Vol. 1 Chapter 17

~I received a warning~

Translated by Raizu
Edited by Mirp

[Nn.]

Waking up, I felt the warmth of human skin that is not my own.
When I looked next to me, Marl was soundly asleep. Judging from the intensity of the incoming sunlight, it’s still early in the morning.
Still too early to wake up, so I went back to sleep.

『Umu, wait a moment. I need to tell you something』

I felt like I’m hearing something. Must be because I’m still half asleep. Yep. Let’s sleep.

『Don’t try to escape from reality. Listen, It’s something important』

Sorry? Last time I checked, I didn’t press the call God button.
It’s still very early in the morning, so I’m going back to sleep. What will you do if you accidentally wake Marl up? That poor girl.

『There will be a great flood. Two months from now』

[Yes?]

Involuntarily, a voice came out. Marl let out an annoyed voice and opened her eyes thinly.

[It’s still early, go back to sleep.]

[Nnn~]

Marl obediently closed her eyes, and went back to sleep.
Hey, what’s going on? Why is that happening?

『Find out the truth for yourself as to why the great flooding occurs. Bye』

After saying that, the voice stopped ringing in my head. I tried pressing the Call God button, but there was no response.
I sighed.
It’s one crisis after another. Not good. But for now, let’s go back to sleep. I can’t move anyway since I don’t want to wake Marl up. And I still feel sleepy.

=====

[Good morning, master. How about your morning service?]

After sleeping twice, waking up and changing clothes with Marl, Fram came in and greeted me.

[I don’t need it today.]

[That’s right, soo soo!]

[I cannot do that.]

Even when I bluntly refused and Marl treated her like she was getting rid of a stray cat, Fram only shrugged her shoulders.
In fact, I think that revenge declaration wasn’t serious at all. It may have been a statement made out of concern for me.
Unexpectedly, it might be that they were just trying to compete with each other.
They’re usually on good terms. Sometimes they take a bath together, and Maybel sometimes gets mixed in there.
When I saw the three of them giggling, it was just like they were three sisters, which made me smile.

Fram calmly changed the sheets on the bed, collected the laundry, and left the room. She’s wearing a maid outfit similar to Maybel’s.
In the end, Fram was offered to work at the mansion as a maid.
It’s because a criminal slave can’t be released easily, let alone thrown away. So it was only par for the course.

[There are some things Maybel can’t reach yet. I think it was a good purchase], said Jack-san.

Fram is a former knight, so she is strong bodied and has combat skills. Above all, she is an adult woman.
Maybel, on the other hand, is well-educated as a maid, but is small and weak, and she is only 13 years old.
Of course, Jack-san intended to make up for her shortcomings. But of course, he couldn’t follow her around all the time.
Fram’s presence seemed to be of unexpected help to Jack-san and Maybel.

I also thought of lending a weapon to Fram, who would be Maybel’s escort while the young girl went around town, but Fram herself firmly declined.

[It is not common for a slave to carry a weapon. Even more so for a criminal slave like me who was my own master’s former enemy. If it is just the thugs in the capital, my bare hands should be enough to deal with them. So no need to worry.]

There’s no need to worry because as far as I know she barely had any injury despite traveling around the new city a couple of times in the first place.
In other words, the encounter with me the other day was something that rarely happens. Even though it’s in the past, I still regret it.

After eating breakfast in the dining room, I enjoyed an after-meal tea.
Recently, it’s been a daily routine to discuss today’s schedule at this time.
By the way, this morning’s menu was freshly baked bread Maybel bought me, apple-like fruit jam, and vegetable soup made with boiled eggs and kombu.
At first Maybel, Marl, and Fram were confused about kombu dashi. Apparently they didn’t understand.

[It adds depth to the flavor. It’s great, really interesting.]

Jack-san, the man I expect to know the difference, had been researching kombu dashi in his spare time. Probably interested by its charm.
Thanks to this, kombu dashi and kombu-based menus are gradually increasing on the dining table these days.
When I told him about tororo kombu, he said that he would try recreating it. I’m really looking forward to it.

