I Will Be Unrivaled With The Skill [Sewing]! They Said It Was A Bad Skill, But With Effort, I will Make It A Hit~ - Chapter 16

Episode 16: Is It Okay to Assist?

Finally, the day of the request had arrived.

Preparations began early in the morning, and they would depart soon after.

When they gathered at the west gate, the members of Verdant Prayer were there, preparing a large carriage.
Seneca and Maior greeted them properly and learned about carriage maintenance and pre-departure checklists.

Not long after, members of Oak Branch began arriving one after another.
Since they had already warmed up before coming, they were ready for action.
In joint requests like this, it was common for lower-ranked members to handle the trivial preparations while higher-ranked members, who bore greater responsibility for the mission’s success, focused on getting their bodies in peak condition.

Naeus was brimming with energy, seemingly ready to fight at full strength at any moment.
Seneca reflected on how much she and Maior still had to learn about such meticulous preparation and energy management.

Incidentally, this mission didn’t require such extensive readiness. However, both Oak Branch and Verdant Prayer had deliberately treated it as a training opportunity for Seneca and Maior.

Additionally, this mission involved camping. The decision to assign them a mission with camping was made by Turia.
The two of them were quite fortunate.

After Naeus provided several cautionary points and a review of the mission details, the group set out.

As they passed through the gate, the usual gatekeeper was there. Seneca waved at him with a smile.
The gatekeeper, being a fan of Seneca, found himself in a better mood and figured the day’s work would be more enjoyable.

Once outside the gate, they were in a world where the strong devoured the weak.
With a resolute attitude, Naeus called out.

“Menon, use Detection!”

His voice carried clearly to Maior.
Startled, Maior turned to look at Menon.

Moved by Naeus’s impeccable timing, Menon silently praised him in his heart.

After Menon used Detection and confirmed there were no nearby threats, Maior ran up to him.

“So, your skill is Detection, Menon-san? If I’d known, there were so many things I wanted to ask…!”

Seeing Maior’s enthusiasm, Menon clenched his fist tightly.
Although he almost responded boastfully, he stopped himself, replying instead with a slightly smug but polite tone.

“We’ve got a long journey ahead, so you’ll have plenty of chances to see how I do it. Can you detect only monsters with your Detection, or have you already started picking up humans as well?”

Though Menon often referred to her as “Maior-chan” when she wasn’t around, he suddenly became formal when speaking to her face-to-face.

“I can clearly detect monsters. I’ve also started sensing large amounts of magic.”

“What? That’s rare!”

Most people with Detection learn to sense humans after monsters. However, exceptions like Maior, who detect something else, are extremely uncommon.

As skills develop, their unique characteristics begin to emerge. Detection, in particular, is said to branch off early, often showing signs of specialization even before leveling up.

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. Besides, sensing magic as your second target? That’s unheard of. Usually, it takes reaching Level 2 or, for some, even Level 3 before they can sense magic.”

Maior and Menon walked side by side ahead of the carriage, chatting.

Menon continued, “When you reach Level 2, your sub-skill might be something extraordinary. In cases like this, it often turns out to be something remarkable.”

“Can I ask what your sub-skill is, Menon-san?”

“Sure, I don’t mind sharing. It’s Trace Detection.”

“Wow! That’s so rare!”

Maior’s lively reaction pleased Menon.

“Thanks to that, Oak Branch’s coffers are pretty full.”

Menon’s sub-skill, Trace Detection, enhanced his ability to find monster traces. From the traces, he could determine the type of monster and when it had been there, making him highly skilled at tracking.
This ability allowed Oak Branch to hunt efficiently and frequently led to requests for tracking-based missions.

“I wonder what mine will be…”

Watching Maior ponder, Menon felt a sense of warmth. But then he realized something important and stiffened.

“Two years since you gained your skill, and you’re already onto a second one? That means Level 2 isn’t far off.”

Menon resolved to support the young girl’s growth in whatever way he could.

The group reached the campsite without encountering any monsters along the way.

Thanks to the efforts of Menon and Maior, it was confirmed that no monsters were present in the vicinity.

Seneca and Maior helped set up camp and even learned some cooking skills. As the day came to an end, they found it curious how overly appreciative the men were of their efforts.

That night, Seneca and Maior stood watch alongside Julia from Oak Branch. Using Maior’s Detection sparingly, they stayed vigilant, listening to Julia’s advice on watchkeeping techniques.

Waking from fragmented sleep, they found morning had arrived. When the two got up, they saw Naeus and the early shift watchers already moving to loosen up their bodies. Following their example, the two began to stretch slowly until their senses fully awakened.

