Living as an Unemployed in Another World

99 – 4. Silences in Helms (15)

15.

Winter Wolf is no ordinary wolf. Just as there is a clear distinction between livestock and beasts, there is a clear distinction between beasts and monsters. Huge white-furred wolves, nearly two meters in length, they always carry the chill of winter within their bodies and can release it from their mouths at will. Is that all? Its leather is thick and tough enough to be used to make armor when extracted, and its ferocity is exceptional.

The same thing happened three years ago. At that time, a winter wolf that had escaped from the pack broke into the backyard of the inn, so at that time, I instigated the adventurers to make a request to the guild and subdue it. At that time, it was foolish to attack the forest from this side first, but now it is a situation where they attacked the village below first.

As much as I was watching the situation from a distance, I was overcome with chills watching the adventurers cling to each other and deal with a wolf. That they came here in droves?

“Who, who…… ?”

Even in an emergency, Isaac blankly looked up. The knight put his hand on my shoulder and faced him. The majesty of the full plate armor was so unusual that even ordinary people without any power would rely on it. I shook my mind and answered instead.

“Paladin, Isaac. You are staying here for a reason. We will help you together from now on.”

“Ah…… !”

“So tell me, Isaac. How many are there? No, why did they invade your field in the first place?”

I asked as I shook Isaac’s shoulder, which was drenched in emotion. The Winter Wolf is not an easy monster to encounter. They live in a coniferous forest called Pinwheel Forest, quite far from Cornfield. Isaac said, his nose dripping, as if the hot air had loosened his nasal passages.

“Mo, I don’t know. I went to the creek to fetch water, and suddenly they showed up in the backyard. I was trying to run into the house, but they were already crowding at the front door, and when I came to my senses, I came all the way here. Eh, it shouldn’t be like this. The younger siblings, me, and the older brother.”

“Isaac! How many of them are there!”

“Yeah, over ten.”

I let out a groan close to a sigh at the trembling man. If you stop, it’s almost the same as the number of adventurers hunting three years ago. How did these guys who grew up eating flying animals get so many numbers?

Winter Wolf is strong. Considering that 90% of the adventurers were yellow or less, it was difficult to win one-on-one, at least not in blue. And in this inn, there are 5 blue adventurers excluding me, and one green. Even if you simply calculate it, your hands are going to run out of caps.

“Acquaintance… ….”

I patted Isaac on the shoulder as he was crying awkwardly. The reason why I came here first in an urgent situation is because it is the place where the most adventurers gather in the village, but more than anything else, it is because I am there. It’s a fact known to some extent not only in this inn, but also in Cornfield, that I recently became a new blue adventurer on the East Side.

I got Isaac up and sat him roughly in the chair. I know the situation is urgent, but I can’t just run away with the knight right now. At the very least, people should be brought together as much as possible. But how?

Adventurers are not philanthropists. If there is no reward, it does not move, and even if there is a reward, it prioritizes its own life. Sometimes I give my soul for more gold than my life. How do you mobilize them? And then.

“Jin. What is it?”

“…… Egg.”

A half-orc warrior appeared from the back of the kitchen, blowing cold breath. A physique clearly larger than that of a human, and the majesty of wearing a thin piece of leather even in this weather! Seeing him for the first time in real life, Isaac mistook him for the second coming of an orc and shuddered seriously.

“The Winter Wolf has appeared. Below the village. Children die if left alone. I don’t know if this inn will be all right.”

“Hmm.”

He pondered for a very short time——in fact, he wasn’t even worried——he opened his mouth.

“How many are there?”

“The heat is over.”

“Bring your arms.”

Overly brief dialogue. Isaac stared blankly at the hulking back figure. It’s cool because it’s cool. Even in this situation, I almost smiled.

Then, soon after, I heard footsteps deliberately made on the stairs. A woman with her pink hair down appeared as she yawned.

“Jin, what happened? What? Like I’ve seen it somewhere…… ?”

Isaac didn’t blush like he used to because it was such a situation, but instead he managed to hold back tears like chicken droppings. I went up to her without asking her and said.

“Wolves came to Isaac’s house. I need your help.”

“Hmm.”

After that, Mira said that she would come wearing only her clothes, and she got on in an instant! I jumped from the bottom of the stairs to the top in two runs. Seeing the unreal sight, Isaac opened his mouth.

Are there only four people including me? However, there are three strong people included in this inn.

Even by coincidence, the party composition is also a classic combination of warrior, thief, mage, and priest.

Although two of them are blue and one isn’t even an adventurer, in reality, except for me, each of them is at least a green or better adventurer. No, maybe all of them have abilities corresponding to the color red. A paladin would be more than that.

