The Mysterious Child: An Adventure Tale Beginning with Numerology

"'Wind Lance'! Damn, there's no end to them!"

"I'm out of arrows! Someone take over!"

"Message! Goblin King has appeared on the right wing frontline!"

"I'll handle it! Reduce the small fry around and lure it to the center!"

The elves were busily fighting while jumping through the trees.

Monsters were invading, spreading over several kilometers of the sacred tree forest. According to Elen, their number was close to a thousand. Most were D-rank or below, but occasionally C-rank and B-rank were mixed in.

It seems Distania and the elite troops intended to deal with the A-rank monster—the Goblin King—that had appeared. Apparently, there were several A-rank monsters in the previous attack as well, but they couldn't defeat them completely, and they ended up becoming Elen's experience points.

Perhaps due to that frustration, Distania delegated command to her subordinates and headed out to intercept the Goblin King.

On the front lines, the guardian unit's warriors were spread out, with the men fighting behind them, and Juman the forest elder and Silkuru were positioned at the final defense line. Most monsters were taken down in the middle guard's battles, but occasionally some would break through to Silkuru's position.

While taking them down with her fists, Silkuru turned around.

"Oh~ It's the savior and... Tch, we didn't call for the damn brat."

"Silkuru! How dare you speak that way to our benefactor!"

The one who admonished Silkuru was Juman, the forest elder.

I asked, barely greeting them.

"What's the situation? What happened?"

"Monster attacks have been continuing since last night. The estimated number is a thousand for now, and it might increase further. We're currently setting up defense lines to intercept them, but the sheer number is overwhelming. The number of injured is starting to increase."

"Mm. Help?"

"We would certainly appreciate it, but the northern part is an unexplored forest area. Large-scale attacks would damage the forest... We want to deal with them individually. If you can help, I'd like you to defend this position just in case. Behind here, there are only those who can't fight and children."

"Understood."

Elen was itching to defeat monsters, but even she didn't seem to intend to burn the forest.

The forest elder used messengers to inform the front lines that Elen had joined the final defense. Apparently, morale would improve now that they didn't have to worry about the rear.

"By the way, Forest Elder, are the monsters really coming from the demon realm?"

"We don't know. Like last time, even if there was a way to pass through the magic trees, it's too far from the demon realm. We're currently having Karmarike investigate the source of the outbreak and if there's any intention behind the attack."

"Karmarike?"

I didn't know that small elf could play a scout-like role.

I thought she'd be in the middle guard since she's the best archer among the elves.

The forest elder muttered with a solemn face.

"I understand how you feel, benefactor. That one isn't particularly outstanding except for her archery skills."

"Then, why?"

"Because she's plain."

"Huh?"

The forest elder had a very serious expression.

"There's no elf as plain as Karmarike."

"Is that an insult?"

"Fool. I'm not talking about personality, but nature. According to those who can see magical elements, Karmarike's innate magical power is plain and quiet. It's the opposite of the flashy and powerful Mererosu and Distania. Monsters don't often attack Karmarike... It's probably related to her plain magical power. That's why she can hide from monsters. They also said Karmarike has no scent."

Come to think of it, demons also described magical power as scent.

So Karmarike has a plain scent... I didn't mean to demean her, but I started to feel sorry for her.

"Of course, her physically small stature is also one of the reasons for her small presence. And she has a personality that doesn't do reckless things. I hope she can pinpoint the source of the monster outbreak."

"I see..."

From what I saw, Karmarike was a noisy one. It's hard to imagine her on an infiltration mission.

Not that I particularly care about Karmarike... Hmm. I'm feeling restless.

"Should I go take a look too? I can use transfer, and the magic trees' interference doesn't affect me."

"What! With the benefactor's help, it would be worth a hundred men. But there's no reason for you to do something so dangerous. It's embarrassing to say, but this time we might not even be able to prepare a satisfactory reward..."

"No, no, it's not unrelated to me this time, so I don't need any reward."

The mastermind who tried to frame Seori was also targeting the elves.

Probably this monster attack is connected too.

