Chapter 18 To the forest

For a few days we didnt have anything particular we had to do, so we spent our time with training, studying, and Angela usually came over in the afternoon and stayed for the night too. We also had fun times by the three of us.

Is it fine with three?, is what I thought, but apparently its fine. Well, its more than fine for me. Is it really alright? I asked this from Sati too, but she cutely said that since shes a slave its fine if sheis next after Angela-sama. Argh, she is too cute!

Angela gets along with Sati even more than before. Its like they are threesisters with the addition of Tilika-chan. Although I wonder what Tilika-chan thinks about the current situation. Shes not telling everything to Tilika-chan, right?

When Tilika-chan is here the other two restrain themselves and Tilika-chan doesnt really speak or express her emotions. In case of Sati it seems she even urged her..

By the way, after that I made sure to warn Sati against telling outsiders about our household matters. Well, Angela and Tilika-chan cant be helped. They are almost like family anyway.

Satis armor was finally completed, so we went to pick it up. With that Sati should be perfectly prepared.

The instructors assured me that not many people would be a match for her archery skills. Its finally time for our forest debut.

Just to be sure I wrote a will and entrusted it to Tilika-chan. Even if I die and Sati remains, I think she will be fine with Tilika-chan and the vice Guild Chief. Sati will be released and she will become free.

She already has enough fighting power to make a living anywhere, so she wont have trouble making ends meet. But if I die, then I have a feeling that she would want to die with me. She didnt run away that time either, even though I told her to..

If I were to die-

I will save you.

No, if I happen to die-

I will make sure to save you!

If there is a situation where it would be best for Sati to run away-

Lets run away together!

When I kept talking about it Sati became teary-eyed, so I gave up. She refuses to heed the order to run away even though she is a slave, so she must be against it from the bottom of her heart. Im being loved, huh.

Lets do my best not to end up in that kind of situation. For Satis sake too.

In reality, I would be happy to make a living by hunting wild rabbits, but the world falling into ruin is a difficult problem.

We have to raise our battle power by whatever means. Why couldnt Itoushin send me to a safer world. Maybe I should write down my complaints about that today.

As we go through the gate we speak with the usual soldier on guard duty.

Hooh. So you are going into the forest with the two of you. Mm. 3-4 hours, right. Well, I think it will be fine if its you, but take care anyway. If you are late to come back for some reason I will send a rescue party after you.

No no. We will make sure not to get close to anything dangerous.

Thats fine. But you can never be sure what will happen in the forest. Even a dragon suddenly settled down there. If you think that something is strange then head back at once. The forest is the most dangerous the first time when you still havent grown accustomed to it yet.

Nnn. We are not planning on dying yet, it will be alright. We will be doubly cautious.

You look after this guy properly too, Ojou-chan. I feel somewhat uneasy here.

Do I really look that unreliable? Why is he asking Sati to babysit me. Something just doesnt sit right with me.

Yes, leave it to me!

Sati spiritedly answers without noticing my feelings over here.

Well then. Should we get going then, Sati?

At the entrance of the forest we first make sure the area is secure. The lineup is Sati at the front and me at the back.

The reason for itis that Satis Aural Detection has a wider detection range. My Sense Presence has smaller range, but in turn its precise.

It doesnt miss small animals that dont really make a sound or insects either. There are almost no dangerous things that are able get through Satis detection.

There are somepoisonous ones, but those rarely herd together. The dangerous ones are the large species and groups of orcs. If we avoid those dangers then I think the forest isnt that dangerous.

If there is something dangerous then we will quickly run away. If it comes chasing after us, then I will carry Sati and escape using Fly. If its an enemy we can take down, then Sati will snipe it using her bow. If it gets closer then I will use magic too. Depending on the situation its okay to attack or use Earth Wall to defend.

Our current objective is to strengthen Sati. We will raise Satis level and boost our chances of survival.

We went over the tactics one more time.

Good. Then, Sati, Im counting on you.

Yes.

Sati enters the forest with rustling sounds. Its not that loud of a sound, but in the quiet forest I think it echoes somewhat far. I guess I should take Covert Action and Stealth Steps for Sati too.

We close in without any sound and we both do a sneak attack. It sounds like a fairly good plan.

