﻿\setgamedatatitle("Orphis_01")

\text("Orphis")
Haa...!
\endtext

\text
I drew my bow, took a breath, and held it.
\endtext

\text("Orphis")
......!
\endtext

\text
Holding my breath, I released the arrow nocked to my bow in
one swift motion.
\endtext

\text
The arrow flew straight and true, hitting the target dead-on
without the slightest deviation.
\endtext

\text("Orphis")
Tch! Why won't you just die!?
\endtext

\text
The arrow should have pierced from its side straight to its
heart. But the target―a wolf that's been attacking people on
the road through this forest lately―only flinched a little.
\endtext

\text("Orphis")
Did it stop because of your fur? Seriously, what a pain...
damn it!
\endtext

\text
I tossed aside my bow and drew my sword from its sheath.
\endtext

\text
The huge wolf turned to face me, baring its fangs.
\endtext

\text("Orphis")
Sorry. Nothing personal, but I'm going to have to hunt you.
Unfortunately, it's my job.
\endtext

\text
Now that I'm facing it, I'm once again struck by how big
this wolf is.
\endtext

\text
If something like this attacked, a lightly armored traveler
wouldn't stand a chance.
\endtext

\text("Orphis")
Tch!!
\endtext

\text
I closed the distance in a flash and swung my weapon down at
the wolf's head.
\endtext

\text
But the wolf dodged with a speed that didn't match its
massive size.
\endtext

\text("Orphis")
Damn it!
\endtext

\text
Well, I guess that's to be expected.
\endtext

\text
If it was the kind of prey that could be taken down this
easily, the job wouldn't have fallen to me.
\endtext

\text
Even rookie adventurers should be able to handle something
like that.
\endtext

\text
The beast's jaws snapped at my throat.
\endtext

\text
I pushed it back with my sword and put some distance between
us.
\endtext

\text("Orphis")
(This is bad...)
\endtext

\text
I muttered to myself in my mind.
\endtext

\text
The Adventurer Guild's Guildmaster made it sound like a
perfectly ordinary extermination job.
\endtext

\text
I thought so too, after hearing the explanation.
\endtext

\text
But to face an enemy that can shrug off a surprise attack
from stealth...
\endtext

\text
On top of that, it's way bigger and more agile than I
imagined.
\endtext

\text
How should I go about attacking this thing...?
\endtext

\text
Even as I was thinking that, the wolf kept inching closer
and closer.
\endtext

\text("Orphis")
(If it goes for my throat again... that'll be my last
chance.)
\endtext

\text
The enemy is a beast that knows these woods inside and out.
\endtext

\text
If I wound it badly and it escapes into the thick forest,
I'll never catch up.
\endtext

\text
I have to finish this while it still has the strength and
will to attack me.
\endtext

\text("Orphis")
(Here it comes...!)
\endtext

\text
The wolf coiled its body and kicked off the ground.
\endtext

\text
Then, it pinned me down and opened its jaws wide, aiming to
tear out my throat.
\endtext

\text("Orphis")
That's what I was waiting for!
\endtext

\text
Its mouth opened wide, coming straight at me.
\endtext

\text
Without hesitation, I thrust the tip of my sword into it.
\endtext

\text
The wolf's speed and weight as it lunged at me.
\endtext

\text
And my thrust.
\endtext

\text
The combination of the two made the sword easily reach the
beast's innards.
\endtext

\text("Orphis")
!? Guh!?
\endtext

\text
What I didn't expect was how heavy the wolf was.
\endtext

\text
Because of that, I was slammed onto my back.
\endtext

\text("Orphis")
Die already!
\endtext

\text
Even with my sword deeply stabbed into its mouth, it still
tried to kill me.
\endtext

\text
It thrashed its head wildly, desperately trying to pull the
sword out from its mouth and guts.
\endtext

\text("Orphis")
You've got to be kidding me... It's not even a zombie...!
\endtext

\text
I quickly grabbed the arrow stuck in its chest and shoved it
in with all my strength.
\endtext

\text
With a tearing sound, the arrow sank deep into its flesh.

\endtext

\text
Twitch, twitch.
\endtext

\text
After shuddering violently twice, even this beast finally
stopped moving.
\endtext

\text("Orphis")
Haa... ha, haaa!
\endtext

\text
I shoved the now cooling wolf's body off of me.

\endtext

\text("Orphis")
Damn... what a monster...
\endtext

\text
As I caught my breath and looked at the corpse, its legs
were still twitching.
\endtext

\text("Orphis")
Haa, anyway, the job's done.
\endtext

\text
I never thought it would give me this much trouble.

\endtext

\text
I let out a big sigh and sat up.
\endtext

\text
It was a real pain to pull my sword out of the corpse's
mouth.
\endtext

\text
After wiping the blood from the blade and sheathing it, I
took another look at the dead wolf's body.
\endtext

\text("Orphis")
Still, that's some impressive fur.
\endtext

\text
A beast this big, and an older wolf at that―its pelt should
fetch a high price.
\endtext

\text("Orphis")
Hehe... Guess this counts as a little bonus income.
\endtext

\text
According to the guild master, I won't get paid unless I
bring back proof that I killed this thing.

\endtext

\text
So either way, I'll have to skin it right here...

\endtext

\text("Orphis")
(If I can skin it well, that'll be a nice bonus.)

\endtext

\text
If I bring this pelt back and sell it to the leather shop in
town, it should go for a decent price.
\endtext

\text
I took out my hunting knife and started butchering the wolf.