[Now that we have a base to settle down, it’s time to start adventurer activities in the royal capital Alfen to full-scale. What is the plan?]

Marl started talking while we were relaxing.

[Hmm, that’s right. Let’s mainly focus on strengthening our equipment and hunting monsters. I have to get stronger.]

I decided to hide the thing with Great Flooding for now.
The temple that received the oracle will probably spread the word soon, so there’s no need for me to say it.
Anyway, it’s an urgent task to improve the equipment and level up. I would like Marl to learn magic and magic strike if possible, but I wonder if she can do that.
I don’t think that this mansion, which is inside the third wall, will be attacked during the flood, but it might be better to strengthen the defense of the mansion just in case.

[Taichi-san, you are too obsessed with strength. You are already strong enough. Are there many people out there who could beat a troll to death with their bare hands?]

[For a man, there is no end in the pursuit for power.]

[Is that really so?]

[That’s right.]

Marl frowned at my words, but she seemed to understand.

[Then, are we going to visit the guild today?]

[Let’s get new armor first. Replace the cheap leather armor we have now.]

[Certainly. If we’re going to mainly fight monsters, we should wear better armor.]

With the leather armor I’m currently wearing, I’m worried about going up against enemies that are bigger than goblins.
I don’t know what kind of armor is available in this world, but I think it’s essential to prepare better armor.

=====

[…..Hmm.]

[It’s hard to decide.]

[I just don’t want to make compromise]

Marl and I were hopping around the armor shops in the new city.
I’ve tried many things, but nothing fits my expectations yet.
We might end up looking forever at this rate, but I don’t want to compromise wearing cheap armor because I’ll be entrusting my life to it.

This is the fourth armor shop.
This store is located in the new city near the third wall.
The store, which was advertised as Peron Armor Shop, was packed with various types of armor such as sheet metal armor, lamellar armor, leather armor, and chainmail.
It seems that they also sell mithril armor, and although the price range is high, many of them are of high quality.
What I’m looking at right now is chainmail made from woven mithril rings.
The advantage is that it is light, durable, and does not rust, so it is almost maintenance-free. Moreover, it can be layered and used in combination with other armor.
I could use it together with the leather armor made from troll hide that is strong against dull blows.
If I wear the chainmail under the leather armor, the clinking sound shouldn’t be a bother that much.

[Oh, you are watching that one quite intently. Are you curious about something?]

As I was wandering around the mithril chainmail and troll hide armor, a man with a stout physique who seemed to be the shop owner called out to me.
Is he a former adventurer? He had a scar on his cheek and looked quite strong.

[I’m thinking of getting new armor. Maybe layering the chainmail over there with this troll hide armor.]

[Plate-metal armor is stronger, you know?]

Saying so, the owner pointed to the sheet metal armor corner.
Plate armor and lamellar armor made of high-quality steel were displayed over there.
Lamellar armor is armor made of metal plates assembled with strings, and although it has a high defensive effect, it makes a loud clattering sound.

[Certainly, one sheet metal armor seems to be cheaper than buying those two. Why are you considering buying those two?]

[Because it’s heavy and will make a clattering sound, it’s a bit scary in places where there are a lot of monsters. If you want to be light, quiet, while maintaining high defense power, this is the combination.]

The shop owner smiled hearing my answer to Marl’s question.

[That’s actually nice to hear. Young people these days tend to prefer the flashy, good looking, sheet metal armor. You are young, but you know a lot about protective gear, don’t you?]

Saying that, the owner patted me on the back. It hurts quite a bit.
He introduced himself as the owner, Ritz. Peron is the name of his wife, and it seems that she is currently working in the workshop in the back.
After that, he started gushing about his wife. Oy, let me buy your armor already.
Meanwhile, Marl was trying on a small shield in the distance. Are you planning on equipping it in the future?

[Right? And my wife…]

[Ritz! Did I hear you gossiping with the customer again? I always tell you to just shut up and stay at the counter!]

