Chapter 39 Borg Town
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”Ah, Hiroya! I can see it!”
”We got here surprisingly fast… Oh, you mentioned we were ahead of schedule, Kazumi.”
Kazumi and I climbed onto the roof of the carriage to check out the town ahead.
Liz was driving the passenger carriage, and Martina was handling the cargo carriage.
We took a break for lunch along the way, and by the time the sun was setting in the west, we could see the town of Borg. Just as Rena said, the 4 horses were keeping up nicely.
Soon, we reached the entrance of the town, where a guard was standing. Liz pulled out her adventurer card and seemed to be explaining something.
After talking for a while, she came over to us, scratching her head.
”I need to explain about the incubus issue, so you guys should unload your stuff and head to the inn first.”
She handed me a note with the location of the inn we had reserved.
The 4 of us──me, Kazumi, Rena, and Martina──each took our bags and headed to the inn she pointed out.
* * *
”Huh? One room?”
”Yes. You have a reservation from Lord O’Brian for one large room. Is it for 5 people?”
Seriously… that old man…
”Yes! That’s perfect!”
”Um… is there at least one more room available? Even a small one would be fine…”
I try to push back, but the inn’s receptionist shakes her head sadly.
”I’m sorry. We are fully booked today…”
”…This is the worst. I might have to sleep on the futon in the common room…”
”Come on! Let’s go, Hiroya!”
Kazumi and Rena pull me along forcefully toward the room.
”♪”
Martina, don’t look so happy.
”Hey, girls should be a bit shy about these things…”
”Come on, let’s all chat and sleep together!”
Rena swings our joined hands as she opens the door to the assigned room.
After what happened with Liz, my (23-year-old, healthy male) desires are out of control, everyone.
(This is going to be a sleepless night…)
I gave up and entered the room.
* * *
Once inside, we each used the prepared cleansing buckets (filled with water and towels for wiping our bodies) to clean ourselves…
Of course, I left the room when the girls were wiping themselves. And they left when it was my turn too.
”See… this is such a hassle…”
”It would have been fine to wipe together. I already know Hiroya is a pervert, so I wouldn’t mind being seen.”
…Ms. Kazumi, weren’t you very strict about ‘don’t peek!’ before?
”Rena is fine with it from the start~ I could have wiped you if you wanted.”
”I’m fine too~.”
Rena is okay with it, but Martina, you’re not 6 years old anymore, are you?
”Ah, but Martina’s n*ked body is something else…”
See? Ms. Kazumi gets it.
”Martina’s curvy, s*xy body is too much for Hiroya… I wish I could grow up faster too.”
Kazumi puts her hand on her chest and sighs about her small breasts.
”Is that so? Big Brother Hiroya.”
As usual, Martina presses her chest against my back with a “squish.”
I turn to face the wall, trying to focus my mind elsewhere to calm down.
”Rin, Hei, Tou, Sha, Min, Jin, Retsu, Zai, Zen…”
That’s right. It’s the ‘Hayakuji Self-Defense Technique.’
”What’s that? Japanese ninja?”
Rena asks while hugging her left arm.
”Oh, that’s something Hiroya often says before presentations!”
Kazumi raises her right arm…
Of course, there’s no way I can concentrate now…
”…I give up…”
I just let it go and got really excited.
* * *
Dinner time was approaching, but Liz still hadn’t come back.
”We should wait so we can all eat together.”
Kazumi said that, and everyone felt the same way, so we decided to wait for Liz. Luckily, the dining hall is on the first floor, so we should be able to eat even if it’s a bit late.
”Sorry to keep you waiting! …Ugh, I’m so tired…”
Just then, Liz walked into the room, looking a bit confused about whether she was energetic or exhausted.
”I can’t believe we defeated a high-level demon (youma) with just D-rank adventurers and kids…”
As soon as she entered, Liz started taking off her leather armor.
”Wait, wait! I’ll step out of the room right now!”
”That’s fine, Hiroya. It’s a hassle to explain it multiple times, so just listen in.”
As she reached for her undergarments, I turned to face the wall.
”Well, when I showed them the demon stone, they somehow believed me. At first, they suspected I killed for the sake of stealing, right?”
I can hear water splashing. Liz must be drying herself off.
”But seriously, there aren’t any robbers who would go through the trouble of bringing a cargo wagon with them, right? So I said that, and then… at that moment, a relative of the merchant came by.”
”A relative?”
I hear Kazumi asking.
”Yeah. Those merchants are from the ‘Zett Merchant Guild,’ which is a pretty well-known group in the royal capital. One of them was the president, and… his daughter was there.”
It sounds like Liz has finished drying off, and I can hear her putting on clothes.
”They were supposed to meet up in this town. They checked the delivery slips and the cargo, and since everything matched, the suspicion was cleared. ──Alright, that’s enough, Hiroya.”
When I turn around, I see Liz dressed like a village girl. She looks great in a white dress with a leather vest and a light pink apron tied around her waist.
