“Haha, today’s haul is pretty great too!”
The man beside me spoke excitedly, slapping my shoulder hard with his hand.
This rough fellow is my teammate.
Although he doesn’t look very reliable, he is indeed the strongest person in our party.
His class is the same as mine—a warrior.
The frail-looking girl beside us is also traveling with us, mainly serving as our healer.
That’s right, she’s a priest.
Normally, not many parties can afford a priest, let alone a small party like ours, making her presence all the more precious.
This time, we came to the Upper Stratum of the Elroe Labyrinth.
Word has been going around lately that the brief earthquake earlier was caused by the Queen Taratect.
If a Queen Taratect moves around in the labyrinth, it can only mean she’s laying eggs.
This implies that the number of Small Lesser Taratects in the Upper Stratum will skyrocket.
Not only is this type of monster easy to hunt, but its poison fangs and limbs also hold a certain value on the market.
Naturally, we weren’t about to pass up this chance to get a piece of the pie.
As luck would have it, things went smoothly.
This was already the seventh spider monster we’ve successfully slain.
After harvesting the corpse of this monster, we’re preparing to head back.
…
The blazing fire made the firewood crackle as it burned.
The three of us sat around the campfire, the warm yellow and red glow illuminating our faces.
It seems everyone is in a great mood this time.
After all, with such a bountiful haul, anyone would feel happy.
“Hahaha!
When I get back this time, I’m getting myself a new set of gear!
Even though this set has been with me for a long time, out with the old, in with the new!”
“Yeah, we harvested so many monster materials this time.
After converting them to cash back in town, I want to send a bit more back home to my family.”
The girl took a sip from the water canteen she carried with her, her calm face brimming with joy as she continued.
“Ever since I became a priest, my mother has always been worried about my condition, constantly saying stuff like ‘A girl out on her own is bound to have a tough time.’ This time, I’m going to prove myself to her!”
We sat together chatting and laughing, talking about domestic trivialities as time imperceptibly slipped by.
As the campfire before us gradually burned down, our stamina was mostly recovered.
Just as we were about to stand up and leave, suddenly, the temperature of the surrounding air seemed to drop.
A spine-chilling sensation gradually enveloped me, making the hairs all over my body stand on end.
That fellow’s reaction was quite fast, instantly drawing his sword and stepping beside me.
I also hurriedly stood up and looked behind us. The source of this chapter is g.com.
What entered my eyes…
was a bizarre lizard monster.
Although it looked like a Small Elroe Basilisk variant, it continuously emitted an unsettling aura.
Yet, it felt as though…
it wasn’t impossible to deal with…?
Just as he and I were preparing to make a move, something happened that made my jaw drop.
That lizard monster…
actually spoke!
『You guys…』
『Adventurers, right?』
A strange voice entered my mind.
I hurriedly looked forward, but that lizard’s mouth hadn’t moved at all.
Which meant…
Th-This is the [Telepathy LV.2] skill?!
『No need to be so nervous,』
『I mean no harm.』
The lizard blinked its eyes, seemingly trying to demonstrate its friendliness, and then slowly approached us.
“Wh-What on earth are you?!”
I took a nervous step backward.
The two beside me were relatively calmer, but they still maintained a posture of high alert.
『There’s really no helping you humans.』
『If I wanted to attack,』
『I would have chosen a moment when you hadn’t noticed me yet.』
『Why would I come out so openly like this?』
Saying this, the lizard walked right over to the campfire where we had been sitting as if it were the most natural thing in the world, leaning down beside it, looking completely unbothered by the possibility of us launching a sudden attack.
『By the way…』
『Do you have anything to eat?』
『Mmm…
like fruit or something?』
The lizard raised its head, its gaze scanning the three of us in turn, looking just like an innocent child.
『Uh…』
『Even though I don’t have anything to give you in return, let’s just make friends, okay?』
At these words, I was even more astonished.
How did this look anything like a monster?!
While I was still frozen in place, the other two had already walked over to the campfire, sitting right beside the monster.
The priest even began rummaging through her backpack, pulling out a fruit and handing it over with her trembling hand.
After she made this gesture, the lizard monster appeared thoroughly delighted, taking the fruit from her hand in an instant and using its claws to hold and gnaw on it.
Just as I was about to speak up to warn them, another voice entered my mind:
“Calm down!”
“Don’t you think this is a chance to make a fortune?”
I was struck with shock, but before I could react, the voice continued:
“Do you know how big of a sensation a unique, intelligent monster like this would cause once it appears on the market?!”
“If we can find a way to capture it, we won’t have to worry about wealth and glory for the rest of our lives!”
But this…
Is this really okay?
That monster doesn’t seem to hold any ill intent…
It even kindly wants to make friends with us…
“Are you stupid?”
“How could there possibly be a good monster in this world?”
“Who knows what kind of thing it’ll do once we let our guard down?”
“Stop wasting breath, the two of us have already discussed how to capture it!”
“Hurry up and come sit over here.
Move when you see the chance later!”
I had no choice but to move closer toward them.
Just as I was about to sit down, I accidentally locked eyes with that monster.
Unlike the somewhat innocent look from earlier, this lizard’s gaze now…
was so cold it made one shiver!
I couldn’t help trembling all over, falling flat onto the ground.
The other two also turned to look at the noise I made, but they merely frowned before turning their heads back around.
The few of us just sat there in silence until the lizard monster finished eating the fruit in its claws.
It then raised its head again, lazily swishing its tail behind it.
『You guys…
weren’t you getting ready to leave just now?』
『You’re still not leaving—』
『Is there something on your mind?』
『For example…』
『Hunting down some lizard monster or something?』
…