Rather than a *pachipachi* crackling sound, the fire was rising while making a roaring sound.
It was late at night and the moon was shining brightly, but the lakeside was bright as if it was daytime.
The simple campfire, built from the woods we (the escorts) picked up had been fueled with Sytry potions, so it was steadily burning despite the strong wind.
As Sytry suggested, it was arranged in a way so it formed a smile, although it wasn’t obvious up close, it would be very noticeable from the top of the Garest Mountain.
It was already time for nocturnal Monsters to become active, but there was no sign of those Monsters appearing. It was probably because of Liz as she was so enthusiastic about dinner and went all out to catch a big one.
It seems that our wild child is the top predator even when she is thrown into the ecosystem around this lake.
A little further away from the campfire, there was, lying on the ground, the big game Liz hunted, it was a strange space because the blood that had been drained was scattered everywhere.
Sytry was diligently cutting up the edible parts and carrying it over to us, but it was obvious that there was too much food for us to eat everything, there was too much meat.
Among all the campfire I have ever experienced, it was by far one of the 『Weirdest』 campfire.
The fire showed no signs of dying out, the amount of food and placement seemed to be too excessive for our small Party. There was even a boiling pot fill to the brim, skewered meat and roasted chunk of meat with blood still dripping.
And above all, the strange atmosphere induced by Black and his friends who sat on the ground with a pale and exhausted expression and a Tino who had a nervous expression on her face.
If some random people saw that, they may think that some sort of strange ritual is being performed. Moreover, it looked like we were doing a satanic banquet before ending the world.
Of course, the reality was that we were having an enjoyable, fun, fun campfire, but when I see those exhausted three and Tino who is so nervous, even I couldn’t really fully enjoy it.
Only Sytry and Liz were, as usual, normal. Sytry was cooking over the campfire without a care in the world and Liz was playing in the lake at night.
“How is it, Cry-san? It’s perfect……! Even from the top of the mountain, it would definitely look like a smile.”
Sytry proudly puffed out her chest and showed off her campfire.
I don’t hate that kind of playfulness, but right now I am worried about something else. It was about the health of the three escorts who looked like they were about to die after they were forced to pick a lot of firewood in order to make all those campfires.
Black-san, White-san and Gray-san were obviously no amateurs, but collecting firewood right after a death march was indeed too difficult for them (By the way, some of our children are brimming with vitality after all those hunting, but don’t think that it is something normal).
All three looked like they were about to die. If I had noticed it, I would have stopped them, but while I was watching Tino and Liz taking a bath in the water, Sytry had already given them successive orders and by the time my clamoring consciousness moved away from the two who were bathing in the water, it was already over.
It is a good thing to find fun in doing small things. In some cases, even I may be tempted to make a smiley campfire.
However, as a prerequisite, I try to not bother people around me as much as possible. Even if Sytry, as their employer, was in her right to give instructions ―― It is too daunting to order Black-san and his friends with a I want to have fun as an excuse.
Sytry was *nikoniko* smiling as she roasted a crocodile skewer for me. Without any ill will, her expression seemed to show that she was having fun from the bottom of her heart.
When I let out a small sigh, I advised her in a slight depressive tone.
“Sytry, it is about Black-san and his friends, but…… Aren’t you overworking them?”
“Eh? Is that so……?”
Sytry’s eyes opened widely.
I knew from the beginning that she wasn’t overworking Black-san and his friends to be mean, but you know.
Perhaps Sytry didn’t see the emergency Black-san and his friends were in.
Now that I look back, our adventure has always been life-threatening. Compared to that, picking firewood after a fight to the death is probably nothing in her mind. I guess being a Hunter for too long will make your mind become a Hunter-oriented one.
It has been a long time since I had gone out with her. We might be together for a short while, but I will show you that I am able to bring back Sytry’s original common sense.
As I was being enthusiastic about it, Sytry said in a troubled tone.
“But………… They are…… Well…… Criminals, though?”
Those were unexpected words.
Criminals…… Criminals, huh. Now that you said it, from Black-san and his friends’ appearance, they were clearly not ordinary people. Among Hunters, there are many that have a criminal-looking look, so I never expected that pattern at all.
But then, why are you hiring criminals? Maybe it was a request from the country as part of their rehabilitation or something like this? I don’t know a lot about Sytry’s connections, so I can’t say.
Is overworking Black-san and his friends part of her work as their warden? I think it is a terrible way to handle their treatment, but…… In that case, it is also bad for me to interfere.
When I wrinkled my forehead, Sytry smiled as if to say there was nothing to worry about.
“However, if that is what Cry-san says then…… I will stop overworking them.”
“…… Eh? Wasn’t it for their punishment?”
Is it okay for me to change things like this at will?
“Of course, in a way we can say that it is for their punishment. However…… I have learned a lot about their abilities in the past few days.”
They aren’t good enough as spare parts and I am not that adamant about it, was what Sytry said while tilting her head with an embarrassed smile.
