"So that's it, the circled parts indicate the danger level of the area!" Iri nodded.
At this moment, Xiumu, the vanguard Adventurer, was explaining the meaning of the special symbols marked on the map to Iri.
"Then… where is that lizard?" So, the question arose: where was her primary target?
"As for the Giant Stone Poison Lizard, it should be active in this area; there were sighting reports a while ago," said the scout named Dean, pointing to another area on the map.
"Deep in the forest, huh? This forest looks huge. How am I supposed to find it?" Iri had an impression of that forest; she had just asked about it and clarified the location of Karn Village on the map.
Once she knew where Karn Village was, the other parts were easy to figure out. The forest Iri pointed to was not far from where the Mountain Giant, whose "whole family" she had eliminated, was located.
Basically, Iri also understood why that lizard, described as very strong by the Adventurers, would run over there. After all, Mare was developing that forest where the Mountain Giant lived!
Facing Iri's complaints, Xiumu and Dean exchanged glances and both shook their heads.
It seemed there was no quick method. Oh well! She hadn't wanted to reveal too much of her strength in front of these natives, but if she secretly used that, these two probably wouldn't notice anything, right?
"In that case, let's go to that forest first," Iri put away the map. Alright, break time's over, let's go!
"Miss Iri, what is that on your back?" Dean tidied up a bit and asked curiously.
Earlier, on the way, Dean and Xiumu had both shown curious glances at the guy on her back more than once.
After all, its existence was indeed quite sudden. Imagine a little sister wearing an ill-fitting maid outfit, carrying a strange object completely disproportionate to her body on her back; it would certainly seem very odd, right?
"This is… this is a staff I inherited from my father! I am a magic caster!" Iri replied. It was indeed something she got from Ainz's father, so she wasn't lying.
"This is a staff?? You are a magic caster??" Xiumu's eyes widened. After all, they had never heard of a magic caster who could use sixth-tier healing magic. Wasn't healing magic a cleric's trick?
"This is a staff!! I am a magic caster!" Iri insisted, emphasizing it again. Iri thought they didn't believe the hammer on her back was a staff, though wrapped in a sheet, its shape certainly didn't look like a staff.
However, that wasn't it. They were just surprised that a magic caster could use such high-tier healing magic. If it were their main magic, wouldn't that be even more outrageous!
"Xiumu, I think we are going to be witnesses to a miracle," Dean spoke to Xiumu with an expression like he'd seen a ghost, a half-smile on his face.
"I think so too…" Xiumu replied, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.
"What miracle? What are you talking about?" Iri, on the other hand, looked bewildered. It wasn't really a miracle, was it?
It's just two lizards, right? Compared to Ainz's feat of subduing Hamutaro, it's still far from comparable, Iri thought.
After walking for half a day, Iri, along with Xiumu and Dean, reached the forest without any obstacles.
"Xiumu… don't you feel that the air around us is a bit heavy? I always feel a kind of eerie sensation. Was this forest ever so terrifying before?" Dean said with a nervous expression.
"I don't know. All this way, I've always felt an lingering chill behind me, and an inexplicable sense of fear, even though there are no enemies nearby," Xiumu also looked serious. All this way, Xiumu and Dean had maintained a high state of alert.
Sorry!!
Iri silently apologized to these two guides, who didn't know the truth. The reason for this was—Iri had activated Level 1 Despair Aura.
Because the effect was weakened, the range was expanded, so all the small monsters like Goblins along the way were scared away by Iri.
After all, Iri's goal was those two bizarre lizards; she had no time to bother with those small Goblins. When entering the areas where Goblins were active, Iri had already detected the ambushing Goblins with the help of her perception. Although those small things were weak, it wasn't convenient for her to act, so she chose to simply drive them away.
However, seeing that the two guides didn't suspect her, Iri felt relieved. So, she could turn off the Despair Aura, otherwise, what if she scared the lizards away?
Now that they were nearby, the range should be sufficient, right?
Iri took out the map and checked it carefully again. If Aura hadn't been wrong when teaching her that skill, it should be able to cover this range, Iri thought, and then silently apologized to the other small animals and plants that were about to be caught in the crossfire.
So… let's begin!
"Your work is done. Thank you, big brothers. Please rest well first," Iri showed Dean and Xiumu an incredibly bright smile.
Hmm! Operation One: use her appearance to charm them and make them drop their guard, then she'd find an opportunity to secretly use that to force those two lizards out!
"Hmm! Ah! Can you go alone, Miss Iri?" Xiumu stared at Iri's incredibly bright smile for several seconds before coming back to his senses, then asked with a blush and some worry.
Good! Operation One successful!
Tsk… when she was still alive, whenever she saw those pretty girls maliciously acting cute to gain the favor of the opposite sex, she would ridicule those bitches. Yet now, she was using the same trick as those bitches. She really had fallen!
Although the operation was successful, Iri wasn't very happy about it.
"I'll be fine alone. Please rest well first! You must be tired from the journey," Iri maintained her smile and looked at Dean, who was still on alert.
"Oh! Oh! Yes… yes, it's true, it's time to rest." Dean also froze for several seconds before coming back to his senses.
Tsk!! Although she was ashamed of her malicious act of acting cute! Against the opposite sex! This trick really works!
Afterward, Xiumu and Dean both sat down on the ground with red faces, taking a rest.
"As for me… I'll go over there for a bit," Iri said with a smile, then wanted to use an excuse to leave and do her thing.
"Miss Iri! I'll go with you! Although this is the outskirts of the forest, there are still monsters lurking around!" Dean saw Iri wanting to leave alone and stood up with a worried expression.
"No… no need, I'll be fine alone," Iri smiled a little awkwardly and quickly refused.
"But… no matter how strong you are, if you're ambushed…" Dean said, as a scout, he understood the weaknesses of magic casters.
No matter how amazing a magic caster was, they were afraid of ambushes. Iri, who often played RPG and online games, understood this perfectly. However, the premise was that there had to be an opponent capable of ambushing her for that condition to be met!
Now, almost all the small monsters in the vicinity had been scared away by Iri's Despair Aura, so there was nothing left that could ambush Iri.
"This… it's still not necessary." Iri didn't know how to refuse him. Iri also knew that Dean was genuinely worried about her, so Iri didn't want to be blunt and directly reject someone's good intentions.
"Hey! Dean! Read the room!" Xiumu reminded Dean from the side.
"Ah!! I'm sorry! Miss Iri! You go ahead! We'll plug our ears! Please hurry up and go." Dean seemed to realize something! Then, with a red face, he sat down directly and covered his ears tightly with both hands.
Huh?? What are you two doing? Then she saw Xiumu also very consciously covering his ears.
You two misunderstood that I'm looking for a place to go to the bathroom, didn't you!!
Ugh… Although I'm very unwilling! I was actually forced into a 'pee' escape.
Alright! My goal has been achieved! A 'pee' escape it is!
Iri turned and ran away. Ugh… I'm still so annoyed! You two remember this!!
Having run to the edge of the forest and hidden behind a large tree, Iri peeked at the two. Hmm! Good! They weren't peeking, so let's begin!
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