Chapter 57 - Mud

Chapter 57 - Mud

【Name】Eiji Choukai

【Class】Parasite 36　Mercenary 16　Mage 18　Swordman 16　Priest 23　Hunter 16　Shaman 25　Fighter 15　Miner 20　Thief 21　Spirit User 20　Enchanter 22　Farmer 21　Paladin 13

【Stamina】　 256

【Attack】　 244

【Defense】　 271

【Magic】　 251

【Magic Attack】　 250

【Magic Defense】　 282

【Agility】　 231

【Skills】　Shield Mastery　Armor Mastery　Regeneration　Form and Nature Bestowal　The Best Spear　Blade Shield　Magic Barrier　Magical Power Ball　Enhance Hit　Enhance Sorcery　Curse of Weakness　Law of All Scene of Fire　Farming Tools Mastery Indomitable　Judgement（Earth）　Nutrient Conversion　Barrier Counter Spell　Speed Boost Status Drain　Sokusei Saibai*　Judgement（Plant）…… [TL* : 促成栽培-Raising out-of-season crops with artificial heat]

Recently, the amount of experience that I gained with parasite has increased. Paladin is also growing steadily, all these things makes one want to continue with this kind of lifestyle, right.

The adventurers who have been affected with parasite are growing. Though it’s quite difficult to raise the level from the second half of Level 10, it gets raised without a hitch until that point.

Compared to the time before I went to Snori where I met Risa Haruna, I think I have grown too.

Since Risa Haruna had come to Laurel this time, we had gathered at the temple together and are currently touring the other places of the city after that event. [last event from prev. chapter].

Later, Risa Haruna, who had finished with her errand, decided to return to the village. After seeing her off on a coach, Alie and I were walking back to our respective residences.

At that time, someone was walking at a quick pace in front of us. It was a young man with neatly combed down hair, Grael Treize.

Grael suddenly stopped with those muddy shoes right before us, and he shook his head as if to move the hair that was covering his eyes.

「Regarding the previous matter, they were just small fries. Don’t get so cocky, adventurer.」

That’s too absurd.

As expected, he’s confused isn’t he. As for what I feel…….. Maybe because he loses his cool and provokes me whenever we meet each other, he could be considered to be a peculiar one. But, those were some cruel words regarding that silver knight.

Grael greeted toward Alie without even waiting for my answer.

「Yo, Alie. Are you going with this person again? Your dignity is falling you know, and for the sake of your house too, my advice is, stop doing these careless acts.」

The first thing he says after opening his mouth is, THAT.

Thought I thought that he might have understood his lesson from the previous workshop incident, that did not happen.

Though he had seen my power from the front seat during that time, it seems he had forgotten about it.

Yareyare.

「Thank you for your words but I won’t accept it, Grael-sama. I will also think about myself clearly.」

「Fu, strong willed as ever. For you to say these words to me……. Well, I think it’s only natural if you don’t understand anything. But, you’ll know immediately. My power. You can think of flattering me right now rather than flattering me later you know.」

While saying that, Grael stretched his hand toward Alie’s black and glossy hair. But Alie nonchalantly twisted her body while controlling and softly said,「I won’t flatter you even later」.

That was a superb manoeuvre.

Grael pretended to be calm on the surface while his hand dangled a bit awkwardly on the air, and then laughed lightly.

After breathing roughly as if he wanted to erase that kind of atmosphere, he said,「When you act like that, it makes me want to force you with all my power you know. Fufu, sooner or later you’ll know my power right away without even saying it. I’m looking forward to that time.」

Saying so, he left with a quick pace.

Alie and I were left alone, looking at each other blankly.

「Though I was planning to scold him a bit with the previous quarreling event, it seems I was too naive, wasn’t I. For him to be such a sour grapes.」[ED: used to refer to an attitude in which someone adopts a negative attitude to something because they cannot have it themselves.]

「Because humans won’t change their attitude that easily, right. ……But Eiji-sama, please don’t hold back even if he is just a sour grapes.」

「What do you mean, Alie?」

「If he has the power of a treasure, don’t make light of him. Ha has a good amount of knowledge in that area as well. Naturally for the story, no matter what, even if he’s a noble, he won’t gain a permit to use it for a reason as silly as wanting to teach a lesson to the one who made him a bit annoyed, but…」

That’s only natural, they won’t pamper him.

That’s why I think that Grael is just talking big. No matter what the circumstance is, he won’t take such risks just because he’s angry.

After walking for a while, Alie and I separated our ways and headed toward our respective lodgings.

I returned to the inn doing something that I do frequently in these few days but, when I’m taking a look at the revived field like the other days, I was met with an unusual phenomenon.

