story_aprl_1_1

Hey. It's me, Aerlie.

Did you hear the broadcast from camp just now...? Oh right, I'm still out on a job, about a day from Iron Carrot City.

Yeah! I thought I'd be back home in a couple days, but we got news earlier today that our survey team has to head to a deeper mining area after resupplying at the transport hub.

*sigh*... Not like you can argue with the company when they tell you to go. Plus, they assigned me to be the escort, so what am I gonna do?

Anyway, I won't be able to go to the party with you this week. Real sorry about that.

Well of course it's a bit of a shame. We've all been looking forward to it, especially considering how much time and effort it took to lock down that abandoned ore warehouse for a venue.

I guess the bit of silver lining is I finished my portion of the prep work early. At least me not being able to show up won't mess with everyone else's plans.

*sigh*... Yeah, we'll have another chance someday...

The weather should be a lot warmer for our next party at least. Then, we'll finally get to wear the dresses we bought last time.

You've been looking forward to that too, haven't you? I even bought a pair of matching earrings.

Oh, that reminds me, you said you guys were rehearsing one of my favorite songs, to perform for me as a surprise at the party. But since I can't be there... do you think you could tell me which one it is?

...How am I supposed to guess? The bands that I like can't be counted on my two hands, and each one has a dozen awesome albums. There's no way I'd be able to pick just one favorite.

You're not seriously going to make me wait until the next party, are you? What if the company sends me out long-term?

...Ooh, you're right, that song is a great pick!

You guys are going to be my superstar pop group one day, so I can finally realize my dream of having a concert right on my doorstep.

The Cautus girl suddenly uses her hand to cover the communicator's receiver.

Woah, the fancy little Cautus girl's here? You're joking, right? There's no way someone would hire her.

But, she's still a registered hunter. In principle, she's allowed to stay at the camp, though she usually acts alone...

Oh, the team's about to leave. I was going to keep complaining about how much of a pain in the butt this mission is, but that'll have to wait 'til next time.

Okay, I'll contact you again once I get back to town.

If I were her, I'd keep my head down and beat it as soon as I could. But seeing the flashy way she dresses, she's probably no different from before, haha...

Yeah, I think I'll keep my earphones in while I'm on the road.

Okay, that clears the air up just right! Let's get some music going so I don't get sleepy on the road!

Hrmm, where did I put the newest bounty list... Oh, yes, it says right here that manglers are worth the most around here.

Well, I don't know how to deal with those big monsters either... Never mind then.

It used to be just driving them off was good enough. Now, we're looking for trouble in their part of the woods.

Good thing I'm just short of the earnings I need. As long as I catch a few fowlbeasts, I should be good to go.

According to the company benefits program, I can use my savings to buy an old projector that the company retired. Then, I can lie in bed and watch the discs I bought.

Err, but maybe I shouldn't... Once I get enough money, I should probably find a way to live better. Maybe a rental with good sound insulation so I won't bug my neighbors after a long night's work, or when I move furniture around in the middle of the night.

Ugh, I'm no good with this long-term planning stuff...

Movement.

Let's see if luck is on my side today... Wounded beasts always try to run, so let's see if the traps from the textbooks work or not.

Woah, it's a person! That was a close one––

Uhh, excuse me–– I'm not your prey, okay? I'm a hunter! Look how conspicuously I'm dressed. What kind of beast looks like this?

We don't make mistakes. You <i>are</i> our prey.

Hand over any valuables you have on you, or we're gonna have to get a bit rough.

*sigh*... Great, looks like I've got company after all...

There's one hiding in the trees over there, then another one by the rock behind me.

I'm going to count down from three. Show us the money, if you know what's good for you. Otherwise, don't expect to get off with just a single arrow.

Three.

...No can do.

Two.

I worked hard to scrounge up this little bit of money.

One.

Let's see if you can catch me, instead!

Oh, Aerlie, you're back again?

Sure am. I finally finished tidying up my place. Didn't expect there to be so much random stuff to get through, considering how small my room is.

Let me take a look... Oh my, these kinds of self-assembled storage cabinets aren't easy to sell second-hand, right? Plus, I see some tape marks.

Oh, that was an adhesive strip I stuck on the side of the cabinet. I had a makeshift full-length mirror there. I ended up tearing it off when I was having a bad day.

You're right that it looks a bit tacky though... So it's okay if you drop the value a little.

Huh? This dress is still brand new, isn't it? Are you sure you want to sell it? Seems like a waste, if you ask me.