Ritz-san was startled and shivered when he suddenly heard an angry voice from the back of the store.
Looking at the owner of the voice with a sense of timidity. Acting nothing like his previous self, he timidly turned his gaze to that direction.
When I was listening to his gushing about his wife, I imagined her as a well-built woman. But, the voice I heard was strangely high-pitched, or rather, young sounding.

[Pe, Peron, I’m just getting a little excited.]

[Fine! Go back to the counter or I’ll slap your arse!]

[I get it, I get it. Geez, I really can’t.]

The previously dere-dere Ritz-san left us just like that.
Then, I looked down at Ritz-san’s wife who had just exiled him back to the counter.
She was an unmistakably young girl. If she didn’t have a belt full of tools around her waist, she would look just like a little girl.
Fluffy red hair, strong-willed eyes with a hint of mischief, and a smooth flat-as-board chest.

[Don’t tell me that old man is a lolicon…]

[Haa!? Did you say something!? I’m already over 40! Humans are just too big compared to a dwarf like me!]

[Forget what I said!]

I involuntarily straightened my back.
For some reason, Ritz-san looked like he was about to tear his handkerchief at the counter.
He’s gotta be both a lolicon and a masochist, but maybe I’m guessing too deep there.

[So? Wearing mithril chains and trollhide in layers? It’s not a bad choice. Mithril chainmail is light enough that it won’t be a burden even if you wear it in layers. Bend over.]

When I bent down as instructed, Peron-san hugged me several times and touched my body.
Ritz-san hit the counter and trembled. Dear customer, we do not allow bread to be used at our restaurant.

[You too. Come here.]

[Yeーs!]

[Oi, oi… come on! What are you trying to do! Let me go!]

Peron-san struggled to release herself from Marl’s hug.
Ritz-san looked very excited. I felt like screaming. Don’t you dare stare at Marl with that kind of gaze, I’ll hit you.

[Peron-san is so cute! Would you like to be my child!]

[I won’t! Geez…]

Peron-san muttered, choosing from among the leather armor made from troll leather the size that would suit us, and adjusted the mithril chain.
I tried them on.
Although there was some rattling noise, the sound was much more subdued than I imagined.
The weight was slightly heavier than my previous armor, but it’s not a problem. Troll leather――troll hide is more flexible and easier to move than I thought.

[How’s it going? Doesn’t it feel strange that it’s a little heavy?]

[Yeah, it’s more than I imagined.]

[Still, it’s lighter than I expected. And I feel a sense of security when wearing this. It’s also comfortable to wear.]

Marle stretches out her arms and spins around to make sure it’s comfortable.
No matter how good it is, it still feels uncomfortable. You’ll be wearing it all the time during your adventure.

[Did you like it? Then let’s talk about the price. That said, there’s been a large shipment of Troll hide recently, so the price has actually dropped a bit. Originally, it’s 70 gold coins for the two armor and a Mithril chain. How about 50 gold coins, including the chain?]

From what I’ve seen around other stores, the price is relatively reasonable.
This shop is near the third wall. A bonus point since it’s relatively close to our mansion.
Above all, the quality of the products is better than the other three stores.

[What should I do about maintenance?]

[If you bring it to me, I’ll do it. Of course, I’ll charge a fee.]

Saying that, Peron-san tapped her flat chest.
Marl nodded when I turned my gaze.

[Okay, I’ll buy it.]

We paid 50 gold coins outright and headed to the Adventurer’s guild.
Our balance was at about 6 gold coins, or approximately 600,000 yen.
Even with this, I won’t have any trouble living for the time being. But I will need to upgrade my equipment more and more in the future, so earning money is essential.
If I can also raise my level while doing so, it’ll be complete.

Wow.

The moment I stepped into the Adventurer’s guild, the guild was so noisy that I could almost hear that sound effect.
What is this atmosphere?
Is it because of the arrival of the Troll Crusher?
I looked around the guild. I felt like the adventurers who were about to make eye contact blatantly avert their gaze.

