That was fast.
Gaiden: Do Your Best Enri-san! Part 4
Translator: Frostfire10
Editor: Greenfish
After two days, the wall of Carne Village where Enri was born came into sight. Seeing it's large and thick shadow made one think that it was a strong iron wall, but Enri could not help but to think that it was inferior to E-Rantel's.
"Yes we can finally see it."
Someone spoke to Enri. It was the goblin riding the carriage.
The reason for the goblin who should not be there being there was simple.
Enri was not the only one who went to E-Rantel. She made the trip while being protected by the goblins. Of course, the goblins got off before she entered E-Rantel.
Of course, not all the goblins were present.
There were five goblins who went along, including the goblin cleric and one goblin rider.
The reason why not all of them went was because of the ogres who just became Enri's subordinates. Since not much time had passed since, their loyalty was questionable. The village could not be left to them alone. Thus more than half of the goblins stayed behind.
"That's true. Just a bit more."
Even thought they could see the wall of Carne Village, this was grassland with a clear line of sight. There was still quite some distance.
The carriage continued slowly along the path overgrown with grass.
How far had they gone? The goblin's apprehensive voice reached Enri's ears.
"Enri-no-Nee-san. Look there."
"Eh?"
The goblin next to her pointed outwards. Looking there, Enri saw a covered carriage in the corner of her vision. The carriage dashing through the grasslands was pulled by two black horses. Enri did not know anything about such a carriage. And protecting it were four knights. No, were they knights?
There were four horses of different colours, red, white, blue and black. Those that rode on top of them hid their faces with hoods, preventing any features from being seen. If one looked at them, they seemed to exude a strange air, but they had a lack of presence.
"What is that…."
"….Have you seen the girl riding it before?"
Enri squinted and tried to see who was driving the carriage. However there were was quite some distance, she could not tell at all.
"….I don't know."
"Is that so…. We'll hide for a bit."
"Ah, yes, please do."
Of course, even though they were hiding, there were no hiding spots except inside the carriage. The most they could do was move the stuff the villagers used, like new cloths, and other luggage that had piled up. The rider on his wolf separated from the carriage, stopped running, and crouched down in the grass.
As they were doing this, that unfamiliar carriage seemed to have noticed Enri, changed directions and headed for them.
Unease welled up in Enri's chest. However that unease immediately disappeared. The person driving the carriage was a woman. She had recognised that face.
"Lupusregina-san!"
"Cheeze. Enri-san."
The woman who was controlling the carriage that came up to them was a maid of Ainz, and a shining beauty at that. Enri greeted Lupusregina. In contrast to the dirt path that Enri was travelling on, Lupusregina's carriage was running through the grass.
The difference between the two was overwhelming.
That difference was due to the different in the number, and quality of the horses.
"….That is an amazing horse."
"? That certainly may be so. It is an Iron Horse Golem of Ainz-sama's."
Iron Horse Golems.
The giant horses covered in full plate barding were the same nonliving creatures as the stone golems in Enri's village. Since they had a strong body and armour, such horses could charge straight into the enemy ranks, but they did not have much firepower.
Hearing that they were golems, Enri recalled the strength of the stone golems. If one had two of such horses, they could easily dash through the grasslands. Even if it would cause the blown away grass to stick to the carriage wheels.
Enri looked between the horse and the covered carriage. By then, the goblin felt that there was no need to hide and returned to Enri's side.
"It has been a while, Lupusregina-san."
"Oh! Isn't it goblin-san, cheeze."
"I will ask in place of Enri-no-Nee-san, but what happened today?"
"Nee-san….?" Lupusregina's gaze fluttered. "Ah, I came to deliver stuff Enri-san asked for."
"Already?"
Enri was surprised. She then sighed in relief. She felt that it was right to go sell the herbs.
"Eh, I thought faster was better. Also Ainz-sama said to give it to you quickly."
Enri squinted as if Lupusregina's smiling face was blinding. She even thought to herself that she should stop making that smile that was as bright as the sun.
Ever since Ainz brought the stone golems, most of the villagers treated Lupusregina as a friend. Thus Enri had some interactions with her. Enri felt that she could be called a friend.
"Then, will you be going to the village?"
"Yup."
"Then, are you coming with them?"
At the end of Enri's gaze, were four knights mounting four different coloured horses a distance away.
"Ah, I intend to have them wait here."
"Eh? Are they not Lupusregina-san's acquaintances? I do not mind if they come with you."
"No, rather than acquaintances…. They are guards, guards. They are my immediate guards created by Ainz-sama. They are stronger than me."
