Chapter 32 (2/2)

「Hmmー, you told him how to defend earlier but how do you think it would fare against an arrow?」 (Fraîche)

「Well, if I see it then I can just cover the area of my head. The worst that could get hit in my body is my arm or just the armor I’m wearing. It has a curve so I think doing that might be dangerous for those around me though」 (Caam)

「Muー I can understand its strengths but, how do you actually use it in battle?」 (Fraîche)

「Let’s see… If I use it like a two-handed sword then wouldn’t I work well as a vanguard?」 (Caam)

「I guess… that’s right. We’ll ask you to be a vanguard then. What about your armor?」 (Folly)

After thinking about something for a bit, I was a.s.signed to be a vanguard for now.

「I bought some dark green and indigo blue clothes from the clothing store earlier. I just sewed in soft leather at the elbows and knees to protect those areas. I also made a vest」

Wait, I was thinking about modern-day combat when I decided to make this, didn’t I? I won’t really get if I’m only told to get armor so that’s why I just bought these dark green overalls with a camo effect and the dark indigo one to blend it the darkness.

The mask and cloth on his head was only added on the LN version.

「You’ll die with that kind of outfit on, you know? 」 (Fraîche)

Huh? She sure was full of confidence when she said that.

「We’re going to a place with a lot of tall thickets and trees right?」 (Caam)

「There certainly is as you say but…」 (Folly?)

「Please wait for a bit」 (Caam)

With that said, I picked up the half-dry green clothes and put them on. I went to the thicket by the apartment’s courtyard and cut off a some of it.

『Image・High Viscosity Liquid・clad in my body』

After that magic was activated, I got the leaves I cut and attached it to my clothes, face, and hair to make a makes.h.i.+ft ghillie suit. I fully cover myself and just left a bit of s.p.a.ce for my mouth and eyes.

「How is it? I’ll be able to ambush enemies with this if I hide in a thicket. 」

「Ahー. Un」 (Folly)

「I won’t say anything anymore. Just do as you like」 (Fraîche)

The first one didn’t really mind and the other seemed like she had already given up.

I used water magic to wash myself all over since I was sticky all over so I once again had to dry the clothes.

「Well, I’m sure I’ll have to ask you a lot of stuff starting tomorrow. I practically have zero fighting experience after all」

「Sure, sure」

After saying that, they returned to their rooms.

It doesn’t seem like the style of battle of my previous world’s is popular in this world. Instead of launching long-range attacks while wearing inconspicuous clothes, they would rather just do preemptive attacks head-on.

Well then, it’s not really necessary but I guess I could make some hard biscuits to bring along. I already have the ingredients anyway so can just go ahead and make them.

First, I mixed in sugar into the batter and alternately add in the milk and wheat flour.

Once that’s done, I’ll cool it in the fridge……which doesn’t exist so I’ll just place the bowl on top of a bucket filled with ice.

After it has cooled down, I rolled it out to make it thinner and cut them into squares to make it easier to store. I already preheated the oven to 200 degrees earlier so I placed them inside and bake them for 10 minutes. Un, once you get used to it(the stone oven), it’s surprisingly easy.

While it was baking in the oven, the smell of the batter attracted Celesso-san and Torene-san. I’m going to be bringing this with me tomorrow so I’ll just let them try one.

「「So hard!」」

So they said but this was made with preservation in mind so it can’t be helped even if you complain. As you would expect, it doesn’t seem like they would still be expecting a second serving.

After that, I did a final check on my luggage to make sure that my preparations are complete. I’m not really looking forward to it but I can’t really go without sleep so I just went to bed at my usual time. It’s all good as long as I don’t oversleep.

◇

At sunrise, three people were already gathered at the kitchen having a light meal.

「Were you able to sleep well?」

After having such trifling conversation like that, we immediately decided to head for the gates.

Before the gates were actually opened, there were already a few adventurers waiting there while chatting. Everyone else was wearing armor made up of some kind of pelt or holding some kind of s.h.i.+eld. Because I was the only one with a shovel and a homemade tactical vest, that attracted some curious gazes but I decided to mind it.

