Side Story 25: The Actions of Aurora.
Cedaraille did not disappoint! So many new ingredients! So many possibilities~ Taking Lady Yorshkas suggestion to co here was the correct choice!
If you were to ask an adventurer why a settlent with a dungeon was so popular, then they would reply with we can hunt monsters without worrying about the hunters guild warning us off. That is because monsters are constantly created inside a dungeon, aning that adventurers can hunt them for an indefinite amount of ti. Monster populations outside of dungeons need to be carefully managed so they neither beco a threat nor go extinct in the area, and while it was possible to repopulate these environnts through monster spawning, flooding an area with too much mana can be a terrible risk, as that may result in strong monsters spawning.
Both adventurer types hunters and rcenaries slay monsters to earn money and create new equipnt for themselves. While rcenaries technically specialized in humanoid encounters, it wasnt rare for a rcenary to also be a mber of the hunters guild, and vice versa. Adventurers couldnt be picky about their source of inco.
Not like ours, since our party was receiving donations from the Church of Aurena.
My na is Tamae Tsuji, or Tsuji Tamae as I would be called if we were in Japan and not in Peolynca. Daughter of two prestigious chefs, ex-class representative of class 3-2, and now the party leader of The Magical Biscuits. Im also one of those so-called Heroes of Aurena, a tag given to by one of the religious factions in this fantasy world the Church of Aurena. While my na and those of my classmates were being used as religious propaganda, we actually were kidnapped from Earth to this world through, you guessed it, magic!
Now, the only way for us to return ho was to follow the churchs orders, which included risking our lives to defeat so so-called demonkin monarch. While everybody was, unsurprisingly, dissatisfied with the situation, I personally looked at this opportunity with optimism.
Not because I wanted to fight anybody, but because this world was filled with new ingredients to cook with.
Tama-chan, youre acting up again With a soft shake on my shoulder, the world seed to have co back into focus for . The black fra in front of my eyes disappeared and the blur on the edges cleared up, breaking my focus from the object in the middle of my vision.
A giant cave bat. A felwing.
Oh, sorry about that, Kazumi-chan, I apologized to Kazumi Hoshino, a good friend and fellow hero. The marketplace is always so packed with goods when a dungeon is nearby, no? at is butchered on the street and then imdiately sold to a passerby, materials for weapons and armors are sold to vendors by adventurers; all of that without any care for endangering any animal species.
Urgh, you arent thinking of turning that bat into a al, right? Spices can block the mory of the monsters appearance by only so much, Kohaku Kobayashi comnted with disgust from behind . She was a good friend, too, and, like Kazumi-chan, was a mber of The Magical Biscuits. You can cook well, Tama-chan, but so of your more experintal dishes were pretty weird. We dont have the taste buds of a monster or anything like that.
I wish I had the taste buds of a monster. I wonder what its like to eat like one? Are certain tastes neutral for them?
However, I guess my curiosity belongs more to tasting new ingredients as a whole. I love tasting new dishes, whether its gourt or simple street food, as widening ones horizons is one of the goals a chef must always pursue. Limiting myself to a small palette would undoubtedly dull my tastes, make picky, and its a life lesson I will always rember, especially after my parents pretty much forced their interests and philosophy on like that!
So, it was pretty annoying to hear that I couldnt taste certain animals due to them being endangered, and I understand that fully. A sticker with one of the last of its kind on a plastic-wrapped steak does make eating such a thing unappetizing.
So, what a surprise it was for to witness a monster digging itself free from the ground the mont it was born inside a dungeon. Mana was as abundant as air on Peolynca, and as long as there was mana, there would be dungeons producing monsters like a factory. Peolynca already brought a different spin on certain ingredients I was used to on Earth, so I couldnt be happier when I learned I could cook and taste whatever ingredients I wanted to without worrying about bringing them closer to extinction!
Although, most of the things I could make wouldnt even be considered a nu option in a fine-dining restaurant. Too radical, too experintal.
Anyways, I think we have enough for tonights dinner. We can stop by at the rchant guild tomorrow to purchase our dungeon rations, I told Kazumi-chan and Kohaku-chan while we all were carrying bags full of groceries.
My party and I were currently in Cedaraille, the capital of the Greenveil Duchy of the Kingdom of Artorias, not because of any church work, but because we needed to restock on alchemical ingredients. You see, not only was I our partys main cook, but I was also responsible for brewing our potions and enchanting our equipnt, although only at a novice level. The reason for this was my unique supportive skill [Enchanters Oath].
