…
「Thanks to you, we were saved.」
After delivering the wagons to their destination, we went back to the Guild in Gordon.
The other guys were nearly wiped out, and it seems we were the only ones to escort them to the end.
The receptionist greets us and expressed her grat.i.tude.
「There would have been trouble if you weren’t there.」
「Is that so?」
「That’s right. It’s a baggage escort ー if something were to happen with the goods, you have to compensate for it.」
That’s quite serious, isn’t it?
「It’s also just not a matter of money alone, our credibility is also at stake. That’s why I’m truly happy. I’ll also increase your reward. I’ll pay 10,000 Bonds, for now.」
10,000 Bonds, just how much is it worth?
「Th, that much?!」
Claire was greatly surprised.
「Is that a lot?」
「It’s already a lot. It’s even more than my monthly allowance.」
「That so.」
I do not know whether it is a lot or not. To begin with, this is the first time I’ve ever heard of such unit.
Well, I’ll just accept it, then.
「I’ll be asking for your future cooperation, too.」
「Got it.」
Nodding, I received the reward and left the Guild.
「Let’s split it later.」
「No, Senpai should have it!」
「I think so, too. If it had not been for Callus-kun, we would have surely been done. Because Callus-kun did the work, Callus-kun should have it.」
「Is that so?」
☆
A week pa.s.sed without anything happening in particular.
As usual, I get up in the morning, and proceed to the jiisan‘s place. We listened to the lessons intently, though Charlotte keeps asking a lot of questions. Afterwards, the three of us proceed to hunt monsters.
Every day, it’s just a repet.i.tion.
Still, if were to point out some changes, Claire leveled up, though it was the Caterpillar one, and the three of us have gotten used to each other.
I also stopped giving directions in battle to them recently.
With me as support, Claire and Charlotte work together to defeat the monsters.
I managed to formulate tactics, and direct them using only eye contact.
Oh right, the Dragon’s Level also went up by 7 levels, and I also learned 2 Skills, but these are matters for later.
☆
「Sharo–chan, would you like to eat some rice today?」
「Is that alright, Claire-senpai? ‘m sorry I’m disturbing you every day.」
「Since it was Sharo–chan who came, it’s worth making it.」
Today’s hunt ends, and the three of us tried to return to the village.
Claire and Charlotte are getting even closer. Recently, Claire calls Charlotte by her nickname and invites her to dinner every day.
「How about you, Callus-kun?」
「Me, too?」
「Un, I don’t mind.」
「If it’s not leaves, I’ll invite myself, then.」
「Mou! I’m not going to serve that to guests!」
Joking around, we went back to the village.
As we returned, the village was noisy somehow.
It’s usually a peaceful village, but something tells something bad has happened.
I can hear some commotion. We avoided eye contact, and swam through the sea of people.
We made it to the center of the village, the plaza, the place that’s usually used for festivals.
There, some unfamiliar guys can be seen.
There about ten people armed roughly, and they occupied the whole square.
「Bram-san!」
Claire cried out.
There were some people who fell down beside the ruffians, bleeding.
One of them looks familiar. It was the strongest martial artist in the village, Bram-san, whose Level was 15.
There were traces of a fight that occurred. I guess he fought and lost.
What’s more, some women are being held hostage. Their chests were ma.s.saged by the men however they want.
「Is that a brat?」
One of them faced here and laughed.
「A kid doesn’t have any business here. Ah, call out this village’s chief!」
The man shouted. After a while, a lone old man came.
I’ve never seen him that much, but I guess he’s the Daryl, the chief.
「This, what does this mean?」
「Are you the village chief?」
「Yes, I am, but……as for this…」
「Let’s not do some roundabout speech. We will defend this village from today.」
「Defend, is it?」
「That’s right. From monsters and rogues.」
As the man said that, all other men laughed altogether.
Spouting out nonsense, are they. The words were stuck in my throat.
「But, of course, I’m not doing this for charity. It’s defending a village, you know.」
The chief made a face as if he had bitten a bug.
If you plainly interpret their story, it seems we need to pay them something, that is.
「Village Chief…」
「Village Chief-san……」
Voices filled with uneasiness rose from the surroundings.
The Village Chief looked at the place near the man’s foot.
Bleeding, Bram laid there suffering.
An expression of clear resignation floated to the Chief’s face after seeing the strongest man in the village was done in.
The surrounding villagers had the same face.
「I understaー」
「Wait.」
I shouted loudly, breaking off the Chief who was on the verge of accepting the proposal of the ruffian.
「Haa? What the h.e.l.l is that kid?」
「Callus-kun……stop it, this not a place for childrー」
「GUOOOOOOO!」
Dragon Level 13[1], 【Ryuu no Houkou Ni (竜の咆哮2)】[2].
The roar thunders the earth.
The village chief pulled back, screams rise from the villagers, and a child could be heard crying somewhere.
The ruffians were shocked.
That was the preemptive strike, and was also a signal.
The next moment, Claire and Charlotte jumped out behind me.
The ruffians who were stunned by the 【Ryuu no Houkou Ni (竜の咆哮2)】 were knocked down by Claire and Charlotte while still shocked.
☆
The captured women were released, and the men, including Bram, were also helped out.
Although Bram’s injury is terrible, his life does not seem to be in danger. The village doctor said he would be cured after a month.
「Thank you, Callus-kun, Claire-kun.」
The Village Chief expressed his grat.i.tude to us. There was Charlotte, too, but since they don’t know much about her, her name was not called.
「Thanks to you, we were saved.」
「Ah, we were saved, indeed.」
「Thank you.」
「When did you two become so strong?」
The villager thanked me one after another.
In this case, we became heroes of the village.
[1] If I remember right, his level should be 14. Maybe he got it when he reached level 13?
[2] Decided to put the romaji equivalent. Unless you want something like ‘Dragon’s Roar 2’?