CH 88

Translator: “Hakou”                             Editor: “Weasalopes”                

The west sky was dyed in red by the sunset.

The Royal Capital also dyed in red receiving the reflection of its light. Only the shadows that are extending itself in black.

And between the big and long shadows drawn by the buildings, the same shadow belonging to humans is coming and going on the streets.

It’s the usual scenery of the Royal Capital at sunset.

「I’m finally back home」

I said as I stretched my body inside the Old Lady cockpit.

I’m relieved that I have a place where I can say 「I’m home」 at.

The Holy City is great and all but, as I thought there’s no better place than my hometown here.

Seeing the approaching Old Lady, the guards at the gate are ready to welcome us. I’m glad we arrived before the sun was completely gone.

(Thanks for the hard work…)

The tough-looking old man came out staggered from the specially made, fast, and comfortable carriage golem. A trace of fatigue could clearly be seen on his face.

I said inside my heart to appreciate his hard work.

His mental fatigue must be considerably piled up as we went on our way home.

Cool, the one who received a surprise attack from virgin shotas, that could be said the best experience, according to the person herself. She was in a very good mood the entire time inside the carriage.

If I had to be specific, she was letting out lukewarm sighs while her cheeks dyed in red. And each time she does that, she will let out an eerie laugh as she leaked out a dense amount of pheromones.

She must’ve been happily remembering those moments she had, like a cow that keeps chewing its food.

Explosive onee-san was stunned, the guild leader was delighted, and The tough-looking old man didn’t know what he should do or said about that charming figure of hers.

TOP ARTICLES1/5Mercenaries in Apocalypse Volume 1Chapter 29

(He did his best in the private toilet every time we took a rest in a water spring after all.)

It’s hard to live while containing the lust that you can do nothing about inside you. I can’t help but feel sympathetic towards him.

「Roger!」

I connected the external audio and shouted. The guards guarding the gate already gave their instructions.

The guild master enters the royal capital from here at the west gate, but for me and the Old Lady, we must travel from here to the east gate and enter the hangar from there.

We’re heading there at low speed so as not to raise as much cloud of sand as possible.

「Welcome back」

Herbivorous mechanic welcomed me at the entrance of the hangar.

(Hm? It feels like he got a little thinner from before)

He’s smiling as if nothing’s wrong but, it looks like the area around his cheeks is getting hollower.

「Is there any changes in Old Lady?」

「No, not at all. It was in a very good condition like always」

I replied while giving a thumbs up.

「I see, is that so……」

I was meaning to praise his good work but he’s unexpectedly unmotivated. It was the opposite, even. He had this, disappointed air around him.

「Here you go, a souvenir」

I took out three boxes of confectionery so as to shake off such air.

Lightly baked biscuits, buttery crispy sablé, and fruit cakes.

I bought a lot because he said he lives with his parents, but there is actually one concern. This young man here has a sweet tooth or sweets as his staple food.

Every morning, I find a lot of confectionery wrappers thrown away in the trash bin at my workplace.

「Please say hello to your family for me」

I added at the herbivorous mechanic who seems very happy receiving those presents. I also strongly implied to him to not eat all of it by himself.

「Ah, also one more thing….」

I present a keychain for him.

「This is…..?」

The herbivorous mechanic was amazed by the godliness of the keychain.

At the end of the thin silver chains was a miniature sculpture, also made of sterling silver.

「It’s an amulet. It’s A rare item that can only be obtained at the tournament before God you know?」

Lately, he’s so immersed in his work as if he was possessed by something.

Well, I don’t think he’s possessed by an evil spirit or that kind of thing, but I want him to look at this keychain from time to time and take a break. That’s what I thought.

「Thank you very much….」

I don’t know whether my thoughts reached him or not but, he showed a softer smile than before as he took the silver key chain.

The very shape of man, with dog’s feet on it. The Tintinablum* amulet shook back and forth at the end of the chain.

That movement looks like able to break through any evil spirit, and then I was somehow convinced why the amulet had this shape.

