Chapter 32 (1/2)

Chapter 32

Chapter 32: That time when I was invited to a subjugation quest Part 1

My rank increased by one just a few days after I returned to town. I was already able to complete 20 quests a rank lower than my current one so right now, I’m already rank 3. I was also congratulated for ranking up this time. I don’t think it’s an achievement worth praise though since I’m sure anybody can reach rank 3 if they just work as a day laborer for a living. Well, I just won’t mind it.

This probably isn’t an unusual thought but I don’t really think I have anything I can feel grateful for because of the adventurer’s guild. Even if I do, it’s just to the extent of helping people find other work when the job they took has been canceled due to rain. It might be silly but that’s what I believe.

One night a few days after I reached rank 3, I heard four knocks on my door. Do they also do that in this world?

「It’s Folly. Caam, are you there?」

「Yes. Come in」

So we’re going to be alone in a room together… This is going to be bad for my heart.

「Excuse me」

He said that as he went in and casually looked around my room.

「Here you go」

After I offered him a seat, I also sat down.

「Ahー, I guess I should brew tea」

「You don’t have to bother since I’m going to be leaving soon. You previously said that you’re working as a day laborer but, did you register at the guild and pick that job from the ones posted on the wall?」

「Er, I guess」

「If so then that makes things a bit quicker, can you let me see your guild card? 」

「Uhm… Why do you want to see it?」

While asking that I started taking out the card out of the box on my shelf.

「Right now, there’s an emergency quest issued by the guild so I was told to find as many partic.i.p.ants I can as possible」

「Eh?」

「Riding a carriage, if you leave the gates in the morning, you’ll be able to reach a foot of a mountain just a bit before it gets dark. It has been confirmed that there’s a large outbreak of monsters there so it seems like they want to increase to the fighting force even if just a bit. Even if you don’t fight, they say they’re also looking for people who can work behind the scenes helping out in treating the wounded and distributing rations. The guild actually just posted this quest today. If it’s Caam then the food is sure to be delicious. If you don’t want to fight then it’s good enough for you to just stay in the backlines」

「Ehh?」

I was presenting my guild card to Folly-san but I was surprised so my hand suddenly stopped.

「If you’ll excuse me…」

While saying that, he took the card I was about to hand out. Ahー it was already too late. I should have realized it when he asked about me registering at the guild.

「Hou, so you’re able to do both the vanguard and rearguard roles. You can also use all the attributes. Compound magic? Well, I can just ask that later. Thanks, you can have this back」

「Ah, okay」

「Umu, if he’s like this then he’s already good enough. Even if he did launch a surprise attack against his rank 5 opponents, it’s still a fact that he was able to win in the end…」

Please stop talking as if you’re the only one here.

「Uhmー, are you perhaps, inviting me?」

「Of course. Even if it’s just a single person, it’s better to gather as many people as we could. We’re even recruiting some from other towns as well. I already talked with Fraîche and she says she’ll also go」

「It’s difficult to refuse if you say it like thatー. Fine, I’m still more or less affiliated with the guild so I’ll just accept」

「You have my thanks. I didn’t think you would accept since I a.s.sumed that you’re shy. I thought you’d be uneasy being surrounded by strangers」

Ehー, rather than shy, it’s more accurate to say that I just avoid interacting with other people. I’ve never met anyone who could tell the difference between those two though.

「So, what’s this compound magic? I’d like a simple explanation please」

Because of that, I produced a ball of lukewarm water on top of my hand.

「This is the result of combining fire and water magic to make hot water. I made it so that it’s similar to the temperature of the water at the bathhouse so it’s alright to touch it」

「Ooh, you’re right. It really is warm」

I always get this kind of reaction every time someone touches it whenever I show this magic.

「Well, if you wait for a bit, it can get even hotter though」

Like a 98 degree boiling water.

「That must be pretty convenient whenever you want to wipe your body」

「Well, if it’s just something like a bath, then I can fill it up easily」

「If that’s the case then I can honestly say that it was a good thing I came to ask you. It’s not really pleasant being covered in monster’s blood so you’ll be a huge help to everyone.

We leave the morning the day after tomorrow. We’ll only come back once the number of monsters decreases so I still don’t know when that will be. Just ask the guild for more details. Well then, I’ll leave it to you」

After saying that, Folly-san got up and left my room.

