「…I see. If Takato says he has decided, then I will follow」
It was neither careless resignation nor blind obedience. Even in our short time together, I understood well why Kainzel-san made that judgment. If I am wrong, he is the kind of person who will clearly tell me so.
「Bisha and Mebi, are you two alright with this as well?」
We had gathered here in Kainzel-san’s room (the shed used to park the Pioneer), and while eating, I explained everything about Misaro.
「…Yeah…」
「…Understood…」
The two of them looked reluctant.
「Do not mind those two. Matters concerning exterminators should be decided by you people. The restrictions on exterminators are different from those on us contractors」
Restrictions, huh. Well, that is true. Exterminators are bound by the useless goddess. Contractors lose their status if they do not exterminate goblins for one year. They can escape this miserable situation. Being a contractor is far better than being an exterminator.
「Thank you very much」
Having people who understand and support you is reassuring. If something happens, they are people I can trust things to.
「Please rest well tomorrow, then move to Miroid Fortress the day after tomorrow. We can’t just leave that place unattended either」
「Is the Demon King’s army there as well?」
「No. According to the goddess, once Rodos of the Roaring Thunder was defeated, the problems in this area would be resolved. So, the Demon King’s army likely isn’t there. Though with no one left to lead them, they may have scattered and fled」
I scattered processed meat there as bait, but I have not done so for ten days already. They may have split up in search of food. We won’t know until we go there.
「At Miroid Fortress, I’ll have Cyrus-san and the staff earn money. They need to buy supplies and equipment」
I want the staff to buy things like pens and paper and manage them. It would be a hassle if we had to handle every little thing ourselves.
「You are not taking the giants?」
「Not this time. I’ll leave them at the simple fortress to continue extermination work」
To begin with, the giants are craftsmen. I can’t keep making them do nothing but goblin extermination. Many of them have families as well.
We decided to hold a meeting tomorrow night to discuss the details, and for now, we ate the sukiyaki prepared as a celebration for everyone’s hard work.
I also brought out a ginjo sake worth around ten thousand yen, and after the meal, I served the beastkin sisters deluxe parfaits.
Once the celebration ended, I headed back to the manor and returned to my room.
It was a cramped room of about six tatami mats, but it was only meant for sleeping. There was just a cooler box filled with drinks and a shelf for my equipment.
「A fireplace, huh. How do you use this thing?」
I had them install a fireplace in the room, with everyone carrying in their own firewood. I had brought in some wood myself, but I had lived my whole life with no connection to fireplaces. Do I just throw in the wood and light it?
For now, I put in some thin branches and lit them. Once the fire grew stronger, I added thicker logs.
「Oh, that was easier than I expected」
No smoke came into the room, and it was warmer than I imagined. Maybe sitting in an armchair, sipping whiskey on the rocks, would be nice.
Well, I don’t have the luxury for that now. Cleaning the MINIMI takes priority. I want to finish three of them today.
I could have the staff do it, but just returning from Milond Fortress took two days of travel. Tomorrow, they rest, then they move to Miroid Fortress right after. No days off would make us a black guild. Ours is a white guild that treats its staff kindly.
…Though it means the master, me, ends up as the overworked corporate slave…
After finishing the second one, I took a break and drank a highball made with ‘From the Barrel’-sama when someone knocked on the door.
Checking the apport watch, it was just before eleven at night. Night patrol?
I had assigned two people as fire watch guards. Is it them? That’s what I thought when I answered, but it was Sierra.
「What’s wrong? The toilet is outside」
Did she come in by mistake thinking this was the toilet? Maybe she’s more clumsy than she looks.
「…As if that would happen…」
「Then what is it? It’s late, so hurry up and get some sleep」
Even if they were the stay-behind group, everything still had to be handled by Sierra and the few staff members here. Well, maybe it wasn’t brutal work, but they had to be busy enough to feel sleepy by nightfall.
「Master, are you not going to sleep?」
「I slept like the dead, so I won’t be sleepy again for a while」
Even with the help of ‘From the Barrel’-sama, sleepiness still would not come. Once I finish cleaning the MINIMI, maybe I’ll do some practice swings.
「Alcohol?」
「Yeah. It’s a highball」
Since we did not have many staff members, I provided the alcohol and let everyone drink freely. Sierra seemed to like alcohol too. She had been drinking a Kakubin highball with dinner.
「I haven’t seen that bottle before」
She snatched the glass from my hand and drained the half-full drink in one go.
「If you wanted one, I would have made you one. Don’t steal someone else’s drink」
I don’t mind, but if it were someone else, they might have gotten angry.
「…Master, have you ever dated a woman before?」
「I have. How rude」
Well, only one woman, and we broke up before even a year had passed.
「You got dumped, didn’t you?」
Ugh. Don’t dig into old wounds.
「I figured. With how you are…」
For some reason, she sounded exasperated with me. If I said, ‘What would you know’, she would probably stab right into the center of the truth, so I kept quiet.
I called for a new glass and made her a highball.
「Drink that, then go to sleep」
「That right there is the problem」
For some reason, she pinched my cheek. What part? I have no idea what she means.
「I’m sleeping here tonight」
She downed the highball in one gulp, climbed onto the bed, and wrapped herself in the blanket. No, go sleep in your own room.
「What kind of harassment is this?」
I was about to throw her out, but when I heard her breathing softly in sleep, I gave up and returned to cleaning the MINIMI. I don’t have time to deal with Sierra’s nonsense.
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