Category: Isekai Nonbiri Sanpo Tabi

So, our schedule is to study in the morning and take on easy requests in the afternoon. This afternoon, we’ll be heading to the church to provide a soup kitchen.

“Pearl’s going to help with the healing, too, huh?”

“Yes. Today is Pearl’s healing debut!”

Fina and Pearl will be taking part in the free healing that will be held in conjunction with the soup kitchen. She’s very excited to be able to provide healing alongside her new friend, Pearl.

By the way, I’ll be preparing the soup kitchen. Sigh. I wonder when I’ll be able to provide healing service as a healer though.

Well, that’s enough complaining now, let’s get on with preparing the soup kitchen.

Today I’ll be making a simple stir-fry of vegetables.

Swish, swish, swish!

“Waaah, that’s amazing!”

“The slime’s cooking!”

“It’s slicing vegetables with magic—so cool!”

The air was filled with the excited voices of children.

As always, the center of everyone’s attention was Ao’s dazzling display of culinary magic. With graceful precision, Ao manipulated her magic, levitating vegetables in midair and slicing them apart in a flurry of motion.

Each flash of the glowing knife danced through the air with a crisp swish. The rhythm is so quick and mesmerizing that the gathered children could hardly blink. To them, it wasn’t just cooking. It was a full-blown performance.

As for me—

I’d been strictly reminded by the Margrave himself to “keep it modest.” Apparently, if the food was too delicious, it wouldn’t count as a simple charitable meal.

So I kept things simple this time. Just a plain, humble soup.

That’s right.

It’s absolutely nothing more than ordinary soup.

“““It’s so good!”””

“…Hmm. This is a bit too tasty for a soup kitchen’s dish, isn’t it?”

“Couldn’t you make it… a little worse?”

“Eh—!? That….”

As the children laughed and reached out for seconds, I could only let out a helpless sigh and smile.

Shiro and the other members of the tasting team enjoyed the samples very much. However, the Margrave and Margrave’s wife criticized them for being too tasty.

Uhm… it’s okay for it to be a little tastier, right?

In the end, they decided to add some water to make it a little less flavorful.

I suppose they’ll have to make do with this for now.

“How is it?”

“Much better, thank you. Fina-sama’s slime is truly remarkable.”

“Ehehe, thank you!”

Meanwhile, at the treatment station, Fina and Pearl were in the middle of a small miracle.

Fina was already well loved by the townsfolk, but seeing her heal people alongside Pearl with a smile on her face, it had lifted their opinion of her even higher. The gentle light of her magic, the soft voice with which she spoke to each patient—it all seemed to melt away the exhaustion of the crowd.

The line of people waiting stretched farther than I could see.

Even Sue and Horn were running back and forth, doing their best to tend to everyone in need.

“Here you go.”

“Take care, all right?”

The sound of healing spells and grateful voices blended together, filling the square with a quiet warmth.

At the distribution station, Shiro and Fran were busy handing out stir-fried vegetables, soup, and bread. Apparently, the townsfolk were raving about the stir-fry made by the slime.

I nearly collapsed, thinking, “My soup has nothing to do with it.”

“Seems like the food distribution is going smoothly enough.”

“Yes, yes. Everything looks fine. Oh, I know—why don’t we have Shun make the featured dish for the martial arts tournament?”

“That’s a good idea. Let’s have him come up with something that’ll outshine the southern and eastern frontier domains.”

“Eeeeh!?”

And with that merciless declaration from the frontier lord and his wife, I really did collapse this time.

I’m a healer, not a chef!

Fina-san and Sue, meanwhile, were looking on with bright eyes, saying they couldn’t wait to see what kind of dish I’d come up with.

For the time being, the food distribution had gone off without a hitch.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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From the following morning’s training, we began learning swordsmanship from one of the guards assigned to Fina-san. By coincidence, Fina-san herself had only recently started learning sworsmanship as well, so we all decided to begin together from the very basics.

