Chapter 17 Encounter with Kagura-san, Boing-Boing Chapter
BuunBuun♪ Harvesting rice~♪
With Combine gan gan gan♪ Let's go, threshing~♪
Swaying paddy field, transcendental farming robot~♪
I'm returning to the inn while singing the original soundtrack of Transcendental Farming Robot Combine X in my head. It's an original work where the main characters fight pest and harmful animals at first but eventually burn down the main villains along with the earth and begin a swidden farming, 『Our fight starts now!』. I've got good memories of habitually retorting the show, 『That's too muuuuch』 in my childhood as the character shot out obviously overkill extra large missiles.
....Was it really good memories?
Minerva-chan ran up to welcome me when I got back to the 『Solomon Inn』. Many adventures are already having their meals and drinks inside the dining room.
"I'm back, Minerva-chan. I was looking forward to the chef's cooking while completing my job today."
"Welcome back, you must be doing well with the quest~ you're in good mood no? We're having dishes from the boar Nobu-san brought yesterday as promised~. Look forward to what will appear~ ufufu."
"Sounds good. I met some good people in my work today. Got to know a respectable blacksmith too."
"I'm glad for you~. Everyone has a hard time getting nice arms, I'm sure it's nice to meet someone you can trust for it~"
"Yup, thanks. Then I'll be waiting for the meals on the counter while watching the cooking."
"Yes."
Minerva-chan goes back to her works, and I watch the cooking inside the kitchen. Donul-san really stands out the most. He's working in a really well-calculated manner with his big body. There's not even one wasted movement.
Oh, is the dish he's cooking now the boar? I can't see it well, but as if compensating for that, I can smell something good and hear some nice sounds from it. The adventures behind me are making noises, but I'm concentrating to the sounds of that cooking. Wonder if this is because of gluttony. How much of a glutton are me anyway.
After 20 minutes.
"Thank you for waiting~. Here's dad's special boar course~"
"Oooh, this is amazing!"
Boar steak, boar stew, boar sandwich are lined up. Uooh, where should I begin!
Alright! Boar Steak! I choose you!
Boar meat cut thickly. The knife went deeply even though I didn't put much power into it. I take a bite, sweet meat juice without a hint of smell spreads in my mouth. Yet the chewiness of the meat and the texture still remain!? How'd you even cook it to make this possible! Amazing, I can't even imagine making it.
The stew next. The ingredients are only carrots, onions, potatoes and boar meat. The meat is stewed well with something similar to worcester sauce and red wine. It has the flavor that warms you to the core.
Lastly, the boar sandwiches. It's a simple assortment with roast ham-like boar meat, cheese, lettuces and sandwiches. But the umami overflows with each bites!
It's--------so--------go------od!
I wholeheartedly chow it down while suppressing myself from shouting out loud. All those boar full course went into my stomach before I knew it. Pheeew, I'm as pleased as I can be.
"Thank you for the meal, it was fantastic!"
I talked to Donul-san while handing over the tablewares. He didn't reply but he put his hand up lightly.
"Minerva-chan, thank you. Could I ask you for hot water today too?"
"Yes oka~y, I will bring it to your room later~"
I wiped off my body with the prepared hot water and cleaned all of my belongings including clothes with Clear. I ended up using Clear on the whole room since I had some MP remaining.
Now then, the armor from Maurio-san should be done tomorrow. But I can't exactly go early morning, I should wait till afternoon. What am I gonna do until then? I should train with the weapons I bought today. First, spear, and then the grappling weapon. Bow? I'll hold it off. I'm planning to use magic as my long range attacks for a while. I mean, you can run out of arrows!
And so, Nobusada is here, in the adventurer guild this early morning.
Minerva-chan told me that the guild had a training ground when I asked her if she knew any place to brandish spears. Furthermore, you're free to use it if you're registered with the guild. Free, it has a nice ring to it.
And now I'm spending my time watching the adventurers doing their training from the corner of the training ground. No well, I tried to seriously wield the spear at first. But alas, I'm an amateur after all. It only pointlessly tired me out on top of being difficult.
Thus I'm watching people who use a two-handed spear and grappling weapons while desperately memorizing them. It's mostly looking at people's skills with Discerning Magic Eyes though.
Oh, someone else came into this...place...? A remarkably conspicuous woman entered the training ground.
"Oy, that's...."
"Yeah, the Bloody War Maiden right?"
"I'm getting nervous here."
"Me too...."
The majority of people in the training ground went away. Mumumu, just what's happening here. The woman in question is single-mindedly swinging a spear.
Name: Kagura Kagami - Gender: Female - Age:20 - Race: Onifolk (disguised as General Human)
Class: War Oni Lv20 (Disguised as Fighter Lv15)
Title: 【Bloody War Maiden】
【Skill】
Two-Handed Staff Lv4 - Two-Handed Spear Lv4 - Martial Art Lv3 - Physical Strength Lv2 - Concealment Lv2 - Disguise Lv2 - Life Magic
Three Size: B:9? W:?? H:8?