After being taught the morning tasks of breaking camp, they ate breakfast and prepared for departure. Maior joined Menon at the front to assist with detection, while Seneca, who had been in the rear the previous day, walked mid-column today, chatting with Julia.

After some time, Menon, whose detection range was second to none, sensed something amiss.

“Sorry, Annia. Stop the wagon, please.”

Calling out to Annia, who was seated on the coach seat, Menon immediately headed to Naeus.

“Naeus, we’ve got enemies. A horde of about a hundred Dark Kobolds led by a leader—a massive group.”

“What? Is the village ahead safe?”

“I’m not sure. They’re just at the edge of my detection range, so they’re still quite far off.”

“Given the village’s potential danger, we should hold them here and deal with them.”

Naeus quickly shifted into a focused mode, processing the situation with precision.

“Menon, could you gather the members of Verdant Prayer? I’ll relay the message to Julia.”

“Understood.”

Soon, everyone was gathered. Seneca and Maior had already grasped the situation after being briefed by Maior.

Naeus shared the results of his discussion with Julia.

“Everyone! As you’ve probably heard, Menon detected a horde of Dark Kobolds, roughly a hundred strong, led by a leader. There’s a village nearby, and I’ve determined that with our current team, we can eliminate them.”

Naeus spoke with unwavering determination.

“Menon, approach the horde and check for other groups nearby. After that, head straight to the village. You’ll have discretion over your actions there, but if you find a significant Kobold presence, prioritize retreat.”

“Got it.”

“The rest of Oak Branch and Verdant Prayer will attack the horde and wipe them out. With Annia’s magic, we should minimize any stragglers.”

“Understood.”

“Lastly, Seneca and Maior, your task is to guard the wagon while picking off any fleeing Dark Kobolds. But don’t pursue them recklessly. Your lives are the priority, followed by the wagon, and lastly, the Kobolds. Don’t forget this order.”

Instructions from seasoned adventurers often took on an authoritative tone, so calling them by their given names directly added a sense of urgency. Thanks to this, Seneca and Maior snapped to attention, fully engaged.

“Once Menon returns, and the Dark Kobolds enter Maior’s detection range, we’ll commence the battle. By the way, do you two have experience fighting Dark Kobolds?”

“Yes. As long as we’re not surrounded by large numbers, we can handle them without issue.”

“Good. That’s sufficient.”

In truth, Maior and Seneca had previously wiped out a horde of thirty Kobolds on their own.

“Any questions?” Naeus asked. Seneca raised her hand.

“Can we provide support from long range?”

With that, Seneca glanced at Maior. Following her gaze, Naeus noticed the bow slung across Maior’s back. He assumed that they planned to use it for ranged support.

“Permission granted. However, ensure you follow the priority order I mentioned earlier and avoid friendly fire.”

“Thank you!”

Though it was about Maior’s bow, Seneca was the one expressing gratitude, which felt slightly out of place. Naeus figured it might be a dynamic unique to their partnership and decided not to dwell on it.

“If there are no other questions, we’ll proceed with the operation. Menon, you’re up.”

“Got it!”

With that, Ménon disappeared swiftly.

As they waited, discussing finer points of the plan, Menon returned.

“Naeus, there don’t seem to be other groups nearby. However, there are Orcs in a distant location. If we’re dealing with them, we should act quickly.”

“Understood. Thanks, Menon. The village is in your hands.”

“Got it!”

Just like before, Menon smoothly vanished toward the village.

With Ménon’s report in hand, the plan moved to the next phase. Maior’s Detection would be crucial in reducing stragglers, so they needed to draw the enemies within her range.

However, merely reaching the outer limits of her range wouldn’t suffice—they needed to approach closer for better understanding of the situation.

The group advanced cautiously, minimizing noise from the wagon as they neared the horde.

After progressing slowly, Maior spoke up.

“At this distance, I can sense the horde clearly. If we get closer, it’ll be even better, but I think going any further risks alerting them.”

Naeus nodded and halted their advance. He couldn’t help but marvel at the extent of Maior’s detection range. Having worked with Menon for years, he could gauge someone’s skill level by their detection ability. To him, it seemed Maior’s expertise had accumulated to a point where she was nearing Level 2.

“Alright, let’s move on to the next stage. Once we’re closer, I’ll give the signal, and Akars and Annia will launch their magic attacks. I’ll leave the choice of magical attributes to the two of you.”

With that, Naeus drew his sword from its sheath.