My Wife Waited in the Wheat Fields

Chapter 24: The Monster Hunt (1)

T/N: Welp, Im back from my second week of finals. I literally had to test for almost 8 hours straight on Tuesday, with only a two minute break in between two of my finals in which I had to run to my next testing room whilst scarfing down a sandwich on the way. Im past the hardest part though, so updates should be back to normal unless something really hits me out of the blue.

Another week or so had passed since the supply officers visit.

And, the weekly papers had brought news of new developments in the Western Front.

The 7th Legion, led by Ignition Ygrett, had taken the capital of Palvan in just three days, just as Elric had predicted.

Well, it would have been more accurate to say that she had burned it to the ground.

Her magic had roasted and reduced the centuries-old city to ashes.

Now, only seven kingdoms and one empire remained fighting on the frontlines, making the situation even more urgent, but there was one place where such affairs were considered a distant thought.

It was Wiven.

Its chilly today.

In contrast to the urgent developments in the Western region, Wiven had a leisurely air about it.

There was not a single major event to speak of, save for the occasional bustle of outside merchants carrying designated trade goods to the area.

With the arrival of winter, the residents of the territory were busy gathering firewood and maintaining various machinery that had been neglected over the summer.

Portmans mansion was in a leisurely time as they only had to solve major problems that the residents themselves could not solve.

Elric was no exception and enjoyed the tranquil times.

It seems like the fireplace is running low on firewood. Should I bring more?

Well, if it wouldnt be an inconvenience, would it be alright to keep it as it is? Its difficult to concentrate on work when its too warm.

They were currently in the Portman study.

Elric had asked as the room had been filled with a chill that made it necessary to wear a coat indoors, but Tyria had just shaken her head and replied in the above manner.

She had chalked it up to an issue of concentration, but Elric wasnt entirely convinced.

It seems like you enjoy the cold.

If youre feeling cold.

No, its fine. Im not particularly sensitive to changes in weather.

Elric had lived a life where, even in the extreme cold when the ground was frozen solid, he would still huddle and sleep on the bare ground. Thus, this level of coldness didnt hurt Elrics body, it was just enough to get a little chuckle out of him.

She had asked him out of concern, and was only happy to hear and accept his answer.

If you get cold, let me know. I can get more firewood for you.

Yes.

Tyrias white skin had taken on an even paler hue in the light of the winter.

The tip of her nose was slightly red, and her lips were even redder. They provided a stark contrast against her skin.

Amidst this, it occurred to him that the fur cloak draped over her shoulders seemed quite old.

Elric let out a hollow sigh.

It all seems a bit boring.

With all the major paperwork done for now, all that remained was the minutiae of paperwork.

It was something she could handle on her own, and yet the reason Elric was in the office was due to Tyrias advice to establish a habit of coming and going. So, besides observing her, what else could he possibly have to do?

Therefore, naturally, his mind wandered.

It was about a certain feeling hed had on the day of the supply officers visit.

He had felt a pit form in his stomach at the thought of her going through the same thing that had happened that day alone when he was gone.

It was a feeling that hadnt quite subsided yet, and it still tormented Elrics mind.

And it was still a small ripple, for now.

However, the ripples were quite annoying to ignore, and Elric often found himself struggling within the same thoughts.

Of course, him pondering about it didnt mean that the answer would come easily.

For that reason, Elric repeatedly sighed and observed her with his chin resting on his hand. In the midst of it, he suddenly raised his head and met eyes with Tyria.

Hmm

Elric was taken aback.

Tiria asked.

Is there something you need?

It felt too awkward to say that he had just been looking at her.

And so Elric hastily blurted out an excuse.

No, I was just looking at your fur cloak.

Oh, you mean this?

Tyria patted the fur cloak.

Its a cloak made from the hide of a monster. It was given to me as a gift from the residents of the territory about seven years ago.

Oh, did they?

Yes. A beast from the back mountains had descended on the village, and there had been some damage to the houses. That year, the residents went on a hunt, and the hide from the beast they hunted became this cloak.

It was a nostalgic name.

The Beast of the Back Mountains it brings back old memories.

Elric chuckled, breaking him from his trance.

I remember that, back then, I was always talking about wanting to see the monsters.

Behind the Wiven Territory was a massive mountain range with peaks reaching well into the double digits.

The mountains were densely forested, steep, and off-the-beaten-path, so an ecosystem that nurtured monsters was naturally formed.

