"Welcome back."
When I returned to the inn, my head spinning with thoughts about my new skills, the male receptionist called out to me. The entrance was pitch black, so I had assumed no one was there—but this was actually perfect timing.
"Excuse me, is there a place around here where I could release my tamed monsters without being a nuisance? They're bird-types—"
Since there was no doubt that Pedro had taken this road, I wanted to inspect the forest one more time. When I explained the situation to the man, he gave me a nod.
"If that’s the case, feel free to use the roof. No one’s using it at this hour. Just watch out for any laundry that might be hanging up there."
"Thank you very much. That’s a huge help."
"Well, the safety of the highway is our lifeline, after all."
Having received his gracious permission, I headed straight for the rooftop. I climbed the wooden stairs he pointed out and pushed open the door at the top. There, beneath a canopy of stars, laundry ropes stood silhouetted in the moonlight. Aside from a handrail along the edge to prevent falls, the area was clear, allowing for a flight path in any direction.
"Dimension Home."
"Pirororo!"
"Whoa, easy!"
This was a quiet inn at night, so I signaled for them to lower their volume. They seemed to understand and chirped softly in response.
"I need your help once more. I want you to get a bird’s-eye view of the entire mountain from above the town."
"Pi!"
The six Rimur Birds fell into a V-formation and soared into the cloudless starry sky.
Leading the flock was the only High-tier Species among them: the Nightmare Rimur Bird, Eins. Unless I gave specific orders, he was the one who took command when hunting prey. He was the undisputed leader of the six, though he had a habit of treating my head as his personal perch.
Following close behind were Zwei and Drei. These two seemed to find the act of delivering letters genuinely enjoyable, so I usually relied on one of them for correspondence. However, they were both quite shrewd and possessed voracious appetites, always demanding extra food upon their return.
I’d been meeting their demands as both a reward and a thank-you, but I couldn't help but notice they looked a bit stouter than when we first contracted. According to what I’d gathered through letters, it seemed the recipients were often giving them treats as well. I wasn't sure if they were just growing or actually getting fat, but I definitely needed to keep an eye on them.
Following those two were Vier and Fünf. They were the only females in the group and seemed to have formed pairs with Zwei and Drei, respectively. Though they had left their large flock to stay with me, I suspected our family might be growing in the near future.
Finally, there was Sechs. Flying at the very rear, he was the smallest of the six. However, whenever I saw him flying outside of formation, he appeared to be the fastest of the lot. It seemed he only stayed at the back to match the pace of the others. He lived to fly; occasionally, I’d see him darting around the abandoned mine at the speed of a bullet. He was a total speed demon. Much like with the Metal Slimes, I’d have to make sure he didn't cause any accidents.
"Piroro."
At the signal of Eins's small cry, the six birds broke formation and scattered, peeling off in six different directions.
Now, it was my turn. Shared Vision.
"...Alright."
Everything seemed to be working perfectly. Eins's perspective, looking down on the mountain from high above, flickered into my mind. The lights of the post town sparkled like stars against the deep shroud of the woods.
"He's flying quite high..."
I tried switching my vision to the others, but the images were largely the same. It was night, after all, so the world below was mostly a vast expanse of shadow.
I had heard that Shared Vision would fail if the distance between the tamer and the monster became too great, but in that case, I shouldn't have been able to see anything at all. This wasn't a distance issue.
The one furthest away right now was Sechs. When I switched to his perspective, I could already see the foot of the mountain. It seemed he was thoroughly enjoying his sprint through the open sky. It was fine that he was having fun, but I hoped he wouldn't forget to look for clues.
As I sent him a mental nudge to focus, I realized something. The distance from here to the base of the mountain was easily several hundred meters. Even considering the altitude, our mental connection felt significantly smoother than before.
Had my proficiency in Taming Magic suddenly spiked? If so, when? What had been the trigger? The only relevant event I could think of was the Aptitude Diagnosis. Could that really have caused such a change on its own?
"...Ah."
Fünf had spotted something. I pushed my questions aside and switched to her vision.
"I can't tell what I'm looking at..."
She had clearly reacted to something, but to my eyes, it was just the darkness of the night. I could barely distinguish the branches of the conifers.
What had she seen? Movement? An animal, or perhaps a person? Or was it a sound? It seemed she hadn't caught a clear glimpse, so she couldn't be certain if it was human. Regardless, it was our first lead. Moreover, Fünf was currently patrolling the road toward Kereban near the base of the mountain.
"Everyone, regroup."
Just to be safe, I would have all six of them search that specific area. As soon as I issued the order, Fünf turned back. The instructions reached the others instantly.
I cycled through the visions to confirm. Eins, Zwei, Drei, and Vier were all closing in. Sechs had gone the furthest, so he would be the last to arrive, but he was already on his way.
It was a bit of a hassle to switch between them one by one. I wondered if I could see them all simultaneously. Through the contract, I could feel their intent, but I wanted to be able to see everything they saw in real-time.
Shared Vision was like the feed from a camera to a television. If that was the case, I just needed to imagine a split screen. Come to think of it, I used to work part-time as a security guard...
Oh? Yes, I could feel it!
On one side was Sechs's vision, and on the other was Eins's as he arrived above the town. The two perspectives coexisted in my mind without blurring together. There was a bit of mental "noise," but I could manage it.
I focused harder on the image of a security monitor room, visualizing separate feeds flowing onto multiple screens. Gradually, the images became clear. I would probably need more practice to handle three or more, but two was doable.
My skill in Taming Magic had definitely improved. It was strange since I didn't remember doing any specific training, but I decided I’d ask the Guild Master or the Duke's family about it later.
"Good work."
Once the flock had gathered, I sent them back out. This time, led by Fünf, the six birds rushed toward the initial point of interest. Once they arrived, they split into two parties of three to sweep the area.
"There might be monsters. Be careful... if it looks dangerous, retreat immediately."
I felt their acknowledgment as they began to descend. The trees in both visions grew larger until the starry sky vanished, replaced by the dark outlines of the forest floor. It was so dark I could barely see, but for the birds, a search seemed perfectly possible.
They weren't moving at full speed, but they were efficient. I suppose that as migratory birds, they were naturally equipped to navigate the night sky.
"..."
I observed the search through the split vision. However, whenever the birds moved in earnest, my eyes struggled to keep up. Even in the dark, their flight was so swift that I could barely track the environment.
The Rimur Birds clearly didn't have this problem. I wondered if they possessed a natural Night Vision Effect. They were biological creatures, so their eyes were built differently from humans, but being able to process what they saw was an incredible advantage. I felt a bit guilty just sitting there while they worked so hard.
Then, a breakthrough.
Drei, Fünf, and Sechs sent a combined report. They had found something. There was no visible change in Sechs's vision yet, so I ordered them to hold position while Eins and the others joined them.
I watched the two feeds as they converged, praying for a sign of Pedro or at least a clue. Once the six were unified, they resumed the search. They dropped their speed even further, weaving between the trees. They could hear something now; they were certain there was a presence ahead.
"..................! Stop!"
Light. A flickering, orange glow was leaking through the gaps in the branches. It was a campfire. Someone was out there.
"Move in closer. Be careful."
The vision crept toward the source of the light. Gradually, shadows appeared. One, two... three...
"It’s not Pedro..."
Gathered around the bonfire was a group of five men. They were sitting on wooden crates with exhausted, hollow expressions—a band of men in absolute tatters.