Nothing happened for a while.

Birds and small animals get caught in our detection, but it seems monsters are few in the outer parts of the forest. Should we go back for today? When I started thinking about that, Sati suddenly stopped in her tracks.

There is something. Just a single one.

Can you tell its size?

Judging by the sounds it makes, it seems its not that big.

Okay, lets try getting a bit closer. If you have a shot, then take it anytime.

Okay.

As we got a bit closer it got caught in my Sense Presence too.

Its size is probably about the same as an orc. Maybe its a troll.

This Sense Presence, I dont know the theory behind it, but it apparently detects something akin to a life force.

Small creatures have small presences and big ones have big presences. Therefore I can grasp their size, although just roughly.

Sati stopped and readied her bow.

I looked toward where she was aiming, but I couldnt see the enemy at all.

Sati shoots her bow.

Oh? I saw something fall over.

It hit the target.

Lets get closer with caution.

Okay.

It was an orc after all. Its dead with an arrow sticking out of its head.

Well done, Sati.

An orc is a sweet prey. Orc meat has a low unit price, but since its big it can be sold for good money.

Ithump thumpSatis head.

Actually,I want to pat her head, but she is wearing a helmet.

But she really has good skills. With my eyes I couldnt even see it until it fell over and hitting its vital spot from this distance is very impressive. It even has longer range than magic, the battles might turn out to be much easier from now on.

Okay, lets head back. However not the way we came, but lets try getting through to the main road.

If we can find more prey on our way back then it would be the best.

This time my Sense Presence reacted first.

Sati. There is something over there. About half the size of an orc.

Sati is looking in the direction I pointed, her ears are twitching and she is sniffing with her nose, but it looks like she doesnt notice anything about it.

I stand at the front as we slowly close in.

I see it. Its a big spider.

Its the effect of Hawk Eyes, huh. She finds them fast. Maybe I should take it too.

Can you do it?

Yes.

She shoots her bow.Dosa,gasagasa,sounds could be heard. But I can hear it making sounds as its still moving. Sati shoots one more time. The forest finally regained its silence.

With a sword in hand I carefully go and confirm it. The poison is the scariest about the spider.

The big spider breathed its last after taking two arrows. I take the arrows out and put the corpse in the Item Box.

You are great, Sati.

If its like this, then we should be able to fight a few at a time. The forest isnt as dangerous as they say, huh. Using wide area detection and long range attacks to perform sneak attacks seems super effective.

After that we didnt encounter anything until we reached the main road. Also, with just two enemies our level didnt go up it seems. On the way back to the town we hunted a few wild rabbits and went home for that day.

Heeh, an orc and a big spider, huh.

We show Satis Guild Card to the guard soldier.

One hit from long range to its vital spot. I feel like there was no need to bescared.

Well, dont let your guard down, okay? The forest is really dangerous. Also, make sure to return for the night without fail.

Im scared of the night too. Even though we have detection abilities, we wont be able to see. Ill need to take Dark Vision too sometime in the future.

I heard that Ojou-chan played an active role that time with the harpies too, you cant be considered an apprentice adventurer anymore, huh.

Now that he mentions it, there was something about being an apprentice or something.

Thats right. Sati is already an excellent adventurer and my party member.

Is that true! Im happy!

Sati is overjoyed. In fact, isnt she already stronger than me? Thats what I think. I have higher firepower, but if I fought her I think I would lose. This cheat I got from God is really something.

We received the reward from the Guild, then headed for the shopping district. Tilika-chan was out on business.

Sati, here is todays reward.

I hand over a few silver coins.

Eh, but this much..

In the past I gave her some pocket money so she could buy things to eat, but its my first time giving her a bigger sum. That being said, its just a few silver coins.

Its the money Sati earned. We bought equipment from the one with the harpies so you couldnt use it that time. You can use it as you see fit.

Its something of an initial salary, today is special.

After thinking for a while, Sati entered a clothing store. Clothes, huh. That place should be no problem. If she has that much, then she can most likely buy two or three good set of clothes. As I follow after her, she goes through between the clothes and enters the back part.

Cloth? It seems sewing tools were her target. Sati is anxiously looking my way so I nod to her. You can spend it as you like.

