Chapter 17
The Resting Lodge and Hunter of the Dark Night 「Myra, do you want to take a break?」「No~, I am still all right . . . . . 」 Once hour had pa.s.sed since they left the village, the sky became somewhat brighter due to the dawning light . Hearing the conversation in the background, Kazura looked behind him . It were the voices of Lodurr and Myra, who walked between him and Tana . Myra was speaking energetically when they just departed, but after an hour pa.s.sed, she talked less and less, and now, her forehead was sweating and she was silently trotting . Although she had said that she is okay, her expression showed that she was tired .
「Everyone, shall we rest a little here?」 When Kazura was going to suggest resting to Valetta, at the same time, Valetta also called everyone to stop walking after she had seen Myra’s condition . 「Thank you . I appreciate it . 」「Onee-chan, I’m sorry . . . . . . 」[1] Seeing Myra who was taking small breaths and apologized while feeling despondent, Valetta squatting to match their eyes level and said while smiling, 「It’s fine, if you feel tired then you have to take a rest, right?」「That’s right, my feet are also completely exhausted . Myra-chan really has more stamina . 」 Kazura, who carried the wooden rack in his shoulder, was stretching himself and putting down the rack at a tree base on the side of the road, and then he smiled at the depressed Myra . The other villagers were also putting their luggage under the tree shade . 「Wahahahahaha, Kazura-sama needs to train his body more . 」 「Uu, I’m so tired . . . . Valetta-san, could you pa.s.s me my bag?」 Kazura once again smiled at Myra who was laughing observing the villagers’ conversation . He then received his bag from Valetta and took out one bottle of Lipo-D from the inside . 「Myra-chan, come here, I give you some medicine . 」「Un . 」 Myra came quickly after she as called by Kazura and received the opened bottle of Lipo-D . Although the dose instruction that was printed on Lipo-D label said that it’s not recommended to be consumed by children under age 15, Kazura decided that if a 6 years old only consumed one or two gulps, then it would be fine . 「Drink only one gulp . It’s not good if you drink too much, understand?」「Un . I understand . 」 Myra nodded obediently and drank the Lipo-D . There was still some Lipo-D content remained . 「Kazura-sama, thank you very much! . 」 Myra said her grateful thanks and returned the bottle to Kazura . Kazura then patted Myra’s head and smiled . 「Don’t mention it . 」 He putted back the Lipo-D to the bag and in exchange he took out a can of Sak.u.ma Drop[2] (not the one with ill.u.s.tration from Grave of the Fireflies) . 「Just like usual, the can lid is hard to open . . . . . . okay, it’s open . Myra-chan, could you open your hand . 」 He opened the stiff can lid and Myra give him her open hand while she was looking at the mysterious Drops can, and then he shook the can once . Thereupon, *garan*, a peculiar sound could be heard and at the same time an orange colored Drop tumbled down to the center of Myra’s palm . 「Oh, an orange, huh? It’s lucky that it’s not mint . Myra-chan, try to put it into your mouth . Since it hard, don’t bite it, all right?」「Un . 」 Doing what Kazura had told her, Myra put the orange-colored drop into her mouth . Myra instantly opened her eyes wide after experienced the new taste of Orange that she never tasted before . To express her happiness, she showed a wonderful smile while hopping in joy . 「Is it tasty?」「Un! This is really tasty!」「That’s good . Then I give this to Myra-chan . Share it with the others, all right?」「Un!」 Myra received the Drops can from Kazura, and rushed to share the Drops with the resting villagers . The villagers who received the Drops, enjoyed the Drops taste . 「This is very sweet . 」「Oh yeah? But, mine is pleasantly cool and refreshing . 」 Kazura was sitting down and watching that scene . Then he turned his gaze to the road that they had walked . The road that Kazura had walked stretched endlessly straight towards the village . Except for trees that were planted at the roadside as road markers, there was nothing else . The area where road pa.s.sed through, had some large rocks, and some thin trees, but it was mostly empty . There are far away mountains that can be seen in the horizon . The whole area can be called a dry prairie . [3]Then, he saw the road that they will travel forward at . It also had the same scenery spread out and wide . 「Kazura-san, here, drink some water . 」
