It was only after sleeping for one more full day after that that I finally managed to recover my strength.
Even when I’d done boss raids, it had never been this bad.
I could feel all over again that I had really come close to dying this time.
Still, maybe it was because I’d rested well?
“I’m hungry…”
I hadn’t felt hungry even once since eating the soup, but now my stomach was growling and churning.
Right. Time to fill my stomach, then head back out and hunt or do whatever needed doing.
I got up, loosening my stiff body.
Feeling the humid air against my skin, I walked over to the wardrobe.
Inside, instead of my original clothes, which had been completely ruined, there was the uniform worn by the members of the outpost.
It seemed they’d put it there while I was asleep.
I let out a sigh.
The thought that I’d have to wear that from now on was already giving me a headache.
“Let’s think positively. It’s way better than what I wore in Rundel.”
It showed off my figure a little too plainly, but it wasn’t like it was especially revealing.
Trying my best to convince myself, I changed into the member uniform.
After getting dressed, I stood in front of the mirror and checked my appearance.
“It suits me ridiculously well.”
The problem was that this was me, but it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say I’d survived this time thanks to this body.
Thinking about that left me feeling complicated.
It had only been two months, and I was already worried I might have lost my masculinity.
“Get a grip. That’s not what matters right now.”
Forcing down the stray thoughts rising in my mind, I stepped out of the tent for the first time in two days.
Towering trees that blocked out the sunlight, drab tents, and dark elves moving about with their hoods pulled low.
Even after two days, the scenery hadn’t changed in the slightest.
But the atmosphere was completely different from before.
“Is that the human? The one who took down that Alraune?”
“So it was true she became an honorary member.”
“Should we go talk to her?”
The dark elves, who had gone beyond bluntness and even shown hostility toward me, were now sending me looks that went beyond curiosity and into goodwill.
Could their treatment really change this much just because I’d taken down one monster?
While I was flustered by the change in their gazes, Kalinia appeared in front of me before I knew it.
“You’re finally out. Did you rest well?”
“Well… thanks to you.”
“I see. The clothes… suit you well, so that’s a relief.”
Kalinia looked me up and down, then smiled.
Feeling burdened by her gaze, I changed the subject.
“By the way, it feels like everyone’s changed a lot…”
“That is because everyone has acknowledged you. Unlike those cowards, you proved yourself to be a true warrior.”
“Cowards?”
“You didn’t know? In Durigarda, there are two other outposts besides ours.”
One was the defense unit, and the other was the supply unit.
Apparently, they were each stationed in the east and north, carrying out their duties.
But why was it?
Why did Kalinia’s expression grow increasingly fierce every time the defense unit and supply unit were mentioned?
And not long after, while explaining the defense unit and supply unit, Kalinia began to fume.
“Those bastards are cowards who only play house in safe places! Vermin who do nothing but waste food day in and day out! Do they ever come to support us? Do they ever fight properly? It’s a disgrace to call those bastards fellow warriors. In that sense, Ian, it is fortunate that you came to us. A warrior like you must not associate with trash like them!”
Not only Kalinia, but the other dark elves as well shouted in agreement with her.
These elves… maybe they didn’t actually hate humans, but just hated anyone who wasn’t one of them?
Looking at them, I could only smile awkwardly.
I feel like if I argue here, I’ll get skewered.
“Ahem…”
Belatedly realizing her own unsightly behavior, Kalinia lowered her voice again.
“My apologies. I got worked up, unlike myself.”
“N-No, well… I’m fine.”
“Thank you. In any case, since today is the day a new warrior has joined us, we will hold a company dinner. Make sure everyone participates.”
Cheers erupted at Kalinia’s declaration.
Looking at the elves excited for the gathering, I carefully whispered into Kalinia’s ear.
“Do I have to participate too?”
“The main guest is saying strange things. Of course you have to participate.”
Feeling Kalinia’s hand thump me on the back, I let out a sigh.
There goes leveling up today, too.
