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Year 7445, Month 5, Day 5
I finish my daily running and then after eating breakfast again I went alone to the other side of the outer crater to practice spells. It still takes me quite a bit of time to use the spell {Trans.m.u.te.Rock.To.Mud}. Even then I was finally able to shorten it down to just 140 minutes so you could say the results of my training are showing quite a bit.
Along the way I ate the sandwiches from my bento and just kept drilling in the training until close to evening before returning alone to the town of Baldukk in brisk steps the same way I came. Since I"m riding a horse, the expression brisk is regarding my excellent war horse.
Honestly speaking I don"t really feel too good about this, it can"t be helped if I get a bit depressed about it.
After returning to Boil Manor I changed into some nice clothes and headed towards "Dorureon". Though we"re sub-n.o.bles, sis Anderson is the daughter of a Viscount family and it"s a formal invitation to a place as an expression of grat.i.tude so I thought I needed to dress up properly. I finished changing into the clothes I made at the end of last year for standing as witness on the day of judgement, left the room and just as I was coming down the stairs, Miduchi and Gwine were chatting in the lobby.
"Ah, you"re going now? Have a safe trip."
"Ah, be careful, Al-san."
"Nn, I"ll be careful on my way back...I"m sure things are troublesome on your end but make sure you do things right as well.."
These guys, it"s nice they seem to be enjoying themselves so much everyday...I"m sure again today I"ll be called a "incompetent leader who can"t control his own members"...It can"t be helped though.
............
A short while before the time I arrived at "Dorureon" and Anderson was already waiting. I was lead by the boy to a private room and after all Anderson came out to meet me with a decent outfit. Of course, it"s not something like the type of dress you"d wear to a party. It"s the same for me but since she"s also left her house I doubt she has those sorts of useless clothes either.
Her long pink hair is carefully tied up and she was wearing a shirt with a collar, a first-cla.s.s coat, tight pants, and leather shoes(not our product made of rubber. Traditional leather shoes and they aren"t at the level of boots but are like basket shoes).
I"m wearing something similar. Though just my shoes are rubber-sole leather shoes. I shake hands with her as she came out to greet me and I guess some doubts appeared on my face, she started explaining.
"Ah, I called out Viruhaima as well. Since he was technically the one who brought you into the discussion after all."
So that"s the reason there were three lunch mats prepared on the table. That old man, even though he was completely useless other than bringing me into it, he still gets treated at "Dorureon"...Well, it"s not like I"m the one who"s paying and in the first place I came to receive the promised information on {Sun.Ray}. I guess it"s strange that he wouldn"t be on the spot.
"I told Viruhaima to come at a time about 30 minutes after I told you. I wanted to talk together with just the two of us first. I"m sorry."
Huh? Ha~ though that"s fine.
"I understand. Either way we"re not going back into the dungeon until the day after tomorrow so there"s plenty of time. And, what did you want to talk about?"
I take my seat while replying to Anderson. After I sat down Anderson took her seat at the head of the table as the host.
"First off I wanted to thank you. The matter this time, really thank you very much. I appreciate you saving Vikkusu."
She told me it yesterday as well but once again she politely lowered her head.
"And, with this matter I"ve once again been made aware of it but even though you"re young you"re really quite something. I knew you were a powerful sorcerer but it"s only obvious that the {Slaughterers} grew so rapidly."
Yeah, well...
"As a matter of fact, I have a niece. She"s the daughter of my older brother who inherited the house. This year, she"s 16? Or 15 huh? She"ll turned 15. If it"s fine with you, would you like to try meeting her once? If it"s your level of skill then I think you could become the head sorcerer of the Viscount Anderson family. If you get along well with my niece and get married you could even become a Viscount. I"m sure you still haven"t married right? Since you"re originally a sub-n.o.ble, I think you"re just the right talent."
I spontaneously made a bitter smile.
"Ah, you don"t need to worry about it. In the marriage is just something for appearances after all, it"s fine if you have someone else you want to get married to as well...I don"t think the treatment of our head sorcerer is half bad. The current person is an old man who"s close to 60 already so I don"t think he"ll last much longer and his child isn"t all that skilled at magic it seems. In the first place, even that person made it as a Viscount. Since he doesn"t show his face at all recently during the training with the knight group, I think it"s just right."
Hmn.
"If I"ve brought bought such a talented sorcerer then I should be able to marry in as a sub-Baron in the territory as well. Though I think it would be difficult because I"m already at such a late age but if it"s just something for appearances I don"t think it"s impossible. If you"re worried then I think you could make the other members of the {Slaughterers} into squires as well. If it"s someone with as much power as you have then I"m sure my older brother would throw his hands in the air in joy.."
If you think about it with common sense then it"s not a bad option. Rather it"s almost like a chance has rolled in. But, the only thing I know about Viscount Anderson"s territory is it"s located in the group of Northern territories and it"s somewhat stable. It"s not half bad but something like a Viscount in a place like that is outside of consideration for me right now.
