Chapter 71 (1/2)

Minnalis: Raising Flags

「Here’s your reward. Oh and congratulations. You and your party have now both been promoted to rank E.」

「Thank you.」

Ten days have passed since we murdered Barkas and his companions. I was currently out on an errand on Goshujin-sama’s behalf. Specifically, he ordered me to do random requests that seemed befitting of our rank so we could have it raised.

Today’s prey were hairy monsters known as Lesser Apes. I’d just finished hunting them, and was currently on my back home.

「So how has Kaito been doing lately? I heard that he was injured and is currently resting at an inn.」

「He’s doing well. His wounds have been healing slowly but steadily.」

I smiled as I cheerfully replied to the hideous pig of a receptionist standing in front of me in. She, being someone incapable of reading the mood, had tried batting her eyelashes at Goshujin-sama when she first saw him. Lately, however, it she seemed to have had a change of heart, as she had finally began dealing with him as she would any other client. The reason for her sudden change was because she started seeing a different male adventurer. Her affections for him were obvious, as she would always go out of her way to give him extra information. The two really did seem to suit each other, seeing as how they were both pigs.

The first thing I did after leaving the guild was shopping for ingredients. In a sense, it was a task that required even more focus than taking down monsters. What I bought was what Goshujin-sama would be putting in his mouth, so I made sure I pulled all the stops and only chose the highest quality goods I could.

「Hey Minnalis. Nice to you see again. Let me guess, you’re out on another shopping errand?」

「Yup. Could I get… this, that, and that over there? Preferably for five copper pieces off.」

Though I did splurge in the sense that I would buy more expensive goods, I still did try to cut our expenses down as much as possible. I’d always haggle, and would only buy things that were within a reasonable price range. I’d never get anything too expensive.

「Well… you did make a few purchases yesterday too, so how about a three copper discount?」

「Please and thank you.」

I pulled my purse out from within the Round Squirrel Pouch and handed the vendor the money I owed him. The vegetables I bought were pretty high quality. This town was much bigger than all the others we passed on our way to it. Here, more luxurious goods were quite a bit easier to come by. I put everything I bought within the Round Squirrel Pouch, bowed to the store’s owners, and left. I then finally got back to the inn, went upstairs, and opened the door to see Goshujin-sama quietly lying on his side atop the bed with his eyes closed.

It went without saying that Goshujin-sama wasn’t actually even the slightest bit injured. We’d only told the guild he was so he could focus his efforts on gathering the information he needed.

I looked at the adorable expression that’d remained on his face as he slept and ran my hands through his hair. I would’ve gone even further, but refrained because I knew that he’d be able to sense that I did despite not actually being here.

「I’ll go ahead and get dinner ready since it looks like you’re still not back yet.」

I swallowed my laments, turned around, and headed downstairs so I could borrow the kitchen the same way I always did.

I’d planned tonight’s dinner to be a mix of bread and soup, with every single last bit of effort and technique I had put into both.

Goshujin-sama had spent a lot of time training me in the way of the sword since we left the capital. Each time, he’d also remind me that gathering intel and coming to reasonable decisions were a pair of skills that would prove just as important in combat as actually knowing how to fight. I immediately put lesson of his to work, and started carefully but sneakily observing his reactions to the meals I cooked him so I could figure out what I needed to do to match his taste.

To be honest, figuring out what he liked and didn’t like wasn’t actually as tough as I made it sound.

Eating things he liked made him loosen his expression and speak in a bit of a higher pitch than usual. He’d both chew and move the spoon to his lips much more quickly. However, he’d also try his best not to fill his spoon up all the way, just so he could enjoy his meal for even just a little bit longer. His gestures were so adorable that they almost made me want to think they were supposed to be some sort of trap! I felt that it wasn’t fair for him to be that cute. All the little things he did made it really hard for me to stop myself from letting my feelings show on my face.

「…I really shouldn’t be letting myself get carried away by my delusions.」

I continued to think as I prepared both the vegetables and plump bird I bought off the market.

My cooking wasn’t the only thing I’d been tuning to Goshujin-sama’s preferences, I’d been doing the same with his spoon. I’d made adjustments to its overall size, depth, angle of curvature, handle width, and shape just to mention a few. I only made the slightest of adjustments each time. But changed them out quite often. The spoon Goshujin-sama was currently using was his 29th.

All 28 of the spoons that he’d used prior to his current one were sitting in my inventory as a sort of collection. My favourites were the first, which I’d many fond memories of, the 17th, which he’d used for the longest period of time, and the 28th, which he’d only just stopped using. I would’ve loved adding the bed Goshujin-sama was currently using to my collection as well, but, after some serious contemplation, I ended up deciding against it, as taking it would effectively just be me stealing it from the inn. As of late, I’ve been dealing with that urge by switching my things with Goshujin-sama’s once every two or three days, with the reason for the lack of frequency being so that he doesn’t notice.

「Wait! I just did it again! I really need to stop so I can concentrate on cooking.」

I shook my head and cleared my thoughts so I could focus on making dinner.

Goshujin-sama liked his soup more on the meatier side as far as flavours went. He also preferred having recognizable vegetables to finely chopped ones.

I placed my fully prepared vegetables in a pot, got rid of the scum they produced, and threw in some goat milk and butter. All I needed to do now was let it cook for a bit and add a touch of salt. The end result would be one of the dishes my mother taught me, but it apparently resembled something Goshujin-sama called Cream Stew. Coincidentally, Cream Stew happened to be one of his favourites.

「Okay, time to check on all the other dishes.」

I lightly toasted a few pieces of rye bread and melted couple blocks of cheese on top of them. I timed it so that I finished preparing the last piece of toast right as the soup had cooked itself to completion.

The innkeeper walked into the kitchen right as I finished and nodded as if approving of my own work.

「Wow. Today’s looks just as good as usual. I’m guessing you had to prepare your Master’s share too?」