An active hunter from Hokkaido was thrown into another world

Chapter 19 Pigeon slayer Shin

On the first day of acquiring the rifle, I visited the farm where those infamous prairie dogs were said to be.

Using a .308 for prairie dogs is definitely overkill. It’s clearly excessive in terms of power.

However, one could argue that they make good practice targets to gain experience… to some extent, at least.

Normally, a .22 caliber rifle is sufficient for hunting them. There are even people who use pre-charged air rifles for pest control.

Using a laser rangefinder, I measured the distance and aimed at a prairie dog about the size of a cat, standing and surveying its surroundings, at a distance of 150m.

BANG!

…

According to Saran, who was watching through binoculars, the prairie dog’s body was split into two as it flew away.

Indeed, it’s more appropriate to hunt these creatures with a .22 caliber rifle.

The noise is so loud that they immediately dive into their burrows and won’t come out. This further emphasizes the need to use a quieter .22 caliber for hunting them.

There are about ten burrows in the field, and I managed to take down around five of them one by one… Saran was quite disturbed by the sight of the prairie dogs getting all messy and flying off.

Prairie dogs have an adorable appearance and behavior, and sometimes there are family groups near their burrows, so the sense of guilt is quite intense.

“Let’s stop, Shin…”

“Yeah…”

The condition of the bodies was so gruesome that it was difficult for the farmer to collect them, so we just had a brief conversation about it and didn’t accept any money.

The next day, we visited a farmer who was troubled by coyote damage, as we had anticipated.

They had sheep and cows.

We walked away from the cows and sheep within the enclosure and reached a spot where we could overlook the grassland.

Coyotes don’t approach while hiding themselves. They boldly and confidently cross the grassland in broad daylight. They underestimate humans, don’t they?

When they came within about 150m…

BANG!

“Got it!”

Now, let’s wait a little longer…

Around 200m? Let’s measure with the rangefinder.

Aim just below the crosshair of the scope…

BANG!

“Got it!”

It seems that these two coyotes are the only ones causing trouble on this farm. That’s a relief.

They were a male and a female. Maybe a married couple.

Don’t take it the wrong way, they’re just a young couple.

“Rifles are amazing, aren’t they?” Saran is also impressed.

Yeah, there’s no other means in this world that can attack from such a distance.

Looking at the impact, it went through. The exit wound looks clean.

Copper bullets are hard, so they might pass through the body of a coyote without deforming. We don’t use their meat or fur, so it doesn’t matter where you hit them.

As a token of gratitude, we received a big bag of wool.

It’s not always about money, right? Let’s try selling it to the guild.

Saran is happily smiling.

She seems to really like the fluffy wool.

“I wonder if we can make a blanket out of this! I want to be an elf shepherd!”

Is that what you’re thinking?

You’ve always been obsessed with fluffy beds.

Well then, let’s not sell this and take it home.

We’ll somehow manage to pack it into the magic bag.

“Feather futons are great for sleeping on. But when it comes to luxury, nothing beats a down comforter.”

“A down comforter?”

“It’s made from bird feathers. It’s lightweight and warm.”

“Wow, that sounds amazing! With that, even an elf could make one.”

“Maybe we should try finding an inn that uses down comforters. It must be really comfortable.”

…

As we said these things, we both blushed.

We’re newlyweds, after all.

“Hey, where were you two going? It’s work time!”

When we returned to the guild, Guildmaster Bal called out to us.

“Where were you going? Obviously, it’s for work.”

“You’ve been assigned a job. It’s from the lord!”

From the lord!?

“The dovecote at the mansion is overrun with pigeons. They want you to exterminate them. It’s the stable master’s request.”

So that’s what it is…

“It’s already late, isn’t it? Can we do it tomorrow?”

“No, it’s troublesome to keep them waiting. It’s better to at least show up today.”

High-ranking officials are always troublesome, no matter where you go…

“Understood. Is there a written request?”

“There’s nothing like that. A messenger came, gave the order, and asked you to report. That’s how it is.”

