Chapter 323: Return from the Great Forest

After leaving the village and walking for a while, the lake soon came to view.

We had been in a rush when we came, but now that I’ve gotten a second look, I must say that this lake is quite pretty. The water is clear, and the light filtering through the leaves reflect beautifully on the rippling surface. The air was fresh, lush green moss covered the edge of the lake, and there were small animals too drinking nearby.

We may be in a dangerous region, but there’s an unusual calmness to the air. Maybe this was how this place was originally without the undead.

“From here seems good.” [Ryouma]

After getting to this point, I could distinctly sense the position of the stone slimes. Now, I should be able to teleport, and I can tell too if there are enemies near the destination.

“If it’s that convenient, you should’ve buried more.” [Glen]
“That would’ve been nice, but there were a lot of undead when we came.” [Ryouma]
“Ah, right. We had our hands full with them, didn’t we?” [Glen]
“I’ll add more next time. Are you ready?” [Ryouma]
“Yeah. Just leave it to me if any monster comes.” [Glen]
“I’m counting on you. Alright, let’s go! ‘Warp’!” [Ryouma]

As mana covered me and Glen-san, I chanted the spell. In the next moment, the scenery changed from that of the lake to the woods, and the presence of the distant slimes could be felt right by my feet.

“Good. It worked. Let’s go all the way like this.” [Ryouma]

I invoked my dimension magic multiple times in succession. The slime markers were passed one after another like train stations, and the journey that had taken hours before was now raced through in no time at all.

“There’s a pack of raptors passing by the next point, so let’s wait here for a while.” [Ryouma]
“…I’d expected it would be fast, but man, this is something else. We’re already back to where the treants were.” [Glen]

Indeed, we were already back to that point, and in fact, the corpses of the twin treants that we couldn’t recover were still here. If I recall correctly, the village should be about a day’s walk from here. We’ve gotten this far in just an hour.

“Fast is good and all, but is your mana alright?” [Glen]
“It’s fine. I’ve consumed quite a bit, but I have a lot of mana in the first place, and we’re taking a breather right now too. If I need to rest, I could just take out a huge rock slime. And if we need to hurry, I have plenty of mana potions.” [Ryouma]

I have more than enough mana to cover the distance from here to the village. If we keep up this pace, we might be able to make it out of the forest by the end of today, even considering any delays along the way.

“Alright, the raptors have left.” [Ryouma]
“You didn’t get to rest at all, did you? Either way, it sure is convenient, you and your slimes.” [Glen]

I’m not sure whether to take that as praise or criticism, but I resumed our consecutive telportation. The next check point was before the marsh where I rendezvoused with Glen-san.

“Understandably, I couldn’t leave a slime in the marsh, so we’ll have to manually make our way through.” [Ryouma]

Of course, the slimes would be fine even if they were to sink in the water, but then I wouldn’t be able to retrieve them easily. I’ve buried one in the solid ground in the opposite shore, though, so we won’t lose our way. Moreover, with the boat and the slime magic that I used to cross before, getting past the marsh should be easy.

Or so I was thinking anyway, but then I realized that I overlooked one thing.

“Glen-san, can you ride this thing?” [Ryouma]
“If I put away my hammer, I should be able to make it just barely.” [Glen]

The boat I had on me was that same small boat I used before. Yurdum-san and I have ridden it once together, so it’s big enough to fit me and an adult, but Glen-san is just too big.

First, Glenn carefully placed one foot to check how much it would sink, then he lowered his large frame into the boat, trying to fit himself in. Although he managed to get on board, it seems quite cramped.

The issue is not only with the limited space but also with the weight. It’s a very tight fit.

“Well, we managed to get on, but I don’t think we’ll be able to move fast like this.” [Ryouma]
“We won’t be able to fight if we get attacked too.” [Glen]
“We might just sink if we move poorly, after all. Come to think of it, how did you cross the marsh?” [Ryouma]

Don’t tell me he ran through it.

