Episode 3.15

"Oh my. You're finally here."

"Sorry for my tardiness."

While taking a seat on a backless chair Jericho brought for him, Lecan apologized to Shira.

He puts down his bag and sword. Today Lecan is wearing his Overking Bear overcoat. Wearing overcoat indoor might go against custom and manners, but doing this ensures Lecan's peace of mind if even a little. After all, the person in front of him may look like a graceful old lady, but in fact is a monster.

"I've heard about the matter with Dony. Thank you for that."

"By happenstance, I ended up having to take care of a business there for 10 days. Since it was too far away if I had to go back and forth every day, I ended up staying there."

"Actually, you see, many people had been raising their dissatisfaction about the absent of the contest for a long time."

"Hou."

"Particularly from those who are fond of Longarm Apes (Zanbald)."

Shira strokes Jericho's chin while speaking.

"As a matter of fact, I'm one of those voices. But I never would have guessed that Dony had that in mind."

Perhaps, Shira had something to do with the contest's revival, or maybe even the inspection at Rumoi Village.

"You heard about the match's result?"

"The opponents were merely two Wood Wolves, no? Parade would never lose."

"Must have been quite a strict regimen you put him through. Parade completely dominated. But there's more story afterward."

"Hou."

"Dony made an appeal to the lord, see. That Wood Wolves are well suited for guarding the lord's mansion, and Longarm Apes are for those who are frail and helpless to cuddle with, he said."

"I see. But would the opponent accept that I wonder."

"Exactly, see."

Shira cackled before continuing.

"I mean, after an utter and complete defeat, the guy was told that he'd be given the guardian privilege. Apparently, he felt like he was being made fun of. He wouldn't agree to it without a rematch no matter what. In the end, there will be a rematch in ten years time. However, the lord mansion shall be guarded by the Wood Wolves for the next ten years. Other territory lords nearby had been invited to the contest were all in awe of Parade's strength. Dony's probably flooded with purchases and requests for training right about now."

"Well then, I guess this means you'll accept me as your pupil."

"You pass. Welcome. Pupil-san with a scary face."

"I'll be in your care, Master."

"By the way, I'd like to ask you one thing. You seemed quite tired when you were working on Fobea's house, didn't you."

Looks like Shira even knew about minute details.

"Lots of heavy rocks."

"No one else would have been able to move those rocks by himself except you. But then, why didn't you buy some stamina recovery potion?"

Lecan was so surprised his right eye opened wide as he froze in place.

"Stamina... recovery potion... you said?"

"That's a face of someone who didn't know the existence of this medicine. There is. It's a medicine that loosens your muscles and gives you renewed strength. However, it does not removes the damage in joints and fatigue inside body, so you'd accumulate pain and fatigue if you keep using it for a long period. Though it doesn't get used in regular times, it's an indispensable medicine for workers nearing their deadline. Oh and knights and adventurers do make use of it for when they truly need to."

"To think such medicine exists."

"Oh dearie me, you really are a <Descender> then. I suppose I have to also teach you common sense."

"When did you realize I was a <Descender>?"

"Chaney told me first thing first. 'This person called Lecan is hiding the fact that he's a <Descender>, if you could please teach him various things', he asked me."

Looks like Chaney noticed too. Well, he may look like a good-natured person, but he's still a shrewd merchant at the core after all, and since it is a fact that Lecan is ignorant of the ways of this world, this is only a natural course of events.

Frankly speaking, he'd prefer to have the fact unknown only to the monster standing in front of him.

However, from now on, Lecan will have to stay near Shira to learn her skills for a while.

As he doesn't need to hide his <Descender> status, he might as well ask her stuff without reserve. He decided to treat this as a chance.

And thus, adventurer Lecan has formally been accepted as apothecary Shira's apprentice.

[Episode 3 Apprenticeship Test] End / Next Time [Episode 4 Herbs Gathering]