chapter 37

Another t.i.tle: ~It’s Clinochlore dayo!? Everyone, a.s.semble!~

It’s been 10 days since Suzuran went back home .

After work, as I got back to the apartment, I met a stranger in the kitchen . No matter how you look at him, he seems to be human . Would it be alright to start talking to him I wonder?

Well, he’s relaxing in the kitchen of an apartment in the middle of town so I guess it’s safe to a.s.sume that he won’t be hostile .

「Ah, h.e.l.lo」

「Hn? Ahー, you must be Caam-kun . I’ve heard about you from Torene-san earlier . You’re staying at the previously empty room number 2 since around spring right?」

Torene-san……huh . Since he’s using honorifics, this person is probably younger than her .

「Err, yeah . This introduction might be late since you already know me but it is as you say, I’m Caam from room number 2 . Pleased to make your acquaintance」

「Thanks for taking the time to introduce yourself . The name’s Johnson . I’m sure that you already know this but I’m the one staying at room number 6 . Best regards . Ahー, I think you can tell from looking but I’m human . I’ve been away for a while since I went back home to my country」

As he said that, this guy with blond hair and blue eyes held out his hand . I’ve never experienced the custom of shaking hands since I came to this world so I immediately took his hand shook it right away .

「Please treat me well」

「Yeah, same to you」

There are things I’ve been wanting to ask for a long time now and he came at just the right time so I’ll just try asking him .

「There are some things I’d like to ask you . Can you wait here for a bit?」

「Sure」

Hearing that short reply, I returned to my room, removed the cloth from my bento, wet it with water magic and wiped my body with it . After that, I returned to the kitchen .

「Thanks for waiting」

「No, I didn’t wait that long . Well then, what did you want to ask me?」

「This might be rude but since I haven’t met any humans so there are various things I’m curious about . Aside from this town and my village, I haven’t been anywhere else」

「Hmmー . I don’t really mind but I’ll just answer what I can」

With that said, I thought that I should also drink tea so I added hot water to the teapot using magic while we continued talking .

「First of all, how do the humans see the demonkin?」

If I don’t ask this now, I will never know the answer to it .

「Ahー, so you’re curious about that after all . They also have churches here right? The ones to worship G.o.d」

「Yes but I haven’t been visited it before」

If it’s a self-proclaimed G.o.d though then I’ve already met one myself .

「Haha . Well, the demonkin aren’t really that religious after all . The humans, however, absolutely revere G.o.d . Whenever anything happens to them or they need to consult something, they would immediately run to the church . Well, the priests of the churches in small villages are just underlings so they actually do simple counseling but for the higher-ups, it’s different . A big-shot from the church once said,

『We humans are the ones chosen by G.o.d . The demonkin are savages and are practically the same as monsters, They are inferior to us humans . They are even more troublesome than monsters since they have gained intelligence so this world would be better off without them』

Since humans are taught that G.o.d is absolute, they all take whatever those big-shot priests say to heart so that’s the reason why they are in a feud with the demonkin . It’s a really simple reason right?」

Johnson-san rested his chin on his hand and placed his elbow on top of his other hand as he made a bitter smile . It doesn’t seem like he respects the G.o.d and the priests at all since he said that like it doesn’t matter to him .

After I finished brewing the tea leaves, I poured myself some tea .

「Do you want some?」 I presented the teapot to him .

「I’ll have some then」

Because of that, I poured tea into Johnson-san’s cup .

「I see . So that’s the reason for the conflict」

「Yeah . There are also some humans like me who aren’t religious so that’s why we are able to interact with you guys without any prejudice . We know that you aren’t savages」

「I thought so . If you weren’t then you wouldn’t be living here right?

