He Must Look Like His Mother
In the six months I worked under Burt at the inn,
I frequently witnessed brawls in the establishnt.
Throwing chairs and flipping tables were just the basics;
Occasionally, there were knife fights among drunken adventurers too.
Since we didn't have security stationed like the tavern next door, it was hard to break up fights—
Every ti, the place would inevitably turn into a wreck.
'I once nearly got killed when I got dragged into a fight by bad luck.'
Anyway,
Whenever the shop was in such bad shape that repairs were necessary, Burt used to go to Grey Fortress to et with the stonemason guild.
Back then, I loved those monts:
At least for about a week, I could be free from his violence.
But now, Burt is dead, and I'm the owner of this place.
Now, it's my turn.
"I'll go to Grey Fortress."
"Going to see the stonemason guild?"
"That's right. Now that it's co to this, I might as well do a full renovation of the place."
In this era, the stonemason guild doesn't just do stonework.
The guild handles carpentry and construction, too.
Just as adventurer guilds don't only go on adventures but also get up to thuggish behavior.
'My heart's already racing at the thought of remodeling.'
Also, I need to make sure to change the shop na.
Seriously, "Fairy's Leg"? What a filthy na.
"Can't you just place an order through the adventurer guild? Why bother going yourself?"
"I need to sell salt too. Otherwise, should I just pawn it off at the general store?"
Jeros let out a soft grumble without realizing.
The woman running the village general store was infamous for buying goods at dirt-cheap prices.
"Just look at the state of the place. Either way, I can't run a business like this. I'll just take care of business quickly and co right back."
I spoke nonchalantly on the outside, but inside, I was clearly excited.
From the significant cash I'd make selling salt
to seeing the real scenery of a northern city I'd only viewed as pixel graphics in the ga world—
How could I not be excited?
'I wonder how different Grey Fortress will be from the ga.'
Jeros looked at for a long mont, then chuckled.
"Yeah. I suppose you need a change of pace too. Are you planning to go alone?"
Ahem. Thought I hid my excitent well, but was it that obvious?
"Burt went alone too—why wouldn't I manage?"
Unlike the Empire or other regions, bandits are rare in the north.
Because the Duchy is a military nation and ruthlessly exterminates thieves.
So the more dangerous things are wild beasts and demonic beasts.
Even those, you rarely encounter as long as you stick to the main roads.
In other words, as long as you're not unbelievably unlucky, going alone is fine.
'The problem is, I'm not exactly lucky.'
Like how I ended up getting pulled into this ga world—damn it.
"Kukuku. Fine. Go take care of it yourself."
Jeros seed to have reached a decision and stood up from his seat.
"Take care on your way."
I watched Jeros wave as he headed outside.
I wonder what he'll eat while I'm gone.
Hmm. Well, he'll figure it out.
*
After seeing Jeros off, I went straight to the forge.
When Dwarf Gerald saw the two kitchen knives in their ruined state, the first thing he did was swear.
"Hey, you damn outsider. What the hell did you do with these kitchen knives to ss up the blades this badly, huh?"
Dwarves usually treat tools they make like their own children;
Apparently, kitchen knives are no exception.
"Sorry. I had my reasons—"
"Damn it. Did you get into a knife fight with these? If so, I wouldn't say a thing."
Hmm. It didn't feel like I could admit I actually had.
I held out the spoils—a pair of sickles and a spear.
"How much will you give for these?"
"... Where'd you get those? Judging by the wear, they look like my handiwork."
The dwarf snorted suspiciously as he scrutinized .
"Fifty copper each. Won't go any higher."
"Oh, co on. That's way too low."
"If you don't like it, get lost."
"Hm. How about this instead?"
I figured I wouldn't get full value selling them anyway.
"lt down the two sickles and reinforce my kitchen knives with the tal. And take the spear as paynt for the labor."
Gerald twitched his lips, then said, "Damn brat. You're pretty much one of us now."
Of course. I've been here more than half a year, after all.
He hefted the sickles and kitchen knives together,
said it'd take so ti, and told to co back when the sun rises tomorrow.
With the forge business handled, I headed next to the general store.
