GILF Hunter

In the forest, quite a distance from the farm.

Rin carefully surveyed her surroundings in the middle of a forest path that was unnervingly quiet.

It was a place where even the sounds of beasts or insects were hard to hear, but if one listened closely, the sound of bee wings could occasionally be heard from afar.

Stingers cannot help but make that noisy buzzing sound when moving. Thanks to that, Rin could easily figure out roughly where the monsters were located.

’The next location is...’

Hiding between trees and bushes, Rin unfolded her portable map and checked the direction she needed to go next.

It was straight ahead from the small path in front of her.

If it were an ordinary mountain hike, it would be an easy path to walk, but in a forest where Stingers were flying around, it was a bad path with no place to hide.

In the end, Rin chose a route that circled slightly, hiding in the thickets.

It’s been quite a while since I’ve done a stealthy scout in a forest like this...

Thinking that, Rin advanced, quietly parting the bushes to ensure they didn’t shake.

Fortunately, since the opponents were monsters flying in the sky, hiding in this lush forest was simple. It was just the sheer number of them that was bothersome.

’It should be up ahead.’

Rin carefully poked her face out from the bushes to scan the area in front of her. The small clearing visible ahead was empty.

She had suspected something was off on the way here, and as expected, it was a bust.

According to the information she received earlier, the nest was supposed to be large enough to be seen from a distance, and Stingers were supposed to be flying around in massive numbers. But this place was far too quiet.

’This one’s a bust too...’

Rin marked an X on the point she just checked on the map.

Within the sector Rin was assigned to scout, there were a total of five candidate sites for the nest that Ian had checked. If you included the lower-priority backup points, there were about eight.

The one she just checked was the second.

’Well, I guess this place is too close.’

These were the two points closest to where they entered. The others were located much deeper in the forest.

After all, monster nests tend to be located much deeper inside rather than on the outskirts.

Nodding, Rin checked the distance to the next point.

Time-wise, it seemed she could check out one more spot today.

...Should I just look from the innermost part instead?

Selecting the next point to visit, Rin suddenly had that thought.

Before entering the forest, Rin had greeted the other mercenaries who were going out on the scout. Aside from Rin, all were C-rank mercenaries.

She heard the Hamel Mercenary Group didn’t have any mercenaries who could take on this kind of scout role.

In other words, Rin was the only B-rank mercenary among the scouting party.

Since the C-rank mercenaries would find it burdensome to go deep into the forest, they would likely start searching from the outside first.

In times like this, shouldn’t a B-rank like herself go into the deepest parts?

Thinking so, Rin set the deepest point among the connected paths from her current location as her next destination.

’Good. The leader always said to assume the worst-case scenario.’

That meant the nest would be in the furthest, most difficult place to reach.

Was it because she had served as the vice-leader by Ian’s side for a long time? Her reasoning and intuition seemed to have become quite sharp.

Satisfied with her deduction, Rin nodded, folded the map, and set off for the next destination.

＊　＊　＊

While the scouting party was busy exploring the forest, Ian and the leaders gathered in the hut used as the subjugation force’s command headquarters.

In the hut where he had talked with Hamel and Clea yesterday, several people were gathered. They were the leaders of each mercenary group participating in this subjugation.

It wasn’t an informal meeting like last night, but a formal subjugation force meeting where all participating leaders were present.

’Leader Ian! You’re here! Come this way!’

Clea, who was beside Hamel, waved her hand toward Ian.

Perhaps because she singled him out to sit right next to her, everyone’s eyes focused on Ian.

Even if that weren’t the case, he was one of only two B-rank mercenary leaders here, so he would have drawn attention regardless.

’Shall we start with introductions? I’m Hamel!’

’I’m Ian.’

Starting with Clea introducing Hamel in a bright voice, the leaders took turns giving brief introductions.

’I’m Reni.’

’I’m the vice-leader, Kiri. Our leader is recuperating due to an injury, so I am the acting leader.’

’Oh dear. Was it an injury from the expedition? I hope for a speedy recovery!’

’No. He got caught two-timing and his lover...’

’Oh... I’ll retract the recovery wish then...’

After briefly greeting the gathered leaders, the group at the command headquarters entered their first formal meeting.

They had delayed it until now because they couldn’t proceed without Ian, but since Ian had arrived, it was time to handle it.

It was the task of organizing the combat teams and dividing command authority for the subjugation force.

Normally, such things were decided in advance during the process of forming a subjugation force before departure, but this was a temporary force that had skipped those steps.

The instructions received via messenger also stated to reach an appropriate agreement locally based on the situation on the ground.

’For the command, it would be best for Leader Hamel to take charge as is...’

Ian tried to defer first, but Hamel, who had been quiet, stared intently at Ian’s face. It seemed he had something to say to Ian.

’We would like to leave it to Leader Ian!’

’...For what reason, might I ask?’