「Rightー」

「I can already understand the reason for the hostility so what I want to know next is about the human civilization」

「It’s pretty much the same as yours know? We have a monarch, n.o.bles and commoners . There is a disparity of wealth even within the humans . In that aspect, we’re not really that different from the demonkin . As for the special beings, the humans have a hero while the demonkin have their demon lord . We’re the same in that aspect as well」

「We’re not that different, aren’t weー . That’s just what I thought hearing our lessons in cla.s.s though」

「I see… What did they teach you there? I’m quite curious about it」

「Well, I haven’t met one before but from what I’ve heard in cla.s.s, a country would have a king and n.o.bles governing it . If there’s strong person in that specific area aside from the king, that person becomes the demon lord and protects that country」

「That’s what they called here but they have the same role as a hero, right?」

「I guess it really is similar . It also seems like as long as they’re strong, anybody can be a demon lord」

「For us humans, only the chosen one gets to be a heroー」

「I’ve heard about that but I also heard a story that said that heroes are summoned from another world as well」

「Ahー, that . I guess it certainly might seem like they’re summoned」

「What do you mean by that?」

「Well, I mean, heroes usually are those young men with black hair and black eyes that you don’t really see a lot . Some of them who are already adults but are still a bit shorter than us as well . They say that those people bring along with them the knowledge and technology to make convenient things . They even say that they’re the reason why all those sweets started appearing on the market but I don’t really know if that’s true . That was just something that I heard that from my grandfather after all . And we haven’t seen a new tool developed recently as well」

「Is that so? Has there been a hero like Johnson-san with blond hair and blue eyes?」

「Hmmー, now that I think about it, you’re right . There are only those with black hair and eyes up until now . Anyway, this is just something that I heard but since those heroes can make things like bags that can store a lot of things in it and something that’s called a magic stone which you use to store magic power in it, somebody suggested they start making weapons they tried making weapons bestowed with magic? Most of them fail but some succeed」

「Hmmー, well it’s certainly convenient if you have a lot of those」

It seems like most of the people summoned here are Asians so I’m sure that there are j.a.panese people here as well .

「Well, their existence is unclear but there are a few rumors about kings of various countries acquiring some kind of rare weapon so there’s that」

「Hnー, a rare weapon is it?」

「I guess it’s probably something that’s made from Orichalc.u.m, a metal made by the G.o.ds」

「First time I heard of that」

So metals like orichalc.u.m exist after all!

「Well, that’s probably because the best equipment that people like us can get is just made out of mithril . It’s still really expensive though」

「Hee, I also didn’t know that」

「Well, I only what I heard from someone I know who is working in a famous weapons shop in the capital」

「Then I definitely wouldn’t know of it」

「I think they also have those in the demonkin side you know?」

Even Mithril? ……seriously? This world became fishy all of a sudden . Well, as the G.o.d from Earth said, they used games as a reference after all . That’s why there was a possibility that they have those here as well .

「Do you guys affinity with magic?」

「Of course . If it’s magic then our magicians are capable of using it . I’ve heard that all of you demons can use at least a little of it though」

「I guess so…… If it’s just simple magic like producing a small flame or water then even my friends who are from the goblin and undead race can use it . 」

「I see, so you can use it too . What kind of chant do you use?」

「Eh? Chant?」

「I can’t use magic so it’s impossible for me but it goes, 『Oh spear of flame, pierce through my enemies! 【Fire Lance!】』, or something like that」

With both of his hands raised, he recited something that sounded like an incantation then called out the name of the magic . The name was in human language so I wasn’t able to understand it .

「We don’t do anything like that…… We were taught to just use our imagination to activate it」

「Hmmー, so this part is also different . Can you try using magic?」

「Ah…okay」

To demonstrate, I produced the usual 【Waterball】 in my fingertips and let it stay there .

「Ooohー, amazing . How do you manage your magic power?」

「I just try not to use it too much since I’ll start feeling sluggish」

「Hnー, so that part is the same . Iyaー, I just found that out since there are no magic users in this apartment . I also just found out that there is magic you can use inside the house」

「Well, you wouldn’t think of using magic aside from attacking after all . That’s something I heard in my village as well」

「As expected . I wouldn’t have been able to imagine something like that up until earlier」

After that, I threw away the waterball into the sink and this time, I produced a lightball to illuminate the dim kitchen .

「It’s amazing how Caam-kun can use two attributes」

「Is that so?」

「Un un . There are humans who go to a magic school that can’t use two attributes after all . Even the court magicians in the palace can only use four or five so it would be a big deal if anybody says they can use all of them」

「I seeー . So it really is amazing, isn’t it?」

I’m one of those that can use all of them though . What should I do about this?

