Zulu is almost like the wind while running with powerful strides holding a two-handed sword in one hand, after advancing for a bit let alone keeping up with him I'm starting to be left behind. Even though we're still only halfway, there's already a distance of more than 30 m between us. I don't have the leeway to turn around but I'm sure that there's a similar distance between Ralpha, Zenom, and I as well.
The Wolf-race hunter family in Bakuddo was equal or a bit lower than me in terms of physical abilities as well but when Sonya would chase after game she would show off a frightening level of hand-eye coordination and physical ability. It's a way of running almost they already know exactly where every rock or the ideal place to step is before hand.
Even though I'm wearing my self-made boots with rubber-soles I still have to pay attention to the rocks and uneven ground on the hill path but Zulu is completely barefoot and running almost like it doesn't matter at all. What's going on with that hand-eye coordination? In the first place, after running up the hillside for over 1 Km and going wherever else Semayousuke went which we only know the rough direction we might end up having to fight.
I know it's partially my responsibility for saying to run as fast as possible to as far as you knew but, you, if you collapse the moment we get there I'll be seriously pissed. Not just that but whatever injuries you take from stepping on stones I'll put off for later, this bastard.
However, putting aside my worries Zulu kept running without lowering his pace at all, and after arriving at what probably was the location that Semayousuke and the other person met up at and he turned around to face me. After confirming me as I'm still breathing with my shoulders running at a distance of close to 100 m behind him and he gestures pointing to a path going off the road to the left and starts descending the hill. Since the sun is still barely out the western slope outside of Baldukk still barely has some sunlight as we descended it.
Zulu's appearance quickly disappeared into the trees on the side of the hill and I couldn't see him anymore. Shit. Even though I thought about taking a short-cut without going to the peak where they originally met up. In the end it would be faster to just follow the same path Zulu took. After I somehow arrived close to the area where Semayousuke used to meet up and there was a < symbol written on the ground. Also, there's a bow, quiver, short sword, and a bag on the ground. I guess it's this direction. The symbol arrow like mark points in the direction Zulu just disappeared. While descending the hill I glanced ahead and I could see Zulu's back.
In any case there's no choice other than to follow him. Along the way I thought there would be another arrow but I couldn't find one. There might have been one I could have just overlooked it. It doesn't particularly matter though. Because I found Zulu 150 m or so down the hill hiding behind a tree.
Since he doesn't seem to be searching I guess he found Semayousuke. According to what I heard he was carrying a woman as he moved so his speed must have been considerably slow. I lower my speed to a walk and after reaching the tree that Zulu is hiding behind I whispered to him.
"..Zulu..Did you..find them?"
My breathing still hasn't stabilized.
"Yes, they seem to be about 200 m below here. I think it's probably a tent but I see something like a hut covered in branches so it doesn't stand out. I think they're probably there."
As expected Zulu is breathing a bit heavily as well but he still clearly replied. I looked in the direction he pointed his finger but I couldn't find anything suspicious. I'll try looking using Identify. I carefully sweep over the direction Zulu pointed. And I found it. It's probably that.
From a glance it just looks like a bunch of bushes but there's some unnatural light coming through the gaps in the trees gathered there. It's probably a large tent that several people could rest in. It's not a triangle roof one. It's the type you tie to trees on all four sides for the roof. And it seems he's hidden it by covering it in branches. It doesn't seem he could completely cover it but if you weren't looking closely while trying to find something then it would be pretty difficult to find. After Identifying just like that after all it was a tent.
After turning around I couldn't see Ralpha and Zenom. Ah, there they are. It's just Ralpha though. I wave my hand high to gather her attention and whispered once again.
"Zulu, after Ralpha comes we're moving ahead. We'll go over to there. I think we're on just the right side to be on the side of the tent."
"I understand. What should we do after arriving?"
"First we'll check what's going on. When I say "Now" you should somehow try to knock down the tent. If you cut two of the ropes holding the roof up I'm sure it'll fall. Until I give the signal just stay hidden. If there's any inconveniences then I'll give instructions appropriate at that time."
I told Zulu while glaring at the tent. Zulu immediately replied that he understood.
Before long Ralpha arrived as well. I told her when she was breathing heavily that Zulu and I would go ahead and check things out and that she should quietly come when she's caught her breath, then Zulu and I walked off towards the tent.
After getting within 20 m of the tent it's about time we start proceeding carefully. I can't hear any voices at all. Although if they're normally talking in a tent then unless you're pretty close it's difficult to hear I'm sure. I can't hear any sounds of a struggle but this is probably because the woman was given poison so she can't resist at all.
We've gotten even closer to the tent. There's already only about 5 m. After all the direction we were approaching from was the side of the tent, there's no slit for entering, and it's just got branches for camouflage. I only noticed after getting closer but there's a net along the outside of the tent and various things stuck on that net. It's started to get considerably dark. If there's a lighting magic tool in the tent then I wonder if we'll be able to see shadows? In the next moment,
"Why are you doing this!? You-chan, untie me!"
I could hear that sort of impatience female voice in Japanese from inside the tent.
"Who's You-chan? Your man?"
A man's voice sounding like he was making fun of her.
"Eh!? You deceived me!! Who are you!? Where's You-chan! Untie me."
Going off the situation the woman seems to be tied up I guess.
"Hi~hhi~hhi~ I thought I could deceive with how much you were saying semayousukesemayousuke, but you, you're way too easy. I know it's not something I should be saying but, it's best if you don't believe in other people so simply~!"
Though what he's saying is quite true, it pisses me off.
The woman says,
"Eh? What? Who?"
And it seems she's confused but after Ralpha said "Everything is fine now, that man can't resist anymore." it seems she was relieved a bit and just watched as we untied the rope. I had some trouble getting the tightly tied rope off so I grinned but "hi.." it seems I scared her. Isn't that too harsh?
Several minutes later, after untying the rope together with Zenom who arrived the woman was thanking us. It seems that the man is still unconscious after fainting in pain. For the time being I tie up the man with both arms and legs to the stakes like the woman was. I had Zulu do this. I didn't want to touch him after all. After letting the woman who had calmed down a bit out of the tent the sun had set and it was already dark out.
"Let's do introductions and that sort of stuff later, for starters, what should we do with that man? I charged in thinking it would be fine to kill him but in the end he's still alive. If we throw some water on him I think he'll wake up but you should decide."
I said that to the woman. Ralpha is nodding to my words.
"Eh? Umm..that is.."
She seems to be confused suddenly having such a thing brought up to her but she should have calmed down by now. She's probably hesitating.
"It's fine if you kill him, we won't tell anyone. The only ones who know about this are probably us after all."
Ralpha is saying that but if she actually tries to kill him I'd stop her. Well, it won't be too late to wait and hear what decision the woman makes here, there's no need to hurry her. During that time I'll try using Identify on the woman.
【Bernadett.Koloil/4/4/7429】
【Status:Normal】
【Level: 5】
【Strength: 10】
【Dexterity: 10】
【Special Ability: Small Magic】
【Unique Ability: Shooting Intuition (Lv. Max)】
..............
I can't hear the details of the conversation from outside but fundamentally it's how he managed to figure out that woman's personal information or about the real Semayousuke. I'm sure it's nothing too important or complex, it'll be fine if I ask Ralpha later.