Chapter 70 - Apprentice and Master
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As the sunlight beat down sizzingly, I hid in the bushes and held my breath.
Even in September, after the hottest period of summer has passed, the sunlight that shines through during the day is harsh.
A bead of sweat trickled down my forehead, and damp sweat seeped around my back and neck.
I was tempted to wipe the sweat away immediately, but I had to endure for now. The prey was nearby.
The prey visible through the bushes was a slightly large-sized deer.
The deer moved its supple legs and approached the Pico Fruit growing at the base of a tree.
Then, after looking around restlessly, it began to munch on the Pico Fruit.
Since the deer's vigilance still seemed strong, I didn't put any hostility or bloodlust into my gaze and simply observed.
Then, sensing that the deer's vigilance had faded and its atmosphere had relaxed, I stood up soundlessly, readied my bow, and notched an arrow.
Then I aimed, drew the string taut, and released it.
The arrow gained energy from the string and flew out vigorously.
A whistling sound cut through the air, and the arrow's trajectory was drawn in my field of vision.
—It hit. The moment I thought that, the arrow pierced the side of the deer's head, and it collapsed to the ground.
I slowly slung the bow over my back and walked up to the fallen deer.
The deer, with its head pierced, was twitching its legs. Red liquid was gushing out from the wound that deeply pierced the side of its head.
It was still breathing, but it was one step away from death.
It was pitiful, but it was unavoidable for us humans to live.
I tied the immobilized deer to a nearby tree with a rope and began the blood-draining process.
Then, I noticed a presence approaching me.
This habit of moving his feet was Kyle.
Having identified him, I turned toward the diagonal rear and spoke.
"Kyle, how are things on your end?"
"...I thought I had come here while erasing my presence, though."
As expected, Kyle appeared from the shade of a tree forty meters ahead of me with a dissatisfied face.
As part of his training as a hunter apprentice, Kyle would approach me like this while erasing his presence.
For me, who was challenged every time, it was quite difficult to let my guard down, but considering it was for Kyle's growth, this much effort was nothing.
His way of erasing his presence was still naive, so it would be difficult for him to approach while bypassing my detection.
"It was good that you aimed for the moment I was in the middle of processing, but you're still not there yet."
"Even so, your detection ability is as incredible as ever. To be seen through even though I'm forty meters away makes me lose confidence."
Actually, I had detected him from a much further stage, but I probably didn't need to say that.
Kyle would likely lose even more confidence.
"Ahaha, anyone can do this once they get used to it."
"Master is much duller, you know?"
Even though I gave a wry smile and tried to follow up, Kyle gave an uncute reply.
"The presence of animals and humans is different. I was an adventurer, after all."
"...I feel like I can accept it if I think of it that way, but I still think Aldo-san's detection ability is strange. I mean, you defeat a Red Bear by yourself, so you can't be called just an ordinary adventurer, right?"
"T-That's not true."
I didn't know about other adventurers, but everyone in my party could defeat something like a Red Bear by themselves, so it wasn't that I was abnormal. Yes, this was something anyone could do if they were an adventurer who had accumulated a certain number of years.
"Well, you know. I recommend not coming from upwind next time. If you approach from upwind, your scent will inevitably drift with the wind and give you away."
"I see. I'll try to pay attention to the wind direction next time."
When I gave advice as if to change the subject, Kyle nodded obediently.
He seemed cool and cynical for a child at first glance, but he was very honest at times like this. There was a gap from his usual self, and he seemed a bit cute.
As I was looking at him with warm eyes while thinking that, Kyle asked me.
"Aldo-san, how is the west side?"
"Let's see. Since more than a month has passed, it's finally settled down. I hardly see any unfamiliar animals or monsters wandering around, and I think we can consider it back to how it was before."
More than a month had passed since the incident where Flora was attacked by a Red Bear on the west side of the forest.
At first, the forest had abnormalities, perhaps due to the influence of the Red Bear rampaging, with herbivores and monsters changing their habitats and flowing to other places, but as time passed, they seemed to have realized the Red Bear was gone and gradually returned to their original habitats.
Among them, there were monsters that liked the place they moved to and settled there, but we hunters took the lead in hunting them, so it wasn't a problem.
It could be said that this forest had returned to the state it was in before the Red Bear appeared.
"The east side was peaceful today too, so there are no problems after all."
"All that's left is the north side that Master went to check—and as we're speaking, it seems he's arrived."
There was a faint presence to the north of our location.
As expected, unlike Kyle, who was an apprentice, his way of erasing his presence was skilled.
"Eh? Where is he?"
"Hmm, where do you think?"
Perhaps having heard our conversation, Lauren-san's presence stopped moving.
Kyle was desperately listening, trying to find Lauren-san.
Then, nature sided with Kyle, and a breeze blew from the north.
"Ah, did I smell Ere?"
Kyle muttered softly, perhaps having noticed the scent drifting on the wind.
"Well then, shall we check the answer?"
When I handed him a pebble, Kyle grinned.
""One, two!""
"Ow!? Throwing stones is cruel!"
Both of the pebbles we threw headed toward the same bush, and Lauren-san stood up from there while holding his head.
""Yay!""
Ignoring Lauren-san, who was shouting with teary eyes, Kyle and I clapped our hands together and raised voices of joy.
Perhaps because he was able to get back at him for being worked hard all the time, Kyle was wearing a truly great smile.
He would be cute if he always wore an innocent smile like this.
"Honestly, did Aldo teach you that?"
Lauren-san came over while holding his head where the pebble had hit.
"No, I only taught him the knack; I didn't tell him the specific location."
"Is that true?"
"Master, did you eat or pick some Ere on the way? The scent of Ere drifted faintly on the wind, so I knew from that."
Kyle told Lauren-san, who was wearing a suspicious expression, the reason he was able to detect him.
Then, Lauren-san wore an impressed expression before clicking his tongue.
"...Tch, yeah. I ate some Ere. But for the wind to blow at a timing like that, I've got bad luck."
He's not honest at all. He should just praise him normally.
As I gave a wry smile while thinking that, Lauren-san, perhaps having read my thoughts, crossed his arms and made a bitter face.
Then he scratched his head vigorously and patted Kyle's shoulder.
"Well, not bad. You've got a pretty good nose. Keep working hard so you can graduate from being an apprentice."
Lauren-san, perhaps feeling embarrassed, shouted "No problems on the north side either!" and quickly headed down toward the village.
Kyle wore a slightly surprised expression, then smiled faintly with joy and started walking.
I watched Lauren-san and Kyle's backs, which looked like father and son, with a dazzling gaze, then collected the prey and followed after them.