"Fufu..Anderson-san. You"re joking...Please don"t flatter me so much. I"m just a b.u.mpkin from the backwoods."
"Oh my, I don"t think that"s the case though."
Well, since she"s got to the trouble of a.s.sessing me so highly. I should at least do some splendid lip service I guess.
"I"m grateful for such a rare and magnificent chance but I think I"m too unskilled to serve the Viscount Anderon family with their pedigree...and, I think there are still plenty of others who are far superior to myself."
"..That doesn"t sound like anything but sarcasm."
Oh my~ I didn"t say it with that sort of intention though...
"Well, putting that aside if possible I"d like you to think about it."
"Ha.."
Anderson quickly fixed her posture and continued her words.
"Putting that aside, until Viruhaima comes please let me hear just this much. Greed-kun, do you, have some kind of grudge against {Sun.Ray}? No, since I hate {Sun.Ray} as well that doesn"t particularly matter but you know. Honestly speaking, I don"t hate {Sun.Ray} but the leader the Rindobels. I still hold a grudge for stealing one of my members as well.."
"I don"t particularly have any sort of grudge."
"Then, why? You"re intending to crush them right?"
If I say it like that then I guess it"s not strange for it to be taken that way. Though I say that, I think that crushing them is. .h.i.tting the mark a bit too close.
"No, I"m not particularly thinking about crushing {Sun.Ray} itself even the tiniest bit. Just, as a result I think that there"s a slight possibility remaining that it could develop into a conflict, that"s why I made such a request."
This is true. I can"t deny the possibility that as a result they"ll be crushed or close to that but I"m not actually thinking about crushing them. The trick for how the Rindobel couple is recruiting people honestly doesn"t matter at all either. It"s fine if they want to use whatever trick or scam they want.
"Well, it"s fine. Just as promised no matter what happens between you and {Sun.Ray} we"ll remain unconcerned with it. We were in a position where it wouldn"t have been strange for you to request something even more after all."
"No, I"m relieved to hear you say that. Thank you very much."
"Stop that, the one who needs to give thanks is me."
"No not at all, let"s continue talking about this matter later when Viruhaima-san arrives.."
The boy brought out some tea. It"s not the scent or taste of the bean tea I like but it"s tea that uses expensive leaves and has a pretty good scent.
................
On my way back from "Dorureon", I was satisfied with my estimate of myself that I was able to get a good result. Since I didn"t have many requests on my side, I got a bit sick of being asked every little thing about it, but I"m sure both Anderson and Viruhaima were a bit worried about it as well. Since it"s too cheap as compensation for {Remove.Curse}, they think there"s some important point to it that they still haven"t realized yet.
Of course that"s the correct answer. Though it"s something that can"t be called important to them but it"s fine as long as they don"t pry into the problem with {Sun.Ray} or the internal conditions of the {Slaughterers}, and spread the rumors that we wanted then just that"s fine after all.
Incidentally, I was told, "Are you an idiot?" by them. It"s not like I don"t think that way as well but it"s fine. My reputation among other adventurers isn"t worth even a single Z and in the first place the one who came up with the summary wasn"t me. Though thinking of the safety I am the one who changed the actors as well as amending some key points. If things go well then while I"m sure it"s only for a small portion of people it"ll completely flip around. No, I guess at best it will just return huh? Even then that"s not enough to exchange for a reincarnated person.
On my way back, I was looked at with eyes of pity by a group I didn"t know that seemed to be adventurers.
s.h.i.t. Those guys, I wonder what in the world they did this time?
...............
Year 7445, Month 5, Day 12
This week, we explored the dungeon for another week again and today is Sat.u.r.day and a weekend. In preparation for the three days off starting tomorrow, it"s about when everyone starts to let their guard down. We"re smoothly increasing our combat experience against Ogres. Though we"ve gotten considerably used to it, when fighting against an opponent who could kill you with just a single blow from their club, you"re not allowed even a moment of letting your guard down. I call out to everyone in a strict voice to be careful and with Giberuti"s handmade bentos we stepped foot into the 7th floor.
Until noon we defeated 8 Ogres and additionally 30 or so goblins before eating lunch. In the afternoon, just the same we walked around searching for ogres and we arrived at the teleport room to the 8th floor just past 5 pm. By the time we sold the magic stones we gathered and returned to the inn the day had long since ended.
When we returned to inn there was a message that the {Humidifier} magic tool we obtained a while back was sold. The sale price ended up exceeding 120,000,000 Z by just a bit. Even after removing the commission cost, taxes, and giving out bonuses 80,000,000 or so still remains in my hands.
Once I get my hands on the money I need to pay out the bonuses.
.............
Year 7445, Month 5, Day 13
"Just stop with that already! Why do you get up in my face like that every single time!"
"Shut up, shut up, shut up!"
They"ve started again.
"You"re the one who needs to shut up, this baldy!"
"I"m not bald~! Can"t you see this beautiful blonde hair? What pitiful eyes you have. Ah, were they just for decoration was it?"
"Just stop with that already! You"re a bother to everyone around us! Al you say something too!"