After a short while, the gates opened so we got on the carriage and headed towards the quest location. I won’t have anything to do for over half a day while we’re traveling so I decided to resume my image training that I haven’t done for a while.

□

The guys from nearby towns probably arrived earlier than us since the base was already set up complete with the tents and cooking area. They let us borrow a single tent so we just took out what is necessary for the exploration and left the rest of our luggage there.

「Ahー, is it really just fine to leave our luggage inside?」 (Caam)

「Everyone here is supposed to take turns monitoring each other’s luggage. Adventurers have this oddly strong sense of camaraderie so while there are still cases where they s.n.a.t.c.h each other’s spoils, it’s rare for there to be a person who’ll steal your luggage among them. However, it would still be better for you to bring your valuables along with you」 (Folly)

「That’s right. Well for me, I just bring along my bow and arrow, dagger and money and just leave the rest behind」 (Fraîche)

「When it comes to expeditions like these, you have to walk around while carrying heavy things like water and foodstuff. There are also cases where you’ll have to do night watch so it’s pretty troublesome if you don’t aim to be as comfortable as possible」 (Folly)

「Hmmmー, then I guess I’ll just bring my dark green overalls, my weapons, salt, sugar and money」 (Caam)

「Once you finished your preparations then let’s set out immediately. We’re entering the forest so stay vigilant」 (Folly)

His voice was the same as usual but there was a certain feeling of tension in the air so I also decided to reply this way.

「「Roger」」

*

After walking for a while, just before the entrance to the forest, we discovered a large group of monsters.

「I have visual confirmations of the monsters. I might say this a lot from now on but this is really exhausting」 (Caam)

「We have no other choice but to do it though… You have a surprisingly good set of eyes, don’t you? 」 (Fraîche)

If you want to do FPS games as a hobby, even if you don’t want to, you’ll eventually start noticing the silhouettes of people and stuff while surrounded by nature.

「It can’t be helped right? It’s a large outbreak of unknown causes after all. Let’s just act by ourselves as a three-person group for the time being」 (Folly)

「Got it」「Roger」

「Umu. So Caam, what is your actual combat experience?」 (Folly)

「A mock battle with some cla.s.smates during a cla.s.s at school, some goblins and wild animals during my free time, a goblin during our school trip to town and I once threw sand on the eyes of four idiots who picked a fight with me. That’s pretty much it, I guess」

I actually have a few more experiences aside from that like the time I experimented with my stone bullets so if worst comes to worst, I can just shoot the monsters but…well, let’s just make sure we don’t get into a situation where I have to use it.

「So you practically don’t have any combat experience, huh. I’m sorry about this but I’ll have to ask you to observe them first and decide whether you’ll be a vanguard or rearguard」 (Folly)

「How about this. I’ll deal a preemptive attack with my bow first and keep shooting arrows while they’re heading here. Then, once you enter battle, you should stay aware of your surroundings since I’m going to give you covering fire while you do that」 (Fraîche)

「I’m okay with that. What about you Caam?」 (Folly)

I thought for a bit and concluded that I won’t be able to make a surprise attack myself.

「I’m also fine with that since I can’t do a surprise attack myself but once that goblin group gets within the 30 paces, I’ll start throwing a few obsidian axes at them. After they get even closer, Folly-san should move over to the left side. Because of that, Fraîche-san, please avoid attacking at Folly-san’s right side」 (Caam)

「Understood. Well then, let’s go. I’ll leave the timing up to you, Fraîche」 (Folly)

「Got it」 (Fraîche)

With that said, she tightened the draw on her bow and started deciding where to aim. The first arrow hit the neck of the one behind the goblin standing in front. As one would expect, only an elf could do that with such amazing accuracy.

After the 2nd arrow defeated another one, a single goblin finally noticed and they started charging at us. While they were doing that, another one got defeated by another arrow that pierced its eye. Once they entered my range, I threw a few axes before picking up the shovel that I had laid down.

While I was setting it up, Folly-san was backing me up and defeated two of them in a blink of an eye. I also arbitrarily swung down my shovel and split the head of a goblin together with its stick that it used to defend. Nearby, Fraîche-san was able to shot an arrow through another one.

After that, I followed up on the ones I killed with the obsidian axe by pus.h.i.+ng the tip of the shovel on their necks. While I was doing that, Folly-san was able to defeat another one.

