“Hmmm, I think I need to think about countermeasures now.”
It’s been three weeks since we subjugated the goblins in the outskirt village. However, there are still a lot of people who want to party with us.
The decent ones understood the situation, and there is no problem with the people who are usually with me when I collect medicinal herbs. The only people left now are those who are struggling with money because their requests are not going well, and those who are vain.
Adventurers here know that we made a lot of money slaying goblins during this time. And since it’s dangerous to have a lot of money on hand, I deposited it in a place like a guild bank. This does not earn interest, but it can be withdrawn from any guild, so it is said that the higher the adventurer, the more often it is used.
“Hey, hey, can you let me into your party? And will you lend me some money?”
“I’m going to join your party. If I’m in, I can party in the night.”
There are so many selfish people like this that it’s hard to say no. This has been going on every day, and I have become mentally exhausted.
And finally, an incident occurred.
“Why are you teaming up with this brat and amateurs instead of us!?”
“I’m not convinced that you’re turning me down.”
“Hmph! I don’t go with people who say mean things to me!”
““Hiiii!””
“A-a-awawawa”
Today, I was going to pick medicinal herbs with the usual group of people, but they started to pick a problem with the people I was going with.
On the other hand, Shiro and Ao were quite angry. Standing between the people who always go with us and the people who have started picking on us, she glared as much as she can. Ao also released some pressure. And the person who has been intimidated by little Shiro and Ao started screaming.
It was common knowledge in this guild that Shiro and Ao had defeated a Goblin General, so they probably thought they couldn’t hold a candle to them in terms of physical strength.
Sue was a little nervous, but she was getting annoyed as well.
“Please stop. I’m not going to party with anyone who bothers anyone I know.”
When I said it while glaring at the people involved, the Guild Master and the burly guild staff members, who heard the commotion, came to the window and shouted quite angrily at those people.
“Shun is right, your stalking behavior is causing trouble for the people around you.”
“What’s more, it seems to be causing trouble elsewhere as well.”
“It’s time to follow the rules of adventurers and subject them to a disciplinary meeting.”
“““Hii!”””
Glared at by Guild Master and the burly guild staff members, the people who were involved quickly ran away.
In the end, I realized they were just some adventurers acting stupidly, so all I could do was sigh.
✲✲✲
“I guess it’s about time to start thinking about a few things…”
“Come to think of it, you’re going to the neighboring frontier territory in the spring, aren’t you?”
“That’s right. I think it’s about time to start taking into account the travel time and other things.”
“Well, there are some idiots out there, so it’s not a bad idea to think about the future.”
On the way back from collecting medicinal herbs, I talked to the other members of the inn as we realized that we don’t want to become famous and cause trouble for the people around us.
Considering the future, I’m starting to think that it’s not a bad idea to consider moving.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
It’s been two weeks since the goblin subjugation that took place in an outskirt village.
I was spending my days doing my usual requests, but I heard that the Margrave had a report about the incident, so I headed to the Margrave’s mansion for the first time in a long time.
I was immediately ushered into a waiting room, then the Margrave came shortly after.
“First of all, I lodged a strong protest with Count Bakuak on this matter and demanded compensation, and I received a ridiculous reply.”
“Ridiculous reply?”
Knowing that Count family, it’s not surprising that there will be a ridiculous response. However, the Margrave also had a stunned look on his face, so it must be a reply that is not a good one at all.
“He replied that those two people did not exist in their house.”
“What!?”
“In other words, he wanted to erase the existence of those two and make it seem that they never lived in Bakuak House.”
“What a brute move……”
“Of course, I can’t accept such a reason. I have reported the whole incident to His Majesty through the Ministry of Internal Affairs.”
I never thought Count Bakuak could be that stupid. I guess he was really a hopeless person. There’s no way he could hide something like that.
“His Majesty summoned Count Bakuak and was apparently quite angry, as he could not allow anything to happen to the Margrave who is the protector of the country. He ordered the forced replacement of the head of the family and a heavy fine. It will be a while before the fine is received, but we can consider this matter closed.”
“Do you think Count Bakuak will do anything more?”
“I don’t think so, or rather, he wouldn’t be able to do it even if he wanted to. If their House were found to have ties to a dark organization, or they start bothering us again, it wouldn’t be surprising if their House collapse.”
“If I recall correctly, they were a group that cared about honor. They will likely be quiet for a while.”
In a way, I feel relieved that they will no longer be bothering the people in town.
The Margrave went on to tell me about the two of them.
“That third son has become so honest, as if a burden has been lifted from him. It seems that losing his sister was quite a shock. However, this case is inexcusable. No matter how much he was instigated by that dark organization, one wrong move could have wiped out the entire village. The third son will be sent to church and will live in faith and labor for the rest of his life.”
“It was too late for him to understand everything.”
“Exactly. He said that he will now spend his time quietly praying for his sister’s soul.”
It’s only when you lose someone important to you that you understand a lot of things. From now on, I want you to live my life without straying from the path.
“And as for the woman from that dark organization, we were unable to investigate her in detail.”
“You weren’t able to investigate?”
“She kept silent during the interrogation and did not speak, then she killed herself with a knife that she had hidden.”
“In that case, it’s impossible to investigate any further huh.”
“Mmm. We couldn’t find anything from her belongings either. This is the end of the investigation, and we’ll just have to leave it to the government.”
The Margrave also spoke with a wry smile.
The hidden knife was almost like a concealed weapon and would never have been found during a normal body search. They are already considering measures to prevent the same thing from happening again.
