106 - First Job in Beim
The village the Porter reached after five days was surrounded by logs and rocks.
Since there were mountains and forests nearby, it seemed they procured lumber from there. The village, defended by utilizing the surrounding terrain, felt far more robust than the villages I knew.
After stepping down from the Porter, I took the documents in hand at the village entrance.
A youth of the village, watching us from the watchtower, had a bow slung across his back.
Once it was clear we had been dispatched by the Adventurers' Guild, the gates were opened immediately, and we entered the village with the Porter.
Clara looked around, appearing slightly exasperated.
"The sentries are one thing, but seeing how much effort they've put into defense... I wonder if we are even necessary."
It was a blunt impression, but I agreed.
The man who came to welcome us called himself the village chief.
He had a large frame and a bit of a belly, but the muscles in his arms were impressive. He looked at us with a somewhat dubious expression, but quickly broke into a smile.
"Welcome. Thank you for coming all the way to the countryside. Now then, let me see the Guild's documents."
When I handed over the documents in the envelope, the man nodded several times as he looked at them.
Appearing to be the one who had issued the request, he scratched his head as he looked at us.
"An experienced party, eh. However, you've got tools I've never seen before. Is that the current trend? Also, why is there a housekeeper?"
"She is a maid."
"Eh?"
"She is a maid."
"I-I see."
The village chief looked from the Porter to Monica, who was dressed in a maid outfit.
The village chief recoiled slightly at Monica, who refused to yield on being a maid after being called a housekeeper. Perhaps thinking she was a crazy girl, he quickly shifted gears and addressed me, the leader.
"It's not very relaxing to talk here. It's not an inn, but there's a building where you can stay, so please use that. It's been cleaned, so I think it'll be reasonably comfortable."
With the village chief leading the way, we moved the Porter and walked through the village.
As I looked around, there were even villagers holding weapons in their hands.
Seeing this, the village chief gave a wry smile.
"It might feel unpleasant, but please bear with it. Brats just want to act tough by carrying weapons. Besides, they inevitably get cautious when adventurers arrive."
I looked at the village chief's back.
"Were you an adventurer too, Village Chief?"
"...You can tell? My thanks to the Guild for dispatching an excellent adventurer."
The village chief, walking with a laugh, gave the impression of a seasoned powerhouse.
(If it's just Grey Wolves, couldn't this man handle it alone?)
Paying attention to the surroundings, I could spot several villagers who were clearly former adventurers.
They seemed cautious of us, and some even directed hostility our way.
The voice of the Third Generation echoed from the Jewel Orb.
'There are all sorts of adventurers. Some run wild if the reward is too low, and some idiots even threaten the client. There are those no different from bandits, which is why they're cautious like this.'
The Seventh Generation, who disliked adventurers, agreed.
'Adventurers cannot be trusted. That said, I think the villagers directing hostility toward Liel are also problematic. If we felt like it, we could wipe this village off the map.'
I understood the reason for their caution; they were likely anxious because they didn't know what kind of adventurers we were.
Regardless, it wasn't enough for me to start a fight over.
As we walked, I saw a building used to house travelers, itinerant merchants, and adventurers.
The village chief pointed to a long building with about three entrances.
"Feel free to use that place. Though, I'll lodge a complaint if you break it. Also, you, the blue-haired young man, come with me."
The explanation about the Grey Wolves would likely be at the village chief's house. I glanced at my companions, and since they all nodded, I accompanied the village chief.
At the village chief's house, there was a young and beautiful wife who looked ten or twenty years younger than him.
There were two small children in the large house, watching me as if peeking from the hallway.
The village chief's house, made of sturdy wood, was clean, perhaps because it had been built recently.
I received tea from the young, beautiful wife and spoke with him while drinking it.
"The atmosphere is bad, isn't it? Is this your first time?"
I had previously taken a personal request to slay a Griffon. It wasn't in the records, but I had fought a defensive battle in a village at that time.
"It's not my first time, but I'm not used to it either."
At that, the other man laughed.
