kscans

Chapter 114 - Little One and the Seaside Forest

"It's hot for early spring, isn't it."

"Please wipe your sweat. It will get cold once the sun sets."

Little One, who had woken up from the heat, lumbered over to the carriage window and looked outside. A few guards were posted outside under a tent, where the rest of the Little One Squad was sleeping. Blocking the sun's rays alone changes the temperature, but the cool air from the honeybees used the evaporative heat of water, which raised the internal humidity. This, in turn, raised the perceived temperature, making it subtly difficult to sleep. It was just like the humid heat of Japan.

Once the sun set, the dry air outside would actually be cooler. Gazing at the setting sun bleeding into the distance, Little One sat down in a chair under the tarp. Adonis and Zack, who were already awake, were preparing dinner. Or perhaps breakfast. Little One, still groggy from sleep, twitched her nose at the delicious smell.

"Is that tomato soup today? No… this is the smell of minestrone…"

Hyrulia, bemused by Little One's ability to distinguish the scent of celery, a vegetable with a uniquely bitter aroma, mixed in with the drifting smell, brought her some fruit water. From a distance, Kazuki watched Chihiro intently as she drank.

While stringing his bow, he marveled at the fact that they could camp at night with only a few guards.

Normally, half the group would stand watch. In the open desert or wilderness, travelers with little knowledge of the land were prime targets. It was not uncommon to be attacked by robbers or professional bandits. So they would stand guard in two shifts. With half the group on watch, they could handle most situations. But the Frontier party had a monster unit called the Mononoke Corps. This was on another level entirely. With Chihiro at the center, they protected the humans. Monsters, protecting them. He had been traveling with the people of Frontier for about ten days now, but they showed no signs of being on guard at all.

They're completely like comrades or family. And they're monsters.

But Kazuki also knew that these monsters were kind and caring. It was probably just an afterthought for them, but the monster honeybees had been a great help with their cool air for Kazuki's caravan as well. Furthermore, the guard spiders and scorpions naturally patrolled an area that included Kazuki’s caravan.

And today, like every day, soup was brought to them.

Buiiin. A honeybee flew over. Kazuki took the pot from it and patted its head, saying, "Thanks." Getting used to things is a scary thing. The fear of monsters that had traumatized Kazuki's subordinates during the great disaster in Castrato. The Mononoke Corps had healed it in just a few days. Since they had also been involved in selling monsters, Kazuki's caravan had some understanding of such beasts, but it was the first time they had seen frenzied monsters. Witnessing their terror firsthand had caused an overreaction that varied from person to person. His subordinates had been frightened, had nightmares, and stared at the Mononoke Corps monsters with unconsciously frozen gazes. But that only lasted a few days. They seemed to have grown tired of being scared of the monsters that were always right next to them, and now they just watched the washa washa movements of the creatures with weak smiles.

In a way, it was a harsh form of reverse therapy.

Previously, Little One had tried to do the same thing to Chihaya and was stopped by Pochiko-san, but the members of Kazuki's caravan, who had unintentionally ended up in the same situation, had let resignation win over fear and were accepting things as they were. Now, they were even enjoying the cool air from the honeybees and the things they brought.

"What’s the soup today?"

Kazuki checked the contents of the pot with his companions who had gathered around. The moment he opened the lid, a delicious aroma wafted out. When Little One had asked what they would do for food, Kazuki had replied that they would manage on their own. After some discussion, it was decided that since it was no trouble, the Frontier party would make the soup for them. Grilled food could be cooked on its own by sticking skewers around the campfire, but soup required a separate fire and constant attention. Kazuki had said they wouldn't make it as it would consume too much firewood. The magic stones used for magic tools were precious. Furthermore, Kazuki's caravan, having used a large amount during the incident in Castrato, was currently short on funds. Extravagance was the enemy. The Frontier side had multiple ovens and could easily make bread and roasts, so they offered to at least provide the soup. So, they were gratefully accepting it.

A tangy tomato flavor drifted gently in the air.

"Oh, tomato soup. Looks delicious."

"Carrots and onions and… what's this?"

