Jin and I looked at the same spot simultaneously. Among the broad leaves, a young tree laden with yellow fruits particularly caught our attention. Something had definitely been there just moments ago. We watched silently, but no further movement occurred. Since it might not be the magical creature we were seeking, I hesitated to suggest following it. I quietly expressed my thoughts to Asrein, who was adjusting his appearance.

“It could be a wild animal.”

“But if there’s even the slightest possibility, it’s worth investigating.”

After a moment’s consideration, he turned to meet my eyes and said.

“From here, it would be better to split into two groups for the investigation. I’ll go with Jin, so you go with Lord Sezan.”

“Yes, understood.”

“We’ll meet again at the entrance before sunset.”

Nodding in agreement, the four of us split into two paths. Asrein and Jin took the path where the sound came from, while Sezan and I continued along our original route. While Asrein would certainly recognize any traces of magical creatures on their side, I worried since I was the only one on our side who knew about magical creatures. With our reliable professor absent, I needed to compensate for any shortcomings.

“Please tell me if you notice anything, even something minor, Lord Sezan.”

“Yes. I’ll look carefully.”

Though I made the request, truthfully, I couldn’t see anything myself. The deeper we went into the forest, the thicker the fog became without end. Just moments ago, we could see all the way to the hillside, but gradually our visibility narrowed until even the large trees became blurry. Naturally, our steps became more cautious, and our pace slowed to a crawl.

But Sezan was different. He navigated the mountain path without hesitation, seemingly unaffected by the fog. Walking two or three steps behind him and staring at the back of his head, I honestly expressed my admiration.

“The fog is thick and the path is rough, but you walk so quickly, Lord Sezan.”

“…! I apologize. I thought walking ahead would be helpful.”

“Of course, I’m not falling thanks to you. I just admire how smoothly you walk.”

Ah. As the misunderstanding cleared, he let out a small sigh.

“It’s thanks to frequent hiking with my mother since childhood.”

“I should have gone out more often.”

I should have exercised instead of just sitting and reading books all day. No, when I first entered the book, couldn’t I have possessed a sturdy military officer type? Instead, I possessed an unnamed extra and brought along this weak body. Letting out a frustrated sigh, I bent down to massage my already aching calves. Then suddenly, an obvious fact occurred to me.

If a non-adult magical creature left traces, they would likely be concentrated in lower areas below waist height. Stopping my leg massage, I had this realization while crouching down and steadying myself against a rock. At this level, the ground that had been obscured by fog while standing became relatively clear. When I suddenly started rummaging through the pile of leaves, Sezan also lowered himself to examine the surroundings. Eventually, both our gazes focused on one spot. Though this place should have been long untouched by human feet, there were signs of branches being artificially pressed down.

“Tae-oh. This is…”

“Footprints.”

Someone had definitely walked through here. Looking up in the direction where the branches were twisted, we could see bushes split in an unnatural way. This was a path that living creatures had passed through. Moreover, since not even a single sprout had grown on that path, it must have been used fairly recently.

“Do people come here often?”

“No. Even the herb gatherers who provided information don’t come here frequently.”

“If we’re lucky… we might have found the path to their nest.”

If there’s a magical creature’s habitat at the end of this path… In the worst case, encountering the leader would mean risking our lives merely by entering this area. Unable to make such a reckless attempt alone, I only approached the entrance of the path. Through the thick bushes, I spotted a tuft of fur about the size of a knuckle. The stiff roots made it appear similar to bear fur.

I immediately collected the fur into my pocket and made a record. Whatever had passed through had managed to part the bushes that even human strength would struggle with, yet its body size was small. Unlike the herb gatherers’ testimony, there were no traces of adults, only relatively small tracks continued, making it even more puzzling. Could it be that a young one had separated from the group? If it’s an individual without maternal protection, it needs urgent rescue before hunters can catch it.

“Sezan, perhaps we should… Sezan?”

I was about to suggest getting Professor Asrein, but something was off about Sezan’s state. Like a cat fixated on moving prey, he stared intently at one spot. His quiet navy eyes moved restlessly, searching for prey. I waited quietly, not wanting even my breathing to disturb him, and only tapped his shoulder after he blinked.

“Sezan?”

“Ah, yes.”

“What’s wrong?”

“…I sense movement over there.”

Movement, could it be… a magical creature? I slowly stood up and looked where Sezan’s eyes were focused. Just as I was wondering why I couldn’t see anything, the bushes covering the deep alley shook. We didn’t have time to identify what had been prowling around us. As soon as it noticed us, it burst from the bushes and disappeared to where its footsteps could no longer be heard.

The foggy forest regained its silence. Sezan and I quietly exchanged glances and rose from our spots to approach the rustling bushes. When I parted the leaves with a suitable branch I had picked up, something completely out of place in the quiet forest was revealed. Like a Venus flytrap waiting with its mouth open for prey… a sharp piece of metal.

“It’s a trap.”

