Chapter54: Team Of Three

[ Alice! shoot that one! it's trying to escape! ]

[ u-un! ]

Alice immediately followed and she aimed her bow to the wolf that was about to escape. Alice pulled the arrow from her small bow then she shoots it with great accuracy.

*Swoosh!!!

The arrow was shot from the bow and flew directly to the head of the wolf that was about to escape.

[ do you need help Clara-san? ] I asked Clara-san.

Clara-san is currently surrounded by three white wolves that are ready to attack her anytime.

[ don't worry, I can deal with this! ] She replied.

She then raised her arm, summoning a large vortex of wind causing the three wolves to fly up in the sky steadily. She then summoned small crystal spikes, then she shoots them towards the three wolves causing them to bleed and die.

[ as brutal as always... ]

Ever since Clara-san joined us, she never stopped surprising me with her brutal magic. One time, she turned an Earth Boar into pieces, then she cooked it instantly, of course she shared some but she ate most of it herself.

*Grrr!!!

[ Onii-san! in front of you! ] shouted Alice.

[ I got it. ]

In front of me are another three wolves, ready to bite and jump at me from all directions in front of me.

I'm currently holding a sword with both of my hands. I'm planning on using it for a cleaner kill, than using my fist. My fist only makes them unusable and too gross to eat.

[ !!! ]

Suddenly, one of the wolves jumped towards me. I moved to the side and I swing my sword to it.

*Slash!!!

The wolf fell down to the ground, bleeding and not moving anymore. I then dashed to the other two wolves and I also swung my sword to one of them, causing it to also fall down.

[ Alice! ]

[ yes! ]

The other wolf, and probably the only one left is now escaping from fear, so I called Alice to take it down.

*Swoosh!!!

Alice's arrow struck straight to the head of the wolf, immediately killing it.

[ nice, Alice! ] I made a thumbs up to Alice.

[ un! ] Alice replied with a smile.

A week had passed since Clara-san joined us. Our fighting power increased drastically because of her, Clara-san has proven that she's a great asset to our team as she gave us more strategist and techniques to take down monsters. Alice's skills also improve with my help, her accuracy is now perfect, but still, she still can't keep a long time shooting arrows as it still hurts her fingers with every one shot. Clara-san also started teaching her some basic magic but she said that it might take long, even years before Alice can master them so I will not rely on Alice yet with magic.

A lot of stuff also happened this past few days. Clara-san is now living as our neighbor at the MoonLight Inn, Diana-san has also informed me that the guild master will come back from the capital city and will now visit at the guild here, and Jacked Jack-san also told me that Sofia-san will now leave Citrine to go back to her parents. I'm thinking of visiting Sofia-san before she leaves the city as we also became friends with her for a while.

[ is that all of them? ] Asked Clara-san while sitting on a big rock.

[ I think so... can you count them, Alice? ]

[ hmm? okay, onii-chan. ]

Alice then started walking around the area counting the corpses of the wolves while pointing at them.

[ there's 16 of them onii-chan. ] Alice said as she came running back in front of me.

[ oh~ I guess none of them escaped, huh? good work, Alice! ] I said as I patted her head.

[ un! ]

This is actually will be the fourth time we complete a task from the guild. The first three are just from hunting none-hostile monsters for training Alice.

We decided to take this task again because we're pretty sure we can complete it easily. This task was supposed to be completed by a party of 4 Rank-F adventurers, but of course, because of my influence in the guild, they let me took it.

[ you did great back there, Alice. ]

[ you know, I'm really surprised by how good Alice is with her bow... ] Said Clara-san.

[ well, I as well. Maybe she has a good master? isn't that right, Alice? ] I said, then I turned my head to Alice.

[ u-un... ] Alice replied hesitantly.

[ you're making her feel uncomfortable you know. ]

[ ...huh!? of course not! ]

I'm sure Alice is just shy.

[ well, anyway, like I said earlier, I'm really surprised by Alice-chan's skills, it's like she's been doing it for a long time, but you told me that she only started two weeks ago... I also tried to practice using a bow when I was as small as Alice-chan but I was never good at it so I just focused on practicing magic. ]

[ ... is that so...? ]

I was also just a small kid when my father forced me to use a bow, and like Alice, I just got used to it and before I knew it, I already mastered it.

[ well, anyway, I'm going to collect the wolves. They say it's important to collect their fangs first, right? ]

Diana-san said that their fangs are the most important item I can get from them. Their meat is not that tasty and they are only served on the streets, and their pelt can be also used for leather armors and different accessories.

[ yes, you need to separate the fangs first before storing the body. ]

[ yea, I got it. ]

[ wait, let me help you. ]

Clara-san insisted and she also started to move towards the wolves one by one.

[ thanks. ]

[ me too, onii-chan. ] Alice also insisted while raising her hand.

[ yes, thank you too, Alice. ]

Then Alice too started separating the fangs of the wolves.

I then walked around the area to collect their fangs and their bodies, then I stored them inside my pouch after.

[ haah... that finishes it. ]

[ yes, I was actually a little afraid at first that we might get ambushed again... ]

[ that's why it's important to have a good strategy first. ]

[ I guess so. Now that we finished this task, I can't wait for our rank to go up. ]

[ oh, now that you mention it... why do you think I'm still Rank-F? ]

[ that's right! you're still rank-f despite finishing a task only rank-A's can accomplish. We need to report this to the Guild Master! ]

[ no no, I can't do that. I... I think that the guild master is the one who's actually behind this... ]

[ really? why do you think so? ]

[ well, he has a serious problem towards me and I don't exactly know why... maybe that is also the reason why my rank won't go up... ]

The only thing I know is that it's related to Katherine-san. Maybe it was because of all the "attention" I get from Katherine-san.

Now that I think about it, this pouch was a gift from Katherine-san... and... I remember the guild master also giving me his...

[ oh, no. ]

[ what is it, Haruto-kun? ]

I just remembered that the Guild Master also gave me a message written in a large scroll the same time I got this pouch, but I still haven't opened it and now I already forgot about it...

[ I remember hiding it below my bed... ]

[ ...hi-hiding what!? ]

[ ...no no! it's not what you are thinking right now! ]

[ i-is that so!? ]

[ yes! Anyway, we need to get back to the Inn before it gets too late! ]

[ onii-chan??? ] Alice asked while tilting her head.