\endtext

\text
………………
\endtext

\text
…………
\endtext

\text
……
\endtext

\text("Orphis")
Heh.
\endtext

\text
The wolf pelt I worked so hard to bring back sold for a
pretty good price.
\endtext

\text
Since this wasn't part of the guild job, all the money went
straight into my pocket.
\endtext

\text
Well, if you ask me if it was worth all the trouble... I'd
have to think about it.
\endtext

\text
Still, if you don't get perks like this, you can't make it
as an adventurer.
\endtext

\text
With my wallet nice and full, I couldn't help but grin as I
stepped into the guild.
\endtext

\text
And then, I suddenly stopped in my tracks.
\endtext

\text("Orphis")
Huh? What's going on here...?
\endtext

\text
Normally, the adventurer's guild is pretty empty.
\endtext

\text
But today, the place was packed with adventurers and buzzing
with activity.
\endtext

\text
I pushed my way through the crowd of rough-looking guys and
headed for the counter.
\endtext

\text
There, the guild master who gave me the job was waiting with
his usual calm expression.
\endtext

\text("Guild Master")
Hey, Orphis, you're back.
\endtext

\text("Orphis")
Yeah, made it back in one piece. Here you go.
\endtext

\text
I nodded and placed the gold ring on the counter in front of
him.
\endtext

\text("Guild Master")
Hmm... Yeah, this is definitely the one.

\endtext

\text
This time, the request was to exterminate wolves attacking
people on the road through the forest.
\endtext

\text
There was another request included with it.
\endtext

\text
To bring back the ring worn by a young lady who lost her
life there some time ago.

\endtext

\text
That was the second request.
\endtext

\text
Apparently, the one who put the bounty on these wolves was
the elderly parent of the deceased woman.

\endtext

\text
They wanted the wolves killed for their daughter whose body
was never returned, and at the very least, to have her
keepsake brought back.
\endtext

\text("Guild Master")
I guess it's better if I don't ask how you found this thing.

\endtext

\text("Orphis")
Yeah.
\endtext

\text
I remembered the sickening task of dissecting the wolf and
grimaced without thinking.
\endtext

\text
I cut open its belly, dug through its guts, and searched for
the ring.
\endtext

\text
The memory of the stench almost made me throw up, and I
coughed to hold it back.
\endtext

\text
Even so, I really didn't want to imagine how this ring ended
up in that wolf's stomach.

\endtext

\text("Guild Master")
Alright, here's your promised reward.
\endtext

\text
The guild master checked the name engraved inside the ring
and nodded.
\endtext

\text
Then he placed a leather pouch full of gold coins on the
counter.
\endtext

\text("Orphis")
Thanks as always... huh?
\endtext

\text
When I picked it up, the pouch felt awfully light.

\endtext

\text
I couldn't help but glance at the guild master.
\endtext

\text
He raised both hands as if to say, 'Don't blame me.'

\endtext

\text("Guild Master")
I didn't skim anything off the top. Orders from the
higher-ups in the kingdom.
\endtext

\text("Orphis")
What do you mean?
\endtext

\text("Guild Master")
Apparently, they suddenly imposed a tax hike to strengthen
the military.
\endtext

\text("Orphis")
Huh? Why would they do that? Are they planning to start a
war or something?
\endtext

\text("Guild Master")
About that... Actually, we've just received a new request.

\endtext

\text
As he said that, the guild master wore an unusually serious
expression.
\endtext

\text("Orphis")
What kind?
\endtext

\text("Guild Master")
Supposedly, there's a group calling themselves the Demon
Lord's Army plotting a rebellion.
\endtext

\text("Guild Master")
That tax hike I mentioned is apparently a countermeasure
against that rebellion.
\endtext

\text("Orphis")
The Demon Lord's Army, huh?
\endtext

\text
I couldn't even begin to imagine what kind of people they
were.
\endtext

\text
But if they're plotting a rebellion, they've probably got a
decent military force prepared.
\endtext

\text
The authorities scrambling to collect taxes and boost their
military might just be proof that they can't afford to take
this lightly.
\endtext

\text("Orphis")
I'm starting to get the picture. You want me to go take the
head of this so-called Demon Lord, right?

\endtext

\text("Guild Master")
Bingo. There's a ridiculously high bounty on the head of the
one calling themselves the Demon Lord.
\endtext

\text("Orphis")
I see...
\endtext

\text
I glanced over my shoulder at the other adventurers crowding
into the room.
\endtext

\text
No doubt, every last one of them was after that bounty on
the Demon Lord's head.
\endtext

\text("Guild Master")
So, what'll it be? You taking the job?
\endtext

\text("Orphis")
Nah, I'll pass.
\endtext

\text("Guild Master")
What's up? That's not like you to give up so easily.

\endtext

\text
The guild master looked at me in surprise, eyes wide, and I
just snorted.
\endtext

\text("Orphis")
Sorry, but I'm not ready to die just yet. Even if the
reward's high, I can't afford to take that kind of risk.

\endtext

\text("Guild Master")
Ah... yeah, that's right.
\endtext

\text
Yeah, as an adventurer, I'd kill for a big bounty like that.

\endtext

\text
But if I end up dead, it doesn't mean a thing.
\endtext

\text
More than that, I needed to focus on steadily taking on
reliable jobs.
\endtext

\text("Guild Master")
Got it. So you're not interested in this one, then.

\endtext

\text("Orphis")
Yeah, that's right. So, got any other jobs?

\endtext

\text("Guild Master")
Nope, nothing at the moment. If something new comes in, I'll
let you know.

\endtext

\text("Orphis")
Alright. See you around. Good work.
\endtext

\text("Guild Master")
Yeah, take care out there.
\endtext

\text
I waved to the smiling guild master and left the place
behind.

\endtext