「I was able to contribute more than I was expected」 (Caam)

「I agree? Are you sure that was all of the combat experience you have?」 (Folly)

「Right?」 (Fraîche)

「Considering that you didn’t hesitate leaving the left side to me, did you do that because I had my sword equipped on my right hand?」 (Folly)

「There’s also that but I also thought that Fraîche-san would find it easier aiming at the right side since there is less cover over there」 (Caam)

「That’s pretty accurate judgment. Well, we’ll probably have no problems for a while. Now then, how about we start taking dismantling the corpses.」 (Folly)

We only had a few encounters after that.

「It’ll become dark if we don’t head back now. Let’s go back already」

I tried suggesting that since based on my biological clock, there’s only an hour left before sunset. If we don’t hurry, it’ll get even darker and we’ll have to go back while being even more vigilant. I’d like to avoid that at least.

While looking at the direction of the setting sun, Fraîche-san said.

「I guess you’re right. It certainly would get dark if we don’t head back now」

「Then it’s decided. Let’s go back」

We all came to an agreement so we decided to get back.

When returned to the base camp and it was even more lively compared to this morning.

Women who were running around cooking.

Stalls that were selling preserved food.

Signboards that say “Weapon and armor maintenance”.

And beautiful women who seem out of place.

I can understand if it’s in a relatively safe place but is it really alright to do business here? Well, I can’t see any stalls selling vegetables and fruits so bringing those with me turned out to be a right decision.

There was a beautiful onee-san who started inviting me but I politely declined. After I did that, she started to invite every single man she came across with. Un, diseases are scary…

Once we got back to our tent, I checked to see if there was anything missing from my luggage. There have been no signs so far.

「Well then, let’s discuss our plans for tomorrow. In my opinion, I think it’s better if we also head towards the same direction tomorrow. How about you?」 (Folly)

<hr>「I don’t have any problem with that. How about you Caam?」 (Fraîche)

「I’m not really sure since this is my first time doing something like this so I’ll just leave it to you」

「Umu. Then let’s try going deeper into the forest tomorrow. Let’s head out in the morning so that we’ll have plenty of time. With that settled, you’re free to do what you want till then」

「Understood」「Roger」

Since it’s already dinner time, I grabbed my utensils and lined at the ration distribution area. They had some dried meat soup and stale black bread there.

The dried meat soup was only flavored by the dried meat’s salt content and nothing else. It really was made by just shredding dried meat like I said yesterday. At least I’ll be able to put cabbages in this. It seems like bringing those along was also a right decision.

As for the taste…… It exactly what you would expect from a salty dried meat in hot water. There’s nothing else I can say about it. If it was a person doing a food report on TV ate this then they would probably be able to squeeze out a few more comments but this is the limit of what my taste buds could convey.

『The natural salts and the slightly hard meat are really suitable for making soup. What? That’s only the taste of the ingredients you say? Can you identify the taste of the ingredients?』 I can say that but… would that be alright?

Well, I’ll just take a leaf from the cabbage I brought, shred it and put it in the soup. As for the black bread, I dip it in the soup before eating it. Un. Salty.

After dinner, I went outside our tent and created a waterball. I placed my shovel and machete inside and lightly wash away the blood. While I was wiping them off with a cloth, somebody called out to me.

「Excuse me. I also want to wash my weapon, is that okay?」

「Eh? Well, I don’t really mind though」

「Thank you very much」

After saying that, he dipped his weapon in the water to wash away the blood. Now that I think about it, there are no ponds or rivers in this area. The water they use for cooking probably comes from those barrels we brought along. While I was thinking about that, before I noticed it, a long line had already formed in front of me so I started getting worried.

My waterball is slightly larger than normal so I can put three weapons in there to make this even more efficient. Once the water turns red, I just throw it over an area where n.o.body’s standing. I’m not sure why but they seemed amazed every time I do that.

The first person was about to pay me but I refused. It was a quite amusing watching everyone gather around and dip in their weapons on the waterball.

【Skill: Offensive Attribute・Water: 3】 acquired.

Hmmー, I didn’t do anything particularly special so why did it go up? Well, whatever.