"I figured. Your eyes were darting around, so I thought that was the case. Well, there are risks to accepting outsiders, so please bear with it."
I nodded, and the village chief spoke about the Grey Wolves.
"Now then, about the request... I found a pack of Grey Wolves in the nearby forest. We enter the forest and mountains for deadwood and hunting, but it's dangerous, so the request is for you to exterminate them."
I looked at the village chief, then at the armaments hanging on the wall.
Fitting his physique, he seemed to have been a warrior who swung an axe on the front lines.
"Are you wondering why I don't exterminate them myself?"
"I suspect there is some reason."
"There is certainly a reason. But this is like a long-standing custom or a flow of things. And I don't want to change that flow."
As he drank his tea, the former adventurer village chief spoke, perhaps having grasped my personality.
"You lot fought on your way here, didn't you?"
"Yes, it felt like a bit much, but we fought monsters many times."
Hearing that, the village chief looked pleased.
"That's the thing. Around Beim, adventurers search for monsters, but it's so far that adventurers don't usually come this way. Calling adventurers means having them come here while defeating monsters along the way. Otherwise, the itinerant merchants and travelers coming to the village would be in trouble."
I was convinced after hearing the reason. Indeed, the village chief could likely handle the monsters around the village alone.
However, that wouldn't result in the monsters along the road being exterminated. If they weren't exterminated, it would inevitably make it difficult for those coming to the village to make the trip.
"So the purpose was the act of calling adventurers itself?"
"That's how it is. Besides, itinerant merchants are important to us. Adventurers get money, and we pay money to ensure the safety of itinerant merchants and travelers. I think you'll find it beneficial when taking requests if you understand that sort of thing."
It seemed there was something to be gained.
The village chief gave me information while drinking his tea.
"There's a pack in the nearby forest, but do you need a guide?"
The village chief's gaze as he said this was as if he were testing me. I shook my head.
With the skills of the Fifth and Fourth Generations, discovering the enemy would be easy.
"I see. Head out once you're ready. Also, let me know when you're finished. I want to go and confirm it."
Once I finished confirming, I stood up and said one thing to the village chief.
"By the way."
"What is it?"
"Regarding the real reason you don't defeat them yourself... isn't there perhaps one more reason?"
Then, the village chief made a tired face.
"If the villagers found out I could exterminate them alone, the people of the village would begrudge spending the money and tell me to go do the extermination. I say 'villagers,' but they're shrewd, and the smart ones are smart. But you know, there are idiots everywhere. I'm not so desperate for money that I'd risk my life to exterminate them with a body that's declined since retirement."
Having heard his true feelings, I smiled and nodded.
A young, beautiful wife and two children. Indeed, it was a happiness too precious to risk losing.
He had retired and his body had declined; if he were to lose his life by some fluke, he would never be able to finish grieving.
The voice of the Third Generation came from the Jewel Orb.
'Well, even if you explain that it's for the sake of the whole, there are people who won't understand. Besides, aren't there some who are dissatisfied with a former adventurer coming from the outside to be the village chief?'
Hearing the Third Generation's voice, I asked the village chief once more.
"Also."
"Still more?"
"Why are you the village chief?"
At my question, the village chief let out a sigh.
"I don't want to do it either, but in Beim, having connections with the Guild is convenient. In other places, it's like having acquaintances among lords or nobles? The fact that we can even get requests accepted is thanks to my connections. In other villages, if you're unlucky, you'll be rejected with 'there's no one to take it.'"
From the Guild's perspective, they were likely desperately allocating them. But adventurers have their circumstances. And the clients have their circumstances as well.
"And another thing. Strength is a factor, but in Beim, someone who understands adventurers is reliable. I hate it too, but the previous village chief pushed it onto me when he retired."
The voice of the Fourth Generation came from the Jewel Orb.
'Because they understand those circumstances, they left the position of village chief to him. Well, a former adventurer who wants to retire and take it easy would probably hate being the village chief.'
The Fifth Generation added.
'Conversely, because he lacks greed, he just does the job and doesn't interfere much. He probably checks the minimum character of people, but come to think of it, the villagers of Beim have enough money to possess weapons.'
