Yuri carried Rest up the mountain for nearly five minutes before they reached their destination.
True to the reports he had heard, they spotted the wyverns circling near the peak. There wasn't just one or two; a massive colony occupied a caldera-like depression at the summit, with countless beasts wheeling through the air around it.
"Ooh, it’s an all-you-can-eat buffet! Look at them all!"
"Your reactions honestly scare me sometimes, Yuri," Rest muttered, sighing at her lack of tension as they crouched behind a rocky outcrop.
He peered at the swarm. Indeed, if he could hunt every single one of them, it would be an all-you-can-eat feast. He could probably serve wyvern meat to hundreds, if not thousands, of people.
However, Rest had no desire to drive the species to extinction, nor did he have any interest in opening a bargain yakiniku restaurant. He had come here specifically to procure high-end ingredients for a housewarming party.
"We can’t carry them all back anyway, so one is enough. Dealing with a swarm that size would be a massive headache."
While there were easily over a hundred wyverns, wiping them out was well within his power. If he unleashed Kagutsuchi, he could incinerate the entire nest in an instant. He could just as easily sweep them from the sky with Amaterasu.
But doing so would ruin the meat, which would put the cart before the horse.
"The problem is, if I attack one, the rest will probably swarm us. I'd end up having to fight the whole lot anyway. If only I could snatch one without the rest of the flock noticing..."
He could have waited for one to stray from the group, but evening was fast approaching. While many wyverns were returning to the nest, none seemed inclined to leave it. With their guide gone, he wanted to finish the hunt and head back as soon as possible.
As Rest fell into thought, Yuri thumped her chest confidently. "Alright! I’ll be the decoy! While I’m distracting them, you catch a wyvern and make a run for it!"
"Wait—no, no, no! Absolutely not!" Rest hissed, waving his hands frantically at the absurd suggestion. "I can’t let you do something that dangerous!"
"Why not? I can outrun a wyvern easily."
"It doesn’t matter how fast you are; I won't put you in harm's way. How could I ever use my future wife as a decoy?"
When Rest stated his refusal as a matter of course, Yuri gasped and clutched her heart. "Hau...! That actually made my heart flutter! What a rush!"
"I'm glad you're happy, I guess..."
"Should I give you a hug as a reward? I'll even let you touch my breasts for a second if you want."
"No thanks. I’ve had more than enough of your hugs for one day."
He had only just been released from her "forced transport" grip. He never wanted to experience that human roller coaster again. The offer to touch her chest was an alluring temptation, but he lived in fear of what the Rosemary sisters would do if they found out. He decided it was best to practice restraint until marriage.
"Still... a decoy strategy might actually work."
"Hmm? I won't let you be the decoy, Rest. Absolutely not."
"No, that’s not what I meant. I’m talking about a diversion."
Rest began cycling through the spells in his mind. He considered the small tricks he had picked up during his training with Dieble, the magic taught in his Academy classes, and the advanced techniques he had learned from the authority on barrier arts, Master Jarana Maitis.
If he applied them correctly, he might be able to pull this off without the wyvern swarm ever realizing what hit them.
"Listen, Yuri. Here’s the plan..."
"Mm-hm... I see! That’s the plan!"
After a brief strategy meeting in the shadow of the rocks, Rest and Yuri moved into position to claim their prize.