Runo forest. The giant forest located northeast of Juka Kingdom. It’s inhabited by all kinds of monsters.

Regarding monsters. They are classified by the kingdom from S rank to E rank. In Runo forest, there are monsters from A to E rank, rather wide range. Moreover, there is also Juka Mountain Range with dragons living atop the mountains; it’s extremely difficult for a human to reach such altitude. Without any alternatives, although the trade with Baitos Dukedom exists, it is happening only once a year, during the New Year celebrations.

And right now, I’m standing inside this forest. For some reason, Eril is with me. The day before I needed to go to the Runo forest she said that she will accompany me all of the sudden.

「You can meet with powerful monsters, right? You need some protection, Rinos」

This reason lacked credibility but she forced it.

Then, right before the departure, she dragged me on the horse and placed me behind herself.

「Hold on tight!」

And then we rode at full speed. There are regulations against running at full speed in the capital, though it’s not that rare for soldiers to run at full speed during the emergencies. Since it was the morning, there weren’t many pedestrians on the streets, so the chaos was avoided.

From the Versam family to the Runo forest it’s 5 hour-long walk on foot. Since I’m a kid, I tried to get ready early to save some time, bit thanks to Eril I arrived in just 30 minutes. Due to her rather rough style of riding, I bit my tongue at one moment and stealthily healed it. Let’s make it a secret.

「All right, let’s hunt some monsters!」

「My lady, I’m the one who supposed to hunt today」

「I-I mean in case you meet a monster you can’t handle」

「I see, I will do my best to avoid that」

I will try to scan the forest with the mana detection. The LV is low so the range is small, but I still can detect a number of presences. Their mana is low so it’s probably something like a goblin.

As long as it is a monster, it has mana and can be sensed. According to the theory, monsters were born from mana, and the stronger they are the more mana they have.

I enter the forest while tracking the enemy’s mana. The light dims deeper into the forest and my line of sight shortens. Although I usually maintain the barrier around me, let’s raise its strength a little.

I carefully proceed through the forest as to not to get lost. Eril just wanders around aimlessly, don’t come complaining if you get lost.

「Somehow it’s disappointing. Nothing really comes. I thought I would be assaulted the moment I entered the forest」

Just how much of a battle maniac you are.

The reason nothing attacks us is probably you, Eril. The moment they attack you, they will become the prey for your sword.

While gradually proceeding, I felt a big mana reaction. I turned my head in that direction and saw two red lights. In the next moment:

「Guooooooo」

Ridiculously big cow appeared before me. It had a horn and the body size of 3 meters.

「Curse Charole!? 」[¹]

Said Eril with surprised eyes. Is this beast that dangerous?

「It usually stays deep inside the forest, why did it come all the way to the entrance! We need to defeat it…He has a hard skin, magic and blades won’t work on him. It’s a B rank monster, so it’s impossible for you. Stay behind me」

Eril holds her sword and stands in front of me; the cow is already in position to make a dash.

「Riya~a~a~a~a」

In a moment, Eril moved. She raised her sword above her head and aimed at cow’s neck.

Gakiin!

I heard the sound of metal clashing with metal. Although her strike wounded it, it wasn’t a fatal wound. Eril decided to create some distance, but in the next moment, Curse Charole finally moved.

With the speed not the least bit inferior to Eril, it attempts to stab her with its horn.

「You fell for it!」

Toward running cow, Eril makes a deadly stab.

Paan!

There was a sound of something rupturing. Cow’s movements had stopped. However, Eril’s sword stopped too. To be able to take that stab, that can even break my barrier, it’s defense is no joke.

「Run, Rinos. It’s impossible for you」

「Etto, before I run away, I want to try something」

I pointed my left hand at the giant cow and trapped it inside the barrier.

「So you wanted to trap it inside the barrier and run away! Good idea! 」

「Please be quiet for a moment!」

I carefully manipulate the barrier. The cow tried to pounce on me, but it couldn’t move because of the barrier. Nevertheless, if this continues, there is a risk of a barrier being broken. I guess I should hurry.

The movements of the furious cow stopped. Its mouth and eyes are wide open. After a little while, the light faded from its eyes.

「Fuh. Apparently, it is a success. The control is difficult though」

「…What was that? 」

「Eh, I drew the air out of the barrier. I though it will suffocate without the air and that’s what happened. Although it was difficult to maintain the vacuum inside」 [²]

「You drew the air out….」

Eril, still with a sword in her hand, spaced out. And I was thinking how I would carry this cow back home.