GILF Hunter

Chapter 479: 479 Guest

Everyone scanned the surroundings with wary eyes.

A radiant garden, completely different from the desolate forest atmosphere they had been wandering through. It was a place where one could clearly feel the touch of someone’s hand.

Compared to where they had been just moments ago, it was a much brighter and beautifully tended location, but that was precisely why it felt even more eerie.

’Is this perhaps...’

’I-is it that? It’s my first time actually coming here. Of all the times, just when I’m on the expedition...’

The members of the Ranger Circle whispered among themselves.

While the Circle’s [Witch’s Forest] expeditions were held quite regularly, very few members participated in them long-term.

Since their own mercenary group’s work took priority, it was difficult to participate every time there was a Circle expedition, and usually, those who obtained a [Thunderstruck Branch] would yield their turn and drop out after that.

Because the participating members changed like that, only a few veterans, including Ariel, had experience actually stepping into this flower bed.

Of course, there was information and cautionary notes about the [Witch’s Forest] that had been compiled through past explorations. Thanks to everyone having read them thoroughly before entering, they all knew what kind of place this was through knowledge.

’Everyone knows, right? Don’t do anything strange, and if something comes out...’

Before Ariel could even finish her sentence, someone appeared from the other side of the flower garden. All eyes turned in that direction.

A magician dressed in pure white stood there, appearing so suddenly that no one knew when they had arrived.

’...’

The white-clad magician, known as the [Witch], stared intently at the members of the expedition, including Ariel, for a moment.

A suffocating silence lasted for a while.

And then...

’Hello.’

The Witch greeted the expedition first.

’...Hello.’

’Ah, hello.’

Everyone, including Ariel, bowed their heads and greeted the Witch.

It was the same for Ian, the members, and Frenda. It was because they had heard the warning—never ignore someone if they speak to you first—until they were sick of it before entering.

One of the veteran members next to Ariel spoke in a low voice.

’Whew... thank goodness. She doesn’t seem angry.’

’It’s probably because it hasn’t been long since we entered the forest.’

Ariel subtly put away her bow.

One could guess whether she was in a hostile state based on the Witch’s reaction upon meeting; the fact that she offered a greeting meant she didn’t view them as enemies. At the very least, they had avoided the worst-case scenario.

The Witch smiled brightly at the members and beckoned to everyone.

’It’s been a while since we’ve had guests. Come, everyone, this way.’

It was a direction leading deeper into the flower garden.

’What should we do about this?’

’Just follow quietly as she says.’

Ariel sent a hand signal to the members. The expedition followed silently behind the Witch, walking along the path through the flower garden.

The further they went inside, the brighter the surroundings became. Unknown glowing things were flying above the flower beds.

Thanks to that, the members walking the path could see the flower garden from very far away. A garden filled with countless flowers in bloom. Except for the fact that this was inside a Labyrinth and a Witch was walking in front of them, it was beautiful enough to evoke admiration.

After walking behind the Witch for a short while, they arrived in front of a large hut. The Witch opened the door to the hut, turned back, and said.

’Now, everyone, please come in.’

Everyone followed the Witch inside.

The interior of the hut was filled with numerous materials and unknown apparatuses.

At first glance, it looked more like an alchemist’s shop than a Witch’s house.

’Now, guests. Is there an item you desire? Please take your time looking and decide.’

The Witch said, laying out several potion bottles on the table.

’...’

Everyone checked the potion bottles in front of them, glancing at each other and gauging the situation.

Frenda, sticking close to Ian’s side, asked quietly in a low voice.

’This... what on earth is happening?’

’Ah... Miss Frenda hasn’t heard the explanation yet.’

Not only the members of the Ranger Circle but also the members of the Ian Mercenary Group had studied this area sufficiently before entering.

Ariel had shared the information and warnings of this place with the Ian Mercenary Group in advance, and Ian had also taught the members separately.

However, Frenda, who had joined suddenly on the day of departure, was in a situation where she hadn’t properly heard those warnings. Ian had quickly told her the most important things, but she had no information at all about a situation like this.

Ian informed Frenda in a quiet voice.

’That person over there is a Witch.’

’I... could figure that much out. Is she not an enemy?’

’Yes. A Witch might attack people or she might not... but she gets much angrier the more the forest has been destroyed.’

