5-2
The Strange Book Says to Go to a
Penniless Remote Village
Translator : PolterGlast
If you look at the map centered on the Imperial Capital,
the Empire is vast to the north. However, developed cities are mostly
concentrated in the south and around the Imperial Capital.
Conversely, the farther north you go, the lower the average
temperature gets, and along with that, harvest yields drop, leading to a
decrease in population density. Exceptions would be mining areas or cities
owned by powerful lords.
Naturally, these are not lands under the Emperor's
direct control, but territories ruled by nobles great
and small. It is safe to say that the order taken for granted in the Imperial
Capital fades away, and irrationality and tyranny increase.
Because these places are jumbled with various nobles and
their territories, things are often complicated and troublesome.
Anyway, since I accepted it, I departed immediately. After
enjoying a three-day journey shaken by a shared carriage, I finally arrived at
my destination.
"Thanks for your patronage, Adventurer-san. Where are
you working?"
"Corin Village. Do you know the way?"
I sold salt and dried fish in a small regional city.
Certainly, this seems to be a reliable way to make money. After deducting the
carriage fare, I made a small profit.
"Then you should wait until tomorrow. If you go north
through the town's main street, there should be a sign; after that, just follow
the directions and you'll arrive."
"That helps. I'll do as you say."
"You're one
eccentric adventurer, I'll give you that. But you
should cherish your life; that area is tough."
"Ah, if that's the case, no problem. My life has been
light from the start, so it's actually just right."
This is happening in this region. Merchants probably grasp
the situation to some extent. But having come this far, I can't just go home
without doing anything.
"You really are an odd one..."
Since I had some money in my pocket, I spent a moderately
lively night at a decent tavern inn, and departed for Corin Village the
next morning.
Indeed, it was four days one way. After advancing through
dense mountain paths and finally reaching a plateau deep in the mountains, my
vision opened up all at once. It seems that was Corin Village.
Since they were having trouble with Goblins, the
village was surrounded by barricades of timber and stone, looking just like a
small fortress. However, the village was larger than I had imagined. As far as
I could see, they had their hands full just trying to protect themselves; it
certainly didn't look like a wealthy place.
"You're not from the village. Are you perhaps a
prospector from somewhere?"
Standing at the village's south gate, a gatekeeper with
field soil on his face peeked out from above the fence. Because I was carrying
a Shovel, I was mistaken for a prospector or something.
"A prospector, huh. Well, that's close."
"Not a prospector? Then what?"
"I'm an adventurer who undertook the Goblin
subjugation. Let me in, along with the sea salt souvenir from the Imperial
Capital."
The gatekeeper tilted his head at the Shovel Man's
words. After all, that man wasn't wearing a sword or armor. Saying he didn't
really understand so I should meet the village chief, I was introduced at the
largest mansion.
"I'm the village chief, but who are ya?"
"Didn't you hear from the gatekeeper? Then rather than
explaining, take this."
I felt like I wouldn't be believed, so I showed the letter
from the guild to the village chief. If asked about his appearance, it's rude,
but I'll answer like this:
He's an elderly man who looks like a lump of unwanted hair.
Anyway, he was hairy and had a wildness contrasting with the citizens of the Imperial
Capital.
"Ohhhhh! Welcome, welcome! We've been waitin' for ya,
Adventurer-sama!"
As soon as he saw the letter, the village chief's attitude
changed completely. Finally, a savior who would do something about the Goblins
had come; he was smiling and in high spirits.
However, the joy was fleeting. Looking at my appearance
again, he gradually changed his smile to a serious face.
"So then... are yer companions around?"
"None. Just me."
"Just one... Then, looking at ya, ya don't seem to have
a sword or anything, so what do ya fight with?"
"A Shovel."
"Sho... Shoveeeel?! Wh-Wha-Wha-What the heck is
thaaat!?"
The Hairy Village
Chief was bewildered. Even when I showed off the steel Shovel I received
from Brother and Sister, he didn't harbor any feelings of admiration at all.
"Let's see, if a sword user is a Swordsman, then I am
like a Shovelman. Village Chief, you shouldn't underestimate the Shovel.
It works as a sword,
also a blunt weapon, digs holes, and if you get hungry, you can even use it to find potatoes. A Shovel is a versatile weapon not to be trifled with."
"Oh... oh... A reaaal weirdo has come... Just a sec,
I'll step out for a bit. You just wait here a mo..."
The village chief rushed out of the room. Unintelligible
whispers echoed from outside the room, and after waiting a little, he returned.
"I called the Vigilante Corps Leader. He'll come soon,
so have a meeting with him. But still, it's strange... Is fighting with a Shovel
popular in the Imperial Capital's guild?"
"Yeah, pretty much. It's no exaggeration to say the Shovel
is at the absolute cutting edge of trends."
"Is that soo, I really don't get what city folks
do..."
I can clear up the village chief's confusion and
misunderstanding later. Until the so-called Vigilante Corps Leader arrived, the
"guest" sat on a hemp sofa and soothed the fatigue of the journey.
The village chief said soon, but he's late. Don't tell me
he's out plowing a field or something? Just when the tension
faded—though not completely— and I
started feeling too lethargic to even move, a large man with a sword at his
waist finally appeared.
"Sorry to keep you waiting, my niece was being
fussy..."
"You could have waited until you put her to sleep. I'm Shinza,
an adventurer from the Imperial Capital."
"I'm Lucky, nice to meet you. But... do you
really have nothing other than a Shovel...?"
"Yeah, my talent for the sword is devastating, so I'm
far better with this. The village chief looked at this and seemed
quite flustered and disappointed, though."
Since he looked at the Shovel with interest, I handed
my weapon to Lucky-san. With his large body, he held it with both hands
and gazed at it wonderingly.
A steel Shovel. A genuine rarity whose value can only
be known by those who can distinguish between steel and iron.
After all, manufacturing steel requires money, effort, and
skilled craftsmen. One doesn't usually consume precious steel to make a
digging tool.
"Shinza-dono, do you really fight with something
like this...? Steel for a Shovel... Sorry, I really can't
understand..."
"No need to worry. I have a track record of defeating
an Abyss Hound with this. And just the other day, I even fought to a
draw with a certain brave and renowned Imperial Officer. Oh, and that reminds
me, this is a yam I dug up with this Shovel. Actually, on the way here,
I just..."
"Oh, oh... This is the first time in my life I've been
handed a potato by an adventurer..."
Digging potatoes. This is precisely one of the wonderful
points of a Shovel that would surely make the top five. No, you don't
have to make that face, I'll do the job properly. Don't be at a loss, Vigilante
Corps Leader Lucky.
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