Chapter 281 – Winter Sonata

The heavy snow period is over.

The snow that had accumulated like a mountain melted and piled up again, and the middle of winter arrived.

If the crazy snow doesn’t fall again, we’ll probably be able to hunt at this pace until winter’s over.

—Sabaksabak.

Stepped on the eye

“Hey, Copson. Where are you going today?”
“I’m thinking of going a little farther today.Hehe, I did a little research on the habits of Owlbears. Trust me.”
“What habit?”

Today too Copson and Meria. And Nara went out of the city gates with a party of three. Well, I don’t really need more people. Colleagues who have worked together and are trustworthy are sufficient.

Copson, full of enthusiasm, took the lead to find the Owl Bear.

Meria also seems to know something about Owlbears in her own way. They moved while sharing their opinions.

“Come to think of it, are things going well with your lover?”

While walking, Meria asked if she was bored.

“She’s a wife, not a lover.”
“Mom? Are you already married?”
“It’s like that.”

I don’t know much about otherworldly marriage culture. Anyway, Meria, who was interested in these things, asked about this and that, and Copson, who was listening to her, turned to death in an instant.

She said as she looked at it.

“So. To capture the heart of the opposite sex, gifts are the best.”
“A gift?”
“No, I’m talking to Meria, why are you answering?”
“I’m interested too.”

I don’t know anything else, Copson, you’ll have to stop gambling to get a woman or not.

“Well, it’s a gift…”

Meria gestured as if she were thinking of her. If she’s a normal woman, she’d be right to care about these things.

“If you find a guy you like, give it a quick dash.”
“Is that so?”
“Then, Barbarian. What should I do when I find a woman I like?”

Copson intervened.

“Take a dash.”
“That answer has no nutritional value.”

We made our way through small talk like that.

In the meantime, he did not forget to be vigilant of his surroundings.

Didn’t he run into robbers on his first winter hunt right away? Of course, it felt good to have a big income, but I don’t want to encounter such an event at all.

After walking for a while, I took a point and took a break.

Today, instead of snowing, the temperature was a bit low. Rather, it is a good thing. If the temperature had been a little higher, the floor would have been soggy. I’d rather have an octopus with a frozen floor.

— Hurray.

As usual, we lit a fire and cooked our meal.

“So. How far are you going this time?”
“If you go straight and turn around, you will see a small lake. Owl bears also enjoy eating fish, so there is a high possibility that there is a nest nearby.”
“Okay?”

That’s a pretty convincing explanation.

“Copson’s right. I’ve heard of it.”

It seemed that I was the only one who didn’t know, not the locals.

In fact, I only knew Owlbears were strong monsters, and I didn’t know any proper information. When I asked for more detail, Copson answered while chewing on beef jerky.

“What’s the use of an Owl Bear? Um, well. Feathers besides leather. And claws, bones, beaks, eyeballs… They say there are many things that are useful in many ways. The gallbladder is also used as an alchemy material , so I said everything.”

It seems that there is almost no place to throw away.

After all, in order to make money as a by-product, you have to catch strong monsters. Catch goblins and kobolds are useless even if you try to catch them for a hundred days.

“But is it true that three people can catch it in the first place?”

This is still questionable

Copson must have asked to catch him because he believed in something.

Of course, it seems that this and that will be re-reported, so it is reasonable to say that I brought up the story. If he had been a blind man, he would have searched long ago.

“They say that a skilled swordsman can catch it in three or four.”
“What is the standard for that skill?”
“I think that’s enough for me.”
“It’s fucking ambiguous.”

If it’s enough to catch three or four swordsmen… At first glance, it will be stronger than an Orc. After hearing more stories, it seems that the species that live in this area are a little less than two meters tall.

If he was roughly the same height as me, it was judged that he was not an opponent that could not be defeated with a sword.

“Don’t worry too much. Trust my shield. Well, this happened when I was back in my hometown. I remember when I was young, vigilante men gathered and hunted an owl bear. Did I mention that they came down to the house and caught it?”

Meria, who had been melting her hands by her bonfire, knocked on her shield her.

“Honestly, those vigilantes weren’t particularly strong… Judging by the numbers, three people with skills like ours would be enough.”
“Um… I see.”

I thought it was fucking strong, but I guess it wasn’t.

Well, humans holding blades are more powerful than most monsters. Their words are right.

If I set up Meria as a tank and use Copson as a bait and put in extreme damage, somehow it will work.

With reliable colleagues and my own strength, what is there to be afraid of? If you don’t think it’s going to work, give up and catch another monster.

After talking about that for a while, we set off again.

“If you go this way, you will find a lake.”

Before long, Copson started trying to get into the rough road. I followed him without saying a word.

Would it have moved about thirty minutes?

ㅡ cold.

It felt like the temperature suddenly dropped.
The obviously chilled air sawed into his face.

Hey, this is it

“Hey, Copson. Pause.”
“Something?”
“Isn’t it a bit cold?”
“Hmm… I guess that’s the case. Well, wasn’t it always cold?”

I looked around.

Overall, it is a rugged terrain.

It didn’t look like anything special, but for some reason it felt bleak. All I see is a snow-covered world and frozen bare tree branches. And only the snow resting on the branch.

“I think it’s colder here than it’s always cold.”
“Isn’t it because you’ve been outside for a long time? Let’s move on. We have to move as fast as we’ve come far.”
“Is it.”

It was the time when I came to a conclusion based on my mood and went further inside.

—Saah.

Something.
Something was visible.

He was an eccentric fellow who flew like a butterfly.

Even if it was far before spring came, it would be a long time away, so it would not be a butterfly, but it was definitely not a moth or other insect. It was quite large to be called an insect.

