Chapter 34: Like A Cirsium III
Translator : Solo
I had forgotten because I was focused on the search. Now that they had mentioned it, I was feeling hungry too. Looking at the time, it was long past lunchtime.
Today's menu had been completely left up to Makina. I had been really busy recently and hadn’t paid any attention to food. I had failed as a chef……No, I’m an adventurer, so this is how it should be, isn’t it?
「Dear, Makina asked me to hold on to this for you」
Rana took out a large pan from her bag. I took it from her, cut the string holding it closed, and then opened its lid.
「What are those? Insect cocoons?」
A question mark floated above Ea, who had taken a peek inside the pan. The pan was jam-packed with bite-sized white objects.
「They’re gyoza」
「Gyoza?」
The sisters tilted their heads in unison.
Stuck on the lid was a memo from Makina.
『The ingredients are seasoned strongly, so please eat them with vinegar and pepper. Makina made an unusually wide variety of food, so it’ll cause a fight. (@＞▽＜@)☆』
(＃｀Д′)
「I'll cook it right away. Zenobia, can you start a fire?」
「Yeah」
I took the pieces of stone that were on the ground all around us and laid them out in a U-shape. After arranging wood chips and charcoal in the middle of that, I had Zenobia chant magic that would lay flames on them.
(o_o) stare~
Rana was staring at the flames.
「If I focus magic power in an area, or seal it in a small space by some means if a tremendous amount of flames is summoned, and then make it so that a certain amount of heat escapes, no no, that’s no good as it won’t stabilize. The amount of pressure will cause its power to shoot up even more. Is there some other method——」
For some reason, she was formulating a method of generating small flames.
I have a 100 yen lighter, but should I give it to her as a present, I wonder?
「Oh!」
Rana clapped her hands as a light bulb appeared above her head. She suddenly poured the water in her water bottle on Zenobia's flames and extinguished them.
「I'm sorry, Zenobia-san. There's a little something that I would like to try」
「Oh, alright. Please go ahead, great magician-sama」
Zenobia had a face that said that she had already given up.
Rana had a habit of getting carried away when it came to magic. Of late, everyone in the party had gotten used to it.
Hmm? ………I get the feeling that someone has said something like that about me as well.
「Oh fire, fire that grants all people light and grace. With that heat and pain, heal this person’s wounds」
Rana's right hand burned bright red.
『Oh, that is——』
Irvin and Zenobia raised their voices in unison.
Rana brought the light of her hand closer to the charcoal. A sizzling sound could be heard as the water evaporated, and then the charcoal glowed red-hot right away.
「I did it!」
Rana did a full-body guts pose. I applauded. Her magic power had been reduced by about one third, but well, today's focus was on searching so it was alright.
But I remembered this magic from somewhere though.
「Amazing, Rana-dono. To think that it's possible to generate this much heat with basic healing magic. It’s no longer healing magic anymore」
「It's too amazing that I don’t get it. You can defeat a small monster in one hit with this」
My face twitched at Irvin and Zenobia’s impressions of the magic. That was because I had remembered being healed with that magic. Was that magic dangerous? It hurt so much that I thought I was going to die…… I was more or less healed though.
「No, I'm actually bad at this kind of magic. The surplus magic power always gets converted into heat, so I wondered if I could burn something with this」
「It sure was painful being healed by Onee-chan………………It was the kind of pain that made me forget that I had a bullet in my stomach」
Ea had a faraway look. It appeared that there was another victim here.
「E, Ea, but wasn’t it you who refused to let the Hemu in the healing clinic touch your body?」
「Umm, yes. I’m also to blame. I simply thought, “Oh, there was something like that~”」
「What do you mean, a bullet in your stomach?」
At Bel’s question, Ea talked about what had happened a while ago.
I started cooking after wiping my hands with a cloth soaked with alcohol. I transferred the gyoza to the pan’s lid for the time being, put the pan over the fire and sprinkled a generous amount of oil into it. I needed more heat after all, so I had Zenobia light the flames.
Once the oil had covered every inch of the pan, I discarded the excess oil, took the gyoza from the lid and lined them up inside the pan. Finally, I sprinkled water into the pan and covered it with the lid.