「Is it okay if you talk about money next?」

「Sure . The humans and the demons both have a port city so there’s more or less the possibility for currency exchange . There’s no particular exchange rate as well so a gold coin is equal to a gold coin and a silver coin is equal to a silver coin . You’ll get charged a fee for that exchange though . And also, if it’s around the border’s vicinity then you can use either side’s currency . If the worst happens, they could just take the currency from their respective countries and races and just make their own there」

Speaking of continents……there are probably others out there besides this one .

「That sure is a blunt way of putting it but sure, if same weight is the same then the number that they could make would also be the same I guess」

「I guess that’s true if all they’re doing is just melting then mixing it together but that’s done by guys at the top so I don’t really know about it . I’m not a merchant after all」

「Can we talk about the language next? Both of us don’t have any difficulties understanding each other though」

「We’re using the common language after all so no matter what side you’re on or what race you’re from, you’d still be able to communicate」1

「Then, what about the demonkin’s or human language?」

「That’s right . Caam-kun sure has thought about the things he wants to ask pretty well . You’re speaking the common language but I think that’s just because the harbor is just 15 days away by carriage from here . If we were even a bit closer to the center of the continent then I’m sure you’d be using the demonkin’s language as well」

「Then, what would happen if I didn’t know anything but the common language?」

「I think you would be just fine . No matter what country or area you’re in, you can just soak in the language if you continue to try to communicate . That’s why even if you can’t do it right now, you’d be able to speak the language in time so there’s no need for you to worry」

I continued to ask trivial details regarding the demon’s and human’s side while drinking tea . After that, I started preparing for dinner .

「Ah, that’s right」

「What is it?」

「You…you’re good at cooking right? I even heard you can even make sweets as well」

「Yeah, I guess」

「Then, in exchange for the information I gave you from today’s conversation, you should treat me to a meal」

「Aa?* Ahー yeah, sure」 [*TL: this actually should sound a bit angrier . An even more throaty Aa]

「You just let out a dreadful sound just now」

「I wasn’t expecting to hear that line after all」

「I can’t help it . I’m already starving you see . Actually quite a bit…」 *grumble*

As he said that, a timely sound coming from his stomach resounded causing us to be silent for a while .

「A large serving is it?」

「You have my grat.i.tude」

As for a large serving dish I can make quickly, it’ll have to make something using the pasta noodles again I guess . It might be dull but carbonara will have to do . It doesn’t use up a lot of ingredients and doesn’t take that long to prepare .

After I finished cooking, I scooped out a large serving on to Johnson-san’s plate and placed it in front of him .

「Iyaー, I just came back from a long trip so I’m pretty much running low on stock . I was honestly troubled for a while there」

「Is that so? That must have been a pretty tough journey」

With that said, I decided to start eating as well .

「「Thanks for the meal」」

「Iyaー, if I just endured it at that time and not have gone to the red-light district, I would still have some money right now」

「You just decide to talk about that now that we have already started eating?」

「Would ya still make some for me if I said it before we ate?」

「I would have to think about it first」

「Rightー? That’s why I decided to keep my mouth shut until we started eating」

「Haa……is that so?」

So he wasn’t relaxing in the kitchen but instead was just at a loss about what he was going to eat since he doesn’t have any money . This guy’s an idiot for taking the bait when he went to the red-light district .

「Iyaー . When I came back, I thought I would still have enough to eat for a few days but after I went to the red-light district all of that money just flew away……」

「……it’s fine already . I can’t ask you to return what you already ate after all . You can have what’s left in this frying pan over here」

「Thanks mate! Yer a life saver!」2

He started using a Kansai dialect all of a sudden…… I guess I’ll try asking just in case .

「あなたは地球人ですか？」 3

「Hm? Was that some kinda spell?」

「No, never mind」

So he’s not…… Let’s not do that again unless that person actually introduces themselves as a hero .

「Haa . Thanks, that was delicious」 *Burp*

Don’t just let it rip all of a sudden . At least try to cover it up a little .

「It’s nothing」

「So, what about sweets?」

「You still want to eat more?」

「I have a second stomach for dessert after all」

Why did you just say something that you would normally expect coming from a girl? Well, I can relate to that second stomach thing though .