Each of us Heroes of Aurena received a unique skill when we arrived in Peolynca, and mine was ant for supporting others. Although I still dabbled a bit in magic despite not being the most talented in it, since The Magical Biscuits wouldnt have a healer if I hadnt volunteered to beco one. Support mage with a few offensive spells, would be the perfect way to describe my expertise
As the three of us left the central marketplace, we made our way back to our inn in the rchant district. On the way, I caught a whiff of sothing delectable, drawing my attention towards it.
our stress disappear
Let my song reach you, fill your heart with wonder and more
Gaze up to the blue sky
To smile to the light
Listen now, you know what is right
Listen now, dont need to look so wry
The sound of a violin, or geigler as the Artorians called it, and the voice of a young woman harmonized perfectly togethe, reached my ears. I felt more at ease, as if an uneasiness tightening my chest was montarily washed away in this musical wonderland.
A crowd was gathering around the music, blocking my sight. Looking through the gaps, I witnessed the source of that sll I noticed earlier. It was a street food stall, where the chef was cooking inside a wooden cube stall, blocking from actually seeing the chef from this angle. I could see a waitress serving custors of the stall, but it was just impossible for to see her face. There wasnt even a chance to see the musicians either.
Wow, this slls amazing. I want to try it out!
As a re apprentice chef, I still was very curious about how Peolyncians prepared their als. What ingredients did they use, their techniques, what influenced them to make it? Ive been going around whenever I had so spare ti to taste street vendors or eateries in every town and city our party has visited, although, if it wasnt for our partys constant activities, I probably would have increased my waistline by now.
As I was about to push through the crowd to have a taste of whatever this vendor was cooking, sobody grabbed my arm. Usually, I would be anxious by this, but as neither [Danger Perception] nor [Enhanced Enemy Sense] had warned , I calmly turned my head around to where two angry girls were glaring at .
Dont make us late again just because you got excited about so dish, Tama-chan! Kazumi-chan scolded .
Right! We can do that tomorrow. We need to get the groceries back and get to cooking, Kohaku-chan agreed, pulling out of the crowd and pushing away from it.
A sha.
Once back at our inn, which was one of the finest in the city, the three of us were greeted by Nishio Kudo and Misaki Kawano, the two remaining mbers of our party. After renting the inns kitchen, we unpacked our ingredients and began cooking; well, I did most of the cooking, although the others helped out with the preparations.
Hey, everybody, Im back~
Oh! Welco back, Lady Yorshka!
That was Commander Yorshka, a high-ranking and incredibly strong knight belonging to the Knights of Aurena, a holy knight order responsible for the protection of the Church of Aurena. As the church wanted to keep us Heroes safe until we were ready to fight the demonkin monarch, they assigned a knight to each of our parties. There were five parties with five mbers each and each party was overseen by one knight.
You would imagine a knight to be more stoic and serious about matters, but Lady Yorshka was quite lax and carefree outside of duty. She acted more like a friend, albeit a very strict friend when it ca to training and bettering ourselves to survive better.
So, I know we ca here to buy so alchemy ingredients, but does anybody have anything against going to the dungeon? Lady Yorshka asked while we ate.
Wont we be behind schedule? Nishio-kun asked her with skepticism. Our party was actually paired with another party of our classmates, who were currently waiting around Firwood, going around to fulfill the local temples requests.
I just received a ssage that Asaka and Elrick are having so troubles with the local wildlife. Theyre thinning down the group close to one of the designated villages. In other words, we have so ti to spare, and I think the best way would be for training, Lady Yorshka smiled mischievously, knowing we couldnt say no since she had already given us a big lecture on being prepared and ready to fight wherever.
Do you five have any idea of how many C rank or higher adventurers randomly die to the most unbelievable coincidences? Luck and fortune will never be in your favor and one simple misstep can an your end, for either heroes or commoners. You can fight goblins on one day, but a giant warrior the next. I am responsible for keeping you five alive, but it is also my duty to make sure you can fend for yourselves, do you all understand? Even I could die, so I would appreciate it if I could put my trust in you to prevent those scenarios from happening since I cant afford to die, okay?
Bone-chilling, honestly.
The next day, Lady Yorshka brought us to the hunters guild for us to get our dungeon permission and, once we were done, she brought us up to the second floor, looking around the room filled with tables and people eating. She then went to the furthest table with us where a robbed man was sitting.
Talon llor, yes? Do I have the correct person? Lady Yorshka said, prompting the man to turn his head around, revealing a half-mask hiding the right side of his face.
Who wants to know? A custor? he replied in a monotone voice, inspecting Lady Yorshka and us with half-close eyes.
Sothing like that. Two questions before we get to business. Have you seen a girl with red hair, horns, and a tail? Dragonewt girl around the age of 15 or 16? She then pointed at the emblem on her white armor, symbolizing the Knights of Aurena. The masked man understood what she ant and nodded after a few seconds of contemplation. Good. Do you know where she went? Where was she lodging?
Why would I? I just t the girl once and that was it. I dont have the ti to ddle in others business, he then took a swig from his tankard, moistening his throat. Questions answered. Whats your business with ?
