Oh great goddess, I really shouldn't be here.

Every step I make feels like it might be my last.

The trees and bushes get denser by the minute, and I feel invisible eyes on me.

Whenever there's a sound I get startled, as I can’t tell if it’s some lurking creature, the plants themselves, or merely the wind.

I tried to read as much as I could about this place, but now I fear this was a mistake, as this knowledge wasn't the slightest bit more soothing than blissful ignorance.

"Watch out, dead weight!" (J)

Before I really know what's going on a shadow rushes in my direction.

I know it can't be anything friendly.

Not in this place.

So I have the only reasonable reaction.

"Iiiieeehk!" (L)

It seems my high-pitched scream came unexpectedly to the little creature, which I recognize as some cat with extremely long claws.

That must be a felira, if I'm right.

"Sstk"

Before it can reorient itself to jump at me again, an arrow perfectly pierces its neck.

"Good distraction, dead weight!" (J)

"Y-yeah. Sure." (L)

As for the reason why I could stay so calm in this situation.

We already had four other of those encounters.

Well, not all of them with my direct involvement, but for some reason, the monsters prefer to single me out.

It might be because I'm a mage.

Higher magic makes them prone to attack for greater benefit.

Though, it’s weird as I'm not that much of a mage, and it doesn't explain why Alian is only their second-best preferred.

Maybe it's because I'm looking weak and like an easy target.

By the way "dead weight" is the loving nickname they granted to me.

It refers both to how I can't contribute very much, and to the fact that I might die any moment.

At least they stopped saying things to each other about how they should have already abandoned me.

That's some kind of improvement I think.

They even protect me from the monsters that come at me, which is something, I guess.

"So, how exactly are we supposed to go about this quest? Just kill some spider types and say those were the targets? I mean, they can't expect us to find the exact spiders that approached the town. Or tell if we got any other." (E)

"We're at least required to slay a certain number of them. The lord wants some silk in addition, so we need to make sure that the client is happy. Five to ten should be enough, depending on the size." (R)

"The main issue is that they like to flock together. One can't be sure that where there's one, there won't be a dozen more. So be careful." (J)

"Yeah, yeah. If anything happens we'll just give them dead weight and make a run for it." (E)

That... hurt.

"That's not appropriate. I don't want to hear something like that again. Not even as a joke. We're honorable guildsmen and won't stoop so low as to abandon our own. No matter who they are." (R)

I know very well that he considers me useless too.

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That's not nice to hear, but it seems my life won't be in danger.

"Yeah, sorry. I went overboard. Won't happen again." (E)

"Good. Now be quiet or you'll alert them if they're close." (R)

Well, I'm kinda glad that he didn't force him to do a dishonest apology.

That would've just been awkward.

After a while, John suddenly signals our troop to stop.

"There! Look!" (J)

We approach the point John pointed at and find a little white strand.

One that just seems to be draped through the trees and bushes from one side of us to the other.

I can neither see where it starts nor where it ends.

"Hah, this is very interesting. This is certainly spider silk. Yet it's unusual for the regular ones to make a strand this long. You can see it's going till over there and even further into the forest. A normal spider wouldn't do such a thing." (J)

"Is this supposed to be a web? Don't see how anyone could get caught up in this." (Connor)

"This looks to me like an alarm construction. I think if we break it the creature that set it up will know about it." (J)

"We can be rather sure it was one of the spiders we're looking for." (R)

"Hey, then we should just break through it! Then the spider will come, right?" (E)

"Scritsh"

He just sliced through it with his sword.

"You idiot! We don't know how many that's going to call and I don't want them to get the jump on us!" (R)

Does that mean a horde of spiders is now on the way to our position?

"Well, I don't think we have much of a choice now." (A)

"Damn! Everyone! Prepare yourself and move in formation!" (R)

O-okay!

That means I should move close behind the second line.

I need to pay attention not to get into anyone's way.

We're all waiting for the spiders to arrive, but even after what feels like hours to me, not a single one shows up.

"Well, doesn't look like they're coming." (C)

I think Connor is right.

There isn't the slightest sign that anything is approaching.

"Tsk. Seems like it. John, you're the tracking expert. What are your thoughts?" (R)

"The monsters are apparently not coming. I can't really tell why. The web might be deserted. Now for the question of where they are, they might either be wherever this string leads to or, if this is supposed to be a barrier of some sort, somewhere deeper behind it." (J)

That means we either follow along the silk strands or move past them.

"If it's like this we should split up here!" (R)

Is he serious?!

"Boss?" (C)

"Okay, here's how we do this. We'll split into two teams. Half of you will follow the strings. Gather them while you're at it. Can't hurt to work on completing this part of the quest. If you find something at the end of it or if you don't, doesn't matter, you will return. The rest of us will head deeper into the grove. If we don't find our targets, we'll set up the camp for today and wait for the others. Don't forget, we're only here to fulfill the minimal requirements of our mission. Nobody plays the hero!" (R)

With this, the situation is clear for everyone.

Alian goes with the group that follows the silk, while I go with Roland's which, among others, consists of John, Edward, and Connor.

I don't think that separating is a good idea, but nobody is challenging Roland and I'm the last who could do so.

Everything is already decided upon.

So we move past the silk strand, further into the part of the forest it protected.

Rather soon, evidence piles up that John was right with his second decision, as we find more and more stray strands of silk.

Roland orders us to gather what we can for the second condition of the mission.

The further we go the less I think this is a good idea.

There's not a single spider to be found, but I kinda feel like they're aware of our presence.

We shouldn't be here.

Most of the time the forest is too dense to really let light through and the atmosphere is so eery.

But then we find a clearing.

It's next to a small lake with enough light not to freak out the whole time.

"This here looks good! Chop down the trees nearby. I want you to erect a palisade before nightfall." (R)

Chop down the trees?!

Is he serious?!

I need to say something!

"S-sir. I-if we do this, what about the forest? The Evergrove might retaliate." (L)

"Liana? I see you lack experience. The Evergrove doesn't react to every little fallen tree. It doesn't like if they're repeatedly cut down, that's true, but this is only a temporary camp. At most, it might send some creatures. Which would be perfectly in our favor, considering what we expect to find here. I'd rather fight them here on our terms than have them ambush us while we're on the move. Understood?" (R)

"Y-yes." (L)

"Good. Then stop questioning my decisions, please." (R)

He doesn't sound angry, but from his demeanor, I can see that he's upset.

Abruptly, I feel a hand on my shoulder.

"Don't take it too hard. Your thought process wasn't completely wrong. However, you shouldn't assume someone who’s been in the business as long as Roland wouldn't know his stuff." (J)

It's John!

I didn't interact with him all that much, but he speaks to me in such a gentle way.

"Uh, okay. Th-thank you." (L)

"Great. Don't worry too much. This mission won't take all that much longer. Just push through and after this, we can splurge our earnings a bit." (J)

My, what a smile.

"Yes." (L)

"Nice! So that's a date!" (J)

A, a date?!

He's walking away now!

"Seriously, John? What do you want with dead weight?" (E)

"No idea what you mean. She might improve as a healer and doesn't look half bad." (J)

"Hah, should've known it!" (E)

"W-well... In some way this is a compliment, right?

Right?