[Vol. 7] Chapter 180: A Small Change That Affects the Future
"Hmm?"
Just as the priestess was bewildered by the illogical scene before her, a subtle yet somehow strikingly noticeable aura flashed through her senses. Though barely noticeable, it stood out in a peculiar way. Instinctively, she turned her head slightly, raising an eyebrow as she gazed into the dense, green forest in a particular direction.
At that moment, Carinvega had just finished her tasks. After a quick cleanup, she approached Violet with a blonde mage girl named Rosie. Noticing the obvious change in the black-haired girl’s expression, she asked,
"Miss Violet, is a powerful monster coming that way?"
By the way, this was a pointless question. After all, even though the priestess was staying with them, her current role was that of an examiner. If there really was an enemy attack, she wouldn’t tell them. She also wasn’t participating in the camp’s preparations for the same reason.
Carinvega's great wisdom that seems foolish' hadn't manifested yet, but Rosie, who was by the princess's side, had already started imagining all sorts of things. Just as she was about to say something, she was taken aback, because instead of showing her usual displeasure at such a question, the examiner actually thought for a moment and then nodded in response. Raising her hand, she pointed toward the place she had just been watching.
"In that direction, do you have anyone moving around there?"
"Hmm? That way... I think Orluk went down that path to gather firewood. But she shouldn’t be too far—"
"Boom!!!"
Before the princess could finish her sentence, a sudden loud explosion erupted from deep within the forest, right from where Violet had sensed something earlier!
"!?!"
"Your Highness, that was the sound of a magic gun firing!"
The students who had been busy setting up camp reacted instantly. Without waiting for Carinvega’s orders, two agile students sprinted into the forest toward the source of the sound. The remaining team members quickly gathered around a certain heterochromatic-eyed girl, ready for battle at any moment.
Rather than worrying about their companions, their first instinct was to protect the princess. After all, she was of noble status and had no combat abilities... which made sense.
"Your Highness... could something have gone wrong?"
Faced with Noelle's concerned and anxious inquiry, Carinvega first subconsciously glanced at the priestess, who was still calmly sitting on a large rock, whistling and looking away, her two fair, slender legs swinging in the air. Seeing that she had no intention of giving further hints, Carinvega let out a small cough, suppressing a slight but barely noticeable embarrassment before answering.
"Magic guns are regulated weapons in the Austre Empire. Only the military and authorized personnel are allowed to use them. And the sound we just heard clearly came from one of our team’s custom weapons. It’s unlikely to be from another group of explorers in the labyrinth, so it must mean Orluk has encountered an enemy."
"Don’t worry. She’s always been quick-witted. Even if she runs into a strong opponent, she should be able to protect herself. The sky is getting dark... The Jungle Zone is extremely dangerous at night, so let’s focus on getting the campfire lit before we lose daylight."
"Understood!"
Under the princess’s calm and orderly command, the team left Noelle and Rosie behind to protect her while the others resumed their tasks, working even faster.
Hmm... She does have some leadership qualities.
Violet silently assessed the situation.
She could tell that Carinvega was actually a little nervous and concerned. The princess seemed to recognize that Rosie, Noelle, and Orluk had some special traits that set them apart from the rest of the team, something about their presence or "field" felt similar to her own. That was why she paid them extra attention.
In a way, their relationship felt a bit like a protagonist and their group of close companions in a manga or novel. The bond between them was clearly different from that of ordinary teammates.
Even so, the princess didn’t make a reckless decision, which was commendable.
The Jungle Zone of the [Morst Underground Labyrinth] was illuminated by a massive Source Crystal, but it didn’t glow continuously. Instead, it followed a cycle similar to the rising and setting of the sun, periodically dimming and then lighting up again, reportedly in sync with the day-night changes of the outside world. Each time the crystal lost its glow, the number and strength of monsters in the area would drastically increase, making the Jungle Zone even more perilous.
The creatures that appeared at night were drawn to the Source Crystal’s glow but were generally afraid of most other strong light sources. Because of this, the only way to stay safe at night in the Jungle Zone was to light and maintain a bright enough fire.
Carinvega’s team had fewer than ten members. Counting Orluk and the two who had rushed off to help, they were already short on people. If the princess had let her emotions take over and led the entire group to assist Orluk, no matter what was happening over there, they would have wasted too much time. The campfire wouldn’t have been lit before nightfall, which would have only caused even greater trouble.
This discovery made the priestess quietly raise her opinion of Carinvega. Regardless of what her true abilities were, it was clear that the princess had been through many challenges and had some real skills. At the very least, she didn’t lose her cool in critical moments.
Before long, the large campfire was successfully lit, replacing the "sunlight" just as the last traces of daylight disappeared from the sky. The two students who had gone to assist and check the situation returned just in time with Orluk.
Orluk looked slightly injured. The sleeve of her team uniform on her right arm had been cut open by something sharp, and blood was still seeping through the hand she used to cover the wound. However, her overall condition seemed stable.
"Orluk!? Are you okay?"
"Don’t worry, Your Highness... it’s just a small wound."
The group quickly gathered around. Noelle, who seemed to specialize in healing magic, saw the injury and immediately raised both hands, casting a spell that emitted a vibrant green glow, different from holy magic, to stop the bleeding. Meanwhile, the two students who had gone to support Orluk helped her sit down while giving a quick explanation.
"It was a [Nightshadow Monkey]. Judging by its strength, it was probably just entering the earth-level. It seemed to have undergone some kind of mutation, which allowed it to evade Orluk’s detection and launch a sneak attack. But it was immediately hit by her magic gun in retaliation. When we arrived, it fled quickly. It was badly injured, so it probably won’t come back."
"A [Nightshadow Monkey]?"
Rosie, who had apparently studied the [Morst Underground Labyrinth] in advance, looked surprised.
"That kind of creature is usually nocturnal. Why would it be active before nightfall? And [Nightshadow Monkeys] typically live in groups. If there’s a whole troop of them nearby..."
Under the diligent healing efforts of the cat-eared girl, Orluk’s pale complexion regained some color. She shook her head slightly.
"That’s why I said it was a mutated one. I sensed something... odd about it. For some reason, it felt strangely familiar. I think it was a lone individual that got separated from its group. Theoretically, it’s unlikely to gather a whole troop for revenge, but just in case, I’d recommend setting up night watches, Your Highness."
"Strangely familiar, huh..."
At that moment, the priestess, who had been casually listening to their conversation while roasting some dried meat over the fire, suddenly spoke up with a peculiar expression.
"Can you describe exactly what the monkey looked like? I mean... why did it feel familiar to you?"
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