Un, to be honest, I really don’t want to go. It might be because I was originally j.a.panese but do so I feel like this doesn’t have anything to do with me. Well, I really should stop bringing values from my previous world here.

◇

It’s already time for work but I’m thinking of skipping today since I still have some preparations left to do.

「Boss. I’m really sorry about this but please let me take another break from work starting today」

「Why? Are you going back to your village again?」

「No. An acquaintance of mine that’s living at the same place told me that there has been a confirmed outbreak of monsters nearby so the guild is asking its members to partic.i.p.ate. It seems like fighting ability doesn’t matter since they’re also looking for people who will work behind the scenes」

「……I see. Come back alive, okay?」

Boss, that’s what you call a flag…die

「Yes. I’ll make sure not to die」

「Once you come back, I treat you at the red-light district」

Kitsune-san, that’s also a flag…

「Y-you should write a letter to your girlfriend」

Macho-san, that’s a flag as well…

「I’ll make sure not to die and at worst, I’ll just stay at the back lines until the end. Please just think of it as if I’ve just come down with the cold so I have to stay in bed for a while」

「Sure. Just come back」

By the way, it seems like the boss is actually working full-time here rather than through the guild so he doesn’t have to do stuff like this.

After that, I went to the guild to ask for further details.

「Uhm, I’d like to ask even more details about the matter with the large monster outbreak」

「Understood」

I was told the location of the outbreak and the gathering of adventurers from other towns. I heard about those yesterday so I already got a general idea of the situation.

「As for the equipment you’ll need, bringing your own weapons, armor, tools to maintain those, as well as sleeping gear would be enough. You don’t have to bring your own water, food, potions and the like since those are included in the provisions that will be provided by the guild. Other things that you may want to bring are a change of clothes and a towel. You may bring any of your indulgences that you deem necessary like alcohol and tobacco but a heavy baggage might slow you down so please keep that in mind when you’re deciding what to bring. This is an emergency quest so there are no particular requirements when it comes to rank. Because of that, depending on your achievements, you may be able to increase your rank. If you want to raise your rank then please do your best」

That was really cute. She said that with a sweet smile so it made my heart slightly throb.

「Understood. However, I think daily employment jobs suit me more so I’ll just raise my rank by doing those」

「Is that so? Those types of jobs are pretty safe after all. However, there are also people who undertake these kinds of quest dreaming of getting rich quickly only to lose everything once they die. If you ask me, I still can’t decide which one’s better… Anyway, to register for the quest, please present your guild card」

She started writing something on some doc.u.ments. I couldn’t see what it was since she was over the counter.

「Here you go. Thank you very much. Well then, the departure is tomorrow just a bit after the gates open. Please be careful because even though we’re also sending a second team there, it still takes a day to reach that area so you’ll have to wait until the next day for reinforcements to arrive」

「Understood. Thank you for being so thorough」

I don’t need any of those luxury items so I won’t include that in my preparations. Bringing my weapons, armor, some sugar and salt, apples and hard biscuits would be enough.

Now that I think about it, most of the stuff I’m bringing are ingredients but it’s better to be safe since it might be necessary for me to make some homemade oral hydration solution while I’m there. Plus, even though they say that food will be provided, it would probably just be some kind of soup with something that won’t spoil easily like dried meat so I should make up for the lack of dietary fibers and vitamins as well. Some cabbages and lemons or limes would probably be enough for that.

Next would be protective equipment. I currently don’t have any since I don’t need to fight in my current workplace. Because of that, I went to a weapon and armor shop to buy one but there doesn’t seem to be anything that catches my eye. Let’s try asking for the meantime.

「Excuse me. Do you have a s.h.i.+eld that would compliment something like a two-handed sword, a spear, or something like a halberd?」

「Ha? What kind of specialty weapon do you have, sonny? I can’t help you if I don’t know what that is」

I was starting to get worried that I won’t be able to find any so I just told him honestly.

「A shovel desu」 *Bffft*

He spat out the beverage he was drinking and started choking on it while some of it dripped down his nose.

「Shovel, you say? …sonny, are you sure you’re sober?」

「No, it can definitely exceed its intended use since its tough but cheap. Plus, because of its length and with it being slightly tip heavy, don’t you think that it feels like a combination of an axe, a sword, and a spear?」

「Can you show me how you use it?」

I borrowed a short spear from the shopkeeper occhan.

