199 - - The House of Swordsmen

A few days after visiting Sakon's house.

Together with Luba, we met Sakon's grandmother, whom we like to call "Toji-dono. We saw her tearful face as she listened to Ruba's story.

While I was sleeping (logged out), Peter and Amane had settled their scores. Amane said, "You didn't tell me there was another one!　My lips~!!!!" It seems that Momiji had done something to him. Stay strong." Remember me, you coward! I asked Peter about it and he gave me a nice smile and said, "Well?" He replied. Either he abandoned them and ran away, or he led them on and set them up on purpose.

Well, Amane seemed to be in a kind of empty state of mind after he came back from dropping Ukon off, but it was a good thing that he really seemed to be screaming from the bottom of his heart, wasn't it?

Anyway, I'll have to get some food tomorrow on my way home from work. At this rate, the fridge will become nothing but a seasoning container. My latest craze is to put pizza cheese and tomatoes on fried tofu and bake it in a toaster oven. Depending on the taste of the tomatoes, a dash of soy sauce on the top is a triumph of both Japanese and Western flavors. If you want to make mini pizzas with gyoza crusts, buy a box of cheese and freeze it in small portions. It takes time to thaw, but it's better than letting it go moldy.

I'm thinking of such practical things, but I'm in the midst of escaping from reality.

"Peter, this is ......"

"Give it up."

Peter invited me to get the recipe for <>. It is good that he got the recipe from ......, but the taste is not so good. The moment I put it in my mouth, I escaped from reality. > is a food that can reduce the E! consumption is slowed down. It is good for long dungeons or when you are in a dungeon. It is useful for a long dungeon or when you want to use a lot of E! It is useful, but ......

"Not tasty."

"And it's not like [cooking] skills."

Why can't we just be together?

"It's a [concoction], so there's nothing you can do about it."

Yes, they use sesame, buckwheat noodles, and other ingredients, but they also include dubious herbal medicines, and <> is treated as medicine in this world.

"Normally, I nibble on a grilled skewer as much as possible, but when it comes to a battle in which I can't relax, I'll just give up and eat it.

In a battle like the one with the sake-drinker, it is not possible to eat food while fighting. Moreover, it is only in such fights that you can't do it. s are depleted faster in such fights. They probably use skills such as [evasion] and [mind's eye] without realizing that they are doing so.

Homura.

"Yeah?"

"Don't nibble on grilled skewers in public when you're at Lengard."

"Why?"

Is that it, or is it because white stands out when spilled?

"It's an image problem. I'll give you a seedling, but you'll have to put up with it."

Peter gave me a <<< sapling of Houjyu apricot><< root of Benimyoga>>.

"When did you get it? ....... How did you find myoga?　I don't think they even have a shape this season."

Myoga grows by its roots, but this season, not a single leaf should be above ground.

"Huh. There's going to be a tree fair at the Higashi family estate. They say there will be a lot of fruit trees on display, so why don't you take a look?"

"Oh, I'll go. Thank you."

From the Spider to the plant market, what kind of information-gathering abilities does Peter have? I wonder if it is a skill of a spirit since he once said he was using a spirit. Come to think of it, I think I have such a skill too. ....... Is that it, or is the "escape" of the wind spirit working? I've only met him in situations where I'm sure to see him.

"If you make something delicious, please share it with us.

"Yes, sir."

Apricots, or tarts?　Candied apricots might be fun and festive, but only after we get some plums, too. Why is it that most apricot candies at festivals are made with apricots and plums at the same time? By the way, is it true that you don't see many apricot candies in Kansai?

Oh, they make apricot jelly!　I definitely want wolfberries, too. Most of the apricot jelly sold on the market are made from apricot kernels that are preserved in powder form, so their aroma is often lost and flavoring is added instead. When made from apricot kernels that have retained their original form, the freshly made apricot bean curd has a gentle aroma and is very tasty. Thinking about the delicious food, my mood was lifted.

The people who have made up the mixture have entered the precincts of an uninhabited shrine and are continuing to make alongside Peter. In addition to [blending], I have taken [alchemical blending], which is derived from [blending] and magic, and Peter has [blending poison], which is derived from [blending]. In order to make for made by [concoction], [concoction] is said to be at a very high level. ......[Poison preparation] is also at a high level.

"Oh, mail. It's from Luba.

"You're going to the blacksmith's workshop with Sakon today, aren't you?　What's up?"

The swordsmith Sakon wanted to introduce us to was very stubborn and eccentric, so Peter and I refrained from following him out of curiosity and for fear of ruining the conversation. Peter is a [blacksmith], so I felt I could have followed him, but he said, "I don't think I have enough [blacksmithing] skills, and if I said I would put poison on a sword I had struck, he would have kicked me out.

