CH 352.1

The blue sky filled with clouds that looked as if they had been painted thinly with a brush. The reason you can hardly notice them move is probably because they are so far up in the sky.

「You have eaten the fruits and vegetables that Tauro-kun gave you, haven’t you?」

At the words of the guild master, who looks like a goblin, Santa Claus who was the vice guild master nodded his head while rubbing his proud beard.

After confirming this, the guild master continued.

「It tastes better than any fruits and vegetables I have ever eaten. He said he got it from an acquaintance, but don’t you think that’s strange?」

Santa Claus’ hand that was rubbing his proud beard stopped as he raised one eyebrow. He let out a sound as if he didn’t expect to hear that.

「I thought you would never touch that topic but…」

After all, it is a quality that even made the guild master, who as a young peddler traveled all over the continent, said, 『I have never tasted anything like it before』. And these fruits and vegetables are supposedly delivered frequently to Tauro, a resident of the royal capital, by an acquaintance of his.

To find nothing strange about it is strange in itself.

「I would definitely regret it if we were to pry too much and the best pilot in the history of the royal capital merchant guild was to walk away from us after all.」

Ever since Tauro took up his current position, the flow of people and goods within the Kingdom has changed drastically.

The same is true for other countries, but even within the country’s territory, the area on the outskirts is the sphere of influence of magical beasts. Until recently, people are always hesitant to take the highway to the city, and they are always nervous when passing through it even with an escort.

Now, however, unless there is a major branch road, there is no need for an escort, and even if a magic beast does appear, there are only a small number of them.

『Subjugating magic beasts instead of just chasing them away.』

This was probably the cause. Although it was limited to the vicinity of the highway, their population was decreasing.

「I’ll tell you the reason later. So tell me what you think.」

Goblin Jii-chan nudges him for an answer on his big chair. Then Santa Claus opened his mouth as his belly shook.

「That was probably a lie. Since there were no reports of such a person entering or leaving his building from the guards we assigned to him.」

Although they have not informed Tauro, the merchants’ guild has asked the 『Assassin Guild』 to protect him from shadow.

According to information from them, people rarely come and go to his residence. A beautiful woman with a cold expression who is an active worker at Jayanne is a rare visitor.

「There’s a garden on the roof of the building, where I believe Tauro-kun grows the vegetables and fruits by himself.」

The fat vice guild master finished stating his opinion and the guild master nodded in agreement.

『How is it possible to grow that much variety and quantity of plants in a space the size of a home garden?』

While that mystery remains, this is the part that he 『 dares not touch』. So, the point that Goblin Jii-chan agreed with was the fact that 『Tauro grows it on the rooftop』.

Incidentally, Tauro himself does not intend to lie. The 『acquaintances who are good at growing vegetables』 he meant were the caterpillar and dung beetle who lives with him.

「Let’s assume he’s doing it as a hobby, why don’t we offer him a larger plot of land? Can’t we keep Tauro-kun in or at least near the royal capital that way?」

At the question that followed, Santa Claus replied “it should be possible”. However, he then tilted his head.

『I want to travel and see the world.』

『You may use the Old Lady, the Knight of the merchant guild for half a year if you take a vacation and a year if you leave of absence』 is what the guild master said in response to Tauro’s request.

Seeing the fat old man had a dubious look on his face, the small old man shrugged his shoulders and began to explain.

「Recently, I have been receiving strange information from various sources. And because of that, I felt I had to keep him around.」

『Old Woman Peddlers Scattered Across the Continent.』

Goblin Jii-chan who is said to have the sharpest ears in the Kingdom. The web of information is created by them.

By the way, the reward is love.

For those women who, for various reasons, have long since lost the joys of being a woman, Goblin Jii-chan pours all of his hearts into them day after day, night after night, to the point that their eyes went white and their bellies swell.

「I heard that undead magic beasts and monsters started appearing. Moreover, there is not only one of them.」

Lifeless active entities. It feeds on the living in order to continue to exist and sometimes increases in number.

They are troublesome beings with no clear weak points.

「The area in which they are appearing extends from the northern part of the Empire to the northwestern part of Black Locust country and the other northern countries.」

The guild master continued while looking sideways at the map tapestry hanging on the wall. The vice guild master also turns his head to the map tapestry hanging on the wall.

「It is close to the Spirit Forest. This might not even be the end of it. It’s like playing with “them”, they are few in number but long-lasting and very persistent.」

When the vice guild master finished listening to the explanation, he closed his eyes, folded his arms over his fat belly, and let out a heavy sigh.

***

Here, the place shifts to the red-light district, although it is still in the same royal capital. And the perspective also greatly changes, albeit temporarily.

(All right, we’ve made it into the castle.)

My name is Vince. I’m a wand-user magician who has a high sensitivity, belonging to the adventurer party of the merchant guild.

I used to dive in 『Twin-san’s cave』 which also have the same type of sensitivity as me, but I was forced to leave because my ability improved. And thus, I’m currently in the process of conquering 『Mini Twin-san’s castle』.

(I feel like I’ve grown.)

She is a short girl with small breasts and buttocks and her hair is tied into Mini Twintails. The gate and passageway are small and narrow, probably because the owner of the castle is small.

And I’m who invades that castle, is like an ogre. The short wand I waved in the air would have been like a heavy club to her.

「How is it? Do you feel like giving up now?」

I swing my club and force the female lord of the castle, Mini Twin-san, to surrender. Her mouth is closed tightly as her twin tails are swinging from side to side, but there is no doubt that she is nearing her limit.

(I never thought in the past that I would be able to be the one who goes on the offensive against a woman.)

Due to my high sensitivity, I always come first before the other party. But rather than feeling good, it was ticklish. I never get to enjoy the play because of this and even thought that playing in a brothel was a waste of money.

But now, whenever I save up enough money, I would go to visit Jayanne.

(This place is worth saving money for.)

So I don’t think it’s a waste. If I had lived my whole life without knowing this, it would have been less colorful.

「Please be more patient!」

「No can’t do.」

I also love her old-fashioned way of expressing things. Her breasts and hips are small and she looks younger than her age, which is also attractive.

「I’ll end it with this!」

The Mini Twin castle collapses under a club thrust by the ogre. But I, too, was badly damaged and fell shortly after.

This time of feeling the aftermath of the battle, still lying on top of each other, gives me a deep sense of satisfaction.

「Hey, will you go up north for work?」

The small woman with twin-tailed hair who has just settled down and is resting her cheek on my chest, asks.

「Hmm… there’s no such plan for now, at least.」

When I replied after searching through my memories, she showed a relieved expression. When I asked her why she answered after a short pause.

「Um, it’s just that I heard that a dangerous monster or… magic beast was it called again? Anyway, something more dangerous than that is roaming around that area.」

A brothel is a social gathering place for ladies and gentlemen. In other words, it is a place where information is gathered and exchanged.

And this small woman is working in one of the three most prestigious brothels in the royal capital, so she must have been hearing things that I, a normal guy, don’t hear.

「Okay, I’ll let the party leader know that we should avoid working along the northern border.」

Mini Twin-san is beautiful and cute, and it’s also fun to be with her. So of course, the advice of such a lovely woman should be a top priority.

「Oh yeah, and by the way—」

I brushed her hair with my fingers, put my mouth close to her ear, and whispered, 『Let’s go one more round, okay?』.