Chapter 303 Weekly Pay and a New Family
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
(Kazumi’s POV)
Before dinner, I gathered everyone in the dining hall to distribute this week’s wages.
The appraisal has already been decided by Rena.
”Tonight, our family, Sasha and Lady Zett have also returned, and this is the first time everyone is gathered together. ──Once again, Ms. Sasha, welcome back!”
At Kazumi’s words, everyone clapped and said, “Welcome back!” to Ms. Sasha.
”I’m… just back…”
Ms. Sasha replied shyly, looking down.
In her eyes… were there tears?
* * *
”This time, I decided to distribute this week’s wages. Before that… I will hand over this month’s wages to Ms. Hanna, Suu, Noo, and Uu.”
Ms. Hanna and the wolf maids came forward, and I paid them 2 gold coins each.
”Thank you very much. Because of all of you, everyone can live comfortably in this clan house. Please continue to take care of us in the future.”
”I’m doing what I like, and yet I receive so much…”
”Suu also loves taking care of everyone!”
”Noo is happy that everyone is happy!”
”Uu will continue to do her best!”
These 4 people are truly irreplaceable.
I’ll make sure to not forget my gratitude towards them from now on.
* * *
This week’s wages were almost uniformly ‘one gold coin per person’.
Aluda and Asuka received one gold coin and 5 silver coins each due to their contributions and injuries during the ‘Minotaur battle’.
Everyone was surprised at the generous reward of one gold coin for all, but when I explained that there was a significant income from repelling Otto’s attack and defeating the Minotaur, they seemed to understand.
”Wasn’t it Big Brother Hiroya who took down the Minotaur? Why is it only one gold coin?”
Martina voiced her doubt, but…
”Because I was ‘sleeping during Otto’s attack’. It’s a trade-off for my contributions in the Minotaur battle.”
Everyone was satisfied with their answer, ‘Ah~’.”
”I’m so sorry…”
Hiroya looked cute as he hunched his shoulders.
”I understand that Ms. Liz, who was the leader of the Deep Floor Team, and Ms. Simona, who was our mentor for the Lower Floors, received one gold coin and 2 small gold coins, respectively… But for them to receive the same amount as me, the leader of the Lower Floors…”
Gieze was as serious and strict as ever.
”Everyone returned safely. I appreciate that you led them, and I also appreciate the efforts of the Lower Floors team. So, I’m rewarding you all with one gold coin.”
”Thank you very much.”
Gieze blushed slightly at my words and looked down.
”Keep up the good work as the leader of ‘Gieze’s Squad’ from now on.”
I patted Gieze’s shoulder, trying to act mature.
”I will continue to strive.”
Gieze straightened her back and continued, “I better keep up the good work, right?”
Of course, Ms. Hanna and the wolf maids also received one gold coin each.
”As I always say, Noo and Uu’s contributions, as well as Ms. Hanna and Suu’s efforts for staying behind, are also appreciated. Please don’t be shy and accept it.”
Ms. Hanna and the others reluctantly took the reward.
”And as the ‘contract fee’ for the blacksmith Freeberry, I will pay 2 gold coins. This is for Aluda, Eluda, and Meluda, plus the ‘Kingdom’s Number One Blacksmith’ Mr. Toldo, who joined as a contracted blacksmith, so I increased the amount a little.”
”Hey, Kazumi… It’s not a little, is it?”
”It’s not a small amount for the contract fee.”
”Grandpa, be quiet!”
As Aluda hesitated a little, Toldo made such a remark, and Eluda and Meluda lightly tapped his head.
This is also part of the clan’s style, I guess.
”Yup! Anyway, this time’s income is one large gold coin, 3 gold coins, 2 small gold coins, and 4 silver coins, from Gieze’s squad completing a guild request, repelling Otto’s attack, and exploring the ‘Raetia Great Labyrinth’.”
””””””””Wow!!!””””””””
”Everyone, I will deduct the payment I made to you from the remaining amount and use it for the clan’s savings and operating expenses. Is that okay?”
Yeah. Everyone agrees.
”Then, tomorrow, let’s all go to the guild to check our adventurer ranks.”
”The lower-floor group──Gieze’s team members are definitely going to have improved, right?”
At Liz’s words, Gieze, Karina, Lotta, and Noriss seemed uneasy.
”I, I feel scared… but I do.”
”Yeah, what if we haven’t improved…”
Karina, the sister-in-law, spoke weakly to Lotta.
”I’m absolutely sure we’ve improved!”
”Me too… If we haven’t, I’d feel bad towards Mr. Hiroya and Ms. Asuka.”
Noriss and Gieze seemed confident.
”Then I’ll start preparing dinner.”
”Yes, let’s!”
Ms. Hanna and the wolf maids stood up and headed towards the kitchen.
At that moment…
──Ring! Ring! Ring!
The sound of the magic bell rang, signaling a visitor.
* * *
(Gunilla’s POV)
”Ugh… I’m so nervous.”
”Yeah… We, uh, we done turned ’em down once ‘fore…”
Romy and I hesitated to press the bell at the entrance of the Famière Clan house.
We had packed up our belongings and ran here with determination…
”Come on! We’ve come this far. If they reject us, I’ll beg on my knees to join the clan! Okay, Gunilla?”
”Yep, once we’ve gone this far, there ain’t no turnin’ back. We gotta put our whole hearts into it!”
In response to my encouragement, Romy resolutely pressed the bell button.
* * *
”Everyone, everyone! Lady Gunilla and Lady Romy are here~!”
Noo welcomed us and ran into the mansion, raising her voice.
After a while, the large door visible from the entrance hall opened, and familiar clan members ran towards us.
”Welcome! What’s going on?”
Ms. Gieze asked, gripping our hands tightly.
”Those bags… Yo, ya finally decided on somethin’, right?”
Ms. Simona crossed her arms and smirked.
Standing behind her, Clan Leader Ms. Liz turned around and said,
”Liz! You don’t need to introduce the new members, do you?”
”Are you guys… joining this clan… ‘Famière’?”
Ms. Liz stepped forward, alternating her gaze between I and Romy.
”We also want to be your companions!”
”We wanna see all them sights we ain’t never got to see ‘fore—together with y’all!”
I and Romy bowed their heads.
”Let’s have ourselves some grand adventures!”
In that posture, I shouted with all her might.
”You must have been scared… but still?”
Ms. Dorothy, the beautiful elf, asked gently.
”Yes! Still, I want more… I want to go on more adventures!”
Romy raised her face and pleaded.
That’s how it was.
They had come to this town as ‘adventurers’ to make a living, but their experience in Razia Village, in that ‘Great Labyrinth’, had awakened them as adventurers.
”We also wanted companions… no, family, for ‘Porter’. Everyone, do you have any objections to these girls joining?”
(‘Family’…?)
’Companions’… not ‘family’?
As I was thinking this, a loud round of applause brought her back to her senses.
”Yes, yes, welcome! To Clan ‘Famière’!”
”I believed you’d come!”
Led by Ms. Karina and Ms. Lotta, everyone went back to the room they had come from.
”By the way, what’s ‘family’?”
Romy voiced her question.
”Famière means ‘family’ in the language of the spirits, and it means the same in the language of the other world. We clan members are all family.”
Ms. Kazumi smiled.
”Family…”
Romy’s eyes welled up with tears.
I also felt like crying.
Both I and Romy had lost their families and were all alone in this town.
”Don’t cry. You’re also family now, right?”
Ms. Kazumi stroked Romy’s head.
Although she was still a young girl, I saw her mother’s figure overlapping with hers.
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.
Leave a Reply