Gather Divine Coins and Gacha! - Chapter 184

 Just outside the forest near Ltorle town, where monsters have started to return.

"Hiiiii..."

Shivering from the cold as usual, I float above.

There are mountains to the north as well as to the south, which means the winds in this area are especially strong.

Determined not to fight, I wear tights, wool socks, and boots. My hands are covered with gloves, and I wear a thick jacket, a cape, a scarf, and even a belly warmer. Still, I'm cold.

"There’s nothing here..."

Well, technically there is. But they’re so far away that I can only see faint dots of light. Without Akame's eyes, they’d be completely hidden by the trees.

Today's request came directly from the branch manager of the Ltorle Adventurers' Guild. While it sounds important, it's simply to check if any large monsters are approaching the town, having escaped from the rain.

Although we were warned it might end up being a wild goose chase, we can't afford to let our guard down. So, Alex formed a small, elite investigation party. It's Alex, Jighalt, and me.

I continuously survey from the sky, Jighalt watches from the ground to ensure no flying monsters attack me, and Alex searches for tracks on the forest edge.

It’s a simple party with clearly defined roles. We started from the north and are conducting a semicircular search around the town’s edge, moving about 20 kilometers.

"Whoa!"

A thick beam of light passed about 10 meters away from me, followed by something falling down like a piece of charred debris. I don’t know what it was, but something was definitely targeting me.

Because I’m so focused below, I can’t pay attention to my sides or above, so occasionally I get attacked. By the time I notice, it’s usually reduced to ashes.

Interestingly, when a battle occurs on the ground, monsters seem to sense something dangerous and stay away. But when I’m just floating in a quiet place like now, they come flying at incredible speeds.

As expected of a monster-infested area. I can’t tell if it's a bird-like monster or just a regular bird, but their flight speed is insane. Unlike in a dungeon, the open sky isn’t safe.

Looking down, I see Jighalt waving at me. I wave back to signal everything is okay.

Still... I spot the occasional beast, but no monsters. They’re around but stay far away and don’t approach. No large ones in sight either. It seems they don't come every year, and maybe they won’t this year.

"Hmm?"

Alex emerged from the forest and joined Jighalt, waving me over.

What’s up?

"What’s the matter?"

"We’ve reached a good stopping point, so let’s head back to town for a meal. We’ll tackle the first forest afterward."

"Got it!"

◇

"I’m back!"

As usual, I leave the report to the Adventurers' Guild to the other two and head back first.

The sun is already setting. Even though we took breaks here and there, it’s been a long day since morning. Usually, dungeon or forest explorations last about an hour, so being out this long is rare...

Entering the room through the window...

"Huh? Is Fio not here?"

Inside were only Seriana and Elena. Fio was supposed to be here as a guard while I was out, but maybe she went home?

"Yes. She went to buy something at the tool shop in town. I told her she could go home after, so if you’re cold, use the room in the back."

"Okay."

I head to the bedroom, activate [Hideout], and go straight to the bath.

Seriana's bath is spacious and nice, but I feel more comfortable in my familiar [Hideout]. It’s convenient for laundry too. The maids at the mansion would wash my clothes if I left them there, but I prefer to handle my own.

While I’m drinking something warm after finishing the laundry, a melody sounds inside [Hideout] indicating the bath is ready.

Even though I could probably prevent it with a "prayer," I decide to soak and warm up thoroughly to avoid getting chilblains on my fingers and toes.