“I don’t know actually since I just relied on my intuition and feeling and happened into you. I didn’t get into the marsh, though, so I probably went around.” [Glen]
“In that case, let’s proceed along the shore just to be safe. We won’t lose our direction, so it’s safer to prioritize safety over rushing the shortest route.” [Ryouma]

Glen-san was fine with that, so that’s what we did. With the mud slime’s help, we proceeded along the shore on the boat. We couldn’t move as fast as before, but we still moved much faster than we could on foot.

I was attacked by a Galmos Aligator when I came here before, but they mostly dwell in the deeper parts of the marsh, so they rarely attack the shore. Moreover, Glen-san and the slimes could detect them too. Besides, even those rare attacks could be avoided easily. That’s why there were no problems even if we couldn’t move quickly.

While I was thinking that, Glen-san suddenly yelled from behind.

“Ryouma!　Turn the boat now!” [Glen]

Immediately, I changed our course from the shore into the center, then a moment later, a pack of monsters relaxing on the shore came into view.

“Ah, it’s a bloat of Shotgun Hippopotamuses.” [Ryouma]

According to the information I’ve gotten beforehand, while not as formidable as the Cannonball Rhinos, these hippos possess high defensive capabilities and are quite aggressive. True to their name, they are a monster that resemble a turret, equipped with a long-range attack method akin to a shotgun.

It is said that they prefer to eat monsters with hard shells, such as “Rockfish” and “Spiky Snails,” which inhabit the swamp. The fragments of these shells, which they cannot fully digest, are stored in their stomachs and used as ammunition.

“Those guys are everywhere, so they’re hard to avoid, but if you don’t, you’ll get covered in feces, so it’s better to stay away.” [Glen]

Just as Glen-san says, they use their own feces to attack.

It might sound like a load of crap, but feces with fragments of shells and sharp husks being shot at you is nothing to scoff at. Infection rates are high too. We managed to get away before a fight broke out, so everything is fine for now, but those are some monsters that I’d rather not get in a fight with.

“Bigii!?” [Shotgun Hippo 1]
“Ah, that one blew up. Is it trying to intimidate us?” [Ryouma]
“Probably. The other hippos seem wary too.” [Glen]

Since we can see them, they can see us too. The closest hippo raised its voice, but fortunately, we managed to distance ourselves in time.

“There’s no need to go out of our way to hunt them, so let’s just go.” [Glen]
“Yes. It’ll be a bit deeper, but we should be able to get past the marsh in no time.” [Ryouma]

Like this, the small boat proceeded while avoiding the monsters of the swamp, and with the current created by the Mud Slime, we soon passed through a space filled with the scent of trees, earth, and water, eventually reaching the opposite shore. From this point on, we would be proceed through my dimension magic.

Taking occasional breaks and ignoring the bases along the way, by the time the sun began to set and the forest grew darker, we were already close to the edge of the forest. Already, the first base was in sight.

“Wow, we actually got all the way here in one day. Well, the sun is setting, so we might as well retire here.” [Glen]
“Yes, let’s do that.” [Ryouma]

We could make it out of the forest if we hurried, but then we would have to stay at an inn at a town nearby or sleep outside, that’s not much of a difference from just sleeping here, so we might as well just rest here. Upon deciding that, I covered myself in light mana.

We approached the base, and a familiar face peeked out through the open door.

“You’re back.” [Ashton]
“Ashton-san!” [Ryouma]
“It’s a coincidence that I’m on duty today, but I’ve been waiting for you. Well, let’s talk later. Come in.” [Ashton]

He noticed Glen-san, but he didn’t say anything and just opened the way. When we entered the base, the people at the bar there all made a commotion.

