The next morning, I left the Sefuti Home a little earlier and found Gorg already inside.
「You’re up early.」
「Those guys who want the wine you serve pushed me. They would not even let me eat breakfast.」
Well, the wine I drank in town was that kind. By the time it reaches giants who drink a lot, it will be even more diluted. Even wine past its expiration will taste like top quality to them.
「I feel like I did something sinful.」
Like the snake who fed Eve an apple, huh.
「Heh. Yeah. The women want tea. The kids want sweets. You are a sinful man.」
If sinning means making women fall for me, I would gladly be sinful. No, that’s just the rambling of a boy who never had much luck with women. Forget I said it.
「I do not know how long I can stay either. After we clear goblins we can make an orchard.」
「I hope you stay, but I know you cannot always.」
「I want to settle down too, but I cannot survive if I stop hunting goblins. If they disappear, I’ll have to move somewhere else.」
Whether I stay or leave, our lives depend on goblin bounties. Goblin hunting is our livelihood, period.
「Anyway, focus on now. As we discussed yesterday, dig two pits. Put them away from the house. Make them deep enough that Gorg cannot climb out. I’ll leave the dimensions to you. I set out the tools yesterday, so use them freely. I will provide water and snacks for breaks, so do not hesitate to eat.」
「You’ve thought of everything.」
「Is it too much? If we clear a lot of goblins we will make the cost back. Make solid traps.」
Water from the Sefuti Home tap. Snacks are ten packs of cheap candy at 150 yen each. The wine reward is twenty bottles of inexpensive imported wine. It does not cost even ten thousand yen. If we take down seven goblins we will break even.
「You lead the operation, Gorg. I will say it again, if Gorg does not kill the goblins you will not get paid. If anyone else kills them, the payment will not count. Be careful.」
I explained about contractors yesterday, but since it’s important, I’ll say it again.
「Really, goblin extermination is such a pain.」
Heh. Now you know the pain of the guy who’s been stuck doing that troublesome job all this time.
「Good morning.」
Ladarion came out of her room, which, honestly, had become more of a storage space than anything.
「Ah, good morning. Heading out for extermination?」
「Yeah. I skipped work yesterday, so I need to make up for it.」
Ladarion looked fired up, eager to recover what she missed yesterday. Just don’t take over Gorg’s share of the goblins, alright?
「Takato, here. Snacks for Muggle.」
She set a big bag of candy on the table, then headed off to hunt goblins. Take care out there.
「She’s a good kid.」
「Yeah. If something ever happens to me, take care of her.」
「Idiot. Don’t say stuff like that.」
He poked me with his finger. He might have held back, but it still hurt. Cut it out.
「Well, leave it to me if it comes to that. Anyway, I’m off to dig the pits.」
Saying that, Gorg left the house. Honestly… is he a tsundere?
After seeing Gorg and the others off, I turned my attention to Romy-san and Muggle.
「Good morning. Come on in.」
Talking to a giant means I have to match their height, or else I’d have to shout just to be heard.
Once inside, we sat down for tea. Oh, by the way, my house is self-service.
「So, why’s Muggle so tense?」
He was usually so noisy, but now he sat quiet as a borrowed cat.
「Well, because he’s becoming your apprentice.」
「Apprentice?」
What is this lady even talking about?
「He’s going to learn from you to hunt goblins. When you learn a skill from someone who makes a living off it, that makes you master and apprentice.」
Well, if you put it that way, I guess that’s true. But from my point of view, it just feels like teaching a neighborhood kid how to play.
「W-wait, kids here become apprentices at six years old?」
「More or less. They usually start helping around the house at eight, then become apprentices at ten. If it’s a family trade, they start as early as six. But ours isn’t passed down, so we just let them do what they want.」
「That’s… pretty free.」
I do not know whether it is something to be glad about that people are free to choose their profession, but regardless it is harsh. In this age you probably do not find your calling easily.
「I want to be an adventurer. I want to travel to many places」
Muggle timidly speaks his dream. I will not laugh at the longing of a six-year-old. Dreaming and failing are both necessary parts of life. I myself once said I would become a hunter twice over when I was a kid.
「If you want to be an adventurer, you must be able to do many things. To make a living as an adventurer you need to be able to read, write, and do math. Lack of physical strength is also a problem. There will be times when you must do troublesome work. Even so, do you still want to be an adventurer, Muggle?」
A child may not fully understand, but if he says yes, he must have made the decision himself. Becoming an adventurer will be a series of decisions.
「…Y-yes. I want to…」
「Good. You decided for yourself. That’s admirable」
I could not pat his head, so I smiled and affirmed Muggle’s choice. He blushed and hid behind Romy.
「Romy. Can Muggle be given a knife?」
「I do not mind, but will you give such an expensive thing to a child?」
「Not anything that costly. It will be cheap, not worth a goblin. Still, a blade is a blade and dangerous. If he misuses it, report it and punish him with a slap or skip his meals」
I can only scold him myself, after all.
「Yeah. Do that. Give him a slap and skip his meals and hang him by the eaves if needed」
Muggle turned pale, like he had experience of punishment. The concept of abuse did not exist in that time. I am truly glad I was not born in that era. Also, to my mother back in the original world, thank you for raising me kindly. Please forgive this foolish son who cannot repay you….
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