Prey

After having a surprisingly interesting conversation about fishing, Lamb entered the town once more. Wolf, meanwhile, went to explore the area.

Walking between alleyways and such, I ended up at an open clearing...where I found L'Arc and Therese arguing with someone, waving their hands and such.

Still hiding in the shadows, I attempted to hear what the conversation was about. I only managed to hear 'I'm the shield hero' and such before the argument grew even louder.

"So? What you gonna do about it, huh?" the 'shield hero' said, waving his shield he had on his left arm.

It looked quite similar to Naofumi's regular shield.

"So, this one is also a fake, huh?" L'Arc sighed, shaking his head while he moved to walk away, with Therese tagging behind him.

While they walked away, I overheard a part of their conversation.

"This is the third wanna be shield heroes in the last couple of hours."

"Yes. It really is annoying."

"I know, right?"

Going around the building, out of my sight, I began to ponder their words.

'Ah...yes. This did happen, didn't it?'

The Church of the Three Heroes absolutely hated the Shield Hero. They hated him with so much passion, they go around pretending to be the shield hero whilst also doing various malicious things in order to hurt his reputation.

I can almost picture the image in my head of how Naofumi would react...

...

*𝘈𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰!*

"Mr Naofumi, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. It feels as if someone is talking about me..."

"Master master! Is it about that tsundere thing?"

"Of course not."

While he shook his head in denial, a blue haired girl with twintails overheard them, and walked up to three.

"Tsundere? What is that?"

"It's nothing for you to worry about Princess. It's probably the damned crazy Church framing me again. Still, I couldn't be more proud of my valorous deeds being told as stories."

"You mean your crimes, right?"

"...anyways, come on, we have to find a way to get into the town..."

"Hey! Don't pretend to just gloss over what I just asked!"

...

Beautiful orange and purple hues of color shined beautifully onto and over the town as the sun began to set. People had started to pack up their belongings and items, getting ready to stay at their chosen place.

I had walked out of an alleyway, just finishing my investigation of the town.

There were many things that surprised even me. Weapons from Faubrey, top tier swords and bows, strange shields, magic tomes and grimoires. There was also a rocket launcher.

I cannot comprehend how such a thing existed in this world, but it did. Did some hero taught some technology here?

Asking around, I've heard it was made by some genius gnome, who lived here as well. However, it was in its prototype stage, so no one seemed to care about it.

Not to mention the pricing. All I could say was that it was incredibly expensive. Very, very expensive.

Just when I walked a few steps away from the shadows, a voice called out to me. I almost fell into a battle stance, but I quickly recognized the voice.

"Oh hey missy! Where have you been? We've been looking for you!"

"..."

L'Arc walked up to me, with Therese following behind him. He seemed as spry and excited as ever, undaunted by the amount of sightseeing he had the whole day. Therese on the other hand was the same as ever.

"You wouldn't know what happened today? There were these guys pretending to be the shield hero, and-!"

"State your buisness."

L'Arc didn't mind the cold and blank retort, laughing while Therese sighed.

"Hahaha, straightforward as ever, huh? Anyways, remember that inn from earlier? Turns out it was the only inn here, not to mention the best inn here!"

'Wouldn't that automatically be the best inn, since there is no other inn?'

Before I had even completed the thought, Therese said it for me.

"Wouldn't that mean it's already the best inn, as there are no other inns in this town?"

"...I guess that's right. Anyways, wanna join us?"

"..."

"Great, let's go!"

Taking no response as a silent agreement, L'Arc marched off to the beat of his own tune, with Therese sighing behind him.

I had nothing to do before the sun sets, so I might as well see this inn.

...

Pictures, armor, body parts of monsters, weapons, and seemingly rare materials adorned the red walls of the inn. Candles and chandeliers, are lit, littered around the inn.

As it was night, and some people have already vacated indoors to their homes, the inn seemed to be bustling with activity.

"Gimme more of that delicious meat pie!"

"Sorry, I'm just here to eat, not to chat."

"Wow, what a great day it is to be a rat!"

"A rat? There are rat people here? Where-"

"L'Arc, please, you're embarrasing me."

"Hahaha, sorry. It's just, I never heard of a rat person before. Anyways, let's try find an empty table..."