“Hey, look!” [Adventurer 1]
“It’s that brat! He came back!” [Adventurer 2]
“Alright!!!” [Adventurer 3]
“Seriously!?　Damn it, I lost!” [Adventurer 4]
“Arghhh!　Oh!?” [Adventurer 5]

Not only did they make a commotion, some of the patrons made a strange sound too. But as soon as Glen-san entered, all of that fell silent.

“Hey, why is that kid with Glen?” [Adventurer 1]
“As if I’d know? Didn’t he just save his ass somewhere?” Adventurer 2]
“There’s no way. That guy’s only interested in strong people.” [Adventurer 3]
“He might still save someone if they’re on the verge of death, but there’s no way he’d bother escorting someone. Doesn’t look like that kid is being protected either.” [Adventurer 4]
“Either way, give it up. The results can’t be changed.” [Adventurer 5]
“U-Uwaaa…” [Adventurer 6]

The people either cheered or lamented, but regardless, they continued to steal glances at me. Come to think of it, when I first came here, I did hear something about them making a bet.

“Ashton-san, could it be that those people…” [Ryouma]
“Yeah, they were gambling on you. Whether you would come back or not. Also, when you came back, just how wounded you’d be.” [Ashton]
“…So how many votes did I get?” [Ryouma]
“It’s about 8:2 that you won’t come back. Most new faces, adult at that too, never come back, so you coming back is really a huge upset. Were you a normal kid, there wouldn’t have been a bet in the first place, so if anything, the fact that 20% still voted for you coming back is a lot.” [Ashton]

Well, I’ve personally seen for myself just what sort of place the Great Forest is, so I know it’s not a place for normal children.

“In any case, I’ll be in your care for tonight.” [Ryouma]
“Tell that to the old man. He should be there in the bar today too.
My shift is mostly done already, so let me treat you to something to celebrate your safe return. Besides, I made money off you too.” [Ashton]

For a moment, I wondered if it was really okay, but then I realized he gambled on me too.

“In that case, I’ll happily oblige.” [Ryouma]

At that, I went to the bar in the opposite direction. People were looking at me even along the way.

“I thought I heard something strange. So you managed to get back, huh.” [Stem]
“Yes, I managed to make it back safely. So I was hoping to ask for a room for the night, oh, make it two rooms, please.” [Ryouma]
“Some food and sake would be god too. We can sit there.” [Glen]
“Hey, Glen-san.” [Ryouma]
“Don’t worry. I don’t know why you’re with him, but he’s always been like this. Don’t worry about it.”

I thought he was being demanding, but he just went off to his own seat, and old man Stem just said that that’s how he usually acted. Come to think of it, he hasn’t spoken much since entering the base. He did say that people tended to crowd him for his fame, so maybe that’s why he’s trying not to get involved with other adventurers as much as possible.

“More importantly, you seem to have made it all the way to Cormi Village.” [Stem]
“You can tell?” [Ryouma]
“Well, you don’t look the slightest bit disappointed or sad. Either way, it seems your search was a success. I’ll bring you some nice meat and liquor, so you take a seat and wait too.” [Stem]

Stem-san is curt too, but he was willing to celebrate with me for my safe return and success. I followed after Glen-san. When I did, I saw Ahston-son rushing from the path we went through earlier to enter the tavern.

I waved at him and called him over to where Glen-san was sitting.

“I kept you waiting.” [Ashton]
“Not at all. If anything, you were quite fast.　Did I make you hurry?” [Ryouma]
“The guy for the next shift came right when you left. That’s why I was able to come so soon. They started pestering me to treat them too, so I sent them away. More importantly, are you sure it’s okay for me to sit here?” [Ashton]

Ashton-san glanced at Glen-san, but it’s probably fine.

“It’s fine, right?” [Ryouma]
“Drinking, I don’t mind. Just don’t get me involved with anything unnecessary.” [Glen]
“Really?　In that case, I won’t hold back.” [Ashton]

As Ashton-san said that, he boldly sat in front of Glen-san. I also took a seat.

