9-5 Part 1
Yesterday's Wind
- Returning to the Inn with the Woman
I Found -
Translator : PolterGlast
Is this what they call [Back to Start] in games from
the other world? Taking the white wolf Shuria from the scene of the
attack, we first headed south to the East Gate of the Imperial Capital.
After that, we used the Red Avenue stretching
east to west to walk toward the west.
Along the way, we bought dried grapes and roasted beans from
a street vendor who said they came from a rural
farming village, and while sharing them with Shuria, we eventually
returned to the tavern-inn where I stayed yesterday. There are no people in the
tavern-inn in the morning. So I opened the Book of the Evil Dragon,
which had been on my mind for a while.
- Exploration -
【Do another 10 laps around the
Imperial Capital】 7.25 / 10 laps completed
- Reward: VIT +100
- 『Now is not the time to be
looking at this. Look at Yatsufusa, this is an order. Do not make
her anxious any further. Protect her properly.』
Looking at it, it says +0.25 laps. With this, it seems
starting from the East Gate next time should do it. It bothers me a little that
Zirant is strangely caring toward Shuria, though...
But thinking back, did I meet Carral Hez while I
was going around the Imperial Capital seeking VIT (Stamina)
too...?
「Oh my, to come back with a woman.」
「——?!」
It's this time of day. When I rang the reception bell, the
innkeeper came down the stairs with a leisurely gait from the second floor.
Leaning the mop he carried on his back against the stairs, he looked at us with
languid eyes.
「You could tell it was a woman.」
「Well, trade secret I guess. Usually,
I can tell by the attitude.」
「Ugh, I feel like he sees through me hyan...
Being a fugitive, is it exposed...?」
Hiding behind my back, Shuria was vigilant. However,
with that attitude, it's like asking him to be suspicious.
Whether my companion is a woman or a wolf, we have nothing
to be guilty about. I boldly placed the lodging fee on the counter.
The innkeeper accepted the money as if accustomed to it,
then pulled open the drawer where keys were kept. However, he didn't pick up a
key, but just looked down at it blankly.
「Shinza, was it... I thought you were a serious guy... Ah, sorry,
the twin room is still being cleaned. A double is open.」
「Eh?! Umm, that's troubl—」
「Understood, that's fine.」
「Hyaun?!」
I didn't intend for the two of us to stay together, but
considering pursuers, that would probably be safer. When I placed the
additional lodging fee on the counter, the innkeeper handed me the key and
tried to return to cleaning.
「Wait. If the landlady is free, I
want to order food.」
「Ah, food...!」
「Ah... I don't mind at all. Heh, I
see how it is. So you're the type who starts the siege by bribing them with
food... I don't hate that kind of strategy.」
「Hyan?! S-Such an intention existed kyan?!」
「I don't really get it, but thanks.
She seems hungry, so I want to let her eat her fill.」
About five servings should be enough. I handed even more
additional money to the proprietor. Then beckoning to Shuria, who was
fidgeting for some reason, I went up to the best room on the second floor while
being watched over by the proprietor.
「Hmm... What a strange guy... Oi
Ka-chan, a huge order came in. Says they're hungry.」
Now then, let's extract the detailed story before the food
comes. Moving to a guest room that was spacious and well-furnished for a
tavern-inn, we sat at the four-person table there.
「Kyuun... Same room, with a man...
kyuuun, thinking about it, that's amazing hyan...」
「I'm troubled if you just stand
there. Sit or sleep until the food comes.」
I pointed to the wooden chair and the double bed in turn.
「S-Sleep...?!」
「If you want to sleep, go ahead. In
the world of books, it's often depicted that one can barely sleep during life
on the run. Though I still have plenty of stories I want to hear.」
Looking at her, she doesn't seem sleepy. But she is completely restless. Beastmen's facial expressions
are hard to read, but their ears and mouth are that much richer in emotional
expression.
The fact that those ears are drooping now means she's either
intimidated by something or being reserved with me. Since I can't tell the
subtle emotions, I ended up staring at Shuria.
「Even though, I'm such a hairy
woman... is it still, okay hyan...?」
「What are you talking about?」
「T-That's why, from now on, with
you...」
「More importantly, you should hide
here for a while.」
Mooched off by Sigrun, I spent more than I thought,
but I still have money. I placed money on the table for lodging for a while.
「Eh, eeeeh?! T-That's, not good, I can't accept such a large amount hyan!」
「Ah, I see. You're the type who
thinks with her stomach, too. Well, just take it. Don't overthink this.」
「B-But, money, I can't pay it back...」
「I don't intend to lend it. But I don't
intend it as charity either. Just due to some circumstances, I want to shelter
you here.」
Such things are the shame of the Empire. Abducting people
from foreign lands and buying and selling them as slaves is unforgivable.
Therefore, this is not charity, but part of an apology and repayment.
「M... Even if you say difficult
things, I don't understand kyan!」
「Fufu, that's true too. ...I am just
moving for my own circumstances. Strangely enough, if I save you, I am
saved too. Now, more importantly, tell me about the kidnappers, no, the human
trafficking organization.」
They are my
prey. If it's a human trafficking organization, there is no room for sympathy
anywhere. A bargain sale of trash worthy of death awaits me.
「Umm... what will you do, once you
know, hyan...?」
「Carry out justice. Oh, seems it's
here already, fast. Come in!」
A knock sounded, and the food arrived. When I called out,
the good-natured landlady of the tavern-inn lined up lots of dishes on the
table from a large copper tray. I watched as the opportunistic creature took
the seat opposite me, slurping drool, her eyes sparkling at the cuisine.
「Sorry, at this time.」
「It's that kind of business, so it's
fine. More importantly, if there's anything else you want to eat, tell me; I'm
troubled if you just hand me money without ordering anything! At least tell me
what you want to eat!」
Looking at her, Shuria seems captivated by the ham
and sausages, perhaps because she is wolf-based after all.
「Then—well, as you can see, meat
dishes.」
「Aye, leave it to me! Then take your
time, you two!」
When the landlady left the room, a silent mealtime followed
for a while. I intended to aim for when her lips loosened from good food, but
it seems I was also absorbed in filling my stomach.
Chewing single-mindedly, gatsu-gatsu. Sausages and
thick ham, pork stir-fried sweet and salty, and chowder using clam shells
harvested in Naglfar.
With a
hearty appetite, we devoured about half of the spread along with the baguette.
「...By the way, Shuria.」
「Hagu hagu, Yashu is fine kyan!
My comrades all call me so kyan!」
「I see. Then Yashu, where did
you come from?」
「Where, from the Beastman Country Kaha,
kyan. We were living there peacefully all along... Found by scary
kidnappers, got caught, brought here hyan... hagu, fuaaa... meat is
delicious kyan♪」
When hungry, one becomes gloomy; when the stomach is full,
one becomes bright. That is a living creature. Yashu had completely
taken off her hood and was dexterously using a fork and knife with her beastman
hands.
「I arrived inthe Imperial Capital about 3 days ago hyan.
The boat trip until then was just terrible hyan... Even if I peed a
little, there was nothing to wipe with; they were the worst days hyan...」
「That would be solved if you didn't
pee yourself.」
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