Chapter – 34

Yui’s Trouble

 

“Did this really happen by my sword? Don’t tell me I destroyed the herbs too in this attack?” The confused Yui looks in Airi’s direction with a sorry look.

 

Airi passively smiles, her eye color returning to usual and her aura disappears.

 

“Don’t worry I have already taken care of that.” Airi jumps down from the higher ground and runs back to Yui’s place. Taking Yui by her hand they walk to the exact same spot they remembered spotting the medicinal herbs.

 

“I am sorry Airi, I totally forgot about the herbs?” Yui was still guilty thinking of losing the quest and the hard work the two had together put.

 

“As I said before. I know you can be pretty carefree sometimes so I had made preparations already.” Airi now points in a corner.

 

Yui glints her eyes and finds a space where many trees have joined together in a high conical shelter formation and under it was the medicinal herb growing.

 

The herb had tender green leaves and a refreshing mint smell. The flowers that grew over it were of red color and they were in full bloom too without having the seasonal spring.

 

“How did this happen?” Yui picked up one of the flowers and twirled it.

 

“Most probably I channeled a lot of magic in this part of the ground to keep the herbs safe and the trees firm. So, they might have gained additional value through it.” Airi hypothesized as she plucked another flower and inspected it.

 

“Alright let’s collect all  the flowers too along with the herbs.”

 

Airi announced. Since they were only told that the leaves and roots were used in medicine they had no knowledge of the flowers that grew over them. They had decided to collect it either way and not leave anything to trace back.

 

“Airi… shouldn’t we… can I.” Yui was happy on seeing the herbs safe but her expression changed when she looked at the battlefield. Several hundred of the monster corpses lie dead on the ground and that meant all the monster cores too had to be collected.

 

“Yui I think we should collect the monster cores too after all they can be a valuable source of our income. And you can have as many of them for yourself. That’s your reward for learning a new magic sword skill.” Airi charmingly looks at Yui with a gesture of - go for it.

 

“You are the best Airi, thank you.” Saying that Yui scampers off to the monster corpses to pluck out all the monster cores. After the fight, Yui was perhaps hungry using so much magic at once and it would take some time before she could replenish it on her own.

 

So, feeding on monster cores was the best way. Yui always described them as sweet and delicious too.

 

While Yui was having a feast of monster cores Airi started collecting the herbs. Unlike the previous difficulty they faced, the herb was in abundance this time. Most probably it was due to how deep they came into the jungle. The danger had substantially increased too.

 

After an hour, all work was done and they were sure they had collected more than enough. Yui and Airi decided to return to the town and report their quest completion success to the guild.

 

They carried the herb on backpacks made of thin clothing extracted from a new tree that did not exist in the previous world Yui and Airi belonged to.

 

Yui and Airi entered the guild and went back to their receptionist.

 

He was sitting quietly in the corner of the guild reception as usual and it always appeared no one could notice him.

 

“Did you two come to submit a report on the herbs? It's alright if you cannot reach the target. The herb is usually scant in this region.” the man politely spoke to them.

 

“No, we actually crossed the mark five times over.” Airi gleefully glanced at him. Yui placed all the bags she carried on the counter table for the man to confirm about their haul.

 

The man on the counter watches in awe at the bundles Yui and Airi were able to come up with when there was a scarcity in the town.

 

He picked up a single twig from each bundle to confirm the identity of the herbs.

 

“They are all real.” But then his sight fell on the final bundle of flowers that Yui and Airi had unknowingly collected that bloomed over the herbs and the man gasped in surprise. His body flinched.

 

“Impossible… Just give me a minute.” He hushed as he went running inside the guild asking Yui and Airi to wait for a moment before he would come back.

 

Airi and Yui were surprised too to see his strange reaction and the fuss he created over ordinary-looking flowers. But all they could do was wait before the receptionist would return with the big news.

 

***

 

{Next Chapter : A Forthcoming Quest }