***
Meanwhile, at the defense unit’s outpost, which had become the players’ new residence.
“Don’t you think we should go look for her?”
A meeting regarding the strategy for Area 3 was underway.
The very first topic brought up was Ian’s survival.
Emily spoke as she looked around at everyone.
Shaura objected.
“But didn’t you hear as well? The west is the search unit’s territory.”
Thanks to the lack of any particular danger in the east and north, they had been able to explore them quickly.
However, not a single person had seen Ian.
That fact meant one thing.
Either Ian was already dead, or she was in the search unit’s territory.
“Even the dark elves here do not set foot there, do they not? I agree that she is an important asset, but we must not recklessly conduct a search and end up losing just as much combat strength.”
Unlike the east and north, which they had explored before, the west was a place where danger lurked.
Because of that, the dark elves they had grown fairly close to were doing everything they could to dissuade them from going west.
On top of that, the defense captain, Malakor, had said he would look into it, so Shaura thought this was the time to wait.
However.
“So you’re saying we should just keep waiting here? When we don’t even know when they’ll send us over there?”
Emily had been hopeful at first, but now she no longer thought Malakor would be of any help.
‘That guy only knows how to smile like a nice person. The more I see him, the more he seems like someone with no ability who just clings to his position.’
He reminded her of a workplace superior in the real world who always said to take things nicely and smoothly, but never actually did anything himself.
Besides.
“And we’ve already searched all of the north and east, haven’t we? Did we find anything?”
Those gathered in the meeting, including Shaura, shook their heads.
The more they explored, the more certain they became that the boss’s whereabouts would be in the dangerous west.
“We have to cross over eventually anyway, so going a few days earlier won’t cause any problems. Everyone’s levels are already at the limit, too.”
As she said, the players’ levels had long since surpassed the level of the monsters here.
It was no longer very good in terms of experience efficiency either.
Silence settled inside the tent.
The first to raise his hand was Adrian.
“Even if we go, the problem is a place to stay. We can’t keep going back and forth through this vast rainforest. And it’s not like the search unit over there is likely to cooperate with us.”
“They probably won’t. That’s why I’m thinking of setting up camp somewhere suitable.”
“So that really is our only option…”
Adrian was deep in thought, and there were others who still hadn’t made up their minds.
Emily looked over each of their faces one by one and said,
“All right, then. Is anyone here against going west?”
She hadn’t thought she would be able to bring everyone along anyway.
In that case, for the sake of morale, Emily had decided to take only volunteers and waited for everyone’s response.
The first person to raise his hand was Shaura.
“I will sit this one out.”
And following him, quite a few people raised their hands.
Only five people did not raise their hands and agreed to go west.
It felt like her insides were boiling, but she barely managed to rein in her emotions.
“Understood. Then only six parties, including our party, will head west.”
“Let’s do that.”
As soon as the meeting ended, the six parties that had agreed to go west left the outpost and headed in that direction.
After noon, the group arrived in the west.
And from that moment on, the monsters’ attacks began.
“Everyone, prepare for battle!”
Their level itself wasn’t much different from the east, but the number swarming in was three times greater than before.
The players fought the monsters and steadily advanced.
Still, there were no major difficulties.
Over the past two months, the players’ skills had improved significantly, so they moved efficiently even without orders.
“It’s quieter than I expected.”
Despite being warned to watch out for attacks from the search unit members, even after entering deep into the west, they saw no dark elves.
The players thought,
“What is this? Was it just a power play?”
“Right? There’s no need to create factional disputes like this even in a game.”
Then, before they knew it, night had fallen, and they were wondering whether to set up camp.
“Huh? Isn’t that an outpost?”
Ahead of them, they began to see a tent from which a faint light was spilling out.
Adrian, who had chosen to go west, asked Emily,
“What do you want to do?”
After thinking for a moment, Emily answered,
“I’ll go by myself first. We might provoke them for no reason.”
“Will you be all right?”
“If it’s dangerous, I’ll call you, so don’t worry.”
