Marking Territory (1)
***
The academy decided to store the Usk carcass.
Due to the existence of the Forest of Chaos, they have a large freezer dedicated to maintaining the freshness of materials.
However, dismantling and processing are mandatory, so the butchers gathered to handle it. Interestingly, there were even non-combatant students involved.
Since the Usk is such a rare monster, it’s perfect for research and practical use. Thanks to that, things beca more convenient.
“I haven’t seen an Usk in a while… Anyway, I’ll do my best. Who’s the owner of the captured Usk?”
“. I an, it’s .”
“Please provide your na here. Since it’s a top-grade material, you must personally co and collect it with this paper. No substitutes.”
I didn’e is difficult.
Moreover, butchers in this world are highly respected due to the existence of monsters. It’s a crucial job.
While one could kill a monster and butcher it imdiately, it’s better to leave it to experts whenever possible.
The academy even has a specialized major in butchering for non-combatants, which says it all.
Since butchers are closely related to ‘blades,’ the profession naturally becos specialized.
“Since it’s a baby, it won’t take long. If everything goes well, it should be ready by lunchti. Will you be able to pick it up then?”
“Yes.”
“Got it. I’ll be putting in so serious effort today.”
The butcher smiled broadly, perhaps because it was an unexpected windfall. We agreed on the paynt separately.
Once Kara auctions off the materials, the money will co rolling in. Until then, I’ll enjoy cooking.
As the academy bustled with the Usk situation, a familiar voice called out to .
“Sivar?”
“Yes?”
I turned to see Godin looking at .
It was Godin. As soon as I turned my head, he spoke.
“The Principal has summoned you. Luna and Ellie as well.”
“ too?”
“Yes.”
Luna, who had been lingering beside , also received the summons. She opened her eyes wide in surprise.
If it were just , she might not have minded, but being summoned herself must have been unsettling.
Still, she had no intention of refusing Rod’s summons. Besides, there was nothing else to do.
The Usk butchering would be done by lunchti, so we could enjoy a delicious dinner afterward.
“It’s probably about what happened today. Let’s go.”
“Alright… Godin, wasn’t Kara called too?”
“No, just the two of you.”
For so reason, Kara wasn’t summoned. Perhaps only the students who entered the Forest of Chaos were called.
Before moving, I asked Grace for permission. I felt bad about frequently leaving her side as her escort.
“It’s the Principal’s summons, so it’s unavoidable. But you have to tell what he said, okay?”
“Alright.”
Grace subtly asked for information, showing her cleverness. Given her reliability, it was fine.
We headed to the Principal’s office. On the way, Luna kept glancing at the Usk.
She seed to have sothing to say about the Usk.
“Luna.”
“Y-Yes?”
“Do you have sothing to say?”
I asked directly. Since the Usk belonged to , she could ask without hesitation.
Luna hesitated, looking torn about whether to speak up.
“Sivar?”
“Yes.”
“It might be shaless of to ask, but…”
After so hesitation, Luna finally spoke up. She looked at the Usk and then gave an awkward smile.
She continued, seemingly embarrassed.
“The blade tusk you gave to Kara…”
“Yes.”
“If there’s any left, could I have a little bit?”
So this is what she ant by shaless. I thought.
Seeing give the blade tusk to Kara must have made her want it too. It was a cute request.
If it were soone else, it might have seed greedy. But Luna’s desire was different.
“Why do you want the blade tusk? To make a weapon?”
“Yes.”
“You have a good weapon from your village, don’t you? Did it break?”
Ellie questioned Luna’s request for the blade tusk.
Ellie was right—Luna currently had a high-quality sword, useful until mid-story.
“It’s not that… I just want to have one. Honestly, it looked really cool.”
“So you want to make one because the material is cool?”
“Embarrassingly, yes. It’s hard to get such materials elsewhere.”
Luna simply wanted the blade tusk because it looked cool. She wasn’t interested in money, only in the weapon.