A little bit... but that cut doesn't work for me. It's backless, and that's a no-go.

Your Oripathy... Is it growing on your back?

Yeah...

Alright, I get it. You just moved here pretty recently, right?

I see you've been around here the last few days to sell stuff off. Did something happen?

We're all Infected around here. I can hear you out if you'd like, just between the two of us.

It's nothing major. I just haven't been able to find work, and want to try my luck somewhere else.

I can't lug these things around anyway, so might as well turn 'em into some cash.

*sigh*... You say you want to try your luck somewhere else, but how do you know a new place would be any better? Do you already have someplace in mind?

Hmm... I saw an ad for a company and wanted to give it a shot. It's pretty far away though.

I've already saved up enough money to get by in a new city. Now I just need enough to get a one-way ticket out of here.

But don't worry, I've been budgeting carefully, so I've got everything I need.

Plus, even if I'm out of a job right now, I still have this bow. If my luck's good, I can maybe hunt some beasts just outside the city. Might even be able to fetch a decent price for the pelts and meat from the merchants in the camps.

Even if my luck's not so good... At least I don't see myself starving to death.

*sigh*... You're still so young, be careful when you're out there hunting. And please take the long way around if you run into any Originium clusters... You wouldn't want your condition getting any worse.

Haha, I was with the minecart team for how many years? Of course I know that by now.

I actually used to think about buying a secondhand speaker or projector as soon as I managed to scrounge up some money. Now that I finally have the money, I didn't expect it to feel so...

Well, that's not quite right. I barely have a thing to my name now, so that probably doesn't count as 'having money.'

Now that you've sold all this stuff off, I suppose you won't stick around much longer?

Right. I'll be leaving tomorrow morning.

Ugh, didn't anyone teach those kids not to run with knives? They're awfully fast, too!

But if I hand over my luggage, I really won't have anything left... And that's no way to survive. So let's go another way.

My luck sure ended up rotten, huh? It's all because I was short a little money for my ticket, and I didn't want to dip into living expenses... Otherwise, I wouldn't have to hunt anymore.

Hey, you guys hear me talking out loud too, can't you? Mind sparing a girl an ounce of sympathy?

Just as the blade of one of the bandits is about to reach her, the nimble Cautus hops into the air and climbs up a tree branch.

Aha, looks like those traps worked after all. Even managed to snag one of your crossbowmen in one.

Why you little––!

I wasn't planning on fighting, but now that you've fallen into my trap, you're my prey.

I might look young, but I've trained in the ways of a hunter since I was little. I know a thing or two about archery and trapping too.

Here's a tip: these traps were made for beasts, so the harder you struggle, the more likely you are to hurt yourself.

(Threats like that should be good enough, right? That's how they always do it on TV.)

(Ugh, I don't even know if there's a vigilante patrol around here, or a private security detail... Maybe I'll try asking for help once I get back to camp.)

Phew... Can have a civil discussion now?

Wh-What are you going to do to us? If you want to keep things civil, why don't you put the bow down first?

I'm just making sure the trap's doing its job. If you don't mind, I'm going to head back to camp and find someone to take you away.

P-Please, anything but that... We'll die.

Huh? You're that afraid of getting turned in? Have you been doing that much robbing?

No, but...

We're all sick. Infected.

You know what that means, Hunter. You said you didn't want to fight, but you don't sympathize with livestock, do you?

That's why they don't bother putting Infected on trial. We just go straight to...

Alright.

I...

There was a time when I would've said she wasn't cut out to be a hunter. But now that she's Infected, she's not even in the same class as us. Hahaha!

Think she has something going on with the commissioner? Who the hell is still giving her work?

Why did you decide to become bandits?

What kind of question is that? We caught Oripathy and lost our jobs. We can't just roll over and die, can we?

Like most Infected, the three of us worked in the mines for a long, long time.

Um... What about the company's insurance coverage?

You talking about compensation for those who get infected on the job? Must've been stolen by the mine supervisor. Never heard of any Infected workers getting a single cent of compensation.

Judging from the fancy way you dress, you must be a sheltered little princess who's never seen an Infected? If you're out here looking to hand out condolences, I've got plenty of tragic stories for you.

No, I'm just an ordinary girl. Extremely ordinary...

But, I did have a thought. If you know who took your compensation money, why not try to get it back from him?

Come in.

G'day. I'm a hunter assigned here to carry out an escort mission. Here's my registration certificate and my provisional assignment document.