[Taichi-san, it seems like you’ve become infamous because of what happened last time…]

[I cannot deny that possibility.]

There’s no use worrying about it, so I scratch my head and head to the guild counter.
Sitting at the counter was the same female employee as that day.
Why are you shivering like a Chihuahua?

[W, we, welcome to the guild!]

[Nono, please don’t be so scared of a D-rank adventurer. I won’t eat you.]

I couldn’t help but smile wryly at the woman at the reception desk who was so upset. It’s a level where you can’t go around with kamikami anymore!
Marl also popped out from the side.

[That’s rightー, he might crush that mace a bit, but look, I’m not scaredー]

[Oy, you, I’m trying not to scare anyone here, don’t mess with me… anyway, I just want to make some money. Is there any subjugation quest?]

[E, ehem…this, or that?]

The lady at the reception took out some subjugation quests.
It was to subjugate a snow dragon that lives on a mountain a week away from the capital.
The reward is certainly exceptional, but there’s no way I’ll take this one.

[Nono, something more normal is fine. I mean, that isn’t a job for a D-ranker, right? Please give me requests suitable for my rank.]

[A, uh, umm.]

She flipped through the stack of request slips and presented several requests.
The standard goblin extermination, Big Hornet nest extermination, and Big Boar extermination.
The reward for each success is one large silver coin, and the subjugation reward will be given separately.
5 large copper coins for each goblin, 2 large copper coins for Big Hornet, and nothing special for Big Boar.
The unit price of a corpse is 2 large copper coins for a goblin, 1 large copper coin for a big hornet, and 8 gold coins for a whole big boar.
In my case, I can bring back the whole Big Boar corpse, so I wonder if the Big Boar quest will make the most money?

[Isn’t the elimination of big hornet nests the highest priority?]

Marl spoke up from the side.
I don’t have any particular reason to stop her, so I’ll just watch.

[Ah, yes. The site is a farming village about two hours by horse-drawn carriage from here, but the swarm is starting to appear near the village, so it’s urgent. This is the first request that came in this morning.]

Saying that, she handed the request form to Marl.
I also peer in from the side.
It seems that the nearest village to the scene is a farming village called Viet, which is about two hours away by carriage.
The Big Hornet is causing damage not only to Viet Village, but also to nearby farming villages.

[Taichi-san, let’s go exterminate the Big Hornet! Prioritize those in need!]

[Okay, sure. How do we get there? On foot?]

My words made the receptionist tremble. It’s a little shocking to be so frightened.

[Y, yes! The person who came to submit this request said that he would sell his crops at the market in the new town in the morning and return to the village at noon, so I think you can hitch a ride on his carriage. Find a man named Bison. The market. I think Mister Bison would be happy to take you along to the Viet Village.]

[Well, then we don’t have much time. I’m sorry, but I want you to tell the people in my home that I will accept this request, how much will it cost?]

We don’t have much time until noon.
Perhaps they’d sell out the products quickly and go home. Hopefully this mister Bison hadn’t left yet.

[Umm, if it is a request, it will be one large copper coin including the fee. Since you want to book it for yourself, is half the price reasonable enough?]

Saying that, the receptionist turned her gaze towards the bar.

[I don’t have any acquaintances I can trust yet, so I’ll make a request because I want to make sure things go forward.]

I shrugged my shoulders and placed a large copper coin on the counter.
I filled in the required information on the request form given by the receptionist and wrote down what I want to convey.
Is the content of the request, the name of the farming village to which they are headed, and the fact that we will not return today sufficient?

[Is this okay?]

[I think it’s enough! My heart is beating fast for my first request in the Royal Capital!]

Marl’s eyes lit up as she said that. I felt like I hadn’t seen Marl having an expression like this in a long time.
It’s been a long time since we’ve had a request, so she might’ve gotten fired up. Even though it’s a low-ranking monster, we still have to be careful not to get ourselves scooped from under our feet.

[Then, Taichi Mitsuba-san, a D-rank adventurer, and Marl-san, an E-rank adventurer. Please get rid of the big hornet’s nest.]