Well, this is not our area to intervene in, so we can only leave it to them.
“Now that the assessment is over, I’m arranging for you to receive the reward the next time you go to the guild.”
“Thank you very much.”
“I’m the one who should thank you, you guys really helped me out. If you don’t have anything to do, I’d like you to stay here in the southern frontier for a long time.”
“For me, this is also the place where I started being an adventurer, so if I have the opportunity, I would like to continue my adventurer activities here.”
I’m more concerned about the future than about money. There are a lot of very good people in this town, and I would like to come back as an adventurer someday.
That is also my true intention.
I’m sure Shiro and Ao are thinking the same thing.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
It seems that Mia-san and Parine-san’s relationship was purely based on a request. When we stepped onto the main street, Parine-san raised her hand and said, “Well, thank you again!”, then she walked away.
Just when I thought that she has turned to the corner, the next moment, a horse-drawn carriage took off from the same path at high speed. It was a sturdy two-horse carriage that seemed out of place in the poor streets of this area.
I watched in shock as it left.
Did she ride that?
“Rion, this way.”
Mia-san called out to me, so I hurried over to catch up to her. Because she is tall, she takes long strides. My pouch, which was packed with magic stones that were supposed to be sold, shook greatly as I walked in a hurry.
『You are going to convert it into money, right? 』
“That was the plan but….”
As we whispered, Mia-san turned around.
“Rion, do you have a Master? Or a senior adventurer?”
I felt a prickling pain in my chest.
“……I don’t have any.”
In reality, it was supposed to be my father.
Beginners in the Royal Capital aren’t allowed to enter dungeons without an introduction from someone. Because the population is so large, if there’s no limit on the number of people who can come and go inside, the exploration area will become filled with people.
Usually, the person who introduces you will then act as your senior and teach you all sorts of things. But now that Father is gone, I don’t have anyone to turn to.
“What about your father’s friends or acquaintances?”
Mia-san seems to know about my father’s death. The fact that she doesn’t ask about father is proof of that.
“In the battle in where my father died, all of my father’s companions died too—they are all gone. I was familiar with some weapon and armor shop owners, but when the nobles took charge of the Eastern side, they either left the Royal Capital or went out of business.”
“The bloody sunset huh. A lot of people I know got killed then too.”
Two years ago, there was an incident in the wilderness. From a place where there is no dungeon, a sudden outbreak of monsters occurred. Adventurers and knights went to suppress it, and Father and his companions died there.
The direction was west of the Royal Capital, and the sunset looked blood-stained due to the number of casualties there. That’s why it’s called bloody sunset.
The fear the adventurers have about monsters “coming out one day” became well-founded. Just like in the battle where my father died, there are now many monsters roaming outside.
Did they come from an undiscovered dungeon? Or is there a monster nest in the forest or wilderness?
Various people are still investigating that.
“I’m sorry, that was a dumb question. Alright, you should remember where I’m going to take you now.”
Mia-san took me to the west side of city. That’s where the Western Dungeon of the Royal Capital’s Four Labyrinth is located. The monsters there are stronger than in the Eastern Dungeon, and I’ve never entered it.
But I like this area.
It’s because there’s a lot of vitality here.
Compared to the stagnant feeling in the East Dungeon, everyone walks around with their heads held high. Perhaps it’s the tension of risking one’s life and the good money that makes them feel that way.
“This area is near the canal, isn’t it?”
I pass by muscular backs carrying barrels and wooden boxes. They are likely loading and unloading luggage from the canal. The voice of the vendors are painful to the ears. It’s like gathering all the bustle of the Royal City in one place.
“Oh? As expected of a wake-up caller, you know the area well.”
The Royal City is sometimes more of a maze than the dungeon. When I looked up, I saw a rope to hang laundry. A blacksmith’s apron is fluttering in the wind.
“Are we going to the artisan district?”
“Correct.”
Mia-san winked at me.
We then turned a corner. I saw a row of shops selling weapons, armor, and medicines suited for adventurers.
“Wow……!”
There is a similar town in the East Dungeon, but the selection of products and the cleanliness of the streets are different. Men with colorful armor wanders around, and a party bragging and chatting about the results of their battle passes by.
This is a scene where Father had longed for but ended up being left behind.
Mia-san entered a shop. It was an impressive structure taking up the floor space of several houses, with multiple chimneys.
A blacksmith’s shop —or was it more of a “workshop” at this size?
Regardless of my hesitation, Mia-san stepped in.
“Hey, old man. Can you buy some magic stone for me?”
“Oh, if it isn’t Axe cat girl! Don’t say that out loud you know.”
“It’s fine, right?”
“……Tch. Come inside.”
She went straight to the point.
I turned pale and I hurriedly pulled Mia-san’s hand as she tried to go further in.
“W-wait, are you buying and selling directly with a merchant?”
Materials from dungeons are usually sold to guilds. Medicinal herbs and magic stones are sold by guilds to merchants, and the quality is guaranteed because they include appraisal fees and refining fees. It was also advantageous for adventurers because the purchase price does not fluctuate much.
On the other hand, it is also allowed to wholesale to merchants you find yourselves.
Or rather—it’s a gray area.
It’s not forbidden, but there’s an unspoken understanding that the materials from the dungeon will be sold to the guild.
In this case where there is no involvement of the guild, the adventurer can negotiate the price on his own. In other words, if you are not recognized as a “good adventurer” who is worthy of a deal, you cannot even get in to negotiate.
