Note: back to Luise’s pov

 

Visiting the guild was certainly odd. I didn’t find Mr. Johnston like I was expecting, instead I found this witch lady. Her ears were pointed, was she perhaps an elf?

 

Anyways, she gave me a challenge. I know she was trying her best to dissuade me, but how am I supposed to pay back the orphanage if I can't even do something so simple? That's not even beginning to talk about the abyss.

 

So… the first challenge is to find a boar. I don't quite know the population density of the forest, but I don't think it would be too difficult to find one. 

 

Second challenge is how to get said boar back. I could attempt to knock it out, but I might accidently kill it. Not to mention, I am not sure if I would even be capable of dragging one all the way back.

 

Although… that does give me an idea…

 

Finally leaving the town and entering the forest I immediately began looking for anything I could turn into rope. 

 

Strands of leaves? Nope, broke too easily and not long enough. 

 

Moss hanging from the tree? Uh.. I don’t think touching that is a good idea. Brightly colored with bright orange and red flowers budding? All bad signs.

 

But these dried fibers on the ground… maybe I can do something with it.

 

Picking up some of the fibers I stretched them out to their full length. They were about the length of my arm, that's good. Pulling on them they stretched a little but didn't snap. Perfect.

 

I vaguely remember a way to wrap them around each other. I felt like I could do better, but it's not bad. I tied one rope into a long shape with a large loop in the middle. I didn't know if the loop was large enough, but if its not I should be able to change it on the fly.

 

For the second rope I wanted to tie rocks to the ends. Thinking about my knife, a handle appeared out of my chest. It still felt weird summoning it in this manner, but it worked. It was still rusty and worn out like when I summoned it with Goddess Lenora, but I hope its at least durable enough to etch some grooves into some rocks.

 

I knew for a fact that if any blacksmith were about to see me use a knife to carve a rock they would scream at me. 

 

Grabbing some decent weighted pebbles on the ground I began slowly widdling notches into them. The knife was much stronger than what I thought it would have been, if anything I had to be careful not to cut straight through the rock. Once done I wrapped the second rope around the rock using the grooves I made as guides. Last thing I wanted was for the rocks to slip out.

 

Alright, prep done, let's see if I can find a boar.

 

The more I explored around the forest the more I appreciated how different it was from the abyss. The sounds of the dirt squishing under my shoes. The rusting of the leaves as nearby squirrels and birds move along the trees.

 

Squeaaaa

 

Shit. Maybe those weren't birds and squirrels after all.

 

I didn't even bother looking behind me, instead opting to jump out of the way. Looking back I saw a large boar charge right through where I was just standing. 

 

After it stopped the charge it turned around and looked to see where I went.

 

Uh… how do I do this… just think, presence concealment…

 

I remember that Goddess Lenora told me I was able to use the presence concealment ability I stole, right now I was seriously hoping she was right

 

The boar continued looking around and began walking back to where I was. It spun around slowly observing the surroundings. Looking to the left of me… looking to the right of me… 

 

Looking straight at me… please don't see me please don't see me please don't see me…

 

And it looked to the left of me once again.

 

Fuck. That was close. Either that thing is blind or the ability worked. I am hoping that it is the latter.

 

As the boar looked around I could make out more of its features. I was used to boars having two tusks coming from its upper jaw or the side of its snout, but this one had two more protruding out the top of its head. Four spikes all facing forward, perfect to impale someone. Also perfect to grab and tie things onto.

 

Slowly, slowly stepping towards where the boar was standing. The ability was presence concealment, not presence removal. If I wasn't careful this thing could notice me and I don't want to test how well my current body can take a hit.

 

Crack

 

In an instant the hog turned to look at where I was standing. I don't think it could see me, otherwise it would have charged, but it heard the noise of me stepping on a stick. Shit, I was trying to be careful too!

 

Cautiously the boar began sniffing the air, slowly walking towards my position. Eventually it looked like it was fed up and began charging straight at me

 

Shit, I couldn't dodge in time… maybe…

 

As the boar drew closer I stepped to the left and held out my arm. I didn't have enough time to properly dodge, but I was betting on something else now.

 

The boar's tusks were now within grabbing range. Using the momentum of the hog's charge and its tusk's as support I was able to get on top of the thing. 

 

Fuck, I had a scratch going along my arm but its shallow and it could have been alot worse.

 

I pulled out the rope with the loop in the middle. The loop fit over the boar's snout and with a pull on either side I was able to make makeshift reigns with it. 

 

Carrying the boar would have been too hard, but having it carry me? So much easier.

 

The boar began to try and knock me off. Firmly planting my feet into the hog's sides I was able to stay on.

 

With a horse you are supposed to put pressure on its body to move forward, right? Here's hoping that works for an untrained pig.

 

I used the back of my foot to kick the boar's body, a little cruel but it just tried to kill me so I'll call it even.

 

Immediately the boar charged forward aiming to ram into a nearby tree. A slight tug on the reins though, and we safely passed by. 

 

I made sure to remember how to get back to the village and began guiding my noble steed through trees and bushes to return. 

 

Haha, I can't wait to see that witch's face!

 

We were approaching the village now and the boar was still yet to stop. It was starting to get a little late so there were not that many people walking around, but that still meant there were people.

 

Weaving through them all was a little scary, I made sure to try and apologize to each person I passed by. 

 

Finally approaching the guild I could see two people walking out from one. One man and the witch from earlier. 

 

"Hey! I got the boar you wanted!"

 

Both of them turned to look at me and I could clearly see their surprise. I wanted to burst out laughing right there. I could also see their surprise shift into panic as a charging boar was quickly approaching.

 

I then pulled out the second rope, the one with the rocks attached. I threw it out in front of us, right in the path of the boar's charge. Just as planned the rope and rocks wrapped became caught in the legs of the boar making it trip and binding its legs together. 

 

Me being launched from its back and faceplanting into the ground was not planned.

 

"Ow… hey… I got the boar you wanted."

 

I had landed right infront of them with the boar struggling to break free a couple feet behind me.

 

Well, I got it alive and to the guild… although I would have preferred to have made the landing instead of faceplanting… that hurt.