You can't step beyond this point yet! ( ・᷄ะด・᷅ )
Woo! I saw through her disguise. Wonder if it's because my Discerning Magic Eyes' level exceeds her Disguise. The three sizes have been...liberated....a bit...! Hey you pointlessly high-performance eyes, get a wee bit better at it won't you.
No no, not that. Onifolk huh, wonder if her horn is hidden by the Concealment or Disguise? No, I still can't see it even after seeing through her disguise, it might be hidden using other means. Wonder if the race is discriminated among the General Humans? I...love it! Animal girls, monster girls, oni girls, all of you come at me! No no, I got derailed.
Her tied up black hair trails whenever she swings her spear. Her long slitted deep crimson eyes are focused forward like aiming for a prey.
Stab, stab, stab.
Mow, mow mow.
Boing, boing, boing.
I frantically try to memorize her spear movement while keeping my eyes from losing sight. Another lethal weapon in a different sense assaulted my eyes halfway through, I stored it in another folder of my memories. To be frank, her beauty easily captivates. The way she swings her spear is like she's dancing. To the point that I'm ashamed to have an impure thought. No no, I just happened to lower my head when those shook, yes. When you see boing, boing, boin, boin, those shaking thing, it's just, y'know? No way you can resist kyonyuu right? Me? I like both. Small ones make you want to wrap around them and protect them, big ones make you want to be wrapped in them right?
After swinging her spear for a while, she wiped her sweat and left the training ground. I felt like she glanced here for instant, I must be imagining it right?
I stab with my spear while tracing her movement earlier. Swinging the spear while gradually correcting the form. My goal was to be equal to her movement, it got a little fun as my movement gradually sharpened. After swinging the spear for a while, I took a breather while dripping in sweat.
Tettere~♪ Learned Two-handed Spear Lv 1.
Aw yeah! It should be a bit better now. I learned a skill.
This is a good point to stop, I'll try the grappling weapon after taking some rest.
I went back to the bench with some cloth along the wall to wipe off my sweat.
"Are you finished? You looked like you were quite into it didn't you?"
I got startled when someone suddenly called me. The woman from earlier was there when I turned around at the passage.
"Did I surprise you? It was so interesting that I ended up watching you."
<TLN: She refers to herself using 'warawa'. 'You' using 'Onushi'.>
"Interesting?"
"Pardon me if I upset you. I thought you were an amateur at wielding spear at first, but then your form gradually got better, it was interesting to watch."
"Well, I don't particularly mind being watched. I've got to watch your training after all."
"Yes, that. I knew that you were watching me the whole time. However, I couldn't hide my surprise when the way you wield your spear gradually resembled me. How did you do it? It isn't a school that could be so easily learned you know."
"No well, I was just trying to overlap my movements with the way you swing your spear in my memories. It was really refined, so I used it as a reference."
"Fuumu, is this what they call a genius? One normally cannot get to move to that degree by merely using a reference. What are you?"
Sorry, I've got these cheating-like Discerning Magic Eyes with me. I'm not a genius at all.
"I'm Nobusada. I'm a newbie that's just got registered as an adventurer yesterday. I'm nothing great."
"Fufufu, what a frightening rookie. Oh right, I haven't introduced myself. I'm Kagura, a C class adventurer. Apparently I'm also known with an exaggerated nickname, 【Bloody War Maiden】."
"That's quite a brutal nickname for a woman."
"Ahahaha, it also has a boldness to it. You seem calm even after hearing my nickname."
"Well, like I said earlier, it hasn't been long since I arrived at this town and became an adventurer. I really don't know that info."
"No need to be so modest. My intuition tells me that your attitudes didn't change. Besides, I feel that our fates are linked somehow."
"That's quite an honor. I'll make sure to train myself enough not to hold you back until that time."
"Haha, oh how long has it been since I laughed this much, I will be looking forward to that myself. Then, until next time."
"Yeah, see you."
She left the training ground after saying that.
I couldn't say it, I couldn't tell her that I was staring at another destructive weapon than the spear.... And that I memorized more than the spear because of that....
Not good, I almost got into some weird mood. I use Clear to clear myself and off my worldly desire and Dry to dry myself. Hmm, it does become clean, but having only this suit around isn't a good idea. I should ask Maurio-san where to buy clothes when I get there. I also want to know the market price of magic rucksacks. Since I feel like I'd fill up my rucksack's entire capacity if this keeps up.
Alright! Let's get back to training.
I put on the knuckle guards and hit the wooden training dummy. I repeat the hit-and-run tactic while imagining moss balls and goblins's movements.
I kept training for an hour afterward with breaks in between.
I sadly couldn't get Martial Art skill since there wasn't anyone I could use as a reference.
Nevertheless, even only getting Two-Handed Spear skill is a huge win. My learning rate seems to be quick no matter how you look at it.
After using Clear and Dry once again, I left the training ground.
Then I saw a crowd in front of the bulletin board. Are they checking out morning quests? Judging from my body clock it should be 9 o'clock now. That means this is the time when quests are updated. I've got to remember it.