…

I have a bad feeling about this.

“Which mansion are you referring to?”

“You’ll know when you see it.”

Indeed, it’s quite obvious. We know it all too well. It’s the largest estate, after all.

Alright, the two of us walked along, step by step.

To avoid any trouble from being seen taking out the air gun from the magic bag, I covered it with a gun case and carried it on my back.

We’ve reached the grand gate.

Hmm, what should we do now?

Let’s go around the mansion.

There’s another entrance. We can see the estate workers tending to the garden through the fence.

“Excuse me.”

“Yes, what can I do for you?”

“We were called by the Hunter’s Guild. We’ve been assigned to exterminate the pigeons.”

“Oh, I’ve heard about it. Just a moment, please.”

After waiting for a while, the stable master arrived.

“Hey, sorry for the wait.”

It’s already dusk, though.

“…You’re a tall lady.”

Please, let it go.

Wherever we go, we keep hearing that. At this point, we’ve gotten used to it.

At first, Saran would giggle with a smile, but lately, she just ignores it.

“When the lord came to visit the horses, a pigeon pooped on him, and it made my husband furious.”

Ah, I see…

“When paying a visit, which entrance is considered proper etiquette?”

“You’re not exactly guests, so this gate is fine. It would have been rude to come through the main gate. Can you show me your Hunter’s ID card, just to be sure?”

…That was close. We almost boldly entered through the main gate.

“Hmm, Saran and Shin, right? I’ll remember that.”

“The pigeons will keep coming. It makes our job easier if you remember us.”

“Yeah, I heard you exterminated all the pigeons in the Guild’s warehouse. Shin, the Pigeon Slayer.”

Do they really call me that?

“We recently arrived in this town. What is the name of the lord?”

“It’s Viscount Kiharu de Altars.”

“If we happen to meet him, how should we address him?”

“Just call him Lord Altars. Though I don’t think you’ll have any occasion to meet him.”

“Could you show us the stable?”

“It’s this way.”

Hmm… It’s already dark.

But I can hear the cooing of pigeons. They’re circling around.

“We can exterminate them even at night. Could you bring some lamps?”

Firing guns at night and indoors is strictly prohibited by firearm regulations, but this is a different world. Those rules don’t apply here.

Lamps are brought in, and the stable becomes dimly lit.

So many horses… Maybe around twenty.

Truly befitting of nobility.

In the wooden stable attic, they’re everywhere… Over twenty of them, I’d say.

They’ve made this their roost. Pigeons huddled on the wooden beams, filling the space.

“Can we start right away?”

“Please do.”

Click, click, click, click, click.

I pull the lever of the Diana M52 and load a pellet into the chamber, taking aim smoothly.

“What in the world is that!?”

“It’s just a type of tool. Don’t mind it.”

“A magical tool, huh…”

I’ll let that comment slide.

With the bright scope of 50mm caliber attached, I can see even in the darkness.

Thud!

Flutter, flutter, flutter… Plop.

“It… it’s that easy…”

Saran quickly picks up the fallen pigeon and puts it in a bag.

Saran is used to it. I, on the other hand, don’t really want to go inside with all those horses shaking and snorting.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

I start taking down every pigeon that catches my eye.

The spring air rifle doesn’t make much noise, you see.

It’s just about as loud as opening and closing a door.

So, it doesn’t disturb the horses at all.

In the dimly lit area where visibility is poor, I align the flashlight with the rifle, gripping them together, and shoot while illuminating the target.

Thud. Thud.

The pigeons come down easily. It’s going quite well.

At night, pigeons huddle and sleep, so it’s easy.

It’s actually easier at night.

“What… what is that lamp?”

Ah, in this world, it’s an advanced technology flashlight, right?

“It’s a Maglite.”

“A magical tool light, huh…”

I feel like there’s a misunderstanding, but I’ll let it slide.

…I’m hungry.

I’m starving.

I haven’t eaten anything since lunch…