Meanwhile, Ao was a little ways off, teaching Pearl how to use magic.

“Everyone here has excellent physical ability, but please—don’t rely on brute strength when you swing your sword.”

““““““Yes!””””””

We started with practice swings using wooden swords.

No rushing—just slow, deliberate movements.

“One… two… three… four…”

“Good, good. Don’t just use your arms—swing with your whole body.”

“Keep your lower body firm as well.”

It’s quite difficult because it feels like I’m swinging the wooden sword with just my arm. I need to practice swinging it properly for a while.

“Thank you very much. I didn’t realize even basic practice swings could be this exhausting.”

“It really was a valuable lesson.”

“As expected of adventurers—you understand the importance of fundamentals like practice swings.”

“That understanding alone is a tremendous achievement.”

Wiping the sweat from our faces with towels, Sue and I thanked the female guard who had been instructing us. We’d have to keep practicing diligently if we wanted to move on to the next stage soon.

Fina-san had gone over to where Ao and Pearl were, chatting with Shiro and the others about how their training was going. From the looks of it, Pearl’s magic lessons were progressing quite well too.

After breakfast came Fina-san’s study time.

Come to think of it, Fran and Horn had never really done any proper studying before, so we decided that everyone would join in for lessons today.

“Hmm… is this right?”

“I finished mine!”

“Oh, Horn’s got it—good work. Fran, yours is a little off here, try fixing this part.”

I began teaching Fran and Horn the basics, making sure they could at least read, write, and do arithmetic properly. Since both of them were still quite young, I took things slow, step by step.

“Sue-oneechan, I finished mine!”

“My, Shiro, you’re quick. Let’s do our best too, Fina.”

“Ugh, I won’t lose!”

To our surprise, Shiro turned out to be exceptionally good at math.

Being overtaken by someone her own age seemed to ignite Fina-san’s competitive spirit.

“Having a rival really helps you see where your strengths lie.”

“I didn’t know Shiro was so sharp, either—it’s been a great discovery for me as well.”

As I chatted with the Margrave’s wife about how everyone was progressing, I couldn’t help but think that Shiro’s quick intuition was what made her so good with numbers.

Seeing her daughter motivated by a peer, the Madam smiled with clear satisfaction.

“Since this is having such a positive influence on Fina, let’s have them continue studying together while you’re staying with us, Shun. We can add some lessons in etiquette as well.”

“I’m very grateful—thank you for the opportunity.”

Sue could probably handle teaching manners better than I could.

As for me… well, that wasn’t exactly my area of expertise.

So for now, I decided to gratefully accept the hospitality and support of the Margrave’s household.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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It happened just as we all returned to the Adventurers’ Guild.

After exchanging the mountain of herbs we’d gathered, everyone was smiling at the tidy sum of money we’d earned—when suddenly, Fina-san exclaimed.

“Ah! There’s a little slime in my pocket!”

“A small, pale-colored slime, isn’t it?”

Nestled in the pocket of Fina-san’s jacket pocket was a tiny slime, about half the size of Ao.

Come to think of it, a whole bunch of slimes had shown up during lunch while we were eating curry.

Maybe this one had taken a liking to her?

Fina-san cupped her hands gently to scoop it up, gazing down at the creature. The little slime peered back up at her with the same curiosity.

“Fina-san, may I appraise this slime?”

“Yes, please.”

With her permission, I cast my appraisal spell on the little fellow. The result that popped up was surprisingly interesting.

“This slime can use magic. Moreover, it has holy and lightning attributes.”

“Really?”

“Yes. And according to the data, it’s already registered as your friend, Fina-san.”

“Eh!? Really? That makes me so happy!”

Hearing my words, Fina-san pressed the little slime against her cheek with a radiant smile. The slime happily stretched out its tiny tentacles, brushing back against her in return.

“Fina, since it’s a special occasion, why not give this slime a name?”

“I already know what it should be! Since it’s white, I’ll call her Pearl!”

