The next day. When we headed to the neighboring settlement, it seemed Lloyd-san had already passed the word along, and we were able to gain their cooperation without any trouble. The speed of information spreading in the countryside was unbelievable.
After speaking with their chief, we began the extermination around ten.
Even though it was only one kilometer from yesterday’s settlement, the number of goblins was about the same. By noon each of us had taken down a little over thirty.
「Just as Lloyd said, this is incredible」
To me, the speed at which word spread since yesterday was even more incredible.
「Goblin hunting is how we make our living」
Not that it was anything to be proud of. We were being forced into it after all.
The extermination went smoothly in the afternoon as well, and we earned about the same as yesterday. Very good indeed.
「May I speak with you for a moment?」
As we were getting ready to leave, a man about the same age as the settlement chief approached us.
「Yes? What is it?」
「Have you decided where you will go tomorrow?」
「Not particularly, but we were thinking of going to the next settlement」
The area we were in belonged to the town of Misrim, and we were moving from south to north.
「In that case, could you go to Muband Village? There is a pair of Maanu there」
「──Is that a request?」
Kainzel-san cut in before I could answer.
「Ah, no, not exactly…」
「I understand your situation. But we have our own. Hunting Maanu will take time. Will the settlement cover the loss from that effort? And Takato is a provisional adventurer. He cannot accept requests that do not go through the guild. You understand that, do you not?」
Ah, so that was the rule. I had no idea.
「If you want to make a request, go through the guild. If not, then do not try to trick us」
Wait, was I about to be tricked? I had not noticed at all.
「The reward will be three silver coins. You cover the fee. If you submit the request to the guild branch in Rihar by the end of today, we will accept it tomorrow. That is the compromise」
Kainzel-san was so dependable. I stayed quiet and let him handle it.
「…A-alright. We will do that」
Looking uncomfortable, the man and the chief walked away.
「Thank you. It really helps having someone older to rely on」
I knew sincerity did not always reach people. I figured someone young like me might be looked down on. That was why I wanted Kainzel-san with me.
「Fufu. I suppose that is part of my role, is it not?」
He really had spent many years as a captain. So he understood it properly after all.
「Do you think he will actually file a request?」
「If he does not, then leave him be. None of the villages are so poor that they would begrudge three silver coins. They only tried to get it done for free because someone showed up who would do it for free.」
Hearing it from someone like Kainzel-san carried a strange weight.
「The world is harsh.」
「Takato, you are too kind. Though I suppose I am not the one who should say that, since I am someone who was saved by that kindness.」
No, having someone who gives me honest warnings is something I am grateful for. Especially for someone like me who has grown soft in peaceful times.
「If I ever do something stupid, do not hesitate to scold me. Your words and experience are worth more than a hundred gold coins.」
He had lived more than fifty years in this unforgiving world. For an ordinary guy like me, he was like a guiding star. If I wanted to live long, I should learn from him.
「…All right. I will prove that I am worth more than a hundred gold coins.」
Kainzel-san showed a gentle smile. It made me squirm, so please stop.
「Well then, shall we head back? Ladarion’s stomach has started growling.」
I climbed into the Pioneer and started the engine.
「That reminds me. I was thinking of buying an assault rifle for myself. Which one would be good?」
After driving for a while, Kainzel-san spoke as if he had just remembered.
「An assault rifle?」
Tired of the MINIMI?
「Yes. I want to try sniping as well.」
What a childish reason!
「Then you can use the H-Sniper. I will use the VHS-2.」
All I had to do was swap the dot sight for a scope.
「No, I will buy my own. If I cannot manage my own weapon, then it is not truly mine.」
That sounded less like a soldier and more like a warrior.
「There are hundreds of assault rifles and you can customize them to your liking. Do you have any preferences?」
「Something that hits hard.」
I had already understood that he was the type to learn with his body rather than with words, but he really was a natural intuitive type.
「Then search for battle rifles, 7.62 mm, using the contractor card. Choose one you like from there, then look at its variants.」
Both the tablet and the contractor card had a thought-search function, or so I called it, so if he looked step by step, he should find something he liked.
…It would help if they also included instructions on how to use them…
「If you stare at the contractor card too long, you will get dizzy.」
I warned him, but it did not reach Kainzel-san at all. Well, he could look as much as he wanted.
I eased off the speed a little and headed toward Lasagna Village.
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