Easy. This is really easy.
「Izora, scan the temperature」
『What? Izora is busy right now, so please do it yourself. In the first place, please don't rely on a military A.I. for assistance with cooking』
Before I knew it, Izora had unhooked herself, and was clinging to Irvin’s leg using her robotic arms.
Should I cook you too?
I opened the lid after somehow counting the seconds in my head for about five minutes, then added more wood to make the fire hotter. I drained the water and it was completed.
I wiped the lid with a cloth, then lined up the crisp pan-fried gyoza in it. I set the lid on the pan and sprinkled vinegar and pepper suitably over them.
「Alright, it's done. A.I. gyoza, please enjoy」
For some reason, everyone prayed with a fork in their hands.
「This is mine!」
Shuna was the quickest at times like this. He stabbed a gyoza with his fork and put it in his mouth,
「Hhhhoooottt! It's hot!!」
He had acted just as I had expected. After that, he became a little more well-behaved and chewed lightly as he ate.
Everyone also brought the gyoza to their mouths cautiously.
「Souya, can I make just one request?」
「What is it?」
Putting a gyoza into her mouth, Zenobia made an appeal with a serious look on her face.
「Alcohol」
「No」
「Just a little」
「No」
「Gah, even though this will definitely go well with ale」
「No」
Drink would be the ruination of this woman so I ought to reprimand her harshly one day. Drinking on credit wasn’t allowed in my party after all.
「Dear」
「Onii-chan」
The sisters smiled sweetly.
『It's delicious』
They complimented me. Through a synergistic effect, the sisters’『delicious』was equal to the『delicious』of 10,000 people. Even I couldn’t help smiling because of that.
But I only pan-fried them though.
「Onii-san, this is delicious」
「Oh, okay」
「Hang on a minute! Your reaction is weak!」
I had inadvertently brushed off Bel’s compliment in a half-hearted manner.
Irvin was stuffing his mouth with gyoza until his cheeks were round like a hamster’s. He always went silent whenever he was eating something really delicious.
Let me see, I’ll have one too.
The skin was crisp and the meat was juicy. A faint smell of garlic wafted out. The flavor of the oil, which wasn’t unpleasant, salt and the sweetness of the vegetables. Hmm, this refreshing sensation and tangy texture. Was there cabbage and watercress mixed into it?
That Makina, she did a good job with these.
The oiliness was offset by the vinegar. The pepper accented the flavor well. I don't drink, but I could understand Zenobia’s craving for alcohol.
Aaah, I craved white rice. Rana had gotten hooked on making rice balls. Although there was really only a little of it left, I wanted rice. I ought to snatch some time between adventures to look for rice.
『Team member Souya, Izora has detected people approaching. Izora believes that they’re other adventurers』
「Understood」
We were eating right in the middle of the crossroads. We couldn’t be more of a hinderance.
「Shuna, Irvin, move away a little」
I sent away the two of them, who were eating the gyoza greedily. I put the pan aside in a corner.
「Hey, sorry」
An unfamiliar voice of a woman rang out.
It was a group of three. There were two men who looked like warriors and a woman with a large build holding a shield. It was a party consisting entirely of Hemu vanguards.
「You’re in the middle of a meal, I see」
The leader-like woman with a large build came up and spoke to us.
She looked to be in her mid-30s. She had a ponytail and was lightly equipped, but I could see that she had steel-like muscles. A ritualistic tattoo was etched across her whole body. She had many scars. Those badges of honor showed that she wasn’t all looks and no substance. She was a battle-hardened veteran.
We had opened up the passageway for them, but they showed no signs of moving.
「Do you guys want to eat some too?」
Shuna pointed to the gyoza in the pan.
「?!」
I was startled.
「What?!」
Irvin was just as surprised as I was.
「Shuna! Are you okay?! Does your stomach hurt?! Could it be period pains?!」
「What do you mean period pains?! My stomach doesn’t particularly hurt or anything!」
I, who was trying to press him, was pushed aside by Irvin, who pressed him.
「Could it be that you broke a bone?! A fever……you don’t seem to have one. Then………what’s going on?!」
「Nothing’s going on!」
Shuna shoved Irvin aside and spoke in a composed voice that didn’t match him at all.
