Abyssal Sovereignty

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Chapter 8: Lucky Veridith

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Alright, that should just about do it,” Marlyno declared as they completed the paperwork for their commission and stocked up on supplies. The group made their way to the city gates.

“By the way, was that preliminary work really that troublesome? You all look utterly exhausted,” Marlyno remarked, glancing at the weary faces of Misako and Farkonia.

...

One hour later...

“Well, it’s not my fault! The captain insists on nitpicking every little detail; I feel like my legs are about to give out…”

“Indeed. But there’s no way around it; budgets are crucial. We have to compare everything carefully and save wherever we can,"

“I’d rather take that money and invest in a nice, comfy bed…” Mira mumbled, her eyelids heavy with sleep despite the fact that it was still broad daylight.

“Don’t worry about it. It’s not your issue; it’s on us,” Farkonia reassured her.

Just moments before, they had been struggling to keep Aris from charging off to wreak havoc. Fortunately, they had agreed upon certain constraints before leaving the Abyss, and Aris was willing to adhere to their accord and thus listened; otherwise, the duo wouldn't have been able to rein her in.

“Is that so…? Alright then, let’s move out.”

...

Their current commission consisted of two routine tasks: foraging for herbs to brew potions and hunting wild boars in the vicinity. Since both missions were located in the same area, they decided to tackle them simultaneously to save time.

“Is this the one?” Veridith asked, plucking a herb from the ground.

“Yes, exactly. We need to gather about thirty of these.”

“That’s simple enough!” Before Marlyno could respond, Veridith was off with a small sack on her head, racing out into the field.

“…Oh dear, if only it were that easy.”

The herb they were after, known as Hethel Grass, featured three heart-shaped leaves and was essential for crafting healing potions. However, the plants were not only small but also randomly scattered over an area. Back when they were a trio, it took them an entire day just to locate thirty specimens.

“Looks like we have no choice but to split our efforts. You all can go hunt for the wild boars,” Marlyno suggested.

“Sure thing.”

Those tasked with hunting the boars were primarily close-combat fighters, including Elyssa.

“I always thought Miss Diana was the warrior type, yet she turns out to be a mage?” someone mused.

“Ugh, that dense knucklehead might not be very sharp, but magic is her only forte. Honestly, I’m still baffled as to how she manages it,” Elyssa replied, rolling her eyes.

Elyssa was petite, with alabaster skin that bordered on unhealthy, and she wore a dark, frilly dress. In contrast, Diana usually donned more practical attire, making it understandable that one might misconstrue their roles.

“From your tone, it sounds like you two don’t get along very well. You’re not related, are you?” Farkonia teased.

“Ha? Who’s related to her? She’s just a scatterbrained fool I happened to bump into. Not only is she often too starving to fight, but she also manages to pull some truly ridiculous antics. We’re only sticking together because we keep running into one another.”

“Ah… I see.”

Though Elyssa tried to sound indifferent, Farkonia caught a trace of a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

“Incoming!”

The sudden shout snapped everyone’s attention back to their task. A robust wild boar, its tusks gleaming, charged into view.

“Let me take the lead,” Elyssa announced, stepping forward and drawing a slender sword from her side.

The blade shone a dark crimson, resembling an ornate cross adorned with intricate carvings. Most striking were the delicate red roses entwined around the sword’s hilt.

Sensing the aggression, the wild boar stomped its hooves and charged at Elyssa, fury in its eyes.

“Let the weak ones lie where they fall,” Elyssa donned a steely gaze.

As the beast lunged towards her, her form vanished in an instant, reappearing behind the boar.

Splatter!

Blood spewed from the boar’s body, painting the surrounding flora in a gruesome hue. With a mere loss of crimson, the creature collapsed, lifeless.

“Ugh… how foul…” Elyssa grimaced, pinching her nose in distaste.

“…Well, no need for bloodletting now.”

Watching Elyssa’s swift and lethal execution reminded Aris of their previous hunts, where they endured the laborious process of bleeding out their quarry to partake in the feast. Occasionally, they had enlisted Pupu to hasten the process, but even with that, much time was wasted.

It was indeed a skill vital for survival in both domestic and wilderness settings.

“And what now?”

Another shout drew their attention again.

In the distance, another wild boar made its appearance, but this one was far larger than the one that now lay dead. Towering above them, its eyes glowed with a feral fierceness.

“Look out!”

Before they could strategize, the massive beast barreled towards them, its speed surpassing that of the previous boar—and even some weaker monsters.

Yet, even with its bulk and speed, it posed no real threat.

Farkonia merely released a fraction of her palpable aura, and in an instant, the creature seemed to freeze, terror overtaking it. The remaining inertia of its charge carried less than three meters past her before it crumpled, utterly unconscious.

“...How peculiar?” Farkonia mused, observing the enormous boar, looking confused. She sensed a hint of ferocity emanating from it, which perhaps explained why it had charged them despite witnessing the brutal demise of its kin. Generally, creatures, whether beast or fiend, would prioritize their own survival, making this reckless behavior baffling.

“I’ll report this oddity to the guild once we return. We’ve harvested enough for our tasks,” Elyssa stated as she began stashing the boar's lifeless form into her storage pouch. Farkonia followed suit with the other boar, employing her own magic to materialize a subspace.

“Looks like we spent less time than anticipated. Let’s head back quickly and assist with the herb gathering, or we might be at it until sundown.”

Though the distance to town was not great, dusk brought with it its share of dangers.

Upon arriving back at the herb gathering site, they were greeted by an unexpected sight: most of their comrades were sitting idly, looking rather despondent.

“Ah, you’re back…” Marlyno observed, sensing the mood.

“Weren’t you supposed to be gathering herbs? Judging by those expressions, I take it someone’s already cleaned the place out?” she inquired.

“Erm… quite the opposite, actually. Allow me to show you,” one of them replied.

Marlyno opened her storage and produced neatly bound bundles of herbs.

“I suspect something’s amiss. Veridith managed to find over thirty on her own, and…” she pointed towards a distance, where Veridith was engaged in an animated discussion with Sisi, who seemed utterly absorbed in a wild notion. In Veridith' hand was an unusually striking specimen of the Hethel Grass.

“She… found a mutated Hethel Grass,” Marlyno murmured.

A closer inspection revealed that the plant in Veridith’ grasp boasted not three, but four leaves—a rare sight indeed.

“They say a mutated Hethel Grass appears only once in every ten thousand specimens, yet she stumbled upon one so effortlessly. We struggled just to collect thirty of the ordinary variety all day!”

As Marlyno spoke, a wave of existential contemplation washed over her, leaving her to ponder the incredulity of it all.