Various materials could be obtained from the objects in this [Witch’s Forest].

Instead, the objects here always demanded something in return. Vitality, mana, or items in one’s possession.

If one destroyed them and took them by force, items could be obtained without paying any price... but instead, the probability of being met with hostility upon encountering the Witch would gradually increase.

However, since it had only been a day since they entered the forest and they hadn’t gone around intentionally destroying the forest, the probability of the Witch being hostile was almost zero.

Frenda, having heard Ian’s explanation and glancing at the Witch, asked again.

’She doesn’t seem particularly angry right now. Then is it okay?’

’For now.... She might get angry depending on our actions.’

’Mainly when does she get angry?’

’When you try to leave without buying anything.’

Ian glanced at the items the Witch had placed on the table. Every single one was a rare item.

At a glance, it didn’t look much different from a [Suspicious Merchant] who occasionally appeared in the Labyrinth.

The problem was... that the items the Witch sold had no price tags.

Frenda noticed this as well and asked Ian about that point.

’There are no price tags. Does she not tell us how much they are?’

’Yes. Here, you don’t buy items with gold coins; there’s another price.’

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

[Top-grade Acceleration Potion] : Gain 15 Erosion upon purchase

[Essence of Fire] : Gain 45 Erosion upon purchase

[Highly Concentrated Mana Amplifier] : Gain 25 Erosion upon purchase

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

That was it.

This [Witch’s Alchemy Shop]... instead of paying gold coins, sold items in exchange for receiving Erosion.

’Fufu...’

Inside the hut where a suffocating silence had settled, there was someone who suddenly let out a small chuckle. It was Rin.

Before departure, Rin, who had heard the detailed story about the Witch’s shop from Ian in advance, stepped forward.

She had already received plenty of explanation on what to do when a Witch appeared.

’I’ll buy all of those!’

’What.’

Ariel, who was unaware of that fact, tried to stop Rin’s sudden action, but before that, the Witch reacted first with a broad smile.

’Ah, a customer! Thank you!’

The Witch held out the potion bottles that were on the table to Rin.

New items brought out by the Witch appeared on the empty table.

’Then the next guest is...’

’No, I’ll buy all of those too! Bring out the next ones!’

’Oh my.’

The Witch put out more items.

As soon as the Witch brought out new items, Rin bought them all up without even properly checking what they were.

’Wait, Leader Ian. Shouldn’t we... stop her?’

’It’s fine. Thanks to her Magic Sword, Rin has a way to deal with it even if her Erosion rises.’

’What?’

Only then did Ariel understand the reason why Rin was perfectly fine even though she was buying up the Witch’s items so indiscriminately.

Normally, if a person bought that many of a Witch’s items, they would have been consumed by the Labyrinth’s curse due to the Erosion and become almost a half-invalid, but Rin looked unfazed.

The Witch attacks guests who leave without buying anything.

Right now, she was wearing a very kind smile that made the name ’Witch’ seem puzzling, but if one acted rudely or tried to leave the shop without buying anything, she would immediately turn hostile and fire magic at them.

Fighting a Witch who indiscriminately cast numerous curses was the absolute worst thing to do.

Ariel also had a memory of when she first met the Witch in this forest without any information; she had attacked first, thinking she was an enemy, and barely managed to come out alive. As an aftereffect of that time, she had been lying in the Temple for almost two months, unable to move.

In other words, the best way to respond when meeting a Witch was to buy the cheapest item from the shop and leave. Even if one received the Labyrinth’s curse, that was much better than fighting the Witch.

However, since more expensive items came with more Erosion, when there were this many people, one had to choose items as tactfully as possible while observing the state of other members.

Ariel had intended to give instructions to the members to buy one appropriate item each and then leave.

But to think there was someone unaffected by Erosion...

There was one question that popped into Ariel’s mind.

Then... what happens if one keeps buying items like that?

Rin didn’t stop and continued to buy items.

All the members of the expedition could only watch with shocked eyes.

How much time had passed? The Witch’s actions, continuously bringing out new potions and materials and placing them on the table whenever Rin made a request, suddenly stopped.

The Witch apologized to Rin with a look of genuine regret.

’Guest, I am sorry. I’ve run out of items.’

It was sold out.