Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Journey to the Troll’s Domain
As soon as you step into the village, a sense of desolation greets you.
The village isn't very large—you can see all the houses in a single glance. There are only about thirty buildings in total. The ground is partially paved with stones, keeping those sections relatively clean, while most of the area is covered in wild grass. Judging by the varying heights of the grass, it seems that someone occasionally makes an effort to clear it.
All the houses are single-story structures. The better ones are built with stone bricks, though their weathered, gray-white walls indicate they've been standing for many years.
"Our village is small, but we have a few empty houses. If you don't mind, you can rest in one of the houses up ahead," the village chief said, his thick gray-brown beard on his cheeks and chin trembling as he spoke.
"Thank you, Chief." Lyle glanced at the house the chief pointed to and expressed his gratitude.
"Haha, it's no big deal. We haven't had visitors in a long time," the chief replied with a light chuckle.
As they spoke, curious eyes peeked out from behind doors and windows. In such a small village, any movement would quickly draw attention.
Lyle offered a brief thanks and, under the watchful gazes of the villagers, entered the vacant house.
Carne Village was quite ordinary, with little of interest to Lyle. If there was anything worth noting, it was a girl named Enri Emmot—a young girl who, with the help of an ordinary magical tool, the Horn of the goblin General, once managed to rout an entire army.
Lyle suspected she might possess a unique talent—something like an extremely high affinity with fairies. But for now, she was just an ordinary girl.
Creak!
The old wooden door groaned as Lyle pushed it open. The interior was sparse, with only a wooden bed and a thin layer of dust covering the floor. Cobwebs hung from the ceiling beams and the corners of the roof. The wooden bed's legs were slightly darker where they met the ground, likely due to moisture.
Given that Carne Village was a poor, remote settlement, Lyle hadn't expected much in terms of accommodation. His primary reason for coming here was its proximity to the Forest of Tob. Additionally, since this area fell under the jurisdiction of the Wise King of the Forest, Hamsuke, it was relatively safe.
Traveling from E-Rantel to Carne Village took about a day, meaning a round trip would require at least two days. Though Lyle had stocked up on supplies, he had to be prepared for unexpected situations that might require him to retreat from the forest early or deal with rapidly depleting provisions. Hence, having a designated resting spot was crucial, and Carne Village was the best choice for that.
"I should've prepared a cleaning spell scroll," Lyle muttered, shaking his head as he surveyed the dusty room and cobwebs.
Despite all the preparation he had done after consulting the adventurer team Rock, he had inevitably overlooked a few things. Since there was no alternative, he had to clean the room himself to create a usable space.
Once the area was clean, Lyle retrieved a basketball-sized clay pot from his toolkit. He broke some bacon into uneven chunks and placed them in the pot before pouring water from his canteen over them.
"Time to heat it up."
Lyle extended a finger and pointed at the pot. In less than half a minute, the water began to boil, gradually turning into a rich broth that emitted a savory aroma.
"Say what you will, but magic is certainly handy when it comes to heating food," Lyle remarked with a faint smile, enjoying the salty scent wafting through the air.
In the blink of an eye, a simple meal was ready. Lyle scooped some soup into a bowl, paired it with a piece of black bread, and began eating. Even after being boiled, the bacon remained quite salty, but it complemented the hard black bread well.
Bacon was a common food for adventurers. Due to its heavy salting, it was nearly inedible on its own, but it was often used to make broth or as a substitute for salt. For those engaging in strenuous physical activity, it was a crucial source of sodium.
As the savory aroma of the soup drifted out of the window, it stirred a small commotion in the village.
Carne Village's main sources of income were wheat farming and herb gathering on the forest's edge. Hunting wild beasts was far too dangerous for the villagers, most of whom were only at level 1. Lyle recalled that the village did have a hunter, whose base class was Skirmisher, though he was probably no higher than level 2.
Lyle glanced at his status screen:
[Genius Level 1 + Sword Saint Level 6 = Overall Level 7]
The experience he gained from defeating two members of the Eight Fingers, along with various goblins and minor monsters along the way, had advanced his level significantly.
At this rate, it wouldn't take long for him to max out the Sword Saint class. Afterward, his main focus would be on leveling up his Genius class.
Both Shalltear and Antilene's Cleric classes were already at level 10. While Lyle wasn't certain whether this was a prerequisite for the Valkyrie class, reaching level 10 in this class was undoubtedly the right step.
The next morning, June 2nd, at dawn, Lyle packed up his belongings and prepared to leave Carne Village.
Before departing, he visited the chief and insisted on paying five copper coins for the night's lodging. Though the chief initially refused, Lyle pressed the coins into his hand. It was possible that he would return to the village later, so he wanted to make a good impression and maintain positive relations with the villagers.
....
The air carried the distinct scent of the forest—a mixture of leaves, soil, and decay wafting from the Forest of Tob.
Swish—swish—
Lyle stepped carefully over thick branches, leaves, and moss. Each step produced a soft rustling sound, as if the forest itself whispered around him. Occasionally, the calls of various animals and birds echoed through the dense trees.
Clutching his iron sword, Lyle moved along the forest's edge, heading eastward. Among the three rulers of the forest, the most formidable and dangerous was Hamsuke, the Wise King of the Forest. With Lyle's current strength, encountering Hamsuke would leave him with no chance of escape.
The other two rulers were less threatening. The western ruler, Ryraryus Spenia, was intelligent and a magic caster, but still a dangerous foe. The troll ruler, on the other hand, was simpler—brutally strong yet lacking intelligence.
Most importantly, the troll was a warrior with no magical abilities, making it relatively easier to flee if things went awry.
Tall, verdant trees surrounded him on all sides. Sunlight filtered through the dense canopy, casting dappled patterns on the forest floor.