Accompanied by Kuro and Yuki, I made my way through the forest on the eastern side of the village. I didn't have a specific destination in mind. It was just a walk—or at least, that was the official story.
Yesterday evening, Fracia had come to my room. It was a rare visit, but since Frau was currently away at the Royal Capital, Fracia tended to come see me whenever Beezel wasn't around either. Of course, her caretaker, Holly, was with her.
Lately, Fracia’s favorite pastime was petting Kuro. She seemed to really enjoy it, so I happened to ask her a question. I asked if she liked petting Kuro’s belly.
Blushing slightly, Fracia replied, "Because he's so robust."
"I see," I’d said. "Robust, huh?"
Well, Kuro’s belly certainly was robust. I laughed it off at the time, but after dinner, Holly pulled me aside to reveal a shocking truth: when Fracia said "robust," she actually meant "fat." Apparently, she had been taught to use that roundabout phrasing out of consideration for others' feelings.
I see. I made a mental note not to let Kuro hear that.
Just as I thought that, my eyes met Kuro’s. He was standing a short distance away.
...Did you hear that?
"What are you talking about?" Kuro tilted his head innocently.
I see. That was a relief.
...Ah, no. Wait. Kuro’s gait was all wrong. He definitely heard.
Then, this morning, Kuro invited me for a walk. It was a rare request. I didn't press him on the reason, nor did I say anything unnecessary. However, I did have my own thoughts. It’s okay, buddy. You aren’t that fat. Well, okay, maybe your belly and thighs are a tiny bit more... compared to Yuki's, but still.
It was nothing. I happily accepted the invitation.
And so, we began our trek through the eastern forest, but we weren't encountering any monsters or magic beasts. I’d chosen the eastern side because we rarely passed through here and it was far from the usual hunting grounds, so I figured it would be good exercise for Kuro and Yuki.
Instead, I was just single-mindedly tilling trees and thickets with the Universal Farming Tool. Normally, a rabbit or a boar would have attacked us by now.
Eventually, the reason for the lack of encounters became clear. With us at the center, groups led by Kuroichi and Alice, Kuroni and Iris, Uno and Kurosan, and Kuroyon and Elis were maintaining a defensive formation around us. Because each group stayed about a hundred meters away, I hadn't noticed them at first.
I only realized what was happening when the Kuroichi and Alice group, who were scouting ahead, failed to completely hide the prey they had taken down. I suppose it was impossible to kill every single target without letting them let out a single cry.
Since Kuro and Yuki didn't seem surprised by their presence, they must have known from the start. Given Kuro’s goal today, I would have expected him to turn down an escort.
Oh? It wasn't an escort? They just happened to be moving ahead of us by pure coincidence?
Well, even if I told them their protection was unnecessary, I doubted Kuroichi and the others would simply go home. It couldn't be helped. The walk itself would have to suffice as Kuro and Yuki's exercise.
Besides, walking through a part of the forest we usually ignored wasn't bad. It allowed me to create a new path.
"You can come a bit closer, Kuroichi!" I called out. "Just don't get in front of me. I want to avoid the accident of tilling you with the Universal Farming Tool."
I had planned to walk straight for a while and then head back, but then I discovered a box. It was a large box, big enough for a human to fit inside, and made of metal. It looked quite old. As proof, it was almost entirely buried, tangled in the roots of the surrounding trees. If I hadn't happened to till the roots nearby, I never would have found it.
The fact that the box wasn't unnaturally dirty—was that thanks to magic?
Now, what to do? If this had been the old me, I would have pulled the box out and checked the contents without a second thought. But I was different now. Lu and Tia had warned me time and again that I must never open a strange box on my own.
The reason was simple: traps. Opening it was strictly forbidden, and they’d even told me it was best to avoid touching such things entirely.
However, I was curious, so I used the Universal Farming Tool to till away the roots tangled around it. Since I hadn't opened it or touched it directly, I figured I was safe.
Looking closely, it wasn't just a simple crate. It had faint decorations, and the shape wasn't a standard rectangle. The lid was kamaboko-shaped. In other words, it was the classic shape people imagine when they hear the words "treasure chest." It even had a keyhole.
Man, I really wanted to know what was inside. If I tilled the box itself, I might be able to see the contents, but depending on the trap, that could be disastrous.
For example, a poison trap. If the box was filled with toxic gas, tilling it would immediately release the poison into the air. Or a teleportation trap. The moment the box was "opened," a spell might trigger, sweeping up everything nearby and dumping us who-knows-where. It was best to avoid doing anything reckless.
...Kuro. Were you not listening to my explanation? I know you're curious, but don't try to open the chest by tackling it.
And Yuki, what are you planning to do with that magic? If we can't open it, let's just burn everything inside? That’s a bit wild.
Well, since it was buried, one option was to just pretend I never found it... but now that I'd seen it, burning it felt like a waste. I should contact the village and bring someone who can open it...
Wait. Is there even anyone who could do that? Could Lu or Tia? They could probably investigate the traps and magic, but I wasn't sure if they could actually pick a lock.
No, hang on. There was a keyhole, but that didn't mean it was actually locked. Besides, would someone really set a trap on a box in a place like this? Maybe it was just an empty crate? Was that a possibility?
...Careful! I almost tried to open it myself. That would be bad. It might be empty, but it could also contain something dangerous. Safety first.
For now, I’ll just report to the village that I’ve found a mysterious box.