It must be a circumstance unique to Beim.
In other places, there would be those who want to become the village chief to seek interests. Here, perhaps because taxes are low, the villagers' lives seem affluent.
The Third Generation said.
'Incidentally, this man is probably Liel's examiner. He'll surely report the details. He said he has connections to the Guild. This is more elaborate than I thought.'
The Third Generation was aloof as usual and seemed happy to have seen through it.
Returning to the building where we were staying from the village chief's house, I discovered villagers hiding nearby.
(What? Why are they hiding in this position...?)
From a certain spot, it seemed they were monitoring us.
However, it was somehow strange.
When I headed toward the place where I was being monitored, it was a spot behind the building.
There were facilities for bathing, and there were no partitions around.
(So that's it.)
Looking at the villagers monitoring us more closely with my skill, they were all men.
When I turned my gaze, several of them were looking this way, having gone so far as to build a platform to peek.
Having been discovered, they hurriedly scattered and fled, but...
"Have you already used the water?"
Then, Aria, with a towel around her neck, spotted me and called out.
"Are you finished already, Mr. Pervert?"
Aria, who was grinning, had likely had Clara prepare hot water for her, as she was wiping her body and washing her hair.
I thought she should go inside quickly so she wouldn't catch a chill. However, I felt a bit irritated at being called a pervert.
Because I tried to kiss a Kirin, I was treated as a pervert in Aria's eyes.
From inside the Jewel Orb, the Fifth Generation, unusually emotional, spoke.
'...Why is he a pervert? I cannot accept this.'
He was getting angry at a strange point.
(You should turn your eyes toward things other than animals a bit more.)
Facing the smiling Aria, I also smiled and pointed to the place where the villagers had been.
"What?"
"You were naked here, weren't you?"
"So? It's fine. I couldn't wash properly during the trip. I'd almost prefer to take a bath if possible."
"You were being peeked at."
"...Eh?"
Aria, looking at the place I pointed to, seemed to find the platform installed there.
Judging by the angle, it was in a position to peek at the bathing area.
One could say it was prepared to keep watch over us, but it was clearly prepared for peeking.
I thought she would be embarrassed here, but...
"What about it?"
"...Huh?"
I think I made a stupid face.
From inside the Jewel Orb, the voice of the Sixth Generation also spoke.
'...No good. This girl doesn't understand various things.'
The Fourth Generation said.
'She's an adventurer, so she might be fine with her naked body being seen at this point. Despite that, she's strangely shy in front of Liel... Liel should just be stabbed in the back someday.'
The Third Generation added.
'As expected, that's how it ends for a harem guy.'
In front of me, Aria looked at me, put her palm to her mouth, and grinned.
"What? Are you frustrated that I was seen? I see~, Liel has never seen a woman naked, so he's frustrated."
I intended to tease her, but I ended up being teased instead.
But—.
"What are you talking about? You lay on the sofa in your underwear before. I was the one who put a blanket over you because your underwear was slipping."
Aria's face suddenly turned red, and she threw the towel she was holding at me.
"Why were you looking!"
The wet towel gave me a considerable weight on my face and, at the same time, caused pain.
Taking the towel, I threw it back at Aria.
"You were showing it off! I was the one who put the blanket over you because I was embarrassed, so be grateful for my kindness!"
"What do you mean, 'embarrassed'! I have confidence even so!"
Aria threw the towel back, so I caught it and wound up again.
"Like I care!"
Aria tried to catch the thrown towel with her hand, but because she grabbed the edge, the towel slapped against her face with a thwack!
As I pointed and laughed, Aria glared at me in earnest.
"...Forget it! Forget my naked body!"
"Weren't you just saying 'What about it?' a moment ago! Even if I didn't care, I can't remember it anymore!"
"You pervert!"
"If you don't want to be seen, fix that sloppiness of yours!"
As we threw the towel back and forth, the voice of the Seventh Generation came from the Jewel Orb.
'...You two get along well.'
I could not agree with the Seventh Generation's opinion.