Chapter 100 - Chapter 3: The Gimmick
Paul-san returned three days after we set out. Just as scheduled. Since Dune stayed for two nights, we didn't have to spend the night with just the three of us. She said it was because the water is stable in winter, but she was probably worried about us. I'll have to give her some kind of thanks later.
"What, was Dune here?"
"I'm sorry. The other two were acting like it was no big deal, but I was scared..."
"Well, it is fine. Eventually, there will be times when only the members of the Class of 175 spend the night together."
After that, we carried the pots and dried meat Paul-san brought into the mountain hut, and the conversation got lively with talk about how water and ice spirits are different, and how Dune and Beatrix collaborated to make snow.
He didn't seem to understand the snow part, but he knew the difference between water and ice. I didn't quite get it, but apparently, it's the difference between Dune, who uses the power of the attribute itself, and humans, who change the state of the attribute to use it. When I tilted my head in confusion, I was told, "You do not have to understand it, just remember it."
"That aside, it seems the central army in the Royal Capital has launched a full-scale offensive against the Demon Lord's army."
"What happened?"
"Well, you know how we threw jars filled with holy water with catapults or threw stones with magic circles drawn on them in the Eastern Plains? It seems they did that on a large scale and invaded the forest where the Demon Lord's army was hiding."
That was a method we all thought of at the Marcelo Company, and it was only possible because there were people like Marcelo-san and Angelica-san who could draw magic circles.
"Since the idea originally came from us, it seems to have reached the ears of the King in the Royal Capital. If it goes well, we might get a reward."
A reward from the King... Come to think of it, the mother who invented the Highway Cookies was apparently able to open a shop in the Royal Capital.
When I looked at Beatrix, she gripped my hand with a beaming smile.
"What can we get?"
The two of us leaned in and asked without thinking.
"It will change depending on the results of the battle, but we will likely receive a medal."
"What else?"
I don't care about medals. I want something that turns into profit.
"Since we are civilians, promotion is irrelevant. If it is a contribution to the military, we might get a reward grant and some kind of commemorative item, right?"
"A reward grant!"
Without thinking, we squeezed the hands we were holding.
"About how much?"
Beatrix asked the hard-to-ask question.
"The market price would be about ten gold coins, I suppose."
"Ten coins? Only that?"
I thought we'd get about a hundred... I couldn't help but sigh.
"What do you mean, being disappointed? It is an honor."
The world isn't that sweet, I guess...
"But the person who made the Highway Cookies opened a shop in the Royal Capital, right?"
"That made a huge contribution to the economy of villages nationwide. It is still ongoing. It is different from a single tactic. Besides, that quiver filled with holy water was a dramatically effective tactic against monsters and Revenants, yet that was also ten gold coins."
Paul-san was pointing at Bonnie's quiver.
"Who got the reward for that?"
"What, you do not know? It was the teachers at the orphanage. Bishop Catherine and Priest Jennifer received it as representatives."
"Is that so!"
I didn't know.
"Bonnie, do you know anything? You hadn't graduated yet during the autumn decorations, right?"
The decorations are in March and September. It was exactly when we were in the Eastern Plains.
"The teachers said a reward was given, and there was a day we ate a feast~."
I see. Well, that's within expectations.
"What kind of commemorative item do you get?"
"I heard the teachers received silver tableware with the Kingdom's crest on it."
Tableware. If it's for the orphanage, it's safe, if nothing else.
"Bonnie, do you know?"
"Yeah. It was displayed in the dining hall for a while~. But I think the Headmistress sold it~."
At Bonnie's carefree voice, the three of us couldn't help but look at each other.
"She sold it and turned it into cash. As expected of 'Apostate Catherine.'"
He was laughing loudly.
"Then, shall we sell ours too?"
"Let's let Marcelo-san decide."
"Now that you mention it, that's right. Since we're receiving it as the Marcelo Company, it's better to let the company president decide."
"You guys have no motivation."
He looked exasperated.
"More importantly, when spring comes, we might be able to go to the Royal Capital for the decoration ceremony."
"Isn't Marcelo-san going to receive it alone?"
"That is the thing. Marcelo apparently told Mayor Adolf that everyone gave their opinions and decided together, so it seems we will also be subjects for the decoration."
"Then, can we all go to the Royal Capital?"