Long ago, before there were guilds, there were a lot of experienced merchants who would buy magic stones at bargain prices. The Adventurer’s Guild then became an association where adventurers can band together and negotiate prices.
If you’re willing to lose a lot of money by buying and selling outside the guild, feel free to do so—that was probably the guild’s position on cases like this.
On the other hand, it is rumored that if you do it well, some materials can be sold for the same or even more than in the guild.
“Ah….…”
I belatedly realized why we are here. As a thank you for rescuing them, Mia-san connected me to a store that would buy it for me.
“Once I recommended it, this store will buy your magic stones.”
I can’t look Mia-san in the eye.
“We can exchange it at the Guild in the West Dungeon…… It was just that I don’t know much about the higher-ups on the guild over there. Besides, even if I ask to exchange it on your behalf, it’s a small industry, so you can’t fool that guy for long. In that sense, this kind of introduction would be better, right?”
“I-, I see.”
“By the way, this place is under the protection of the Royal Capital’s Chamber of Commerce. Gideon doesn’t have much influence on the west side to begin with. The Warburg family is only the ruler in the ‘Eastern Dungeon’ after all. He probably wouldn’t expect you to be coming and going here, and even if he did know—he probably wouldn’t be able to do much.”
Mia-san’s eyes sharpened.
“The selling price here is up to your negotiation, it’s not like in the guild.”
Mia-san is really skilled in this.
I squeezed my pouch tightly.
“Y-you’re right.”
The reason I’m hesitant isn’t just whether I can or can’t do it. Father has also taught me that it’s better to put it in a guild.
“Adventurers help each other. So, it is better to keep them in the Adventurer’s Guild as much as possible huh….”
“Yes. Well, that’s the official reason.”
Mia-san scratched her red hair. She closed her eyes and guessed what I’m thinking.
“The earnings of the guild are also used to support beginners. To help each other out, adventurers should give as much as they can to the guild –that’s what it’s about, right?”
“Yes.”
“But—”
Mia-san pulled her face closer to me.
“This time, the guild betrayed Rion first. Do you really need to be that loyal?”
That……
She might be right.
“Rion, there’s a difference between being sincere and putting on a sweet face.”
Mia-san crosses her arms and looks at me as if to test me.
I closed my eyes tightly and lifted my chin as hard as I could. I made up my mind. The “power” of decision-making is also a form of strength.
“……I’ll give it a try.”
“Then I’ll buy it.”
The blacksmith beckoned towards us.
“I thought it was Mia, but you boy is the seller huh. You can put your goods on the table over there.”
This uncle has an intimidating presence that was even more than that of an adventurer. He has bulging muscles like the dwarves in the story, and his big nose and eyes make him seem like a formidable opponent.
Standing next to him was a well-dressed young man in black clothing. In his hand is a quill pen and a ledger. The word “Transactions” was written boldly in it.
“Please have a seat.”
As prompted, I sat down at a desk.
The uncle’s eyes looked up at Mia-san.
“Axe Cat girl, he must be a valued customer, right?”
“You’ll have to wait and see to find out.”
“Heh.”
The blacksmith snorted and looked at me. With just a quick glance, I feel like he could see through a lot of things, such as how old I am and whether I’m new to negotiations.
I opened the pouch and placed all the magic stones on the table. The younger man rearranged them by size, as if to say, “This is how you do it.”
“……. I’ve seen it. They are all normal magic stone. With a size like this, it can be used in a furnace before it’s refined by the guild, and it should be good for blessing weapons. All in all, 3000 Gent.”
Sure, it’s a lot higher than the one offered to me by guild a while ago. But it’s half of the usual purchase price.
Mia-san is watching from the sidelines. I guess she is leaving it up to me.
“……Fo-, 4000, what do you think?”
When I ventured to say that, the uncle raised his eyebrows.
“Boy, don’t be too greedy. The guild refused to buy it anyway, right?”
He was right. The younger guy is also shaking his heads.
“That’s where we look at the risk first. Is the quality good enough? Are there any flaws?”
Closing the ledger, the young man continued.
“The reason we buy magic stones directly is because sometimes we find bargains on magic stones and materials that the guild does not put a price on. For example, this one.”
Taken out from the platform behind him was a snow-colored silver bar.
“This is a magically imbued mithril ingot. It once looked like scrap metal after the dungeon was sealed away. But when polished up, it looks like this. The guild’s appraisal is not perfect either. Of course, we sometimes trade with promising adventurers to build relationships with them, but on the other hand……”
After saying that, the young man stopped speaking.
There’s no reason to buy a no name adventurer’s magic stone at a normal price……
That’s what he meant.
I squeezed my voice out.
“I…… I couldn’t sell it in the guild.”
“Hah! What, you’re in trouble? Well, we might get caught up in this. I think, 3000 is too much, so 2500 it is.”
I shivered. The purchase price is steadily decreasing.
For Lu’s sake, for my mother’s sake, I have to sell it at a higher price!
『Rion』
I heard Solana’s voice.
『It’s okay. You have amazing power that helped me. 』
The warm breeze blew away my anxiety.
“N-no!”
There’s no point in holding back.
I reach into the depths of my pouch and pull out a certain stone. Just to be on the safe side, what I took out are three completely weathered spirit stones.
Skill, 『Alarm』was used. Executing【Unseal】.
“T-that’s…”
The man’s eyes widened. I added the glowing green stones to the magic stones on the table. One of them had already been unsealed in the dungeon, by the way.
“…..Wow, this is amazing. Isn’t this a spirit stone? Where did you get it from…?”
The old man finally laughed. The young man was stunned for a while, then he quickly opened the ledger again.
