6 - Chapter 2: The Three Idiots' Drinking Party
Ah, this story is a work of fiction, and in this world, they are adults, so please keep that in mind.
"Now then, to celebrate the start of our new lives...
"Cheers...!!!!"
With a clink of wooden cups, the three of them toasted for the nth time today.
Yes. The nth time. The faces of the Three Idiots were already flushed, and they were completely wasted. Just to be safe, I will repeat that the age of adulthood in this world is 15, so drinking alcohol is legal.
After that, the three of them had intended to head out to a tavern, but when the conversation turned toward discussing their future plans, Marianne announced, "In that case, why don't we do it at the base I have prepared? I have a stock of alcohol and snacks." While Geoglyph and Later were interested in the taverns of another world, they thought about the events starting tomorrow and nodded readily.
Having bought a large amount of takeout food, the three arrived at Marianne's base... a surprisingly large mansion despite being in the very center of the Imperial Capital... and began their drinking party. Three hours had passed since then. They weren't completely blackout drunk, but the alcohol had hit them just right, and they were feeling great.
"Man, I gotta wonder, how'd you manage to get a house this big? And in the capital, no less?"
"My grandfather gave it to me as a birthday present last year. To be honest, it was more than I knew what to do with, but I thought it would make a good base if the three of us were to act as adventurers, so I've been keeping it maintained."
"That's some incredible generosity. As expected of the world-renowned Romanette Great Merchant Company."
"Well, I've turned over most of the profits from the things I invented using knowledge from my previous life to the family. If they didn't do at least this much, it would probably feel awkward for me."
"The Romanette Great Merchant Company's soap is distributed even in my village... No wonder they're making a killing."
"It's spread even to the frontiers. I remember it spreading explosively after my mother found out about it at a soirée about ten years ago and brought it in."
At that point, Geoglyph wondered if perhaps one of them had already started using knowledge cheats. That said, they weren't playing on a restricted run, and as long as they didn't build nuclear weapons and wreck the world, he figured it was fine and left it alone.
"Was the noble-sensei from a Margrave's house?"
"If you're talking about the Margrave of Triad, it's a family renowned for its military prowess."
"Ah, the family is like that, but I found magic more interesting, so I specialized in that. I'm not saying I can't do it, but my martial arts are just so-so. If we fought using only technique without magic, my older brothers would probably be stronger. That said, my finances aren't better than Marie's."
"Is that so? Since you're a noble, I thought you could live in total luxury."
"Well, more so than a commoner. But when your territory is on the border, skirmishes never end, and thugs frequently sneak in, so a lot of money is spent on maintaining public order. Especially the maintenance costs for the territorial army are outrageous. If a noble with land manages it properly, they can't live as luxuriously as Ray thinks."
"Even in another world, armies are money pits, huh?"
"Exactly."
As the alcohol flowed and they began to get to know each other's personalities, the three naturally started calling each other by nicknames, and they grew weary of the harsh laws of the world, noting that "not having money is the same as not having a head, even in another world."
"Ray was from a village in the western part of the Empire, right?"
"Yeah, just a normal farming village whose only merit is being peaceful. My hometown in my previous life was also a rural farm, so I adjusted quickly, but honestly, being used to mechanization made farm work exhausting. I won't go as far as saying I wanted a combine harvester, but I at least wanted a kei truck."
"You didn't do any knowledge cheating over there?"
"I thought about it, but part of it was that I didn't have that much specialized knowledge. In my previous life, I was the second son and wasn't inheriting the family business, so I went to a normal public high school. Without a JA (T/N: Japan Agricultural Cooperatives) or a home center, you can't even gather the materials. Making a single piece of equipment is a struggle. For example, you guys probably know the concept of fertilizer, but you don't know the classifications, the ingredient lists, or the types, right?"
At Later's question, the two of them looked up at the sky with a sigh.
Certainly, in stories, there are mentions of doing something with animal droppings, carcasses, or leaf mold. However, the classifications of organic compost or chemical fertilizers, their production methods, or their effects are not depicted. Since there are types, they are naturally used differently depending on the crop, but they had no memory of which was which.
In the first place, Geoglyph and Marianne, who had only been involved in primary industries to the extent of enjoying the results in their previous lives, remembered at most small things like ridges or saltwater sorting, and it seemed the agriculture of this world had already reached that level on its own.
"I also wanted to train my body, so I focused exclusively on hunting. Thanks to that, I was able to meet a great master."
"A master?"
"Yeah, an old wolf-beastman named Gado. He was a Gold-rank adventurer."
"Gold-rank... isn't that the upper class among adventurers? Considering that the highest rank, Platinum, is the level of heroes who appear in history books, it's practically the top tier. I'm surprised someone like that was nearby."
"Well, yeah. I got a letter of introduction from my master to the guild, so I think registration will go smoothly tomorrow."
"So tomorrow, we finally register as adventurers."
"I wonder if there's a template for this?"
"We decided to enjoy it including that part, didn't we?"
At Ray's words, the two gave a wry smile, knowing he was right.
When they encountered the goddess Refill, the three had discussed their wishes. While they each had various things they wanted to do, they reached a common understanding on two points, they wanted to try being adventurers, and they wanted to enjoy this other world. Therefore, they proposed that they each prepare on their own until they met and then form a party.
Since they could start a new life with the knowledge and experience they had managed to accumulate, in order to live as hedonistically as possible... on their 15th birthdays, at the Imperial Capital's adventurer guild, they decided on the spot, driven by the mood and momentum, using the song of the Beast God Ra-gar as a password.
And then...
"Well, tomorrow's wind will blow tomorrow. For today, though. First, the noble... no, since it's a pain, 'Sensei', a drink... while saying that... I want to see a little bit of Geo-kun's good side!!"
"Yes, chug it, chug it!"
"Can't be helped, nya... fine. Don't underestimate the liver of an old man trained by nomunication (T/N: drinking for social/business purposes), okay?"
"No way, Geo-triangle! Now for the second round! Marianne, is singing!!"
"Go for it, you yuri-pig! Though saying that makes it sound like I'm insulting you. Now for the princess-boy, the princess! Go, princess! I'll join in too! Third round! Truck-guy, is stripping!!"
"How splendid! But it's an eyesore, so bring a tub...!!"
In a party of only reincarnated people, the night of the Three Idiots deepened as they roared with laughter.
It goes without saying that the Three Idiots were hit by terrible hangovers the following day.
To be continued tomorrow.