In other words, I'm thwarting the enemy's plans to protect my familiar, so helping isn't just for the elves' sake.

...I-It's not like I'm worried about Karmarike or anything!

"If that's the case, it would be a great help. But please don't overdo it."

"Understood. Then, I'll go take a look. I'm counting on you here, Elen."

"Mm."

Leaving behind the little girl who was proudly standing with her staff raised, I started the transfer.

I leaped over the battlefield in one go and pushed on to the magic tree forest.

The north of the forest is on the demon realm side—though apparently, it's nearly twice as far as Bargia. Even without getting lost in the magic trees, it's difficult for monsters to advance through the large forest full of mushrooms.

Then probably, the monsters are being transferred, summoned, or perhaps created.

Either way, it's a simply troublesome situation. Since they're probably not occurring naturally, there must be someone behind it. If it's demons, it would be too much for Karmarike alone to handle.

"Now, where's our plain girl?"

I look around, using clairvoyance on the forest. Monsters are just running through from the back, so it seems still far ahead.

I repeat short-distance transfers, gradually grasping the situation.

I found Karmarike at a point about 10 kilometers after entering the magic tree forest.

■ ■ ■ ■ ■

The usually quiet great forest was echoing with the cries of monsters.

The guardian unit did occasionally patrol the magic trees.

While they frequently patrol the Bargia side where people come and go, they rarely venture deep into the demon realm side. Even if they patrol, it's only for about a few dozen minutes from the sacred tree forest.

They never thought that monsters would pass through in such numbers as to create ruts, heading towards the elf village that had been protected from outside enemies thanks to the magic trees.

By now, everyone in the village must be fighting, setting up defense lines. There will probably be no end to the injured, but all they can do is pray that there are no casualties.

Karmarike, who had been thinking about it as if it were someone else's problem, took a deep breath as she remembered that she herself would be the key to turning the tide of battle. She calmed her rough breathing and settled her presence.

She had come this far without being detected by monsters, but the density of monsters was increasing. She could predict that she was about to reach the source.

Her assigned mission was to investigate the cause of the monster outbreak. As it was just an investigation, she had no intention of fighting. In the first place, Karmarike was not good at solo combat.

"Alright."

Once her breathing was settled, she reapplied her presence concealment skill and ventured further into the forest.

A few minutes later, Karmarike finally found the cause.

"...Stakes and a formation?"

Five stakes made of magic stones were stuck in the ground.

Grooves were carved connecting the stakes in a circle, with two grooves extending from each stake. A dark liquid-like substance was pooled in these grooves.

The formation carved into the ground was what's known as a pentagram, though Karmarike didn't know that name.

Anyway, as soon as the star and circle formation glowed, monsters started crawling out.

Though not at a particularly fast pace, the constantly appearing monsters immediately began heading south. It was as if they knew their role.

A summoning formation. She had never seen one before.

It's quite rare, but now that she knew what it was, there was only one thing to do.

If monsters were being summoned by a device, it was a matter of destroying it.

However, the problem was that there was a strong-looking monster behind the summoning formation.

A monster with a horse's lower body and a muscular humanoid upper body—a centaur. She had heard of them, and they were supposed to be B-rank monsters.

The centaur was holding a club in its right hand. The club was thicker than Karmarike's body. If she were hit by that, she'd be sent to heaven in one blow. Honestly, she didn't want to fight.

"Phew..."

Still, Karmarike didn't run away, instead observing the centaur's behavior while hiding behind a magic tree trunk.

Should she go back to the village and call for reinforcements? That would be the sensible thing to do.

But she couldn't do that. Behind the centaur was a battered elf girl.

That girl was one of the children taken away by merchants. Though from a different district, she recognized her. She was chained by the neck and lying unconscious on the ground. Bruises covered her body, and she looked visibly weakened.

If she left now, there was no telling when that girl might die.

Karmarike made up her mind.

If anyone could defeat a centaur alone, it would be Juman the forest elder, Distania, Silkuru, or—though it pained her to admit it—Mererosu.