…… I don’t really understand, but does it mean that their punishment was over now that she had learned about their devotion over the past few days?
Maybe they didn’t commit a serious crime. Moreover, on the way here, they seemed to listen to Sytry’s instructions……
“Right…… Would it be bad if we were to release them?”
Knowing that they were criminals, I reluctantly stick to my first intent and try to confirm with her.
Anywho, I have already been targeted by criminals so far. I believe that all criminals, without exception, should be thrown in jail, but seeing the hardships Black-san and his friends endured along the way, I feel mercy for them. I feel like I can forgive them if they did a minor crime.
It goes without saying that I am not in a position to forgive them or not, but ――.
Sytry made a pondering expression for a moment, but right after this, she pulled something out from her pocket and squeezed my hand.
“No…… It wasn’t that much of a big crime, I think it is fine to do what Cry-san wants. I am sure they will be deeply grateful to Cry-san.”
She held my hands for a few seconds and then gently released it. All that was left in my hand was a small golden key.
On Sytry’s face, there was no sign of her lying. It was her heart-warming smile that I have seen many times.
“This is the key to their collars. Once their collars are off, Black-san and his friends are free.”
It is pretty simple…… I pinch the key and hold it up to the light.
But criminals, huh. Uuun………… When I think about how exhausted and tired Black-san and his friends are, I would like to release them as soon as possible, but ―― Criminals, huhhh.
Weeell, even if I release them now, given how exhausted and tired Black-san and his friends are, they might not reach the next town. No matter what crimes they commited, it was too cruel to throw them out in a place where Monsters live, like the one we are in right now. I still…… Have some time to think about it.
“…… I will have to figure out the right timing.”
Sytry’s eyes *kirakira* shined at my words and nodded frequently.
Maybe Sytry had been thinking the same thing without me even pointing it out? Or was it because she wasn’t able to release Black-san and his friends because I haven’t said anything?
Both Sytry and Liz (Or rather, I feel like everyone around me is like that), have the tendency to respect too much my opinion as the decorative Leader. This isn’t something that is unthinkable.
“Anyway, I let you take charge of Black-san and his friends. They look a little tired, so I am thinking about letting them rest. Is that okay?”
“Understood. I will also tell Onee-chan ―― That I have left Black-san and his friends in Cry-san’s care.”
When Sytry’s cheeks were dyed in red, she replied with a more passionate voice than usual.
Now then, what should I tell to Black-san and his friends……
Rather than a *pachipachi* crackling sound, the fire was rising while making a roaring sound.
It was late at night and the moon was shining brightly, but the lakeside was bright as if it was daytime.
The simple campfire, built from the woods we (the escorts) picked up had been fueled with Sytry potions, so it was steadily burning despite the strong wind.
As Sytry suggested, it was arranged in a way so it formed a smile, although it wasn’t obvious up close, it would be very noticeable from the top of the Garest Mountain.
It was already time for nocturnal Monsters to become active, but there was no sign of those Monsters appearing. It was probably because of Liz as she was so enthusiastic about dinner and went all out to catch a big one.
It seems that our wild child is the top predator even when she is thrown into the ecosystem around this lake.
A little further away from the campfire, there was, lying on the ground, the big game Liz hunted, it was a strange space because the blood that had been drained was scattered everywhere.
Sytry was diligently cutting up the edible parts and carrying it over to us, but it was obvious that there was too much food for us to eat everything, there was too much meat.
Among all the campfire I have ever experienced, it was by far one of the 『Weirdest』 campfire.
The fire showed no signs of dying out, the amount of food and placement seemed to be too excessive for our small Party. There was even a boiling pot fill to the brim, skewered meat and roasted chunk of meat with blood still dripping.
And above all, the strange atmosphere induced by Black and his friends who sat on the ground with a pale and exhausted expression and a Tino who had a nervous expression on her face.
If some random people saw that, they may think that some sort of strange ritual is being performed. Moreover, it looked like we were doing a satanic banquet before ending the world.
Of course, the reality was that we were having an enjoyable, fun, fun campfire, but when I see those exhausted three and Tino who is so nervous, even I couldn’t really fully enjoy it.
Only Sytry and Liz were, as usual, normal. Sytry was cooking over the campfire without a care in the world and Liz was playing in the lake at night.
“How is it, Cry-san? It’s perfect……! Even from the top of the mountain, it would definitely look like a smile.”
Sytry proudly puffed out her chest and showed off her campfire.
I don’t hate that kind of playfulness, but right now I am worried about something else. It was about the health of the three escorts who looked like they were about to die after they were forced to pick a lot of firewood in order to make all those campfires.
Black-san, White-san and Gray-san were obviously no amateurs, but collecting firewood right after a death march was indeed too difficult for them (By the way, some of our children are brimming with vitality after all those hunting, but don’t think that it is something normal).