Her joy showed no signs of stopping, and the newly named slime, Pearl, bounced with delight as if to show how pleased it is with the name.

Just then, Ao—who had been perched on top of Shiro’s head—hopped over onto Fina-san’s hand.

“It looks like the slimes are chatting with each other.”

“Mm-hm! Ao’s teaching Pearl how to use magic.”

“I see. Then, Pearl, make sure you learn properly from Ao, all right?”

At Fina-san’s words, both Pearl and Ao stretched out their tentacles in response.

Then Shiro added another line.

“Oh, and Ao taught Pearl that it’s totally fine to go all out on anyone who bullies her friend!”

“That’s a good lesson.”

“I couldn’t agree more.”

The female guards nodded solemnly at Shiro’s words.

No, no, please don’t take that too literally. Just… try not to go overboard, okay?

Even Sue gave a small, wry smile at the exchange.

And with that, we all returned to the Margrave’s estate.

“We’re ba~ck!”

The children all chorused.

“Welcome back. Oh my, what a cute little slime you’ve brought with you.”

The Madam greeted us warmly.

“Yep! This is Pearl-chan, my new friend. And she can even use magic!”

Fina declared proudly.

“My, is that so? Well then, you must take good care of your friend.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

Fina replied brightly.

The Madam had immediately noticed the tiny slime Fina was carrying, and she quickly accepted Pearl without hesitation. As expected of the Margrave’s wife..

Until dinner, Pearl spent her time with Ao, learning all sorts of things.

…Though honestly, Ao, I’d really appreciate it if you didn’t go too overboard teaching her the more aggressive lessons.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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It seemed the forest we were headed to was only about ten minutes outside the city walls.

“So there are others coming along too?”

I asked.

“This forest is a beginner’s training ground.”

“It’s especially popular with people who’ve only just registered as adventurers.”

Sure enough, we were joined mostly by children and women. Fina-san, walking with Sue and the three little ones, is already happily chatting with the others. Since there were about ten people in our group, I decided to help the women guards keep watch over the surroundings.

And with that, our herb-gathering began.

“Ah, this one’s a herb too! You can tell by the smell.”

Shiro announced proudly.

“Really? Oh, you’re right—it smells the same as the ones Ao picked earlier.”

“Aaah! Ao went and brought back a whole bunch again!”

Shiro pouted as Ao returned with armfuls of herbs, clearly frustrated at being outdone once more. Ao really is a natural when it came to gathering.

Meanwhile, Sue had taken it upon herself to show the beginner adventurers the proper way to harvest.

“Medicinal herbs have tiny hairs growing on the underside of their leaves. Make sure to pick only the leaves. If you leave the roots intact, the plant will regrow and you can harvest it again later.”

She explained carefully.

“““Yes, ma’am!”””

The newcomers chorused their reply, eager and bright-eyed.

Fran and Horn were also listening closely to Sue’s explanations, using the opportunity to review what they’d already learned. Sue really had gotten good at teaching others.

As for me, I dealt with the occasional wild animal that wandered too close.

“Hah!”

“Well struck.”

One of the women guards praised.

“Thank you. But honestly, I only know magic. You ladies are much more impressive since you can fight with swords too.”

She had complimented my wind magic, but the truth was, magic was all I could manage. I could barely wield a dagger—my clumsy, self-taught style amounted to little more than stabbing straight ahead.

As I was thinking that, the guard made me an unexpected offer.

“In that case, would you care to train in swordsmanship with us?”

“…Is that really alright?”

“Of course. We’re already teaching Fina-sama the use of a rapier. You’re welcome to join us during those lessons.”

“I’d be grateful. Please allow me to learn from you.”

And so, I gladly accepted her proposal. Learning directly from a professional would surely help me improve much faster. I would dedicate myself and absorb every lesson.

“But… the sheer amount of herbs you’ve gathered is astounding.”

“I’ve never seen this many collected before.”

