Chapter 17: Although We Came to Collect Herbs
「Goshujin-sama―― Goshujin-sama」
「Mm…… Ah, Good morning Melissa」
In the morning I was able to wake up to Melissa’s tender call.
Her gentle mannerisms are very comforting. Furthermore, the scenery spread before my eyes was of the risen sun gently glistening in the sky.
Hmm, looks like I feel asleep without even realizing it.
After that incident yesterday, I told Melissa to go get some sleep but she responded with “It is unacceptable for me to sleep while Master stays awake” and thus decided not to rest. So in the end I talked to her about various things while trying to get her drowsy. We talked for a long time but――
Who would’ve thought, for me to be the one who fell asleep instead… Truly pathetic.
「Sorry about that, Melissa. You haven’t slept right? Are you alright?」(Hitto)
「Yes. I often didn’t get to sleep much when I was with my previous Master so I am used to it」(Melisssa)
…… I-I see, with the previous one. Y-yea. I guess so, since she was a slave and all.
L-Let’s not pry too deeply into that matter.
「!? Y-you are mistaken! It was for work! Since I did various things like accounting, I meant that during certain times of the year it would be so busy that I didn’t have the free time to sleep! I did not mean it in that sort of way!」(Melissa)
Huh? Was it showing on my face? Melissa is panicking quite a bit.
Hmm, for some reason, Melissa was acting cute.
「Hmm? I’m mistaken? About what? I haven’t said anything yet, but what do you mean by “that”?」(Hitto)
I felt like teasing her, and faced with this question she responded, “T-That is…” with her eyes cast down to hide her bright-red face.
It’s cute but maybe I went a bit too far.
「My bad, My bad, it was a joke. Sorry about that」(Hitto)
「…… Oh Goshujin-sama, you’re so meeaaan」(Melissa)
With a *Pui* Melissa made a pouting gesture.
Yea, that gesture is something that shouldn’t be done in the morning. That facial expression has way too much destructive power.
「But seriously, Don’t push yourself too hard okay?」(Hitto)
「I am fine, after all, I’m really not forcing myself. Besides that, Goshujin-sama. I believe that it would be best if we started completing the request by now」(Melissa)
Hmm? Oh yea that. I kinda went with the flow and told Melissa about it yesterday, but we came here today to collect Nankou Gra.s.s huh.
I originally planned to go first thing in the morning but, judging by the position of the sun, quite a bit of time must have pa.s.sed.
Was it around 8 or 9 in the morning? This is a bit inconvenient so let’s buy a clock next time.
Well whatever. We should still have plenty of time left.
I feel a bit sorry for Melissa for not being able to eat breakfast but…… Actually we never got to eat dinner either. I was somehow able to endure it though.
「Aren’t you hungry Melissa? You sure you’re okay?」(Hitto)
「I really am alright. You as well, Goshujin-sama, you didn’t have anything to eat last night too, right?」(Melissa)
「Yea. Well, that’s true but I’m good. Well, there’s no way for us to get a meal out here anyways. Sorry, Melissa. In exchange let’s get something tasty to eat when we get back to town」(Hitto)
Hearing me say that, she replied “Yes” with a smile on her face.
Yup, my motivation is really going up.
Well then, we proceeded to complete the request but the problem was the wagon huh.
Maybe, will it fit in the Magic Bag? First let’s have Melissa get off to test it out. But, as expected storing living things is impossible.
If it was the wagon box alone then maybe it was possible, but then there would still be the matter of the what to do with the horses so in the end they were treated as one item.
It can’t be helped so a bit before we enter the forest, Let’s find an appropriate tree and tie the wagon to it.
After all, the rope was already packed in the wagon to begin with.
「Well then, I guess we should head out for now」(Hitto)
「Umm, should I perhaps look after the wagon instead?」(Melissa)
「That won’t do. After all, I can’t have my precious Melissa going through something like yesterday again. Besides, it will take some time to complete the harvesting anyways」(Hitto)
「 “P-precious”―― that makes me happy……」(Melissa)
Blushing, she said it in a quiet voice, but I could clearly hear it so I felt a bit embarra.s.sed.
Well whatever, This will be my first request as an adventurer since coming to this world, Let’s try our best.
…… I was too careless. It was completely beyond my calculations. To think that something like this would happen――
Truth be told, all of this is making me hate my own negligence.
「G-Goshujin-sama――」
Melissa also looked distressed. I guess that’s to be expected, in front of me right now was a ma.s.sive number of men, No there are some women too.
Anyways it looks like we’re gonna end up in a pinch right after starting our first request. After all――
「Hey! There’s Nankou Gra.s.s growing over there too! You, go over dere instead!」
「Don’t lie to me! Da only thing growing over dere is Penpen Gra.s.s! I ain’t gonna be tricked dat easily!」
「Hey, you! I’m the one who found that Nankou gra.s.s first!」
「Shaddup! First come first serve, idiot!」
「My (watashi[1]) granny’s got a fatal illness! She needs this Nankou gra.s.s no matter what, Will you please give me some?」
「Eh? Oh, then, I guess I’ve got no choice right? Here…… Hey! Nankou gra.s.s can only be used as ingredients for simple ointments!」
「Chii-, I got found out!」
「While we’re at it, that guy’s a Dude you know」
「「「「Whaaaaaaaaat!?」」」」
Well, as you can see, the scene before me felt just like a battlefield.