「Eh――What’s wrong with that」

「I’m sorry………. Eiji-san, though you had already taken so much trouble, it became so absurd.」

The field was splendidly devastated.

The crops are hard to raise in that place, the field can be prepared again but, the crops have been snapped, the roots have been dug out, it’s in cruel state.

Marie tidied that place with a listless action as if she wanted to restore the crops.

「What just happened, Marie-chan?」

「I don’t know. It was already like this when I saw it. It seems it was devastated by someone but, who was the person who did such cruel thing……… Though it was raised again after such hard work by Eiji-san.」

Marie feebly hung her head.

But, her hand kept on working at a fixed rhythm. It was as if she wanted to vent her sadness. How can someone do such cruel things to the crops that I had painstakingly raised.

Even if it is not my main occupation, it really is heartbreaking.

Nevertheless, who the hell did such crue――Don’t tell me!

In that moment, the boots that had mud plastered on them floated into my head along with Grael who was showing an unnatural grin to me.

Why did that man have mud on his boots though there was no mud on the place he was walking upon?

「――That jerk!」

I started running.

I returned quickly to the place where we encountered each other sometime ago and searched in the vicinity while questioning the people walking there.

Though a noble isn’t that rare, they will still stand out, soon I found what I was looking for.

Stretching out my hand, I seized Grael’s shoulders from behind while he was walking at the corner of the city.

「Oi! 」

「Wha……….. It’s you huh, what’re you going to do, why’re you seizing my shoulder?」

「Say to me, you’re the one who devastated the field of someone’s house, right? That girl was doing her best to plant it, say it, WHAT IS YOUR INTENTION!」

After hearing my question, Grael let out a disgusting smile while showing his teeth.

「Well, what’re you talking about? I don’t know anything about it.」

「Don’t play dumb, then explain what is the mud that is plastered on your boots, in this kind of situation it won’t get plastered on your boots just by walking within the town.」

Grael was looking at his feet and nodded slightly.

But his smile didn’t vanish.

「I see, it certainly is muddy. But, this mud is plastered from before that. Sometimes, I even forget to check my dress you know, how rude of you. Fufu.」

「What……!」

「You have no proof right! Something like someone walking with muddy boots is as much as you can look for in the city! Those guys might be the one you would call as the true culprit! 」

「……GUH」

It’s certainly a fair reason.

Though no one but this guy would have done that, the evidence is just too weak.

Grael stared at me with a calm and composed face.

I have no choice but to withdraw the power from my hand that was seizing his shoulder.

Grael brushed my hand as he glared at me while correcting his clothes and mocked,「Fuh, this is why those of low birth are so distasteful, they can’t even understand such a simple reason. Well, no matter who did it, if the people of your surrounding or you feel unpleasant, there’s still the manner of speaking to be considered. The important field that you took care of has been devastated, the stalk was snapped, the root was dug out, hahaha. Rather than falsely accussing me, how about you restore it quickly? 」

「……Aren’t you talking too detailed as if you saw it yourself?」

「That’s just your imagination, imagination. Even if you are 99％ sure that I am the one who did it, you still have no evidence right? At last, you’ve no just reason to make a move on me. Though you think that I’m the one who did that, you can do nothing but see without being able to do anything. It is good right, it feels good, that vexing eyes. Oops, of course, I’m not guilty of doing anything after all.」

No doubt about it, he’s the culprit.

My guess was right on target. But then, since I had no evidence, he became pleased for seeing me with a vexed face while being unable to make a move on him.

Maybe that’s why he was wandering aimlessly on a place that could be easily found.

Grael raised an unpleasant laughter, and bumped onto my shoulder as he walked away with a satisfied expression.

――As expected, I really can’t overlook him.

Though I can deal with him if it’s just me, for him to cause trouble to the inn where I’m staying in, I won’t be able to face the inn oyaji and Marie if I just let him off.

Moreover, I’m sick with him for doing all these things.

On the back of Grael who was walking away, a golden line stretched from my hand toward him.

I attached parasite on him.

「Fu…… Fufu, you just stepped over your limit. Then I won’t hold back too.」

I invoked the parasite vision skill.

After this, Grael’s action would be monitored for 24 hours.

Irrespective of whether it’s bedroom, toilet, or at work. And then, I’ll expose your secret that can’t be shown to others.

Knocking the opponent by his feet without leaving any evidence is also possible for the current me.

But, even if I do that, the pain would be just for a moment.

But, if it’s about Grael, I won’t even leave him with anything. I’ll expose it under bright light, and get it etched into everyone’s memory forever.

For that guy, doing something like damaging his vanity was even more painful than damaging his body. That’s why I’ll smash him in that place.

The crime of devastating my place of well-being is very heavy.