And, monsters were one of the indispensable enemies in a group of childrens knight play.

It was the same for Elric and his gang.

As the village troublemaker, whenever the adults were away, Elric would take the children and head to the mountains to search for monsters.

I think I only saw one once

He remembered unexpectedly seeing a wolf several times the size of an adult male, and then running away in a panic.

The funny thing was, despite experiencing such a terrifying encounter, he had kept going up to the mountains to look for monsters.

Come to think of it, it was a wonder that he was still alive.

Well, no. Thats not something I should be surprised about.

Perhaps the reason he hadnt seen a monster again was because of his teacher.

He had lived in the middle of the mountains, so it was highly likely that, due to his personality, he would have cleared all nearby monsters in his vicinity.

Now that he thought about it, his teacher used to frequently cook and feed him oddly flavored meat, which he now knew was probably monster meat.

It was quite an addictive flavor.

He initially tasted only bitterness, but as he kept eating the meat, there would become times when he longed for that taste because there was nothing else like it.

It was the same on the battlefield.

Whenever nostalgia for his hometown rose, that bitter taste would come back to him.

Elrics mouth watered.

Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Tyria staring at him intently.

Um, I apologize. Was I too caught up in my own thoughts? Mentioning the monsters in the mountains reminded me of old friends. Ill stop dwelling on memories now

No, its not that.

Her gaze dropped.

Her demeanor was strangely different from the usual, but Elric couldnt quite put his finger on what was unusual.

He tilted his head in confusion.

It was at that moment.

Thump

My lady, here are some new documents.

Aldio strode into the office and shoved a waist-high stack of papers onto the desk.

Elric was stunned.

W-Whats the reason for all these documents?

Nothing major, just a large quantity of demands from the residents of the territory that were backlogged and left to accumulate for a while.

This many demands?

Elric was suddenly filled with dread.

If the paperwork had piled up to this extent in a relatively small territory like Wiven, what happened in the scope of larger territories?

It occurred to him that, perhaps, being a noble was a much more challenging task than it seemed.

Of course, his misconception was quickly dissipated.

I dont have to go through all of this.

Tyria explained.

I just skim through the minor things. The reason I gather and read through these demands is to understand the state of affairs in the territory. It helps me grasp what types of demands are prevalent and which goods are in high demand. This way, I can ensure the smooth operation of the territory.

Ah, so that was how they did it.

Elric chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.

You scared me to death. I thought that we would have to go through each and every one of those documents.

We are masters, not servants.

It was a clear expression of intent.

In the midst of talking to him, Tyria swiftly flipped through the documents she had received and pulled out one sheet.

Of course, there are also tasks that we have to personally handle ourselves.

Thats

Tiria handed the paper to Elric.

Elric read the contents and his eyes widened.

Monster hunting?

It was a request for help with a monster wreaking havoc from the back mountains.

Furthermore, it was also a request signed by an entire village a little ways from Wiven.

The details stated: Wolf-type monster, about the size of a house,

We should inquire about it. In situations like this, its faster to take matters into your own hands and approach the village chief to hear what he has to say about the matter.

Tyria stood up from her seat.

And Elric followed suit, somewhat unsteadily.

Shall we go together?

Your presence wont be necessary.

She was going to leave him behind.

Puzzled, he soon realized why.

Her gaze was fixed on his knee.

Elric chuckled softly.

Dont worry, Im in much better shape than when I first arrived.

But if a monster were to appear

You would just have to carry me whilst running away, right?

Tyrias expression hardened.

Even though Elric didnt know the exact reason why, it was clear from her demeanor that she wasnt happy at the moment.

Elric resented his light-hearted banter, and he was suddenly overcome with a sense of injustice.

Everyone loves it when Elvus does that.

Elvus Grayman liked to make these kinds of self-deprecating jokes in the company of women his own age.

As a result, the young ladies would feel awkward, but they would also blush and nod their heads in response.

Why did he succeed wherein Elric didnt?

Elrics head hung low in frustration.

It was just a joke. Lets just go.

Uh, okay.

Yet, Elric didnt know that,

In Tyrias mind, not understanding the joke, she had imagined herself carrying him while he groaned. And then, due to her frail stamina, both of them would end up becoming prey to the monster.

Until he had told her that it was, Just a joke, Tyria had seriously contemplated getting in some physical training into her routine.

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