CH 39

TL: Yuki

ED: Filip

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Lights slowly appear brightening the cityscape while darkness envelops it. Tables and chairs were being placed by the roadside. Adventurers and merchants started drinking and eating their meals. We also said our farewell to the Uncle-san who brought us to the Inn district and entered a nearby Inn. Since the fragrance of the food being prepared is already starting to turn into torture, we decided to have a meal quickly.

「Excuse me, we would like a room for 3 people, but are there any vaca-」

「Ou. Welcome」

What came out and greeted us was a woman who looks and talks like a man. With short cut hair that for some reason stands up, with body filled to the brim with muscles. I could also say that her charm point would be his ferocious looking smile.

「It will be 6 silver coins a day for each person. You people seem to be new adventurers, but do you have enough funds? 」

「We’re fine. For the time being, we’d like to stay for a month」

「Ok, wait, a month!? On advanced payment? Most of the adventurers that stay here usually pay just for a day…」

Even if you tell us that, it would be too troublesome paying for the rent every time we return you know? Is it really fine for most people doing that?

「Well you see, normally people that stay here don’t really stay that long. For example merchants would leave in just a few days. As for adventurers, they would stay for the day then hunt until they have enough to stay again for another day. The Inn fees in the capital are quite expensive after all」

Well, if compared to the Inn at Haval, it is certainly more expensive. But you see Nee-san. We don’t plan to do any adventurer work for a while, and I have the leeway to do so. Now let me show you my shiny bag of gold coins.

The Nee-san who witnessed the contents of my bag understood that I can properly pay and shrugged her shoulders as if she was weakened.

「We won’t mind such little things, so can you prepare our room and also a delicious meal please, Nee-san」

「……Haaaah, You people seem to be high ranking adventurers. Sorry, I thought you were just newbies you see」

「It will be for the three of us, and we are small, only La Veil here is big」

「Ah. There is a room for three available, so you can use that one. I have to kick up the cook’s ass to make him work faster for the time being」

After saying so she disappeared at the back of the counter. A few moments later we could hear a loud bang and the scream of a man.

When we entered the room and unload our baggage, La veil speaks up.

「Master, what do you think of that woman?」

「Hmmm. Probably a former adventurer, I’m sure of it」

「Strong~?」

In terms of strength, it would probably be comparable to Drew-san. That big Battle Axe on the wall is probably that Nee-san’s main weapon or something. She is definitely skilled.

「It’s fine either way, let’s go down and this time have our dinner. Since that Nee-san is quite strong, it will make this Inn comparatively safer than others.」

After leaving behind our heavy baggage, we went back down. Chairs and tables were also arranged outside like other Inns. We sat down ourselves on an open seat. Other customers are also coming down and occupying the place.

「Sorry for the long wait, I’ll be placing them one by one so please be patient for a bit. By the way, our food is our selling point! 」

Nee-san was cheerfully laughing along with other Inn employees that were laughing loudly.

First thing served was a meat and vegetable dish wrapped in something. As the three of us bit into it, meat juices started to overflow from the place where it was cut, and a delicious scent was released.

「What a surprise… The skin like wrap used here was made from internal organs」

「I see, it is really delicious. It’s not only the meat juices, the taste of vegetables is also blending well. The skin also tastes great with its chewy texture… It’s a great combination… The taste makes you want to demand a drink」

「That Nee-san is using meat and internal organs of a demon called Axeboa. There are plenty of them in the forest close to the capital. When hunting them, just baking it makes its meat juices drip out」

「Heeh, let’s hunt them later by all means」

La Veil was commenting on it like a professional gastronomist for some reason. Nee-san was also joining the commentary every now and then. But well, even as they are doing that, neither hands nor mouth stopped moving. The volume served is also great. It seems that I and Arena would be satisfied with this amount.

「Pafu~… No more!!」

「I am also full already~」

「I’m still not satisfied yet. Nee-san more please!! Bring me three more in addition! And also liquor to go with it!!」

Nee-san replied 「Aiyo!!」 then carried more extra servings. After drinking her liquor, La Veil continued chomping down the food. I and Arena were also merrily drinking fruit juice that we requested while taking a break.

When I look around, I could hear drunken people talking about their best bets on the martial arts tournament. Betting will probably begin soon so everyone is quite serious about it.

「Aidle~~」

「Yes, what is it Arena?」

「Is ok if I bet on Aidle~?」

… Do you mean you want to bet on a fighting party? Eh, don’t tell me Arena, you. It’s not that you wanted money for spending but for this? Well, I don’t think it’s that bad but. If you think about it… she would look like those people dreaming while watching horse races and losing all their property.

「Can I bet only on Aidle?」

「That’s fine, but you see, won’t you also bet on La Veil because she will be fighting too, look, she’s watching us with such a scary expression while drinking」

「No!! Aidle is the strongest~mon!!」[ED: need insulin TL:Heavy Breathing]

「Kuuu… Certainly, I can’t be compared to master, but I also want Arena to depend on me more」

「Gahahahahaha, seriously ladies! You are sure to lose 」

A man from the table next to ours said that and started laughing. It was a giant drinking from a big mug.

「To lose, what do you mean by that?」

When I got up and moved next to the man, the man stood up and looked down on me. It seems like this person is literally looking down at me as is quite confident about it. His appearance when he stood up was much bigger than I thought. It would probably be around twice my height? His body was also wide, about three times wider than mine. His arms alone were much thicker than my torso.

