
She'd been maintaining the spell almost the whole time.
Apparently, the invisibility spell relies on the power of a light spirit, but maintaining a connection with a spirit requires a substantial amount of Magic Power.
It's a relief we didn't run out of Magic Power along the way.
"Hey, Big Bro Ryuuji, it's getting close to evening. We should start preparing to camp."
"Yeah, we need to pick a spot for the camp──wait, what's wrong, Belle?"
Just as I was about to respond to Minori, who was cautiously leading the way, I noticed Belle shaking her head in a panic with a pale face.
I wondered if something was up.
"Mr. Ryuuji, the eastern forest is dangerous. We should definitely try to break through to the plains in the south, even if it's a bit of a stretch."
That made me realize something.
Now that I think about it, this was the forest where the monsters were said to be active.
Could it be that they were caught off guard thinking, "There's no way anyone would come through here"?
"I got injured in my shoulder in this forest, you know. The villagers call it the 'Oni's Forest,' and I ended up wandering in here during my travels and got attacked by a goblin."
"A goblin, huh? You're lucky you only got hurt."
"There was just one by chance, so even though I got hurt, I was able to take it down."
If Belle, being a woman, were to be captured by goblins, she'd be facing something more humiliating than death.
It's fair to say that it was sheer luck for her to have taken down just a mere hunter.
But goblins...
Those nocturnal creatures are starting to wake up now.
If there's a nest of them around here, it might be best to follow Belle's advice and head south.
In the Bern Mine, Lene and I were able to take them down individually in tight spaces, but here, we're in an open area, and we have to protect Belle as well.
The goblins, though numerous, can kill even seasoned adventurers at times.
"So, Minori, let's set our course south."
"Got it, south it is. Suzu, could you please use your detection magic?"
"Sure thing, Sis Minori."
Minori and Suzu, familiar with each other, steered south while keeping their guard up.
I hope we can make it through without any issues.
"──Minori, stop!"
The first to sense something amiss was, predictably, Lene.
In moments like this, I can't help but envy the elf's extraordinary hearing.
"Is something there?"
"Yes, towards the south. I can't tell what it is, but... wait, what?"
Lene tilted her head, her long ears perked up.
Upon closer inspection, I noticed that Suzu, also using her detection magic, reacted in a similar way.
"There were 2 sounds, but one of them went off to the south...?"
"Yeah, Suzu noticed the same thing with her magic. Did it go call for backup to the nest?"
"But the plains are just ahead, right?"
Lene and Suzu were muttering to themselves about whatever was happening ahead.
It's definitely concerning that one of the entities reacted and left...
"There's definitely something waiting for us up ahead, isn't there? Minori, let's approach cautiously."
"Okay, understood, Big Bro Ryuuji."
When I nodded in agreement, Minori drew out her 2 Magic Swords, Pierce and Resist, and carefully made her way forward, keeping a watchful eye ahead.
I followed behind as the rearguard, with everyone else behind me.
We had probably moved about a hundred meters.
We still hadn't seen any sign of whoever we were looking for, but we all remained alert, scanning our surroundings.
"It's around here, isn't it..."
Lene muttered this as she strained her ears, trying to pinpoint the exact location of whatever they were after.
The fact that she couldn't hear anything meant that whoever it was was definitely trying to be stealthy.
"...It doesn't look like anyone's here, but if Lene heard something, then they have to be around. Suzu, what does your detection magic say?"
"Hmm, definitely nearby. Over there."
Suzu pointed with her staff towards a short, thick tree about 3 meters tall.
We looked up at the treetop, just in case someone was hiding up there, but we couldn't see anything.
"Are they hiding in the tree's shadow?"
"That's a possibility...no, that's impossible...?"
As Belle was about to agree, I felt a *strange sensation.*
Why was this particular tree not swaying in the wind?
"Should we go take a closer look?"
"Yeah, be careful. We don't know if it's still active."
My sisters didn't realize.
This was a trap.
They were fooled by their detection magic and their preconceived notion that there was a goblin here.
"Minori! That tree! It's a monster!"
"Huh? Kya!"
As if reacting to my voice, the thickest branch of the tree bent and swung down with great force.
Minori cried out in alarm, but she managed to cross her Magic Swords just in time to block the attack.
"Wha...what is this...?"
Belle gasped in disbelief at the sight of the Evil Tree, its form shifting and turning golden as it shed its disguise.
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