Kazura was thinking about the road that he will take and worried about if the sole of his feet will be blistered . Then, Valetta took out a leather canteen with water . [4]The leather canteen had a wooden cork stopper . Its size was also quite large . 「Thank you . Err, will we keep walking until the sun goes down?」「No . We will set up a camp before the sunset . However, just a little far ahead, there is a resting lodge that had been built by Nelson-sama . We will reach it before the day ends and make our stop in there . 」 Hearing the word resting lodge, Kazura involuntary gave out a voice, 「Oh!」 . He already thougt that he would sleep outdoors . To construct a resting lodge at a spot between Grisea Village and Isteria, . . . . that Nelson-sama was really something . Perhaps, by acc.u.mulating this kind of considerate actions, he gained the respect from the people just like the Grisea villagers . 「Therefore, even if it is difficult for Myra-chan, she must persevere and keep walking . Of course, Kazura-san also needs to persevere . 」 So, Valetta answered while unintentionally laughing . 「I’ll do my best . . . . . . 」 Replied Kazura, while he carefully stroking his feet that wore the unfamiliar knitted-straw sandals . ✦✧✦✧ 10 hours had pa.s.sed . The sun that had been furiously enthroned on the overhead sky started to abdicate . Kazura became worried about the time remaining to make preparations for camping . But then, the resting lodge, that was constructed from wood, came into his sight . Nearby the lodge was a forest that extends far and wide, while the road continues to go through it . 「A, Kazura-san, I can see the resting lodge!」「Re-really? . . . . . I’ saved . . . . 」 After marching for 10 hours, that seemed like a very long time, wearing unfamiliar footwear, Kazura’s left sole had a single blister in it . Even though he had wrapped a bandage around it to soften the pressure when walking, frankly, it was still quite painful . However, even the 6 year old Myra kept walking without raising a single complaint, how could 25 years old man like Kazura stop walking because of a single blister? So, to the worried Valetta and others, he just replied 「I’m fine」with a smile, gritted his teeth and kept walking . En route, they traveled with a 5 minutes rest every 1 hour walking . They also had 30 minute rest for lunch . But, only Kazura had a blister in the sole . Myra was somewhat tired after walking for a long period of time, but maybe because she drunk a gulp of Lipo-D, she still had some energy to chat with the other villagers just like on the time of departure . Kazura also drank a bottle of Lipo-D on the way, but there is no amazing restorative effect that was exhibited in the people of this world . Nothing was different than when he drank Lipo-D back in j.a.pan . Kazura struggled until reaching the lodge . After opening the lodge door and confirmed its safety, two people left in front of the lodge to stand watch while the rest entered it . The lodge had the size of 10 tatami[5] equivalent to an apartment room, on the four walls were sliding windows, and in the center of the room is a sunken hearth . There was nothing that could be used to make fire inside the lodge, so they took out the firewood that they had brought, and Kazura ignited a twig with his lighter before throwing it to as a kindling to start the fire in the hearth . 「Ouch . . . . . Auw, looks like the blister popped . . . 」 After lighting the hearth, Kazura sat in front of it . He then removed the bandage and examined his feet . The blister under his left sole was torn and was oozing blood, dying the bandage with red .
