Previous Chapter l Next Chapter

My muscle pain is not recovering today as well.

Pain is starting to become the norm for me, and you could say I have gotten pretty used to it now.

I just hope I don’t get a weird habit from this…

The day before yesterday was from going down a mountain, yesterday was from the subjugation of the bandit called Gidou. Then today is the pain from the interrogation?

That day I didn’t do any exerting movements, so I doubt it will get worse until tomorrow.

The issue is the day after tomorrow when the pain of the attack on all the bandit lairs happens…

And then the share of manual labor at the Dog’s Bone and the big cleaning…

Just thinking about how there’s still heavy work today as well dampens my mood. Gotta find employees.

“Ooh, Nii-chan, you are awake… That’s a terrible face.” (Gozu)

“I am bad at manual labor, you see…”

“You are not an employee, Nii-chan. You don’t have to push yourself.” (Gozu)

“Is that so. Then, is it okay to leave the shopping to you? We got a new basket, so there should be no issues. I am going to head to Ban-san’s place to buy some extra salt.”

“A-Alright… No, you can rest, you know?” (Gozu)

“It is not that heavy anyways. No problem.”

“I-I see. Or more like, you don’t have to do it.” (Gozu)

“If you don’t find new employees, the stamina of you two won’t last. Don’t be reckless.”

I went ‘heave ho’ as I get up with a motivating shout that didn’t sound youthful at all and left the store.

“…No, that’s not what I meant…hmm.” (Gozu)

It seems like Gozu was saying something, but it doesn’t seem to be important, so I ignore him.

Now then, it is still early morning, but has Ban-san already begun working?

I arrived at the firm, and when I made an appointment at the reception desk, I was guided to the guest room just like the other day.

Ban-san appeared soon after.

“Sorry for bothering you this early in the morning. Actually, the salt was consumed faster than I imagined… Do you have twice as much as what we bought yesterday?”

“What, at such a high pace?! Yeah, there’s still a bit of surplus in our inventory. I shall get it ready.” (Ban)

“That would be a great help. I did try to economize it, but it still ended up being more than I imagined it to be when it was an eatery.”

“Fumu, what’s the name of the establishment?” (Ban)

“Dog’s Bone, a tavern that originally had terrible food.”

“Yeah, I know about it. I have heard that their alcohol sense is outstanding, but their cooking is catastrophic.” (Ban)

Even a bigshot merchant knows about how bad their food was.

“For the simple dishes, well…I had a skilled woman teach him, and had the simple dishes with salt be added to the menu. We managed to bring out good dishes to that extent.”

“I see. I shall go check it out once.” (Ban)

“Please do. The waitress is cute.”

“Hohooh…” (Ban)

And then, someone knocked on the door of the guest room.

The receptionist showed up as if apologetic.

“My apologies for interrupting in the middle of your conversation, but Lord Domitorkofucon has arrived.”

“Ooh, Caragyugujesta-sama has come, huh.” (Ban)

Hmm, is there no person who bites their tongue when saying this name?

When I was practicing yesterday, I bit my tongue 4 times out of 5 and forgot 1 time.

“Wait, Cara-jiisan was an acquaintance of yours, Ban-san?”

“Oh, you calling him by that name must mean that he is also an acquaintance of yours? Then there should be no issues. Please let him in.” (Ban)

Cara-jiisan entered soon after.

He is not in his full armor that I saw before, but plain clothes with a pretty decent fashion sense.

“Ooh, if it ain’t the lad. I haven’t seen you since Ilias took you, but you were at a place like this?” (Cara)

“You have helped me out greatly the other day, Cara-jiisan.”

“Fufu, Cara-jii is my nickname, so there’s no need for the -san.” (Cara)

“Alright. It is great to see you are doing well, Cara-jii.”

“That’s so nice. I myself would bite my tongue every now and then.” (Ban)

So it really is difficult. That’s a relief.

I see, because ages vary by people, some can’t just call him Cara-jii, huh. <-Jii is an honorific for old men.>

Also, Cara-jiisama would be the same as adding a -san.

“Don’t worry, I myself bite my tongue too! Fuafuafuah!” (Cara)

You are the last person that should bite their tongue.

“Caragyugujesta-sama, if it is in regards to the product you requested, we have readied it. Please receive it on your way out from the receptionist.” (Ban)

“Ooh, sorry for the trouble all the time. So, what brings you here, lad? This is not a place for cheap purchases, you know?” (Cara)

“Actually…”

I tell him about the events of Dog’s Bone leading up to this point.

“That place, huh. The booze there is good, but there’s even knights who would order food there to punish themselves, you know?” (Cara)

It is famous even within the knights, huh. That must be just what they wish as knight maniacs.

“Fumu, I see. But you are quite the samaritan, lad. It is not like you have any debt to those people, and it is not like you are that troubled.” (Cara)

“That’s true, but they spoke well of Ilias, so you could say I ended up feeling close to them.”

“Fuafuafua, in that case, I understand that feeling. If I can help out somehow, I will.” (Cara)

Leaving Cara-jii to do waiter or cooking work would be impossible. He has his work as a knight and, most of all, those two wouldn’t be able to work.