「Delicious food should be eaten together with everyone, right?」
Irvin and I moved a short distance away and put our arms around each other's shoulders.
「What do you think, Irvin-san? He has become an adult」
「Yeah. I still question that method of yours, but it seems to have been a good experience for Shuna」
「By the way, Irvin-san, how did it go with Miss Andura?」
「Hmm, well, it went swimmingly after that」
He's an adult.
………No, if I use this as the standard, I'll end up being the only child among the men in the party.
「For some reason, the three guys are on really good terms recently, aren't they? So suspicious」
Zenobia regarded us with suspicion.
『It’s nothing』
The three of us replied in perfect unison. It ended up making us look even more suspicious.
As we did our little comedy act, chuckling laughter rang out.
I had kind of forgotten about them.
The female leader of the other party was laughing. Since she was laughing in a mocking manner, I couldn't help turning my attention to her.
「Haa, I heard that this is an up-and-coming greenhorn party, but is this all you guys amount to?」
「What did you say?」
Although Shuna had become an adult, in situations like this, he was the first to confront the other party after all.
「You guys are totally no good. Acting silly and eating a meal without a care in the world in a place like this. Was defeating Midoranga a fluke, just as the rumors say? No, did you buy the achievement with money? The foreigner over there appears to have connections with dishonest merchant companies, am I right?」
I suppose it would be useless to mention that I was actually the one who had crushed those dishonest merchant companies.
「I can’t just ignore that. Take back what you’ve said」
Irvin had also stepped forward. As the two of them focused their attention on the woman, I had a prickling feeling that something was off.
「I'll teach you something for future reference. Even if we’re adventurers just like you, it doesn’t mean that we’re on your side」
The woman whistled.
It was some sort of signal.
『Emergency proximity warning』
Izora was slow to detect it.
At the edge of my vision, I saw a shadow running.
It had come from directly behind the two vanguards.
It was a young beastkin woman with cat ears. She was holding a whip in her hand.
Curling around like a snake, the whip wrapped itself around Rana's staff.
Without even the time to exclaim in surprise, her staff and the beastkin disappeared into the darkness of the dungeon.
「Wha—?」
A woman’s preparedness and voice broke.
I heard a high-pitched screech of metal on metal. Shuna, who had attacked with his longsword, had been blocked by the woman’s sword. With just one hand.
「Irvin! Stay out of this!」
Shuna shouted as he threw himself at the woman. With my kinetic vision, I could only see his afterimages. The woman dealt with his attacks easily, almost like she was playing with him. She hadn’t used her shield at all.
「What do you want?」
「Hmm? Evaluation and recruitment of prospects*」
On top of that, she had the leeway to talk to me while she was dealing with him. This woman was strong. Based on my experiences, she was probably just as strong as Lanseal.
While keeping a close watch on the others, I stepped back.
I gave instructions to Bel and Zenobia to protect Rana, then ordered Ea to be more vigilant. I grabbed Irvin’s shoulder and had him move back as well.
「That elf magician with big boobs over there, I'll acknowledge that you’re the real deal. However, the people protecting you are such imbeciles, aren’t they? No good, no good at all. They’re garbage. They don’t keep an eye on the darkness and they don’t watch out for blind spots. The shield doesn’t protect where you’re vulnerable. The job of vanguards is to die before the people standing behind you, you idiots」
Countless slashes flashed through the air.
It would be a lie to say that Shuna's slashes weren’t dull. Compared to before, there was no follow-through, no speed and no weight behind his attacks. He wasn't used to his new longsword yet.
「The order of things got messed up a little, but if you want your staff back, try defeating me」
「That’s fine with me!」
Shuna's movements were getting too heated up and was becoming lackluster. It was due to the impatience he felt from the fact that his techniques were being dealt with easily, and his longsword not meshing well.
He’s going to lose, isn't he?
「Shall I try to make things a little bit more interesting?」
The woman forced Shuna to back off with one swing of her sword, stabbed the sword into the ground, and then pulled the sheath out from her hip.