It’s possible she assessed the value of the tusk through her ‘eyes.’ Despite this, she chose equipnt over money.
“No.”
Of course, no ans no. I refused firmly.
Luna sighed, perhaps expecting my refusal. But she didn’t give up completely.
“Really? Even though you gave it to Kara…”
“Kara is strong, and you’re weak.”
“…That’s harsh.”
She quickly gave up after my factual statent. Luna pouted.
But it couldn’t be helped. The blade tusk, even unrefined, had made my hand look like a rag.
A weapon made from it would be an extraordinary masterpiece, useful not just in the mid-ga but even in the later stages.
‘But then she’d rely on the weapon.’
If I gave Luna a good weapon, things would be easier for her. However, this would only work until mid-ga.
Relying on the weapon would decrease her skills, revealing her weaknesses.
A craftsman doesn’t choose their tools, and until Luna’s personal strength improves, I won’t consider it.
“I’ll give it to you if you get stronger.”
“You’ll give it to if I get stronger?”
“Yes.”
“How strong do I need to be?”
“As strong as Kara.”
If she gets as strong as Kara, I’d gladly give it to her. It would take ti, though.
Still, it seed to motivate her. Luna nodded seriously.
It was funny that a weapon motivated her, but she was serious, so I let it slide.
“Okay. I’ll get as strong as Kara.”
“Yes.”
“I’ll work hard. No, I will work hard.”
By then, the material would still be there. The at might be gone, but the tusk would remain.
After chatting, we arrived at the Principal’s office. It was in the sa building where I had stayed before.
“Welco. It seems you had quite an eventful day.”
Rod greeted us with a friendly smile, holding a steaming cup of tea.
He then guided us to a familiar table.
“I heard the news. You took down an Usk?”
“It wasn’t us; Sivar did it alone.”
As expected, the topic was about the Usk. Specifically, the appearance of a high-level monster like an Usk.
Ogres are considered mid-level monsters, but Usks are undeniably high-level. Though non-aggressive, they’re highly dangerous.
“I heard the dismantling is going smoothly… Do you know why I called you?”
“Sorry, I don’t.”
“I don’t know either.”
I had no idea why Rod suddenly summoned us.
Rod took a sip of his tea, then spoke seriously.
“Because you’re the first students to et Sivar and Ratatoskr. By the way, do you know where Ratatoskr is?”
“…”
Ellie gave an awkward smile at Rod’s question. Luna also seed uncomfortable.
But we couldn’t avoid answering. Ellie explained everything.
“Hmm. That’s unfortunate. But aside from that, we need to conduct a health check.”
“Can animals get health checks?”
“Why not? That’s why we have veterinarians.”
So Porori ended up getting a health check. I tried to hold back my laughter.
Even though Porori’s situation was comical, it was a serious matter. Laughing would be disrespectful.
“Anyway, I have a question. What was it like inside the Forest of Chaos? Was it noisier than usual?”
Rod shifted the topic to the Forest of Chaos.
Ellie tapped her cheek with her finger, then answered.
“It wasn’t noisy. If it weren’t for Sivar, we would’ve been killed by the Manki… But otherwise, it was surprisingly quiet.”
“Ellie is right. It was a surprisingly quiet place.”
Forests are usually like that—quiet until danger strikes.
The Forest of Chaos is generally quiet. It wasn’t teeming with monsters like now.
“That’s what I thought. In fact, the internal problem could improve over ti. The real issue is the monsters driven out and those coming in from outside.”
“Won’t the external situation stabilize over ti?”
Ellie asked, but Rod shook his head. He thought otherwise.
“I ini.”
“The boundary collapsing ans…”
“More monsters from outside will co in. If they fail to compete inside, they’ll settle in the outskirts. This will create new territories, providing easy prey for external monsters.”
I understood what Rod ant. Simply put, the outskirts were becoming like the interior.
Until now, the boundary between the outskirts and the interior of the Forest of Chaos was clear. Strong monsters lived inside, while weaker ones and animals lived outside.
