Chapter 52 - Volume 6 (1/2)

Chapter 2 : Adventurer-like Work

Using carriages, the distance between Brook Town and the Neutral Commercial City; Fhuren, was six days of travel.

They moved before sunrise and prepared to camp before sunset. This has already repeated for three days. Hajime and his party were three days away from Fhuren. Only half the travel distance remained. So far no incidents had occurred during their journey. Even though Hajime and his party were in charge of the rear, it was truly peaceful.

Even today, nothing special happened as they prepared to camp. Regarding meals, the adventurers were eating by themselves. They had to eat while minding their surroundings, that’s why, as escorts they couldn’t settle down when eating together. It also seemed to be the rule to eat on their own. Additionally, when on a mission, the adventurers only eat cruel, simple meals. In a way, preparing tasty meals would only increase their luggage, and would disturb them in emergency situations. Because of that, it became a theory that after they’ve arrived at a town they would eat tasty meals until their stomachs were full, as their reward.

That story was something Hajime and his party heard from the adventurers when they ate meals on the second day. Hajime and his party had prepared warm bread soaked in luxurious mock stew to eat.

“Gah—, good! It is truly delicious~, just as expected of Shia-chan! Mou, I don’t care if you’re a demi-human anymore, so will you be my wife?”

“Gluck gluck, gulp, puhah, bastard, don’t just run your mouth! Shia-chan is my wife!”

“Hah, just what is a small dirty pig-like man like you trying to say? Know your place. By the way Shia-chan, how about a meal with me after we arrive at the town? Of course, it’ll be my treat.”

“Th-Then, I’ll take Yue-chan! Yue-chan, have a meal with me!”

“Yue-chan’s spoon… … Haa, haa.”

The adventurers kept eating the mock stew made by Shia, saying it was delicious. On the first day, these guys were eating dried meat with things similar to camping goods when, Hajime and his party started to cook next to them, using ingredients and tableware taken out from “Treasure Box”, just as usual. The adventurers were attracted by the delicious drifting aromas. Looking around, they saw Hajime and his party eating the hot meal while blowing on it, nearby. It became a situation where all of the other adventurers stared at them with blood-shot eyes and drooling mouths. Shia who felt that they were truly pitiful proposed to share their meals, resulting in the current situation.

In the beginning, even in front of these starving dogs, Hajime continued to calmly eat his meal. Naturally, he didn’t intend to share at all. However, because Shia took over the job of preparing the meals when they camp, he had to rely on her to make delicious meals. It was not like Hajime and Yue were incapable of cooking anything, but the taste would be flat. Hajime was only capable of making manly dishes while Yue was inexperienced, being a former noble. That’s why, it was not an easy thing for Hajime to refuse Shia’s, who was able to cook delicious meals, proposal to share.

From then on, although at first the adventurers that crowded like hyena during meals were grateful, they started to get carried away and jokingly tried to persuade Shia and Yue.

Toward the adventurers who made such a ruckus, Hajime silently used “Pressure”. Although their bodies should have been warmed up by the hot mock stew, the adventurers immediately felt the chill and could only stand still with pale expressions. Hajime swallowed the meat inside his mouth and glanced at the mock stew while slowly letting out a whisper. Even so his voice could be clearly heard by everyone.

“So? Having filled your belly, who’s the guy that wants to be thrown?”

“””””I am sorry for getting carried away.”””””

The adventurers apologized while prostrating in splendid harmony and synchronization. Although these guys were senior and veteran adventurers compared to Hajime, they had no dignity at all. Even though there was also the “Pressure” that Hajime used, it wasn’t like they would go against Hajime, because they knew what happened in Brook town.

“Mou, Hajime-san. Since it’s finally time for a meal, a little ruckus is fine. A-Also, no matter what they say, I-I am Hajime-san’s, you know?”

“I never cared about that.”

“Hau!?”

Although Shia tried to casually appeal to Hajime while feeling shy, Hajime cut off her words with a single phrase.