When Folly-san reached the front of the line, he finally noticed me.

「So your the cause of this line」

It seems like he was a bit surprised since he wasn’t expecting to see me there operating the waterball once his turn came up.

「There’s someone making waterb.a.l.l.s for the sake of was.h.i.+ng weapons free of charge. Furthermore, once the water gets dirty, he just lavishly throws it away. Because of that, 『Woah! He’s an amazing magician, isn’t he?』 that kind of conversation keeps popping out, you know?」

After he washed off the blood, he sat next to me and wiped his sword with a cloth while saying that.

「Ohー, that kind of rumors are already floating about?」

「There are no available water sources in this area so everyone was probably thinking they had no choice but to clean off the blood in their weapons with just a cloth. That’s the reason why that rumor spread out quickly」

This time, he soaked the cloth in oil and started wiping the sword with it. I guess that kind of sword immediately gets rusty if he doesn’t do that.

「I wouldn’t be able to stop doing this until we go home, would I?」 (Caam)

「That’s probably true. It’s going a quite smoothly so just hang in there a bit more」 (Folly)

「Thought so. Well, all I have to do is sit here while maintaining this waterball so it’s relatively easy for me. The only question now is how long would this subjugation quest take. 」

「We won’t be able to complete this quest unless we don’t know the cause. Well, just be careful you don’t overexert yourself」

「Still, it would incite a riot suddenly stop this, wouldn’t it?」

I only planned to say that as a joke while laughing but,

「Right. They might have already started thinking that you’re supposed to help out with was.h.i.+ng the weapons by providing a free water source. It was your mistake for not asking any payment. I’m sure complaints would come out if you start asking for money tomorrow」

「Thought soー」

Well, I guess it’s fine since all that I have to do is keep this water ball floating while I’m here. I guess I can be thankful that it’s not really causing me any pain at least.

「At any rate, aren’t you about to run out of magic power soon? Feeling tired?」

「Uh, not really feeling anything different in particular」

This is nothing compared to the time when I helped out with the harvest or when I plowed all those fields.

「If that’s the case then wouldn’t be being a magician suit you even better? With that kind of skill, I think you’d be able to find better work anywhere be it for the n.o.bles at the upper-cla.s.s districts or even a teacher, teaching magic to children of n.o.bles and rich people in larger towns」

There are n.o.bles in that town?

「You have a point but, although I may be able to use magic, I don’t know how to conduct myself in those kinds of situation. Just the thought that I might offend someone is already making me s.h.i.+ver. If that’s the case, then I think it’s better for me to just swing around my shovel on the frontlines… Ah, that was the last person in line」

After saying that, I threw away the waterball in an area without tents then stood up.

「And also, as I said before, I don’t think I’m suited to be a teacher. Well then, I’ll be returning to the tent」

I won’t be able to act as a magician in the back lines as well since I’m afraid my attacks would lead to friendly fire.

「I was going to ask him to be our magician but he skillfully avoided it……」

It seems like Folly-san was murmuring something behind me but I wasn’t able to hear it.

「Well then, let’s review our plans for tomorrow. Like what I said earlier, I was thinking that we should head towards the same direction so that we can advance even further」

「I don’t have any particular problems with that you know」 (Caam)

「I also don’t mind」 (Fraîche)

Hey, don’t just end the discussion right there. What are we going to do after this? Is this really okay?

「Ah, I made some baked sweets that won’t easily spoil. Do you want some?」

I couldn’t bear the silence so I looked for the hard biscuits in my rucksack and presented it to them.

「Hou…」

「So that’s what it was. Good grief, and here I was wondering what was it you were making yesterday in the middle of the night. It would have been better if you just slept early in preparation for today! Geez! ……I’ll be having some…」

With that said, she took some anyway.

What’s this? This dark elf is really amusing.

「「So hard!」」

「It’s pretty hard, right? Celesso-san and Torene-san had the same reaction when I let them try some yesterday」

It seems like all that was needed was something to start with to get the conversation going. I actually thought that Folly-san would be able to easily chew it so I’ll just keep on believing that he only said that since it was harder than he thought.

Well anyway, after that I went to bed earlier than everyone else.

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