「Fine . It doesn’t matter anyway since we’ve already come this far . Can’t you compensate me a little for it though?」

「I already did with the information earlier right?」

「I already canceled that with the large serving earlier」

I started making a chiffon cake as we were having that exchange . Because of the sweet smell it was letting off, Celesso-san, Fraîche-san, and Torene-san, aka . the female group gathered in the kitchen . No matter what they say, it’s a fact that women like sweet things .

「C-celesso-san A-are you off work right now!?」

「Yes, that’s right」

「Then, can I take you to a lovers inn!」

The other two girls sighed while shaking their heads .

「It’s fine but do you have any money? It’s outside of work so I can give you a discount but you’ll still have to pay for the inn you know?」

「Then how about my room!」

「NO」「Hold it right there」

The other two women were the one who refused . Ahh, it must be because they’re right next door to this person’s room .

「How about Celesso-san’s room?」

「I live next door so I hope you could spare me from that」

「We won’t make any noise so it’s fine right?」

He glanced at Celesso-san’s direction but she lightly shook her head . It seems like this person is the type who makes a lot of noise .

「It’s not」

I wouldn’t really mind it if it’s just the sound of a creaking bed since I can endure it but it’s a different story if they start letting out their voices .

「Aside from that, Johnson-kun, what are you going to do about the bill? Can you even pay?」

「Caam-kun, lend me some money!」

I glanced at Celesso-san and she once again shook her head . So you still have other people you owe money to .

「I can’t . Please quietly eat this cake and just go to sleep」

「Aa……it’s the worst……」

Even if you say that in a dejected way, my response would be the same .

「Fraîche-san！」

He started kneeling at Fraîche-san’s foot .

「Why do I have to lend you money . For these kinds of situations, you should use the money you earned yourself」

I guess that’s reasonable . He then moved on to the next person .

「Torene-san！」

*slap!*

He received a slap that resounded in the room which was a clear sign of refusal . That slap sure produced such an amazing sound .

「Ah, d.a.m.n it…… Where’s Folly-san?」

「He left to go on a subjugation quest two days ago」

「How about Hengst-kun?」

「I haven’t seen him come back yet today」

「s.h.i.t!……s.h.i.t!」

Do you really want to do it that much? Aaーah, look at what you did . The landlady came over since it was noisy .

「Ah, Kiska-san . I paid you about 120 days worth of rent after I came back from my country right? Please let me borrow at least 30 day’s worth of rent」

「……I don’t mind but if you aren’t able to pay because of that reason, I’d immediately kick you out you know? If you’re fine with that then I’ll go get it」

She probably heard what our conversation was about .

「What should I do……」

I think it would be better if you just gave up .

Ignoring Johnson-san who dropped to his hands and knees and hung his head, the four women encircled the cake that was still warm and started eating it . As I was about to return to my room, I heard Torene-san saying “I get to have the extra one today” as she grabbed another slice of cake .

That’s probably Folly-san’s share, right? Didn’t Torene-san just eat Johnson-san’s share? Wait, what does she mean by today?

「If n.o.body tells Hengst, he probably won’t find out so I guess I should have another piece as well」

「Wait, Fraîche, don’t you think you should lessen how much you eat between meals?! Just leave it to me」4

「But didn’t I let you eat my share while I was out during that subjugation quest?」

「But rather than cookies, I think cakes are even better!」

「I also think that cakes are better!」

So it wasn’t just Torene-san… It seems like the women of this apartment are bonding over some weird agreement . The landlady just quietly finished her own share and immediately returned to her room afterwards .

Ah, she didn’t even tell them she was leaving……

*

Evening of that day, I was awakened by a nostalgic feeling . In an empty white room, a guy who looks like a gentleman is all alone . So he’s just by himself today…

「What is it, kami-sama?」

「I have not said anything like 『Demons are inferior to humans so destroy them!』okay?」

「I know . Religion is just that messed up so I don’t want to get myself involved with them . At any rate, I understand that the human’s convenient looking church is just there to manipulate citizens」

「If so then that’s fine . Anyway, let’s change the topic……Do you want me to give you increased vitality?」

「No need」

「An immediate reply, is it? But what are you going to do if their number increase once again?」

「I’ll give it my all to make sure that they don’t」

「You will have to come here again if they increase you know?」

「I just pray that I won’t have to . Ah, that’s right . Orichalc.u.m exists, doesn’t it?」

「Yes, I thought it was interesting so I just went ahead and used it . You won’t find it by searching through gra.s.s inside a fenced area where cows are being raised okay?」 5

「I obviously know that」

「Could you make sure to acquire some Orichalc.u.m in the future?」

「Leave it to me . Would you be satisfied if I also make sure to fall over in an amusing way?」

「Yes」

He said that with a smile but he wasn’t really amused .