Enri did not know how strong Lupusregina was, but she knew that the goblins could not touch her. Thus how strong were the four knights on the hill. And how strong was the great magic caster Ainz who could create them.
"Are they about as strong as the Death Knight?"
For just an instant, Lupusregina made a shocked face and then smiled broadly.
"That's true. They're about there."
"Hmm, is that so."
Excluding Ainz, the strongest thing Enri knew was the Death Knight, so it was natural to bring it up. Enri also did not know how strong Lupusregina was either.
"But, the earlier thing, we can't do that. If we bring them near the village everyone will be scared."
"That may be true."
While thinking about what would happen, Enri agreed.
Due to the fact that the villagers were used to seeing monsters like goblins and ogres, she felt that they would be fine. However it would be true that they would panic. She did not want to cause pandemonium. They even came from the other side (of the main gate).
"Umm then, I want to pass you some things, can you tell me if there is a place that is spacious but not easily visible?"
"How about inside my house?"
"Ah." Lupusregina pointed at the covered carriage. "Magic weapons and armour will change shape based on the wearer, but normal armour needs some adjustments. There are blacksmiths inside. I don't want them to be seen by the villagers."
"Is that so…."
As they were hidden inside the covered carriage, Enri made an audible gulp as she wondered who was inside.
"Then I think you can use our house."
"Ah, that's true. Goblin-san's house is quite large."
"Is that so? Then please lead me there."
"Of course. Then shall I head there first?"
"Ah, are you flying over there?"
"….Please spare me that. I cannot go that fast, and if I fall I will get hurt."
"Well that's true. Then we'll head there first, Enri-san."
"Yes. Understood."
Handing over the things the villagers asked for, Enri arrived at the building the goblins were staying in, about thirty minutes after Lupusregina.
Since the ogres were their subordinates, the goblins had enlarged their quarters, thus becoming the largest building in the village. Since they designed it so that the ogres could rampage with no consequences, rather than a house it felt like a rectangular box.
As Enri moved closer, the goblins sitting next to the door so large that even an ogre could pass through frantically stood up.
"Enri-no-Nee-san! Welcome back!"
"Welcome back!"
At the loud greeting, Enri silently bowed her head.
Enri felt herself blush. It was honestly very embarrassing and she wanted to do something about it, but neither the goblins nor ogres agreed. The goblin leader said that this was necessary for morale, causing Enri to give up.
"Umm, can I come in?"
"Of course, Nee-san!"
The goblins leaned in to open the door. Since it was at a size that the ogres could pass through, it was quite heavy. Enri could open it, but it would have required quite a bit of effort.
She entered through the open door.
The inside was dim. Since the windows were covered, no light could make it in. Goblins and ogres had night vision and thus were not affected by this, but Enri found it difficult to walk.
"Umm…."
Enri groped around for the small stick. Finding it, Enri chanted the keyword.
"Shine."
A white light cleaved open the darkness. It was a magic item that had cast on it.
The ones running towards Enri were caught by the light, saw Enri's face and bowed deeply.
"Welcome back! Nee-san."
"Welcome back!"
"Well come back, Ane-san."
Hearing the goblins and the ogres' voices, Enri bobbed her head and asked.
"Where did Lupusregina-san go?"
"Yes, I'll lead you."
Guided by the goblin, she walked through the wide room.
The goblins' house was split into three— The centre and the wings. One side was the goblins' quarters and the other was the ogres'. She was brought to the centre part. Inside there. As she approached it, she felt a stifling heat in the normally cool environment.
"This is?"
"Yes. This is the heat from the working blacksmith that Lupusregina-san brought."
If she focused she could hear the faint sound of hammering. As Enri put away the magic item, the goblin opened the door. As he did, the intensity of the heat multiplied and slammed into Enri's face.
Light shone in.
This was the courtyard of the house, and was where the goblins and ogres swung their swords. There was no problem doing so in the village, but that was not a good thing, and it was dangerous if children were around. Thus they did it here.
Since it was used for this purpose, most of the goblins and ogres had assembled in this widest area of the house.
"Oi everyone! Nee-san returned! All at once!"
Matching the goblin leader's voice—
[Welcome back!]
Countless deep voices mixed together, forming a noise that reached Enri's ears.
"Yes, I'm back."
When Enri bowed her head, a beautiful voice reached her ears.
"Made you wait, Enri-no-Nee-san."
"Please stop that, Lupusregina-san…."
"Ahahaha. No, it suits you, Enri-no-Nee-san."
Being said that it suited her, Enri felt ambivalent, but she decided that it was Lupusregina's joke and puffed up her cheeks in dissatisfaction.
Then Enri's dissatisfaction was blown away by the sound of metal clashing. She looked in the direction of the heat source in surprise.