It took three days on foot to reach Grey Fortress.
I needed to prepare.
'Jerky's a bit expensive.'
About to buy it anyway, along with so rat sausage, due to the high price,
"Why are you buying jerky? Where are you going?"
"I'm heading to Grey Fortress."
"Oh, co on. What's an outsider like you going there for?"
"The shop's a real ss right now. Got business with the stonemason guild."
"Sheesh. So you're the boss now?"
Despite her harsh words, the general store owner picked up a potato and shoved it into my arms.
"Don't get sidetracked at Nobopil on the way, and don't get yourself killed, either."
Wait, since when has this stingy old lady been so generous?
I guess all those forced smiles paid off at last.
Truly, following your parents' teachings does bring unexpected luck.
"Thank you!"
"What are you thanking for? Haaa. The village's been so troubled lately."
"Why? Did sothing happen?"
The shopkeeper looked around and whispered to .
"Well, almost the whole company of soldiers from Devanne, who were stationed at the spirit stone quarry, got wiped out."
"Nearly the whole company?"
"Yes! And apparently, it was by a single mage! So now everyone's in a state of ergency."
No wonder.
Even with the "Closed" notice posted at the shop entrance, the soldier custors had completely disappeared.
"If it's an ergency, does that an they haven't caught the mage yet?"
She nodded.
"So you be careful too. Ugh. What ill fortune in the middle of winter."
Leaving the grumbling storekeeper behind, I returned to Fairy's Leg.
"Welco back, boss!"
When I returned, I felt a subtle emotion I'd never experienced before:
The feeling you get when you have soone waiting to greet you at ho.
"Yes, I'm back."
How long had it been since I felt like this?
At the sa ti, I caught a glimpse of anxiety in Naba's eyes.
He must have been scared by my absence.
After all, just yesterday he almost got killed by that gang of thugs.
It'd be strange if he didn't have separation anxiety.
"Boss."
"Yeah?"
"On your way to Grey Fortress... Could you please take with you?"
In the end, Naba said it.
"I promise I won't cause any trouble."
But it would be hard to grant his request.
It's my first ti leaving the village myself.
Even a familiar road would be tough with a child—and this journey would be a first for both of us.
'Sorry.'
Just then, the door was rattled by the wind.
Creak.
With its lock busted, the battered door looked especially forlorn.
'But I can't just leave Naba here alone, either.'
I mulled over alternatives to keep my staff safe as a responsible owner.
Should I leave him with money at the red-light district?
No. That wouldn't protect him from Derek's gang.
'Then... to Jeros?'
I shook my head to clear it.
Jeros already objected to hiring Naba in the first place.
Even if he agreed to watch him, it'd cost dearly.
Besides, he probably wouldn't look after him well.
'Looks like there's only one person left.'
Now the only option, not entirely "on my side," ca to mind—
But I quickly made up my mind and said to Naba,
"It's difficult to bring you with , but I won't leave you alone."
*
"I leave this child in your care, Flaco."
"......"
Flaco frowned deeply as he looked at Naba.
"Hey, what the hell, Ian. I'm a hunter, not a babysitter. Why'd you suddenly show up with a kid?"
This was the reaction I expected.
Given his personality, there was no way he'd be happy to take in a child.
I delivered my prepared line.
"This child might be Lord Burt's child."
If I said it for certain, Flaco's sense stat and intuition might activate.
So I kept it vague with "might be."
"... W-what?!"
Flaco's eyes widened.
Judging by his face, he half-believed it.
"Burt had a kid?"
Flaco muttered, glancing at Naba.
"Well, with how much he sowed his seed, it'd be stranger if he didn't... I an, but still. Burt's kid wouldn't be this cute, would he?"
As expected, I shot back my prepared answer.
"He must look like his mother."
"Damn. So even Burt's departure... was it related to this kid?"
Hmm. Didn't expect him to ask that much.
"Maybe, don't you think?"
I glossed things over, but
Flaco looked utterly shocked, lips frozen.
Clearly he was spinning so kind of dayti drama in his head.
I used that mont to hand over Naba's things to him.