ㅡ buck buck buck.

The small blue thing was floating and moving slowly.
Those of us who saw it literally froze.

ㅡPuchut?

Its true identity was an ice spirit.

“That, a spirit! It’s an ice spirit!”

Copson shouted hysterically!

“Kyaahhhhh!!!”
“It’s a murder spirit!!!!!!!!!!”

Meria drew her shield her, and in a panic I drew her sword and hid behind her. “Aaaaa!!” Copson screamed and hid behind a tree. Meria and I also quickly followed Copson’s lead!

“Fuck it, fuck it! The Ice Spirit has appeared!”
“These fucks! Why are you in this place!”
“Let’s run away!”

The appearance of the unknown killer spirits quickly put the party’s morale to the ground.

Government ordinance.

What a frightening and terrifying sound this is.

Spirits were basically monsters belonging to powerful monsters. Although they take on a small and delicate appearance, their essence is nothing more than killer pests with professional killing skills.

Basically, these guys use magic that suits their characteristics according to their attributes. Yes. Use magic on subjects who are monsters. It is a very dangerous being.

Above all, the reality is unclear.

Since it was rare and difficult to meet, it could only be heard through rumors, so it was already feared by low-level adventurers.

I found out that the moss spirit I saw last time was a monster with bubbles in combat power, but he said that he also uses hypnosis magic, and according to rumors, I heard that the ice spirit uses ice attribute magic.

“Fuck…! They’re coming!”

Copson, who drew his sword his, trembled and shouted.

Looking at it, two small ice spirits spotted us and slowly flew away. It looked like a diabolically sculpted twisted block of ice, and the azure aura surrounding them seemed to suggest death.

It’s too late to avoid battle now…!

Having made up my mind, I shouted strongly!

“Meria! Raise your shield! Kill them!”
“Oh, are you okay?!”
“Yes! Copson! Watch your back!”
“Okay…!”

At my words, Meria came out next to the tree with her shield in front. I stood behind him, and Copson looked left and right and behind me.

—Sharalarak.

“Well, look at me!”

Then, an ice pick the size of a child’s forearm began to form around the floating ice spirit, that is, in the air! Yes! You are using magic!

ㅡ Far shot!

And that sharp ice pick was fired at us!

ㅡPretty!

“I blocked it!”

I felt fear, but the ice picks couldn’t pierce Meria’s iron shield! Good night! Then you have a chance! After judging, I yelled ferociously and threatened him.

“Okay! We can block the attack! Meria advance!”
“Okay!”

Meria and I ran out at the same time. ㅡA shot! At the same time, four more ice picks were fired, but all bounced off Meria’s shield. And the regenerated awl… The casting speed is slow!

“Process at the same time!”

ㅡPay!

Separated as it was, each of us jumped out like a shelter towards our goal.

ㅡQuaang!

Meria, who had turned around once, hit her ice spirit with her shield loaded with acceleration, and at the same time, I stupidly aimed at one floating in the air.

The Ice Spirit was a little smaller than a soccer ball, so it wasn’t difficult to aim for it.

Power goes into the hand holding the sword. The muscles that have been trained to the limit are howled and fired explosively! We need to end it all at once with a powerful blow!

ㅡ Wedges!

My blade cut through the cold air and struck the ice spirit in an instant!

ㅡPeruk!

The hand taste that comes through is heavy!

The fierce sword attack went into a blow at first, but my strength and the sharpness of the blade exceeded the durability of the ice block as it split and cut him!

Killed!

“Miss Meria! We have to confirm the kill!”
“Okay!”

Looking to the side, I saw Copson and Meria, who were placing multi-gul bread on the ice spirit stuck on the ground. Meria used the tip of her shield to frighten the spirit that was trying to rise again, and Copson had to pick up a stone the size of his head her and throw it at him.

ㅡQuajak!

That was the end.

The dog chewed ice spirit passed away after being destroyed.

“Haa… Haa… You caught the spirit! You caught the spirit!”
“Wow!!!”

The two idiots shouted as they danced for joy.

“Whoa, you won.”

He was an insignificant fellow compared to his fear of him.

Ignorant people have a habit of immediately being afraid of anything magical.

That is why the spirits were feared. However, after experiencing it myself, it turned out that it was not so scary.

The ice spirit shot an ice pick with magic, but it couldn’t pierce the iron shield. Then the flame spirit would be the same.

“If you get to know them, the spirits are no big deal!”
“We’re stronger, Copson.”
“Good job changing the shield.”

In a good mood, we looked for loot while chattinghaha.

It is said that the spirits have a core that can be used as a magic item. In fact, I had seen the core of a moss wisp.

Recalling the memory of that time, I tried to find the core—

ㅡSaaaaa…

I saw something like a dark blue orb emitting strange cold air.

It seemed that this was the core of the Ice Spirit.

“Is this… The core?”

Meria bent her knees and looked at her curiously.

Hehe. I heard it’s expensive.”
“Fuck, this is a better income than I thought?”

I grabbed it carefully and slowly put it into the pouch.

“I was lucky. I honestly thought everyone was going to die.”
“I thought I was behind too, hey.”

It seemed like it was worth coming all the way here.

More than anything, it turned out that the ice spirit was a dick.

After our experience points as adventurers had risen, Owl Bear and Nabal agreed to find more ice spirits nearby, and moved toward the lake following Copson’s guidance.

It wasn’t long before I found a small lake that was frozen like a skating rink.

It was then that I discovered that ‘existence’.

“Hey… Fuck that.”

In the middle of a small frozen lake-

“…”
“…”

—-A girl with a cool color was standing there.