“Boy, this is interesting. What a hidden gem. What do you want to get out of it?”
“Please add this to your appraisal. This is my first deal, and I will continue to do so—I won’t let you lose money.”
“Hmmm, you want to say that not being stingy will be my advantage in the long run?”
I nodded my head.
“I—, I think I can continue to bring this same thing to you.”
Words are armor. In formal terms, without flinching, I conveyed my worth to the other person.
The uncle raised his eyebrows in amusement. Mia-san also smiled.
The young man picked up the spirit stone, held it up in the air, and then he moved the quill.
“Very well”
The uncle’s potholder-like hands gripped my shoulders.
“Very good, I like you boy! Those guild guys turned down such a fine guy! Are they blind, or are the nobles just stupid?”
The young man handed me some money.
“Six large and small magic stones cost 5,000 gent, and three spirit stones cost 15,000…… What do you think?”
20,000 Gent in one day is a huge surplus that I have never earned. In particular, the income of spirit stones is large. It’s calculated to be about five times as valuable as the skeleton magic stone.
I received a letter from Paul-oniisan. He had informed me that the date for the banquet we had discussed before had been set. The banquet will be the night of the sixth day. The course meal would cost 20,000 crown coins per person, excluding drinks. He also mentioned that he wants to eat something rare as possible.
I’m sure he wants to brag about it to his friends. In order to save face for my brother, I would need to use the best ingredients.
I immediately went to Lynn’s place to discuss the menu.
The crowded lunch hour was already over, and the only customers in the restaurant are Nowald-sensei and Mio-san. Nowald-sensei is reading a book while drinking coffee after the meal, and Mio-san is relaxing while admiring the scenery.
With this, Lynn had some free time.
“Lynn, the date of Paul-oniisan’s banquet has been decided. I would like to discuss the menu, is that okay?”
“Sure, I don’t mind.”
Lynn came out of the kitchen while wiping her hands with her apron. She was holding two cups of cafe au lait.
“I was just about to take a break, let’s do it here.”
We sat at one of the tables in the restaurant and thought about the menu.
“My brother wants something rare and delicious, what do you have in mind?”
“Well, I think it’s okay to use avocados and pineapples that are hard to find elsewhere, but that wouldn’t make a main dish. Hmmm, a rare ingredient….…”
Nowald-sensei, who is reading a book in the seat next to us, looked up.
“Cedie, are you looking for a rare ingredient?”
“That’s right. Sensei, do you have any idea?”
Sensei has been studying the vegetation of Gandalcia, so he might know something.
I turned my expectant gaze to Sensei.
“Hmm, what about a swallow’s nest?”
“Oh right, Chinese food!”
“Chinese?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
This is a different world. There is no cuisine from that country with a history of 4,000 years. However, there is a similar country in the east side called Fanxiao. I guess swallow’s nest are used in Fanxiao’s cuisines.
“I made a mistake, it’s not Chinese, it’s Fanxiao’s food.”
“Hoh~, Cedie knows about that country?”
“I don’t know the details, and I don’t know much about swallow’s nests either. I do know that they’re completely different from ordinary swallow’s nests, though.”
I don’t think it’s one of those that are built under the eaves of a house.
There’s no way you can eat something like that.
“Well, even though they may be the same nest name, they’re completely different. They’re actually a different species of swallow in the first place.”
“What do you mean?”
“An edible swallow’s nest is called a swiftlet’s nest.”
Unlike ordinary swallow nests, which are made from mud and twigs, all swiftlet nests are made from the saliva of the swiftlets themselves.
“So that’s why their nests can be eaten huh.”
“Yes, that’s right.”
The teacher nods happily.
“But I didn’t know that such swallows lived on Gandalcia island.”
“I found it on my recent exploration. They had built a nest on a cliff on the east side of the island. There were quite a lot of them, so there would be a lot of nests to collect for sure.”
“Are there nests that can be collected and those that should not be taken?”
“Even Cedie would be in trouble if someone took your house without your permission, right? The only swallow nests that can be collected are old ones that have outlived their usefulness.”
When he devotes himself to research, he has a stern gaze, but in times like this, Sensei is very humble.
“I see. We’ll make sure to only pick up nests that aren’t in use then.”
The only question is how to collect them. It should not be easy because it is a place where there is no scaffolding.
“Char is going to climb up and get it!”
“No. It’s too dangerous.”
Char should be fine going there, but she has never seen a swallow’s nest before so it would be a bad idea for her to go alone. We still need to identify nests that are not being used after all.
Alright, I guess I’ll have to ask for some help from a friend here then.
If I can ride Gian, the Griffon, I can probably manage to do it.
It’s about time Eugenie came to visit.
“By the way, has Lynn ever dealt with a swallow’s nest?”
“I’ve never seen such ingredient before so I’m looking forward to seeing it. I wonder what it tastes like though?”
I’ve never eaten it, either before or after my reincarnation. But Nowald-sensei seems to have eaten it.
“Hmmm, it was tasteless and odorless.”
“What!?”
Lynn seems to have lost interest in it at once. After all, Lynn is always after tasty things.
“But the texture was interesting, it was like a cross between a mushroom and a jelly.”
“Did Sensei eat the swallow’s nest as it is?”
“No, I washed it well, boiled it, and then I sprinkled it with salt before eating it.”
Hmm, it doesn’t look very tasty that way then.
“Chinese…… I mean in Fanxiao’s cuisine, I feel like they used it to make soups and desserts.”
Even if I added more, Lynn doesn’t seem interested.