“Well, herbs all have a distinct scent, so it’s easy for Shiro and Fran to sniff them out. And besides, our slime Ao is practically a professional when it comes to gathering herbs.”

In just an hour since we’d started, we’d already amassed an impressive pile. The novice adventurers who had come along with us were also smiling happily as their baskets are full.

It seemed like a good point for a break, so I began preparing lunch.

“What do you all want to eat?”

“““Curry!”””

Of course. I should have expected nothing less—Shiro and the others always asked for curry. Fortunately, I had some already cooked ones stored in my item box. All I had to do was warm it up.

“S-so this is the famous curry that’s become popular in the eastern frontier?”

“To think I’d get the chance to eat it here in the north!”

Just to be safe, one of the female guards tasted the food first—and was instantly shocked by the flavor.

“It’s delicious! A little spicy, but really tasty!”

“Shun-san’s cooking is always good.”

“Yeah, everything he makes is amazing.”

““Yummy yummy!””

Even Fina-san, who’s tasting curry for the very first time, looked completely delighted. The adventurers who had come along with us are also eating with relish.

There’s nothing quite like watching people happily enjoy the food you’ve made—it’s a great feeling.

Before long, several slimes wriggled out of the forest, each one begging for a share. Everyone gave them little portions of curry, and they happily slurped it up. I guess the aroma of curry had lured them in.

And so, our herb-gathering expedition in the northern frontier came to a safe and satisfying end.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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The next morning, we headed straight for the Adventurers’ Guild.

Fina-san is coming with us—but surprisingly, we are going there on foot.

“Um, my lord, is it really safe for us to walk all the way to the guild?”

I asked.

“For now, it should be fine. However, the closer it gets to the martial arts tournament, the greater the risks, of course.”

The Margrave replied.

Just to be sure, I’d double-checked with him, and he assured me there was no issue. Two female guard accompanied us as well, but I still resolved to keep my guard up.

As for Fina-san, she was brimming with energy, dressed in practical trousers that made it clear she was ready for action.

And so, our little walk began.

“Oh my, Fina-sama. Off on an outing, are you?”

Someone called out to her.

“Yes! We’re going to gather medicinal herbs!”

Fina-san answered brightly.

“Ah, I heard the Margrave’s household will soon be welcoming a new baby.”

“That’s right! That’s why I want to save up money, so I can buy a present for the baby!”

Fina-san’s popularity was even greater than I’d imagined. As we walked, people called out to her from all directions, and she greeted each of them with a cheerful smile in return.

“Fina-sama often takes part in community service projects. Because of that, she’s well-known throughout the city.”

One of the guards explained.

“And she’s so bright and sociable by nature. She genuinely enjoys connecting with the townsfolk.”

Another guard added.

“Oh, is that so?”

““That’s amazing!””

The children chimed in.

The female guards acting as our escort told us many little stories along the way, and it became clearer than ever just how beloved Fina-san was by the townsfolk. As the Margrave had said, it was only when the martial arts tournament brought in a flood of outsiders that security would become a concern. For now, the town was perfectly safe.

But when we arrived at the Adventurers’ Guild, the situation became even more striking.

“Oh! Fina-sama, it’s been a while!”

“Yes, it has—it’s good to see you again!”

“There are a lot of people around today.”

“That’s right. I came with one of my older sisters I know.”

One after another, rugged adventurers called out to Fina-san. And she, for her part, spoke to them without the slightest trace of nervousness.

“Fina-san really is loved by everyone here.”

I murmured.

“That’s a given of course. She talks with the likes of us without a hint of hesitation.”

 One of the adventurers laughed as he spoke.

“Yeah. To us, she’s like a little sister—an adorable one at that.”

Another adventurer added fondly.

The adventurer chatting with Fina-san couldn’t stop the corners of his eyes from softening. No doubt about it—Fina-san was the idol of the entire frontier domain.

With that thought in mind, I turned to handle the paperwork for our herb-gathering request.

“Excuse me, I was entrusted with this letter from the guild master of the Eastern Frontier to be delivered to the guild master here.”