[*TL Note: A wind chime or assemblage of bells. Shaped like p*nis with dog’s feet]

***

After leaving the hangar, I caught a horse-shaped golem taxi and told the driver my destination, the merchant guild.

I always use this kind of service when I have some luggage to carry.

We arrived at the guild in no time and I immediately climbed the stairs towards the guild master’s office.

「Ohh, welcome back. I’m glad to see you’re doing fine」

The vice guild master greeted me with warm smile. As always, he looks like Santa Claus.

The guild master was also inside but, The tough-looking old man and the women weren’t. Everyone else including The tough-looking old man seems to have headed straight home.

「Ah, Vice guild master, here some souvenirs for you」

I took out a wine bottle. A little thick and slightly short, charming bottle.

He prefers sweet and savory sake, so I chose a fortified wine or a wine with distilled spirit.

This is a wine that’s brewed with brandy that has a sweet and strong taste because of the sugar contained in it before it is converted into alcohol.

「Hou, this is…. My wife also like this one」

Santa was shocked when he saw the label. It’s a famous product of a certain brand that’s hard to obtain in general.

And it wasn’t just a good sake. Although I didn’t mention it to him, it was, in fact, the finest one blessed in the temple.

It has the effect of relaxing the feelings of the one who drinks it. And the effect of it seems to be very strong. I even bought some for myself.

By all means, I would like him to drink it with his wife and have a child younger than his grandson.

「Drink it in moderation, alright?」

The guild master who knows the secret said to Santa with a gentle laugh.

Santa, who doesn’t understand what it actually means, replied with a simple 「Yes」.

After politely leaving the room, I went to the first floor and handed a large number of candy boxes. These are some souvenirs for the staff here.

The contents are fruit cakes that are wrapped individually. Used in the cake was dried fruits that were pickled with rum only heavy drinkers will drink.

I tried it myself and thought that it was indeed strong. I liked it, so I bought a lot.

By the way, it was lower than the wine but also a blessed item in the temple.

Though it’s a little expensive, that’s fine with me.

After all, I wanted the guild staff, who are always looking after me, to have a smooth relationship with each other or with their business partner they have tea parties with, and to create a workplace full of smiles.

By the way, the confectionery I gave the herbivorous mechanic wasn’t a blessed one. If I gave him a blessed product, there’s a chance he wouldn’t be able to come to work after eating a lot of that confectionery.

I want herbivorous mechanics to remain herbivorous.

「Then, I will excuse myself」

I said to the guild staff who were still working and left the merchant guild building.

***

「It’s already getting darker huh…」

Although the days are getting longer, it’s still winter or maybe around early spring. But the night already fell at the Royal Capital.

I bought dinner at a stand on the way and headed to my home. It wasn’t that long since I leave the house but it still made me feel a little nostalgic.

I went up the stairs after looking up at the silhouette of the medicinal tree that was reflected by the starlight from the street.

「I’m home~」

I opened the entrance and turned on the lights.

They must’ve sensed that I returned, Imosuke and Dangorou welcomed me.

I sat cross-legged in the living room to have dinner. It is a simple menu of pizza and salad.

Then I put Imosuke and Dangorou on my lap. Probably because I was away for a while, they didn’t want to stay away from me.

「Alright, I also have souvenirs for you both」

I took out two boxes after eating my dinner.

Actually, choosing the souvenirs for them both is the hardest.

Despite being a spirit beast, Imosuke had the appearance of the fifth-instar larva of the swallowtail butterfly, while Dangorou was like a dung beetle itself. He eats medicinal leaves and other plants but doesn’t eat what people eat.

Accessories weren’t an option too. There’s no place to attach it to them, and I feel like they would hate it.

「It’s a baby brush~~」

With that said, I took the brush from the box. It had soft and delicate hair planted on it.

「Come here, you two」

I caught Imosuke in my hand and gently used the brush on him.

