42 Episode 42 Call

It is the middle of September now. Soon it will be the season of change from summer to fall.

Are you ready?

"Yeah, Dad,

Rodin calls out to me and I reply. Today is your day to go out in the morning. The mayor sent a messenger yesterday and I received a call. I thought it was just Rodin, but he told me that Allen should come too. He didn't say what he wanted. He just said tomorrow morning at 9:00 a.m. at the chief's house.

I'll be out of the house before 8:00.

As usual, Teresia, Mash, and Murat are staying home. Rodin and Allen will be seen off at the door.

They walk along the wheat field trails.

The wheat will be reaped in September. Rodin's house is about to be reaped too.

"Hey, Rodin. I knew he'd send for you, too.

Gerda was just on her way out the front door. It seems that the chief called Gerda too.

You too, Gerda? It's just that I'm a bit of a rarity, and the chief seems to call out to my father and Gerda.

Rodin and Gerda are in charge of the serfs. If anything goes wrong, the mayor will make a request to these two men.

The mayor doesn't just ask for a boar hunt. He often asks you to intervene in a fight between serfs or other serfs, or to do other chores. Furthermore, since Gerda prefers to talk with her fists, it is exclusively Rodin's role to break up fights.

"Does Gerda know what you want?

No, I was just told to come along.

Gerda didn't tell us what she was called in for either.

Maybe it's a boa hunt. What do they have to say about the boa hunt from next month?　Last year's story was that last year you were supposed to take out 15 of them, this year you're supposed to take out 20. (Does the story change?)

The three of us walk and think.

For the past three months, we have worked hard to collect magical stones throughout the village.

We have talked to the serfs at the water pump, searched for stones in the yard of Krsna's house, and talked to Dogora and Peromus. I patiently asked around the village for E-ranked magic stones that were not needed in the store, and I collected more than 200 of them. Passion is what makes people tick.

Now I have more grass E stones. I'm using more grass E to increase the magic power and reach Summon Level 5 quickly. I need three million skill experience to summon level 5.

I don't know if I should go boa hunting again next month. You should go if only for experience. But if you want to earn some money and escape from the serfs, it is better to hunt Albahron at home.

You are wondering if you should prioritize gaining experience or money. That's why we haven't had a rematch of the arm-wrestling match yet. I will use this call as one of the criteria for deciding whether to fight again.

You will arrive at the chief's house. When you enter the house, you will be shown to the back room and told that it is this way. It seems to be the chief's room.

Oh, there you are. I've been waiting.

The fat village chief is in the room. He says it's good to see you.

So, chief, what is it? Get Allen.

(Yes, I do, do I have to?　(Explain that because the armor was completed?

Well, wait, say you'll serve tea and the tea will come out. Tea is served.

It's a snack. They're so good!

This might be the first time I've come to another world. Allen ate some baked goods that he thought were made of wheat and sugar. Allen has a sweet tooth.

But Rodin and Gerda's brows wrinkle. That's because they usually serve tea, but not baked goods.

"So?　Why did you call me?

Rodin as if to question the chief.

Then he drank tea, took a breath, and said, "To tell you the truth, my lord is coming to Krsna next month.

To tell you the truth, our lord is coming to Krsna village next month.

""What?"

So, you said you wanted to see a boa hunt.

A messenger from the lord came to the village yesterday and said there was something to discuss.

"You want me to hunt boa in front of my lord?

That's right.

The village chief who answers Gerda's question immediately. Both Rodin and Gerda are biting to see if it's true. Allen will be born next month for eight years and I've never heard of a lord coming to the village. This may be the first time in the village's 13 years of existence.

(What?　What?　(Rapid development, huh?)

"When will you be here next month?

"I hear it's around mid-October. After all, hmm.

(Hmm?)

Something about Allen's words caught the mayor's attention.

So what am I supposed to do?

Of course, I want you to do the boa-hunting well, without fail, in front of your lordship. I'm in front of my lord.

The chief reminds us that failure is not an option.

"So why did you call my son, too?

I knew the lords were coming. But Rodin wonders why he needed to call Allen here.

The messenger said I needed someone to accompany my lord and show him around.

And the mayor turns to Allen.

""What?"

"Huh?　Me?

Rodin and Gerda are both astonished.

"Hey, hey, if you want a kid, why don't you have a son in your place?

"No, my son is not very good at that kind of thing, he's just not very good at it. I'm hoping you can handle it from the previous night's dinner.

Apparently it's not just to explain the hunt.

(Mmm, that's what the candy was for. I can't be bribed with these sweets, can I?

While thinking, I'll have another tea cake.

Mmmm.

Rodin seems to be wondering if he should agree. It's his father, Rodin, not Allen, who will answer. It's his father, Rodin, not Allen.

I'm listening. I'm sure he thought of this armor and the way he hunts. And he speaks the language well. He is the perfect guide.

The folding village chief . Allen will be the one to lead the hunt.

Watching Rodin's troubled mind, Aren thinks.

I'm not interested in lords and lordship. But...

Allen is not interested in status. He became a serf because the only choice for a summoner was a serf.

I don't have any desire to become a nobleman or to break free of the serfdom.

On the contrary, once you become a nobleman, you'll be crippled and won't be able to level up, so you'd rather avoid it at all costs. Serving a nobleman is out of the question.

But a serf is a serf.

If I stay as a serf, I won't be able to go outside or level up.

Currently, the ability to level up in a year is limited to boa hunting and Albaheron hunting. Summons have only been validated up to F-rank. I don't think that F-rank validation is sufficient either. I want to get out of this situation.

Of course I want my family to have a better life.

(As I recall, there are two ways to get out of this serf situation.

This reminds me of something Gerda once told me about how to break away from the serfs and become a commoner.

Each person pays 10 gold coins (50 gold coins for a family of 5).

Lords will make you a commoner with a reward

Even though I hunted hard last fall, I could only earn about three gold coins. At this rate, it will take me more than ten years to become a commoner. With such a low status, I don't know what will happen to my family before then.

(I wasn't sure if I should join the boa hunt or focus on hunting Albaheron, but I guess I've decided what to do.

"Dad.

"Hmm?　What's going on?　Allen

He calls out to Rodin, who is wondering if he should take Allen as a guide.

"I'll be the Lord's guide.

"What?

And tell them how hard everyone is working for their lordship in the boa hunt.

Says with a smile.

(Let's tell the lords about your father's good qualities and have them make you a commoner.

Oh, would you accept!　And a delighted village chief. Rodin is surprised but does not object. So is Gerda. I'm sure she thinks that Allen can do it.

"So, what are we going to do now?

Gerda talks about next month's boa hunt, when the lords are due to come.

"Chief, have you finished all the armor you asked for?

Mm, the barn is all there. Shall we go see it now?

Well, let's go to the barn. We need to talk about how to use the armor and how to hunt, so let's go to the barn.

Get ready for the boa hunt.

Prepare for next month's boa hunt in front of the lords and get moving.