“But……”
Seeing Lynn being uninterested, Sensei narrowed his eyes.
“It’s important to try everything, maybe you’ll be able to cook something delicious out of it.”
“That’s true….…”
“Besides, the swallow’s nest is highly effective as a medicine.”
“Really?”
“Yes. It is said that if you eat it, your skin will be beautiful and you will not get sick, and it is even said to have a hair growth effect.”
Is it that amazing!?
“In that case, we might be able to trade it as an ingredient or a medicine.”
“Hmmm, that’s a possibility. I’d like to research it myself.”
Skin-beautifying and immune-enhancing effects…?
And it’s not just a regular swallow’s nest. It is the nest of swallows from Gandalcia.
Maybe it’s going to be amazing.
I waited excitedly for Eugenie to come.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
The Guild Master had work to do, so she returned with the soldiers returning to the town. Just to be safe, we stayed in the village for two days to keep watch over the surrounding area, and made sure there were no goblins around before heading back to town.
The village fence had also been destroyed, so soldiers would patrol regularly until it was repaired.
Incidentally, the men from the village who had gone to work in the town were shocked when they heard that the village had been attacked by goblins, so they returned home.
“First of all, you will receive a reward for the investigation request, but there will be additional rewards for treating the villagers, defeating the goblins, and capturing a wanted criminal. However, we need to calculate the rewards again, so could you please give us a little time?”
“I understand. It’s fine with me.”
“We’re okay with it too.”
“Thank you.”
When we went to the reception desk of the guild, we were told about the delay of payment. We had defeated that many goblins, and we would have to share the money with the soldiers who had fought them with us.
In addition, there is also the purchase of Goblin General materials, so it will take some time to calculate the reward.
We didn’t have worries with money, so we didn’t have any problem with the delay.
Instead, a completely different problem arose.
“Did that member save the village from a group of goblins?”
“Even though the Guild Master and her soldiers were there, it seemed that they managed to fight off hundreds of goblins.”
“They seem to be a pretty promising rookie. There may be a fight over them soon.”
“It was said that they also caught those two. It’s a big achievement.”
Apparently, word spread that rookie adventurers saved the village from the goblins while we were not in town. Also, the story of those two people was spread throughout the town, so we became a bit of a celebrity.
However, for the time being, I plan to work with this group, and in early spring I will move to another frontier territory. It doesn’t seem like I’ll be able to act with other adventurers for a while.
“It’s hard to be popular.”
“Hahaha, I think it’s temporary.”
I was tapped on the shoulder by an aunt who was with me to collect medicinal herbs.
Fad popularity doesn’t last long, so it will probably die down after a while.
“Shun-oniichan, we got some sweets!”
“Eh!? Who gave you those sweets?”
“I got it from the group of oneechan over there!”
Shiro and Ao showed me the cookie-like candy they had received. Looks like Shiro and Ao became the mascots of the guild. Occasionally, other adventurers will pat them on the head.
Sue hurriedly went to thank the group of female adventurers who had given the sweets.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
“No, it’s just that we went ahead of schedule. Well, do bear with me as we have a lot of work to do.”
Just as we were taking a breather, the additional group of soldiers arrived. They were originally scheduled to come today so seeing the devastation after our battle, every one of them were shocked.
“W-what’s with this devastation?”
“That’s a lot of goblins.”
“There are even Goblin Generals!”
There are a ridiculous number of goblins lying down everywhere, and there is a bloody smell all around.
In the meantime, we are busy dismantling the goblins and peeling off their magic stones as proof of subjugation. The goblins that were dismantled are also digested by Ao.
“The main group of goblins has been defeated, but it is possible that they are still in the forest. Also, the young magician woman is missing. I’d like you to conduct a search for her along with the subjugation.”
“““Understood!”””
“Also, that magician who is under strict restraint is our main suspect. Have her escorted to the underground detention center immediately.”
“““Yes. We’ll escort her right away.”””
The Guild Master gives quick instructions, and the soldiers divided themselves and start to move.
“Should we continue to dismantle the goblins?”
“Yes. Please hurry up with that as well. We must avoid other monsters coming to us because of the smell of blood here.”
We were pretty tired as well, but we couldn’t afford to say things like that now.
“Oops!”
“Damn it, they’re here already. What a good nose!”
Apparently, several wolves had already arrived, they were lured by the smell of blood. They were quickly defeated by Shiro and the other adventurers, but there may be other monsters to come.
Except for the Goblin General, which would be used as a material as a whole, the others are dismantled at a rapid pace. Ao also seems to be digesting goblins at a faster rate.
“Whew, we’ve finally cleaned it up.”
“We caught a lot of wolves as well.”
In the end, it took an hour to finish dismantling all the goblins, an along with that, we also killed a lot of wolves that showed up. It was an unexpected extra income. Well, of course this is not the right time to cheer on that.
“The magician woman has been found!”
“Bring me a stretcher and sheets.”
I heard the voices of soldiers from the forest. They said that the missing magician woman had been found. However, a sheet had been brought in along with the stretcher, so it seemed unlikely that she was still alive.
Suddenly, I turned my attention to the third son of Count Bakuak, and his lifeless eyes were looking towards them. The body was carried on a stretcher wrapped in sheets.
Then, the Guild Master talked to Sue.
“I know you may have a lot on your mind, but please cast some beautification life magic on her through the sheets. As a woman myself, I feel so sorry for her.”
“I understand. I’ll do it right away.”
Just by hearing the Guild Master’s words, I immediately understood that the body must have been in a terrible state because of those goblins.