“Oh, you came too? Then hurry up and order.” [Stem]
“I’ll just have whatever the two of them are having. I made quite a bit this time, so I don’t mind even if it’s expensive. Anyway, how did it go?” [Ashton]

As he accepted the food and drinks from Stem-san, he asked me that. Apparently, he wanted to ask how my search in the forest went.

So I told him about my search in the Great Forest, about the situation of the bases along the way, of the bases deepest in, then about how I passed the marsh and met up with Glen-san, and about how I finally reached Cormi village.

I wouldn’t say I’m that good as a conversationalist, but he really got into it, though I’d argue he wanted to talk in the first place.

“Ha~ The two of you are really something, you know?” [Ashton]
“You mean how we went deeper than the front line?” [Ryouma]
“There’s that too, but I’m talking more about the food you made along the way. It’s one thing to use Dimension Magic for camping, but don’t you think it’s weird to cook, eat hot food, then even drink liquor while you’re out in the wilds? Such a thing would’ve been suicidal for anyone else.” [Ashton]
“What do you mean us two? Don’t drag me here. The only weird one here is Ryouma.” [Glen]

Surprisingly, Glen-san actually interjected. He’d been just quietly eating, but it seemed he finally couldn’t hold himself back and said something.

“The food was great, so I had no complaints, but I knew full well there was nothing normal about that whole trip.” [Glen]
“Well, that’s true.” [Ryouma]
“It’s not just here, you know? Even outside the Great Forest, I’ve never been able to eat that well while working. Your slime bed doesn’t lose out to inns, and even the way you fight is interesting. It was to the point that I actually wouldn’t mind teaming up with you properly.” [Glen]

He said those last words casually, but the moment he did, all the sounds around us went quiet. A glance at the people nearby would show that their eyes have opened wide, ears perked, twitching. There was electricity in the air.

“Unfortunately, I’ll have to decline.” [Ryouma]
“That’s too bad.” [Glen]

It was a simple rejection on my part, but everyone else looked shocked. There were even those that leaned onto their tables and let out voices of shock.

“Are you crazy!?　That’s an S Rank adventurer!” [Ashton]

Ashton-san yelled, and somehow, that seemed to represent everyone’s thoughts. The expression on everyone else’s faces seemed to say so, and there were even those nodding.

“I know Glen-san’s skills myself, but as an adventurer, I prefer the convenience of being able to do as I please.” [Ryouma]
“I also prefer to do what I want, so it would probably depend on my mood.” [Glen]

This time, Glen-san decided to follow me on his own, so I was given the authority to make decisions, but if that hadn’t been the case, I think there’s a high chance I would have been dragged around by him.

He even admitted it himself—he’s a bit of a free spirit.

…Not that I can really say much about others, though.

“Any other adventurer would have jumped at the offer, but if that’s what the two of you have decided, then it can’t be helped. Personally, I think it’s a waste, but you seem to have refused quite readily.” [Ashton]
“We both just want to do what we want. If there’s a good opportunity, there’s nothing wrong about teaming up. He just decided to follow me around this time anyway.” [Ryouma]
“Yes. We can just work together again if there’s another opportunity.” [Glen]

At first, I thought I’d gotten entangled with a weird guy, but in the end, it was quite fun. I genuinely wouldn’t mind working together if there’s an opportunity.

That was all there was to it, but as expected, the words of an S Rank were big. The residents here might tend to be more meritocratic due to the nature of the area, but the recent exchange seems to have had a significant impact on the eavesdroppers. The stares have become more obvious, and the conversations among the other customers were now louder than before.

A few seconds later, the faint yet clear sound of was Glen’s click of the tongue reached my ears.

“Hey, old man!” [Glen]
“I’m not deaf that you need to yell. What?” [Stem]

Glen-san suddenly handed a pouch over to Stem-san. When he opened it, what was inside was the corpse of an immortal snake.

