Chapter 24 — “The Red Ogres”
“That sounds good. I’ll spray some too.”
The coachman handed Heidi the perfume bottle. She misted herself generously, almost like taking a shower, then sprayed some on Theo as well.
“How about now, Theo? Do I still smell the same?”
Since Theo was a monster, she thought maybe he could tell if the perfume actually worked.
But after sniffing a few times, Theo beamed and said, “Nope! You smell the same! Like warm sunshine!”
“…Coachman, are you sure this isn’t defective?”
“M-Maybe Theo’s just too young to notice the difference~?”
“Hmm…”
The perfume still seemed suspicious, but Heidi appreciated the thought, so she shrugged it off.
“Well, I’ll just think of it as a good luck charm. Ber, want to spray some too?”
“…Yes. Give it here. I can’t deny the psychological comfort that comes from superstition.”
It seemed Ber had developed a liking for teasing the coachman—probably because the man was so easy to provoke.
“Superstition?! That’s rude! Forget it—you don’t get any!”
The coachman huffed and tried to grab the perfume back, but Ber easily lifted his arm out of reach, holding the bottle high like a teasing older brother.
Only after Ber finished covering himself from head to toe in the scent did the coachman finally get his perfume back.
Once everyone was ready, they stepped into the forest.
“This way, please…”
The coachman’s voice was a little weak—he was clearly still sulking from the earlier scuffle.
Holding a detailed map, he led the group forward.
“Wow, this is really well made,” Heidi said, impressed. The map showed the streams and landmarks of the Demon Forest’s outer zone in precise detail.
“I’m proud of it~! I drew this myself during my trips to Lioum~!”
“Ohh…”
For once, the coachman didn’t seem careless or silly.
If he’d survived this monster-infested forest enough times to make a map, that meant he was actually quite capable. No wonder he owned a beast like Tasoon.
Ber walked beside him, cutting away tall grass and branches with a sickle to clear their path.
The trees grew thicker as they went, their shadows overlapping like curtains. Mist and fog hung heavy in the air, and the deeper they moved, the darker it became. Even with Ber’s torch, they could barely see a few meters ahead.
Heidi was just thinking she was glad her night vision was decent when—
“Ah!”
Pain shot through her ankle.
Her foot had caught on something, and she stumbled, twisting her ankle.
“Heidi!”
Theo’s sharp voice rang out.
Her balance failed, and she began to pitch forward—toward the muddy ground.
“Whoa—”
But before she could fall, a strong arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her upright. Ber had rushed over in an instant.
His grip was firm and steady, easily lifting her with one arm.
“Are you alright?”
He spoke from right behind her, his hand still at her waist. She could feel the solid pressure of his arm against her stomach, and his scent filled her nose—dry wood and something crisp and clean, like the forest itself.
Mmm… nice smell. Is that the perfume?
Then her brain caught up.
Wait—why am I close enough to feel his abs?
Realizing how near they were, Heidi’s face flared bright red.
She’d been confessed to before, back in her civil servant and student days—but she’d never actually dated anyone. So this kind of closeness? Completely new territory.
“Th-thank you for helping me. I think I can stand now—you can let go.”
She gently placed her hand over his and spoke quickly.
Ber released her immediately and stepped back.
“…My apologies.”
His tone was calm as ever—completely unfazed—while she, on the other hand, was flustered enough to laugh awkwardly.
“No, no! Don’t apologize! Thanks to you, I avoided eating dirt! I would’ve had a face full of mud otherwise, ha ha!”
“Is something wrong? Are you hurt?”
The coachman’s concerned voice carried over.
“I’m fine. Just twisted my ankle a bit—probably tripped over a root.”
“Does it hurt a lot? Can you walk?”
She tested her foot—there was a mild sting, but she could still move.
“No, it’s okay. As long as I don’t run, I’ll be fine. I’m pretty sturdy.”
“That’s good~. But tell us if it gets worse, okay?”
“Will do. Let’s keep going.”
The coachman nodded and turned forward again. But after a few steps, Heidi realized Ber hadn’t moved.
‘What’s he doing?’
She turned to see him standing still, one foot raised slightly.
Then—
Crunch.
A deep cracking sound echoed as he pressed his heel down hard.
The tree root she’d tripped on was now completely flattened into the ground, almost invisible from where she stood.
Her jaw dropped.
“Ber… what are you doing?”
“…I just leveled the path a bit—for the next traveler who passes by.”
“Ah… how thoughtful.”
Technically, yes—removing roots was part of trail maintenance. But the thought of another “traveler” wandering a monster forest was ridiculous. Still, she let it go.
They walked on for a while until the coachman called out brightly,
“Up ahead! That clearing is the mandrake field~! Get your shovels ready! Remember, mandrakes shine with a faint rainbow glow—you can’t miss them!”
Through the dense leaves, Heidi could see an open, flat space gleaming faintly in the distance.
She was just reaching into her bag for her small hand shovel when—
“Wait.”
Ber’s low voice stopped her cold. His furrowed brow told her instantly that something was wrong.
“I hear something. Everyone, stay quiet. Could be monsters.”
When a first-class mercenary said that, you listened.
They all froze, holding their breath. Without human voices, the forest’s sounds grew sharper.
The chirping of insects… the cry of some distant bird… and beneath it—
Thud.
Something heavy hit the ground.
Thud. Thud.
The sound repeated in a steady rhythm, growing louder.
Thud. Thud-thud-thud.
Heidi’s heart sank. Those were footsteps.
THUD. THUD-THUD-THUD-THUD!
The ground trembled slightly. Whatever it was, it was huge.
Her instincts screamed: Monster.
Oh no. This is bad. This is really bad.
Her jaw trembled as fear clenched her chest. She squeezed her eyes shut.
“Five ogres approaching,” Ber said quietly. “Red ones.”
Heidi’s eyes flew open.
Up ahead, hulking silhouettes emerged from the mist.
They stood twice the height of an average human, muscles rippling under thick, red skin that looked tougher than leather. Their sheer presence radiated violence.
“Mid-level monsters—Red Ogres,” Ber explained. “Not very smart, but extremely strong.”
As if to prove his point, one swung a giant club.
Whoosh!
The air itself shuddered as nearby leaves scattered to the ground.
“Judging by the clubs, they’re out hunting. We should wait until they finish and leave before collecting the mandrakes. They’ll usually return to their den once they’re full.”
“That… sounds like a good idea,” Heidi said weakly. “As long as we’re not the ones they decide to hunt.”
