Monster Hunt: Notes from a Hunter

Payne is a merchant from the city of Minagarde.

Different from the image of a potbellied and jeweled jewel in the eyes of ordinary people, Pine is not tall, with thick joints in his hands and feet, strong muscles, and dark skin. He looks more like a fisherman than a businessman.

In fact, only the leaders of the big chamber of commerce who only need to talk about it, and a lot of gold coins will automatically fly into their pockets, will get the "sign of successful people" such as a fat belly.

A merchant like Pine, who leads a dozen trucks and runs commercial roads for his chamber of commerce, is naturally much richer than ordinary farmers and small traders, but he brings caravans to and from cities and towns throughout the year, trading everywhere. It is impossible for them to grow too much fat.

On the contrary, the muscles on the legs have grown a lot.

This kind of running business life that wears out two pairs of shoes every month and is exposed to wind and sun is hard, but he still persists.

In this world full of monsters and dragons, being a caravan merchant is a very dangerous occupation. There are many cases where caravans are attacked in the wild and caravans are brutally slaughtered by monsters.

Some large caravans transporting valuable goods will hire monster hunters to accompany them for protection, but the commission for hiring hunters to escort them is very high, and it is difficult for ordinary caravan merchants to pay.

Pine was one of the lucky ones among the caravan merchants, because the route assigned to him by the chamber of commerce he belonged to belonged to the category with higher security.

This trade route started from Minergard City, with a full load of goods, passing through the coastal city of Melchita, and after exchanging some goods, it turned southeast and went to the city of Metabetat in the Alcres region for sale.

The one-way trip is nearly a thousand kilometers, and the round trip takes nearly three months, but the income is really good.

The most dangerous part of the entire route was the part from Minagard City to Melchita City. The commercial road almost passed by Xixiu Letsen Hill, where monsters frequently appeared.

The closest distance between the two is less than ten kilometers.

It can be said that Pine and his caravan are also betting their lives to make money.

He wasn't a miser, he didn't have the morbid desire to collect wealth like many businessmen, but he had goals of his own.

Pine was in his forties and still unmarried. Few parents would marry their sweetheart to a guy who didn't have a home all year and might make his wife a widow at any time.

But he has an elder brother who is a few years older than him. He has taken care of and loved him since he was a child, and the relationship between brothers is also very deep.

However, an accident more than ten years ago caused both the eldest brother and the eldest sister-in-law to pass away, leaving only a young orphan girl who was only two or three years old without anyone to take care of her.

Pine adopted this niece as a matter of course, and treated her as his own child, pouring all his affection and love into her.

After all, she was Pine's only remaining relative in this world.

The girl's name is Hayata, which means "pandan" in the northern dialect.

Pine lived a frugal life, and he was only willing to wear the most common cotton and linen travel clothes that cost three to four hundred z, but he would buy them without hesitation when he saw a beautiful little dress with a price of two to three thousand in the window.

Speaking of his goal in life, it is to save enough money before Hayata becomes an adult, to buy a small building with a small garden in front of the door in the most prosperous city in the center of the mainland, "East Doruma", and then give it to her. Find a good family to marry.

He is also willing to let him close his eyes immediately afterwards, of course, it would be even better if he could hug his nephew before closing his eyes.

Pine, who was thinking about something with his head down, was suddenly awakened by a cry.

"Uncle~ How long will it be until we arrive!"

On the top of the pile of large trucks pulled by the herbivorous dragon, a lively little head poked out.

The girl's pupils were light green like sprouts, and the long, smooth brown hair swayed down her cheeks, swaying with the bumps of the truck, just like the girl's lively character.

Pine raised his head, looking at his niece with doting eyes, and a little helplessness in his tone: "I'm feeling bored, I told you earlier that running a caravan is boring, so you insisted on following.

This is the fourth day of departure, and even one-fifth of the one-way trip has not arrived. "

Hayata flattened her mouth, apparently very dissatisfied with the answer, jumped off the high pile of goods as soon as she turned over, pulled her hands on the binding ropes that bound the goods, slowed down, and jumped to the ground nimbly superior.

Pine's eyes twitched violently.

Compared with ordinary fourteen-year-old girls, isn't this child Hayata too lively and agile?

On weekdays, he has to go out to do business for at least nine months a year, while Hayatta stays at his home in Minergard City and is taken care of by a nanny.

He once thought that Hayata would definitely grow into a gentle and virtuous lady, but now it seems that he lacks some discipline?

Well, he is reluctant to be disciplined, so let's be more lively.

Thinking of this, Pine couldn't help but sigh heavily.

I still dote on Hayata too much, as long as the latter acts like a baby and sheds two tears at most, I can't help but agree to any request.

A month ago, on Hayata's fourteenth birthday, I promised to grant any wish of hers, but who knew that the child's wish was to go to a business with me?

"Slow down, be careful not to fall!"

"I know~!"

Pyne sighed again as he reminded his niece, who had started to scurry between the convoys.

I must be crazy, how can I, how dare I bring Hariyata to this dangerous wilderness?

The caravan partner next to him patted him on the shoulder and said with a smile that he was really worried too much. Although this place is very close to Xixiu Letsen Hill, nothing happened for more than ten years?

"Haha, why are you not as courageous as little Hayata? Those monsters all have their own territory, and the business road area is not in their territory, so it will be fine."

The other companion also laughed, unable to tell whether he was teasing or comforting.

Pine smiled reluctantly, still anxious in his heart.

For the safety of his niece, he originally planned to hire a monster hunter at his own expense to escort the caravan through this relatively dangerous road.

But the hunting ban has not yet passed, and the hunter's assembly hall in Minergard City is as quiet as a library. Even the kanban girls have gone home on vacation, and they can't even hire a hunter.

The staff on duty suggested that he wait a while longer and hire hunter guards after the hunting ban is lifted.

But the caravan's itinerary was not something he could change if he wanted to, so in the end he had to go on the road as scheduled.

Right now, all he can do is to pray that this business route, which has been running for more than ten years without incident, will continue to be safe.

The anxiety in his heart drove Pine, he walked quickly to the lead car and said hello, and the old driver of the lead car quickly took out the map from his bag.

Pine carefully compared the surrounding terrain, calculated the speed and time of the caravan, and finally determined the location of the caravan.

"According to this speed, the caravan will stay away from this hilly area before the sun goes down, and then it will enter a safe section. I hope everything goes well."

The old coachman, who also seemed a bit worried, nodded, and kept licking the herbivorous dragons pulling the cart with the leather reins, urging them to move forward quickly.

Unfortunately, the remaining snow on the road made it difficult for heavy trucks to speed up, and the long caravan was as clumsy as an old mammoth.

Move forward slowly.