by Ainana Hiro
When I look around, there's a partitioning screen near the back door.
I see, am I meant to use this?
After I put up the screen, I started bathing with the cold water.
Though it's only about as high as my waist, it's enough for shielding the view.
...Dang, I forgot to buy soap!
There's probably no shampoo, but if it's just soap it should be available. Let's look for it tomorrow.
A woman comes out of the back door. It's a blond beauty on later half of her 20. How do I say this, this town has a lot of beautiful woman.
Our eyes match.
Iya~n.
...Disgusting. I'm disgusted with myself.
After the woman finished drawing the water into the tub, she started bathing after putting the screen.
There's a screen between us, it is, but!
Whenever she moves a little, the upper body is!
Well, I estimate it to be D cup, purunpurun, it's asserting itself!
She did cover it by hand, but it got unexposed occasionally...
No, no, I'm not a DT, I summon all my strength to avert my gaze and go back to wash my body. Restrain yourself my healthy lower body!
I glanced at the female's face, she's wearing an expression full of deliberate composure!
As I thought, adult women are nice!!
I wipe my clean body with the towel... Wonder where I should put the water.
There is no drainage.
"It's okay to sprinkle the water on the garden plants. There's a drainage below the plants."
I wonder if I looked pathetic since the woman teach me. I thanked her and went back to the inn after throwing the water.
I want you to overlook my glance during my way back.
>[Surveillance Skill Acquired]
>[Poker Face Skill Acquired]
◇
I changed into the new robe after bathing, feeling refreshed.
The dinner was still mainly vegetables, but the taste really came out, it was delicious. Though I prefer it to be a tad thicker.
The service was raw salad. I'd be happier if it were meat...
I feel that the protein was a bit insufficient, so I took out jerky from my pocket and gnaw on it.
I wanted to drink sake, but the customers around me drink an unrefined looking local sake, causing my craving to stop. I want to drink some cold beer~
After the meal, there is no light when I come back to my room. Not even light from magic. Work harder, Fantasy!
When I ask the landlady who's struggling with drunken people, "It's 1 copper coin if you want a lamp", so she says. By the way, the lamp has to be returned later. It seems that the guys who are awake stay in the bar to drink the night away, only the guys who want to sleep go back to their room.
The toilet is shared together, scooping styled. When I think about it, doing it on the outdoor like I always did until yesterday is better than this. There's a bundle of straw that looks like a wiping cloth. Since it seem that I'd get hemorrhoid if use that, I cut a handkerchief in suitable size and use it. This isn't eco-friendly, but I don't want to save for this kind of thing!
I come back to the room after finishing the business.
The light from the lamp is dim. There's probably some magic items able to be used as illumination among the loots, but I'm afraid that the inn could be half destroyed if I take out the wrong item.
The rented room is 8 tatami wide with a single sized wooden bed, there are also chair and desk. The chair having no roller legs is a matter of course, but even the desk doesn't have a drawer.
The window is small enough that when you put your face to look outside it feels cramped. I wonder if it's for ventilation, the landlady warned me to close it before I sleep to prevent crime.
Fortunately, I can still see the menu screen even in the dark.
◇
From now on, let's fill the memo column in the menu with objectives.
Act 1. Let's really think about whether this is a dream or reality.
For the time being, as to not have anything that I'd regret later if this was really a real another world, let's temporary recognize that this is really another world. Yes, temporarily. I can't give up in that regard!
Act 2. Let's be wary of the surroundings.
Even though I could escape from danger thanks to my high level, I should not act too antisocial that it would hinder me from touring another world. Also, although I don't know how strong they are, there are gods here; let's not be overconfident of my own ability and act careless.
Act 3. Let's obtain means for self-defense.
I want to obtain a method to neutralize opponents, or skills and magic to weather through a troublesome situation. I want to refrain from raining meteors every time there's trouble.
Act 4. I want to find a way back to reality.
If it's a dream then a way to wake up, if it's thrown into another world situation then let's find a way to go back. I don't intend to act too positive though.
Act 5. Might as well enjoy the exotic atmosphere.
With how real this all feel, sightseeing is enjoyable. My budget is plentiful anyway.
Let's ask Mr. knight if there's do-it-all person who's willing to guide me for a tour.
Are these all?
I added soap in the postscript before I slept.
◇
"This is the first time I've been asked to be a tour guide."
So she says, the 20 years old jack-of-all-trades, Nadi-san, while laughing bashfully. She's not a beauty, but she's full of cute gestures. She must be plainly popular.
Normally she's a contractor for miscellaneous job from the worker guild, apparently, hired to become a tour guide is quite unusual.
Since walking is a pain, I borrow a roofless horse-drawn carriage to tour the town.
"The west street is not too prosperous so the citizen not only deal with the front store, but also various slightly gray goods in the back."
"For example?"
"Well, something like love potion on the alchemist and pawn shop, moneylender, even brothels exist. The slave company is also located on the same street."
