Chapter 13: Preparation, Travel to the forest
For the next three days I spent most of the time preparing for the training exercise. I asked the teacher to which place 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 nearly two days away going by carriage. All the strong monsters were hunted beforehand and it is regulated so that there aren´t too many monsters. For me, I wanted to tame a strong monster….
Well, it isn’t exchanged for life. We stay at a town in the middle of 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 we are riding is very tight because we are a large amount 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 walk on their own and take a rest when they get tired alongside the carriages. Lime is riding on Ruu. Sometimes when we take a break I notice Ruu is able to keep flying to the town we are going to stay at and back, the speed we’re traveling at is really slow. The carriage was really crammed and I couldn`t endure it, so I escaped to Ruu`s back. This place is more comfortable and the other guys will be glad that one less person is in the carriage.
“Fuu, it is hard to move with a large number of people.Though it isn´t a horse-drawn carriage, large monsters are pulling the big car”
“Guruu”
“Well they can´t be tamed so easily, however such a business also seems fascinating. They have power, stamina, and speed. They could move the carriage with a great number of people in a dash. A monster carriage.”
“…?”purupuru?
“Thats right I want to tame more monsters but it isn’t your fault it’s only a slight aim from me.”
A monster girl harem … the way is long. In this training, I want to tame 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 cla.s.s and cooperate in your groups!”
We stay here today and training will start tomorrow.I want to sleep firmly so that I won´t carry over fatigue tomorrow. It’s important to pitch a tent in the ground as flat as possible. After all it’s hard to sleep when it is at a tilted angle. One tent for every group, that means that all members sleep in the same tent. They thought we will be divided in men and women groups but its usually that boys and girls make a group together and not only girl groups and boy groups. In other words my group is an exception. I can`t pay attention to circ.u.mstances 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 can`t happen. I? 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 one guy 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 capture a place, too?”
“Thats 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 range where monsters don’t enter is decided, so there is no place 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 such a place an occasional battle was fought every time, so I asked Ruu last night to keep hold of the place where it was flat and there were few stones. Other students won`t get closer to Ruu besides us, so no one would try to take the place from her.
“Ah. Tsuchio! I have the tent -!”
Triss holds one tent set and walks toward us. We took the place and quickly put up the tent.
When we set up the tent and finished dinner all members slept at once in preparation for tomorrow.I slightly look forward to the main event of this training exercise.
On the next day we got up early in the morning and finish eating breakfast quickly, then all first graders are made to line up.
“Okay, everyone! We start practical training now! The monsters appear frequently 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 putting 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 front guy walks according to the hand being pulled!”
So we do it like that….Is it ok, because it seems hard to walk in the forest? Our group lines up in order of the 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 don`t recognize comes over and has begun to lead us into the forest. I sometimes trip, but it’s maintained lightly or the obstacles are few.
About 20 or 30 minutes we walked but suddenly we stop and I hit against Lucas. What, is here the start point?
“Don’t move until the magic of a sign rises.This is your task for now”
The teacher who says so hands us folded paper and is leaving. It isn’t heard of to give an a.s.signment, I forgot to say….So we wait quietly for the start signal.
“Is it whether here, there or another side….It is scary for a moment. “
“A monster seems to appear commonly”
“Isn’t there a strong one? Ruu is also here so we don´t need to worry about.”
“Guru!”
The enemy can´t defeat Ruu….I’m here of course, but it can’t be imagined. Many fireb.a.l.l.s are launched in the sky and several minutes later explode.That’s the sign that the training starts now.
“Lets start to move. First of all, let’s search our surroundings. “
“I`m interested whether there is something, it’ll become a matter of concern and….We need to do the challenge.”
“Mr. Lang didn’t say that there exists something”
“Surely he forgot to say it ….Or would you keep it a secret until just before that.”
“Which is also fine so lets 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 cla.s.sroom.”
“As for the other guys, it is only a thing said to be something during cla.s.s. Well, I prepared it in case of this, there are no problems.”
“Yeah you’re right.It was good to work properly”
“Did you do such a thing?”
“I think that I did it, probably. I don’t remember too much… “
These two people ….they are not very good with cla.s.sroom lecture! I feel it so.
“I prepared for tomorrow´s lesson with Tris together…”
“So that was it. Even I understand this myself!”
” I understand this too. I prepared for tomorrow’s lesson properly!”
“Is that so, It’s great -”
“Hehehe”
After all, this boy is cute!.Elementary school children in j.a.pan are useless and c.o.c.ky 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, lets move. I want to end this challenge as soon as possible!”
“Ok Ok, Ruu and Lime you also follow nearby.”
“Guru”
“Kokukoku”
The training started and several hours pa.s.sed. Exploring the area, we who were collecting goods of the task decided to take a rest for meal.
“There is nothing even if I say so ….we must look for it”
You’re right.When encountering monsters lets take the meat….”
During the time we walked around the forest the strange thing is we didn´t encountermonsters.When I went to the forest near the academy, I fought plenty ….This is a slightly abnormal situation….
“It’s a good thing that there are no battles.Danger decreases!”
” 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 encounter them once”
“Is that so. Hmm,any thoughts Tsuchio?”
“I want them 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?”
“There is no certain evidence…,Ruu and Lime have been acting strange since a while ago. They seem to feel unpleasant”
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 it. Lets split up to cover more ground. Two people will search for food and the others look for the monster.”
I am thankful if an ogre appears, or a snake appears, or something… But nothing appears.
I’m looking for something which seem edible in the environment. Don’t also have weed, mushroom and nuts.
“There are various kinds when I look in this way”
“Well, I can eat such a gra.s.s, too”
In j.a.pan, there are a mugwort and the Angelica keiskei with the mugwort rice cake which I was able to eat, but whether or not it is delicious.
“Lucas, is that mushroom eatable?”
“Showing it ・・・ Though it looks like a mushroom that can be eaten, but it is a poisonous mushroom actually. Look, it would be different in shape of the umbrella,”.
“It is so …Since a little while ago all the time”
You’re right.I may have the talent to find a toadstool”
The one Triss is finding is only a toadstool to which everything is similar to a champignon. Well, an edible mushroom comes out thanks to chance.
“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 goes to sleep.
“We gathered plenty, lets go back soon.”
“Now you’re talking. Before it darkens, we should find a place to sleep I guess. “
With the goods we gathered we returned to our camp and on the way,
“… 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 isgreat.It is her wild instinct.
“I seem to be worried about something, Ruu. We go along with Ruu and Lime, so everyone returns this way “
“That bothers me, what do you have?”
“I don’t understand it well. Therefore I go to see it”
“Is it OK?”
“Okay okay, when it get dangerous I immediately run away.”
“Yes, I see. Be careful. I leave if it is too late?”
“I make an effort so that it won´t happen”
After I say so I let them walk next to Ruu. From the place were we where, it seems to be in the complete opposite direction. I’m relieved for the time being and will check it and return quickly.