Chapter 11
Though the trip to Waleo Village couldn’t be said went smoothly, it was within reason .
Even after attacked several times by monsters, we didn’t suffered any loss .
Partly because there was not much difference in power between the monster that attacked us on the way and the one roaming outskirts the town .
We arrive at a village by evening . When we entered the village, we heard a rumour that we couldn’t miss .
“Mutated orc, huh?”
“Yes, it seems lately they settled in the forest up ahead .
And some other merchants are opening their stall in this village . ”
Mr . Crest replied so in a voice mingled with sigh . [1]
If the merchants are refraining themselves from advancing, that means the rumour is trusted enough .
“Staying here too long is not a good plan, either .
If my presence here is learned, I think some people would related it with [Jade Silk] . ”
Mr . Crest is a quite-famous-merchant in Brett Town, after all . His name is fairly known in [Jade Silk] business .
During this trip, Mr . Crest was claiming as Mr . Clain . Perhaps he has a lot of rivals, too .
“If we go, we would absolutely encounter them; is not guaranteed either . And I do want to advance with caution . What do you think?”
Mr . Crest turned to ask me . If I were to abandon the mission midway, I would be penalized .
However, life can’t be bought . Many adventurers would abandon the mission if the situation exceed their abilities .
Knowing thou own limit is also one of adventurers’ abilities . In this case, Mr . Crest has no choice .
If I were to return, though that would mean I abandon the quest, there is no one but me who would protect Mr . Crest until he return to Brett .
However we’ve come this far . So it’s natural if I want to go back with [Jade Silk] at hand .
Hmm, this might be a good chance to ask for more reward .
“Let’s see, I don’t mind advancing if you fulfilled my condition . ”
“Really? So, what’s this condition of yours?”
“Could you give us a piece of [Jade Silk] clothing? Of course, I don’t mind if you give it only if we have to fight mutated orc . ”
“That is…”
Mr . Crest starts to think . According to Ayla’s story, a piece of [Jade Silk] clothing worth several gold coins,
though we yet to know the mutated orc’s status, it’s likely that they’re quite strong .
I think that’s an appropriate reward if we manage to break the life-death situation when we encounter them .
“I understand . If you can subjugate it, I will give you my boasted item . ”
It seems Mr . Crest think that there’s no problem since I would die if we encounter them .
And if we reach there safely without encountering one, he won’t have to give me special reward; so he’s not at disadvantage .
He’s even betting his own life, should I say as expected of a merchant?
We bought the minimum necessities in the village and headed towards the forest .
“We finally arrived at the village without accident . I thought I’ve raised a flag, though . ”
“What is this flaeg you are talking about, Master?”
“If there were that many rumours about mutated orc, I thought they would appeared for sure . ”
“But I heard mutated orc is really strong, so it is a good thing we did not encounter them . ”
When you say it with that smile, I’d felt guilty for only thinking about the special reward .
“You really are a honest and good girl, huh . ”
I pat Ayla’s head .
Though she looks like ticklish, she doesn’t show any resistance . So I continue it .
“We are lodging in the village today . We will depart tomorrow around noon .
Poroia will come to get you, so you should wait in the inn . Waleo also has good sake, so I think you wouldn’t get bored . ”
It seems he ordered us not to wonder around the village .
Well, not that there was anything I want to do in the village, so I better follow his instructions .
However, when I investigated it, I came to understand that Waleo’s local speciality, sake, is a frighteningly strong sake . To the level that it could lit with fire .
This village also has a custom on wedding ceremony to use the sake as source of light to party all night .
[Strong sake will repel monster]; seems like there’s that kind of belief, too .
However, since in the production of [Jade Silk] magic is needed to some extent, the said strongsake might also involving some magic .
Though I’m worried if I were get drunk after drinking that sake,
if he says it like : “It’s recommended for adventurers,” that could means adventurers and sakeare inseparable .
It might also means that he just want to recommend the sake, nothing else .
However, that night I was having passionate night with Ayla like there is no tomorrow in the inn instead of having sake .
Since there were Mr . Crest and co . , I’ve neglected her these past few days .
And as if she’s been greatly accustomed, she’s assertive lately . That’s a pleasant thing .
The next morning, I went to gather information in the inn’s restaurant . I was curious about the mutated orc .
“Among people in the village, there was someone who saw it . ”
“What kind of monster is it?”
“I wonder… since orcs are unusual around here, maybe it’s not normal orcs, y’see . ”
“Are there no orcs around here?”
“Yeah, since there are many goblins around here”
Goblins and orcs; both of these race have unique relation .
Since each other would preying upon the other one .
In a place with many orcs, goblin will be preyed by orcs, decreasing its number .
While in a place with many goblin, orc will be preyed by goblin, decreasing its number .
Because of that, as long as it’s not within the unique environment like dungeon, these two races won’t co-exist .
“Might it not be strayed orc mistaken as mutated orc?”
“That might be it . Beside, somehow the eye-witnesses aren’t consistent .
One says “it was bigger than the normal orc . ”; other says “it was smaller . ”; another says “the color is green . ”; yet another says “nope, it’s red . ”; Well, something like that . ”
“What about the possibility that there are several of them?”
“Well, I can’t say there’s no possibility . But y’see, if there are too many of them, the goblin in this forest won’t sit down and let it pass . ”
“I see . I got it, thank you . Could I have that sake, please?”
Saying so, I leave some silver coins in the counter and order a strong sake as compensation before I go back to my room .
I rarely drink sake before, but I won’t look like an adventurer if I don’t drink .
Though it was heartbreaking, it was also important job of an adventurer .
Poroia might come to summon me anytime soon . And so I change into my Equipments and stand by in my room .
“Sorry to keep you waiting . ”
By the time I finished changing, Poroia came to my room as though she has estimated it .
“No . I just finished my preparations . ”
Like that, we move out of the room and walk towards where the horse carriage is .
“It seems you talked about something with the inn owner, though . ”
Oops, who’d have thought she’d ask something like that .
“I was just asking about the mutated orcs . If you doubt it, should we go back to confirm it?”
After listening to my answer, as though Ayla realize we were being doubted, she glares at Poroia .
“No, I am just curious about it . If I hurt your feelings, I offer my apologies . ”
It seems I have to keep my guard with this woman, too .
On the way back, I’ll position Ayla on the back to keep eye on them .
I beckon Ayla with my hand and issue my instructions through a whisper .
Though her tiger-ears twitching cutely, I’ll restrain my self for today .
“Yo, Hibiki-san . Did you slept well yesterday?”
“Yes, I was able to sleep soundly in a good bed for the first time in a while . ”
“Good to hear that . Then, is it alright to depart now?”
“Yes, I don’t mind . ”
In the end, there was nothing happened during my stay in the village .
Maybe they feel cautious towards me meeting mutated orc so we stayed shorter than scheduled .
Or they just finished their business faster than scheduled .
Without saying anything about the change on Ayla’s position, we departed .
Translator notes and references
[1] Nope . I’m not westernizing honorifics . The author didn’t add any honorifics here, so I add Mr . on my own .