「Hey pipsqueak. This is more than enough to deal with you」
「Don't regret it」
It’s no good.
He had completely risen to the bait and had been swept up by his opponent's pace.
「You guys, I’m worried about Mucha. Go to the rendezvous point first」
Understood, they replied as the woman’s party members left together. I released an arrow at them. One of the warriors caught it with his bare hand.
「Close, but no cigar」
He said as he threw the arrow back. It grazed my cheek before getting stuck deeply into the wall.
（Izora, did I manage to attach the tracer onto him?）
《Yes》
Izora replied when I whispered softly. There was paint for tracking purposes on the arrow that had been thrown back. With this, I would know their rendezvous point.
Shuna's sword was being warded off by the sheath. From the sound, I could tell that it was a sheath made from wood. It wouldn’t be able to survive taking a hit from something like a metal blade. For that reason, the woman was striking the body of Shuna’s sword and deflecting its trajectory. There was a considerable difference in ability. Would I be able to overturn the difference using one or two tricks?
「Hmm」
There was one phrase that bothered me. That was what it came down to.
「Tch」
Shuna dropped his longsword when he was hit on his arm. The return stroke of the sheath was swung towards Shuna's head――――and was shattered by my arrow. At about the same time, Irvin stepped forward and placed his blade at the woman's throat.
「You guys, not again!」
「No, Shuna, this is fine」
I soothed Shuna, who looked like he was about to get angry.
I nocked another arrow and pointed it at the woman.
「It isn’t a one-on-one to begin with. Isn’t it strange to talk about fighting fair when we’ve been taken by surprise? Her party member said『Close, but no cigar』in response to my arrow. In other words, what he meant was that I had pointed my arrow at the wrong opponent. We’re currently in the midst of exploring the dungeon. All of the fights that occur here are battles, not quarrels like those outside. Gladvain’s pride doesn’t apply in this situation. That’s all. How’s that?」
「Excellent」
The woman laughed heartily.
「Pipsqueak, out of 10, you’re 2 points. That sword doesn’t match you at all. The lady-killer here, you’re 5 points. Not being able to prevent the surprise attack is a minus, but your caution and your “coordination” after that are splendid」
Shuna and Irvin were given arbitrary evaluations.
「That girl over there, you're interesting, you have something that cannot be predicted. Depending on how you’re brought up from now on, you can likely change yourself completely as much as you want. You’re a bundle of talent, 8 points」
She was talking about Bel.
That evaluation was right on the mark. According to what Rana said, Bel's talent in magic was extraordinary. It appeared that it was unfathomable. In addition, while she was treated as Shuna’s guest, she joined their daily training at Gladvain’s dormitory. It was the kind of training that would crush normal adventurers.
Given the opportunity and the right trigger, Bel would undergo a drastic transformation. We only had to wait until she came across it.
「The elf with a bow, you’re not very vigilant and you’re too careless, 2 points」
What did you say, you tramp? How dare you give my sister such an evaluation.
「Medium boobs」
She was referring to Zenobia.
「0 points. You don’t fit in this party. You should quit. It’s for your own sake, you know?」
「Watch what you say, woman!」
My hand that was holding the bow drawn was trembling in anger.
I was the idiot for thinking that she had an eye for people. Don't joke or use your arbitrary judgment to size up my party. I'll kill you!
「Now now, yeah, I haven’t given you a score, have I?」
It was time for my evaluation.
「You’ve got a flexible way of thinking, the ability to make decisions instantly, and somehow or other, you sensed the surprise attack, didn’t you? Also, you care for your party members and have a sense of responsibility. Up to this point, you’re 8 points. However, there is something crucial that you lack」
It was an unpleasant feeling.
It felt like she was peeking at the shameful parts of me that I had hidden away.
「You have no ambition. None of your own, that is」
That was right on the mark. Which was why it made me even more angry.
「You’re merely depending on the ideals and desires of others. No, that’s not a bad thing. There are many people in the world who need people like that. But you're not the kind of person who should be a leader」
「How dare you!」
Irvin grabbed the woman's collar and slammed her against the wall.