After wondering what I should buy for them, I chose a care product. And when talking about the basis of care, then it must be brushing, I thought.

Slight dust, sand particles, etc. fell from Imosuke’s body surface.

He seemed surprised at first but soon calmed down. I will also clean his wart-like feet.

「Alright~ Now it’s your turn, Dangorou」

I took another brush from the other box.

This one had harder hair than the one before. I prepared two types after thinking about them.

「There~ There~」

I brushed Dangorou’s. From him, sand and dirt fell from the gasp here and there.

It seems that he felt a little ticklish, but it doesn’t seem he hated it.

And then what we did was the usual family conversation.

I talked about the state of the Holy City and the tournament before God.

I remembered the appearance of the shota demon that looks ridiculous, so my cheeks loosen unintentionally. It’s like telling a small kid a story.

After our conversation ended, I made some potions and packed it in my bag.

Then, it became late at night before I knew it, so I went to bed

「Oh, what is it? Do you two want to sleep together?」

They approached the bed. How rare, they will usually go back to the garden around this time.

I scooped them up and put them on the bed.

(Well, this is also good once in a while)

I dived in my futon along with my kins.

As there was quite a lot of soil and sand in it, I cleaned it up with my hand. Apparently, they were playing in the futon while I was away.

(Let’s let it slide today)

While thinking about telling them not to play around in the futon anymore later, I finally fell asleep.

***

It was a refreshing morning.

The light coming through the gap between the window curtains is comfortable.

A luxurious hotel was good but, as I thought, a place we called home was something else.

I did a big stretch and got up.

(For today, let’s do cleaning and laundry in the morning and went to the merchant guild in the afternoon)

I decided so and started my day at home after a long absence.

No, I tried to get started but,

「Hm?」

I noticed that the atmosphere of the medicinal tree was different.

The tree height remains the same, but the trunk is getting thicker and the branches are increasing. And that’s not all. I feel like it became somewhat more powerful.

The difference became more apparent as you stepped inside the garden. The aroma of the medicinal tree permeates through my nose and lungs.

The aroma itself has been around for some time, but it’s not as rich. It feels like you can even taste it with your tongue.

My body loosens as I felt good because of this pleasant scent.

「So this is how it feels doing an ecotherapy」

I see, now I can understand the feeling of people who came to the countryside even though they’re leading a good life in a big city.

But, just what’s the cause of this change?

「Did you guys do something?」

I asked Imosuke who has moved from my shoulder to the twig.

Imosuke proudly lifted its upper body and began explaining.

「Muu….」

But I don’t understand it well.

I understood the 「I did my best」 and 「We made it」 part. But the rest of the word feels like it’s either missing or left out.

If I had to say from the nuance of it, it was like, 「hidden, secret」, 「independent, separated」, and 「place, house」, something like that.

Imosuke and Dangorou who feel like they want to be praised. I thought about something while looking at the two.

I was remembering the time when I brought some junk on top of the tree as a kid.

「Don’t tell me, you guys….. Made a secret base for our Doom corps?」

The two slightly nodded after looking at each other’s faces.

This reaction…. It’s hard to tell whether I made the right guess or not.

「As expected from the general and vice leader. You guys did a good work」

I praised them for the time being.

Vice leader Imosuke and General Dangorou jumped happily and turned around, then disappeared deep into the forest garden.

I feel like I heard 「I’ll let him praise me more」 at the end.

(Was it alright to praise them, I wonder)

I got a little anxious.

「Don’t bother the people below, you hear?」

I warned them just in case. In response to that, a wave of yes echoed in my head.

I switched my feelings and started preparing breakfast.

I harvested white radish sprouts, lettuce and also oranges from the forest garden.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, the sausages are boiled, and the bread popped up from the toaster, sprinkling with fragrance.

「Really though, aside from the change of seasons this forest garden really has anything huh」

In addition, they are all high-quality vegetables that are really precious to our family.

I took plenty of mustard out of the jar, rubbed it on the plate, and started prepping my breakfast.