Even as the vice-captain of the guardian unit, this was too much for her. She was well aware of that... but still.

"I can do it when I need to, you know."

She activated her spirit formula. Enveloping herself with "Instant," "Blessing," and "Heavy," she drew her bow.

The opponent was a higher-ranked monster, but if she could catch it off guard from a blind spot, there was a chance of defeating it. Even if she couldn't take it down in one shot, if she could strike a vital point with a surprise attack, she should be able to turn the battle in her favor.

Holding her breath, Karmarike took aim at the centaur's side and released an arrow with all her might, right at her limit.

Arrows flew unerringly toward the centaur's head, unnoticed by the creature. It was going to work.

"Yess--" Karmarike started to exclaim in triumph.

But Karmarike's joy was unexpectedly interrupted. A slender bird-like demon emerged from the summoning circle, spreading its wings right into the arrow's path. The arrow pierced through the wing, altering its trajectory.

"Grruu!"

The arrow grazed the centaur's nose but caused no harm.

"No way!?"

"Grrr..."

The centaur, now furious, spotted Karmarike and charged with a raised club.

"Wait, no!" Karmarike began to move, hiding behind the trunk of a magical tree.

Karmarike navigated through the forest, choosing a path that would keep the trees as obstacles between them. His training as a sniper had been extensive. If spotted, the key was to hide and relocate before the enemy could get too close.

"Gruuu..."

Successfully evading the centaur's sight, Karmarike took cover behind another magical tree, calming his racing heart.

The forest of magical trees was not ideal for sniping. The lowest branches were far too high to climb, and the trees were so thick that circling them took dozens of meters. There were no smaller plants to act as obstacles, making sightlines clear—and making it easy for enemies to see as well. The lack of high vantage points was particularly challenging.

Despite these difficulties, Karmarike knew she had to keep going.

She nocked an arrow while still hiding, then stepped out and fired upward without looking to track its path, immediately preparing another shot. This one flew straight at the centaur.

The centaur, alert and sensitive to Karmarike's presence, detected the arrows despite Karmarike's skill in concealing himself. The centaur's club struck down the oncoming arrow just before it hit. It started charging toward Karmarike, but Karmarike's first arrow, now falling almost vertically, struck from above. Karmarike quickly shot another arrow aimed straight at the centaur's forehead. This time, it had to work.

"Bwooooaaaarrr!"

"No way!?" Karmarike exclaimed.

The centaur deflected both arrows with a roar that seemed to carry a shockwave. It must have been a skill, not just a normal roar—but Karmarike hadn't anticipated that.

"Graaah!"

Karmarike quickly ducked behind another tree.

The centaur knew where she was hiding now. Running would not help; the centaur was too close. If Karmarike tried to flee, she wouldn't be able to hide again.

"I'm sorry, magical tree!"

Karmarike nocked three arrows at once and fired them diagonally upwards. She then leapt towards the arrows, using them as footholds to jump higher. She kicked off the trunk, somersaulting and aiming his bow downward as he descended.

The centaur, having rounded the tree, found no one there. Karmarike, now above it, shot his arrow at the centaur's head from its blind spot.

But the centaur wasn't an easy target. It reacted to the faint sound of the arrow slicing through the air, shifting its body to avoid a fatal blow. The arrow grazed its side, cutting into its flesh but not deeply enough to be deadly.

As Karmarike landed, the centaur swung its club.

"Wind Bomb!" Karmarike shouted, blasting himself sideways with a burst of wind.

The force of the spell made her feel like his insides were being pummeled, but she narrowly avoided the club's lethal strike. She landed awkwardly and the centaur immediately pursued.

"Earth Wall!"

A wall of earth rose to block the centaur's club. It shattered with a single hit, but it gave Karmarike a few precious moments to retreat. Knowing she couldn't outrun the centaur, she drew his sword.

"Flash! Grace! Weight!"

She recited the spirit incantation again, the sword at her waist now drawn. The small Karmarike faced the centaur head-on.

"Wind Lance!"

The centaur's roar dissipated the wind magic, but Karmarike had anticipated this.

