v3 Chapter 1: Disturbance in the Northern Forest

A little over a year had passed since Shouko began living with Haru.

Having celebrated the Star-Greeting Festival and both turned 13, Shouko and Haru greeted the winter and were now in the Northern Forest. Of course, Leon and Falco were with them.

Hunting monsters in the Northern Forest, where they become more active in winter, is a very important job in the Northern Town. If the monsters in the forest increase too much, they head towards the town. About 30 years ago, the Northern Town actually suffered significant monster damage.

In recent years, monsters seem to be activating here and there, and the skilled hunters of the Northern Town are in high demand. Amidst this, only Falco has remained in the Northern Forest during the winters these past few years. The townspeople are grateful to Falco, but Shouko knows it's actually just because he finds moving troublesome. While his hunting skills are certain, Falco doesn't seem to earnestly desire to do anything in particular.

For example, Leon, who appears cheerful and easygoing, gets a different look in his eyes when it comes to hunting. It's the same for the town's representative, Gaius, and Falco's mother, Lyla; no matter their age, they are intent on polishing their skills as hunters. Dred, the magician from the Lakes, would likely go anywhere if it meant improving his magic. Though recently, he's taken to hanging around the Northern Town every winter, Shouko thought with slight exasperation.

“Aren't there any new spells?”

“Eh, ehh?”

Because he was annoying about it. Incidentally, the one who took him seriously and got flustered was Haru, not Shouko.

“Maybe not this year?” If only she could deflect him smoothly like Shouko, Haru thought.

“W-well, um, I used hair dryer magic to make the laundry dry faster, and the townspeople were very pleased...”

“Not that. Aren't there any useful for hunting?”

“Like creating a wind shield in front of yourself for protection?”

“That's it! I'm not going anywhere for a while until I learn that!”

“Eh, ehh?”

And so, it became a scene reminiscent of one she'd witnessed somewhere before. Was it two years ago? Shouko thought, gazing into the distance. And in the end, Dred would end up slyly mastering the magic that made the hair dryer convenient too.

This year, that same Dred and Lyla had also accepted the Northern Forest request and were staying in the mountain cabin, hunting alongside the familiar faces of Falco, Leon, Jene, and Bival. Although the cabin was cozy, it could accommodate a fair number of people, so even with eight people including Shouko and Haru, it was fine.

However, six hunters was quite a number. Last year, Haru hadn't been used to life in the Northern Forest, so she was more or less just an extra, but this year was different.

“It's tough for one person to look after the lives of six hunters,” Shouko appealed to the Guild, with Haru beside her. “Please hire Haru under the same conditions. Haru is a magician, and more than anything, her work is meticulous, so she can obtain lots of high-quality medicinal herbs.”

“I'll do my very best!” Haru added earnestly.

The two of them managed to wrest a live-in helper contract equivalent to one adult's worth. Initially, the residents of the Northern Town had worried seeing Haru's seemingly unreliable appearance, but having watched Haru—who, despite her gentle looks, was steady and perfectly capable of housework—over the past year, they now gave their stamp of approval, trusting her enough to look after Leon.

Mind you, when Leon insisted on becoming her guardian, there was incomparably more opposition than when Falco did. Although Leon had higher social credibility, his suitability as a parent was doubted even more than Falco's.

“A single man who switches women constantly raising a child? Impossible, impossible.” The words Leon had said to Falco came right back at him. Setting aside the women issue, everyone knew he lacked practical life skills beyond earning money. Moreover, the rumor about Haru—that she was from the same homeland as Shouko, had no parents, and suffered hardship where she was abandoned—spread like wildfire, and inquiries flooded in from people wanting to raise her carefully themselves.

To Leon, who insisted, “I'm living with Shouko and Falco,” the townspeople reacted with exasperation, “Leaving it up to others like that...” But seeing Haru calm and settled while with Shouko, they reluctantly agreed to entrust guardianship to Leon.

