Chapter 200 – ??? ???

The night watch is completely my work.

In the『Beginner Set』I bought in Irz village, there was a tent included. Right now, Lily and Fiona are sleeping within it as if they were sisters.

This is absolutely not some sort of favourable treatment towards them because they are cute.

Fiona is a pure human, different from me, who has an excessively tough body.

As the theory of adventurers’ says, it is natural and important for letting the members of magician cla.s.s rest as much as possible.

And Lily has a child body, so she needs even more rest.

Lily is the strongest person in Element Master, but that comes with restricted time when she goes into her original form, in other words, her power is a lot unstable.

Even the little Lily is quite high leveled from adventurers’ perspectives, but there is always a need for her to be in top condition for being able to return to her original form.『Queen Beryl』is not an omnipotent item which won’t give any fatigue to user upon using its powers.

So like that, tonight too, I’m guarding in the night, alone.

We have chosen the center of an open vacant land as our camp ground, while looking at the bonfire burning besides me, the time pa.s.ses silently.

Though it’s not for killing time, but I’m improving and developing my black magic.

I have a user-friendly thing called『Black Hair Curse「Coffin」』so, I’m planning a more powerful and efficient magic formula for『Anchor Hand』.

The reason new ideas keep on coming to me can be because I’m clear-headed, or the black-haired maid in the gloves is supporting me.

I will be able to complete it by morning, the moment I thought something that much positive, I sensed some presence.

I wasn’t that much sure about, it was more like intuition. I raise my head up and look towards the interior of dense forest in front of me.

「What is this feeling……」

I am more sensitive to presences and magical power compared to ordinary people.

If there is hostility or bloodl.u.s.t, so no matter if it is human or monster I can sense them. This feeling is something I had gotten familiar during the maneuvering experiments.

But, the ’presence like thing’ I am sensing right now, doesn’t relate to any feeling I have sense before, but is more strange.

For ascertaining the ident.i.ty of that thing, I survey my surroundings more attentively.

In the next moment, a change occurred.

「……It’s shining?」

Thanks to my nocturnal eyes, I saw a small red light deep in the forest.

Though it is small, but it isn’t some hallucination, that is clearly being reflected in my eyes.

By the time I recognized it as mysterious red light, single prediction pa.s.sed through my head.

For confirming I close my right eye, and the red light still is present like before.

But when I close the left eye, yes, the ’eye of G.o.d’ given to me by Mia, that red light vanished as if a candle light just got blown out.

「So there is the trial, eh?」

I muttered, but the self-proclaimed G.o.d who appears anywhere at any time didn’t appear before me this time and neither answered my question.

But, even without getting an reply from that child, I’m already half-convinced that the ‘trial’ for obtaining divine protection is waiting in place with red light.

Now, what to do in this case? I don’t even have to think, the answer is already out.

「Fiona」

「Fuuaaii, what happenshed Kurono-shan?」

I call out while facing Tent and Fiona replies immediately, though in voice that sounds half-awake.

「Hurry up and――」

The moment I was about to say ‘come out here’,

SFX: GaaOOooooOOOOOoo!!

An intense, fiendish and sinister howl roared in the stillness of night.

But with that one howl, I understood.

That the master of this howl is more stronger than any monster we have fought till now.

And also, that the subjugation of this monster is the trial given to me.

.

.

.

From the moment we heard the howl which might have resounded in the whole Galahad Mountain Range, our movements increased their pace.

I didn’t have to explain, but Lily and Fiona immediately understood that a strong monster has appeared in this vicinity.

I get rid of bonfire, sunk the tent in『Shadow Gate』and now the preparations for departing are done.

When I explained the gist of subjugating monsters we haven’t seen before for completing the trials,

「We were increasing our rank for fighting strong monsters, so we are fortunate that it came to us by itself」

「Lily will work hard!」

I got their agreement with immediate reply.