「You hold it like this」

「Hmmー, how about you try out this buckler first」

I attached the buckler to my left hand then held the short spear like how I would hold the shovel and tried swinging it around. It doesn’t seem like it’s restricting my movements and doesn’t feel uncomfortable.

「Ahー, I forgot to say but I also use a machete and a crowbar」

「I can somehow understand the machete but… how do you use a crowbar?」

「You can use it for hitting, stabbing and catching your opponent’s weapon. Since it’s just iron formed into a rod-like shape, even if it gets. .h.i.t with a weapon, it won’t easily get damaged. It really is a versatile tool. Depending on how you use it, it can be used for everything」

「Sonny, it might be bad for me to say this but don’t you think it would be better if you don’t use any defensive armaments? No matter how you look at it, I can’t imagine any situations where you’ll need a s.h.i.+eld while using your shovel. However, if you think you really need it then I’m still going to sell it to you. This is still a business after all」

「Is that so? I guess you’re right. If I deem it necessary then I come to buy one next time. How about armor?」

「Hmmー」

While uttering that, he looked at my entire body.

「I guess leather would be good. There’s hard and soft leather. It can also be made from materials brought back from subjugation requests like an ogre’s hide but… that might not be possible since the material needs to be cleanly skinned and with no wounds」

「By the way, how much does leather cost?」

「Hard leather costs 2 large silver. The soft one starts from 2~3 silver to 1 large silver」

「I’m sorry but I’ll have to pa.s.s on that. I’ve only been in town for around thirty days so I don’t have that much money yet. Please just give me some leftover leather that’s a bit on the thicker side」

「What will you do with it? Wait, never mind. I shouldn’t pry too deep. No matter what you do with it, I can no longer use it anyway so a large copper coin would be enough」

「Thank you very much」

「No need for thanks. Come again」

「Sure」

Hm, even though they were just leftovers, that was still quite surprising that I only got it for that much. Well, at least I now have something to protect my body.

I guess I should also check out a clothing store.

「Ye~s, welcome~」

With that youthful demeanor, a cute dog-earred onee-san who seemed to be nice came out. I’m sure she had a lot of men fawning over her when she was younger. Well, that has nothing to do with me though.

「Excuse me. Do you have overalls that is made out of thick fabric that’s the same color as my skin? Either that or something that’s dark green」

「We have both of those you know~」

「Then I’ll take them」

「’Kay~ That would be 5 large copper~」

「I also need a few sheets of a black cloth that’s a bit on the larger side and is thick. Do you have some kind of thin leather straps as well?」

「We also have those~ …hmmー, 5 large coppers would be fine for the thick cloth but I’ll have to ask 1 silver for the leather strap」

She has a really relaxed way of speaking but it’s not like I hate it. If she’s like this then I’m sure that weaker men wouldn’t be able to resist. Even now there was a guy outside with flowers in hand while deciding whether or not to enter the shop. Again, that really doesn’t have anything to do with me though so I just handed over 2 silver and 5 large copper then left the store.

「Good luck」「Wha!」

I suddenly called out to the man so he was surprised. I’ll be cheering him on.

Once I got back to the apartment, I sewed sewing on the thick leather on the insides of the elbows and knees of the clothes I bought. After that, I went to the garden, made a warm waterball and tossed in everything that I bought while adding the usual current to make it spin. I’m was.h.i.+ng it to remove that peculiar smell of new clothes. I’ll finish doing the rest of my laundry while I’m at it. It’s good that the brand new smell is already gone but… well, it’ll probably be dry tomorrow if I hang them.

The next thing I have to do is to inspect my equipment. I took out the previously remodeled rucksack and placed a sewing kit and medical supplies into the pouches. The sugar and salt that I bought today were in bottles so I wrapped them in a cloth to make sure it won’t break. The fruits would be okay inside a paper bag I guess.

I placed my clothes in a leather bag so that it won’t get wet before I placed it inside the rucksack then rolled up my slightly dirty blanket and fasten it on top. After this would be the weapons check.