Sue nodded to the Guild Master and carefully cast a life magic through the sheet.
The Guild Master then faced the third son of Count Bakuak, who was staring blankly at the sheets that wrapped the body.
“Adventurers may seek honor, but don’t be overconfident. You’ve lost a loved one miserably due to vanity.”
“A-aa-aaaaahhh!”
The third son couldn’t stop crying. Looking at the body in front of him, he must have finally felt a sense of regret. But it’s too late for that. The deceased will not return.
The third son, who could not stop sobbing, was taken away by the soldiers along with the body.
“They loved each other, didn’t they?”
“Yes. But they are actually brother and sister. Still, they loved each other.”
“You mean not sibling love, but as lovers, right?”
“Yes. The third son is the child of the legal wife, and Calamity-sama is the child of a concubine.”
Sue told me a lot about them, but I really had no idea that they were actually siblings and in love with each other.
….Just what on earth is this situation?
Guild Master added,
“Incestuous marriages are sometimes carried out in order to preserve the so-called pure blood. This is especially true among older noble families, who believe that nobility is something special. To be honest, it’s a ridiculous idea. However, Count Bakuak, from an older noble family, wanted that. Moreover, the two of them must have had a good chemistry.”
When I saw the two of them being carried by the soldiers, I felt helpless.
What they did is unforgivable, but they may also be victims of old customs.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
“T-this……!? Goritia-shi made it to the finals without even fighting! This is the ability of an S-rank adventurer……! It’s overwhelming!”
The surprised voice of the commentator echoed through the venue.
“Hmmm, that guy is no ordinary guy after all.”
“That’s right. It’s amazing how he’s been able to train himself to such an extent in this age when human powers have weakened. I’m sure that would have only worked 1,500 years ago.”
Meltera and I, who were watching the match of the ninth group of qualifiers from the airship, agreed to each other.
“Oh, well, let’s take a short break. It will take some time to repair the cracked ring. Incidentally, this ring was made by the country’s top alchemists to be sturdy enough not to break easily.….
To have caused such cracks with just one blow, Goritia-shi, once again displayed his terrrifying power!”
The alchemists hurriedly ran over to the ring and began the repair work as quickly as possible.
I could mend a crack of that size in an instant, but it looks like it will take 30 minutes for those alchemists.
“Huh? That guy appeared next to the ring.”
For some reason, near the ring where the alchemists are working, Goritia, who was supposed to have went down the stage, reappears.
“I’m sorry everyone! I accidentally broke the ring (hehe~). To make up for it, I’ll dance until the repairs are finished! Tatatatatatatata~n, tatatatatata~n, tatatatatatatata~n♪”
The noisy venue was instantly enveloped in silence. The cheeks of the audience are twitching so much. The staff also seemed shaken up, so he must be dancing without permission.
But not a single person made an attempt to stop Goritia.
“Tatatata~n, tatata~n, tatatata~n♪”
Perhaps mistaking it for other people’s attention to his own dance, Goritia continues to dance with a look of pleasure. Sometimes bold, sometimes graceful, sometimes serene. Even with the same dance, the vividness of the dance changes little by little as the intensity and slowness were added.
“W-wait, wait! Why am I staring at him so intently? Honestly, I don’t want to see it at all…… but for some reason, I can’t take my eyes off him and I can’t help but stare……”
“That’s true……”
“Maybe it’s a dance with some kind of special effect……”
After that, the hellish hours continued until the repairs were completed. In the end, it took about 40 minutes to finally repair the ring.
“Well, now let’s pull ourselves together and get the match back on track………!”
As the venue was filled with a sense of exhaustion, the commentator tried his best to raise his voice. However, the 10th and 11th groups that followed were boring matches. The next match, the twelfth group, was a heated battle, but the audience was unable to get over Goritia.
Then it’s the turn of the thirteenth group. It’s finally Anje’s turn.
“The most notable participant in this group is Anje-shi, an A-rank adventurer……! (I didn’t read the materials carefully enough when it came to Fana-shi, but this time, I bet that Anje-shi will also stand out!)
She’s also an A-rank adventurer who is the same age as Fana-shi so she’s quite promising! What’s more, she is from the famous fighting race, she’s an Amazoness! Nothing can’t go wrong with that! (I mean, please, please dispel the awkward atmosphere of this venue! )”
The voice of the commentator was awfully forceful. Looks like he is trying his best to do something about the atmosphere that is becoming sluggish.
“You kind of made it hard for me to do that….…”
Anje smiled wryly as she stepped into the ring.
Because of the live commentary, the other contestants completely became wary of her, which actually put her at a disadvantage.
“Anyways…… I think I can live up to expectations.”
As soon as the bell rang, Anje dashed to the center of the ring herself.
“O-ooooh! For some reason, Anje-shi went to the center of the ring!? On her own accord, she moved to a location where she could be targeted from all directions! What on earth is she planning on doing here?!”
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
After breakfast, I showed Mio around Gandalcia Island. I wanted to be as kind to her as possible, as she must have been heartbroken after her engagement was broken off.
First of all, I led her to the hot springs. I let her warmup there slowly and relax both physically and mentally.
In the meantime, I’ll get some work done.
“Father, what are you going to do with the oranges?”
“I’m going to make juice with these. People tend to get thirsty after a bath you see.”
Freshly squeezed orange juice is delicious. It is completely different from the concentrated reduced packed juice that I drank in my previous life. As I waited at the entrance, Mio appeared with a red face.