Certainly, from what I have heard about his personality and episodes, he seems to be the kind of person whose likability would plummet if he tried to tamper with a sword in any way. Sakon said that he was a bigot, but he was rather likable in that he would not strike an opponent whom he did not like, even if he was offered a large sum of money. Sakon has only one apprentice, and although he orders his sheaths from a sheath maker, he does everything himself from hitting to sharpening.

"He wants you to bring him the that Luba made. At any rate, he would like to see what kind of sword he has struck.

"I'm sure he has other swords he's used."

They knew that I was with Peter, and since they had called me, I thought it would be safe to go, so we both moved to the sword smith's house. The house is located in a quiet bamboo grove far from the town, probably because of the fire.

"There's something about the smell of disappointment..."

"Mm."

Peter responds with a laugh. The bamboo grove looked nice at first, but the house was surrounded by cut bamboos that looked like they had been cut down.

"Like, if I went into the garden, they would cut me down," he said.

"Don't worry, he's the one who makes them. But there are a lot of signs, six of them.

Many houses away from the town look open, enclosed by hedges and without gates, but this house is surrounded by a blackboard fence and closed by a door. Perhaps it is a precaution for handling knives, or perhaps it is to prevent people from entering the garden and being distracted while working.

Perhaps it is the atmosphere, or perhaps it is because of the atmosphere, but somehow he draws the <> to his body, and stretches out the <> while [sensing his presence].

"....... I'm here, but I'm standing in Nioi's position with a drawn sword."

"Uha."

And they cut the << thread>.

The next moment, the black door was blown open.

"Uhoh!"

"......!"

A large piece of what used to be the door flew past my body, and my sword was thrust out.

< with its scabbard, flicks the sword at the thrust, and pulls it out while jumping back.

"What?"

Before I can check the situation, Peter throws a kunai at the wolf beastman who appears, this time with a broken door and not a tail. While the beastman was knocking down the kunai, I checked my surroundings and saw Sakon and Luba looking stunned in the garden, a boy fidgeting next to them, and an old man and a sturdy man staring at me, not seeming to be surprised.

"Hmm, two of them."

"Well, there is no law that says you have to deal with a cutthroat by yourself.

"You are the one with the sword. First, let's shut up the interloper.

The beastman steps toward Peter. Unlike Leo and Shin, who have human faces, this beastman has the face of a wolf and the chest of a relaxed kimono, with its muffled chest hairs asserting its presence. Don't let the ...... fluffiness sway your heart.

"Mister Kate!"

Sakon shouts to stop him.

Peter's shadow reaches out to the beastman--Kate. But the other party immediately notices and cuts the shadow. At the same time as extending his shadow, he throws a <> at the beastman, and the <> is also repelled, but as soon as the sword touches it, a black, sticky darkness floods out of the <>.

"Well, there's no need to respond with a sword, is there?"

Heavy Magic] Level 40<>. Since it is the use of << sign>>, it is not possible to do things like stacking like magic, but those who use swords are easily affected by magic in terms of their status. However, there is a high possibility that you will be cut before the magic is activated, or you will be cut by the activated magic, or you will be able to avoid it.

"Yeah!　You're so clever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Peter's three steps, my magic. But I am impressed that he still reacted.

"Too bad, it's the type that increases when you cut, just like <>."

It is not an offensive magic, but a restraining magic. The ones Kate dodged melted into the ground and disappeared, but the ones she brushed away with her sword doubled in size, and the ones that stuck to Kate increased even more with a single step.

"Int, it won't be that high as expected, so I guess I'll win if I get it."

Peter says as he takes the from his mouth. While he is saying this, he extends his shadow again and tries to restrain Kate further. A hand like a mist appears from the shadow that touches Kate, and it intertwines with her feet, creating a rather horrifying picture.

"...... Unexpected!"

"I wonder if he's okay now that he's weakened?"

Peter, the man who never lets up, says as he looks at an unwilling Kate.

"I'm not going to ....... I'm sorry, but you're going to have to untie her.

A great stalwart calls out to him.

"I was hoping for a sword fight.

The old man blurted out.

Was that it, he wanted to see the performance of the <>!

"Homura, it doesn't change the fact that we were suddenly attacked."

Ah, that's why!　I was about to be convinced, when a cool-headed Peter gave me a shove.

After that, a smiling Peter negotiated and we received a variety of rewards ...... from Fuso's best swordsmith, who is eccentric and only strikes when he feels like it.