Standing there were two flaming creatures wielding hammers. Their bodies were covered in crimson scales, with licks of flame seeping out from the gaps. Their lower halves were that of snakes, and their upper bodies were like lizards.
The two of them were hammering a breastplate. The place where they touched it would slowly turn red, and they would hit it while it was in that state.
Enri was enamoured by the sight as she listened to Lupusregina's explanation.
"They are Salamander Blacksmiths."
They were the blacksmiths that Lupusregina had mentioned earlier, and Enri looked at the monsters in awe.
"….Anyway, we promised five steel breastplates and five greatswords for the ogres. Six high quality steel machetes for the goblins and thirteen high quality steel chain shirts. All ready."
"Thank you very much."
Enri bowed her head, and handed the bag with large amounts of gold coins— Over five kilograms of it, over to Lupusregina.
"I have enough money to pay back the money I received from Ainz-sama. I believe I have collected the proper amount, so please check it."
"Wow, certainly." Without checking the contents, Lupusregina swung it over her shoulder. And in response to the Enri's gaze full of emotion, she smiled. "The amount of coin inside…. It's fine to not care. As long as you returned the money Ainz-sama lent you, it's fine."
In actuality, if she tried to buy the equipment Lupusregina had brought, the amount Enri had was not enough. It would not have been remotely possible. Enri could only get such equipment due to Ainz's grace.
When Enri did her job, Ainz might have been fine with giving her 200 gold coins. However, Ainz was not that generous. He wanted to know if she would get the money herself, or plead with him for it. In that aspect, it was a test.
"Ainz-sama said that as long as you collected 100 gold coins, it would be enough to pass you the equipment. Enri-san. You have passed Ainz-sama's test."
Taken back by Lupusregina's sudden change in tone, Enri somehow nodded. Smiling at the small animal-like Enri, Lupusregina's atmosphere returned to her usual.
"Umm then I shall leave this carriage here."
Lupusregina left the courtyard—
"—Enri-no-Nee-san."
The goblin leader stood in front of Enri with an obedient face. Behind him stood the goblins and ogres.
"Thank you very much for working hard for us!"
[Thank you very much!]
Words of gratitude were simultaneously thrown at Enri. They then bowed their head together.
"You don't have thank me that much."
In a frantic, Enri waved her hands in front of her. But then the goblin leader spoke to her with deep gratitude.
"What are you talking about? Having you use the money you risked your life for to equip us…. No matter how much we thank you, it will not be enough."
"Really, this is too much. It is normal to prepare equipment for those who fight."
Several of the goblins were about to cry.
Enri thought that they did not need to feel that grateful. It was natural to support those who fought to the best of one's abilities. It should be that way as it is thanks to them that the village could be defended.
The fact that they were that moved made her want to apologise even more.
"We have certainly felt Nee-san's heart. We shall show you better results with these new weapons!"
[We will show you!]
"Ah…. Hahaha, umm…. Yes, I'll look forward to it."
"Thus, to everyone, I have brought a present."
"Lu, Lupusregina-san?!"
When did she return? Behind Enri was a brightly smiling Lupusregina.
Next to her was a bare greatsword. The blade shone with a pale white light. It was not reflecting any light, and was in fact radiating it.
Enri then heard such swords through stories.
"….Could this be a magic sword?"
"It seems so. It's not particularly strong, but it is a magic sword."
In response to Enri's worry, Lupusregina's response was clear. This conversation proved that their perceptions of the sword's value were completely different.
Enri heard that answer and mumbled.
"We do not have the money to pay for this…."
Even the lowest level of magic weapons were several times more costly than regular weapons. They are not easily bought.
"Ah you don't have to mind that. Earlier…. Quite a bit earlier, we had the chance to collect a lot of magic items…. Well we adjusted it's appearance so it's fine."
She did not understand Lupusregina's last few words, but basically it was free.
Enri was confused. There was really no reason for her to not accept it free, except that she could not understand Lupusregina's goal. There were no such things as free lunches after all.
However….
"Thank you very much. Please tell this to Ainz-sama."
"Yes. Understood…. However, I don't mean this in a bad way, but are you rejecting it?"
It was true that Enri thought about refusing at first. However—
"I heard that there are monsters that can only be defeated with magic weapons. I shall remember this debt and pay it back."
"Hmm. Your situational analysis is good…. And you know where to be cautious…."
"T, that is not true. It really is just by chance!"
Lupusregina looked seriously at the blushing Enri, and spoke in a voice that no one could hear.
"As expected of Ainz-sama. His evaluation of people is perfect…. She is not just a simple girl, I should raise my evaluation of her."