“Please feel free to rest here. I also prepared freshly squeezed orange juice for you.”
“Wow, that looks delicious. Oranges are such a luxury at this time of year. Is this an import from a tropical country?”
“No, it’s from the island.”
“…..Eh? It’s still spring now though?”
“Gandalcia is a mysterious island so even in early spring, we can pick oranges.”
As for the fact that they can be harvested once every three days, let’s not mention it…
“I see……”
Mio was deep in thought, but she eventually cheered up and looked up at me.
“What else is there? I want to know more about this island.”
“Well, all the seafood here are delicious.”
“Hmmm……”
Eh? She doesn’t seem really interested….
Oh, that’s right. Mio is from Belucca, like me. Belucca is a port city after all. There is also an abundance of seafood there, so it probably doesn’t feel unusual to her.
However, the quality of the seafood caught in Belucca and Gandalcia is completely different.
“Believe it or not, the seafood here is different. I’m also from Belucca so I can assure you that.”
“Really?”
“Yes. How about we go fishing in the afternoon? I’ll cook the fish for dinner.”
“That sounds kind of fun. Alright, I’d love to join you.”
So, in the afternoon, we went out to sea with Lulu’s boat. The waves are calm, and it was a perfect fishing day. The sun is not strong, and the wind was light. In this pleasant weather we cast our fishing lines.
“It’s been a really long time since I’ve fished since I was a kid.”
“But you’re from Belucca, right?”
“Because I worked in the Capital.”
Many people leave their parents’ home at a certain age to look for work. Mio must have started working in her mid-teens as well.
“Wow, I got a bite!”
“Mio-san, it’s a fish! Reel it in!”
“R-reel it in? Oh, right!”
At first, Mio was nervous, but the way she reeled in the line was impressive.
“Uuu, it’s quite heavy….…”
“You can do it!”
“Got it! Uryaaaaaaaa!”
What she caught was a light pink snapper with a total length of about 60 cm.
“I’ve never caught something this big. Mio-san, you’re amazing!”
“R-really? Ehehe, I did it then!”
Mio seems satisfied with her prey.
Of course, that’s not the only catch today.
“Father, I got some scallops!”
Char, who was completely unconcerned about the cold, dived into the sea and caught a large number of scallops and shrimp. The shell of the scallops is black, and it is a large shell about the size of Char’s face.
It’s really delicious when you sauté the meat of the scallops. Scallops sautéed in butter and drizzled with orange-flavored cream sauce is Lynn’s specialty.
“Those scallops are perfect. Lynn will be pleased. Great job Char.”
I’m sure Mio will also be satisfied with the taste.
After much fishing, we enjoyed our afternoon on the island.
✲✲✲
Mio walked into her room at the auberge and plopped down on the large bed. The duvets are soft and fluffy, and the clean sheets smelled nice.
“That was so satisfying……”
Even though she came here on a mission, Mio was very satisfied with having a lot of fun during the day and eating a lot of delicious food at night.
On top of that, she drank three glasses of white wine that Cedie had given her, so she was a little drunk.
“I didn’t know snapper was so tasty. It tastes even better because I caught it myself. It’s the first time I’ve ever had sherry sauce……”
Unknowingly, Mio’s mouth salivated.
Of course, it was partly because she enjoyed her experience on the island and the food was delicious, but most of all, she was glad that Cedie was kind to her.
It’s been a long time since she has felt so peaceful.
It was a struggle until the party she was in was wiped out in the dungeon and she was recruited by Count Dantès as a spy. She felt like she was finally able to catch her breath.
Though a little drunk, Mio sat down at her desk and started to make a report.
Her mission is to investigate the island and how Cedie lives. She was ordered by Count Dantès, who is worried about his brother, to investigate secretly.
“Why are you secretly investigating?”
Mio questioned Count Dantès.
“Boys always want to be seen as adults. So, once he knew that his big brother is worried about him, it might hurt Cedie’s pride, right?”
The Count was much kinder than he looked, Mio thought so.
Unaware of Count Dantès’ intentions, Mio was willing to do her best to repay his brotherly love.
Report
The island is surprisingly rich in crops. Many trees such as apples, pears, and oranges grow in the wild.
In addition, the hot spring facilities are also magnificent. It seems to be popular in Lebon, and there were about six customers who came all the way to the island almost every day.The bathing fee is 500 crown coins, so that alone is an income of 3000 crown coins a day.
The Auberge has an even better reputation, with 14 guests coming for lunch today.
It seems that there are still few guests, but Cedie-sama’s income is very stable, so I think that the Count has nothing to worry about.
In addition, I plan to visit the food processing plant that you mentioned when I find an opportunity.
Putting the report together to the last detail, Mio yawned loudly. Well, it was inevitable as she was tired from frolicking all day.
With the money she received as an expense, she paid the accommodation fee for 10 days in advance.
There is no need to rush to complete the report.
She turned off the magic lamp beside her bed and fell asleep immediately.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
Despite being targeted by all the other contestants, Goritia seemed rather happy.
“Oh my~, it looks like I’m very popular♡.”
He winked at them with an flirty smile on his face, and “Ueee” sounds were heard all over the hall venue. The cheeks of the contestants surrounding him also twitched and some even involuntarily tried to look away.
“You there!”
“!?”
Goritia, suddenly shouts at a swordsman man.
“You should never look away in the middle of a fight, you know? If that was what I wanted, you’d be dead right now!”
“-Uh….…”
The swordsman couldn’t say anything in response to his valid criticism. After a moment, he just kept his eyes on Goritia’s movements.
