wyvern

Yeah! To hell with all of you! Leave Rockville right now!

That wasn't my slugs...

No? Then why don't you explain why you were keeping these monsters?!

Why should I tell you?! It's not my slugs' fault that your brewery went under!

Skurwysyny—

Stop!

Explain this. What's with the slugs?

They're for brewing...

Huh?

It's something that I discovered by accident. When Originium slugs eat hops, they secrete a special liquid, and it makes beer taste much better.

I told the others about it before. I wanted to promote this kind of brewing, but everyone said I was nuts...

Well, that's something. I didn't know you could do that. Now I gotta try it.

I think I heard the traveling caravans mention something like that when I was back home.

Hey, who the hell are you two? Stay out of this!

They are Oripathy experts I invited to help us solve this problem. Mind your manners.

Hey, dude, chill out a little. Think about it. These Originium slugs are tiny. How are they supposed to bite anyone? It'd take years for them to chew up a huge plantation like that.

Besides, didn't your search team find mutant Originium slugs outside the village? There's no reason to slaughter your neighbor's pets.

*Spit*—Say whatever you want, but I never saw any of those giant slugs they kept talking about, and all the people on the search team are in the hospital right now.

Who knows if these Oripathy-infested bugs knew some weird kind of Arts? If he's keeping these filthy things in his house, he's got to be up to no good!

Originium slugs can't get Oripathy!

We only call them Originium slugs because their outer shells contain Originium. They don't have any crystals inside their bodies.

They've been studied by many, many biologists out there, and even though no one knows why, no one has ever found an Originium slug that's been infected with Oripathy naturally.

And it's nearly impossible to come down with Oripathy from an Originium slug bite.

Please don't frame an innocent man with baseless accusations like that.

Why should I believe—

Sir, please give us a little time. We'll get to the bottom of this. But before we do, could you please not make things so hard on this man?

O-Of course...

Please let us go outside the village to investigate. My guess is that the Originium slugs who wrecked the fields didn't stay in the village.

Yes, of course, but I'm afraid you might find the woods and hills outside a little difficult to traverse with just the two of you.

Alright, I'll go with them. Let me see for myself those mutant slugs they're talking about.

Alright, that sounds good. Time is tight, so let's get going.

Ugh. The forest is too dense. I can't see anything.

Hmph, and here I was wondering how amazing you two would be with how cocksure you were.

Better drop the tough act and go home.

Look! Behind you!

Eek!

There's nothing there...?

Hah, look at you. You say all that, but you're actually scared shitless, hoping we don't run into any of the slugs.

You—

Quiet down, please. Now is not the time for a fight.

Humans may be afraid of Originium slugs, but they're really scared of humans too. They don't usually go anywhere near human settlements.

Even if they run into humans by chance, they usually run away on their own. So they shouldn't be that close to the village. We just left the village, so it's not a surprise that we haven't found any yet.

So what do you think of this whole thing?

Normally, when a swarm of wild slugs suddenly becomes aggressive, the most likely reason is that their habitat has gone through a sudden, drastic change.

When that happens, you just have to guide them properly. That's usually all that it takes to calm the aggressive slugs down.

But to figure out what exactly happened here, we have to first find where the Originium slugs lived in the forest.

This is a huge forest, though. How are we supposed to look?

Hm... Let's see.

If the slugs are regularly attacking the village, that has to mean their area of activity has gotten very large. If we look carefully, we should be able to find...

Look, there it is! Chard, look!

What's this...? Wild hops?

Yeah! Look, and it's pretty spread out. I don't think it grew here naturally.

According to the village chief, the Originium slugs here probably love eating hops, and when they don't digest the seeds, they get spread all over.

So you're saying that wherever we find hops, they've been there?

I can't say for certain, but it's very likely!

Amazing, Vanilla!

H-Hey... no big deal.

We've been following the girl for ages. Where's the mutant slugs you've been talking about?

Look over there.

Hah, save it. You're not fooling me twice—

(Pulls bowstring)

Even if you—Eek!!!

Hold on, Chard!

It's not hostile.

(Stares)

It's noticed us...

Look, it's leaving.

Phew... Scared me to death. I wasn't sure I could take that slug down with how big it is.

Hey... Why did you let it go?

It didn't attack us. There's no reason to provoke it.

You've got to be kidding me!

If you don't kill it now, it might come back to ruin our crops and attack our people!

That's not the mutant Originium slugs we're looking for...

It noticed us just now, but it didn't attack us. That means its habits are no different from regular Originium slugs. It won't come close to humans.

It could just be—

I promise you. We'll do our best to solve the problem the village is saving, but can't we spare the innocent?

Hmph... You'd better keep your word.

Thanks, Chard.

No problem. I trust your judgment.

So doesn't that mean we've found the slugs? That just goes to show what an expert in Originium slugs you are.

You're exaggerating. I just know a thing or two about them, is all.

I used to run into critters like these a lot back in Vouivre. I've always thought of them as nothing different from other animals. They're all cute little things.

Instructor Dobermann always tells me that I hesitate too much when facing Originium slugs in battle, and I know that's not a good thing...

But when we're not in a fight, I want to save as many of them as possible, if that's okay. I mean, they're innocent lives...

Hey, cheer up a little. I think you're right.

I never had a pet Originium slugs, but I had other pets when I was a kid. I know how it feels.

And actually, if we get the chance, I kind of want to meet your little Kuro sometime, hahaha.

R-Really...? We'd love that!

Hey, is there a cave over there...?

This place... If I remember correctly...

Dear God...

This... This...

The three of them walk up to the cave's entrance.

Half of the cave is colored dark yellow with the Originium waste strewn inside, while the waste itself is densely covered with eggs.

Further inside the cave, red glows can be seen pulsating rhythmically in the shadows like a breathing pattern, enough for the three to just barely make out their terrifyingly large silhouettes.

Help... help me—

Shut up! Don't move. If you startle them, it's all over!

Vanilla... What do we do?

Vanilla...?

Let's get out of here for the time being...