"His na is Naba. She'll stay quietly at ho while you're out hunting—and this is food for her."
What was once a plastic bag full of sugar was now stuffed with white rice porridge, and
Flaco's face, receiving it, looked completely dazed.
"And this is a al I made for you, Lord Flaco—rice balls. Eat it before or during hunting, whenever you want."
"... Huh? Even one for ?"
Finally, I made sure to remind Naba.
"Naba! Listen to whatever Lord Flaco tells you, okay?"
"Yes!"
Naba answered bravely enough.
He survived among the terrifying Derek gang, after all.
Staying at a hunter's house should be far easier in comparison.
"Good kid. I'll co back as soon as possible."
As I turned to head back, Flaco's voice called out.
"How long do I have to keep him?"
"I'm going to the stonemason guild in Grey Fortress. The inn is destroyed—it's impossible to predict how shocked Lord Burt would be if he saw it like this."
"... Alright. Go ahead."
I winked at Naba, then returned to the shop.
* * *
At the sa ti,
the military operations office of the frontline village Granfen.
2nd Company Commander Hank was raising his voice.
"I'm telling you, it's definitely the Heroni! Have you ever seen demonkin cross the magic boundary and travel alone? If it's not demonkin, then obviously it's those damn beastkin, the Heroni!"
The focus of his accusation, 1st Company Commander Lantz, retorted angrily.
"How many tis do I have to tell you, stop making baseless accusations! I already said a letter is on the way, can't we just wait?"
At this, Hank pounded his chest.
"Commander! Are we really just going to sit around and wait? Let's go kill those beastkin right now!"
The eyes of the three company commanders in the operations room all turned to the battalion commander,
but he rely remained with arms crossed and eyes closed.
Just then,
a soldier barged in, throwing open the door.
"Commander! A ssage from the 'Heroni' has arrived!"
Only then did the battalion commander open his eyes slightly.
"You're late. Read it."
The soldier unrolled the letter and began to read.
"Sworn upon the Great Tree, our federation announces that it has committed no act of aggression against the Granfen spirit stone quarry. Any further suspicion will be regarded as a declaration of war, and we prepare for the end of a long conflict. King of the beastkin, Arundel."
The operations room fell quiet, the air chilling.
This was a reply not from an army or noble, but from a king himself.
Furthermore, the phrase sworn "upon the Great Tree" was included.
When the beastkin swear upon the Great Tree, they never break their word or lie.
"Hm."
At last, the battalion commander let out a low hum.
'What on earth happened here?'
The surprise attack at the spirit stone quarry.
The surviving soldiers all insisted it was magic.
But none could say what the mage looked like, what clothes they wore, or what kind of magic was used.
All the brave soldiers who stepped forward had been slaughtered.
'Whether it was demonkin or beastkin, no one knew.'
The alarm was raised and reinforcents were sent as soon as the attack began,
but there was no one left at the spirit stone quarry.
The circumstances suggested this wasn't a typical raid for spirit stones.
In the end, they hadn't lost the quarry,
but 3rd Company Commander Devanne was now comatose,
and more than half his company had been lost.
'Spring is almost here.'
When winter ends and spring cos, war will break out once more.
Yet before it even starts, there had already been a critical loss of strength.
A bitter smile slipped from the battalion commander's lips.
"Hahaha."
How would he make up for this loss?
How to recover their diminished combat strength?
One person imdiately ca to mind.
'Jeros.'
A man whose combat ability was at least company commander-class, if not higher—yet who stubbornly remained as a guard.
He'd watched until now, but it was ti to find a way to drag him into the war effort.
And,
how else to strengthen their power—
The thought barely crossed his mind before another flash of insight struck him.
'The black-haired outsider.'
The one who brought mysterious effects through cooking.
If they could recruit that outsider as a cook?
If it were possible, it would surely strengthen their fighting power.
'Ho.'
The battalion commander, his interest piqued, spoke.
"Lantz. Does the outsider have any military obligation?"
As Lantz tried to answer, 2nd Company Commander Hank, his green eyes flashing, cut in.
"I'll look into it right away."
"Mm. Thank you."
For the first ti during the eting, the battalion commander smiled.
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