Chapter 63: Is This Automatic Hunting? (1)

Jam Tiger’s Daily Life is Leisurely.

Unlike humans, he doesn’t have a busy schedule—his main job is simply lying around and entertaining the humans who approach him.

Ever since moving to the forest, though, he had fewer chances to see students, and lately, boredom had started to set in.

Most of the forest animals wouldn’t even dare make eye contact unless they were completely insane, and the entrance to the forest was secluded enough that students rarely passed by.

And so, once again, he was lounging on his favorite rock, basking in the sunlight.

…Except for one unexpected visitor.

“Hoho, mighty spirit, are you sleeping?”

“…No.”

How could I sleep when you’ve been staring at me in silence for ten whole minutes with those twinkling eyes?

No matter how indifferent cats may act, if you keep staring, they’ll start to pay attention—especially if it’s a stranger.

Scratching his neck with a hind paw, he shot a glare at the old man, whom he vaguely remembered seeing in a meeting room.

“Hoho, Sir Nine, please don’t be angry. This old man merely wishes to ask something.”

Oh?

Nine’s eyes fell on the small box the old man had brought.

Even just from the scent, he could tell—it was a high-quality snack.

Since he was being offered a tribute, it would be rude to stay grumpy.

“Hmph. Alright, alright. What do you want?”

“I have dreamed of reviving the Hunting Faculty my entire life. But reality has not been kind.”

…That’s true.

The subjects once taught at the Hunting Faculty had been split into other departments, making its existence ambiguous.

The guardian spirit had died, the number of instructors had dwindled…

“The only reason it hasn’t been dissolved is because of its symbolic value. That’s why I’m delighted that you have come, mighty spirit.”

“At this rate, though, it’s just going to exist in name only.”

“That’s why this old man wishes to lend a hand.”

“Oh?”

He had come all this way to personally offer help in restoring the Hunting Faculty.

“What’s your name?”

“Hoho, I must be getting old—I forgot to introduce myself. I am Robert, an aging professor with retirement not far off.”

…That name sounded familiar.

But I couldn’t quite place it.

Maybe just a minor NPC?

Even as a veteran player, I didn’t bother remembering every NPC’s name.

Chances were, he wasn’t anyone particularly important.

“So, what exactly do you plan to do?”

“I will use my connections to find people. In my younger days, I studied ancient hunters, and I know a few individuals who may be of help.”

“Not bad.”

If he was willing to take care of the tedious work, why not?

It felt like things were moving fast, but I had no reason to refuse help with the most annoying and bothersome part of the job.

Of course, if he tried to betray me… well, he’d be getting a gravestone that very day.

Consider that fair warning.

“With so much time passed, I cannot guarantee they are still around… but surely, a few remain.”

“I’ll look into it myself too, so take it slow. This isn’t something that can be done overnight.”

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.

There were plenty of other things to take care of anyway.

“Then, I shall take my leave. May you have a peaceful day…”

“And may Solaris bless you.”

His eyes widened with surprise, touched by my words.

“You have sharp eyes.”

“You’re wearing a rosary on your wrist.”

“Ah, so I am. Then, I will be going now.”

Just as quietly as he had appeared, he vanished.

…Guess I’ll wait and see.

“Nine, I’m bored—”

“The others won’t be here for a while, so let’s just nap until then.”

It’d be a waste to play when I was this sleepy.

Momo seemed convinced, curling up against my belly—her designated spot by now.

——————

“Not Having a Servant is Inconvenient at Times…”

Under the warm afternoon sun, Orca let out a sigh as she stepped out of a restaurant.

Now that it had been two weeks since midterms ended, she had gone shopping for a change of pace.

Feeling the weight of people’s stares, she glanced around.

But the moment her gaze met theirs, they quickly looked away.

Perhaps they were drawn to her mysterious and breathtaking beauty but couldn’t withstand the pressure of a killer whale’s gaze.

Easily dominating the atmosphere, she resumed walking.

“I should buy a few things and head back.”

With no one to carry her bags, heavy or cumbersome items were out of the question—perhaps just some accessories.

“…Maybe I should just buy some snacks for Nine instead.”

Lately, with so many people keeping pets, shops specializing in treats for animals had sprung up.

She wondered what they were like.

“Maybe I could use snacks to negotiate an hour of cuddling.”

After all, true healing was found in cats.

Unlike dogs, whose large and sturdy bodies had a different appeal, a cat’s soft and pliable body was perfect for stress relief.

“Nine has gotten even fluffier since he grew bigger. If only I could use him as a pillow while sleeping…”

She had brought a luxury pillow from home, one worth as much as an average household, but it couldn’t compare to Nine’s body.

“Though I’d probably be covered in fur.”

Just imagining it made her feel like stray hairs were already clinging to her.

She smirked wryly.

As much as she loved cuddling Nine, the fur was a bit of a nuisance.

With her dark-colored uniform, the stark white of Nine’s fur stood out clearly, meaning she had to take extra care to brush it off.

“I Should Commission a Magic Tool to Remove Fur Later…”

As Orca pondered how to spend money as extravagantly as possible, something caught her senses.

“…Yo!”

A faint scream and a dull thud.

Having struck and slain countless monsters on the battlefield, she immediately recognized the sound.

‘Someone’s getting beaten up.’

But who?

Orca’s gaze fixed on the alley where the sound came from.

‘Four voices, three impacts.’

The distance was about 50 meters—far yet close at the same time.

Without hesitation, she turned toward the source of the noise.

“…Pay up!”

“You’re supposed to meet your quota properly, aren’t you? We even placed you in a prime location since you seemed capable, yet you can’t deliver?”

“H-However…”

“Hah, looks like this brat thinks he can talk back now that he’s gotten a little bigger. Boys, teach him a lesson—”

“Stop right there!”

A crystal-clear voice, rare in such a back alley, made the thugs—who all had menacing expressions—turn toward its source.

“…W-Who are you?”

They had initially intended to glare and intimidate her based on appearance alone, but the moment their eyes met hers, they wore the most polite expressions of their lives and bowed their heads.

‘What the hell?!’

Just locking eyes with her made their legs go weak.

That chilling gaze, sharp enough to grind them into mince at any moment, sent shivers down their spines.

The thugs hesitated, exchanging nervous glances as they instinctively stepped back.

“Stop bothering that kid and leave. Otherwise—”

“Y-Yes, ma’am! Let’s go, guys!”

Before she could even finish her sentence, the thugs vanished beyond the alley.

Watching their retreating figures, Orca tilted her head in confusion.

‘…In novels, this is the part where they charge at me.’

Feeling a little let down by how anticlimactic it was, she turned her attention to the child.

“H-Hiiik…!”

“Are you alright?”

“Q-Q-Q…”

Like a marionette with its strings cut, the girl’s body crumpled to the ground.

“…Ah.”

Orca looked down at the ragged-looking girl, feeling a bit at a loss.

‘…Should I just take her with me?’

Leaving her here might not be the worst option, but Orca wasn’t the kind of person who could abandon an injured child.

Orca carefully carried the child on her back and left the alley.

——————

“…I was wondering why you were late. Turns out you brought a whole incident with you.”

Should I be shedding tears of joy?

Our introverted, socially awkward Orca actually picked up a side quest all on her own.

Never thought I’d see the day…

“Nine, could you help me?”

“Hm…”

The basics of negotiation—

Make them impatient by pausing for effect.

“I’ll buy you more snacks in return.”

“…I suppose I can lend a paw.”

Time to grind this side quest.

Slowly, I got up.