Something I can ask Cara-jii to do, huh… Aah, right.

“We attracted quite a lot of customers yesterday and they are lacking personnel. Can you introduce them to people who have time to work as a waiter or cook?”

“Speaking of which, you did say there’s only two of you.” (Cara)

He went ‘ooh’ and hammered his hand.

“Then, I shall introduce them to my wife.” (Cara)

I don’t know about that.

“I don’t know about that.”

“There’s only my wife and myself at the house since my daughter married, you see. I am mostly out of the house. I feel bad for leaving her all lonely at home.” (Cara)

Aah, I see.

With the age of Cara-jii, it wouldn’t be strange for him to be retired and leading a leisurely life.

But Cara-jii is still a knight in active duty.

That means Cara-jii’s wife would be staying lonely at home with her child gone and simply waiting for her husband to return.

“…Got it. Can you please tell her the circumstances and consult with her? But don’t coerce her, okay?”

“Of course. Rather, I would be too scared to do so.” (Cara)

Just what kind of wife would scare even Cara-jii.

I tried to imagine it, but because of the gorilla called Ilias, I can only imagine a superhuman old lady.

“I understand that feeling.” (Ban)

Looks like Ban-san is also submissive to his wife. They must have it rough.

“Ah, right. I think the people of Dog’s Bone will be the ones coming here to buy the salt in the future.”

“Alright. I have told the reception about this, so don’t worry. Please come here anytime you want for any other business.” (Ban)

I received the package together with Cara-jii and left the firm.

“Speaking of which, are you off-duty today, Cara-jii?”

“Umu, we finally finished most of the tasks yesterday. And so, I am here on an errand from my wife.” (Cara)

Running an errand early in the morning on your free day, huh… But thanks to that we might be able to solve the personnel issue, so I should be grateful for this. But thinking about it calmly, would a wife like that accept to work in cooking and as a waitress?

“Okay.”

An instant answer.

We went to Cara-jii’s house, Cara-jii told her the situation, and she accepted without a moment’s hesitation.

She is an old lady, but she gives me the impression of being strong spirited.

The wife of Cara-jii walked over to me.

“Rather than making food for the household head when there’s no knowing if he will return, it is worth a whole lot more to make food for people who I can get a ‘tasty’ from soon after making it. They won’t be telling me conceited stuff like ‘I already ate’ when they finally decide to come back after all.”

She said in a loud audible voice.

Aah, Cara-jii is shrinking. How pitiful.

Mrs. Domitorkofucon…the wife of Cara-jii laughed in an amused manner and whispered to me.

“He is trying to be considerate here with me so that I don’t feel lonely. That alone satisfies me.”

No wonder Cara-jii can’t raise his head at her.

After that, we finished preparations, guided her to Dog’s Bone, and introduced her.

Thinking about it calmly, the wife of Cara-jii is also too much of an honor.

I was thinking about hiding her name or using a fake name, but with Cara-jii being beside us and her introducing herself right from the get-go, I couldn’t pull any tricks.

As a result, Gozu saluted like a soldier, and forgot about his position as the owner.

The performance of Cara-jii’s wife was good, and not only did she manage to pull off the cooking instructions of Gozu, but even the waitress instructions of Saira. With things like this, I feel like they will be able to deal with the busy work in the near future.

Even so, there might be the need to increase the personnel a bit more considering the future.

“Well, just leave it to my wife and everything will be fine.” (Cara)

Cara-jii, who was told to be in the way and has now curled himself up at the corner of the store, said this earnestly.

“You, how long do you plan on staying in the store? You are not a customer, so leave already!”

Aah, he was driven away.

Just when I thought he was pitiful…

“Do you think you can serve customers in that state, boy? Tag along with my man for a walk or something!”

Being given the stamp of useless as a man who can’t move properly because of my muscle cramp, we comrades both ended up walking the city.

“Aah, what nice weather.” (Cara)

“Yeah… Ah, right.”

I take out a map from my pocket.

A copy of the map Dokora had.

“Actually, Dokora said he was hiding something in one of those bases.”

“Fumu, at that time I was far away, so I couldn’t hear it.” (Cara)

“Speaking of which, there were undead popping out and Ilias mowed down the trees, and yet, I am impressed you were alright.”

“I climbed up a tree. I landed just after Ilias sliced down the trees.” (Cara)

He climbed a tree with that armor and spear, huh. It really is hard to believe this guy is an old man.

“If we are talking about the hardest lair to find, it should be this one.”

I read the information written down on the map, and pointed at the furthest base that serves as a landmark.

It isn’t within the information the bandits spilled out, and it is also at a different direction from where Dokora and his group headed to.

It is most likely a base only he knows of.

“What happened to the real map?”

“It has moved from Ilias to Lord Ragudo. I think it is going to reach King Marito after that.” (Cara)

“Meaning that the investigation of the bases has still not been done yet.”

“That’s right. A unit will most likely be formed tomorrow or the day after tomorrow to head to those places.” (Cara)

Hmm, the parting gift that Dokora left might be information of Earth he has.