But with both Porori and gone, the competition for the food chain inside intensified, pushing defeated monsters to the outskirts.
in.
Besides the Usk, there were also Ogres from the north. One of them got split in half by the Usk.
“As you know, the Forest of Chaos is connected to all environnts except the desert. This makes it easy for external creatures to enter.”
“Weren’t there few external creatures before?”
“The outskirts and the interior were almost cut off. But now, the boundary is blurred, letting external creatures in.”
As I said before, the deep parts of the Forest of Chaos and the outskirts had clear boundaries. External creatures showed no interest in the outskirts.
Creatures that accidentally entered the interior were unusually strong, likely drawn by mana.
But now, the boundary between the interior and outskirts is blurred, allowing external monsters to co in.
“If this continues, it could threaten not just the outskirts but the academy itself. We’re watching for now, but the situation could escalate.”
“The academy would be in danger.”
Rod nodded at Luna’s pointed remark. That was the key issue.
If the outskirts beca like the interior, it would be disastrous. Imagine creatures like Usks everywhere.
Not just students, but even professors would be helpless. Rod could help, but he couldn’t be everywhere at once.
“No matter how strong humans are, they’re powerless against formidable nature. We need to act now to ensure the academy’s safety.”
“So you’re asking Sivar and Ratatoskr to…”
“To create ‘territories’ in the outskirts of the Forest of Chaos.”
Rod’s plan beca clear. If the boundary is collapsing, we need to rebuild it. It’s simple yet effective.
Porori and I once divided the interior of the Forest of Chaos between us. Naturally, we marked our territories regularly.
‘Any intruders were eaten.’
In the wild, invading territory is a life-or-death ‘challenge.’ Success ans taking the territory; failure ans death.
When I was weak, I hid from Porori. As I grew stronger, I started marking my territory.
If other predators marked territory, I smashed their heads with my stone axe, and Porori broke their chests with his steel fist.
This repeated until we eventually divided the territory.
“Creating territories will make the outskirts safer and clarify the boundary. Any intruders can be eliminated. What do you think?”
“I’ll do it.”
I agreed readily, as it was an urgent issue. Porori would likely agree too.
This would reduce the influx of external monsters. We would handle defeated monsters ourselves.
Rod seed pleased with my decisive answer. He must have been troubled by this issue.
“Thank you. Is there anything you need? I’ll provide any support you require.”
“Food, please.”
“Ha ha. You’re the sa as ever.”
Rod laughed heartily, taking my request as a joke.
But eating more would help mark the territory effectively. This might make you curious.
“So, Sivar. How will you mark the territory? Do you have a thod?”
Ellie asked at the right mont. Rod and Luna looked curious too.
Despite their attention, I calmly answered.
“Poop and pee.”
“…What?”
Humans mark their territory with borders, but animals do it differently.
They rub against trees to leave scent or fur, or they leave excrent. There are various thods.
The most definite thod is to leave excrent. I often used this to mark my territory.
“It’s a clear mark. No one can co.”
“T-That’s effective, I guess.”
“Most animals use that thod.”
They seed taken aback by my answer. It was an unexpected thod, after all.
Except for Luna, who seed deep in thought after the initial shock.
“Sivar.”
“Yes.”
“So, the thing I stepped on…”
After thinking, she asked. She seed to recall stepping on a territory mark.
I pretended not to know back then, but… yes, it was my mark. She was just unlucky.
“What?”
So, I played dumb.
Luna explained in more detail.
“When we first t, I stepped on sothing. Was that your mark?”
Yes, it was my mark. You were just very unlucky.
Those words almost slipped out, but I held back. I felt too guilty to tell her the truth.
“I don’t know.”
I decided to take this secret to my grave. Otherwise, I’d feel so guilty I’d grant any request.
Fortunately, Luna didn’t ask further. But she looked uneasy, not fully convinced.
‘I should give her a blade tusk sword later.’
It was the first debt of my heart.
End of Chapter
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