”I’m always in that outfit… So? How do I look? Does it suit me?”
She spins around to show off.
”Liz, you look cute… yes, this is the outfit I wanted to see!”
”Yeah, yeah. We look like one of the 4 sisters!”
”I think so too! Can I call you Big Sister Liz?”
After the 4 sisters get excited, they all look at me.
”…Yeah. I think you look really cute.”
”Yes!”
Liz does a little victory pose.
”Oh, right. The daughter from the Zett Merchant Guild is waiting downstairs. She really wants to thank you.”
”Then let’s go. I’m getting pretty hungry, so let’s eat while we talk.”
Kazumi pulled Liz’s hand and left the room. Rena and Martina happily followed behind.
”…They really are a beautiful quartet of sisters.”
I wonder what I’m doing mixed in with them…
* * *
”Thank you very much for bringing the luggage all this way. I am Sasha Zett from the ‘Zett Merchant Guild.’.”
In this world, it’s hard to judge age by appearance, but from her mannerisms, she seems to be in her early twenties. Her polite speech and composed vibe make her feel older than Liz and Martina.
She has a slightly blonde, light brown short bob, and her healthy skin tone suggests she travels a lot as a merchant.
* * *
According to her, her father, the guild leader, recently went to the hot springs in Razia Village with his subordinates.
She was supposed to go to the fortress city of Mundo for business and was scheduled to meet here in the town of Borg.
”Because of the incompetence of the guards we hired, we caused you all trouble… and you even delivered our important cargo. I truly appreciate it.”
”No… it’s us who should apologize for not being able to protect your companions…”
Liz, the village girl, bowed her head.
”After all, my father…”
Ms. Sasha’s expression darkened.
”After defeating the demons, we searched the area, but… we couldn’t find anyone.”
Liz answered with a pained look.
A moment of silence passed, but eventually, Sasha spoke up.
”If my father has passed away, then I will be the head of the merchant guild. I would like to do something to express our gratitude, but unfortunately, I am currently traveling… Ah, that’s right.”
Ms. Sasha wiped her tears naturally and lifted her face.
”Everyone’s shared carriage will take a few days to arrange with the driver, but could you use the horses they left with the guards?”
”I appreciate the offer, but… we haven’t prepared for camping yet…”
Recently, Liz has been responding in a polite tone, probably from her conversations with the lord, my father.
”I heard you’re traveling to the royal capital to get your gear as adventurers. In that case, I think we can lend you some small tools. We have some items for Mundo that might help.”
Ms. Sasha took out a notebook from her bag.
”Tent… sleeping bags… blankets… cloaks… lamps… a set of dishes and cooking tools… and we also have axes and machetes.”
”Liz! Let’s accept Ms. Sasha’s kindness! Survival and camping, as well as traveling by horse, are all training we need to prepare for anyway.”
Kazumi leaned forward.
”…I see. If we practice that here, we can shorten our training when we get back.”
I mostly agree.
”I also don’t like the food on a carriage trip. I want something warm to eat.”
”I like riding horses too, Liz. Plus, if we can do various things together, I’d prefer that.”
”…I would have liked a comfortable carriage trip, though, Kazumi…”
Liz sighed.
”But well, it might be a good opportunity to teach you all the ‘basics of being an adventurer.’ Alright, Ms. Sasha, we gratefully accept your offer.”
”Normally, it would be best for us to take you to the royal capital ourselves, but… we need to transfer my father’s luggage to our carriage and head straight to Mundo.”
Ms. Sasha looked apologetic, but we are grateful for her offer.
”Alright, then I’ll go pick up the horse and equipment tomorrow morning.”
Liz asked where Ms. Sasha was staying and took notes.
”Now, let’s leave the serious talk for later. Please enjoy your meal. It’s on me.”
Ms. Sasha called over a female server, and everyone ordered their favorite dishes.
* * *
”So… how did you feel the last time you saw my father?”
While eating, Ms. Sasha asked quietly.
”We were in a box seat, so we didn’t have much chance to talk…”
Liz replied apologetically.
”The tea.”
Kazumi put down her knife and fork.
”The tea you served was really delicious!”
Kazumi said to Ms. Sasha.
”The tea… ah, ‘Elf’s tea leaves,’ right?”
Sasha smiled.
”It’s the first product my father traded with the elf village. It’s smooth, with a hint of sweetness in the bitterness. I like it too.”
”Yeah, it was really tasty.”
”Is that so… it was my father’s pride…”
Sasha said, showing a gentle smile.
* * *
”Well then, see you tomorrow morning. I’ll be waiting.”
After finishing the meal, Ms. Sasha said that and left.
”Having lost her father… it must be tough for Ms. Sasha, but she has to support the merchant guild. It must be hard for her…”
Kazumi murmured softly.
”…But even though it’s a mid-level guild, having connections with the merchant guild based in the royal capital might be a good thing for Razia Village.”
The words sounded calculating, but Kazumi’s expression was very sad.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
Thanks for reading.