I questioned myself for a second that if it was alright for my comrades to help me in killing the monster, but then I realized that thinking this isn’t going to be much of help.

Anyway, I’m still half-suspicious about acquisition of divine protection, so rather than being suspicious of this and that it is more important to increase the party’s experience.

「And so, do you know where this monster is?」

Normally, I wouldn’t have known.

For following monster outside of vision range needs the use of special magic, which neither me, Lily and Fiona have learnt.

But, this time ‘G.o.d will tell us’, that thing will work.

「Yeah, just follow me」

The red luminous point is still being reflected in my left eye.

.

.

.

Now, in front of the light,

「……There is nothing」

There wasn’t even the shadow of monster let alone its figure.

I watch the point where the red light vanished while hiding in the shade of tree. There is only a strangely open vacant land full of overgrown weed.

Now this d.a.m.n embarra.s.sing, I was wrong, the moment I thought that, it appeared.

Instead of appearing it should be more like it came falling down. Before I knew it, the more than 5 metres tall monster stood in the center of vacant land.

「Wow, that guy is going to be troublesome」

It’s not like I got scared looking at its fiendish appearance of black and red hair.

The thing I find dangerous is not that, but the fact that this guy appeared without any sound or presence even when it is having that big body.

I can understood looking at it once only that it has more power than that minotauros zombie and it’s unhurried agility is like that of an a.s.sa.s.sin dancing in the darkness of night.

With just that much I can understand this monster that this monster is lot more powerful than a rank 3 monster which can be insta-killed by Lily.

「It’s a monster I’ve never seen」

Fiona, standing besides me, says that calmly.

「I too haven’t seen it, have you Lily?」

Lily too swings her head while standing near my legs.

Apparently, this monster is a first sight for everyone.

Now then how should we defeat it, the instant I thought that, shadows of two people came springing out in the vacant land where the monster is waiting.

「There were adventurers there?」

「Shouldn’t it be more like they were being chased」

The two had a small『Torch』illuminating their surroundings, so even Fiona and Lily saw them clearly.

One tall-thin man is wearing a black blazer and red mantle, the outfit of elite cadets which Simon told me.

The monocle on his nervous-struck face is really impressive.

The other one is a perfect maid wearing the ap.r.o.n dress really stylishly. She is also showing a nervous expression.

However, she entered first while guiding the man behind her and holding dagger knife in both her hands, so she isn’t just some normal maid but an bodyguard just like the girl stuffed inside this『Black Hair Curse「Coffin」』.

Incidentally, her well-ordered face is more like an older sister type rather than a teen girl.

「Are they the n.o.bles who love to play being an adventurer?」

So optimistic, right, those bitter words come out her Fiona’s frank mouth which doesn’t twist words.

Well, from the perspective of a proper adventurer existences like them aren’t good.

「But, I cannot bear to leave them」

Before I knew it, the maid activated more『Torch』es, and suddenly the surrounding gets brighter.

The maid steps forward and bravely takes her stance while holding dagger knife as if she were trying to let her master run.

From her stance, I can feel it that she is an expert even while being here, this maid is not putting on airs.

「We don’t have time to slowly think over a plan right now」

No matter how much powerful she is, I don’t think she will be able to fight against this monster which has long ears grown on head just like those Punpun.

She won’t die in one hit, but it’s not like she will be able to hold against it for much time.

「Well then, shall we bombard it once from here?」

「No, this is our rare surprise attacking chance, let’s make use of it」

I recall the combo attack of my『Anchor Hand』and Fiona’s『Aur Soleil』when we fought against 8th Apostle Ai.

It will be best to go with that this time too, after all it is best to go all out when we don’t know the ability of opponent.

「But we have no means of protecting ourselves from『Aur Soleil』, so Lily will deal the last hit」

I convey my thoughts briefly and the two immediately show signs of understanding.

Well then, it will be great if we can defeat it with this one combo……

Chapter 200 – The First Trial