"Take this!"

Karmarike threw her sword. The centaur, caught off guard, dodged, but Karmarike slid underneath it, slipping between its legs.

"Summon Equipment!"

The thrown sword reappeared in Karmarike's hand, and she swung upward, aiming for the centaur's exposed underbelly.

Got it!

But the centaur jumped, using its immense strength to propel itself away. The sword missed its mark, and the centaur kicked Karmarike with its hind legs.

"Kyaah!"

Karmarike crossed her arms to block the blow, but the impact sent her flying. She tumbled across the ground, managing to roll and regain her footing. The kick had created some distance, but her left arm was broken.

"I can't give up now," she muttered, fighting back tears.

Karmarike was an ordinary person. She had no exceptional skills, magic, or physical abilities. With her left arm broken, she couldn't use her bow anymore. Overcoming this seemed impossible for an average person. Only a genius like Mererosu could turn the tide in such a dire situation.

Despite the pain, Karmarike focused her mind.

"I won't give up," she declared.

She yearned for strength like that of the heroes she admired. She wanted to protect the child lying on the ground.

"Come on, centaur!"

With her left arm broken and only a sword at her disposal, Karmarike faced the centaur head-on. She was outmatched in strength, agility, and endurance, but she refused to surrender. Her perseverance, honed through countless hours of archery practice despite bullying and ridicule, was her only weapon.

"Gryaaaah!"

"Earth Wall!"

Karmarike conjured another earth wall right in front of the charging centaur. The centaur shattered it with a single kick.

"Earth Wall!"

Karmarike created another wall, this time narrower and taller. The centaur swung its club to break it.

"Earth Wall!"

Before the centaur could strike, Karmarike conjured a third wall behind the second one, even taller and thinner.

The centaur, irritated, broke through both walls with one swing, only to find that Karmarike had vanished.

Karmarike had jumped onto the final wall as she created it. The centaur, its vision obscured, hadn't seen her. As the wall crumbled, Karmarike leapt onto the centaur's back, clinging with her broken arm, and plunged her sword into its back.

"This is the end!"

She activated the spirit incantation "Flash," accelerating the sword's thrust. The blade pierced the centaur's heart, causing it to convulse briefly before collapsing, its eyes dimming.

Karmarike rolled to the ground, panting heavily, and lay on her back, shouting in triumph.

"I did it... I defeated the centaur... I did it!"

Tears welled up in her eyes as she celebrated her first victory against a superior foe. Clenching his fists, pain shot through her broken arm.

"Ouch. Right, the potion."

She retrieved her bag from its hiding place and applied a healing potion to her arm, feeling the slow process of healing. It would still hurt, but it would be manageable by the time she returned to the village.

With the centaur defeated, Karmarike turned her attention to the summoning circle to retrieve the injured child.

"Shuraa."

"Eh?"

A snake-like demon had appeared beside Karmarike. It was a long, slender creature covered in mucus. She had never seen such a demon before and didn't know its name, but it didn't seem very strong. The creature's slimy body was its most notable feature.

The snake coiled around Karmarike's leg, its grip weak but its slime made it difficult to remove.

"You're slimy. Stop it."

"Shuraa~"

"You're in a good mood. Did something nice happen?"

The snake's playful wrapping was annoying but not threatening. It didn't seem to be attacking, just playing.

Ignoring the snake for now, Karmarike decided to focus on destroying the summoning circle. More demons were emerging, heading south without paying any attention to her.

"Now, how do I break this... Huh?"

Suddenly, Karmarike's strength drained away, and she collapsed. Her entire body felt heavy and her magical power was being drained.

"Mana Drain!?"

"Shuraa~"

It must be the snake demon's skill. Karmarike struggled to remove the snake, but her grip was weakening. The snake's multiple heads slithered over her body, its slime dissolving her clothes.

"No, stop! Not there! My clothes are melting! Stop it! No, please, wait! No, not there! Please stop! No, don't!"

Covered in slime, Karmarike writhed in discomfort. The brave warrior who had just defeated the centaur was nowhere to be seen.