Translator: Jay_Samuel Editor: JackOFallTrades
「Fuu-, I guess it"s cold around here」
I stopped the wagon within a forest with a lot of conifers.
I sluggishly crawled outside the wagon after being woken up by the morning sun which penetrated through the wagon"s gap.
In this world where there is no such thing as a clock, the sun rising above the horizon would be its surrogate and signal that it was basically time to wake up to the people of this world.
What was reflected through the bucket filled with water while exposed to the morning cold atmosphere, was a fairly adjusted face with blond hair cut short which doesn"t look anything like that of my previous life.
If there is something similar, then it"s only about how her stubborn personality has been captured from how the corner of her eyes are slanted upwards.
『Aah-, it"s no use, anymore……, die』
These were the last words I uttered before I died, leaving my previous life.
Apparently, after finishing the duties of the Black Company, which doesn"t give overtime pay, I collapsed on the bed without any leeway to worry about my skirt getting wrinkled, and just like that I died from overwork.
It was about when I was five years old that, I, Leone Bolt regained such a grimacing memory.
Born as a child of a couple of adventurers in a peaceful city where few monsters and thieves hardly appear, and in the midst of training forcefully received from my parents who gave such ambiguous reasons and say it"s 『For the sake of emergency』, I hit my head and remembered.
Naturally, I, who had recalled my memory as a j.a.panese, could not think of spending my days as a violent yakuza-like adventurer, and because travelling was originally my hobby, I became a peddler who, other than adventurers, is able to travel around various lands.
I became an independent peddler after undergoing harsh training under an uncle who"s an aquaintance, and while experiencing difficulties, I became fairly popular.
The unique skill 【Basking Pupil】 I was born with, 「It can see the color of the emotions of the target it"s focused on」, is quite convenient. While I have faced various difficulties and experienced many dangers, it has been helpful not only to those around me but also with my business endeavors.
『Are you the fighting and singing, drunken peddler, 『Leone-dono the rampaging bow!?』』
These words are the reason why my business is going well,Although it is worrying that it"s content is not something a person is able to rejoice about gracefully, but I think that is asking for way too much luxury.
It"s the monsters, thieves and demons that come attacking everything who are at fault.
And also, this body that easily gets drunk is a problem. Even though in my original world, I didn"t have drinking habits.
Oh, and besides it"s also the fault of there being too many violent people regardless of character. I got dragged along and somehow ended up being violent too.
But, the demon king was finally defeated, and the conflict between the human race and the Demonic tribe have become inconspicuous.
Word on the street is, the hero was taken over by the demon king, and originally he has done so many evil deeds, and from the beginning his intentions was to succeed the demon king, such rumors spread all at once.
I thought it was unnatural, I was not acquainted with the hero in the first place, and most of the major powers are unanimous in their stories, there"s no way I could poke my head into this.
Anyway, my surroundings became more and more peaceful in the wake of the demon king"s defeat, and the degree at which the thieves and monsters who appear occasionally to get their a.s.ses kicked has improved.
The remnants of the demonic tribes rampaging sporadicaly have settled down for about half a year since the demon king was subjugated, and the smiles on the people"s faces have increased.
I had thought that I at long last could leisurely spend some time to relax after all that but it turned out that I am going to be facing another painful experience here again.
During my travel, I should have been sleeping inside the wagon used for peddling, but for some reason I was sleeping in a certain town inn when I woke up.
Thinking I was still half asleep I went to wash my face. When I got to the water pail, the face reflected on the water appeared younger than the one I had seen the day before., I was left in shock with my mouth wide open. I was simply flabbergasted.
After that, I gathered information in a panic, and I reached one plausible conclusion.
『No, no way-, could this be or could be not, a time slip?』
Personally being born again alone is already sufficiently over my capacity to process, in addition, now it is a time slip of about four years.
Is this really a time slip, or could this perhaps just be a really long dream? After grasping the situation in a couple of days, I arrived at my wits" end. But, I quickly stopped worrying about it.
The reason is, rather than worrying about why it happened, what to do from now is more important.
Now that I know what will happen in the future, I may be able to save lives that I couldn"t save.