“Understood. I’ll take care of it. Unfortunately, the guild master is out today, but I’ll see that it’s delivered properly.”

“Thank you very much.”

The guild master wasn’t in at the moment huh. Still, I had a feeling we’d be seeing him soon enough.

“Shun-oniichan, come on!”

“Hurry, hurry!”

“Come quickly!”

“All right, all right, I’m coming.”

Shiro and the others called out to me before I could linger any longer. With the formalities finished, it was time to head out and gather herbs.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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With the greetings done and the gifts delivered, our business with the Margraves’ household was finished.

At that moment, Fina-san turned to Sue with a question.

“Sue-oneesama, where have you been staying at?”

“Mostly inns for adventurers, and when traveling, the usual town lodgings.”

“Then, stay at my house tonight!”

Whoa—Fina-san beamed at us with the brightest smile as she invited us to stay at the Margraves’ estate.

The Madam herself chimed in at once.

“She’s right. To put guests who traveled so far just to deliver gifts into an inn would be a disgrace to our house. Please, all of you, stay here with us.”

“I appreciate the invite. Thank you very much.”

“Sorry for the bother.”

“Nonsense, it’s no trouble at all. I must go prepare the guest rooms right away.”

It would’ve been rude to refuse, so Sue and I exchanged glances, nodded, and accepted the offer. Hearing our reply, the Madam gave a warm smile and left the room.

Still, starting tomorrow we’d best arrange our own lodgings properly.…

Just then, Fina-san turned to Sue with another request.

“Sue-oneesama, if it’s all right, will you go herb gathering with me tomorrow?”

“Of course. I also need to deliver a letter to the guild master, so I’d be heading to the Adventurers’ Guild anyway.”

““““Yayyy!””””

For some reason, Fina-san raised both hands in excitement—and so did Shiro and the others, cheering right along with her. Well, that settled our plans for tomorrow.

While we were at the Northern Margravate, I want to check what kinds of quests are available here, and confirm a few other things as well.

Since we were told that the guest rooms would be shown to us after dinner, we were first guided to the dining hall.

“Waaah, amazing!”

“Since you’ve come all this way as our guests, this much is only natural.”

The dining hall was set with an extravagant feast. To my surprise, they had even prepared a meal for Ao. The Margrave had considered everyone and I am really thankful for that.

As we began eating, our talk naturally turned to what we’ll do next.

“Sue-oneesama, what will you do after this?”

“I’ll be taking on some quests, and I’d also like to watch the martial arts tournament.”

“I am going to enter the tournament!”

Shiro informed them.

“Me too!”

Fran declared as well.

“I’ll watch with Sue-oneechan.”

Horn added brightly.

Our first objective is to watch the martial arts tournament being held in the Northern Margravate. In addition to Shiro and Fran, Ao also plans to participate in the tournament.

“The tournament is in a month. In the meantime, you can stay at my place.”

“That’s right. The inns in town are starting to be fully occupied after all so this is a perfect arrangement.”

“Exactly! Besides, I’d love to hear more stories from Sue-oneesama.”

And so, persuaded by the Margrave’s family, we ended up staying at the Margrave’s mansion.

I offered to pay, but they said they didn’t want it. It would be a shame to do it for free, so I’ll try to help out somehow.

And so, our first day in the Northern Margravate came to an end.

By the way, Fina-san slept with Sue and Shiro.

I guess they are going to chat late into the night.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Now then, there was one more thing we had to do while visiting the Northern Margrave.

“My lord, we’ve also been entrusted with a gift from the Viscount, intended for your future grandchild.”

“We also thought it would be nice to bring something ourselves, so we purchased a small gift as well.”

“Oh, you needn’t have gone to such trouble, but I’ll gladly accept them.”

When we mentioned the gifts, the Margrave received them with a warm smile.

“In that case, why don’t I take you to my son and his wife’s room? You can hand them over directly.”

“This way.”

“““Okay!”””

