The Exiled Knight Takes Up Life as an Adventurer — A Former Captain's Secret Power and His Carefree Days in a Distant Land - Chapter 25

“Mardin, let’s call it for today. We’ll pick it up again tomorrow.”

“Yeah. We should get everyone’s input and go over things together.”

I called out to Velnica, and we returned to the campsite.

Alisha and Ramitwa were preparing dinner.

“Welcome back. We’re having curry tonight.”

“Oh, curry? Nice.”

It was in the Emarepa Empire that I first encountered this dish called curry.

At first, it was so spicy I thought I’d never eat it again. But somehow, I got addicted to that heat.

The spices from Emarepa weren’t just hot—they had layers of flavor, deep and complex.

Honestly, the spices and curry were one of the reasons I came to love this country.

While eating, I told the others about the traces of Azpreshius we found earlier. Ramitwa marked the location on a map, then showed it to Alisha.

“Hey, Alisha. If it was on this beach, wouldn’t that mean it’s nesting nearby?”

“That would make sense. Azpreshius prefers damp forests. Considering its range, I agree—it’s likely its den is somewhere in this area.”

“Velnica, let’s focus tomorrow’s search here.”

Ramitwa drew a circle on the map and handed it to Velnica.

“Got it. Thanks, both of you. As expected, you’re amazing.”

Dismantlers understand monster behavior inside and out, and porters know terrain like the back of their hands.

These two were definitely dependable.

“Alright. Let’s get some sleep. Tomorrow, the real search begins.”

I spoke to the group, assigned the night watch shifts, and we turned in for the night.

— Midnight —

“Mardin.”

“Hmm?”

“It’s your turn for watch.”

I was gently shaken awake by Ramitwa’s voice.

She tapped my shoulder lightly.

It was time for the late-night shift.

“Thanks.”

We whispered so as not to wake the others.

“No trouble tonight. Don’t forget the Coolmint Herb, okay?”

“Got it. Get some rest.”

“Will do. Good night.”

I quietly left the cabin and headed outside the fence.

Six iron torch stands had been placed around the perimeter of the camp. Since we arrived, we’d been keeping them lit day and night.

The reason? Insect control.

I tossed some dried Coolmint Herb into the flame.

Its smoke kept the bugs away.

If we ever ran out of it, we’d be swarmed in minutes.

In summer quests, this herb was one of the most important supplies.

I stepped outside the camp to patrol the area.

The southern forests were anything but quiet—chirps, clicks, and the cries of small creatures echoed from every direction.

Some of the more annoying insects, like the black-marked mosquitoes known as Musoots, flew about as well—but with my torch burning Coolmint, they didn’t come near me.

“Hm?”

A branch ahead swayed unnaturally.

There was no wind—and it was just that one spot.

The moment I sensed something was off, I felt it—movement overhead.

“Shadow-Winged Bat, Ramuus!”

I raised my torch toward the noise.

There it was—Ramuus, a C-rank monster.

Roughly two medelt in length, this nocturnal predator was fierce and aggressive.

It had four razor-sharp claws—two on each hand and foot—that could tear prey apart with ease, and a pair of long, protruding front fangs to rip flesh and bone.

Its most notable feature was the large membrane stretching between its limbs, forming wings.

By spreading its arms and legs, it could glide from high perches, sometimes sailing several kilodelt on the wind.

“Targeting our camp, huh? Damn… this is bad.”

Most animals and monsters avoid fire.

But Ramuus attacks from above, easily bypassing fences and torches.

It glided from branch to branch with incredible speed.

Then, it leapt from a tree, soaring over my head—straight toward the camp.

“Not happening!”

I stabbed my torch into the ground and fired my Thread Fil.

But Ramuus twisted in mid-air, banking hard to the side and dodging the shot. Then, it turned sharply and flew at me—claws bared.

“Tch!”

I dove to the right, rolled across the ground, and sprang back to my feet.

Ramuus landed and darted up a tree in an instant, launching itself at me again in a wide, gliding arc.

If those claws landed, they’d tear me open. If those fangs found my skull—it’d be over in one bite.

It charged straight at me.

“Take this!”

I fired another Thread Fil, but the beast twisted its body in a stunning mid-air flip, dodging even that shot.

But the evasive maneuver cost it speed.

Just enough time for me to act.