A year passed, proving Leon could indeed live properly as a parent, and Haru, as a half-portion helper, had earned enough trust to secure the housekeeper job.

“Have a safe trip!”

“Be careful!”

Their faces softening at Shouko and Haru seeing them off from the cabin entrance, the hunters scattered into the Northern Forest again today.

“Okay, time for work!”

“Yeah!”

More people means more work. The two divided the tasks, washing the bowls, doing simple cleaning, doing laundry, and drying it.

“Wow, this drying method Haru thought up is really great,” Shouko praised.

“It's really helpful when there are lots of people,” Haru agreed.

There were two methods. One: Put the washed laundry in a tub, stack another tub slightly offset on top, stream warm air magic through the gap, and let the laundry dance around while it dries. Convenient when there's not much laundry. The other was a method unique to Shouko and Haru: hang lots of laundry in a small room, open the window and door slightly, and then both of them pour in warm air magic together. It's a method that can't be done without high magic capacity.

“We could probably run a laundry business,” Haru joked.

“Definitely, definitely. It's one option for the future,” Shouko replied.

“Speaking of laundry options...” Haru quipped. (Pun on sentaku 洗濯 laundry / sentakushi 選択肢 options).

“That's terrible,” Shouko groaned.

Laughing, they tackled the laundry for eight people. Haru had recovered enough to laugh about how people from the Lakes would probably turn pale seeing such a waste of magic power.

At home, Shouko still slept together with Falco and was plotting how to somehow get her own room soon, but the mountain cabin presented a good opportunity.

“I'll share a room with Haru.” Falco looked at Shouko with despair when she declared this. However...

“If you don't start letting go soon, she'll hate you,” Jene teased.

“Besides, Leon sleeps separately from Haru, doesn't he?” Bival pointed out.

Thanks to the backing of Jene and Bival, Shouko and Haru got a room together, and feeling a bit like they were on a school trip, every day was fun.

“Okay, let's have lunch!”

“Okay. I'll make tea first.”

They got along so well. And in the afternoon, they would defeat slimes and gather medicinal herbs. The slimes were for pocket money, the herbs were per a Guild request.

Because healers also require aptitude, increasing their numbers is difficult. However, if you gather herbs and make potions, injuries can be healed even where there are no healers. Lately, monsters have increased, and more hunters are getting injured, so an urgent request has been issued for Shouko and Haru to gather the high-quality medicinal herbs of the Northern Forest.

The two no longer used slime sticks. Those had been passed down to the junior group and become a good source of pocket money for the children. However, they still used the tubs and chopsticks. After all, wasn't grabbing a slime core by hand somehow unpleasant? Shouko used her sword, Haru used magic, efficiently defeating the slimes.

“Okay, shall we gather herbs?” Haru's voice, who loved gathering herbs, was buoyant. Seeing Haru's eyes sparkle the first time they gathered herbs, Shouko had thought, Of course. Coming to another world meant gathering herbs; it was an absolute must. However, Shouko, who usually started gathering happily just like Haru, suddenly felt something amiss and stood frozen, looking towards the forest.

“Wait. I sense something unusual from the forest direction. Monsters might not approach because of the barrier, but let's head back near the cabin just in case.”

“O-okay. Got it.”

Haru couldn't sense it herself, but she figured if Shouko said so, it must be true. Shouko let Haru go first, keeping her eyes fixed on the forest from just in front of the cabin, the door held half-open.

Just as a rustling sound became audible even to Haru, human voices could also be heard.

“Not monsters. But everyone coming back at this hour...” There was still caution in Shouko's voice.

Rustle! Emerging from somewhere other than the path was Dred, and immediately after, Leon and Falco carrying someone. Long blond hair swayed loosely.

“Shouko! Lyla was attacked by a monster!” Leon shouted.

“Bring her inside!”

Leon and Falco, carrying Lyla, passed through the door Haru quickly opened wide. Torn clothes and the color red entered her vision. There was no time to carry her upstairs.

“Lay her gently on the floor!”

This winter looked like it would have a harsh beginning.