“That’s it! Look at me closely! Everyone too! Just look at me, got it!?”
Then, under everyone’s serious gaze, Goritia—
—started dancing.
“Tatatatatatatana~n, tatana~n, tatatatatatana~n♪”
While humming a mysterious melody, Goritia performs a superfluous graceful dance with his huge body. He seems to be conscious of the tips of his limbs, his toes are always stretched out, and the fingers of his hands, which are supposed to be muscular, move so delicately.
“Tatatatatatatana~n, tatana~n, tatatatatatana~n♪”
Perhaps because of the previous shout, no one took their eyes off him. The mysterious actions of the S-rank adventurer made the venue quiet, and only the melody of Goritia’s thick voice resounded.
As just like that, time passed. Goritia has continued to dance for about a minute.
「「「「「No, what are we being shown!?」」」」」
The other contestants in the ring all spoke up at once.
“Y-you bastard, what on earth is that dance about!?”
“I got so much attention that I just had to dance♡”
Apparently, he just wanted to dance.
“No, stop it right now! Watching it further will make me crazy!”
“This isn’t a playhouse for you, you bastard!”
“It was so scary, I might have nightmares about it!”
The contestants raised their voices.
“Oh my~, that’s a very rude thing to say, you know. How can you not understand the beauty of my dancing……?”
“What beauty!? I can’t take it anymore! Hey, let’s get this done over with! Don’t let this crazy guy do whatever he wants!”
「「「「「Ooooooh!」」」」」
Enraged, the other contestants attacked Goritia with a roar. Earlier, Fana was subjected to a barrage of attacks from her group in the same way, but she was constantly moving around the ring and successfully dodged their attacks.
—But Goritia didn’t move a single step from his spot. Swords, spears, fists, and magic hit his huge body one after another. Even though he is covered in steel-like muscles, his opponents are also skilled, they all qualified to participate in the martial arts tournament after all. It seemed that even the S-rank adventurer would not stand a chance, but—
“Ahhhhnn~ Oh, that felt so goood! Please attack me more and more……!”
“Huh!? I-impossible…. It did not work at all!?”
He did not sustain any damage. On the contrary, he seemed rather pleased.
When the others involuntarily stopped their attacks,
“No, no, don’t stop! This degree won’t please me!”
“No one is trying to please you!”
“What the hell is this guy!?”
“He’s a real monster!”
The contestants are shocked.
“Eh? Is it over already? What a pity…… I still haven’t had my fill….…”
Goritia sighs in sadness.
He fixed his stance, took a deep breath, and then he slammed his fist into the ring as hard as he could.
Zudooong!
「「「「「~~~~~~~~~~~~~~!?」」」」」
The impact was so great that the entire arena shook. A terrible crack ran through the ring, and the bodies of the contestants around him even momentarily lifted into the air.
「「「「「A, a, aaah….」」」」」
None of the contestants in the ring seemed to have any intention of continuing to fight anymore.
“You see, I don’t like bullying the weak. Then, should you give up, hmm~?”
At Goritia’s suggestion, they all nodded their heads in unison.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
It seems that Guild Master is aware of my thoughts, alongside with Shiro and Ao, they continued attacking relentlessly. Meanwhile, I am casting a powerful spell, waiting for the right timing to release it.
“I’m going to help as well.”
“Damn! Now I can’t move!”
Sue, who was treating those who was caught in the explosion earlier, joins in and started shooting a restraining spell. The woman is so busy defending herself that she was unable to attack or escape.
Finally, the timing I was aiming for came.
“Alright, now! Get away!”
“Crap!”
Zudooon!
I shouted at the three people in front of me and then while aiming for the moment when they quickly retreated, I released the magical power that I had stored up at once.
I shot a laser like light magic at the woman.
The woman hurriedly puts up more magic barrier, but her magical power is not sufficiently developed compared to mine.
Crack. Crack. Crack.
Boom!
“Gyaah!”
Unable to withstand my magic, the woman’s magic barrier broke into pieces, allowing my magic to hit her directly. The woman received my magic head on and was blown away.
“With this, it’s over!”
Bzzt. Bzzt. Bzzt.
“Gaaaaa——!”
As a follow-up attack, I unleashed a lightning attack at the woman who was trying to stand up. Of course, it was not so deadly. The woman, who was hit by the lightning strike, screamed and fell face down.
The Guild Master quickly restrains the woman with a rope. Then she put some kind of magic device on the woman’s neck. It looks like a necklace.
“This is used to restrain magicians. It can prevent them from using magic.”
“There is such a magic tool huh.”
“There are some magicians who commit crimes you see. This tool is available in a few places.”
It must be a magic tool that exists because this is a frontier state.
The woman is battered, with the whites of her eyes peeled off and she is currently unconscious.
Hmm, maybe I went a little too far.
“With this, it’s finally over. Alright, now just arrest whoever is left there.”
“Yes!”
The Guild Master then instructed her men to detain the third son of Count Bakuak, who was still trembling and mumbling incoherently. And as expected, the third son was detained without resistance.
“Hey, the village has been cleaned up.”
“No one’s hurt in those damaged houses too.”
Other adventurers reported that the houses damaged by the explosion were of no problem. Apparently, they were vacant to begin with, thus they were prone to damage.
“Good. Let’s take a break for now.”
“There’s still a lot of work to be done, but this should be fine in the meantime.”
I had spoken with Guild Master, and it seemed that the goblin attack had calmed down for the time being.
With the early morning battle coming to an end, we were finally able to take a breather.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
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