"Yeah, though it is impossible for Lyudmila. It will be Marcelo, Angelica, Beatrix, Jeanne, and then me. Probably, Angelica will be absent."
"Yay!"
I feel bad for Bonnie, who can't go, but Beatrix and I high-fived and rejoiced.
"The Royal Capital, huh. I have to scout the shops on the main street."
"Let's go to the main shop of the Highway Cookies. We have to buy a souvenir for Dune."
"Don't just say souvenir, why not just call her out?"
"But it's far."
"Why not ask her next time?"
"Yeah. I'll do that."
"I'm jealous, you two. You get to go to the Royal Capital~."
"Sorry, Bonnie. We'll buy you a souvenir."
While we were getting excited, Paul-san gave a sigh.
"Is something wrong?"
"'Is something wrong?' my foot. You receive the decoration directly from His Majesty. Have a little tension."
I froze without thinking.
"His Majesty... you mean, at the Royal Palace?"
"That is right. For men, the King, and for women, the Queen, will personally pin it to your chest in the Audience Chamber."
"W-What should I do? What kind of clothes should I wear? I don't have any formal wear."
"I have my ritual vestments, so I'm fine, but..."
When I looked at Paul-san, he was smirking.
"What are you going to wear, Paul-san? Are you going to dress as a hunter after all?"
I'm quite flustered. There's no way a hunter's outfit is formal wear. It's no wonder, since we're not used to royal palaces or royalty. It was close to a miracle that we were able to meet Lord Roberts and Lady Gladys.
"I am wearing it now, aren't I? Green Marble is enough. Just go in that. Marcelo said so too."
We suddenly compared each other's outfits. In Nakanohara, we walk around in Green Marble normally, but when it comes to the Royal Capital...
"But this was originally a hemp sack."
"I'm going in my ritual vestments!"
When we first met Lord Roberts and the others, we were wearing terrible outfits, even if it was due to circumstances. We have to get our revenge.
"Think about it. The country has no money because of the Demon Lord's army subjugation. There is no way they would make soldiers wear expensive, luxurious field uniforms. Cheap and durable is enough. Mayor Adolf is working to have Green Marble officially adopted by the Royal Army. Lord Roberts, Lady Gladys, and even the Jaegers and guards liked it and bought it. If it goes well, even if a medal is impossible, we might get a reward grant. How can we not sell it directly to the King or the Corps Commander?"
Black-Purple aside, the four of us, including Beowulf, developed Green Marble. The reward grant would also be split four ways.
"How much can we get?"
"At most one gold coin. Also, they might give us a commemorative medal. Look, the Jaeger Service Award Owen got for the Revenant battle is like that. That is also a kind of medal."
If it's split four ways, it's five silver coins. Not that sweet.
The two of us stared intently at the clothes we were wearing. Even though we keep them clean with Clean Up, they're worn out because we wear them every day.
"Hey, why don't you make a new one? If you're going to do it, use high-quality material like silk. Use gold and silver thread for the embroidery too. That's it, let's embroider the Sertoria crest on the chest!"
"Right. I'll leave the design to you. I'll do my best to dye a beautiful one."
"Cut it out. It is a crime to use the crest without permission."
We were scolded.
"Think about it. There is no way they would let soldiers wear expensive field uniforms. As long as it is cheap and durable, it is enough."
"I guess it can't be helped," Beatrix gave up.
"T-Then, I'll wear my ritual vestments. You're good at selling things, Beatrix, so do your best."
"What are you talking about? You're the night battle specialist, so you're wearing Black-Purple. I have to support Bridget-san and the others, so I'm going in the 'Black Set' of the guard unit I designed myself."
The Black Set for the female guards... it's that cool outfit that received a huge ovation during the exercise. Certainly, Beatrix was in charge of the design. However.
"Why are you trying to wear something cool all by yourself? You're not in the guard unit, are you?"
"What's wrong with wearing what I designed myself? I'm sure Bridget-san will support me too."
She puffed out her chest triumphantly.
"Paul-san, listen to this! There's a traitor to the Marcelo Company here."
"Why am I a traitor? Going in ritual vestments as formal wear is much more of a thing, isn't it?"
When I looked at Paul-san, he was nodding, "Umu, umu." Surely, my claim must be correct.
"Alright, alright. Only Marcelo and I will attend the decoration! You two stay behind."
"No way!"
