Morning came, and a little before seven I stepped out of the Sefuti Home into the room at the inn.
I woke up an hour earlier than usual, so I was tired. I kept yawning and could only manage one hot dog for breakfast. Ladarion ate like usual.
When we went down to the dining hall, Rondario-san’s group was already gathered and eating a huge breakfast. They were my age, but their stomachs were far more energetic. I envied them.
「Good morning. What would you like for breakfast?」
「We do not need anything. We ate a little in the room. We will not be going back up, so please check it」
「Understood」
This girl was full of energy from the morning. I envied her youth.
So, there were other adventurers staying at this inn. I wondered what kind of work required so many adventurers.
「Your room is all good. Thank you」
Since the girl confirmed it, we decided to wait for Rondario-san’s party in front of the guild branch.
As we left the inn and headed for the guild, they were collecting the passage tax in front of the church again.
「Ah, mister, good morning!」
I tried to pretend I was half-asleep and walk past, but the kid from yesterday spotted me. Damn. I hate sharp-eyed brats.
「You work hard from early in the morning」
「Yeah, I am slow, so this is the only way I can get any charity」
Oh, the kid was a girl. Her messy hair made it impossible to tell.
「If you are slow, then work steadily at one thing. That becomes a strength no one can beat」
Her ability to take passage tax from me without mercy was already top class. I would praise her for that.
Accepting defeat, I took out one silver coin and dropped it into the donation box.
「Thank you, mister!」
「It is just a whim. No need to thank me」
Someday I will pass without paying. She can cry then, tax collector.
Carrying that sense of defeat, we headed for the guild branch. It was already open, and when I peeked inside, it was packed with people wearing shabby equipment.
…What kind of work needed all these people…?
They looked busy, so we stepped back outside and waited for Rondario-san’s party in the plaza beside the building.
「…What is it?」
Sitting on the ground and killing time with a can of coffee, I noticed Ladarion looking down at me with a displeased expression. Wh-what? Was she still angry that I drank her yak○lt?
「Takato, do you like little girls?」
…Hah? Where did this sudden lolicon accusation come from? I am normal. Age-appropriate. Totally normal. I wanted to shout that, but I held it in. If I reacted badly, it would look like an admission.
「Why do you think that? Did I ever do anything weird to you?」
Even small, Ladarion’s strength was several times mine. We had sparred a few times. I had taken heavy hits, collapsed in agony many times. There was no universe where I would ever try anything weird. Not that I ever intended to, obviously!
「You are kind to little girls」
「Huh? Was I ever kind to little girls?」
Ladarion was small but still big. Mishinie was childlike….no, slender but definitely an adult woman. The only other little girl I knew was the one at Gorg’s place, but I avoided her because I had no idea what she might do. Who on earth was he talking about?
「…Takato, you are too unaware…」
Unaware? Of what? Did I do something?
「Never mind」
He turned away. What the hell?!
I sensed that pushing him would only make him angrier, so I forced myself to let it go.
「Sorry to keep you waiting」
Just as I finished the canned coffee, Rondario-san’s group arrived.
「Are you ready?」
They were not carrying much.
「We will hire porters, so give us a moment」
Porters? I wondered what he meant, and then one of the party went into the branch building. After a short while, he came back with three boys.
「Do you hire porters every time?」
「Unless it is an emergency request, yes. Training juniors is also the job of seniors」
That was surprisingly kind for an adventurer guild. In manga they would usually be disposable.
The storage area behind the branch handled their baggage, and the three boys were already carrying it on their backs.
「What about food?」
This time we planned to spend one night outside. I also wanted to learn what adventurer camping was like.
「We will buy food on the way. If we go now, we can get leftovers for cheap」
They spent where needed and saved where they could. Bold yet practical. High-rank adventurers really were different.
Following Rondario-san, we arrived at the town market. They bought wilted vegetables, smoked meat and rock-hard bread that looked like it could be used as a club. These were divided among the three boys.
「Takato, are you not buying food?」
「Goblin exterminators have their own place to buy things. Well, you could buy from there too if you hunted goblins, but using unknown ingredients must feel risky, right? You can test them yourselves bit by bit」
Today we planned to make curry, so Ladarion carried the pot. I had already chopped the ingredients so they could be taken out of the apport pouch easily.
「You should have said that earlier. This would have been unnecessary」
「I will give you something that will make your meal better, so it is not wasted. You should keep a big pot anyway. It will be useful from now on」
They would have the boys carry it and they often camped on jobs. Curry outdoors tasted wonderful.
「Is that so…?」
Ladarion glanced at the pot he carried.
「You may buy one or not. We will make our own」
After a short discussion, they decided to buy a large pot.
「You said we can buy it after hunting goblins, right?」
As expected of Rondario-san. He did not take the bait easily.
「Yes. Just two goblins will earn you enough to buy the same one」
「I see. So, we hunt goblins first」
Quick understanding was a relief.
「I will explain everything in detail once we leave town」
I still had not handed over the contractor cards. Getting items from my original world would certainly attract problems. I needed to make that clear.
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