chapter 17

I woke up at my usual time . Since the three idiots were still sleeping, I just left them a note .

「Let’s go exploring . I’ll return in the evening but I’ll come back at noon for lunch」

Then, it’s decided .

I greet the innkeeper oba-chan, eat the breakfast that was served and then went out . The sun had just risen but there are already some stores that were opened . On the store’s side, they seem to working whenever possible . As expected of someone with their way of life, they don’t let even a moment of sunlight to waste .

I figured it out from our exploration yesterday but this town seems to be round in shape . There are gates at each of the four cardinal directions and there are main streets that divide the town into eight parts . Leisurely walking from gate to gate takes an hour so a.s.suming that we were walking at around three kilometers per hour, the town’s diameter is 3 kilometers . It’s surrounded by a wall made up by stacking brick-like things . I’m not sure if it’s okay to call it a protective wall but shouldn’t this place have become a fortified city the moment that was built even if it’s small? As I was thinking about such things, I started my exploration from the main street .

Our village doesn’t have an adventurer’s guild nor blacksmiths so the store that specialized in weapons, armor and other variety of goods is the general store . I was reluctant to enter but when a signboard with a vial-like mark on it

「Potions are cheap, you knowー」

I was called out by the shopkeeper . Ahー This world has those potion types, as expected .

「Excuse me, I’d like to ask something . I just came from the countryside so I’m unaware but is that for drinking? Or is it smeared on the wound?」 「Normally, it’s used by pouring it on the wound but injuries would heal quicker if you drink it」 「I can see that there are various kinds but what are the difference?」 「The higher the price, the better the effect . These are antidotes . You use this when you’re hallucinating and this one is for when you’re numb . If you’re bitten or stung then you use this」

He said that while pointing at and cla.s.sifying the different kinds of vials . Well, when it comes to poisons, there are also different kinds .

「Thank you so much for that, Oji-san . I’ll buy one of the cheapest ones as thanks」 「Not a lot of people do it but you should be careful of people who sell diluted ones . It’s two large copper coins」

It’s a lot pricier than expected . It’ll be fine if I just think that this contains higher nutrients, I guess . {TN: I’m not sure why a potion would be nutritious . }

「How about your place?」

When I tried to ask jokingly, he replied

「I don’t sell those so don’t you worry」

said that while laughing so I guess I’ll trust him for now .

「Oji-san, could I try this out here? I haven’t used one of these before so I don’t know how effective it’ll be . Could you lend me a knife? I had to leave all of my weapons in the inn」

My curiosity got the better of me .

「Oi oi, are you trying to sully my storefront with your blood?」

While he was saying that, I borrowed his knife and made a shallow cut on my finger letting blood out .

Let’s first try just a little . With that, I tried pouring a bit of the potion on the wound . It didn’t close but the bleeding stopped . When I tried opening the wound, blood came out again .

「Oi oi, even though it was already healed, why are you opening the wound again?」

was the shopkeeper’s retort but the healing was unexpectedly slow . I already know that it would heal this kinds of wounds but I’m going to try it out once more . This time, I’m trying out its taste . I took a sip and held it in my mouth for a while but it was terrible . I’m not really sure what to say about it but it’s a combination of bitter, salty and sweet . Well, I guess that’s how it is . I unfastened a small pouch from my pack and transferred it onto the belt part and place the potion there . I asked the shopkeeper where to find the adventurer’s guild and proceeded with my exploration .

Woahー these things keep on coming out . Even though I’m in another world that resembles the middle ages, I keep on encountering cuisines, sweets and seasonings from Earth . There’s an okonomiyaki-like sauce and mayonnaise, tartar sauce, ice cream, castella cake, konpeito, anko, crepe, sata andagi, miso and soy sauce . There are meat buns and as well . Why haven’t I seen these in the village up until now! This is probably the effect of summoning heroes in this world . I’m sure that this is the work of Earthlings .

If it’s those easy to make desserts, aren’t these the same as that of Earth? They look the same . I was surprised when I saw miso and soy sauce but what was even more surprising was the amount of easy to make sweets . When I return at lunch, I’ll invite the others to eat those together afterwards . I’m sure that I’ll be confronted by Suzuran by then . Well, before that, I’ll first head towards the branch office of the adventurer’s guild .

As I entered the guild that was on the larger side compared to the other buildings in town, it was crowded with people . There were plenty of subjugation and odd job request posted on the guild’s wall

Rank 1・Indefinite・Subjugation of monsters and wildlife in the village’s vicinity・Rewards: Will depend on the number of monsters/wildlife subjugated Rank 1・Indefinite・Repairing the town’s wall・Rewards: Approximately 8 large copper coins per day Rank 1・Indefinite・Cleanup activities in town・Rewards: 5 large copper coins per day Rank 1・Indefinite・Manual labor work for a shop・Rewards: Daily wage will change depending on the task . Ask at the receptionist’s desk for more details Rank 1・Indefinite・Collection of medicinal plants・Rewards: Will depend on the quality and quant.i.ty

Hmmー Its contents that I was curious about was as such . There is an overwhelmingly few amount of subjugation request I can accomplish . All I can do is the odd jobs around the town . Well, if asked whether or not I could do subjugation requests, I could but I won’t do it just to be safe . I wonder if my father and the other really are adventurers?

「Excuse me . Can I ask something about the guild’s registration?」

I called out to the beautiful rabbit-eared onee-san receptionist . Or rather, there was only one receptionist so I had no other choice .

