Vol 7 Chapter 113 (1/2)
Former Harlot
Near the entrance to the forest I stood, looking over the chief and the other villagers
“Oy, it’ll really be fine, right?”
“Yep, all good She’s the sort that listens”
I’m not sure how many times this made it, but I calmed the chief down once more as we looked towards the tree
And from it, May in her quilin form leisurely showed herself
On the appearance of her shi+ning white scales against the dark forest backing, the villagers displayed an array of reactions
Those wary
Those in reverence
And atop that, those silently watching over the scene
After the quilin caned negotiations as previously arranged
“She really came out”
“That’s what I told you, didn’t I? Ah, ht”
“Whoops, that’s right”
And after I talked with the chief, we conversed with May a bit After a while, she turned, and disappeared into the woods
Behind us, the villagers watching over to see the result started getting loud
The chief turned, raised a hand, and gave it a grand wave
And seeing that, so them raised cries of joy
He return to their e
“Yeah~ I knew you could do it”
“That’s a heavy load off our shoulders”
“I’ll treat you to soht”
As if they had swapped out their entire hand, they were surrounding the man with smiles
I looked upon the scene, the ancestors of the Jewel offering some explanations
In regards to this settleeable in the field
『What a splendid change of heart But insincere as it e will change for the better Well, they’ll always be tough on the newconized, and if try too hard, you’ll just be used It really is a hard, being chief』
Surrounded by those ave a sarcastic smile
I separated froers to meet up with Novem
“Lyle-saeht? We weren’t all the way through our Gray Wolf subjugation, e?”
Novem sounded worried about the request itself, so I nodded It didn’t seem that anyone cared about our party at this point
“It’s fine May cleaned up aas we confirone and done with”
After looking in the direction of the forest, she let her eyes fall on me
“I wasn’t able to contribute otiations with the chief proceeded favorably We’ve successfully cleared the exam have we, Lyle-sama?”
Successfully is a bit of a mistake
What I wanted was an evaluation high enough to challenge a labyrinth And I needed to get that on terh
“We’ve gotten a convenient evaluation, but for that, I gave up the additional request’s reward as well Well, I doubt we’ll be able to tell what’ll happen until we return”
The guild will have to evaluate us themselves
I can only pray it’ll go on in a way convenient to us
“We shouldn’t hope for too much… it’s just… we’ll have to periodically complete requests like this, won’t we”
If looked upon objectively as a party, ours was too small in scope with few achieveh record to couild has to say about that one
There’s also a possibility the difficulty of the requests allotted to us will just increase
(Well, it’ll work out one way or another Even if it doesn’t, doing so about that is my job as a leader)
With May added on, our party numbered nine
IT’s still a small number, but we could now split in two and act separately
Even if it just put so to be thankful for
“Even so, I never thought a quilin would becoave for wanting to join our numbers?”
On her eyes that seeh me, I instantly wiped the area around my mouth
I reue in while she was in quilin fored back to human form if not for that moment alone
(No, that’d make me hesitate in itself)
I averted ue answer
“Well, it’s that… she’s an acquaintance or so with one ofI’m sure it exists”
I smiled and tried to play it off Her eyes opened wide for ato normal
“Novem?”
“… No, thisyou for the work you put in every day, Lyle-sama Let’s keep up with that pace”
Our end goal was to take down Celes
Turning to see the village folk rejoice, and the chief grin bitterly, I spoke to her
“That’s right But the path sure is a long one”
Novem nodded
“Right”
–
–
–
Night
When I headed over to the chief’s house, I found hi on the sofa with a reddened face He had returned from the banquet in town
In the one into the forest with the other ie to confirers had prepared a feast, and they drank for as long as the sun was up, is hoent down
Eva spread her songs at that banquet, while Monica and Shannon aided with the preparations and cleanup
The chief’s wife approached me, and handed over an envelope
“This is for you”
“Thanks Is this the docu to this request?”
She nodded and turned to the chief
I don’t think he eak to drink, but with the a quite an incapacitated state
“After returning, he hurriedly finished these up Because seeing the scale of the banquet preparations, he wouldn’t have ti, he said He’s quite a hard worker, you know”
His sain She seemed happy Truly happy
Accepting the envelope, I was a little unpleased I couldn’t talk with the chief I was a bit curious whether he reported according to the contents of our negotiations, but it was the sort of envelope the guild could tell if I’d opened
Seeing my worry, his wife spoke
“Don’t worry so ”
She giggled, so I scratched my head
“So he’ll lie in regards to other things?”
“Of course I don’t recall if it was back when he was an adventurer or when he becah But he lied his share Like in this time’s case”
It does see this tian to wonder
“It’s alright I’m sure I was the only one to notice”
Of good appearance, she had a good head on her shoulders to top it off
Looking at theon the side, I…
“I’ed to marry someone as pretty and smart as yourself”
She gave a strained smile
“I knew you were young for an adventurer, but it see”
Wondering what sort of thing she meant, I tilted my head
After turning left and right, and confir her children were asleep, she beckoned me to sit down
She prepared some tea, and sat across
“Lyle-san, was it?”
“Yes”
I sipped tea after giving that reply, and she went on
“I was once a harlot”
I ed to will myself to sn the liquid about to burst fro fit as I looked at her Still so young, pretty, of orderly appearance and favorable temperament
“That’s… um…”
I hesitated to give a response, so she nodded with a smile
“Yes, my husband was but one ofbeco become able to earn, my husband decided to buy me off”
I had no idea what sort of expression toin from the Jewel
It was the Sixth