But will this be enough? I wanted to calm Isaac, who was shaking his legs, but I was anxious. Although each one can catch the Winter Wolf without difficulty, the problem is Isaac’s younger siblings. Wolves think of children as preservatives, so they won’t eat them right away, but if the situation arises, they can use them as hostages based on our attitude. The intelligence of monsters that have adapted to their environment is higher than that of beasts.

Soon, I looked at the hall, where one or two people were gathering because of the commotion. More than half of the guests. And almost everyone is an adventurer.

The story must have been overheard. But no one is willing to step in. Of course. This isn’t a request, and neither gold nor silver coins come out. Since they were adventurers, they could protect their own body, but there would be no reason to risk their lives for the house of someone they barely knew.

“Me too, help me! I’ll do anything, anything…… !”

I tried to stop him, but Isaac fell to the ground. He knelt down and rubbed his palms, desperately speaking in an uncomfortable silence.

However, salvation does not come easily. Meanwhile, Alphonse, who had come out with her axe, and Mira, clad in tight clothes and cloaks, put her dagger in her holder and approached me. She looked around and had a rough idea of the situation, so she spoke in a loud voice.

“Let’s go, Jin. You don’t need these cowards. We can do it ourselves.”

Criticism of having courage questioned by a woman is a great insult to a man. But what can I do, in her eyes, the lives of those who live day by day will feel as small as a candlelight. Soon, Alphonse, without saying anything in particular, raised the ax and pushed the swing door open.

Instantly, a rustling sound was heard. It’s a paladin. She groaned and lifted Isaac from his knees with great ease and gave him a nod of her head at me.

“…… Including this driver, there are four of them. Jin, shouldn’t we hurry?”

Mira seems to think that this number is enough. However, knowing the strength of the Winter Wolf, and knowing that it was not a labyrinth attack, I couldn’t leave without haste. At least one more party.

Then, suddenly, I heard a rumble coming down the stairs. I was startled to see the faces approaching. Janice was approaching with Gerald, Hilda, and Mr. Sukhbat. Besides, he wasn’t even wearing casual clothes, he was ready to go out.

Gerald was making love with Merylda, and she must have been summoned suddenly, her hair tousled and her neck full of spots, but at least her eyes were alive. When another party of blue adventurers appeared, the room stirred.

“I called you. Every.”

“Zenith… ….”

“Did you guys want to go alone? I can’t.”

Hilda threatened her. Soon, Gerald stepped forward scratching the back of his head as if he was ashamed that he was the only one who belatedly grasped the situation.

“Well, that’s how it happened. We owe you something.”

Debt? Ah, is that the story of the dungeon? He fiddled with the plate he had wrapped around his sword and then spoke to me.

“And, even if it wasn’t because of that…… My body was itching from working together all the time.”

Without warning, he drew his sword. The blade protruding from the scabbard reflected the light brilliantly without any flaws. Soon, a light similar to the sun flashed in the room. While everyone was paying attention to him, he shouted in a loud voice.

“Hey, you idiots!!”

“What!?”

Someone immediately countered. It was a word with multiple meanings. Gerald said, not caring.

“That beer you guys are sitting around drinking! Bread! Food! I don’t know where it’s made, so I’m doing it now! Everyone is born and raised in Isaac’s field!”

“… ….”

“Winter is still far away! If you don’t want to eat hard stone bread made from poor quality wheat for the rest of the season, stop sluggishly and move!”

I was angry at Gerald’s criticism. However, thanks to this, the adventurers were stimulated and began to move busily. It’s annoying, but I can’t help it, as if I have a cause, so I’m going to have a good time. It was the same scene as three years ago. No, there was no longer Gerald holding a bastard sword and guarding his rear. He was just a great adventurer who shouted proudly in front of everyone with a ‘solar sword’.

Soon, Celine, startled by the sound of foot stomping, came down alone in an instant. Her expression asking me what’s all this about, I saw her lovely face and involuntarily wanted to hug her, but she barely held her back and opened her mouth.

“I don’t know.”

“What?”

I don’t know. Since when did this happen? Has it been such a long time? I remember the image of her anxious little lady pulling at the width of her skirt.

It’s different from back then. And, the circumstances are different.

It must be much more difficult. However, at this old inn, a third of the guild’s power is concentrated.

The goal is not hunting. Annihilate.

And, I won’t let a single person die.

I handed Isaac over to Celine and pushed the swing door open with everyone. The paladin and mummy advance as if escorting me on either side.

“Let’s go.”

It’s only one inn and one village.

I don’t know why there is so much work to do to protect the surroundings. It’s a daily routine that doesn’t suit me.

I complained and patted Alphonse on the back.