After that, I recalled my previous memories as much as I possible, and prepared for the war with the Demonic tribe that should soon be in full swing.
In order to acquire the strength to protect myself, while aggressively grinding levels that I couldn"t do before, I rake in the money by using the knowledge of the future with the unique skill.
The only dissatisfaction is that, in this world too, I also received the nickname 『Leone the rampaging bow』, that"s about it.
However…….
(Business is going well as planned even if there is an error……. But, if that"s true, it"s already past the time when the rumors of the hero become considerably famous……, before a magical storm broke out in the city of Dartlas and caused a huge uproar……is it the b.u.t.terfly effect, I wonder)
Thinking that while I was washing my face with water.
「Phew, oh well. The training will not be useless anyway」
「What will not be wasted? Leader」
Dan, a dull-looking red haired young man, appeared.
He"s a childhood friend from my hometown, he came along as an escort when I became independent.
「Dan……, nothing, I was just thinking about the future」
「What do you mean the future, your plan to head towards Carbonheim, are you going to quit it afterall?」
The usually insensitive Dan was asking in an awfully considerate tone.
There is that village…near Carbonheim.
So, since I knew about that incident, I deliberately removed our cruise road from around Carbonheim.
「I"m not going to quit. I do not want to go to that village, but I don"t want to avoid it more than necessary」
It can"t be helped that my companions are worried because I did not talk to them about the time slip, but that even is already about eight years ago experience-wise.
Even if there"s no way that I do not mind, It does not mean that my heart is not organized enough to avoid it more than necessary.
「Really, if a time slip were to happen, I would prefer for it to go back a little longer……」
The appearance of a girl who greeted us with a smile flickers in my mind every time I visited that village.
Why did I time slip half-heartedly to four years.
Better yet, I wish I had to start over just after I was born in this world. I might have been able to help that mother and daughter.
「I will not tell you to forget about it, but just don"t think about it too much. Because it"s not your fault」
「…… Thank you」
「It"s alright okay, and you"re not alone, and I"m sure you"ll be able to find it someday. I"ve always had a good hunch, right?」
「Geez, stupid」
I was grateful for Dan"s consideration as he strikes the long sword hung from his back, and talks as if deliberating trying to be humorous.
And then, I heard a voice when when such talk was going on.
「Eh-, Dan-kun has also grown up to comfort Leone-chan. As an older sister who knows when he was still a snotty-brat, I am deeply moved」
「Ah, you know you can"t do that. You should not disturb them, stuff like this is more enjoyable to peek at secretly and make fun of them later」
「Ah, you people」, 「you, you guys」
The one who called out us as if she were teasing was a woman with a voluptuous and bewitching figure dressed in garments, Spinne.
While messing around with her pink twirl of curly hair that is close to purple, she had a smile almost appearing to be an indecent grin on her face as if she had just found a good toy.
A young man who has a pet.i.te physique for a guy, Xank was next to her.
He had a pale blue-green bandanna wrapped around his forehead just below his black hair and two short daggers, each hanging from both sides of his hips.
Both of them, the same as Dan, are companions from when I became independent.
「Xank-kun as always has a good character, contrary to his looks. This elder sister, likes that malicious side of you, Xank-kun?」
「I also like that part of Spinne-san, oh wait, that"s dangerous」
「Kyaa, how violent」
「Shut up, it"s both of your fault for coming to tease!!」
Facing the two who were exchanging smiles like a cat, Leone barks at them as an arrow left her bow.
With a cool face, Spinne diverted her body, and Xank deflected the incoming arrow with a sword.
「As expected of the raging bow……」
「Hmm! Did you say something?」
「Oops, you should end it right there, the cost for the bow and arrow isn"t free of charge you know」
Incidentally, she also fired an arrow at Dan, but it was easily blocked with a sword.
Why is this dude so calm in spite of being ridiculed too…
「Good grief, anyway, let"s finish our breakfast and head towards Carbonheim. It"s bad enough, the encounter rate of monsters is higher than expected, and the journey tends to be delayed」
「Hey-, are you really going to attend the school in that country? I"m, not really good with magic……」
「That"s why we"re going. Even a swordsman would be in a pinch if he"s unable to use a little magic when it matters」
「Hehe-」
They began to move disorderly and start preparing the meals.