「If somebody aims for the orichalc.u.m in Caam-kun’s possession in the future……how would you feel about that?」

「What I do think, you say… that would obviously be the worst」

「Well, please look forward to it」

「I won’t」

「Anyway, there’s also spatial storage and magic stones you know?」

「……you don’t really care, do you?」

「At worst, it’s fine even if this planet get’s destroyed」

「You really feel like this is a game, don’t you?」

「……by the way, don’t laugh when you see how completely different the human’s church’s statue of me looks」

「Don’t just boldly gloss it over」

「Well then, farewell」

So he ran away . I woke up after that .

「Getting up like that is just the worst」

-On a later date-

I’ve been curious about why the place I’m currently residing in is called a 『den of weirdoes』 . Because of that, I brought the gatekeeper I became close with to a bar . Of course, I’m also treating him today to make up for that time when we were scolded for joking around .

「Hey, I’ve been curious about this but which part of Clinochlore makes you say that it’s a den of weirdoes?」

「Ha? You still don’t get it?」

「I guess…」

「You’re also pretty weird yourself after all」

「Ha?」

「Well, whatever, just listen . Let’s take a look at the residents . There’s that horse who would make moves on anyone as long as they have no experience」

「Umu」

「Then there’s that black guy who has a scary appearance」

「That person’s really polite and an overall nice guy though」

「Well, it doesn’t seem like he’s caused any problems yet but that weird onee-san from the succubus race with the NICE BODY is a different story . She’s almost always involved in some kind of trouble . Whenever we patrol at the red-light district, there’s always something happening at her place」

「Umu, I can somehow get that」

There’s that time with Latte after all .

「There’s that slightly high-handed girl from the fairy tribe that looks like a kid no matter how you look at her」

「Yeah, I agree」

「You also have a rare dark elf living there . Just her being there is already a miracle」

「I guess so」

That so-called miracle was scrambling with the others for a piece of cake though .

「There’s also that human . I don’t know why he’s here but that in itself seems fishy」

「He has his reasons but I guess I can understand」

「I’ll just ask you about that later . Then there’s you who combined the ingredients to make bricks to form a huge ball using magic . A magician who is doing physical labor . That rumor has circulated all over the town you know?」

「Seriously? …wait, so you’re including me in that too!?」

「And finally there’s that taciturn but strangely blunt landlady . That pretty much summarizes everyone right?」

「Uhー, no . Not even close . I remember a time when she came to warn the horse about being noisy in the middle of the night . When the horse tried to woo her, he either got slapped or punched」

「Really……well anyway, you . Have you heard that rumor about a guy who defeated a high goblin?」

「……they’re probably talking about me」

「I knew it . Still, it’s just a rumor right now but you should just accept that you’re better off as a magician . I don’t even know why you’re still working to repair the protective wall」

「Monsters are scary and I don’t want to die after all . That’s why I want to earn money safely rather than easily」

「Why don’t you just take a subjugation quest already」

「NO . It’s scary」

「Scary you say……even though you can use that kind of magic?」

「Of course . Besides, there’s nothing better than not dying」

「Uwaー . This is going nowhere」

「That’s right . It’s really terrible . Even though I don’t want to, you’re forcing me to take up subjugation quests . And besides, I don’t have a party and I can’t just make one since I don’t know anyone close to me who needs one」

「Then who did you go with during that monster outbreak suppression?」

「I was just invited by that scary black guy and we went together with that rare species-san」

「Then you could just join them right?」

「I told you, I don’t have any intention to take on subjugation quests」

We continued drinking while having that kind of unproductive conversation .