“For all the idlers mumbling here, the drink’s on me tonight… You hear that, you bunch of bitches? If you want to talk, stop gossiping among yourselves like you’ve lost your pair!　If you want to talk, then make some noise!” [Glen]
『Oh!!!』

Following the declaration made while holding the giant serpent aloft with one hand, the adventurers’ cheers echoed a moment later. I didn’t expect him to lose his temper and make a commotion, but I also didn’t anticipate things would turn out like this.

“So, is that enough, old man?” [Glen]
“Immortal snake, huh. How long has it been?　Moreover, in such a good state too. Just the leather alone would have been plenty.” [Stem]
“In that case, give them the meat.” [Glen]
“Alright. Hey!　Someone help me carry this thing!” [Stem]

Stem-san’s voice didn’t lose out to the cheers of the adventurers, and before we knew it, a banquet had begun. The immortal snake was taken away and dressed, then in no time at all, the immortal snake wound up in the adventurers’ bellies.

“Glen-san, weren’t you in debt?” [Ryouma]
“It’s better than the liquor becoming bad. I made way more than I was planning to this time, and if that’s not enough, I can just make more again.” [Glen]

That was his spoils that he handed, so I’m not complaining, but no wonder he’s in debt if he spends money like this. Well, it’s not bad.

About a fifth of them seemed to have been gambling on me too. I’ll just think of gambling on someone as a vote of encouragement here in the forest. Stem-san and Ashton-san congratulated me on my safety and the success of my search, and as a way of returning the congratulations, I thought I’d offer them something too.

After consulting with Stem-san, I decided to provide some extra vegetables, and the excitement among the adventurers increased even more. Like that, the impromptu banquet became even livelier.

Even though I’m still a newcomer here, Glen-san’s presence and trust, along with the provision of vegetables, ended up confirming the ‘abundant food situation’ that had been mentioned earlier. The surrounding adventurers too began to recognize my abilities.

But…

“Hey!　Glen, wake up!” [Adventurer 1]
“Open your eyes!” [Adventurer 2]
“Forget it. It’s hopeless.” [Adventurer 3]
“That brat, no, Ryouma won!” [Adventurer 4]

A few hours after the banquet started, I found myself at the center of the adventurers. In front of me was Glen, completely passed out from drinking, and the surrounding area was littered with even more incapacitated adventurers.

By the way, Ashton had already been knocked out and carried out earlier.

With a slightly light-headed feeling, I tried to recall how things had progressed up to this point. It seems that, given the rough nature of adventurers, it’s only natural that a drinking contest had started up almost without us noticing. Today’s banquet was initiated by Glen, and since I was also one of the main participants, I got caught up in it and ended up here.

“Isn’t that guy a dwarf, after all?” [Adventure 5]
“From the sound of things, that doesn’t seem to be the case. His grandpa is a dwarf, but they’re supposedly not blood related.” [Adventurer 6]
“That’s got to be a lie. Look at this place. Everyone’s drunk dead but him.” [Adventurer 7]

Thanks to the blessing of the god of liquor, I found myself still standing as the last one remaining, and I could hear voices of awe and fear from those who had been watching from a distance. However, given the current state, it’s clear that the banquet should be over by now, so I strengthened my body with ki and carried the unconscious Glen.

Because of how big he was and how small I was, I ended up dragging his body no matter, but even then he showed no signs of waking.

“Stem-san, I’m sorry to leave like this after getting your tavern so dirty, but can I get you to ready my room?” [Ryouma]
“It’s ready already. Don’t worry about the store. More importantly, are you okay even after drinking that much?” [Stem]
“I’m a little tipsy, but I can move and talk just fine. I have the blessing of the God of Wine, you see, a bit unfortunate for those that gambled.” [Ryouma]
“Gamblers are their own responsibility. Besides, they wouldn’t stop just because they lost.” [Stem]
“Does everyone here like to bet that much?” [Ryouma]
“I mean, if you’re adventuring out here in the Great Forest, you’re basically risking your life everyday to make it big. If anything, people that don’t like to gamble would be stranger here.” [Stem]

Makes sense. I followed him as he led the way, and before long, we reached our lodging for the night. I threw Glen-san into one of the rooms, while I retired in my own.