It’s fine if I just leave the shovel as is so I’ll work on the machete. I wonder if I should sharpen it at a slightly steeper angle. Even if I make it really sharp, I shouldn’t really expect it to stay like that after cutting monsters a few times. When it comes to the crowbar…Un, I like you just the way you are. I’ll just say that because even if I want to improve it, I don’t really know how. Should I sharpen the flat part? The part that pulls out the nails? I don’t really need to tamper with this, do I?

I was thinking of making something like a tactical vest next. I can’t actually make the real one so I stacked up several thick black cloths and firmly sew them together while leaving an opening for the head and arms. I’ll only be wearing this on top of my regular clothes like a jacket so I attached leather straps by the opening to secure it. Of course, the straps I placed were long and narrow ones similar to that of the MOLLE.

On the front part of the vest, I attached two sheaths with the opening facing the upper right for my throwing knives. It’s in an easy to take out location plus I they’re only fastened there so I can easily adjust their position.

By the left-hand side of my waist, I made several rings to attach my crowbar to. This is so that the crowbar won’t be swinging around randomly while I’m moving.

Then at the back is where the machete will be placed with the handle facing the upper right. I was thinking about putting it on the opposite side of the crowbar at first but decided not to since I thought that it would get in the way if in case I get thrown off or fall over. Well, it doesn’t really matter though since I can just change it any time.

To check if nothing is actually getting in the way, I first tried jumping up and down then lay down and start rolling around.

It seems to be alright. Depending on the situation, I can place small pouches in the area near my stomach or in the back. So that I alter it to suit any situation, I’ll just leave some s.p.a.ces open.

Now for my regular knife, I attached the sheath to one of the leather belts and placed it on my right thigh like a gun holster. I placed it there so that I can easily take it out by extending my right hand. I also attached elbow and knee pads so that I won’t get hurt if ever I have to crawl around.

Aside from that, I still have to carry my rucksack with me so I made sure that the machete wouldn’t fall while I’m wearing it. Un, it doesn’t seem like there are any problems.

After that, I packed all that was necessary in my rucksack and tried to check the overall weight by running around the town for about an hour. I received some weird gazes but wasn’t able to find any particular problems with my equipment.

Since I won’t need it until we reach our destination, I’ll just put my belt along with the crowbar back in my rucksack and only my shovel will be left outside. All that’s left is to wait for my clothes to dry off then all of my preparations are complete.

*Knock knock*

「It’s Fraîche」「I’ll be there in a sec」

「Are you done with your preparations? This is pretty much your first campaign so I came……to…… WHAT’s WITH THAT SHOVEL!」

「Can’t you see? It’s my main weapon」

「Nononono, that’s a farming tool, right?」

「Don’t you know? Depending on how you use it, it can be a tool or a weapon」

「Heeeeey, Folly! Can you come to Caam’s room for a bitー」

She called out to Folly-san for some reason.

「What is it? I can hear you even if you don’t shout. You’ll bother the neigh……bors…a shovel?」

Fraîche-san presented my shovel to Folly-san in order to lead the conversation that way. Is it really that strange of a weapon?

「It seems like this guy plans to wield a shovel to battle」

「Why a shovel? Didn’t you have enough to buy an actual weapon? Even though I said it’s alright for you to say at the back, that’s a bit…」

I’m not sure why the shovel is receiving this much criticism but I’m going to defend it.

「Isn’t is fine? The shovel has just the right length and its center of gravity is even close to the tip. Striking, cutting, stabbing, you can even defend against strikes with it. Look at it, if you properly sharpen the tip, isn’t it similar to an axe!? Since it was originally a farming tool, it’s tough but cheap! There’s nothing greater than this!」

「Okay, okay. I understand so just calm down. If it turns out to be useless then I’ll just have to ask you to go back. Just keep that in mind」

「Yes」

「So, how is its actual performance? Let’s see it in action for a bit in the garden」

*

「Well then, here I go? I’m going to hit your sword from the side so I’ll leave it to you」

「Understood. I know that you’re coming at me so I’ll do something about it somehow」

「Well then…」

While saying that, I made sure to hold back my swing.

『Clink!』

The sound that was louder than I expected as my shovel hit his sword. I think that he didn’t expect it to be so heavy since he almost dropped his weapon.

「tskーーー. That caused my hand to go numb. If you hit someone using a s.h.i.+eld then they probably won’t be able to use it for a while」 (Folly)