CH. 6

"Whoa! That's a big one!"

"Damn, how'd you guys manage to snare that thing?"

Huh, wonder what all the fuss is about?

"Look big brother!"

Lily pointed to the corner of the square where a group of young men and woman were pulling a small wooden cart. Judging by the attire they wore, they appeared to be farm peasants from the outlying area.

Because of the height of the cart wall, I couldn't make out what it contained within. Whatever it was, it surely had everyone acting excitedly.

"Do you want to go check out what it is?"

"Mhmm!"

As we drew closer to the cart, a couple of the farmers pulled the creature out from inside and dumped it onto the ground.

"How much do yer want for tha lil sucker?"

"I'm thinking two silver and five copper are what it's worth."

A gruff looking guy was questioning another farmer, as they stood beside it.

"Yer hav'ta be jokin, ain't no way am I payen tha much fer it."

"It's a fair price!"

"If yer were at tha capital, mebbe! One silver an not a copper more!"

"That's a ripoff!"

"Hmph! Take it or leave it!"

"… Fine."

Not that they had my complete and utter attention. It was more background noise than anything else, because what I saw on the ground both disgusted and excited me at the same time.

"Hey hey! Can you tell me what that it?"

"Huh, what's that kid?"

I grabbed the attention of a nearby guardsman, who was also looking at the creature before us.

"What is that thing?"

"Oh you're the Baronet's son… I'd heard you were quite ill. Good to see you kicking around boy. That's a Gremtcha. Ain't you seen one before?"

"No…"

The worm-like thing, about two meters long and as thick as a basketball, was laid out with numerous slices across its coil like body. It was obvious that numerous strikes from bladed weapons had brought about its death.

Its mouth was riddled with rows upon rows of teeth and its skin looked to be leathery and tough.

"OOO."

Lily was absolutely gobsmacked by its appearance. Not that I could blame her. It was something completely out of this world. Or of it.

"What's a Gremtcha?"

"They're a creature that lives in the soil, drawing in the surrounding nutrients within it to feed off, while simultaneously poisoning it. Not good for farms obviously, because the vegetables or fruits end up dying due to the lack of nutrients in the ground. Nasty critters. Easily found though, because wherever there's dead ground, it's caused by one of these suckers."

Nasty was an understatement. This thing looked like something born straight out of a sci-fi and fantasy horror story, all rolled into one.

"See those hairs all over its body?"

I looked closer at the Gremtcha and there were indeed fine hairs covering it all over its body. The hairs were so fine it was almost impossible to see them from where we stood.

"I see them. They're so thin… what's so special about them?"

"Those buggers can't see, got no eyes of course. So those hairs are so hypersensitive that they can feel the slightest vibrations in the earth and the finest movement of air outside of it. They act as its eyes."

That's somewhat disturbing and interesting at the same time.

Whilst the guardsman was discussing the finer points of the creature to us, I watched as the gruff looking man who had purchased the corpse approached it with a knife in hand. He knelt down by the body and ran his finger along its length, seemingly searching for something.

"What're they doing to it big brother?"

"By the looks of it, it seems he's going to cut it open."

"Yeah, he's looking for the Gremtcha's stone."

The guardsman next to me explained.

"It's stone?"

"They have a stone that's what draws in the mana from the soil it eats. Mages, alchemists and the like often buy them."

Huh?! Mages and the like? That meant there was magic in this world!

Just as I was eagerly about to ask him more, the gruff man who had purchased the Gremtcha corpse decided he had found what he was looking for. He nodded and jabbed his knife into its gullet.

"RRRRREEEEEEEEE!"

"Ah shit! Get it off me!"

As the knife made its cut, the Gremtcha reacted and lunged at its butcher, latching onto him with it mouth.

"Fuck it's still alive!"

"Everyone get away from here!"

People ran in all directions as it thrashed wildly, death rolling as a crocodile does to tear the flesh of its poor victim. The teeth were razor sharp and in moments, the man's arm had been severed and it had torn a hole through where his shoulder used to be.

"Big brother let's go!"

Lily pulled on my hand trying to drag me away. But try as she might, she didn't bear the strength to budge me. I was rooter firmly to my spot, staring at the unfolding carnage in disbelief.

"Arrrghhh… Ghhh… Gh…"

The mans gurgling voice trailed off as he died from the horrific wound inflicted upon him.

"RRREEEE."

Its fine hairs twitching and sensing its surroundings, the thing reared up and faced its open maw in our direction.

Bunching itself up like a coiled spring, it launched its entire body at me.

"So fast!"

Its size and shape was deceptive for how quick it was. Literally flying across the space between us, it covered the distance in a blur. Even if I wanted to, I wasn't going to be able to move in time to avoid its attack.

Damn, I hadn't been moving, but because Lily had been aggressively pulling on me trying to get us away, it must have felt that.

"Big brother!"

I shoved Lily out of the way, just as it reached us. Its bloodied mouth filled my vision as I braced myself for it to hit me with the force of a freight train.

Schwinnnggg.

Splat.

"Big brother noooooo!"

"…"

What could I say?

Being covered in hot, sticky purple blood that covered me from head to toe was a first for me.

"You alright boy?"

The guardsman who I'd been speaking with earlier stood before me. The sword which had been sheathed at his waist was now exposed and dripping with the purple blood of the Gremtcha it had just destroyed.

"I uh, think so…"

A quick check of my body confirmed no injuries. The creature that had been playing dead, before attacking the gruff guy and myself, was now truly dead. Sliced clean in half by the guardsman, its two halves lay on the ground twitching as its nerves died off.

"Thanks for saving me, I appreciate it."

"Think nothing of it. It's my job after all. You best hurry off home to the Baronet and wash yourself off now."

"Y-yeah… You're right. Come on Lily, it's time to go home."

"Ughhh."

I get it Lily, I feel exactly how you're looking.

After a scolding from Keiran and the worried smothering of Mera, Lily and I were washed, fed and put to bed. With threats of never being permitted to leave the house ever again as our goodnights.

So ended my first day outside of the home and my first adventure into town. Having explored a new place, a new world, new food and a new monster, I was feeling a mixture of emotions.

But ultimately, I had to admit, even though I had nearly died again, today had been a good day!

This world is awesome!