I drew my longsword and swung it in a powerful arc—aiming for its head as it passed overhead.

I didn’t need to chase it. At this angle, it would glide straight through the path of my blade.

The sword cleaved through cleanly—from skull to tail.

Split perfectly in two, the halves of Ramuus glided another ten medelt before collapsing to the ground.

“Whew… that was close.”

I approached the corpse.

“Come to think of it… there was a hunting quest for Ramuus posted on the guild board.”

If I turned in the corpse and reported it as an emergency kill, it would count as a completed quest—and I’d get the reward.

“…But if I report this, they’ll find out I took down a Ramuus solo…”

I pulled the torch from the ground and held it over the carcass.

Then I noticed something.

Just beyond the trees—nestled between the branches—were several small, glowing orbs.

“What’s that?”

The firelight glinted off the eyes of a Southern Fox—a Ronarl—and a Black Forest Cat, known as Vatico.

Both were small, nocturnal carnivores.

They didn’t attack humans, so there was no danger.

“Ah, hungry, huh? Go ahead—enjoy the feast! Hahaha.”

I spoke to the animals casually, then resumed my watch for a little while longer before heading back to camp.

— The Next Morning —

I ate breakfast like nothing had happened during the night.

Nobody suspected a thing.

“Mardin, ready to go?”

“Yeah, I’m all set. Let’s move out.”

Velnica and I left camp to resume our investigation.

We followed the map Ramitwa had marked.

We searched until just before sunset—but found nothing.

“No good today. It’s getting dark. Let’s head back.”

“Agreed.”

“Wait—Velnica. Something just moved.”

“Hm? Oh, that’s a Blackwood Boar, a Bakusha.”

All I saw was a dark shape shifting in the distance.

Bakusha, or Blackwood Boars, are medium-sized herbivores, roughly one medelt in length.

They’re found in forests all over the world thanks to their adaptability and high reproduction rate.

Their tender red meat and rich fat make them excellent for all kinds of dishes.

In fact, they’re commonly raised as livestock and are a globally popular food source.

“You’ve got sharp eyes.”

“Archers need sharp eyes. Might as well hunt it while we’re here.”

“Good idea. Blackwood Boar meat is—”

Before I could even finish my sentence, Velnica had already loosed two arrows.

“—delicious.”

“I’ll have Alisha take care of the butchering. Looks like tonight’s dinner is Bakusha curry.”

Right as she finished speaking, a distant squeal rang out—roughly 100 medelt away.

That was all the confirmation we needed.

Velnica’s skills were no joke.

Her speed—especially the time between drawing and releasing an arrow—was unreal.

“You’re seriously amazing.”

“Hehe. I had a great teacher. Honestly, when it comes to archery, I think I’m on par with A-rank adventurers.”

I’d never met an A-rank adventurer, so I couldn’t say for sure—but even compared to the archers in the Moonshadow Knights, where I once served, Velnica’s skills would’ve ranked near the top.

“Alright. Let’s bring the Bakusha back.”

As we approached the downed boar, the brush rustled and a flurry of wings broke through the foliage.

“Mardin! Southsea Duck—Utoka!”

The Utoka is a waterfowl native to southern coastal regions.

Around 50 sedelt in length, it skillfully uses its webbed feet to glide over the water’s surface and sometimes wanders into forests in search of food.

Its meat is low in fat but tender and packed with rich flavor—making it a sought-after delicacy in the southern isles.

“Darn… it flew off. I really like that one…”

Before Velnica could raise her bow, the Utoka had already taken off.

“Hold on.”

The Utoka is slow to gain altitude from the ground.

I aimed and fired the Raphil Spool.

The Thread Fil can extend up to ten medelt, and I had it set to max speed.

At this distance, I could catch it.

“Guwaaah!”

The Thread Fil wrapped around the Utoka mid-air.

I quickly twisted my wrist to reel it back in.

“Yes! Got it!”

“What the—what is that!? That’s cheating! That thing’s practically unfair!”

“I didn’t expect it to turn out this good either.”

“You’re something else, Mardin. You’re definitely hiding your real strength, aren’t you?”

“No way. I’m just a plain old C-rank adventurer. Washed-up and nothing special.”

“Hmm…”

And with that, I carried the Bakusha, and Velnica brought the Utoka, and we made our way back to camp.