"Oy, you!"
Someone called me when I was going to leave the place since I didn't feel like taking a quest for now.
"Me?"
"Yea, you."
Calling 'you' in the first meeting huh, quite a rude guy. He's together with several other people when I look again. Are they his party?
"You're the newbie that recently came to the 『Solomon Inn』 right?"
"Yes I am, do you have a business with me?"
"I'm giving you an advice as your senior. Don't get close to that woman. People call her 【Bloody War Maiden】. She's famous for getting people who get involved with her into a bloody mess."
By 'that woman', he means Kagura-san huh. He's giving an advice to a rookie sure, but it feels like he's pushing it on me. It makes me suspect if he has a grudge on her instead.
"Thank you for your advice. Was that all you want to talk about? Then I'll be excusing myself since I have other things to do."
I tried to leave the place since I had a feeling that getting involved would only lead to trouble.
But he grabbed my shoulder, impeding that thought.
"Oy oy, what's with the attitude after I went the trouble of warning you? Be grateful to it."
I'd like to ask what's with your attitude instead. Does he even know the phrase, small kindness can be too much.
"At least, I don't think giving advices by looking down on others is something admirable, senpai?"
"You brat."
A slim man interrupts us right when the man called Zack is about to get enraged.
"Stop it Zack. Anyone would get annoyed when you did it like that."
"Ah, aniki. But y'know, this guy...."
"Just leave it at that. Sorry about that newbie-kun. This guy didn't mean any harm. He just wanted to act like a senpai."
"It's fine. However, I felt that she wasn't a bad person when I talked to her a bit. So I got a bit offended and spoke out of line, sorry."
"I see. We're really sorry about that. Now then, I'd like to talk about something else...."
Mu, I felt that his atmosphere changed a bit. Is he trying to intimidate me.
"Stop making advances to the poster girl of 『Solomon Inn』, Minerva-chan!"
That's what you're going to say after that intimidation!?
"No err, I've never even had that in my mind though?"
"...What'd...you say!? But you did freely talk to Minerva-chan and seemed to get along well didn't you? You gave her some kind of present right? That lady is a true flower! A flower that we should protect from harm and not be picked!"
The members behind him nodded many times. Don't tell me, these guys! Lolicon! Are they for real!?
"We've had that conversation because I gave her boar meat for her father, the chef, to cook for me, isn't it only natural in a service industry?"
"Muu, then all is fine! Pardon me, it seems I got too excited."
Un, please really reflect on it. I mean, we're in front of the guild's board you know? Quite a bit of people are looking at us curiously. We're pointlessly standing out.
"But do not forget that we, 『Solomon Guardians』, are always watching. Well then!"
....I got too dumbfounded at what just happened. In other words, it was a declaration from a gentleman lolicon group that I'm being watched?
What the heck was thaaaaaat.
It's perplexing me so much I'd flip a tea table if there was one here.
For now let's check their strength while they're leaving the guild since I might get involved with them again in the future.
This one's the weakling that called me out first.
Name: Zack - Gender: Male - Age: 21 - Race: General Human
Class: Fighter Lv8 - State: Excited
Title: None - Party Name: 『Solomon Guardians』
【Skill】
Martial Art Lv2 - One-handed Axe Lv2 - Shield Art Lv2 - Sturdy Lv1 - Life Magic
The slim man who seems to be the leader.
Name: Gerckun - Gender: Male - Age: 89 - Race: Elf
Class: Spirit User Lv24 - State: Healthy
Title: 【Seeker of Lo Way】 - Party Name: 『Solomon Guardians』
【Skill】
One-handed Sword Lv3 - Archery Lv2 - Wind Magic Lv2 - Spirit Magic Lv3 - Life Magic - Flora Fauna Knowledge - Acrobat Lv2
【Seeker of Lo Way】 Title given to one who admires young buds. One careless mistake may lead to crimes.
Person 1 who didn't talk
Name: Guftas - Gender: Male - Age:20 - Race: General Human
Class: Magician Lv14 - State: Healthy
Title: None - Party Name: 『Solomon Guardians』
【Skill】
Whip Art Lv2 - Two-handed Staff Lv1 - Fire Magic Lv1 - Water Magic Lv1 - Life Magic
Person 2 who didn't talk
Name: Domtor - Gender: Male - Age:35 - Race: Dwarf
Class: Monk Lv16 - State: Healthy
Title: None - Party Name: 『Solomon Guardians』
【Skill】
Two-handed Staff Lv3 - Shield Art Lv2 - Holy Magic Lv2 - Life Magic
【Racial Traits】
【Liver of Steel】 Trait of Dwarves. One strong with booze even among dwarves.
I guess their party is a common mid-class party? I mean, the slim-man's title is surely problematic. Even though he's a 89 year old elf! Is his disposition well-known around here? YES lolita! NO touch!! An ero person once said that in the past.
And just when I got Two-handed Spear skill and got myself excited, this depressingly happened.
Looking at the receptionists, Eleanor-san isn't here either, guess I should go to Maurio-san's place. Tohohon.
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