“… … Hajime.”

“Nn?… … What is it, Yue?”

Because of Yue’s criticizing glance, Hajime flinched a little. Yue pointed her forefinger and said, “… … bad!”. In short, it was about his promise from before to be nicer to Shia. Hajime, who didn’t harbor love for Shia even now, thought it was enough to treat her as a relative… … however it seemed that was an out for Yue.

“Hajime-san! If you keep that attitude, I won’t give you the “well-done” skewered meat!”

Following that, recently Shia was not as easily discouraged. She didn’t even twitch at Hajime’s tsun-remark. Even if she received the shock, she immediately revived and repeated her strong and positive approach.

“… … Like I said, how did you know that mate-… … no, it’s nothing. I understand, so quickly hand over the meat.”

“Fufu, do you want to eat it? Th-Then, a~n”

“… …”

While blushing, Shia presented the well-done skewered meat in front of Hajime’s mouth. He seemed to really want to eat it. That’s why Hajime took a peek at Yue. Yue readily stood by his side with skewered meat at hand. Probably, she would follow after Shia’s “A~n”.

While feeling the adventurers’ gazes, Hajime let out a sigh then opened his mouth toward Shia. Shia’s expression was dyed in happiness.

“A~n.”

“… …”

Hajime bit then chewed the presented meat in silence. Shia’s expression was in pure bliss while she looked at Hajime. Then, this time another skewered meat was presented from his other side.

“… … A~n.”

“… …”

He once again took a bite. Silently chewed it. Again, he took a bite when Shia from his other side, “A~n”. He bit again when Yue said “A~n”.

Their subjectivity aside, the voices of the men’s hearts who had objectively seen this spectacle were splendidly unified. In their minds, “We beseech you, please just explode already!!”. They could only use formal words in their minds because they were clearly shown that they couldn’t do anything in face of Hajime’s power .

Two days had passed since then. The distance was only one more day of travel, finally someone appeared to inelegantly obstruct their travel and to assault them.

Shia was the first to notice it. Her rabbit ears, piko piko, moved while pointing toward the forest beside the highway, her unconcerned expression suddenly tightened and she warned the others.

“Incoming enemies! They number more than 100! They’ll come from the forest!”

When they heard her warning, the tension between the adventurers immediately increased. The highway that they were currently advanced on was not known for the danger from the adjacent forest. After all, it was the only route to the one Neutral Commercial City in the continent. The highway was safe, was what was guaranteed. That’s why, although there were stories of encountering demonic beasts, they were only 20, at most. Even if there were a lot of them, 40 was the limit.

“Shit, more than 100 you say? Recently, I haven’t heard stories of assault. are they saving up their power for this time’s sake? Damn, even though I had investigated about accidents along the highway!”

The leader of the escorts, Galitima, was cursing with a bitter expression. The escorts of the merchant company numbered 15. If Yue and Shia were included, they became 17 people. Considering the number of people, it’d be difficult to flawlessly defend the merchant company. It was simply because they were overwhelmed in number.

By the way, for them to calculate Shia as a combat potential despite knowing the Rabbitman tribe’s gentle nature was because there was a time when Shia lost her temper by the extreme actions of the “We want to be Shia-chan’s slaves corps”. She blew off those perverts at once, that became well-known to adventurers and made them awe.

The moment Galitima started thinking of letting the majority of the escorts stay and at least making the merchant company escape, a proposal’s voice rang out and interrupted his thinking.

“If you’re perplexed, should we kill them?”

“Eh?”

It was said with a light-hearted tone, as if he was just going to go for a little shopping. The unbelievable proposal came from none other than Hajime. Galitima was able to grasp the significance of Hajime’s proposal, then spontaneously asked back with a stupid voice.

“Like I said, shall we annihilate them?”