The inn, just like how large it looked outside, was even larger and spacious inside. Climbing the stairs to the second floor, they spotted an empty table in the corner.

Quickly arriving at the circular table, L'Arc and Therese immediately grabbed a seat, while I just sat down.

A few minutes later, ordering some bread and pie with the money they had gotten from the caravan leader, Therese and L'Arc started eating.

Therese was eating quietly and elegantly, cleanly cutting the pie, while L'Arc was scooping another pie into his mouth.

One could really tell their personalities based on how they ate. While they were eating, a voice in the background grew loud and noticeable.

"Hey did you hear? The old monster in the mountain woke up!"

"Really? I thought that was just an old wives tale though?"

"Yeah, apparently something happened there, and this ancient thing woke up."

"Is the adventurer's guild putting out the notice?"

"I think so. By tomorrow morning, there should be a quest..."

After talking about it for a bit, the gossip turned in another direction. L'Arc seemingly eavesdropping on the conversation, focused back on Therese and I.

"An ancient, spider monster, huh? Do you think it's like the Dragon Emperor?"

"...Dragon Emperor?"

"Yeah, like the one killed by Kizu-I mean...'the' one killed on that mountain? The one that the sword hero had slain?"

Ah, yes. A the corpse of the monster worthy to die under us. If this spider monster is also as strong as what we have hunted, then it would be worthy foe.

Planning out my hunt, L'Arc continued talking, not noticing my silence.

"I've been meaning to asked this for a while, but do you want to join our party-gah! Hey Therese, what was that for?" L'Arc whispered, rubbing his right arm.

Therese looked meaningfully at him, almost exasperated.

"L'Arc..."

"What? I'm just asking-"

"There is no need to apologize," I interrupted the two, drawing their attention.

It is time we part ways. With they way they're talking,it seems as if they've think we've became...friends. Comrades who went through years of harsh battles and conflict.

Which was absolutely not true.

"Although the offer is appreciated, I am fine without a party," I simply said, inclined to disagree. "What does not change is that this prey shall be ours. Ours alone, not shared by anyone."

L'Arc blinked, while Therese didn't seem to notice, sipping tea from a teacup, which seemingly came out of nowhere. I did not think my senses were this dull.

"Even if it might be dangerous?" L'Arc asked, his attitude went a 180 degrees. His face formed into one of seriousness, very out of place from his usual goofy attitude.

Suddenly, tension that was invisble immediately became apparent. Even Therese seemed to have felt it.

Unfortunately, I wasn't bothered by it.

"The only true death...is to never live," I simply responded, looking at a distant, invisible horizon.

L'Arc blinked at that, all traces of seriousness gone from his face, and in place, cofusion. Meanwhile, Therese seemed to fall into thought, pondering whilst looking to her teacup.

"What?"

"Tomorrow is a hope, never a promise," I said meaningfully in a tone that was the most obvious thing in the world.

His face became even more hopeless and bewildered at my quotes.

"Wait, what are you even talking about?"

I fell into silence as L'Arc tried to see what I meant to my amusement. After a torturous amoutnt of thinking, as I could tell from his rapidly changing face, he seemingly gave up.

He started laughing.

"Hahahahaha! Well, if you say so, I guess it can't be helped," L'Arc said, a cheerful smile forming on his face. I can't see anything that can tell what was on his mind.

Therese just shook her head, clearly able to tell L'Arc didn't get it at all.

I also remained silent as the chess pieces automatically fall into their place.

One thing I will never let them know, is that I did not know what I was even trying to say. I just randomly came up with some words.

...

In the end, and for most of the night, the two adventurers mingled with other adventurers, while I hid in the shadows.

...

At the dead of midnight, a shadow moved over the walls. I headed out of the town with silence and grace, befitting a hunter. As I made it into a forest, Wolf appeared flying in front of me. As soon as he did, he began sniffing around for the creature.

In mere seconds, he seemed to caught onto something.

"I smell it! Hurry Lamb, faster!"

Wolf flew in a direction, and I quickly made to follow him.

...

Farther ahead of the two hunters, in the distance, a dark and menacing mountain awaited.

The monster layed there, sensing something, and stopped, waiting for its prey. The hunters quickly moved, seeking their prey.