[Interlude] Another Akau Village

I've been to this village before.

It was a lively, bustling town known for its famous water crystals, lined with taverns and entertainment establishments.

But upon arriving, it was unnervingly quiet. There should be far more people at this hour.

I head to the guild branch to gather information. What I hear is quite grim. Perhaps all we can do is hunt the sub-beasts? I feel I want to contribute in any way I can.

I leave my belongings at the inn where I borrowed them and begin preparations. When I step outside to retrieve additional equipment and replenish consumed supplies, I come across a patient afflicted with the mysterious illness.

He doesn’t seem to be in pain, but his complexion is pale, and it’s clear he’s severely weakened.

To someone living in this remote village, this would hardly be surprising—anyone might easily suspect a curse. I myself briefly wondered if I was the one cursed.

Looking at Taro, his expression is serious.

After spending several days together, I’ve come to realize Taro has a somewhat kind-hearted nature. Even now, he’s clearly doing his utmost to figure out how to save him.

The next day, I set out early in the morning to investigate the surrounding area.

But Taro wasn’t paying attention at all.

"Taro, what are you thinking about? Are you thinking about that strange illness? We’re not doctors. Think about combat."

"I know, but don’t you want to do something about something like that when you see it?"

Indeed, Taro seemed to still be thinking about the strange illness he saw yesterday.

I can understand why you'd be troubled by it. It reminded me of a fairy tale I once heard in the capital—it stirred up an irrational fear.

"Indeed, I can agree with that. It feels just like a fairy tale."

"A fairy tale?"

Taro seemed curious about fairy tales, so I decided to explain.

As we talked, we arrived at the mining site currently in use.

We enter the mining site. Inside, it's meticulously maintained and spacious. It's brightly lit and kept in such a condition that mining operations can resume at any time.

Apparently, they still occasionally gather in groups to mine for a few hours at a time. Areas where mining has already taken place are visible here and there. Upon closer inspection, those might be water crystals? Since I'd never seen such things before, I reached out to pick one up.

"Wait! Don't touch that."

"Why not?"

When I checked with Taro, he cautioned me not to touch it. He seems to suspect this magical stone might be the cause.

Taro carefully collected the magical stone as a sample. His manner was almost that of a researcher. There were various types—stones that had been worn down by water, stones submerged in water, and others still intact without signs of degradation.

On the way back, I encountered a sub-beast. I easily defeated it, but Taro wants to camp here, which is far too dangerous.

Honestly, why do researchers become so absorbed that they lose sight of everything around them?

It's quite troublesome.

Upon returning to the guild branch, I was asked by Guild Branch Chief Alan to eliminate the wild beasts appearing in the surrounding area. It seems there are not only sub-beasts but also many ordinary beasts.

I visit the home of a villager who has been introduced to the guild and knows the situation.

"Sorry to bother you. I've come at the request of the guild branch chief to provide assistance. I'm the adventurer Alex."

The door opens, and a large, middle-aged man steps out, looking somewhat worn down.

"Oh, so you're the adventurer who came from the capital. I heard from Alan that he'd be requesting aid. Please, come in."

I enter the house and listen to what he has to say.

"It was about a year ago—roughly that time—that the mysterious illness appeared. One day, a strange object resembling a magic stone suddenly appeared on a young person's body and couldn't be removed. The village doctor immediately began treating the patient...

"I've already heard the details. The capital also received a request from the guild for doctors, and after looking into it, we've determined it's a newly emerging illness."

I see... I'm sorry. Back in my days in the capital, I've seen many illnesses, but most of the villagers here have never been outside their village. To them, something unknown is nothing but terrifying. Right now, they're praying for this calamity to end. In the meantime, I'd like you to eliminate the sub-beasts and savage wild creatures in the surrounding areas. The location is...

I couldn't ignore the wish I'd heard from that young man. Following the map given by the villagers, I headed to the area where wild beasts were frequently seen.

! That's a large wolf. Since it's neither mating season nor anything like that, it should be easy to drive it away.

I found a thin, dry branch. I'll use this one.

Swinging my usual battle axe, I chop through the base of the dry, dead tree. It's hollow and brittle inside, so it breaks apart easily. I'll use this along with the explosive crystal.

I'm not very skilled with crystals, so it takes a moment to activate.

! A wolf is running toward me. It must have heard the sound of the tree falling.

Several wolves are coming this way. But that's no problem.

It took some time, but it seems I managed to activate the magic stone successfully. In just a few seconds, it will shatter into several fragments.

I'll throw it together with this broken branch. It will explode above the wolf's head, scattering the branch into splinters, which will crash into the surroundings, making a loud noise. It looks like several fragments hit the wolf as well.

The wolves, startled by the loud noise and impact, scatter in all directions. They won't come near for a while. Besides, with fragments that small, they won't even get injured.