ISEKAI? More like I See Crap!-Chapter 189: After the Battle, Before the Dawn ( )

Fifteen figures moved in tight formation, their steps deliberate and cautious.

A squad of town guards, joined by a handful of rank E adventurers, followed closely by two more experienced rank D fighters at the tail.

Their boots crunched over the packed dirt as they passed through the outer gate, tension thick in the air.

On the walls, guards gripped their bows, eyes fixed on the distant treeline where darkness lurked.

"All units, steady," the squad leader commanded, raising his shield and drawing his sword in one smooth motion.

Without hesitation, the others followed—blades, staves, and bows raised, readiness etched into every movement.

The atmosphere was taut. The recruits whispered incantations quietly, the veteran adventurers adjusting their grips and scanning the woods.

No one spoke aloud, but everyone felt the rising fear. Eyes darted nervously. Hands tightened around weapons.

"...What do we do if it’s a demon?" someone mumbled skeptically.

The squad leader kept his focus steady.

"Depend on the situation. If we must, we fight."

They moved as a single unit, fifteen in perfect formation, nerves strained but disciplined.

The path curved along the hillside toward Macia’s outskirts, dust rising under their disciplined steps.

"Everyone stay alert," the squad leader commanded again.

"Don’t get careless."

"Understood!" responded the squad in unison, tightening their ranks.

The adventurers, some visibly tense and fidgeting, responded with firm nods.

"We’ll stay sharp," one of the rank D fighters murmured, his hand resting on his curved blade.

As they pressed forward, the group slowed on the slight incline leading toward the town’s edge. The orphanage, partially concealed by the rise, appeared behind the trees.

"We’re close," the squad leader whispered, voice low. "Another minute, and we’ll see the forest line."

Suddenly, one of the mages at the rear squinted into the distance.

"Is that smoke...?" he asked softly, pointing ahead.

The patrol paused briefly, heads tilting as they surveyed the horizon.

Thin tendrils of gray drifted over the treetops, shifting with the breeze.

From this distance, it was impossible to tell if it was from battle or something far worse.

The air grew heavy with the scent of scorched fur and blood, faint but unmistakable.

The squad leader’s eyes narrowed sharply.

"Everyone stay alert," he ordered again, voice cold but focused.

Meanwhile, in the forest...

"Ngghhh!! This damn troll’s heavy!" Hazuki groaned as he dragged the charred corpse across the scorched earth, his boots slipping slightly as he pulled it toward the mountain of monster bodies growing nearby.

The field was quiet, but the air smelled strongly of burnt fur and magical ozone. Embers from Ridan’s earlier rampage still crackled in the grass.

"Why are you even dragging all of this?" Ridan asked lazily, floating beside him with arms behind his head. "You realize you’re just stacking cooked meat, right?"

"Of course I am!" Hazuki snapped, puffing out his chest. "If I leave it lying around, something else will come and eat it! No way! I’m not sharing my loot!"

"This is all mine. MINE! Hahaha!"

Elvia, the small elf girl, followed cautiously behind, taking tiny steps.

"U-Um... do you need help?" she asked softly.

Hazuki spun dramatically, pointing a finger at her.

"No no~ This is my loot. My harvest. My income! Don’t worry about that."

Ridan floated down and plopped onto Hazuki’s head, like a smug bird nesting among his messy hair.

"You could’ve just gone back to town and called a merchant to value this tomorrow," Ridan said, eyes glinting.

Hazuki scoffed, now hauling a huge wolf carcass by its hind leg.

"No way. If I miss even one, that’s money flying out of my hands! You think I’ll trust some merchant to count for me?"

With a grunt, he lifted a chunk of the charred beast and slammed it on top of the pile.

"I’m gonna be rich again! RICH, I TELL YOU!! AHAHAHAHA!!!" novelbuddy.cσ๓

His laugh echoed into the smoky night.

Ridan smirked from his perch.

"Look at this idiot building a monster pyramid in the middle of a haunted forest."

Elvia hesitated, her small fingers curling nervously around her dress.

Hazuki, still dragging another goblin torso toward the pile, glanced at her casually.

"Hm? What’s up?" he asked, not slowing his pace.

Elvia paused briefly, then looked away, speaking softly.

"Why... why do you help us?"

Hazuki tilted his head slightly, confused.

"Huh?"

She looked down, voice barely a whisper.

"You could’ve just left. Like the others did. You didn’t have to help."

Hazuki clicked his tongue, adjusting his grip on the next corpse.

"What’re you talking about?" he said casually. "It’s my money. I’ll spend it how I want."

He grinned wide and slammed the monster body onto the pile, dusting his hands as if it was nothing.

Elvia stared at the mound of corpses, then back at him, uncertain.

"You bought clothes... beds... food..." she said softly.

Hazuki shrugged, hauling the next carcass.

"Yeah, and I’m gonna turn these corpses into gold. And earn more. What’s the problem?"

Above them, Ridan remained perfectly still, nestled in Hazuki’s hair like a smug little spirit bird.

He didn’t speak, but in his mind...

This girl... she wasn’t supposed to ask that.

Because this idiot... he doesn’t even know why he helps.

He doesn’t care about fame. Doesn’t care about looking good.

He just helps because he wants to.

And the only dream this fool clings to is marrying that catgirl. That’s it. That’s his whole life goal.

Ridan let out a quiet sigh, tail flicking as he settled deeper into his "nest."

Elvia didn’t press further.

Hazuki kept working, grinning, mumbling about how much gold he would earn.

Ridan watched Elvia quietly follow Hazuki, his gaze flickering between the mountain of monsters and the clueless idiot dragging the corpses along.

Inside his thoughts, a small realization clicked.

"Ah..."

So, this elf girl’s starting to fall for him too, huh?

He already knew about Hazuki’s tiny pinky promise to his dream girl, Ellyn—the one he was eternally bound to.

Ridan sighed silently, sinking deeper into Hazuki’s messy hair like it was a soft pillow.

Why does this idiot always attract girls who look like kids?

His eyes briefly lingered on Elvia, whose hands were now behind her back, following Hazuki with a gentle, thoughtful smile.

Elves didn’t age the same way humans did, many could live for centuries, sometimes even thousands of years. So, technically, she was a "kid" by elf standards.

But by human standards? She was practically an adult.

Ridan groaned inwardly.

Great.

One more complicated flag in this already tangled mess.

All he really wanted was grilled meat, some booze, and to marry his beloved catgirl...

( End Of Chapter )