I reacted to "slave" word. I don't want to meet that little girl~ I can only feel trouble from her.
"Oh? Do you have an interest for slaves? Guard job is impossible, but they can be made to carry your load or chore during your journey. Most peddlers usually employ them."
"Recently they closed after the stars fell before, but they're going to resume. They will open 3 days after the day after tomorrow."
It seems that the slaves that the slave company buy are leftovers from the slave market or in training, there's usually a slave auction held once a month.
"If you want to hire guards for the journey, then there are a lot of them gathered in the bar. Since it's hard to find trusty ones, in case the need arise, do ask [Jack-of-All-Trades] by all means!”
The carriage proceed along the inner wall of the west street.
"Around here is the craftsmen's block. Woodwork, blacksmithing, leather craft and many other craftsmen are here. Most of them don't have an actual store. Generally they open small store or stall and directly sell their products to the customer in person."
Can they repair weapon and armor over here?
"If you have a craftsman acquaintance there then there's no problem but generally to prevent trouble, one usually go to the arms shop as an intermediate. There are high class arms shops within the inner wall for knights, and shops for soldiers and general public on the Biso street in the eastern town. Hunters like to go to the western town since there are a lot of meat processing stores, there along with an arms shop."
Let's just roughly look at each store on the street. It probably won't end in one day.
Come to think of it, isn't the lord's mansion located in the north?
"You're well informed. Do you want to look insid
e the inner wall for a bit? Though there's only harvest work to be seen there."
Well, I'd hate to be mistaken as a food thief if I walk there on foot.
The carriage proceed along the western inner wall, toward the narrow street between the inner and outer wall.
After advancing for a while we got to the open gate, the soldiers guarding the gate are present too. The driver nods to the guard and continue to enter the northern district.
There's a vast farm land over there. The carriage continue on the farm road. The farmers are harvesting Gabo, the same fruit I bought yesterday.
I don't know if it's normal, but there are a lot of kids around elementary school age helping.
"Those children are probably from the orphanage, since it's currently harvest season, the children from the town might be coming here to work."
Even children work? No more neet?!
My face became strange for a little while.
"If they're not from wealthy family, then children around that age normally work."
Don't they go to school? WHO please, support Seryuu City!
"School? If they're nobles or come from wealthy family then they usually study in private, but schools only exist in the royal capital."
"Furthermore, the Gabo fruits those children harvest are actually staple foods for people with light wallets."
Hmm? But the inn serves bread and thin rice porridge, sometimes even stew right?
"No well, Monzen inn is relatively high level so they don't serve Gabo fruit. On the west street, most stalls are selling flat bread, gruel, and pickled vegetables. It has strong smell, bitter, and hard to chew so the wealthy rarely ever eat it. Since you can eat cheap things until your stomach full, they're not only eaten by the orphanage children but also by about half of the general populace too."
If it's like that, won't normal potatoes suffice?
"The quantity of the yearly harvest differ. Although the harvest area becomes smaller, they could be harvested in one month period and rarely fail. Furthermore it has a property that enable it to fertilize fallow. Thanks to Gabo fruit, the number of orphanages has increased dramatically."
What a convenient fantasy fruit. Even opportunism has limit.
Even so, Nadi-san is quite knowledgeable... she looks like a literary woman graduated from the royal capital school.
"I wasn't raised in the manor inside the wall, the food situation in rural area was pretty terrible."
She grew up outside eh, I wonder if the lord has a monopoly. It's a subtle mystery.
"It's goblin's favorite food. If it's not a place surrounded by wall like this, goblins would come in a blink of an eye and devour them greedily."
"Back in the day, there was an explosive increase of goblins in the northern part of the kingdom, the scholar who investigated the cause concluded that it's related to Gabo fruit. In those days, if someone found a Gabo tree they would burn it down, then it began to be used as a food source and now it has become the staple food of the lower strata people. However, even now, if someone finds a Gabo tree, they would burn it down."
The wall around the farm is quite a bit lower than the town's wall. Is it around 2 meter and a half?
I wonder what that tower standing tall 1 kilometer away is? It's been in my mind since before I entered the farm. It's around 20 meter tall and look surprisingly rugged.
"That's a self defense mechanism built to repulse Wyvern attacks. The one in the castle is for the castle's defense, the one here is used when the attacks come to the farm."
"About 40 years ago when the black dragon attacked, it played a very big role. Back then, although a tower half as tall as this was brought down, the records depicting the successful repelling remain."
Repel... Did it escape through the sky?
"Leaving aside the Wyvern, as expected, defeating true dragon is impossible. Only someone like the ancestor king, Yamato who was a great magician or Saga empire's hero are able to do something like that."
...Hero, eh?