「Something like that is already decided. If a weak looking person like you appears on the battle stage, everyone would just hesitate to attack and the tournament would only turn into a tournament-like event」

「That’s right, explain it to them baldy!! It seems like they would break if you just touched them! If they would want to be prostitutes they will probably earn a lot. Just stop it, trying to enter that battle!! If a beautiful face like yours becomes scarred you won’t even be worth a copper coin you know~~? 」

The surrounding people roared out in laughter. Hmmm, everyone probably knew each other. They are probably adventurers working in the kingdom, right? Because they have all been drinking since some time ago, most of them are already drunk.

「You people. You don’t look like people that belong to the kingdom’s adventurer’s guild and I haven’t seen you there today. What have you been doing since you arrived? 」

「……Sightseeing?」

I just answered honestly, and everyone roared in laughter once more. The man called Baldy was also chugging his drink while laughing wildly.

「You, you’re killing me. Gahahahahaha. A visitor sightseeing will be joining the battle tournament! Are you sick, or maybe just out of your mind… you… … you do realize that it’s going to be a fierce place right!? Why not just forget about it and bet on a man that you think is strong!! Betting on a girl like you would just be a losing bet… You will be thoroughly crushed… It will be awful!!」

Baldy suddenly shows a serious look with sharpened eyes. He then picked up the huge battle axe from his back and crushes the table we sat at with it. The flying fragments that were headed towards Arena was warded off by La Veil’s coat covered in thin flames, while the dishes that she was finishing was held in her other hand. Quite capable.

「Even if a man such as myself enters, I would always fail to reach the qualifiers every year. Thinking a little girl like you participating makes me feel irritated!! This is a warning, be sure to prepare yourselves as the tournament begins!!」

After saying all that, he then groggily left the inn.

(I, I’m glad… that he immediately left)

If he continued any more than that, La Veil would have tried silencing him a few moments later. I somehow managed to stop her by using 『Synchronize』. I realized that he was already stepping on a ridiculously strong landmine at that time.

「Master, is it fine if I slaughter that man if I ever encounter him in the tournament?」

「It’s not that I’m stopping you, but you see. Do you want something like that be shown to Arena? 」

「………Umu」

Arena was just silently watching all of that, you have endured it well right? I was even expecting that she would at least attempt to launch a fairy magic or two but it didn’t happen.

「I don’t want Aidle to be troubled you know… but, how frustrating…」

「Don’t worry about it, We will definitely show them one of these days.」

I left alone the men who were still laughing from all that and called Nee-san. Nee-san who was watching from far away looked sorry, but when she came close to us with an amazed look on her face. I guess I have to pay for the table.

「Regarding what that person said to you a while ago… You don’t really have to be bothered by it. He would always find people to target and bother them. He also did that to me last year」

「Nee-san also goes out?」

「Every now and then. I’m also a registered adventurer of the kingdom while managing an Inn. And the Axeboa that I serve is something I procure myself」

So she was still an active Adventurer, I thought she was retired.

「I’m also entering every year for the qualifier but fail to pass. I will also be joining. There will be a lot participants entering this time, but I didn’t expect that you would be targeted by that person… Sorry」

「There’s no need for you to apologize. Here’s payment for the table」

「… Sorry about that. I will collect the collateral from Baldy later. Come on now people!! Don’t just laugh at woman endlessly!! Do you people want me to entertain you!!??」

All the men that were cheerfully laughing turned silent in the blink of an eye. Nee-san looked back at me and forcibly shook my hand.

「My Name’s Aguera. The fighting tournament, do your best!!」

「…Thank you Aguera-san. I’m Aidle. I will definitely not lose so won’t you bet on me? 」

「That’s really a scary declaration so please stop it」

Are you in debt………

After a while, the guests also started to dwindle down and things started to calm down. Even after all that, La Veil continued eating. Right now she has finally calmed down and was just drinking Sake. Arena became sleepy so she went back to our room.

I was drinking with Aguera-san who finished all her work for the day. I’m just drinking fruit juice though. For the two adults looking over me, I’m just a child after all.

「Is it really fine to keep your rank in silence like that, I’m wondering why you didn’t show it…」

「It’s because nobody would probably believe it even if I show them my rank. If I was inside the guild, then it would be easy to confirm it since it’s not easy to just fake it, and you be rejected by the guild if you got caught doing it. 」

「Right. It’s really troublesome… Don’t worry, I’ll beat him up the next time he comes」

「At that time nobody would probably stop you. On different topic Aguera-san, I would like to ask something.」

「What is it?」

「About the rewards that will be given in the tournament, what will they be?」

I asked Aguera-san as she was pouring liquor on La Veil’s cup.

「Hmm. First of all is when reaching the final selection. It will be 10 gold coins. Then it will increase by 10 more every time you win from that point. The difference would change once you reached the final three I think. The rewards from that point differs every year but there are certain things given beside the prize money. Additionally, the winner gets a special qualification」

「And that is?」

「You can directly ask the king for a reward. Any wish will be granted as long as it is possible to do so」

I and La Veil looked at each other. Then we started laughing because we weren’t expecting that what we were aiming for would actually end up as the first prize itself. It seems like I will be able to meet the king much earlier than expected.

「What happened, why the sudden laugh?」

「Ah, well you see, we are just thinking about what we would ask the king if we won. What request would you ask for, Aguera-san?」

She was seriously thinking about it for quite some time. Then, after hearing her answer, we thought it was just very Aguera-san like.

「…Is it probably something like asking for a larger Inn, I guess?」

「I think I will wish for a princess as my bride」

「That will probably be impossible」

That’s just pointless…?

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「What about me~?」

「Let me take care of you」

「Arena is already my wife you know?」

「「…」」

That day the Shogi challenge continued into the night.