Huh? I don't think I've seen you before. And our hunter...

Also, I have three companions ready to help me on the mission.

What the hell are you talking about? How could––

You again...

We're just here to get our money back.

P-Put that knife down... S-Someone, help me...

Save your breath. After you screwed us, we were forced to turn to banditry. Now, we're not afraid to use these knives.

...Is this really going to work?

I'm sure of it.

To sum things up, I'll go to the camp first to ask around and see if any of the hunters are going to the mine soon, to get a general grasp of the mission.

Then, if any of them are nice enough and willing to help us out, we'll take their place and go into the mine. If they aren't willing to help... We'll just borrow their names and slip in before them.

Oh, but I'm actually no good with lying. You might have to help me smooth things out to sound convincing.

After we get past the guards, we just have to avoid everyone along the way.

You sure make it sound easy.

Well, I am a hunter after all, and I'm good at staying hidden. The beasties never see me, even with how keen their senses are.

If we are seen though, let me think... playing it cool is probably the best option. We don't look that suspicious, so it's not like strangers will remember our faces.

Heh. Alright then, I'll lead the way.

Hunter... why are you doing this for us? Do we look so pathetic you're taking pity on us?

Uhh, I wouldn't put it that way...

Maybe it's because I have a question I'd like answered.

Oh, by the way, can I still file a report with the company about the misappropriation of compensation funds?

Fine, I'll hand it over. That's all you want, right? I'll give it all back...

Don't think we'll take an IOU or anything like that. I want to see cold, hard cash.

If we hadn't trusted you in the first place, you would've gotten a visit from us a long time ago.

Eek... There's cash... in that safe over there... Here's the key.

Go fetch it. One portion each for the three of us.

Sure... But can't we take a bit more?

It's just in case we get caught. Plus, I'd like to show this asshole what it means to have some dignity.

You're just an Infected. What do you know about dignity?

And that hunter over there... Who exactly are you? I thought you were here to ask for compensation too.

Oh... Actually, I just wanted to ask you a question.

Since you're not hurting for cash or anything, why would you take compensation money from the Infected who need it to survive?

It's not like they'll ever be employable again, so the money would just vanish into thin air, right? It'd be a damn shame to waste perfectly good money on the Infected.

You're a real piece of shit.

Hunter, you went through all this effort just to ask that question?

Well, not exactly. It's just... the thought never crossed my mind before.

Who stole my compensation money from the company, and why?

Yeah. Next, we'll probably head to a nearby town and try our luck again. Maybe someone will have something for us to do.

You're really not gonna go after the people who screwed you over?

Uhh, I don't think it's even possible anymore. I never realized I was being screwed over in the first place, so I have no idea who to talk to about it now.

Plus, I'm ready to get out of here, and leave the past behind.

Right, you mentioned you were saving money for a ticket out.

Since you've done so much for us and spent so much of your time, let us repay you by covering the rest of your fare.

Though it's not exactly a king's ransom...

Hah, you're pretty good people after all~

To be honest, I never guessed you'd be Infected too, with the way you ran up to that bastard just to ask such a basic question.

Did you get the answer you were looking for?

Of course not. I didn't like what he said at all.

But, a lot of people think just like him, right? They just don't take Infected people seriously, and without any good reason.

Even I...

Huh...?

Woah, Aerlie, you actually picked up!

We just decided to try calling, but didn't think you'd actually be in a place with reception.

Can you hear? They're performing 'April' over here! They sound pretty scuffed, but you can really tell from your end, right?

Hehe, I guess you won't be missing out after all! To our dear Aerlie, thank you for laying the first cornerstone of the greatest art district in Iron Carrot City!

Hahaha... *cough*, *cough*...

Aerlie, if you want to say goodbye to them in person, this is your last chance.

If you want to ask your friends if they'll still accept you despite being Infected, this is also the best chance for that. While you're not too distant, while your relationship is still tight-knit.

––Those thoughts cross through her mind, but the Cautus simply listens to the whole song while quietly gripping the communicator.

Pass on this message from me: As long as they keep practicing, they'll sound great!

All right, I guess that's that. You always remember to have fun now~

Oh, the Infected guys already left.

Maybe if I get another chance someday, I'll write to my friends again and tell them what happened.

Since becoming Infected, I've never felt that level of warmth and kindness... and I want them to stay with me a bit longer.

But at the end of the day, the most important thing is still... what I think about myself.

Well, time to go. I hope that company's advert isn't just empty promises.