Led by the Madam and Fina-san, we made our way toward the room of the Margrave’s son and his wife.

Knock, knock.

“Onisama, Sister-in-law, Sue-oneesama has come to visit.”

“They brought some gifts for you.”

“Oh, I see. Please, come in.”

From inside the room, a woman’s voice granted us permission to enter, so we stepped inside.

There, seated on the sofa, was a man and a woman. The woman’s belly is very large. When they saw Sue’s face, both of them smiled warmly.

“Sue, it’s been a while. You look well.”

“Thank you. It’s been a while since your wedding.”

“Yes, that’s right—it has been since our wedding. And welcome to the frontier domain, Shun.”

Sue smiled back as she chatted with them. She had come to the frontier once before to attend their wedding, so that’s why she is already familiar with the gate guards and others.

We all took seats on the sofa together with Sue.

“Wow, your belly is so big!”

“That’s amazing!”

“I’m shocked!”

“That’s because the baby will be born very soon.”

“I’m in my final month, so really, it could happen at any time.”

“““Oh~, I see!”””

Naturally, the conversation turned to the baby, who was due to be born any day now.

Her belly really was quite large.

“We’ve brought an early baby gift on behalf of the Viscount. And though it may be presumptuous, we’ve also prepared one of our own.”

“Thank you for going to the trouble. Could you place them on that desk over there?”

“Yes, of course.”

“I brought a present too!”

Shiro announced excitedly.

“Me as well.”

“Me too.”

Fran and Horn did not forget to add.

Together, we all placed our gifts on the desk as directed. Sue and I had chosen baby clothes and a set of diapers, while Shiro and the others offered handkerchief towels decorated with adorable embroidery. Their sense of taste was surprisingly good, which honestly left me a bit impressed.

“I’m afraid ours are rather practical things.”

“Not at all. In fact, those are the most welcome. When our son and daughter were born, some nobles sent gifts that were completely useless.”

“Yes, I remember when Fina was born—one noble even presented us with a painting he’d made himself. I suppose he wanted to show off that he is connected to us through it, but I do wish he’d chosen something more sensible.”

Uh-….Why on earth would a noble think it’s okay to gift a painting he’d made himself?

Honestly, the whole business of noble gift-giving seemed like nothing but a hassle.

“We also brought a present for you, Fina. I’ll give it to you later.”

“I bought one too!”

“Me too!”

“Me too!”

Shiro and the others excitedly said that they got presents prepared as well.

“Really? Hehe, I’m so happy!”

When Sue mentioned that she had a gift for Fina as well, Fina threw her arms around her in delight.

There really is something heartwarming about seeing someone so happy to receive a present.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Fina-san moved close to Sue and gently took her hand.

“Sue-oneesama, Father and Mother are waiting. Let’s go quickly!”

“Fina, I understand. There’s no need to rush so much.”

Unable to contain her excitement, Fina pulled Sue along, her steps light and eager. Sue could only smile wryly at Fina’s high energy as she followed.

We walked behind the two of them, and soon the entrance hall came into view. There, dressed in fine noble attire, stood a dignified couple. There was no mistaking it—they were the Lord of the Northern Frontier and his wife.

“It has been a while, Margrave-sama, Madam.”

“I’m glad to see you well, Sue. And these must be Shun and the others. Welcome.”

“You must be tired from your long journey. Please come with us to the drawing room.”

“““Yes!”””

The Margrave and his wife welcomed us with warm, cheerful smiles. Once we were shown into the reception room, a steward brought something out and set it before us.

“““Ah, peaches!”””

“Oh? You recognize the specialty of my domain?”

“““Yes! They’re really sweet and delicious!”””

“Haha, I’m glad to hear it.”

The Margrave listened to Shiro and the others’ enthusiastic replies with a broad grin.

It was only natural—having the pride of one’s land praised would make anyone smile. The lady of the house, too, watched fondly as Shiro and the others ate the peaches with obvious delight.

