Even after dawn, trekking through the snow in the woods was much more difficult than Ed had imagined. The snow here is thicker than in Ikewood Forest, and they always have to climb one hill after another, so they simply dismount and walk.

The goblin named Hatta weighs so little that it barely gets stuck in the snow, and looks enviably relaxed. Ed had thought that elves could walk on the snow with agility and not even leave any footprints, but that was clearly an exaggerated rumor.

However, Norvi is very tall, and his long legs still give him a lot of advantages.

Although a little reckless, Ed insisted on opening the way at the front, leaving the elves to stay behind and take care of the two girls. Neither Tess nor Naria complained, which he was very grateful.

They finally understood why this place was called the Windwhispering Forest. The wind never ceaseless to sweep through the treetops, whining like a whisper, shaking the icy snowflakes down on their heads. They also met a lone wolf, wrapped in thick gray-white fur that was even a little cute.

It gave them a nonchalant look and walked away. But its presence made travelers aware of the more real dangers in the forest.

"Being bitten to death by a pack of wolves while being led by a goblin while looking for a dragon is ridiculous no matter how you hear it. Naria said she couldn't have imagined her life would be so strange a few years ago.

"We've got an elf!" Ed gasped and exclaimed, "no beast will attack us!"

"Oh, great, all-powerful elf," Tess asked, pretending to be surprised, "how did I not know you were still of this use?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't," Norway smiled wryly, "there are elves who can communicate with animals, and that requires learning and spending a lot of time with animals. But if it's a beast that's not so hungry or less angry, I might be able to calm them down and not come to our trouble. ”

"So, you're still very useful. Ed said, and then cried out "Ahh

Norway pinched a snowball and threw it hard, smashing it into a tree in front of him.

A shadow from behind the tree rushed out in a panic: "Here, here!

“...... Don't tell me. How far is it to go? Ed was sweating profusely, and as soon as he stopped, he was so cold that he had to keep trying to move forward.

"Over the hillside, another hillside, another wood, another ......"

"Okay, lead the way. Ed sighed in resignation.

They had climbed one hill and rested for a while, and began to cross the other, and the wind blew the snow to the lower ground, which was better to walk than on flat ground, and Nalia walked too quickly, and accidentally slipped on the hillside, and rolled down with her bones, and Tess reached for it but did not hold it. Ed had climbed to the top of the slope and was about to descend when Norway motioned for him to keep an eye on the goblins and retreated to help the girls.

Hatta twitched her ears nervously, suddenly realizing that it was a good time.

It spun around and sped across the snow like a rabbit, disappearing in a few clicks.

"Hey!" Ed was caught off guard, dropping the reins and stumbling to follow.

"Ed!" called out Norwe, who heard Ed's voice, but couldn't see the top of the slope.

No one responded.

"Go after him!" Tess, who was leading the horse, shouted at him and began to walk back, "We'll follow you!"

Naria, who had rolled down the slope, had already gotten up on her own, patted the snow on her body vigorously, waved at them, and seemed to be fine.

The elf rushed up the hill, and there were no goblins and Ed in sight, only a horse standing there dumbfounded, leaving clear footprints on the snow.

He followed the footprints and ran forward, secretly reproaching himself for his carelessness. I should have tied the little green-skinned monster with a rope...... Or watch the goblins himself. Ed was not wary of Hatta, and that was definitely a mistake.

If there were any traces left by Hatta, they had been covered by Ed, footprints, handprints, and he almost crawled after the goblins. Norway genuinely hoped that Hatta had fled only out of fear, if not......

He drew the folding light crossbow that had been slung on his back and unfolded the small weapon.

Ed knew he couldn't catch up with the goblins, he was just a little unwilling.

Moreover, the hateful creature stopped from time to time to look back at him, as if to laugh at him.

"Hey...... You don't want ...... Is it shiny!" he asked aloud and intermittently, struggling to breathe, and his chest aching a little like vomiting.

He heard the elf calling him, but he ran faster.

Before Norway catches up, he vows to catch that little bastard!

Ahead was a small clearing, the snow was not thick, and the goblins were running straight ahead. There was no place to hide here, he just had to hurry a little faster......

He held back his strength and rushed over, suddenly feeling a chill in his chest, and a strange sensation made his hair stand on end in an instant. He stopped suddenly, but fell forward by inertia, and where his hands were supported, the snow that had looked unremarkable collapsed silently, and he fell headfirst into a large pit, and his heart was cold.

Pitfall.

The hunters of Karnak also use this trap to catch wild beasts, and he knows very well what awaits him at the bottom of the pit.

There was only a blank space in my mind. He didn't react when he hit the stake at the bottom of the pit, but stuck his head down on the edge of the pit in a comical position.

The god of luck favored him. Because he slipped off the edge rather than falling straight away, he didn't stick to the top of the sharp stake, but got stuck in the gap between the stake and the edge of the pit.

"Ed!"

Norvi's anxious call brought him back to his senses. He felt as if his neck was broken...... But he's alive.

He tried to tell the elf that he was okay, but his throat was blocked by something, and he couldn't make a sound, until the elf pulled him out of the pit, and he was still in a trance, touching his neck in a daze, and after a while he let out a smirk at the elf.

"Hey!" he said, "I'm still alive." ”

Norvi's face was even more ugly than his, and the anger in his blackened green eyes startled Ed.

"I'm sorry!" he blurted out, "it's my fault......"

The elf shook his head, checked him for damage, and pulled him up without saying a word.

He was so silent that even Ed didn't dare to speak again, and followed him back nervously, and before he had gone far, the elf turned around suddenly, and as soon as he raised his hand, a small crossbow arrow shot out with a sharp sound from the light crossbow in his palm.

On the tree on the other side of the trap, a mass of rags screamed and fell.

Ed froze.

“...... You killed it?"