「It’s been a while.」
「Yeah. I’m glad you made it back safely.」
Seriously. I nearly died when that rare variant showed up. I still don’t even know what it looked like.
「From the look of you, something happened.」
「Sadly, things always happen.」
It hasn’t even been a full year since I came to this world, and I’ve fought a Goblin King, dealt with upper-tier species, rare variants, and even met Misaro of the Demon King’s Army. I’m completely fed up.
「I see. Well, peace was never meant for someone who serves the goddess.」
Hearing it said so plainly almost makes me want to burst into tears. Not that I will. A guy in his early thirties crying would just look pathetic.
I welcomed the guild master into the house and served milk tea and cake instead of alcohol. I gave my report on Roselan and showed him the ears as proof of subjugation. He told me I could dispose of them. I’ll just toss them into the trash later, cooler box and all.
「Understood. I’ll report this to the relevant offices. This is your reward for the subjugation and the escort fee for Dyne.」
He placed one gold coin on the table.
Even I know that one gold coin for both subjugation and escort work is far too generous. It probably includes hush money as well, so I accepted it without saying anything.
「The mansion looks like it’s coming along nicely.」
The guild master avoided unnecessary comments and changed the subject.
「Yes. I offered a generous reward, so they’re working with enthusiasm. By the way, I’m thinking of building a training ground deeper in the forest. Would there be any taxes involved?」
「Koraus territory extends only to inhabited areas. If you want the protection of the Koraus margrave, it can be approved. In that case, you would pay the village of Lasagna.」
「What kind of protection would that give me?」
「You would be allowed to flee into the town if monsters overflow, and you would gain the right to live in towns or villages.」
That’s it? That counts as protection?
「What about those who don’t pay? They live in town too, right?」
「In an emergency, they are conscripted and sent to the front lines.」
That’s brutal. So that’s what they’re there for? What a terrifying era to live in.
「Giants, vagrants. They leave so much potential manpower unused. If it were me, I’d have them maintain the roads in exchange for meals. Better roads make travel between towns easier.」
Even the main roads have holes and deep ruts, making them hard to travel on in many places. At the very least, I wish they would regularly fill in the holes and grooves.
「I’d like to do that, but the budget is the problem.」
From what I can see, Koraus doesn’t look poor. The wheat crops seem healthy too. If the money isn’t being spent here, then it must be flowing somewhere else.
「The royal capital?」
「You’re sharp, sometimes too sharp for your own good.」
「It’s not intuition. It’s a common story. People from the countryside aiming for the city.」
Everyone knows politics costs money. Back in my old world, candidates used to come give speeches at the company, and the president would attend political fundraisers.
「Well, either way, if there’s surplus manpower, I’ll make use of it.」
「What are you planning?」
「I’m thinking of bringing the giants over to our side.」
Thinking about what lies ahead, it would be better to have the giants as allies. The Demon King’s Army has already taken notice of us.
「Let me be clear. I have no intention of fighting humans. As long as they don’t encroach on us.」
If they do become enemies, then I’ll have to fight to protect my own life and the lives of my companions. That responsibility and duty fall on me.
「……I’ll pass that on to Misha.」
「Please do. I want to stay here for a long time.」
I want to build a place I can return to, even if I don’t know what the future holds.
「Yeah. I’ll make sure to tell her properly. We want to stay on good terms with you too, Takato.」
For that, we need to build a close relationship.
「If you have time, how about dinner? Today I’m planning something lavish to welcome a new companion and celebrate the completion of the job.」
I had promised Bisha an all-you-can-eat cake feast, after all. I should invite the Guild Master too. I would rather not have him find out later and hold a grudge.
「Yeah, I’d join」
So we started preparing an all-you-can-eat yakiniku and cake feast.
「Yakiniku and cake is just cruel! I only have one stomach!」
「I already ate a snack earlier! Takato is so mean!」
Baseless protests from the beastkin sisters.
「Then should we move the all-you-can-eat cake to tomorrow?」
「「We want both!」」
What is this unfairness? Why am I the one being protested against?
「So the new companion is Mishinie?」
「Yes. When I am with Takato, I do not lose my companions. I will still accept jobs I can handle alone, so please rest assured」
The two of them seemed to know each other already, talking without even exchanging introductions.
「Understood. I will inform the branch. I am counting on you, Takato」
「Yes」
It was a conversation full of unspoken understanding. What kind of relationship do those two have? They look like a superior and a subordinate.
「Takato, what should I do? I am already at fifty percent」
Ladarion reported the state of her stomach with teary eyes.
「That is proof your illness is healing. Your stomach is full, right?」
I had explained his overeating condition and made him take one recovery pill after meals. If it healed too quickly, his awareness and stomach capacity would not match, causing stress. It was better to let him adjust little by little.
「……Yeah……」
「Then from now on, enjoy the taste instead of just filling your stomach. I will make sure you eat even better food from now on」
Until now, it had been about quantity over taste. If her stomach was getting smaller, I could buy cakes from famous shops for her.
「……I am anxious about not being able to eat much, but I will try……」
Was one pill after meals too strong? She seemed stressed, so maybe I should switch to one pill per day.
「You still get full, right?」
「Yeah」
「Once you are full, that anxiety will fade too. Eat good food and enjoy it properly. This meat costs three goblins worth of extermination, you know」
Thinking in goblin equivalents kills appetite, but it works well on Ladarion. Her anxiety about not being able to eat vanished as she started devouring the high-grade beef that cost several thousand yen per hundred grams.
I guess I will get back to goblin extermination starting tomorrow. All for the sake of eating good food.
Leave a Reply