Since they were so absorbed in the fruit, I decided it best to take care of business first.

“My lord, I’ve brought a letter entrusted to me by the Lord of the Eastern Frontier.”

“I appreciate you carrying it all this way. Let me see.”

I handed over the letter I had been entrusted with by the Lord of the Eastern Frontier. The Northern Margrave chuckled, clearly amused.

“Hahaha, I’ve heard tales of your great exploits in the Eastern Frontier. I was told the rough details, but I didn’t realize it went quite that far.”

“Uh-, now I’m really curious what’s written in that letter…”

“I’m afraid I can’t show you, though.”

That only made me more curious. Knowing the Eastern Margrave’s serious nature, I doubted he would have written anything strange. Well, that’s what I think.

The Northern Margrave then turned his gaze towards Sue.

“By the way, I heard you also performed admirably in the baron’s lands. Something about fending off four bandits all on your own?”

“Y-you know about that too?”

“I had word from the Eastern Frontier. You’ve grown quite formidable, Sue.”

“Sue-oneesama, that’s amazing!”

“Uh-…”

Just like in the Viscount’s territory, Sue’s fight against the bandits had become the topic of conversation again. Fina-san was absolutely thrilled, while Sue herself looked utterly embarrassed.

“Lately, Fina has even made her debut as an adventurer. She’s been making a name for herself in town.”

“Oh, is that so?”

“Yes. In whatever form it takes, fostering ties with the townsfolk is an important duty for the frontier house you see.”

The lady of the manor said with a smile.

“Sue-oneesama, let’s take on a quest together sometime!”

“Yes, I’ll look forward to it.”

With Fina-san’s boundless energy, she surely had a guardian accompanying her, but as the lady had said, it was a fine way to build bonds with the people.

It looked like I’d be teaming up with Fina-san for a quest before long.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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After finishing our shopping in the market district and passing through the quiet residential streets, we finally arrived at our destination—the manor of the Northern Margrave.

I wondered if it was all right to show up unannounced, but before I could worry too much, one of the gate guards stepped forward and addressed Sue directly.

“Oh my, if it isn’t Sue-ojousama! It has been some time. I’m glad to see you’re doing well.”

“Yes, it has been a while. I’m delighted to see you again too.”

“Our lord mentioned that Sue-ojousama might be visiting soon, so we’ve all been waiting expectantly for your arrival.”

“Thank you, that’s very kind of you.”

One of the guards hurried off toward the manor, while the other stayed behind, speaking warmly with Sue.

It seemed that during her previous visit here, she had built quite a rapport with the household.

“Oops, forgive me, I’ve gone on talking.” The guard said with a sheepish smile. “When Sue-ojousama came here before, she treated some of us. We’ve not forgotten it.”

Sue gave a modest laugh.

“Back then I could barely handle magic properly—it was only beginner-level healing.”

“I see… but that sounds just like you, Sue.”

I remarked.

“Oooh!”

Shiro, Fran, and Horn chorused  in admiration.

Catching my glance, Sue and the guard explained the reason for their easy camaraderie. It was exactly the kind of story I would expect of Sue. Shiro and the others—even Ao—clapped their hands for her, beaming with pride.

At that moment, the manor grew suddenly restless. From within its grounds, someone came running straight toward us.

Zudodododo!

“O~nee~samaa~!”

“Fina!”

The one sprinting toward us at full speed was none other than Fina-san, the daughter of the Northern Margrave. Just from this entrance alone, she radiated the energy of a mischievous, high-spirited girl. Sue beamed as she caught Fina-san in her arms, embracing her tightly. The two of them really were close.

For a while they clung to each other, but at last Fina-san pulled away from Sue and turned her attention to the rest of us. She had fluffy, reddish-golden hair cut to a soft semi-long style, and with a graceful curtsy, she greeted us.

“You must be Shun-san. Thank you for taking care of Sue-oneesama. I am Fina, daughter of the Northern Margrave.”