The next day.

“Shit, I can’t believe I lost in a drinking contest.” [Glen]
“We ended up duking it out, though, so you’ve already proven yourself plenty strong.” [Ryouma]
“You know… I blacked out right at the start and I’m a mess today, so how come, the two of you who drank until the end are acting perfectly fine?” [Ashton]

I woke up perfectly fine, while Glen-san too acted as though he hadn’t drank himself dead yesterday, yet Ashton-san was gently caressing his stomach while sipping on soup.

“Beats me. But I’ve never once had a bad day after getting black out drunk.” [Glen]
“I have the blessings of a god, so while Glen-san was probably strengthening himself unconsciously, I was probably being strengthened in some form too.” [Ryouma]

While drinking together yesterday, I noticed that Glen-san doesn’t avoid getting drunk. In fact, it seemed like the time it took for the alcohol to start affecting him was quite short.

I speculate that he might have a faster metabolism than others, which means he breaks down alcohol quickly, but he might also absorb it quickly.

While we were talking like that, our plates soon emptied, and our meal ended. When I stood up, Ashton-san looked up at me with a pale face.

“Are you going? I’m sure the two of you don’t need it, but take care.” [Ashton]
“I’ll come back again in the near future. You take care too, Ashton-san.” [Ryouma]

Since we’ll likely be seeing each other many more times, there’s no need for a prolonged farewell. I briefly bid my goodbyes while he sipped his soup, and we left the tavern and the outpost. From there, as usual, we teleported to quickly exit the Great Forest.

As we approached the boundary between the Great Forest and the outside world, we walked the final few meters on foot.

Then, unlike when I first arrived, I distinctly felt the air’s heat and humidity drop sharply. At that, it became apparent that we were finally and truly ‘back’.

“Well, we managed to get out of the forest. What will you be doing now?　I plan to head to the nearest village, while you be coming too?” [Ryouma]
“I need to sell my spoils or I’ve got no money to spend, so I’ll be heading straight for the capital.” [Glen]

The direction he pointed to is different from the nearest town I’m heading to—in fact, it’s a direction with no town or road. It’s likely that the capital is in the direction he indicated, and he probably intends to head straight there from here.

“In that case, until next time.” [Ryouma]
“Yeah. Let’s fight again when we meet next!” [Glen]

I’d like to be spared of that, but I do think he might be a good sparring partner to hone myself, but the moment I thought that, he’d already run off. But then he suddenly stopped.

“Oops, I almost forgot. Ryouma!　When I get some money, I’m going to buy some of that preserved food of yours, so prepare me some, okay!?　I’m sure it’ll be fine with your patron noble if you just drop my name!　Thanks!” [Glen]

As soon as he yelled that, he ran off without even waiting for an answer. Before I knew it, he was already a dot into the distance.

“A noisy person right at the very end, huh. He’s surprisingly a good guy, though.” [Ryouma]

As for the preserved foods, I need to replenish what was used up during this trip, so I’ll instruct the goblins to increase production. He didn’t mention which dishes he’d like, but he’s the sort to eat a ton at once, so it should be enough to prepare a reasonable amount of each dish.

He’s got a big wallet, so he’s a great customer, but the matter of selling will have to be decided after speaking with Reinhardt-san. As I thought that to myself, I suddenly became curious.

“Hmm?　Did I not talk about the Jamil family at all to him?” [Ryouma]

We didn’t meet in the best of situations, so I had been wary of him and didn’t share any specific details. I’m pretty sure I didn’t even mention the name of the city I was living at.

Oh, well. It’s too late even if I notice it now.
I can’t even see his shadow anymore.