After buying some cloth and sewing tools she looks satisfied. Self-made clothes, huh. Maybe she could make a sailor uniform. I think it would fit Sati very well.

Sati, do you know how to make clothes?

Sati suddenly stops in her tracks. She is looking at me with a troubled expression.

I didnt know. What should I do..? Do you know how, Masaru-sama?

What a coincidence. I dont know either.

Sati looks like she is about to cry.

Thats it! Angela. We should ask Angela about it.

Thats true! Angela-sama knows how for sure!

Its before noon, so Angela was preparing lunch in the orphanage.

Sorry, Im bad with sewing.

Sati is openly dejected.

Aaah, you know what, Sister Matilda is good with it!

Its been decided that Sister Matilda would teach her in the afternoon for a bit.

Sister Matilda would be in charge of the medical clinic in the afternoon, so in exchange I help out in the medical clinic. From next time, she promised to teach her if we come over during the morning.

While we were there, we also ate lunch there. As a gift I gave them three of the wild rabbits we hunted today.

Sati started practicing sewing as soon as we got home. We borrowed something like a textbook, so she is stitching something as she is looking at it. She is deep in concentration, so she probably wont accompany me today Lets read a book or something. There was that history book we borrowed from Tilika-chan.

Apparently this kingdom was originally a part of the Empire, but approximately 300 years ago a count of a remote region, the founder of this kindom, rebelled and became independent. It seems theyhad a lot of pent up frustration regarding the demon border. So, with the help of the powerful soldiers tempered by the demon border and also by allying themselves with the demi-humans, like beast people and the elves, they fought evenly with the Empire and finally won their independence.

At the time the social status of demi-humans was low in the Empire and they successfully exploited that fact. After that, although it was somewhat rowdy, they reconciled with the Empire. The Empire found that it was a big merit that their northern border wasnt adjacent to the demon border anymore. Now, materials from the demon border are being exported to the Empire, and food and products are being imported from the Empire. The royal families also married amongst each other a few times, became relatives, and now they have an very positive relation with each other.

When I finished reading Tilika-chan and Angela were here already, then it was time to prepare dinner. After that, the usual bath time.

After getting out of the bath, Sati and Tilika-chan went to the dining room and continued with the sewing. They are doing it with the addition of Tilika-chan. Well, its good thing to have a hobby.

I was affectionate with Sati just before in the bath, so Iwas satisfied, but I was a bit lonely, so I actedlovey-dovey on the sofa of the living room with Angela. I wonder if Angela will stay today too~.

As I was thinking that, Can I stay for the night tomorrow?, she asked. But of course!

We alternate the days where we go into the forest and the days of training. On both days, first in the morning there is an hour of learning sewing under the guidance Sister Matilda. During that hour Im free, so as thanks for teaching them sewing I go and help Angela with the treatments.

We finish both the hunting in the forest and the training before noon, then relax in the afternoon.

I do training every four days, on the others I read books at home. If I partner up with Sergeant-dono for the training then he beats me to a pulp every time, its very painful. Since we go out to the forest every other day, I think its fine to be more moderate with the training. I think that even this is a big step forward compared to the time I was living a NEET life back in Japan. People shouldnt overdo things.

The forest wasnt particularly dangerous either, its going very well. The enemies were mostly brought down by Satis bow, so I made sure to have her gain plenty of experience points. Some trolls did rush in, unfazed by the arrows, but we fought while I obstructed their movements with Earth Magic, so those went fine too.

I used Satis three level ups worth of Skill Points to get Covert Action and Stealth Steps, then raised them each to level 2, so our level of safety went up yet again. Her skills with the bow improved and managed to learn the three shot rapid fire. Damn, she is dependable. What only I could do was just about the wild rabbit hunting on our way back home, but by learning Covert Action Sati become able to do that as well. Somehow, am I an unneeded child?

In this manner, these tranquil times continued on for a while

Skill Points 1P

Cooking Level 1 , Housework Level 1

Aural Detection Level 4 , Olfactory Detection Level 2 , Sturdy , Hawk Eyes

Evasion Level 2 , Shield Level 2 , Swordsmanship Level 3 , Archery Level 5

Equipment: Troll Leather Armor