14 - Chapter 10: The Three Idiots, On the Way with Hekireki
In this chapter, I really felt how difficult it is to depict a normal adventurer party. Because the protagonist is so special, I don't know the right balance for what is normal in that world.
The Silver-rank party Hekireki is a trio consisting of Alan, a dog-beastman warrior, Larc, a priest-warrior, and Mira, a mage.
All three are childhood friends from the same village, and they are in their third year as adventurers. Having recently been promoted to Silver-rank, they were earning travel funds to expand their activities abroad when they were approached by the guild.
Since the issuer of this investigation request was the state, and it was relatively urgent, the reward was good, so they accepted it with a light heart...
"Tch."
"Come on, Alan. Stop clicking your tongue."
"Shut up, Larc. I don't like what I don't like."
Meanwhile, inside the carriage, the leader, Larc, was fed up with his partner's bad mood. He isn't usually this irritable, but the current situation is very poor. Of course, it isn't because they were forced to take a Black-Iron rank chaperone. They had their own days like that, and perhaps due to beastman instinct, Alan is actually quite good at looking after subordinates.
There is only one reason why he is in a bad mood.
"Oh, shouldn't an adventurer use whatever tools are available? Isn't that right, Big Sister?"
"Y-yeah. That's true... but isn't the distance a bit close?"
"It's fine, we're both girls. Yes, we're both girls...!!"
How should one put it, the distance between the foreign object, Marianne, and his love, Mira, is abnormally close. Even taking into account that they are both women, the sense of distance is unsettling. Alan, who at first watched with a smile, gradually felt his irritation build, but since it wasn't a member of the opposite sex approaching her, he couldn't take physical action and was just accumulating frustration.
Of course, from Marianne's perspective, she was simply taking advantage of her position as a woman and the convenience of being inside a carriage to vent her desires.
This girl named Mira is 18 years old, but according to her, she has dwarf blood, so her build is a bit... to put it bluntly, childish. She has a height of around 10 years old, but perhaps because she also has human blood, the parts that grow have grown, giving her a physique that could be called a loli-huge-breasts type.
To put it bluntly, her looks hit a yuri-pig right in the bullseye.
"Hey you, selfish brat, don't touch Mira... don't hug her!"
"Oh, are you jealous? How unsightly. Besides, we're girls, so this much skinship is normal."
"I-is it... ah, wait, Marianne-chan! That tickles!"
"Snnn... huff huff huff huff...! Ah, what a lovely scent...!"
"Get off me, you pervert!!"
"Yaan, Big Sister! I'm being attacked by a brutish man!!"
"Alan? --- Bad."
"Gu, u..."
"A groan! I've heard one in real life for the first time!!"
Deciding to just think of this as deepening their friendship, Larc gave up and looked toward the driver.
"Sorry for making you do the driving too."
"Don't worry about it, Paisen. Rolling vehicles suits my nature."
Sitting on the driver's seat are Later and Geoglyph. Later, who was a truck driver in his previous life, holds the reins, while Geoglyph has a map spread out and is navigating.
"More than that, I'm sorry about our girl, Larc-san. It seems she's been quite frustrated lately."
"Ah... but how should I put it, being girls together is great, isn't it..."
Wait... ?
Larc spoke to the two who were wondering if yuri-pigs might emerge in this world as well.
"Anyway, it helped that you provided horses and a carriage that can go this fast. ...Honestly, I don't think we'll make it in time, though."
"Well, I suppose so."
"Even at this speed, it'll take two days. It's probably been a full ten days since something happened, after all."
The carriage the two parties are currently riding in is a new model from the Romanette Great Merchant Company (knowledge cheat applied by Marianne, so leaf springs have been introduced), and the horses are horse-type monsters she produced with summoning magic. Since the shadow monsters in question are pulling a rugged, shiny carriage, it looks like a Demon King's carriage. They aren't called out to by passing merchant caravans, nor are they attacked by bandits.
If one ignores the screams of the people they pass, it is a very smooth journey.
"Well, it was an investigation request to begin with. If we can determine the damage and save even a few survivors, that'll be a win."
"Actually, does this kind of thing happen often?"
"It's true that villages being attacked by thugs happens not a few times even around the Imperial Capital. But it's rare. Besides, a transport convoy was moving in and out, accompanied by the regular army, even if it was a platoon mixed with recruits. If I were a bandit, I wouldn't target them first."
"The temporary income doesn't balance out with the subsequent hassle... It would be fine if they just fled abroad. The victims are pitiful, but that's not our job. The problem is..."
