I Said Make My Abilities Average! 249
Murrain Kingdom 1
“Where is ‘Crimson Vow’!”
(Here we go again…)
And then the familiar conversation repeated itself.
“Wh-what… But I went all the way to the Vanorak Kingdom to the west, where I lost track of them. Then I found out that they had turned around and returned to the Brandel Kingdom and got mixed up in the invasion uproar, and then I heard they would be coming here next, and I’ve finally arrived… When will they return?”
And then the familiar conversation repeated itself.
“But why can’t you tell me! You’re so stingy!”
Doctor Kulereia had completely forgotten about how moved she was by Reni’s maturity the last time, and how she herself had acted maturely. Because now she was acting like a spoiled child.
It showed how mentally tired she was.
And then the familiar conversation repeated itself.
Eventually, Doctor Kulereia was forced to go to the hunter’s guild yet again.
＊ ＊
“Well, I had heard the rumors, but I didn’t think it would be so good…”
The merchant was in a very good mood to be able to enjoy a dinner that was almost impossibly fancy for a merchant caravan that was on the move.
Of course, the drivers and other escorts were eating the same thing. Even in the army, the commanders and common soldiers ate the same food on the battlefield. It was something that really helped strengthen their camaraderie.
Food during such travels was usually preserved food, like stale bread, dried meat and vegetables that had to be soaked in water. So how could such a fancy meal be served here?
“No, no. It was only because we were allowed to leave our duty as escorts for a moment and go out hunting. It is because of that, that we are all able to eat something other than preserved food…”
Yes, like Mile said, it was only because the merchant who was their employer, had given them permission to leave that they were able to do a little hunting and gathering. With detection magic.
And so Mile had been able to bring back a deer, mountain vegetables, fruits, and even some freshwater fish in a short amount of time. In Japan, that would be something like trout or char.
Mile and Maevis cut and skinned them, Maile and Pauline cooked them, and Rena watched. It had taken a while to make this meal, but it was very popular with the rest of the merchant caravan.
After all, it was a dynamic, hunter-style way of cooking, but they had taken their time with it, including some Japanese touches in the process. And they had used a lot of spices and also used normal cooking tools and utensils. It wasn’t leaves as plates and twigs as forks.
The merchant said that he would pay extra for this service, but they refused this offer as always.
It might have been different if they had used food that Mile already had, but it was food they had got while they were still employed as guards, so they could not ask for extra. And even Pauline agreed with this. Apparently, being stingy with money was not related to this occasion.
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It was always like this, so the merchant likely knew. Still, he had to at least make the offer of paying an additional fee. This also came from a policy they had as merchants, that ‘work outside of the contract would have a separate fee.’
As you could tell from what the merchant just said, it had become quite well known among them, that traveling with the ‘Crimson Vow’ as your escort was a good way to eat well while on the move. And so Mile and the others had been accepted as soon as they applied for this job.
Furthermore, people also knew about Mile’s storage magic, and so they had her keep a small amount of expensive or fragile items.
The current caravan was not the usual hodgepodge of parties, but a medium-sized caravan that was twenty-six carriages owned by a single merchant.
Of course, this merchant was not the sole owner, and he was just in charge of transporting the goods. There were a number of people who worked under him, the drivers, and sixteen guards that included ‘Crimson Vow.’
They were a caravan that had left the royal capital, so there were no hunters who did not know ‘Crimson Vow.’ So not only were there no instances of them mocking or attacking them, but they actually tried to talk with them constantly, which was a little annoying. Rena and Pauline were sure to give the more aggressive ones a look of distaste, and were therefore spared. While the good-natured Maevis and the talkative Mile, were always talked to.
But it wasn’t anything argumentative, as they were very friendly, but Maevis was still at a loss of what to do. Mile, on the other hand, was very happy.
Rena saw this with some exasperation.
(Well, it’s fine if they are having fun…)
There would not be many monsters or bandits who would attack a caravan of this size. …As long as you hired the right number of guards. And sixteen guards was enough.
A few days later, the caravan arrived safely in the Murrain Kingdom without having been attacked even once.
＊ ＊
“Oh, Royal Capital. I have returned!”
“…Mile, it is your first time here, isn’t it?”
Maevis said after Mile had made the predictable statement.
“Not just this city, but this country too. How about you…”
“I mean, isn’t that what you always say?”
Rena said with an exasperated expression./div>
“In any case, we will be staying here for a while. First, we’ll need to go to the local guild and see if there is anything interesting on the information board.”
Yes, it was important to check that before going to an inn. While the chances were low, in the event that there was an interesting quest there, they may have to accept it immediately and depart right after. You should go to the guild as soon as you arrive in a town. It was common sense as a hunter.
Ring.
Stares…
As always, entering a guild house for the first time caused all of the local hunters to focus their attention on you and size you up. And then their gazes would quickly return and…no, they did not return.
Staring…
Staring…staring…
They were not malicious stares. It was like they were seeing something that was unusual. There was a little surprise and hesitation in their looks.
Rena and the others felt very uncomfortable now, but they could not get angry either, and so they all moved to the board.
There was nothing noteworthy on the information board.
Apparently, there had been word that the matter of the Albarn Empire invading the Brandel Kingdom was nearly settled. There was a notice with an importance rating of E that read: ‘As the Albarn Empire is in a chaotic state, those who are headed for it should make sure to learn the details. It is recommended that those who are traveling to the west go through the Brandel Kingdom.’
And on the quest board too, there was nothing that was any different from what they had just left behind in the Tyre Kingdom.
“…It’s mostly the same. Crossing a single border is not enough to affect the distribution of monsters… Should we keep moving?”
“Hmm, that’s true. That might be better.”
“Time is short for a maiden after all. It would be unforgivable to waste it!”
“Ahaha…”
Rena and the others were saying, when an elderly man who appeared to be the guild master came over to them. It seemed like someone had called him.
“Oh, if it isn’t the real, actual ‘Crimson Vow’!”
“Huh?”
“Huh?”
“Huh?”
“Huh?”
Voices rose all at once. The voices of Crimson Vow.
“How do you know us when we have never met before?”
“You said ‘real’, does that mean that there are imposters?”
Rena and Pauline asked.
Thinking back, they realized that it had seemed like people recognized them, judging by their reactions.
“Ah, no. The reason that I know your faces is because I was watching, you know, during the graduation test. I always try to watch if I happen to be free during the tests. I go when I have business at a neighboring country’s guild.”
“But then, why does everyone else act as if they recognize us?”
“Ahh, about that…could you follow me? I want you to see the library on the second floor.”
“Huh?”
“Huh?”
“Huh?”
“Huh?”
They thought it was strange, but if the guild master had decided that ‘it will be faster to show you instead of explaining it,’ then maybe he was right. And so Rena and the others quietly followed after him.
When the four of them entered the room, everything became clear in an instant.
The thing that was displayed there was something that they knew very well.
“‘Crimson Vow’ figures. One small gold coin for a set of 4!!”
“‘Crimson Vow’ figures. One small gold coin for a set of 4!!”/div>
“‘Crimson Vow’ figures. One small gold coin for a set of 4!!”
“‘Crimson Vow’ figures. One small gold coin for a set of 4!!”
“I showed this to the others and told them of that fight many times…”
“How unnecessary!”
“How unnecessary!”
“How unnecessary!”
“How unnecessary!”
Becoming famous was part of the job for new hunters. If he had helped them there, then normally, they should be thankful. Especially since this was a guild master from another country. They should bow and show their gratitude.
So why were they so angry at him?
The guild master had assumed that the group of pretty girls would thank him, and so he could do nothing but stand there dumbly.