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Two days have passed since then. We’ve completed the Hunting request with no problems, and since every day we take requests that can be completed in a day, we’re slowly saving up on money. A day’s earnings is about three days’ worth, and so repeating that for three days, we now have about nine days’ worth.

My life in another world is going relatively well. For now the goal is a stable livelihood, and since I need money for that, with how we’re currently saving up, I think that things are turning out really well. Though with my Magic, earning money and stuff is pretty simple, don’t you think? As long as there’s Magic, there’s nothing we can’t do. That’s what I thought.

That’s why, I think, this is definitely the punishment for letting my guard down.

We’re in 『The Abyssal Forest’s』 middle layer. This place has large foliage mostly blocking the sunlight and we’re in the middle of drizzling rain. But right now, I’m thankful for that.

「Haa, haa…」
「Lily! Get a grip!」

In contrast with me, who’s gasping for air, Urania earnestly talks to me while we’re moving. Even though running while lending me —who can’t walk by myself— her shoulder should have been pretty tiring for her, as expected of Urania, she doesn’t let it show on her face at all. Is she being considerate of me?

「So, rry, Ura, nia..」
「It’s fine, just rest for now.」

Finding a huge tree with a cavity on it, Urania pushes me in and then enters inside. Due to the Mana inside the Dungeon, the tree that’s grown to a normally unthinkable size seems to have more than enough space to shelter two little girls, so we were finally able to lay down our bodies and rest.

Why did we end up like this? Let’s look back on what happened earlier this morning.

◆◇◆◇◆

This morning, Urania and I took a Hunting Request as usual and entered 『The Abyssal Forest』. This time’s hunting objective was the large wolf Growleu. Its meat tastes really bad, but its hide is pretty durable, so I’m told that it’s quite useful. Just selling one is cheap, but since it’s also a Monster designated for subjugation, the more you hunt, the bigger and better the reward.

The Growleu was a delicious prey we encountered even on our first day, and defeated with ease too. After consulting Urania if we should just hunt the ones we encounter before sunset as usual, without any particular excitement we decided on today’s prey.

「Nnh?」
「What’s wrong?」
「No, well, something’s just a bit…」

Shortly after we entered the Dungeon, for some reason, it seems like my stomach’s a bit unwell. It’s not something I can call pain, but I feel somewhat uncomfortable. That time I thought of it as no big deal and just ignored it. In reality, it didn’t really pose any problems. Urania tracked down the Growleus, I support her while making sure that they don’t get away, and we took down several of them as usual.

「Nnh……」
「Are you alright?」
「No, I don’t really feel so good, I guess…」

The hunt itself is going smoothly, but my condition’s a bit bad. I tried using “Cure” and “Heal”, but they don’t seem to be working, so it’s probably not some poison or disease. Healing without knowing its cause is useless, so even though we have only hunted a few for today, should we end it here and rest up for today? Just as we were discussing that, I suddenly slipped on the muddy ground and ended up clumsily falling over. And at the same time, an arrow was shot from somewhere, grazed my right shoulder, and pierced the ground.

「!?」
「Lily! Where did it-!?」
「Hehe, finally dropped your guard, damn 𝓫𝓲𝓽𝓬𝓱!」

The assailant started talking to us and came out themselves. Four men. I feel like I’ve seen them somewhere before, but I can’t quite remember. However, it seems like Urania’s different.

「“Gale Viper”? Why are you people here? Your Guild Cards should have been confiscated.」
「Hehe, the Abyssal Forest’s pretty big, see? There are tons of ways to get inside.」

They seem to be those guys who started some trouble with us at the guild. Why are they in a place like this? I wondered, but well, guessing what these kinds of guys are thinking is pretty simple.

「Because of you 𝓫𝓲𝓽𝓬𝓱𝓮𝓼, we’re not adventurers anymore. We’ll have you pay for that.」
「That was your own fault. It’s misdirected of you to blame us for that.」
「Who the 𝓯𝓾𝓬𝓴 cares about it being misdirected! After having fun with the two of you, we’re gonna sell you off to some slave traders!」

Ahh, they really are idiots beyond saving. They should’ve learned our difference in strength after what happened that time. Something at the level of “Bind” wasn’t enough of a punishment, huh. In the case, I have no choice but to show them some pain. Deciding on what Magic I should use to punish them, This should do it, I thought and moved my mouth, starting to recite a fake chant like usual, and then I noticed.

「……」
「Lily?」

My voice won’t come out. No, more importantly, I can’t move my body too. Is this… paralysis?

「Hah! It’s a poison that can paralyze even a Marguhlus with just a scratch! You can’t move your body or even speak, right?」

Probably coated on the arrow that grazed me earlier, the paralysis poison corrodes my body. But well, the chants I use aren’t real, so I didn’t really need them from the start. As I was about to operate a Magic that can easily cure this kind of paralysis, they moved all at once.

「It’s just a Mage that can’t even chant and a Dog Ear-kin that can’t muster up strength! Crush them in one go! 」
「「「Yeah!」」」

An arrow probably coated with the same poison was once again shot. Urania avoided it with ease. But unable to move my body, I obviously couldn’t avoid the arrow, and it hit me on my thigh.

「Ngh!」
「Lily!?」

Reflexively groaning, I got Urania worried, and she runs over to me. Catching up behind her are the members of “Gale Viper” brandishing their swords. I reflexively cast Magic. A Magic that will allow me to protect Urania and will allow even me who can’t move to get away. “Levitation”. I chantlessly cast it on us and used rapid fire “Burn” Magic for propulsion.

“Levitation” itself is originally a Magic that can only make things float, and when moving using that, precise Magic Power control becomes necessary. Since I can’t do it well in my current condition, I used “Burn” Magic to make up for it. “Burn” itself is just combustion Magic, but by firing it without control, I can cause a small scale explosion.

With that explosion as the driving force, we managed to successfully put distance between us. As bonus, I hit them with the rapid fire “Burn”, but whether or not the wild shots will cause them any kind of damage, I don’t really care. In the meantime, since we’ve put some distance between us, running away now should be fine, but the direction we’re running towards is bad.

The direction they’re at is where the Dungeon’s exit is, and the direction we’re running at faces towards the middle layer. After somehow taking a roundabout path, the rain started falling too, making Urania’s nose ineffective, so we decided that heading for the exit right now is too dangerous.

If my condition doesn’t get any better, we probably don’t have any other choice. I somehow walk while leaning on Urania’s shoulder, but it only made it worse.

「I’m sorry, Urania.」
「It’s fine. The rain washed away our footsteps too. They won’t catch up for a while.」
「I…see…… Sorry, let me…rest……」

Not good, I’m starting to lose consciousness. I still haven’t removed the paralysis, and my body’s feeling a lot worse too. I hope a short rest can make me even a little better, though. I closed my eyes and passed out.