There’s the possibility the knights might end up retrieving this tomorrow or the day after.

If that happens, will I be able to see it…?

If it is important classified information, it might be difficult.

Dokora entrusted this information to no other than me, a man from Earth.

Considering this, the desire to claim it as mine wells up from the bottom of my heart.

Even so, going ahead of them and getting it would be… In the first place, I might get lost if I were to go by myself.

“Fumu, then want to go get it now?” (Cara)

“…Eh?”

“You are curious about what Dokora left, right? It would be hard to make it yours alone, but you have the right to know.” (Cara)

“Is it really okay?”

“I still haven’t been told it isn’t okay. Let’s go before I am told that.” (Cara)

Cara-jii said this with a grin on his face, and I ended up curling my lips up too.

“Yes, please do.”

“Umu. It is still too early to sit at a bench in the plaza and lead a day off spacing out.” (Cara)

“I agree.”

That said, we both sighed.

I got on the horse that Cara-jii rode and moved close to the place.

After getting down from the horse, we advance through the forest.

“Is it okay to leave the horse?”

“That horse is intelligent. If it gets attacked by evil people or animals, it will kick them dead on its own.” (Cara)

Even horses are strong in this country?

“The horse won’t attack passersby or merchants that try to protect it, right?”

“…It should be okay.” (Cara)

This is bad. We gotta find what we are searching for quickly, or casualties might happen.

That said, the one guiding the way is Cara-jii. He was pushing through the obstructive shrub as we advanced.

I was desperately trying to follow after him… Aah, this is leading straight to an extension of muscle pain.

“Speaking of which, I heard you threw a helmet and shot down a wyvern. Is that true?”

“You are bringing out quite the old story there. It is a nostalgic memory.” (Cara)

“Why did you throw a helmet instead of a spear?”

“If I were to throw a spear on a flying target, the spear would end up flying off somewhere.” (Cara)

Now that he mentions it, I am beginning to feel like I wouldn’t be surprised at all if the spear Cara-jii threw in his prime were able to pierce through the atmosphere.

“I wouldn’t feel good about treating this guy that has tagged along with me for many years in such a manner after all.” (Cara)

No, you were using it just now to clear away the shrub and cobwebs though. Is that okay?

We were having that kind of lively chat and finally arrived at the lair.

Even though it is called a lair, it is a cave that’s barely touched though…

I was going to advance, but Cara-jii put the spear in front of me and stopped me.

“Can you tell that the color is different at the entrance?” (Cara)

Now that he mentions it, there’s a part that’s strangely different in color.

As if the entrance had been delineated.

“It is poison. It has been plastered there to drive away beasts. If you step on it, you would end up having to throw away your boots.” (Cara)

Saying this, he advanced while skipping over the line smeared with poison.

I copied him and entered.

The inside of the cave is obviously dark. I investigate the inside while relying on the light of the torch Cara-jii lit up.

What I could confirm was a simple bedding made from straws where one person could sleep in, and also small wooden boxes and casks placed here and there.

The inside of the casks have stuff like dried vegetables in them.

The wooden boxes…had a lot of things inside.

Knives, magic seal stones, and things that look like jewels.

“Secret savings. You can pocket them.” (Cara)

“I would get caught when I sell them anyways. I would only be able to use them as a present for girls.”

“How about Ilias?” (Cara)

“I feel like she would crush them by mistake…”

“Right…” (Cara)

Ilias is incredible. I can easily imagine her being able to pull that off after all.

As for Saira…she might end up putting it in her funds rather than holding jewels. If she does, it would be discovered they are stolen, and it would just bring her trouble.

As for other girls I know, it would be Maya-san and the wife of Cara-jii, but…I can’t go gifting stolen goods to an important person of the church and the wife of a knight.

“Anything else… Hm, this is…”

I found a single book of decent thickness.

I borrowed a book of this world from Maya-san, and if I had to compare it to that one, this doesn’t look like the ones sold on the market.

If I had to describe it, it would be more like a memorandum.

Is it the diary of Dokora? I don’t really like looking through stuff like that though…

I checked the cover, and there was something written in hand that seemed like the title.

I couldn’t see well due to the darkness, so I moved close to Cara-jii who was holding the torch, and illuminated the title.

I saw the letters on it and froze.

“What’s the matter, lad?” (Cara)

Cara-jii felt clear agitation from me.

“…This is it…the parting gift Dokora was speaking of.”

“Fumu, what book is it?” (Cara)

“I still haven’t read it. But I am sure of it. I want to read this in a bright place, so let’s go out.”

We move outside where it is bright.

I look at the letters written on the front cover again.

Cara-jii peeked from the side and made a dubious face.

“What’s that? I can’t read it at all.” (Cara)

“Figures. This is…Japanese.”

“Japanese? The language of your country, lad?” (Cara)

“Yes, and this is what’s written on the cover.”

This is what was written in the language I was most familiar with, Japanese.

“—Sample No. 4: Research Record of the Blue Demon Lord.”

Previous Chapter l Next Chapter