Zenom"s temper explodes.
"Ye..Yeah, you two really can keep at it without getting bored...Just stop already.."
I scold them with an shocked and weak smile on my face.
"Really, Al-san you should tell it to them more clearly! The two of you just stop it already, the food will taste worse right!"
Gwine joins Zenom and enters between Miduchi and Ralpha.
"Master, you should properly discipline your subordinates.."
Zulu, even you"re saying something like that...
..............
Year 7445, Month 5, Day 14
While we were eating dinner, Miduchi and Ralpha started fighting over something stupid again. It was while I was talking with Basutoral and Giberuti over the method to make sausages I could remember. Stop getting in my way...
It might just be my imagination but Bel and Angela seem to be looking at me with cold expressions as well.
"Ha~ ..Really just stop already!! You"re ~ loud! Ralpha, you~ I"ll fire you!"
"Ah! You"re playing favorites with just Miduchi again. That"s unfair!"
"Ha!? It"s only obvious since you"re the cause right!?"
"Hmph, even though she"s just an opportunist.All because I"m Al"s woman right? Ah~ I sure am jealous being favored just for that!"
"Ha!? I"m his wife! What? We"re you in love with Al? That sure is pitiful you weren"t even properly considered as a partner!?"
"Huh? What are you saying? This rotting thing! I don"t have bad taste like you!"
"Hmph! Aren"t you just pent up from your man drought? Once the "sausages" are complete you should lower your head to Saji right!!"
Ah, really...
"Every single time~! You pieces of trash! Just shut up already!"
""You"re the loudest one!""
Just forgive me already.
Look..old man Viruhaima is pointing and laughing out loud at us from the store across from us.
s.h.i.t.
...............
Year 7445, Month 5, Day 15
Evening, it was when Giberuti and I were out shopping for entering the dungeon the next day.
"And you know, they all raised their voices saying "You"re~ the loudest!" and tears started to appear in his eyes~"
"Are you serious, how pathetic~ gyahahaha"
s.h.i.t..For me to even be made fun of by this trash at the bottom...
"Master, please endure it."
Yeah, I already know, Giberuti, it"s fine if you don"t make such a worried face.
I always maintain my composure.
................
Year 7445, Month 5, Day 19
"Let"s go.."Mefurubisu"!"
We teleported into the 7th floor. Shortly after we teleported, we all raised our vigilance in the directions we decided on before-hand from every side. It seems there"s no monsters around.
"Alright..Gwine, where are we?"
After confirming our surroundings are safe, I asked Gwine.
"Yes..We"re here."
Gwine pointed to a spot on the map Bel spread out.
"Here huh..Ralpha, what"s the direction?"
"Nn, we"re facing West."
Ralpha replied smoothly after jumping.
"Got it. Then let"s go this way. We"re going with {Wedge Two} and 5 meter gaps."
With Miduchi at the lead, Zenom and Toris about 5 meters behind her on both sides, then another 5 meters behind that Ralpha and Zulu have fortified. On the sides with an equal amount of s.p.a.ce Angela, Gwine, Bel, and Basutoral continue.
I"m about 5 meters behind Miduchi.
Now then, shall we do some earning.
...............
Year 7445, Month 5, Day 22
"You dropped another bean, how pathetic. Pu..pathetic."
"What? You picking a fight again?"
Miduchi is making an irritating expression I want to hit while making fun of Ralpha.
"No..I was just showing pity for a poor young girl who can"t even properly use "chopsticks"?"
"Ha? Didn"t you just make fun of me as being pathetic right now?"
Hey now, this time it"s about chopsticks...
"Hey, you two, be quiet at least while we"re eating!"
""You"re the loudest one! In the first place can you not do anything but yell!?""
Sh..s.h.i.t. It"s true I"ll admit there"s no art to it but...
"Miduchi-san and Ral you both calm down. The two of you are too irritated. How about we go to the capital later? I"m sure if you play to your hearts content you"ll blow some steam."
"Ah, the capital is it! Toris-san, is it alright if I go along as well?"
"Yeah, Gwine, of course it is. Zenom-san how about you too?"
"Oh~ that might be good occasionally...I just wanted to buy some smoked meat as well.."
"Kalstalan-sama, would it be alright if I go along as well?"
"Yeah, Zulu, it"s only obvious. Maruso and Giberuti how about you two as well?"
""Is it alright?""
"It"s fine. I"ll cover the cost of the carriage and lunch even. Let"s enjoy ourselves today!"
"U.Umm..I want to buy some meat so.."
"Yeah, Saji. There"s some good butchers in the capital. Let"s go together!"
"Well, Toris, you"re quite generous today."
"Ha ha, stop that, Bel. I"m still on the end of the n.o.bility after all. I need to properly think about everyone."
"Ah, that"s right, Saji, if we"re going to the capital then even if it"s not a butcher I know once I can introduce you. Though it"s a store run by dark elves I"ve never been to either.."
..This feeling of being left out. Though you might say it can"t be helped, this is harsh. Really harsh...
I hate myself from last month.