And, Dan who secretly drew near quietly hit my head.
「・・・・I hope you find Minnalis and the others」
「…… Idiot, quit trying to act cool, when you"re merely Dan」
「Wow, so mean」
The sky"s blue hue began to shine through the disappearing clouds as I looked up onto the sky.
Seems it was going to be a good day today.
「All right, it"s going well today. There was no encounter with monsters either」
Surrounding the crackling bonfire, I took a bite off the dried meat which was grilled in fire in a cheerful mood.
Just after I was reborn in this world, 『what is this meal!』 Thus, it was a dizzying kind of feeling, and humans are beings that can adapt comparatively if they lived for thirty years on the same experience.
「Tsk, And here I wanted to have my revenge against that monster plant this time」
「Even if a monster plant shows up, it will not Dan, but Spinne who is going to deal with it」
「Eehh!?」
「Wait wait, why are you surprised? Dan-san, how many swords have you ruined since we left the previous town. Even if they"re ma.s.s-produced weapons, it"s such a waste」
「That"s true, normally, you wouldn"t think of defeating a monster plant with a sword in the first place right. Rather, Leone-chan"s heart who has allowed Dan"s selfishness until now is one that"s too big」
Spinne also raises a voice of consent to Xank who feels appalled and sighs.
「Ugh, just a bit, just a little bit and I have a feeling I"ll grasp something! 」
「Even with that, It"s still a No. I mean, a iron-made sword, twenty silver coins for a total of twenty-five swords, Dan"s allowance for this month is basically finished」
「Eh!? no way!? It was being deducted from my pocket money!?」
「You bet it was, of course it"s not for free. I got you an extra five swords as bonus, so be thankful」
I nonchalantly raised my voice and said it straight to Dan who had a face with shock written all over it.
In another half a year, Dan was really able to achieve his declaration and cut down monster plants, so I"m sure him saying 『just a little bit more』 is probably not a lie…….
「It"s unfortunate, but money is not going to come endlessly!! When you learn the magic of body enhancement properly, is when you get your next bonus」
「Y, you serious…… seriously……」
「You know, putting it in another way, if you give it your best you can try again right? The rumors say that there are species of monster plants around Carbonheim, so Dan-san let"s do our best and try to learn magic」
「Well, Xank is a genius, so even magic is something he"ll soon……, Leone, I can hear battle sounds. It"s pretty close.」
And, completely turning from the flaccid atmosphere, Dan raises a voice mixed with keenness.
「Spinne, can you determine their number?」
「I"m already on it. One, two……, there are fifteen counts in all, they are going against about three people I guess」
「It"s decided then, victory goes to the one who makes the first move! Everyone, let"s go」
I stood up and picked up my treasured bow.
「Come on, hurry up hurry up」
「Though I knew it"s going to end up like this anyway…….. It"s better we hurry if we are to be reinforcements」
「Well, we might also be caught up within it if we were to remain camping here like this」
Everyone stood up, held their hands and headed to the place.
「Wow, that"s amazing, the signs of the monsters are steadily disappearing. If all goes well, it might already be over by the time we get there」
「You mean they"re high-ranking adventurers? It"s fine whichever way, it"s a business opportunity. It"s never a bad thing to have my name become more popular」
Considering the future, it is better to build a friendly relationship with people with power.
And if it leads to business opportunities, it will be killing two birds with one stone.
「The presence are just ahead」
「That"s amazing, it"s really over」
When we came near the designated area, there was already no sign of fighting.
「Well, for now, let"s just call out to them and see. It might be possible to negotiate purchase of materials ……」
And then, the group and I then saw a figure of a boy in the place where we had just arrived
The sight of a boy with black hair strangling a familiar looking girl.
The blood went straight to my head in that moment and I let loose an arrow. Seeing the figure of the one I had been searching for for a long time, my body moved on its own.
『Because she is a bestkin』.
I kept searching everywhere we went, relentlessly wishing to help the girl who was sold by the villager only for that reason.
「What are you going to do with Minnalis-chan!! Leave her this instant!!」
And then I finally found Minnalis-chan.