「What is it you want to ask?」 「I would like to ask for the procedures for registering to the guild . 」 「To register to the guild, you will first need 5 silver . If you already have that, you write your name, special skills and whether you’re a vanguard or rear guard . If a person hold a special skill, there are cases where some request would be directly appointed to them . It’s becomes something like a broad reference . When it comes to ranks, the higher your rank is, the greater the number . The highest rank is 10 and the lowest is 1 . As for ranking up, you need to successfully complete ten requests that’s the same as your current rank . You will only need five if it’s requests a rank higher and twenty if it’s a rank lower . You can only accept request one rank lower or higher than your current one so please keep that in mind . Although you won’t get demoted in rank when you fail to complete a request, you will have to pay penalty fines in those cases so please keep that in mind as well . And that’s the end of the brief explanation . Do you have any questions?」 「No, that’s alright . Thank you very much . Am I able to register in any guild?」 「Technically, the location does not really matter . There are a few differences compared to the guild over at the human’s side but it’s basically the same . Well, there are humans who hate demons . There are even some who make requests to subjugate of demonkins so we believe that it’s better for us demonkin to enter a guild on this side of the continent . This town is located on the demon’s side so there are no guilds for humans here . While there are also some who hate demons as well as humans, it’s still wise to avoid towns which are close to the humans . So, are you going to register?」 「Sorry but no . Our cla.s.s came here from Beryl village for a lesson today so my decision to register will have to wait until my graduation . Thank you very much for the explanation」 「Don’t mind it . There are a lot of people from Beryl village in this town so if you decide to live here, I’m sure you’ll be able to adapt immediately」

While we were smiling and laughing, the explanation ended .

Hmー There are unexpectedly a lot of day labor jobs . It has a sort of labor agency feel to it . It’s pretty close to a public employment service, isn’t it . While I was thinking about that, I unexpectedly b.u.mped into Sc.h.i.n.ken and Mir who were eating crepes as they were trying out other kinds of food from nearby stalls . Is this a date?

「Ara, if it isn’t Caam . What are you doing in this place?」

Sc.h.i.n.ken had a sour expression and it was as if he was trying to ignore me as both of them approached me to talk .

「Yo . I just came to inspect the adventurer’s guild, like what sort of jobs they have . That aside, that looks delicious . I’m sure that it’s sweet . I like sweet things, you know」

Reading the mood, I made some harmless conversation and tried to leave but

「That’s right . It’s really tasty . We bought this over on that side so, if you’d like, shall I guide you over there? You like sweet things right?」

Since I’m trying to be considerate, I’ll decline her invitation . Sc.h.i.n.ken’s already resenting me . He’s actually looking at me with a slightly unpleasant expression .

「Ahー It’s okay . I also have something I want to buy so I’m going to head in the opposite direction . Since I’m walking I could probably find it right away, right?」 「Suzuran was looking for you, you know? Why don’t you meet up with her for a bit?」 「Ahー I’m going to return to the inn once at noon so I’ll meet with her then . 」

After I said that, I escaped immediately .

Aaー That was close . If I left that as is, I would have probably been shot at the back with an arrow by Sc.h.i.n.ken . I wish Mir would read a mood a bit .

Since there’s still time before lunch, I was wondering if I should get something to eat for now but decided against it . Instead, I entered a weapon shop to look for something .

「Occhan, don’t you have any machetes?」 「We don’t have those here . You can find those at a general store or a second-hand shop . We don’t even have kukris here . If it’s the second-hand shop near the eastern gate then they probably have those」 「AhーI see . Thanks for the information Occhan . I’ll buy this whetstone as thanks」 「Here you go . Thanks, sonny . It’ll be two large copper coins」

Machetes in this word are treated as a farming tool . It’s think, durable and hard to break . It can withstand rough treatment so it’s a waste not to use it as a weapon .

After walking a while, I memorized the stalls and the food they are selling, identified the cheap places and drew a simple map to their locations on my memo . Despite pa.s.sing by the said second-hand shop to buy a machete, I was still able to return to the inn before lunch . At the inn, I found our sensei drinking even though it’s still daylight . Aren’t you our leader? Aren’t you technically still on the job? While I was thinking of such things, I returned to our room and placed the things I bought in my pack . Then, I went to sensei at the dining area on the first floor in order to kill time .

「Caam-kun? You weren’t together with Suzuran-chan?」

Fig-sensei was the really troublesome type to be involved with when it comes to alcohol .

「Y-yeah…… Well, I woke up early in order to explore the town… I left a memo saying I would be back by noon so couldn’t someone just have told her that?」 「Hmmp… Then, are you going to have a date this afternoon! Well isn’t that nice for you young ones!」

Woah! What a pain! She’s being really annoying!

「Well, that is if Suzuran comes back at noon . 」 As I said that, it seemed like our conversation was attracting vulgar looks from the other guests . That might be because of sensei‘s high level of exposure .

Suzuran returned to the inn just a bit after noon and she immediately rushed over to me .

「Wanted to roam around together but no longer there when I woke up . Cruel」 「You’re not a morning person, right? Before you woke up, I was already out long before you even woke up . I could not waist time . Or rather, a lone guy can’t enter the girls’ room you know」

When I said that, she got a bit sulky .

「Well, since it’s still noon, let’s eat our lunch together」 「Un」

Sensei whistled after we has said that . Why are there a lot of terrible adults in our village? If I use this world’s standards, I wonder if that’s considered as strange . I’ll probably never understand it…

「Then, we’ll be going . You should exercise moderation too, sensei . In various ways」 「Huuh? It’s fine, it’s fine . If any of those guys who are giving me perverted looks come close, I’ll wrap them with my thread and beat them up」

So sensei is able to produce threads . As expected of an arachne . Her spider half is able to do the same things as a regular spider . And I don’t really understand those guys that are giving her those indecent stares . Demons are really scaryー I wonder if I’ll be able to survive in this world .