***

「Thank you for the other day, Tauro-san」

When I went to the merchant guild’s potion transaction counter, The tough-looking old man greeted me.

It seems that he immediately went to work like normal from today.

I handed the potion then he ran an inspection on it before giving me the payments. By seeing him working like this, I realized that I had returned to my everyday life.

The festival that lasted until yesterday has this, pressuring feeling that made my heart a little bit suffocated.

「Will you come inside?」

He must be wondering if I’m going to meet the guild master.

It seems that there will be a royal council tomorrow, so he probably thought that if I’m going to meet him then now is the best time to do it.

「Royal council, is it?」

It’s a word I’ve never heard before.

Looking at my expression, the rough explained. It is said that a high-ranking official, the leader of the Knights corps, and the heads of each guild gathers in the presence of His Majesty the King to hold a regular meeting.

「Though the meeting this time will be a bit special it seems」

The tough-looking old man turned his face and whispered in a small voice.

It seems that it’s rare for the conference to be held in a hurry like this. The tough-looking old man thought that something must’ve happened.

「I see. Well, I think I will go home instead」

If that’s the case, then the guild master must be busy right now.

And I also have to start my daily activity. I already got paid for my potions so the next thing was to do magic beast extermination.

I bid The tough-looking old man a farewell and headed to the hangar.

Recently, their trust in me and the herbivorous mechanic seemed to have risen, so they let us choose the job we’ll take ourselves.

As soon as I got to the hangar, I immediately held a meeting with the herbivorous mechanic about tomorrow’s magic beast extermination job.

「How about this one?」

As expected, the herbivorous mechanic seems to have already prepared some plans.

「Hell diver*, huh?」

「*TL Note: Kanji reads as Hell bee」

I felt a little worried as I knitted my eyebrows. Truth is, there’s something I wanted to do.

I take a look at the other alternatives. Then, I found something good among the requests there.

「How about this one instead?」

What I chose was desert ghost extermination.

They are a monster that lurks in desert sand and protrudes a sand spear from underground.

It seems that the merchant crossing the desert was attacked by a sand spear that looks like a water column.

「Aside from the fact that they’re a troublesome enemy, the drops aren’t that good either, you know?」

Herbivorous mechanic’s response was negative.

It protruded a long spear when attacking but, it more or less made of sand. Its real body seems to be a bumpy sphere with a diameter of about 2 meters.

This sphere becomes the core, camouflaging as sand and attacking from within the sea of sand. It seems that it is troublesome to beat because of its small size and its tendency to go back inside the sand seconds after attacking.

Moreover, the drops that could be obtained by defeating one isn’t worth that much. It’s no surprise that herbivorous mechanics showed his disapproval.

「Well that’s the point」

I smiled coolly.

We can just leave the request that has worth in it to the adventurers guild. And exactly because it’s a request that no one’s doing it, everyone will find worth in us who do those kinds of quests.

「Don’t you think so?」

「……Right, it is as you said」

The herbivorous mechanic looked down and blushed. He seems to be ashamed of his own words earlier.

And so, it was decided that tomorrow’s job was to get rid of those desert ghost in the cold desert northeast of the royal capital.

By the way, what I said earlier was just an excuse to make him believe what we’re doing is the right thing to do.

While my real purpose is different.

(With this, I can try hovering movement without in troubling anyway)

I smirked.

As I thought, if we’re talking about a humanoid robot means of movement, then it should be hovering isn’t it!

Just walking as it is didn’t suit my ideal at all.

But hovering also has its major flaws. It was because the wind magic released under the feet will cause the dust to roll up. So if I were to hover along the road with villages or towns in the vicinity, there’s no doubt endless complaints will come to me. It’s the same with the people on the road.

(But isn’t that only because my skill level is low?)

If I were to master how to control wind magic, I would be able to hover in suburbs, if not in the city.

My hopes are welled inside my chest as if I’m going to take a trip to the red-light district, and I arrived at home before I realized it.