When we stepped out of the guild, Kainzel-san was waiting.
「You didn’t have to hurry」
It hadn’t even been thirty minutes. Eating too fast would only hurt his stomach.
「If I’m hired, I should work properly」
Maybe his soldier’s instincts had awakened. Even his posture looked straighter and his presence felt different. He really did seem like a seasoned warrior.
「I see. Then shall we go?」
Just as we started walking toward Lasagna Village, a child holding a donation box appeared.
…R-right. There were collectors here too…
「Welcome back, mister!」
This collector knew how to use charm as a weapon. And… was this child a girl? The children here were all so thin, their hair a tangled mess, their clothes worn to rags. It was impossible to tell their gender.
「Hey. Do the church kids have to rely on donations to survive?」
「Yeah. Since we can’t work, we get alms like this」
So, there was no concept of welfare here. What a nasty era.
「I see. Here, take this and get going」
I dropped a silver coin into the box.
「Thank you, mister!」
「Yeah, yeah」
I waved them away.
Sigh… Just when I thought I had escaped the toll collectors, I had to pay another one. Was taxation the only thing the gods could do?
「You are kind, Takato」
「Just felt like it」
I shrugged at Kainzel-san’s teasing and kept walking.
The carriage to Misrim Town was at the east gate. For reference, the south gate was the main entrance, and the Adventurer Guild sat along the main southern avenue. The church was on the east side.
「Takato. I’m hungry」
When I checked my watch, it was past noon. But he had eaten a hamburger earlier.
「Kainzel-san, is there an inn around here? If there’s a wash area, let’s get you cleaned up」
He was… well… very smelly. Getting him refreshed would help everyone.
「This way」
Having protected this city for decades, he navigated the streets without hesitation and guided us to an inn. I stepped inside to negotiate.
「Kainzel-san, go ahead to the wash area and clean up. I’ll bring soap and clothes」
「A-all right」
I compared it with my own foot, then headed back inside and returned to the Sefuti Home.
First, I bought some food from a self-service diner to settle Ladarion’s stomach. A buffet would be too much, but a self-service place lets him finish everything that day.
After getting lunch, I bought underwear, socks, shoes, pants, shirts, a bath towel, soap, a sponge, and other things for Kainzel-san, then headed to the wash area.
「Sorry to keep you waiting. Please wash yourself with the soap.」
It seems this era has soap. It is expensive, but shops do sell it. He should know how to use it.
「Are you sure? This must be expensive.」
「It is the cheap kind, so use it without worrying. If any is left, you can throw it away. Put the clothes you were wearing in this. I will have the inn dispose of them.」
It cost five large copper coins, but I paid one silver coin. They will probably be flexible about it.
「All right. Is it fine if I use the steam bath?」
「Steam bath? They have something like that here?」
Do they have saunas in this era? I did not see any in Lasagna Village or Mars Town.
「Yeah. There are few inns with steam baths in the Third Wall District, but there are plenty in the Second Wall District. I like steam baths, and since I am here, I would like to go in.」
He pointed toward a brick shed with smoke rising from its chimney. This world might be more developed than I thought.
「Well, I do not mind. I will tell the inn staff.」
I explained how to put on the underwear, left the water, informed the staff, and returned to my room.
Back at the Sefuti Home, I had my lunch too. After about an hour, I went to check on Kainzel-san and found him cooling off with a bath towel wrapped around his waist.
…Are saunas really that good?
I do not care much for baths, and unless I am tired, I use the shower. After drinking parties, older coworkers invited me to the sauna, but I never understood what was good about it.
「You look refreshed.」
Now that the grime was gone and his vitality had returned, he did not look like an old man at all. In fact, he looked like a nice middle-aged gentleman. He even reminded me of the actor who played James Bond, though I do not know his name.
「…Yes. It feels like I came back to life…」
What is it with this world. There are so many people who look like they walked straight out of a movie and became the main character. If that is the case, then I am the supporting role who backs the protagonist. No, even that feels too much. I am more suited to being the guy who gets killed partway through.
「Save your money and enjoy a comfortable old age.」
「Fufu. That sounds nice, but if possible, I would rather die on the battlefield.」
Kainzel-san looked into the distance.
I grew up in a peaceful world, so I cannot understand that feeling. Still, Kainzel-san has his own identity. I have no right to say anything.
「Sorry. Just an old man’s nonsense. Forget it.」
「If you ever grow tired of your situation, just tell me. When that time comes, I will see you off.」
A life devoted to goblin extermination is awful. I cannot force him to stay.
「Fufu. You are a strange young man. No, calling my employer a young man is rude.」
「Call me however you like. From your point of view, I am just some snot-nosed kid.」
Trying to compare myself to a veteran warrior would be stupid. If he shouted something like, 「The only thing I want to hear is yes sir, you trash」 I would flood the place with tears.
「No, young man… No, with respect, let me call you Takato.」
It feels embarrassing to hear him say my name.
「Takato is not as much of a snot-nosed kid as you thinks. You have the face of someone who understands your own weakness and tries to grow stronger. Besides, you are the type who fights with your mind rather than strength. If someone is leading a squad, an officer like you is someone they can trust.」
Hearing praise from someone above me made my face heat up and I looked down without thinking.
If you say that, I will fall for you. No, as a person. As a person.
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