All three looked like they were about to die. If I had noticed it, I would have stopped them, but while I was watching Tino and Liz taking a bath in the water, Sytry had already given them successive orders and by the time my clamoring consciousness moved away from the two who were bathing in the water, it was already over.
It is a good thing to find fun in doing small things. In some cases, even I may be tempted to make a smiley campfire.
However, as a prerequisite, I try to not bother people around me as much as possible. Even if Sytry, as their employer, was in her right to give instructions ―― It is too daunting to order Black-san and his friends with a I want to have fun as an excuse.
Sytry was *nikoniko* smiling as she roasted a crocodile skewer for me. Without any ill will, her expression seemed to show that she was having fun from the bottom of her heart.
When I let out a small sigh, I advised her in a slight depressive tone.
“Sytry, it is about Black-san and his friends, but…… Aren’t you overworking them?”
“Eh? Is that so……?”
Sytry’s eyes opened widely.
I knew from the beginning that she wasn’t overworking Black-san and his friends to be mean, but you know.
Perhaps Sytry didn’t see the emergency Black-san and his friends were in.
Now that I look back, our adventure has always been life-threatening. Compared to that, picking firewood after a fight to the death is probably nothing in her mind. I guess being a Hunter for too long will make your mind become a Hunter-oriented one.
It has been a long time since I had gone out with her. We might be together for a short while, but I will show you that I am able to bring back Sytry’s original common sense.
As I was being enthusiastic about it, Sytry said in a troubled tone.
“But………… They are…… Well…… Criminals, though?”
Those were unexpected words.
Criminals…… Criminals, huh. Now that you said it, from Black-san and his friends’ appearance, they were clearly not ordinary people. Among Hunters, there are many that have a criminal-looking look, so I never expected that pattern at all.
But then, why are you hiring criminals? Maybe it was a request from the country as part of their rehabilitation or something like this? I don’t know a lot about Sytry’s connections, so I can’t say.
Is overworking Black-san and his friends part of her work as their warden? I think it is a terrible way to handle their treatment, but…… In that case, it is also bad for me to interfere.
When I wrinkled my forehead, Sytry smiled as if to say there was nothing to worry about.
“However, if that is what Cry-san says then…… I will stop overworking them.”
“…… Eh? Wasn’t it for their punishment?”
Is it okay for me to change things like this at will?
“Of course, in a way we can say that it is for their punishment. However…… I have learned a lot about their abilities in the past few days.”
They aren’t good enough as spare parts and I am not that adamant about it, was what Sytry said while tilting her head with an embarrassed smile.
…… I don’t really understand, but does it mean that their punishment was over now that she had learned about their devotion over the past few days?
Maybe they didn’t commit a serious crime. Moreover, on the way here, they seemed to listen to Sytry’s instructions……
“Right…… Would it be bad if we were to release them?”
Knowing that they were criminals, I reluctantly stick to my first intent and try to confirm with her.
Anywho, I have already been targeted by criminals so far. I believe that all criminals, without exception, should be thrown in jail, but seeing the hardships Black-san and his friends endured along the way, I feel mercy for them. I feel like I can forgive them if they did a minor crime.
It goes without saying that I am not in a position to forgive them or not, but ――.
Sytry made a pondering expression for a moment, but right after this, she pulled something out from her pocket and squeezed my hand.
“No…… It wasn’t that much of a big crime, I think it is fine to do what Cry-san wants. I am sure they will be deeply grateful to Cry-san.”
She held my hands for a few seconds and then gently released it. All that was left in my hand was a small golden key.
On Sytry’s face, there was no sign of her lying. It was her heart-warming smile that I have seen many times.
“This is the key to their collars. Once their collars are off, Black-san and his friends are free.”
It is pretty simple…… I pinch the key and hold it up to the light.
But criminals, huh. Uuun………… When I think about how exhausted and tired Black-san and his friends are, I would like to release them as soon as possible, but ―― Criminals, huhhh.
Weeell, even if I release them now, given how exhausted and tired Black-san and his friends are, they might not reach the next town. No matter what crimes they commited, it was too cruel to throw them out in a place where Monsters live, like the one we are in right now. I still…… Have some time to think about it.
“…… I will have to figure out the right timing.”
Sytry’s eyes *kirakira* shined at my words and nodded frequently.
Maybe Sytry had been thinking the same thing without me even pointing it out? Or was it because she wasn’t able to release Black-san and his friends because I haven’t said anything?
Both Sytry and Liz (Or rather, I feel like everyone around me is like that), have the tendency to respect too much my opinion as the decorative Leader. This isn’t something that is unthinkable.
“Anyway, I let you take charge of Black-san and his friends. They look a little tired, so I am thinking about letting them rest. Is that okay?”
“Understood. I will also tell Onee-chan ―― That I have left Black-san and his friends in Cry-san’s care.”
When Sytry’s cheeks were dyed in red, she replied with a more passionate voice than usual.
Now then, what should I tell to Black-san and his friends……
