(148) Leaving the Cath Sith village
Translator: Tseirp
During our journey back, the aftermath of the flat rat ma.s.sacre was still visible so we escaped the labyrinth without encountering any monsters. Although it was a little regretful in terms of experience points, I don’t really like rats and I got to unlock the Boxer job so I would say it was a success.
We stayed in the village for a week because it took time to obtain permission to enter the labyrinth as it was the first time non-Cat Siths entered it. Stella complained that it would have been approved in an instant if the King was still alive.
We’ve complete what we had to do in the village so when I told Stella that we would be leaving the village the next day, Stella was a little down before she smiled and said “Then, we will have a farewell party nya. We’ll all have fun together nya.”.
“I have to tell you Ichino-san nya. Even though you obtained the Boxer job from defeating Roo‧Kanga, you will need a high-level Priest to change into that job nya. Jobs obtained from initiation monsters are different from regular jobs nya.”
Stella informed me. I would have preferred to have been told that beforehand but it was different in my case.
(Yup, no problem.)
I tried swapping Pugilist with Boxer and it changed without any issue.
Looked like there was no blind spot for the Job Change skill of Jobless.
After that, we left the labyrinth and we met those guys.
“Jo, this way, let’s drink together!”
“Jo, here! Drink with us!”
Jofre and Elise were having a drinking spree with the Cat Siths.
It looked like they hit off with the other Cat Siths while we were diving into the labyrinth.
Julio, Sutchino and even Milky were there and it looked like all of them were drinking too as their faces were red.
Only Centaur didn’t touch the alcohol. The Cat Siths were tapping Centaur’s body with their paw pads as they fed it tons of fruits.
“In this world, from what age can one begin drinking?”
“There isn’t a set age for it. One can drink once the surrounding adults accept it but most people begin drinking from around 15 years of age. Since there are rumors that one will not grow taller if one drinks alcohol.”
“I see … then I can’t let Carol drink yet.”
“Master, Carol is 17 years old.”
“To me, Carol is still a child until she reaches 18 years of age. Furthermore, in my country, it is forbidden to drink before the age of 20 so if possible, I would prefer if Haru doesn’t drink as much as well. If you want to drink no matter what, please only do so when the two of us are alone.”
I sounded like a controlling failure of a man but I would rather die than let other guys see Haru in that condition.
“It’s terrible, Elise. It looks like Jo can’t hear our voices.”
“That’s true Jofre. I guess it’s true that we must speak in cat language when in the Cat Sith village?”
“It’s terrible, Elise. I only know ‘nya’ or ‘nyan’ in cat language! Moreover, I don’t even know their meanings!”
“What can we do, Jofre. Ah, but we can understand the conversation between Jo and Haru?”
“That’s right! In other words, we’ve already mastered the cat language? Let’s open a cat language school!”
“That’s a great idea Elise! If that’s the case, we must first compose a school song!”
“Let’s gather students to sing the school song! It shall be Loreleis!”
The two were in high spirits.
Loreleis are creatures that lead sailing ships to their ruin so if they used them, the students they gather would all be ruined. But, the two of them would be wasting their time teaching cat language (they can’t use cat language in the first place) and they can really only lead the students they gather to ruin.
I wanted to just ignore Jofre and Elise but looks like I can’t do that as well.
“It’s not cat language. I was just regularly ignoring you two.”
“I see, that’s relieving. By the way, why is Jo here?”
“For business. What about you guys? Didn’t you all depart to clear the rubble blocking the highway?’
“That was our intention but we met Chino and Mikke.”
“Chino … ah, Sutchino huh?”
“Yes yes. Mikke told us that the person to become the next King would obtain a huge reward so we came here. Since a five-man party is needed to compete in the fight to determine the next King.”
“I see, that’s terrible.”
Mikke was probably the most terrible of them.
I also heard of the battle for the King position from Stella.
The fight would be two weeks later. Cat Siths who wish to become King can fight along with five subordinates regardless of race.
“Will Jo compete too?”
“No, we won’t be. It would be a different story if Stella wanted to fight to be King but she apparently won’t compete.”