“Thank you so much for your kind words. My name is Shun, and I’ve been traveling together with Sue.”

“I’m Shiro. Nice to meet you.”

“I’m Fran!”

“I’m Horn.”

As expected of a Margrave’s daughter, Fina-san’s greeting was polite and refined. Watching her, I couldn’t help but think Shiro could stand to learn a little about manners as well.

“Shiro is the same age as Fina-sama. Fran and Horn are both five this year.”

I explained.

“I see. But they are simply adorable. Oh, and please—just call me Fina.”

“Uhm… then I’ll call you Fina-san.”

Calling a Margrave’s daughter by name alone right off the bat would be far too improper.

“I’ll call you Fina-chan.”

Shiro declared.

“I will just call you Fina.”

Fran announced.

“And I’ll call you Fina-oneechan!”

Horn spoke brightly.

And so, each of them decided on their way of addressing her. Somehow, I wasn’t surprised that Fran would simply call her by name without honorifics. Fina-san herself didn’t seem to mind at all. That, at least, was a relief.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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Five days after leaving the viscountcy, we finally arrived at the Northern Margrave’s domain.

“It looks like the city is surrounded by mountains.”

“That’s because it’s a basin. A basin is when a flat plain is encircled by mountains.”

“““Ohhh~, I see!”””

 The three children chimed in together.

Crossing the pass, we had a clear view of the Margrave’s capital from a high vantage point.

The basin was vast, the city spreading wide with a river flowing through its heart. At the foot of the mountains, orchards could be seen—at a glance, it was obvious this was a rich and fertile land.

As I took it all in, Suu spoke up beside me.

“In fact, I’ve been here once before. This season is harvest time for fruit, and I remember being treated to the most delicious produce.”

“What kind of fruit, Sue-oneechan?”

“Grapes, peaches, cherries… Though the grape harvest comes a little later.”

“““Wow, that sounds amazing! I want to try some!”””

Three voices overlapped in eager chorus.

Freshly picked fruit is always the sweetest. Who knows—maybe there’ll even be a request to help with the harvest. Once we visit the Adventurers’ Guild, I’ll have to check what kind of jobs are posted.

Our carriage passed safely through the city walls and came to a halt at the terminal. Normally, we would report our arrival at the guild first and then look for an inn, but this time we decided to head straight to the Margrave’s manor. After all, we were entrusted with a gift from the Viscount, and it would be better to deliver it sooner rather than later.

With that thought in mind, we made our way through the bustling streets.

“Look! That stall has a sign—‘Freshly Picked Fruit!’”

“They’ve got peaches!”

“They look delicious.”

With her sharp eyes, Shiro quickly spotted a stall selling fruit, and of course Fran and Horn tagged along right after her.

Sue and I followed as well, drawn by the way the three of them were practically mesmerized by the peaches.

“Uncle, Auntie, please give me some peaches.”

“Sure thing. How many do you want?”

“Hmm… six, please!”

“Alright, give me a moment.”

“Want to try a slice first?”

“““Oh, thank you!”””

Shiro ordered six peaches—enough for Ao as well. The kind shopkeeper offered them a taste on the spot.

“““Sooo sweet! So good!”””

“Haha, right? The weather’s been kind this year—we’ve got a fine crop of peaches.”

The moment Shiro and the others bit into the neatly sliced fruit, their faces lit up with pure delight. Sue, Ao, and I tried one as well, and the peaches were wonderfully juicy. It’s bursting with flavor.

“Uncle, Auntie, are there more fruits coming out soon?”

“Yes, yes. There’s plenty of them. What we’ve got here are the early ones—the real harvest season’s just around the corner.”

“Lots of different fruits will be coming in. They’re all delicious, you’ll see.”

“““Ooooh!”””

According to the friendly couple, the true fruit season was only just beginning, which made Shiro and the others all the more eager.

And since we were already here, we went ahead and bought a variety of other fruits too. At this rate, my item box would probably be overflowing with fruit before long.

This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.

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