「Kazura-san, are you all right?」 Kazura was disinfecting the cracked blister with hydrogen peroxide solution, while the worried Valetta had put down the luggage and sat beside him . 「Aah, I’m fine . I can walk again after disinfecting and wrapping this with a bandage . 」「Really . . . . ? But please, you don’t need to push your body too much since I will carry the firewood tomorrow . 」「Ah, no, I am fine with it . Leave the firewood to me . 」 Lodurr and the others were marveled after seeing Valetta have a casual conversation with Kazura, but since she was conversing with Kazura since the very beginning, she didn’t feel anything strange . After that everyone had their supper (canned mixed rice meal that Kazura had brought), then they took a rest while alternating the night watch shift . ✦✧✦✧ Later at the night, 「Kazura-sama, Kazura-sama」 Kazura’s body was shaken while a small voice called him, he then opened his eyes . When he awakened, he could easily saw Tana squatting near his head . It’s looked like that his shift for the night watch had come . He got up and wore the mantel that he had used as a blanket, while rubbing his sleepy eyes . 「Good morning . Tana-san . 」「Good morning . Uum, are you all right? For Kazura-sama to also took part in night watch is . . . 」 Tana said it with apologetic expression . Before they retire, everyone had discuss the order for the night watch . Kazura also mentioned that he wanted to take part in the night watch, but everybody replied, 「It is outrageous for Kazura-sama to also took part in night watching!」 And so Kazura was being remonstrated . But he feel bad for sleeping alone while the other villagers took shift in night watch, so he overcame the opposition to secure his turn . By the way, they use the movement of the stars to measure the time . 「Not at all, please let me do it . If only me that receive preferential treatment then I would felt bad . 」「Ah, is that so? . . . . . . . . . . . Then, I’m sorry, thank you very much for your work . 」 Tana said it with an apologetic tone . She handed over the nearby short spear to Kazura . Because Kazura remembered that for night watch he needs to carry a weapon, he received the short spear . He felt that the thing in his hand was quite heavy . Even thought it was heavy, it was still quite wieldable by Kazura . If it was just for bashing with it, then Kazura could do it .
「Then, I’ll go watching . Tana-san please have a good rest . 」「Yes, because my husband is also outside due to his shift, if you need something, you can tell him . 」 While wearing the mantle/blanket and brandishing a short spear in his hand, he exited the lodge . [6] ✦✧✦✧ When Kazura exited the lodge, on the right corner at a short distance from the door was Lodurr, who was standing while leaning on the lodge’s wall . A shirt spear and a quiver also leaned on his side . He gripped a short bow and one arrow in his hand . 「Good Morning, Kazura-sama . How is your foot’s condition?」「Good Morning . Since I applied an ointment and wrapped it in bandage, it will be fine . 」 Kazura said that while showing his bandage wrapped foot to Lodurr who tasked to watching the back side of the lodge, opposite from Kazura’s position . By standing on the opposite side of the lodge corner they could watching the highway on Griseia and Isteria direction . Kazura and Lodurr were chatting for a while, then suddenly Loddur’s shut his mouth and fixed his gaze on the vast forest . Seeing that Lodurr suddenly stopped talking, Kazura was wondering what is it that he was looking at, but the only thing Kazura saw a pitch dark forest . 「To think we meet Almar[7] in this place . . . . . Kazura-sama, may I hunt it?」 Lodurr asked while nocking the arrow and fully drawing the short bow, Kazura had no idea what he is talking about . What kind of beast was it? 「Ah, sure . 」 So, he replied . Receiving Kazura’s permission, Lodurr fired the arrow . It was swallowed by the pitch darkness of the foresta and then, immediately, an unknown animal death cry 「Gargh」could be heard . Lodurr immediately ran into the forest . After a while he came back carrying a large rabbit-like animal on his hand . It was an animal that was fully covered by bushy black furs (It was called Almar) . Its eye was pierced by Lodurr’s arrow . It seems like it was instantly killed . 「Uwaah, I never think that I would meet an Almar in this place . This could be sold for a high sum of money . Kazura-sama, thank you very much . 」 Kazura was in awe about Lodurr’s eyes that were just like a night vision scope, while Lodurr, who was very pleased with the Almar he carried in his hand, bowed his head to Kazura and showed his grat.i.tude . 「Eh? Ah? Don’t mention it . . . . 」 Kazura didn’t understand about why Lodurr said thanks to him, so for now, he just answered like that . Lodurr immediately went inside the lodge and softly woke up Tana . The awakened Tana was surprised when she saw the Almar . They skillfully drained the blood and skinned it in the center of the lodge . Just like that, they had cut and separated the fur and the meat . Meanwhile, Kazura also entered he lodge when they were draining the blood from it, but because the night watch didn’t over yet, after handing over the Almar , Lodurr came back to watch and shared the stories about Almar’s fur and meat until their shift ended . The next morning, the others, who were sleeping and didn’t know about the incident during the night, were overjoyed with Almar meat yakiniku and voiced their grat.i.tude to Kazura . Kazura was really puzzled about why they kept thanking him .