Stella rejected the path to becoming King.
She said that she wanted to make the Silver Vine wine that the King praised to be tasty with her own hands this time.
“We plan to depart tomorrow. Apparently, there is a transfer circle that connects to the other side of the landslide.”
“I see. I wanted you to cheer us on for our fight but it’s a shame.”
“Be well, Jo, Haru. We will never forget you guys.”
Elise phrased it like it was a permanent farewell. I’m certain that we would meet these two again soon.
I couldn’t help but have such a premonition.
Then, we joined up with Carol who was negotiating price reductions at the market with a crying Cat Sith merchant, recalled Malina who was reflecting on her actions in my world and enjoyed the party with Jofre and the others.
I could no longer tell if it was a farewell party for us or a welcome party for Jofre and gang but even so, it was a party where everyone laughed.
Then, the next day ―
“Stella-sanStella-sanStella-sanStella-sanStella-sanStella-sanStella-sanStella-san, I will definitelydefinitelydefinitelydefinitelydefinitelydefinitelydefinitely come again!”
Hugged by a crying Malina, Stella said with distant eyes,
“I understand so hurry up and leave nya.”
Words like that of a wife who discovered her own feelings even though the husband’s feelings didn’t change.
Jofre and the others were having a hangover so they didn’t send us off.
Carol was also doing something in My World as she wanted to arrange the goods so the only ones there were me, Haru, Malina and Stella.
“I will deliver the requested goods to the Feruite guild nya. It should be deposited in Haru-san’s guild certificate in about a week nya.”
Regarding the harvesting request we took from the guild, we obtained nothing but the stone dropped from the spirits so I entrusted them all to Stella.
“Sorry for troubling you.”
“Don’t let it bother you nya. I had been in your care a hundred times more nya.”
“Nah, I enjoyed it too. Farewell.”
I waved while Haru bowed and Malina was painfully reluctant as she looked back countless times as we entered the transfer circle.
Then ―
【Skill 「x.x.xX」 activated. Forced transfer activated.】
I heard some strange system message and I suddenly felt worried.
In order to expel that anxiety, I looked at the sight before my eyes.
Surging waves, white sandy beaches, it felt like a tropical country.
“What a beautiful coastline. The port town seems near … eh?”
I was along the coast. But —
“Eh? Haru? Malina?”
Haru and Malina who were supposed to be with me were missing … and the transfer circle that was supposed to be under my feet was not there.
Why?
The transfer circle is supposed to be a measure that transports one from one transfer circle to another.
(I see, it’s under the sand!)
It’s possible that the transfer circle was buried under the sand.
I thought so as I dug the sand with my hands.
I dug and dug and dug.
But, I didn’t find any transfer circle.
Then, the waves surged and water flowed into the hole I dug.
There was sand in my nails and seeing my fingertips torn, I sighed.
Using Pet.i.te Heal, I treated my fingertips.
Looked like the tide was rising.
d.a.m.n it, at such times, I should make rational decisions.
Nothing would come out of staying here.
(For now, I guess I’ll walk along the coast…)
Facing the ocean was a lush and dense forest but I didn’t intend to enter it. I could see with my eyes that I would get lost.
I retrieved parchment, brush and ink from my item bag. They were items I purchased from Feruite to raise my Magic Journalist level. I left a message for Haru on the parchment.
I seldom wrote using this world’s characters but thanks to the Common Language Grasp skill, I could write fluently.
『To Haru and Malina. I will walk towards the South. From Ichinojo. Please follow me if you see this.』
I rubbed the parchment on my arm multiple times before tying it to a branch.
With that, Haru would probably be able to find it with her sense of smell.
Then, I looked at the sun. If the morning sun was at the water horizon, I determined that South would be to my right so I began walking.
I walked alone along the coastline.
I had a bad feeling.
Usually, bad feelings come true.
But, I continued walking alone.
Then — I saw it.
The parchment I fastened.
Seeing that, I was convinced.
This was an island.
Author’s note: The escape from deserted island arc begins … what comes to mind is, survival! Although it doesn’t really give off that feeling.