“…That’s impossible…”

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. A trap in the soil hidden by thick grass. Anyone could see its clear purpose. First, to prevent accidents, I picked up a stone about the size of a loaf of bread and dropped it on the trap. Immediately, with a sharp snap! the brutal jaws closed.

If it could leave marks even on hard stone, any living magical creature, no matter how thick its hide, wouldn’t have escaped fatal injury. Seeing the trap’s vicious teeth reminded me of what Asrein had told me on the way to the greenhouse.

‘Hunting and trading magical creatures is prohibited, and all magical creatures inhabiting the Karsa Empire and its vassal states are under imperial protection. However, those who have learned the ‘true’ value of magical creatures still conduct hunts in secret.’

Something that fled as soon as we spotted it. And a set trap found near its location. An ominous feeling enveloped my entire body like fog. There was no reason to delay any longer. I spoke firmly to Sezan, who was carefully examining the ground near where the trap was set, just in case.

“Sezan. Can you follow that person?”

“…What? Then what about you?”

“I’ll be fine. I’ll stay right here.”

Since this place is full of human scent and has traps set, magical creatures with good instincts won’t enter for a while. Because of that, it’s okay if we don’t find any magical creatures during this survey, but we must prevent a tragedy.

Though I wanted to chase after them myself, I would only be a burden given my unfamiliarity with hiking and the fog. Eventually, Sezan nodded slightly and took out a dagger from his chest to hand to me.

“If anything happens, use it without hesitation. However, if the opponent has a sword…”

Run away without fail. Sezan left this warning and quickly disappeared into the fog. Maybe because I was alone now. The forest that had seemed mysterious until just moments ago now exuded an increasingly eerie atmosphere. I sat on a rock near the trap, gripping the dagger tightly with both hands.

Occasionally when the wind rustled through the leaves, I found myself looking around without thinking. Even as all my nerves were on edge, my mind was filled with only one worry.

“…Nothing should happen.”

Surely the trap wasn’t set only here. If someone gets caught in a poacher’s trap… I squeezed my eyes shut to stop the horrible images that were automatically forming, then opened them again. As I exhaled shakily to calm my tense heart, another chilly wind blew. Following the flow of air, a sound from far away settled softly on my ears.

“…ah… ha…”

A particularly low voice. It could be Sezan or Asrein, but the direction was completely different. I unconsciously started to stand up but gripped the dagger tighter to compose myself. I mustn’t leave this spot. …Must not. I controlled my impulses by repeating the same words several times. Just as my heartbeat was gradually settling and the voice could no longer be heard, that’s when it happened.

Keeek-! A magical creature’s cry, close to a scream, pierced my ears.

From that moment, I don’t remember what I was thinking when I started running. Whether branches scratched my skin as I passed or I twisted my ankle on stones, I just kept running toward the source of the sound.

How long had I been running? Bang! The sound of metal hitting something dull rang out, stopping me in my tracks. The sound came from nearby. I covered my mouth with my hand to forcibly suppress my breathing that had risen to my chin. Then, hiding tightly behind a tree, I quietly checked the situation beyond.

“It’s useless… to run away…”

A silhouette holding a sword was watching the dense undergrowth. Judging by the continuous muttering of ominous words, something must be hiding where the sword was pointing. Fortunately, there was no smell of blood. When I stretched my neck a bit more, I could see the side profile of a man armed in plate armor.

Of all things, his face was obscured by the thick fog, making it impossible to identify him. I carefully moved my steps to at least observe his appearance and characteristics. That’s when it happened.

“Yes. You should show yourself!”

The sound of sharp claws scraping against rock chillingly brushed my eardrums. I thought it was my imagination, but the sound grew closer. Rustle. Thud… thud thud. The thin fog gradually thickened, and I felt the air pressing heavily on my shoulders. This was no ordinary wild animal. The pressure resembled my first encounter with the black rabbit with red eyes.

It’s a magical creature. Something is definitely there, hidden from my view. But he laughed boldly and swung his sharp sword through the air, threatening the magical creature. There was no hesitation in his blade. If it had been a huge magical creature, he would have shown at least a hint of fear, but it seems smaller than expected. Perhaps as I suspected, it might be a young one separated from its group. I turned my head slightly, but its appearance was obscured by the rock at an awkward angle.

“Haha…. If I catch even you, they’ll acknowledge me…”

The gravelly laughter gradually became tinged with madness. ‘Being acknowledged,’ huh. Could they be operating as an organization with superiors rather than acting alone? I wanted to gather more information, but I need to stop him now.

Looking at the dagger in my hand, I swallowed hard. Sezan had earnestly warned me before leaving. If the opponent has a sword, run away without fail. As he said, there was no way for someone as weak as me to subdue an armed man. But there was another method. Much more dangerous, but more certain.

“…Phew.”

Quietly exhaling, I took out the vial from my pocket instead of the dagger. Asrein’s potion swished in my palm. He said this gray liquid would cause hallucinations when released into the air. Although I received it to subdue magical creatures-

“Haap-!”

There’s no law saying it can only be used on magical creatures.