Lady Yorshka scratched her snow-white hair, swinging her ponytail around as a result, mumbling, Dammit, Gael. Couldnt you have your birds follow them better? Causes more problems that he solves, honestly. She then turned towards us, introducing the man before us, Talon llor, an Illusionist and C rank hunter. Hell be our dungeon guide to help us reach the lower floors faster. Get used to his pessimism.
She then turned back to him. I need your help guiding us down to the lower floors, below ten.
No. It was an imdiate rejection.
While the five of us reacted to this answer in our own way, Lady Yorshka didnt flinch one bit, looking like she knew this would happen. And why is that?
Floor ten is the start leading to the magma chamber, the room of the dungeon boss and core. You cant pay enough nor can you coerce into helping you, church knight. I aint ever going there. The robed man then turned away from us, waving his hand to tell us to leave.
Sha. A guide would be useful.
As the rest of us were about to leave, Lady Yorshka held her hand up to signal us to stop before continuing, despite it looking like the man was ignoring her. Well, I did hear you had pyrophobia, so I cant bla you for declining. You have the body to show for it, after all, which earned Lady Yorshka a scoff from him.
His body?
Well, you know, the bird chirps also said sothing about your past. I dont need to bring it up, right? The man then turned his head around, staring at Yorshka with irritation and anger. One na. Keith Svonnweidher.
Im all ears.
A smirk grew on her face from the robed mans answer. I have no idea if you heard this, but Professor Keith was kicked out of the royal academy due to an unfortunate accident, where one of his proteges accidentally killed a nobles heir. Poor kid, got influenced by a Danterno fanatic. Well, Keith was found out and rightfully kicked out for forgetting to teach his student how to calm his emotions.
Skip to the important parts.
Okay, okay. Well, a reliable source inford he recently entered Greenveil Duchy with a bunch of Danterno's other followers. The lower floors are quite fiery, which makes it a perfect place for a pilgrimage, no? They can probably get their hands on so special rocks or minerals to create a powerful alchemical stone. Yorshka then showed him her ID, displaying her hunter and adventurer rank proudly to him. We need a guide. Do you need help?
R-Rank A The man then took his mask off for his right eye to properly see Lady Yorshkas ID with both eyes. I gasped at the sight of the right side of his face, scarred and completely red, as if hed experienced a severe burn.
My eye was then drawn to a rune-like tattoo glowing bright blue as if it was there to hide his scars. It isnt an illusion, he spoke aside to , noticing my gaze on the tattoo, before answering Lady Yorshka. I know the path down. If the dungeon hasnt changed the layout since the first ti I visited that hellish place, then I should be able to guide you down without any worries.
Good. However, before we go, would you mind offering your secondary services to us? Lady Yorshka then turned to us. Does anybody want a cool runic tattoo? Itll hurt, though~
************************************
Impossible!
A voice echoed through the halls of an abandoned dwarven mining hold, once dedicated to the Blacksmith God Bleidla. A lone figure was standing at the end of a hallway located on the deepest floor of the hold, behind a giant dwarven door. He had golden hair and yellow skin with two jagged horns protruding out of his forehead and a long, thin tail extending from a hole in his pants.
He had an expression of disbelief, displaying his small sharp fangs. He then clenched his teeth before storming into a small room, smashing the skeletal remains of a human. The room had nothing inside of it, save for all the dust on the floor.
T-This cant be! H-How could this happen?! the demonkin exclaid with bafflent instead of anger. Why? What is going on? Why is everything working against us? The damn grimgarians failed once again, losing a whole battalion and the cave entrance into Greenveil collapsed from a flood. A flood! Inside a mountain?! How was that possible?!
Rage filled the demonkin, turning his yellow skin slightly reddish, but it stopped before it could dye his whole face. The red flush vanished and the pristine yellow gold appeared once again. The mark of a demonkin of pride.
WrathdammitI need to calm myself down. I am better than those savages. I am better than those savages. I am better than those savages. I am superior to all the other demonkin, even those others of pride, the demonkin breathed heavily before his heartbeat cald down significantly, so slow he could be mistaken for a corpse. The progression towards taming sea serpents has been significantly slowed down because of a leviathan evolving into an S rank, causing chaos in the seas. The orb holding a herald of my gods was taken away by sobody, and all the preparations that human made to accommodate the herald were destroyed. The perfect place for its resurrection.
He then shook his head. Greenveil knows now, without a doubt; whoever destroyed the battalion would have inford the humans. Artorias will know, and if this war ends in failure, then I cannot call myself superior to those wretches ever again. My pride cannot allow that.
A creature of darkness suddenly manifested from the demonkins mana, morphed into the form of a raven. It is ti I sent this kingdom into chaos. It must be made vulnerable.
No laughter was heard. The demonkin was poised to act.
The herald must be found.
User Comments
0 comments from readers