「How much hard work do you think Souya put in just to gather us together?! Don’t talk as if you know anything about him!!」
「I do know. He put together a greenhorn party and defeated an evil title. Be it through planning or skill, guys who can do that can’t be found lying around everywhere. I’ve also looked into the history of others, but adventurers who win their way through the dungeon like you guys do are rare. If anything, because he is too competent, he doesn’t notice that he is shouldering a burden. That will cause the party to get wiped out in future」
「Irvin, let go of her」
「But—」
「It’s fine」
Irvin released the woman when I tapped his shoulder.
The woman pointed her finger at Rana next.
「You’re 9 points. That flashy destructive power of your magic, your fame as an elven noble, and your looks. With that alone, you can hook competent people. You’ll be given priority when it comes to quests for hunting big game. It’s just that the other elves will make a bit of a fuss, am I right?」
You sow.
「So」
I chose my words carefully.
「What’s your business with us?」
「I like perceptive guys. It’s late, but let me introduce myself. I’m Ryutetto. The deepest floor that I’ve reached is the 35th floor, I’m what’s called an intermediate adventurer」
「Ryutetto, the busybody」
Shuna said under his breath.
「I've heard about her from the Onii-sans among the kin. This woman is an adventurer who is well-known for picking fights with greenhorn adventurers」
「It’s “picking fights with『promising but reckless』greenhorn adventurers”. There are two reasons why I tested you guys. First, it’s because of a request. I was told to guide you guys to a certain place. For an unprecedented amount of money too. The big-boobs elf’s staff and my party members are there as well. Don't worry, I'll show you guys the way」
「Northwest from here, am I right?」
That was where the tracer had stopped. At my words, the woman showed a surprised expression.
「You're really an interesting guy, aren’t you?」
Rana stared daggers at her.
「So, you said that you had two reasons. What’s the other one?」
「Didn’t I say it earlier? Evaluation and recruitment of prospects」
Isn’t that two? Let’s put aside that retort.
「I have a proposal. You, you and you」
She pointed at Bel, Rana and me.
「Join my party. Especially the foreigner. I’ll say it again, you aren’t cut out to be a leader. You’re a person who shows his true ability when used by someone. You should know that as well」
「………………」
That’s, well………………
………………certainly true.
I’m not a person who takes the leading part. That’s evident from the fact that the merchant company is on track. Prop someone up and support him from the shadows. That’s where my true worth lies and how things will turn out for the better.
I’m a shadow.
Yes, I'm too much of a gloomy person to stand at the front. Any person will also understand that instinctively. And I don’t have the talent for deceiving others that I can use to hide that.
I had thought to make Irvin the leader just like before, but he has no talent and ability whatsoever to be a leader. He has the idol-like charisma that makes people like him, but the charisma to lead others is a different thing. He is too good-natured. That pride as a knight gets in the way of reading the flow of things. Even if I turn him into a puppet and hide in the shadows, it’ll just fail again. If things go poorly, it’ll become a failure that we cannot recover from.
Doing things wisely and skillfully isn’t all there is to a leader. To lead people, a king-like charisma that makes people envy you is needed.
I don't even have an ounce of that in me.
「That silence is your answer, isn’t it?」
「No」
My answer had already been decided.
It’s a good enough reason for me to be the leader.
A beast's howl echoed through the dungeon.
From the dread I felt, I shuddered as if the back of my neck had been licked.
It was a voice that seemed like it would pull people into the darkness.
I knew instinctively that it was something dangerous.
「What’s that?」
In a situation where even the intermediate adventurer was shaken, there was no way we would know.
『The tracer is moving wildly. Izora believes that they’re most likely engaged in battle with the owner of that voice』
「Hey, intermediate-adventurer-dono」
「Huhh?」
She seemed to be in a bad mood when she replied me.
「It's an enemy. Lend me your strength」
「That’s fine, but that means you’ll be following my orders, right?」
「Don’t be silly. You’ll be the one following my orders」
「Hmm, okay. Let’s see what you’ve got. Do your best to let me down」
Whether I’ve the talent for it or not, my friend had put his expectations on me and had put me forward as the leader.
That’s a fact.
It’s an unshakeable reason.
I’ve absolutely no intention of quitting as the leader.
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