"Saga empire has this hero's summoning great magic. Since the compensation is enormous, except when the 66 year Demon King's resurrection cycle begin, it's not performed. Yamato-sama and Saga Empire's founder were also heroes who were summoned when the world was in crisis back in the day. It's so dreamy."
As I thought, these Yamato and Saga-san... I can slightly see through why the holy swords were named Excalibur and such.
When the story was finished, the one lap tour around the farm was also finished. The carriage went back towards the inner wall.
1-8. The Demon, the Knight and the Magician
* * *
Satou's here. Dumbfounded because the long awaited route abruptly closed.
◇
An existence that can only be expressed as a demon descended.
Having horns like a ram, dark red glowing eyes, and a jet black gleaming body. Four arms, bat wings, and a split stinger tail. Truly a demon.
The demon mowed down the knights effortlessly.
The plaza became full of toppled carriages and dead bodies scattered around...
It suddenly appeared in the middle of a peaceful afternoon.
◇
The inner wall is mostly occupied by mansions of the nobles and the wealthy, while the shops are only located on the side of the main street leading to the castle.
When we arrived at the inner wall, we got off the carriage and started taking a stroll around the luxury shops guided by Nadi-san.
"This is the shop who sells the high class armor for the knights. The shop doesn't only have metal armor. Sometimes they have magic armor available. You'd need dozens of gold coin for that~"
"This one here is the largest jewelry shop around. Especially their service for ruby and sapphire is the best in the kingdom. As for commoners, I recommend Liz jewelry across the street."
"If you want robes tailored, then this shop is good. Although it had been on the wane for a bit; last year, after the son who come back from the royal capital succeeded the shop, it became awfully popular. Since 1 article cost around 2-3 gold coin, commoners don't come here but it may be a good idea for merchants who just got a big job to order here to increase their prestige."
Nadi-san is so wiki-certified knowledgeable. As expected of a jack-of-all-trades?
Although luxurious looking horse-carriages come and go from the castle to the plaza, the traffic is relatively sparse for our carriage to stop on the road.
I wonder if Nadi-san is thirsty after that much talking?
"This is the most popular open terrace shop for sweets and tea among women in Seryuu city."
Nadi-san's eyes are sparkling. It doesn't seem like a plea, just pure longing.
"Nadi-san, my throat has dried up, since we're here already let's take a break there."
"Yes, I understand. Please go ahead, I will wait here."
...hmm?
Suddenly, a lonely decision?!
"You don't want to enter, Nadi-san?"
"I'm sorry, since this is a high class tea shop..."
"Please tell me stories about the castle and the plaza while we drink. Of course, I will pay for the tea and sweets."
Nadi-san's eyes are shining... but it quickly become cloudy. Is it that expensive?
Let's be forceful here!
"Let's go."
I tenderly led her hand inside the shop.
◇
I was a bit prepared for it, but a set of tea and sweets are only 1 silver coin. Isn't that cheap? That was what I thought, but considering that amount will let you stay for 5 days in a high class inn, it's probably quite expensive for the general public.
Even though it's an open terrace cafe, they put stylish marble tables there. The teacup and the pot look expensive too.
The tea tastes like an Assam tea. It doesn't seem like they put sugar and milk though.
In exchange, they serve it along with sweet baked cookies. It seems that you eat it with cottage cheese or jam spread.
&nb
sp; Is this that desirable? When I look at the girls in the surroundings, everyone is eating something that looks like hotcakes full of honey cream.
So I called the waiter and asked for two serving of the hotcakes. It's 3 silver coin.
"Delicious~~~"
It's certainly delicious... Particularly the charming happy expression from Nadi-san's face!
Even while enjoying the sweets, Nadi-san didn't forget her professional duty, she talked about the land reclamation of the Seryuu city castle and various other things.
Such peaceful afternoon tea time did not last long...
Initially, a big shadow passes through the plaza.
Followed by deep bass screams.
Crossing the plaza, a gigantic fireball pierces into the castle.
One spire crumbles forward.
After the cloud of dust and the sound from the collapsed spire expire, the people who were frozen in the plaza restarted. Screams arise, soldiers urge them to take shelter in angry voice.
The four armed demon float in the plaza while spreading his black wings.
"Is there a custom for a demon to come play in the afternoon in this town?"
"There is no such thing! Quickly, let's escape!"
>[Nonchalant Skill Acquired]
I said something foolish. Nadi-san pulled my arm to urge me to escape but maybe her waist lost its strength, she can't get up.
Though it's shameful, I look at the situation around me to incite me to act. Somehow I can't digest the acquired information very well. As if my body is moving separately from my head.
When the second fireball crosses through the rampart to the castle wall, a semi-transparent blue barrier stretched in the sky, and the fireball stopped.
Just before the barrier set, groups of knights and magicians come out of the castle wall.
Besiege him! Why don't you guys utilize the castle's defense?
For someone so pathetic he can't even get up off his chair, I cursed at the knights. Even though I got knowledge about battle only from manga and games...
