When I think about a monster h.o.a.rding tons of treasures, what comes to mind would be an evil dragon. But in front of me, was a Medusa who was displaying a big pile of treasures as if she was flaunting it.
To call it ‘a big pile’, would be exaggerating it a little. It actually was, just a meter square at most.
Other than some bags that were already filled with gold coins, there were also variety of Ancient European style of accessories ranging from the smallest brooch to a large crown.
The most eye-catching amongst them all was a ‘Great Jewelled Sword¹’.
The wide blade reflected the light as if it was a mirror, and it’s hilt had metal adornments on it. What caught my attention the most, was the large green emerald embedded into the sword hilt.
If such a sword was put up for an auction, wouldn’t it’s worth be over a few millions?
I tried to hold the sword…….Hmm, while I was able to hold it up, but it’s weight was somewhat dissatisfying.
If held with only one hand, it would neither be possible to use any sword techniques nor hack things with it.
And if both hands were used, all that I was capable of doing was to hack things with it.
Did that mean that the humans in this world were actually capable of carrying sows on their backs while running around?
……
Don’t give me that bulls.h.i.+t! There is a limit to how far logic can be exceeded! Furthermore, those black merchants didn’t look like they were capable of even wielding these kind of swords around.
Anyway, regarding these eye-catching treasures, I was actually more curious about how they came into her possession.
“These…err…how?”
“Oh. These are……hmm……gotten from the past.”
In response to my question, she tried to convey her message to me in a way that I can easily understand.
After a week of language learning, which happened to be quite effective, I was capable of holding such a level of conversation with her that I didn’t think I would have been able to have before.
“War……past?”
“No, it’s……nnn……”
When I couldn’t understand what she was saying, she would try her best to explain by using actions and gestures. Like now, she was putting a ring in my hand, and then taking it back.
Did that mean plunder?
In my mind, the following scenario appeared: A distinguished adventurer party came to the cave in order to subjugate Medusa, but were turned into stone instead. Thus, the adventurers’ equipments became her trophies.
Monsters are so strong! To be able to live together with a monster, I must also be very strong!
“You, very good!”
I didn’t know know the term for ‘very strong’, so that was the only way i could praise her strength.
“Ah?”
Although she may not have understood my words, she still gave me a slight smile.
Meh, there’s something more important than that. Rather than selling these treasures to the merchants, it would be better to……
The s.h.i.+ny tablewares ,and the scissors with golden edges looked like they were used by the wealthy. Since they couldn’t serve their original masters anymore, I might as well take owners.h.i.+p of them.
Oh right, there’s that ‘Great Jewelled Sword’ too. I couldn’t hope to use it as a means of self-defense, but it seems to be suitable as a tool for cutting trees.
After picking out items that were useful, we moved the treasures back into the cave. Incidentally, the cave was very dark, as well as narrow, so both of us moved in a weird way——me holding the end of her tail as she led the way.
An indescribable feeling surfaced in my heart as, a week before this, I was dragged on the floor of this narrow cave.
The relations.h.i.+p between the two of us has really changed. Although I had no idea what her motive was in tying me up at the beginning, I could only describe myself as lucky for the recent developments.
I didn’t possess any kind of magical abilities, nor did I have overly powerful physical abilities. To be able to live with a Medusa for more than a week, shouldn’t I be getting some kind of achievement or something.
Such as, a Medusa’s blessing?
In the eyes of a normal person, to live together with a monster, and even had s.e.x with her, I must look like a lunatic. However, I feel that I have only made the best choices right from the start.
The me who was thinking that ‘it would be okay as long as I get to live’, was leisurely hugging a Gorgon beauty in one arm while eating roasted meat on the other side.
Talking about roasted meat, I came up with another weird idea.
After making a fire in the stove, I put the ‘Great Jewelled Sword’ over the fire and put sliced pieces of meat on the flat side of the blade.
It’s done! ‘Great Jewelled Sword’ meat grill Mk.1!
That was just my imagination. When I seriously tried to do that, many problems arose: the blade heated slowly; the meat got stuck on the blade; or the whole sword became too hot to handle……
But the wisdom of humans were equally great, and, in the end, that sword was rendered into an axe as well as a BBQ tool.
The knife and fork, which looked like they were made from silver, became my tableware. Although I hoped that she use cutlery too, she hadn’t even had a second meal.
The small pair of scissors were very suitable for cutting animal pelt. Oh, and the brooch that had many precious stones embedded on it? I broke the pin behind it and used it as a toothpick.
Hey, don’t accuse me of wasting precious treasures. You have to understand that wearing that brooch wouldn’t increase my comfort levels anyway.
Thus, those items that could be used were put to use. I didn’t ask about her pile of treasures again. Since they were plundered treasures, they must have quite a bit of history behind them. When I get a better grasp of this world’s language, I would then ask her about it.
“Let’s eat!”
Hearing my call, she slithered to my side with her tail.
Although we called it eating together, she just leans on my side, waiting to be fed like some kind of a Play. But still, it looked like she was enjoying it, so I just let her be.
After smearing the fat from the animal skin onto the blade, I wiped my fingers on my s.h.i.+rt (don’t call me dirty, the treasures didn’t come with tissues). While waiting for the sword to heat up, I opened a thick book to learn from her.
There was a time when I suspected whether or not the language she was speaking was of this world. But after seeing her read out the words on the book fluently, all that a noob such as myself could do was to believe in her.
Other than relying on the book, there was also another fast way to learn the language. If I didn’t know the name of an item, I would bring it to her and ask her how to p.r.o.nounce it. For example, I have already committed to memorize the words for animal pelt, stone, axe and short bow.
Unfortunately, the number of things in the cave were just too few, and there were many words and terms that were impossible to describe using items or gestures.
Furthermore, no matter how thick the book was, there would still be a limit to what it can teach. It was inevitable for the book‘s contents to be completely learned by me one day. By then, I’ll have to resort to other ways to learn the language.
Later on, I found out that the book’s name was [Chronicles of the Kingdom], a famous book that was written with highly intellectual monsters as its target audience.
While I was thinking about that, the meat was finally ready. Piercing the slice of meat with a fork, I put it in my mouth. The taste was so much better than roasting with skewers. The weird taste of tree bark was gone and the meat was cooked evenly.
After seeing her shocked face as soon as she tried it, I was deeply motivated.
I did inherit the blood of a chef from my father after all. Thinking back, my father who worked as a chef in a 5-star hotel had taught me how to prepare dishes.
Even if I was in a different world, I was still capable of making good dishes!
Ah, I digressed. The next time when the black merchant caravan comes to town, I’ll see if I’m able to buy a pot or something. Still, Chinese dishes and roasted meat don’t really have much relation, huh……
I could fill my stomach quickly with just eating meat, but I had to eat a lot at a time. As the girabbit meat could only be kept fresh for 3 days at the very most, ‘To maximise the use of limited resources’ became my reason to binge.
“Ah~Mealtime is the best.” I exclaimed while picking my teeth.
Still, my stomach was very full, so I felt like going out for a walk. I wondered if she would have the same idea……
“Err…how do I say it……walk? We go for a walk?”
While saying those words awkwardly, I used my fingers to make walking gestures .
“Wa…lk?”
It felt like the snakes in her hair had also made weird expressions.
“Yep!”
This time, allow me to hold your hand as we walk together through this strange land.
There was nothing happier than holding the hand of the one you care the most about while strolling in a forest. For each person, there must be something more precious than treasures to them.
At least in my case, she had become the only one I could depend on. No matter what the future holds for us, I would stay by her side until the end.