“Ossaaaaaaaaan!”
A loud voice reverberates through Haydn park as our monkey comes rushing in.
“Great! You’re still here. Nn? Who’s this guy?”
Jean stops and looks at Kuro.
“This kid is Kuro. He’ll be our porter in our next exploration.”
“Hmm, you hired a beastman? Whatever. I’m fine with anyone. I’m raid leader Jean of [phoenix company]. Call me captain Jean!”
“Yes, captain Jean.”
“Kakaka. I look forward to working with you. Oh, I almost forgot. Ossan look at this!”
Jean pushed a dirty flyer at me.
“Bloody turkey race?”
“That’s right! Ossans a foreigner. Don’t they have it where you come from? On the shortest day, we have the [winter festival]. In Nepia on that day we celebrate by eating a bird called a bloody turkey.”
“Aah. In my hometown, it was custom to eat pumpkin on the day of the winter solstice.”
“Keh. Pumpkin? In Nepia people will pawn their wives to get a quality turkey. Everyone eats turkey on the day of the festival. It’s a Nepia thing. Right Kuro?”
“That’s right. Even in the slums we eat turkey on this day and celebrate.”
“Hou. And?”
“It’s a huge wild bird over 4 meters in length. It lives in the northern plains of Nepia and it’s usually protected by a hunting ban. The ban will be lifted tomorrow ahead of the winter festival for 1 week only ending on the eve of the festival. The church handles all the purchases and sales. Because they are supervising and all money goes to them the person who catches the biggest bloody turkey will be rewarded by the church. Let’s get that prize!”
It must be done that way to ensure there are enough turkeys for the festival each year.
“As a man of Nepia, I want to take part in the bloody turkey race. I’m finally in a party this year. I definitely want the [phoenix company] to participate!”
It seems like a festival that all the local people want to be a part of.
“What about our exploration in 3 days time?”
“We’ll go after the festival. I’ll speak to Meg and Bonnie-san.”
“Well, if those 2 agree as well there’s not a lot I can say. Ah, I’ve already asked Kuro to be our porter though.”
“No problem. We’ll bring Kuro along as well on the hunt. Bleeding it, removing the organs, plucking the feathers. There’s a lot to do after defeating one. I’ll persuade Bonnie-san and the others so please prepare a wagon and food ossan!”
“Alright, alright. Then we’ll go at 9am tomorrow……”
“7am! The ban is lifted at 8am tomorrow. If you are not at the northern plains by then you will be lagging behind the others!”
“Can’t be helped. Then we’ll gather at the front of the Sangarilla hotel at 7am tomorrow. I’ll get us a carriage.”
“Ushaaa! It’s getting hectic!”
The monkey ran away even noisier than when he arrived.
“Is that alright with you Kuro? You don’t have to join if it’s inconvenient. If you do come with us I’ll pay you as we already agreed.”
“I’ll go! Please take me”
Right then. I need food for 5 people.
Let’s go shopping for various things before I return.
Because the amount of luggage had increased due to the extra food etc, I got a receipt and decided to pick it up tomorrow.
Next, I return to the hotel and ask Melisssan the concierge to arrange a carriage.
Due to the fact we would be away for a few days, I requested a carriage but no driver. I’ve been told Bonnie-san can handle a carriage.
I’ll try and learn as well during our trip.
Now the party preparations are done I can start my personal preparations for hunting the bloody turkey.
Although I’m a porter I’m aiming for this prey as well.
Bloody Turkeys have their own territories.
Although its a herbivore, it mercilessly attacks any animal that wanders into its territory and because it’s bigger than a cow it has no natural predators in the northern plains either. A considerable number live there apparently.
On average, each bloody turkey is bought for 50,000 rims.
For adventures and hunters, it’s a time to earn money.
We will have to rush forward and hunt efficiently.
Because of how large it is 1 or 2 is the limit for a carriage.
The party will hunt them while me and Kuro prep them and take them back to Nepia.
While we are delivering them the party will carry on hunting.
Even though I will be focusing on my porter work there is a chance I might encounter a bloody turkey while the party is away so I made a single shot crossbow.
It has a 50-meter range so if I get the opportunity to hunt one I’ll take it.
I sent a letter to Patty telling her I was participating in the bloody turkey race, asked the desk to wake me up at 6am and went to bed.
After eating breakfast I left the hotel at 6.50am only to find all the other members had already gathered.
“Morning all. Everyone seems ready to fight.”
“Of course! We are kids of Nepia!”
“Profit time!”
“Leave it to me…….”
“I’ll do my best.”
Jumping in the carriage we set off for the northern plains.
The highway is already full of people heading to the northern plains.
Occasionally a carriage lost its wheel causing it to block the road which lead to congestion and fights.
The plains have few obstacles so you can go by the side of the highway or through the forest.
“Now then. Where are these turkeys?”
“There’s turkeys all around us ossan. We are aiming for the biggest of them! The prize of 3 million rims is ours!”
“No, let’s aim for numbers. At 50,000 rims each, 5 will net us 250,000 rims!”
Meg and Jean are already counting their chickens before they’ve hatched though Meg is more realistic.
No dreaming for Meg.
“Usually we’d prepare our camp by a water source but with me here there’s no problem. We’ll keep moving around in the carriage until we find a turkey.”
The carriage picks up speed leaving a cloud of dust behind.
We’ll advance as much as possible to where there are fewer people.
It’s a huge bird.
It looks like an ostrich but much darker and more than double the size.
It also can’t fly like an ostrich as well. Its body is probably too heavy.
It doesn’t attempt to hide. It charges straight at us.
Me and Kuro are by the carriage while the rest of the party charge the turkey.
I’ve deployed the hummingbirds as usual.
At the moment there’s no need for Hikaru-kun so he’s stopped by the carriage.
The hummingbirds spread out and covered the turkey but suddenly it jumped and crashed into one of the hummingbirds.
Unlike in the labyrinth out here in the bright sun they are easily seen.
Even so, the turkey must have tremendous kinetic vision and mobility.
The hummingbird’s defence is lower than mine so it shattered into pieces at the turkey’s attack.
“Bolaaaaaaa!!!”
A destroyed golem can never be revived.
Bola of the hummingbird trio fell here today.
The skirmish continued.
Gobu sets up his shield while Meg and Jean confront the bloody turkey.
Bonnie-san keeps at the sides ready to strike at any time.
Now the real hunt begins.