Over 100 adventurers were ruthlessly fighting over this so-called Nankou gra.s.s.
Yea, what the h.e.l.l is this?
「Goshujin-sama. Will we really be able to collect some Nankou gra.s.s here……」(Melissa)
Melissa turned towards me while looking concerned.
Even if you look at me like that… this really was outside of my expectations.
After all, back in the game, adventurers never gathered like this just to collect herbs.
Still, if gathering was this unreliable then hunting would’ve been better. From what I heard from the Guild, they will buy the raw materials you get from defeating monsters. Collecting herbs just ends up like this.
In the game era monster hunting grounds tended to sp.a.w.n where Players gathered very often, and looking at the current situation there is a high possibility that those conditions were replicated.
This is giving me a headache. Even though I was told I could make some money…
「For the time being, Melissa. Let’s move away from here. Either way, with all these adventurers scrambling around here we won’t be able to collect a decent amount」(Hitto)
Having said that, I took Melissa to go and search for a different place to harvest.
And, the scene that we found was…
「It’s ah Green Rabiiiit! Guy’s, we’re gonna corner iiit!」
「Don’t try and steal it! We’re the ones huntin iiiit!」
…… That sorta scene.
By the way [Green Rabbit] is an emerald-green colored wild rabbit.
That’s all it is. It really is just a green colored rabbit.
No, back in the game it was just small-fry so maybe that’s why I view it that way. But now that it’s become real I seriously can’t see it as anything but a simple green-colored rabbit.
With that single green rabbit as their opponent, numerous parties of adventurers were hunting it.
Honestly it was quite pitiful. Of course, for the rabbit.
By the way the raw materials from the rabbit where it’s very own meat. Apparently, the color of the fur was ugly so it was worthless.
Well whatever. Besides, I don’t really feel like getting mixed up in something like that anyways.
And so, Melissa and I decided to walk around some more and see if there were any suitable places
Melissa and I continued walking through the forest in search of Nankou Gra.s.s, but regardless of the location a large number of adventurers would be gathered there, it was pretty terrible.
And although I figured that we could at least hunt some monsters, since there were a bunch of adventurers trying to scramble to get the monsters in this area, I doubt we’ll be able to get any for ourselves.
More precisely, it may be possible to get some but there was no merit in it.
In the game, the enemies in this forest would’ve served as the main hunting grounds for fledgling adventurers who were just starting out.
Basically, the monsters that sp.a.w.n here are so weak that you won’t be able to earn much money from them.
I read a bit of the raw monster materials list from the Guild, but it seems that the raw materials you get from the monsters in this forest aren’t that impressive so you can’t make good money.
But still, if the situation wasn’t this bad then maybe defeating a bunch of monsters might add up to a little. But in a situation like this where adventurers are swarming after monsters, I don’t feel like it would be possible.
And since all these adventurers are so earnestly on the hunt, doing something unsightly like using ‘Cancel’ on all of them is something I’d rather not do.
And besides, using ‘Cancel’ on so many people in this crowded place would certainly stand out.
Well, because of that, half way through it kinda felt like Melissa and I were walking around the forest while on a picnic.
Since the density of the trees wasn’t too thick, you could see the sky. And beautiful flowers were starting to bloom.
If you don’t think about the whole request thing (and if you don’t pay attention to all the hustle and bustle caused by it) then you could say that this is a pretty nice walking path.
There’s no threat of monsters after all. Because these adventurers are defeating them all of their own accord.
「This place sure is lovely huh, Melissa」(Hitto)
「Eh? Ah, yes it is Goshujin-sama. But is this really alright? At this rate the request will end without us completing it……」(Melissa)
Melissa is too serious. Just when it started to feel a bit dreamy she pulls us right back to reality.
It’s a bit frustrating so let’s stare at her profile.
「S-staring at me so intensely like that is embarra.s.sing――」(Melissa)
Yup this girl, being green is some areas is good too. Melissa that is.
「Hmm?」(Melissa)
After that, we walked for a little bit until Melissa noticed something and let out a voice.
「Something the matter?」(Hitto)
「Yes, Goshujin-sama. Please take a look at that」(Melissa)
Melissa used her elegant and slender[2] finger to point out the way, and my attention shifted to that direction.
And then, I saw a place with abundant amounts of Nankou Gra.s.s growing there――
TL extra note: I said I’d so more translating but seems like I’ve done less instead :/Hopefully I’ll get some motivation back while working on other stuff.
1.
TL Note: [Watashi] is a way to refer to yourself, like I or Me. Technically [Watashi] is gender neutral but it is mainly used by girls. This particular adventurer uses feminine speech.
2.
TL note: The original phrase here is “[Melissa’s] finger that was like an icefish/noodlefish [白魚]”. Since that doesn’t translate well (and sounds hilarious) I put it into context.
A noodlefish is a white, slender, semi-transparent fish. The original expression is basically a saying used to describe a girl’s fingers as beautiful.