"Monsters."
"Yeah. Even if it's a pioneer village, a monster that can wipe out an entire village, including regular soldiers and adventurers... whether it's a single one or a pack is unknown, but if such a thing exists."
Larc nodded at Later's words.
Humans are certainly weak. But they are neither powerless nor ignorant. No matter how much they were attacked by monsters, it's hard to imagine they couldn't even send out a messenger. The standard procedure is to send several messengers in different directions, just in case. For not a single one to have arrived is far too unnatural.
Two things are conceivable. Either they knew the role of the messengers, or it was a swarm large enough to swallow even them. In either case, a difficult situation is expected.
"I've heard you guys are capable, but don't overdo it."
"They say life is the seed of everything. Well, if it gets dangerous, I'll just turn tail. I'll follow Sensei's judgment."
"Well, I'll do my best not to die. It was an investigation request to begin with, and our role is to be messengers."
Larc's comment was out of consideration for them, but the two just shrugged without feeling pressured.
"As expected of people from a famous place. I appreciate the understanding judgment."
"You know of us?"
"You're famous. Geoglyph is the third son of the Margrave, Marianne is the granddaughter of the Chairman of the Romanette Great Merchant Company, and Later is the disciple of Jinrai. Just from that, I can tell you're no ordinary people. Well, there's people like Alan... but he's just jealous because Mira was taken."
"Where did that information leak from?"
"From the Adventurer's Guild, obviously."
"Personal Information Protection Law... no, that wouldn't exist here..."
"Well, it's not like we're hiding it."
"Also, the vomit-list."
Wait.
The two spoke in unison as their dark history was suddenly exposed.
"I mean, you came in scattering vomit during your first registration, right? I wasn't there at the time, but when I came to the guild the next morning, it still smelled like vomit, so I asked around why."
We are truly sorry.
Seeing they were at a disadvantage, the two immediately bowed their heads.
"Well, it's not such a bad thing. The Adventurer's Guild spreads a certain amount of information so that people know beforehand what kind of background and abilities an adventurer has. If they know, they won't get involved recklessly. Especially for Geoglyph."
"Well, true. Adventurers are accepted regardless of origin, but it's not as if there are no barriers for individuals."
Geoglyph himself doesn't feel anything even if he is insulted. Because of his experience in his previous life, he has the skill to just ignore it with a 'Ah, yes, yes, that's nice for you'. However, regardless of himself as an individual, if the Triad family name is disparaged, he cannot back down.
He didn't care much immediately after reincarnating, but the civilization level of this world is medieval, and the national administration is a feudal society itself. It literally follows the principle of valuing one's name over one's life. Furthermore, nobles are granted their status by the Imperial Family, which can be called the state itself, so to make fun of that is synonymous with drawing a bow against the Imperial Family. Then, the logic leaps to the conclusion that leaving that alone is an insult to the Imperial Family, and suspicion is cast upon the noble house that was originally the victim. To deny this, noble houses execute those who disparage their family name with all their might.
Well, due to the power balance, it often doesn't go that far in reality, but biological children of nobles are educated to always be conscious of that possibility. Soon the family estate will be inherited by the eldest brother, and Geoglyph's right of succession will thin further, but if he, a relative within the third degree, causes such a problem and leaves it, it could bring trouble to his family. That's why this consideration from the Adventurer's Guild was appreciated by Geoglyph.
"So? What are your impressions after actually meeting us?"
"You're young, but you have a composure unbecoming of your age. It's a hunch, but you've already clearly distinguished between what you can and cannot do, right?"
Larc answered Later's question. He probably doesn't know the internal truth (reincarnation), but the two gave a wry smile as they saw he was observant.
"And also..."
Then he turned his gaze behind him.
"Ah, jeez! Big Sister is so small and cute! I love you!!"
"Oh, you're hopeless. There, there. Also, the 'small' part was unnecessary, okay?"
"Get away from Mira already, you pervert!"
"Shut up, you mongrel! You've been told 'bad' by Big Sister, so just pee yourself in happiness and crawl on the ground!!"
"What did you say, you wench!!"
"Help me, Big Sister!!"
"Alan? --- Bad."
"Ugu...!"
"Ugu? What kind of taiyaki girl are you?"
Nodding once at the continuing frolicking.
"--- As the rumors say, a gathering of eccentrics."
Don't lump us in with that!!
Geoglyph and Later retorted with all their soul to that monologue-like mutter.
Honestly, they were all pretty much the same.
To be continued tomorrow.