"Celery. They're using good stuff."

It was a minestrone with chunks of thick bacon. This could easily be a main dish on its own. Kazuki and his men ladled the soup into bowls, added slices of bread, and distributed it to their companions.

"So gooood!"

"It really is delicious! Do people in Frontier always eat such feasts?"

"Maybe it's the skill of the cooks? See, they have two of them with them."

Except for Kazuki and a few others, the members were picked up from the countries they had traveled through. So they didn't know this dish.

"Minestrone, huh. Brings back memories."

"Yeah."

It was a soup that had been a daily staple in the homeland he had left.

In the country of Kilfan, founded by Japanese people, many of the visiting seekers were from a generation of plenty. Many dishes were taught and took root. In fact, they were demonly modified, or magically modified, and took Kilfan by storm.

I miss it.

Has it been eight years since I left the country? It must have changed completely by now.

Kazuki was the third son of a Kilfan noble. He had been at a loss when he was transferred to the wilderness north of Frontier at his parents' behest. A country being founded under the direction of the Golden King and Katsumi. When his homeland began to take shape, with everyone working together to rebuild, and things were on track.

Kazuki found himself wanting to see the world.

In Kilfan, which existed as if confined to a small continent, no one but merchants was allowed to go out into the outside world. The small continent was rich and did not need the help of other countries. In fact, many other countries flocked to Kilfan, needing its technology. From the people who visited, Kazuki heard stories of the outside world and was fascinated. Monsters and magic. Adventure stories that didn't exist in Kilfan. Deserts and wastelands as far as the eye could see. Monsters and beasts that only existed in the borderlands. Lands locked in ice, and mountains spewing fire. The border countries in particular were said to have strong characteristics and diverse cultures.

His eyes sparkling with excitement, the young Kazuki held a strong longing for the outside world.

Standing in the wilderness north of Frontier, he felt his boyhood self surge through his entire body.

New lands, a new era, a new world.

With a niyoniyo grin twitching at the corners of his mouth, Kazuki devoted himself wholeheartedly to the reconstruction of his homeland. And when things had settled down to some extent, he announced that he would become a traveling merchant.

"I think I've fulfilled my duty as a noble enough. Let me live as I please now."

His parents looked exasperated at their son's declaration but nodded in agreement. Kazuki was the third son. He didn't need to be tied to the house, and his responsibilities as a noble were light. However, the surrounding nobles couldn't stay silent. Many Kilfan nobles had been reduced to slavery by Little One's judgment. To compensate for the shortage of nobles, the restoration by new nobles was necessary, and they desperately wanted Kazuki, who was of the Elder's bloodline in a marquis house, to establish a house as a count or viscount. Fed up with the nobles who came to his house at all hours to persuade him, he slipped out of the house alone late one night. The two people in front of him, who had been his childhood attendants, noticed and followed him.

"We've informed your mother and father. They said to take this with you."

What the two of them handed him was a leather bag filled with gold coins and jewels. In the current Kilfan, it was a large sum of money.

"They said there's nothing special going on, so you should use it. And they also said to come and show them when you have a child."

In other words, don't come back until you have a child. The ironic message made Kazuki raise his eyebrows. By that time, Kilfan would have changed. A certain degree of rules and classes would have been established, and they wouldn't make strange approaches to Kazuki.

Gratefully accepting his parents' clumsy affection, Kazuki set off on a journey into the world with his two companions.

"I don't even have a wife, let alone children… but maybe I should go back to Kilfan for a visit."

As Kazuki muttered to himself while sipping his soup, his two former attendants' eyes widened, and they looked at each other.

"That's right! Your parents must be worried about you!"

"I think that's a good idea! Before it becomes a case of wanting to be filial when your parents are gone!"

Smiling wryly at the two of them pushing him, Kazuki thought that it wouldn't be so bad to return home with the Frontier party.

...Little did he know that it was an invitation to the gates of hell.

In the days to come, Kazuki, who would make a great contribution to Little One's party, would be invited as an honored guest and would return to his hometown in glory, but that is a story for some time yet.♪