At that moment, Naira and Mugi moved to Emily’s side.
“We’re not sending you alone this time. We’re going with you.”
“M-Me too. I’m going to follow you…”
“You guys…”
If she could, she didn’t want to bring them along.
But recalling what had happened during the Area 2 raid, she reluctantly nodded.
The current Emily had no justification to stop her younger companions.
“But you have to follow my orders no matter what. If it looks dangerous, run immediately.”
“Mugi, you heard her, right? You absolutely have to run.”
“She’s talking to you too, dumbass.”
“Urk!”
After briefly deciding on their plan, Emily’s party set out toward the outpost.
It was a situation tense enough to make their palms sweat.
Not long after, the group reached the entrance.
However…
“There’s no one here? Where did everyone go?”
Usually, when it came to a military force, it was normal to station guards at the entrance.
But even though they could sense a noisy commotion inside, the entrance itself was utterly silent.
Feeling that something was strange, the group entered the outpost.
“Wh-What is all this?”
They saw it.
“Kahaha! This liquor tastes great! Hey, human! Have another drink!”
“Hoho, your cup is empty. Today, let’s drink ourselves to death!”
“To the brave warrior, cheers!”
Dark elves pleasantly drunk on alcohol.
And.
“M-Ms. Ian?”
“Uweh? E-Emilyyy…? Uwaang?”
Among them, unable to even control her own body properly.
“Hic! Hehe… Frieeends…”
Ian.
***
The next morning.
Inside Kalinia’s tent.
As a result, the players were able to use the search unit’s outpost.
There was the fact that they knew Ian.
And.
“So, you came to find the whereabouts of your comrade-in-arms… You are brave humans, though not quite as much as our members. Far better than the cowards of the east. Very well. I will permit you to use the base for the time being.”
It was because Kalinia, the search captain, was moved by the players’ camaraderie and readily permitted them to use the base.
Looking at the players sighing in relief, Kalinia said,
“So, you wish to explore this place?”
Emily, the players’ representative, nodded.
“That’s right. There’s something we need to find here.”
“Hmm… Are you, like Ian, trying to deal with something dangerous?”
“Uh… Well… yes.”
“I suppose so. You did say you were comrades-in-arms.”
After thinking for a moment, Kalinia opened her mouth.
“Very well. We shall accept help from the humans.”
“Really?”
“We are always short on manpower. Since it aligns with our objective as well, there is no need to be stubborn.”
Kalinia’s gaze turned toward Ian, who was among the delighted players.
“Here in the west, aside from the Alraune you defeated, Ian, there are three more elite monsters.”
“Th-Three?”
“Yes. Each one possesses power comparable to the Alraune.”
Looking at the flustered Ian, she raised her fingers one by one.
“First is the Juggernaut located north of the outpost. Second is the Solarbloom located to the south. Third is the Silent Orchid located to the east. They are elite monsters we have yet to subjugate.”
“You’re telling us to catch them, right?”
“Of course, I am not forcing you. Subjugating them is strictly our role. However, if you say you will do it, we will consider providing support. Will you accept?”
At that moment, a window appeared before the players’ eyes.
[You have received a quest.]
[The Search Captain’s Proposal]
Search Captain Kalinia wishes to subjugate the elite monsters that have long tormented them. Help her drive the monsters from this land.
Condition: Limited to a maximum of two parties per monster.
[Will you accept?]
Everyone’s gazes crossed in midair.
It was clearly a dangerous request.
Especially because of the weight carried by the words “party limit,” they could not make the choice easily.
But everyone present knew.
They knew just how sweet the rewards from a quest could be.
Especially in a period of stagnation like now, there was no leveling method as efficient as quest experience.
In the end, everyone’s gaze turned to Emily, their leader.
And she said to Kalinia,
“Yes. We’ll accept.”
“As expected of Ian’s comrades-in-arms.”
A window appeared.
[You have accepted the quest!]
It was the moment the subjugation force was formed.