“W-Well, that’s certainly, because it’ll be difficult to flawlessly defend the merchant company if this keeps up… … umm, can you do it? Although there are no strong demonic beasts around here, their numbers are…”

“There is no problem with the numbers. It’ll end soon. With Yue, that is.”

Hajime said that and immediately put his hand on Yue’s shoulder who moved beside him. Yue looked particularly eager, and as if it would be very easy work for her, she replied with “Nn…”.

Galitima hesitated a little. At least he had heard the rumors that Yue was a user of rare magic. For argument’s sake, even if she couldn’t completely annihilate them, from the attitude of Hajime and his party they should be able to cut down a reasonable number. That’s why, rather than letting the merchant company escape ahead using their various combat potential, he steadily thought of another strategy.

“I understand. I’ll entrust the first strike to Yue. Even if you can’t completely annihilate them, it’ll be no problem as long as their numbers considerably decrease. Then, we only need to decrease them further with our magic, and beat the last of them directly. Everyone, you understand!?”

“”””Affirmative!””””

The other adventurers replied to Galitima’s decision with voices filled with spirit. Apparently, it seemed they couldn’t believe Yue was able to annihilate them alone. Hajime thought in his mind, “There is no need to worry that much~”, but because it was not common sense for magic-users to be capable of annihilating more than a hundred of demonic beasts, he felt their judgement couldn’t be helped as he shrugged his shoulders.

The adventurers took a united line in front of the merchant company. Although tension hung in the air, their faces were resolute. There was no remaining joking atmosphere, like the one during meal time. On the way, even though they had heard various stories from the veteran adventurers, only by seeing their current appearance, indeed, they were able to nod and acknowledge them as veterans. The people of the merchant company were frightened when they heard the large number of demonic beasts, now their faces peeped in from the shadows of the carriages.

Hajime and his party were on the roof of the merchant company’s carriage.

“Yue, for now, start chanting. If not, it’ll become troublesome.”

“… … Chant… … chant… …?”

“… … Did you not know any?”

“… … Don’t worry, there’s no problem.”

“Well, that material… … It’s nothing.”

“Contact in 10 seconds~”

Because it’d be troublesome if others inquired about it, Hajime told Yue to use chants, but Yue who originally had no need to chant was only able to float “?” above her head. Even so, it would be good as long as she made them assume she was chanting by whispering, although there shouldn’t be any big problems, her reply somehow made Hajime anxious.

While he thought of that, Shia’s report rang out. Yue, suh, turned and hung her right hand toward the forest, then her chanting voice began to permeate.

“You are the one who brought bright red light into this perpetual darkness, crush the prison of old, the one who met face on as an equal, using the power of the strongest fragment, together with him, become the light capable of swallowing heaven, “Thunder Dragon””

With the end of Yue’s chant, she pulled the magic’s trigger. At that moment, a dragon made of thunder appeared from the dark cloud just like in her chant. Its appearance was reminiscent of a snake just like an oriental dragon.

“Wh-What’s that…”

It wasn’t known who muttered that. Even with the crowd of demonic beasts in front of their eyes, everyone’s gazes were fixated at the sky towards the bizarre thunder dragon that let out blue electrical discharge. Even those who were well-versed in magic in the rear, could only open and close their mouths towards the magic they’ve never seen nor heard before.

Then, as if it was no one’s ally. The demonic beasts that had come with killing intent for their prey from the forest, came to a halt between the merchant company and the forest, having been glared at by the huge thunder dragon, it was as if they were frogs that were stiffened by a snake’s glare.

Following that, as if it was heaven’s judgement, Yue flicked her slender and beautiful fingers, causing the thunder dragon opened its jaws that were even able to swallow heaven and attacked the demonic beasts.

GOoGAaAAA!!!

“Uwah!?”

“Dowaaa!?”

“Kyaaaaa!?”

The thunder dragon let out a tremendous roar from its huge opened mouth, and some demonic beasts were voluntarily jumping into the opened jaws. Then, they were eliminated by the jaws of thunder and disappeared without any resistance.