Beatrix and I both grabbed Paul-san's arms firmly.
In the end, a temporary settlement was reached by everyone wearing Green Marble. Since we'll know by February whether we can receive the decoration, we decided not to talk about it until then. It's fine that we went around bragging about it, but quite a few people were apparently left out of the selection. That would be truly embarrassing.
Now, let's focus on the bears and wolves.
"Well, I'm going on patrol."
Beatrix went on patrol riding Paul-san's bowl. It's to keep the bonfires from going out. We lit bonfires everywhere to ward off wolves. Since they'll go out if left alone, Paul-san, who has high movement speed, and Beatrix, who uses fire magic, decided to patrol.
"You guys are truly strange."
Angus-san was impressed. Since it was unreliable with just Bonnie and me watching the hut, he came as support. After all, in front of each snow cave where each squad hides, a pot is set up to lure out bears. If one is caught, we have to take it down.
"Angus-san. A bear has been caught~."
"Another one bit already? That is quite a gimmick."
Only about two hours had passed since we saw off the aerial squad. Since the mountain stream is close, the bear's travel time must be short.
The quivers with holy water are gradually spreading among the Nakanohara hunters. Angus-san also had one, and as he crawled over the snow, he took it down easily with a single shot.
"As expected."
"Well, yeah. I am known as 'Angus of the Bow,' after all."
He was full of pride. Hanna-san was also skilled enough that the Jaeger units took notice. He's her master. He should be good.
"Angus-san is amazing~."
"Bonnie. Your father and mother were also highly skilled. You should have inherited it too. Practice hard."
"Yes. Thank you very much~."
"That easygoing way of talking is also identical."
What! So that's what it was. The three of them, parents and child, were all easygoing. I bet a very relaxed atmosphere flowed around them.
"Now, we are going to wait for wolves here, right?"
"Yes. This time, let's have the wolves come. We'll take out the bear's internal organs, bleed it, and leave it as is. We'll also hang chicken carcasses and fox meat from the trees, and once we put out the fire, let's return to the snow cave and wait."
I thought that by doing this, we could attract wolves after exterminating the bear. Wolves will feel safe coming to a place where the bonfire has been put out. Since it's cold, the meat won't spoil either.
"Won't the bear meat be eaten by the wolves?"
"It'll be fine. I'll make it hard with magic. The internal organs will be left as they are, so let's have them eat those."
"What about the other squads?"
"When the smoke signal for a successful bear extermination rises, I'll go and harden the meat riding Paul-san's bowl. So, this is the only place where we put out the bonfire."
"They say amateurs are amazing, and it is true."
He's laughing, saying it's quite something. I'll take it as a compliment.
"It's because we don't have the skills like you all. We're just trying to think of ways we can do it by improvising."
"I want to learn traditional methods too~."
"Sorry, Bonnie. Next time, learn from Paul-san or Angus-san."
"No, no. Learning traditional methods is of course important, but nothing beats being able to hunt easily. I cannot use magic, but I can do the pot. You taught me a good method."
He laughed generously. As expected of Hanna-san's father.
While I was hardening the bear meat here and there riding the bowl, they were exterminating wolves. While Bonnie was firing one, he apparently fired three in an instant and they all hit the head. It seems two escaped, but the two of them had taken down four.
In the end, in this one day alone, the four squads combined exterminated three bears and eleven wolves. On average, it didn't reach one gold coin per person, but there were also fox and rabbit furs. Since they just had to wait, everyone was happy.
"You guys are quite something. We have to work hard too."
Mabel-san's squad had also taken down one bear. They seemed surprised that a bear was caught in a pot.
"When we were all eating from a pot in autumn, a bear just approached us. It's actually a product of chance."
"Well, it helps that we can take it easy. Winter bear hunting was tough."
"It's delicious to eat, it lasts a long time, and it's not heavy. It's good, isn't it?"
I was also praised by Mabel-san's husband Morgan-san and Lowry-san.
"When we went to the west, we also stalled orcs with this."
"Is that so? Maybe I will recommend it to some acquaintances in the Jaeger units next time."
"Please, please, it's highly recommended. Owen-san from the Bird's Head Tavern in Nakanohara makes them."
"Thank you. I will try buying some next time."
Owen-branded dried meat also started when he shared some that began from a request from the guard unit. If reputation spreads among hunters and sales increase, he might treat me again.