Seeing Hamel nod, it appeared Hamel also agreed with what Clea said.

Ian asked Hamel and Clea for the reason.

Normally, it would be proper for the Hamel Mercenary Group, who had more experience and had been in charge of this area first, to continue leading.

However, Clea spoke with an embarrassed face.

’To be honest, we’re a bit... unskilled at commanding! We’re not a large mercenary group, so we have almost no experience cooperating with so many diverse positions... and it doesn’t fit our mercenary group’s style. Since Hamel and I are both out on the front lines.’

...On the front lines?

Lia, who had participated as the vice-leader in place of Rin who was out scouting, paused upon hearing something strange.

The vice-leader over there, Clea, should be a mage. Lia had doubts about the claim that commanding was difficult because she had to be on the front lines, but she couldn’t interrupt a meeting of leaders, so she just tilted her head in silence.

’So, it seems it would be better to leave it to Leader Ian!’

The leader and vice-leader of the Hamel Mercenary Group were the types who had absolutely no talent for this kind of command.

There was a reason Camilla had bothered to send the Ian Mercenary Group as well to this region where a B-rank group already existed.

’We aren’t a large group either.... And we don’t exactly have experience with group command of this scale.’

’Pardon? But I heard stories that you were in charge of commanding the defense force during the invasion. They say it was definitely the best performance in history...’

’...’

It was a story that had become too famous by now to deny it as no big deal.

At least everyone in this room had heard the rumor.

’Then, is there anyone who objects to Leader Ian taking overall command?’

’...’

’...’

Naturally, there was no one.

For one, Hamel was watching with a fierce expression, and even if someone did object, it wasn’t a task any of the other C-ranks could take on instead. In the end, it was Ian’s burden.

’Understood. Then first, may I see the personnel composition of the participating mercenary groups?’

’And you said you had no experience.... You’re quite proficient, aren’t you?’

Clea immediately handed Ian the roster of the mercenary groups.

It was a roster containing the names, positions, and specialties of numerous mercenaries.

’...’

In truth, it wasn’t that he lacked experience, but that was exactly why he had declined.

If they were mercenaries he had trained himself, he would know exactly where their limits were and how to utilize them, making them easy to command. But these mercenaries were all strangers.

It was an incredibly tedious and tricky task to grasp the stats of dozens of mercenaries he met for the first time today and head into battle.

It’s not like he could just look at the names and deploy them anywhere by feel, as he did when playing the game.

Ian accepted the roster, sighing inwardly.

The leaders participating in the meeting also clapped quietly, feeling relieved in a way they didn’t show.

They thought a long and tedious power struggle would ensue between two B-rank mercenary leaders with formidable reputations over who would take command.

They had entered expecting to pull an all-nighter for today’s meeting, but since it ended in a flash with the leaders deferring to each other instead, they were cheering inwardly.

’Emergency!’

’What is it?’

The door of the hut where the meeting was held swung open, and a mercenary rushed inside in a panic.

He was one of the mercenaries monitoring the forest.

’The movement of the Stingers toward the forest side is strange!’

’The Stingers?’

Hearing that, all the leaders inside rushed outside.

In the distance, toward the forest sky, Stingers were flying around frantically.

’It doesn’t look like they’re trying to invade this way...’

’Why are they acting up?’

While everyone was watching the Stingers’ abnormal behavior with puzzled faces, Ian softly provided the answer from behind.

’I suspect it’s because they’ve discovered an intruder near the nest.’

’An intruder?’

Ian watched the Stingers’ movements intently.

With Rin’s agility and her stealth action, there shouldn’t be any reason for her to be caught by a Stinger. It was likely one of the other mercenaries out scouting who had been spotted.

＊　＊　＊

’Haa...’

Rin, hiding in the lush bushes, let out a quiet breath.

The buzzing sound of Stinger wings echoed from all directions. She couldn’t even poke her head out to see the situation outside.

’What do I do now.’

Rin quietly checked the condition of the mercenary lying right next to her.

Rin had saved this person, who had been fleeing from Stingers until just a moment ago, and managed to find cover.

’Excuse me.’

’...’

Rin spoke softly, but the mercenary couldn’t reply. Perhaps he had been hit by the Stinger’s paralysis toxin while fleeing; the mercenary’s body was stiff and rigid.

Giving up on conversation, Rin contemplated what to do next when she had a good idea and rummaged through her bag.

Inside Rin’s bag were several notes Ian had handed her this morning. They were notes Ian told her to open when an urgent situation arose.

’Hmm, this one is for when food runs out... no. For when you’re lost... not this either. When you meet a witch in white...? What is this. Did he put it in by mistake?’

Each note had a memo indicating under what circumstances it should be opened. Rin scanned them and found the note she needed right now.

’Found it!’

It was the note labeled: ’What to do when discovered by a Stinger.’