CH 20

September 29th, 2022

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Whew. Finally reach chapter 20. Let’s hope we can reach the target of chapter 30 by end of October

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The three Pteranodons (temporary name) were getting closer and closer and began circling over the island.

However, upon closer look, I could see that there were saddle-like objects placed on their backs, and there were people on it. They seemed to be scouting the island from the sky.

Perhaps they were looking for a place to land?

If so, there was a very good chance that they will land on the Crescent Coast, since it has the most open space in Monte Chris Island.

I held my breath and watched as the three Pteranodons were preparing to land and descended toward the crescent coast.

It’s possible that they’ve noticed my cave since the area around there have been cleared out of trees to provide more sunlight. My decision to prepare a field there may have backfired.

Still, not everyone in this world is out to assault me like the female soldiers or the female pirates, and some might even be decent people like Chris and Cecily. If that’s the case, then I should steel myself as much to make first contact with them.

As expected, the three Pteranodons landed on the beach. I guess they needed a long runway like airplanes to land and take off; they were running down to the beach with their footsteps making a thudding sound trying to break their speed. I don’t think they’d be able to fly off vertically either.

As the Pteranodons lowered its wings, the people riding them dismounted and checked their surroundings.

“Louise, don’t let your guard down. We don’t know what danger might lurks around here. Also, remember that wyvern is most dangerous when dismounting”

“Yes captain!”

The captain seemed to be a woman in her 40s. She looked calm, collected, and has an air of dignified beauty, meanwhile the girl called Louise was a teenager around high-school age, and apparently a rookie.

Also, the animal they mounted turns out to be Wyverns, not Pteranodons. Come to think of it, it looks a little more elongated than a Pteranodon.

“No enemy around here. Should we go to the field we saw from the sky above? If there are people here, that’s probably the only place they could be”. A woman in her late twenties asked the captain in a slightly nasal voice.

She somehow gave impression of a flirtatious girl.

Not a ladies’ man, so a men’s lady instead? [1]

“Let’s do so. Look, there’s a road leading towards the field”

That’s the road that Iwao had built, in this condition there’s no way the cave won’t be found. If that’s the case, it’s better to give a greeting and try to give a good impression.

Besides, the captain and the girl called Louise doesn’t seem to be bad people. And the flirty girl didn’t seem to have bad personality either.

“Hello there”. I got out from the bushes and tried to greet them in slightly cute manner.

Did I act too out of place?

The three of them were startled by my sudden appearance, but they seemed to lower their guard because I was a man and I had nothing in my hand.

“Sorry to surprise you with such a sudden visit. We are a survey team from the Rurugoa Empire‘s National Land Administration and Research Institute. I am Captain Alyssa Milano”

Rurugoa Empire, that’s the enemy country of Kingdom of Regalta that Chris belongs to.

“I am Shirou Sanada. I live alone on this island”

“You live alone here? Really?”. The flirty girl shouted.

“How come you’re here all alone?”. Captain Milano was staring at me with serious look.

No way I can tell them that I got here because I was escaping from the Empire’s dungeon together with Chris, their enemy’s general.

“I was stranded here when I was a child”. I blurted the lie without thinking.

“Hm. But your clothes look new despite what you said…”

I was wearing the same chinos and cotton shirt I wore when I came from earth. Although it has considerably worn out, it’s still fairly in good condition.

“That’s because… it’s not like this island is completely cut-off from the rest of the world. On rare occasions, pirate and merchant ships stopped by for resupply. I did some barters with them…”

Was that good enough of an excuse?

“I see. Since it’s bad luck to let a man onboard a ship, nobody has rescued you until now. It must’ve been hard”

I don’t know what kind of superstition it was about, but at least they accepted my explanation.

“Yes, thankfully there’s a lot of fruits on this island. There’re also goats, deers, and other animals. And I can catch a lot of fish here”

“Hmmm… By the way, have you ever had a tax collector coming to this place?

“Excuse me?”

“I’m asking if you’ve ever been asked to pay taxes”

“I’m sorry. I don’t even know which country this island belongs to”

“I see. This place belongs to the Rurugoa Empire. I don’t know what form it will take in the future, but keep in mind that you are a subject of the Rurugoa Empire” [2]

No point in disagreeing anyway so I just obediently nodded.

“Does that mean, I’ll have to pay taxes from now on?”

The flirty girl interjected in response to my question.

“If they came all the way here to collect the taxes it’ll instead put them in huge loss. Don’t worry, nobody will come to collect anyway”

“Leanne, stop saying things thoughtlessly. That’s for the higher ups to decide, not us”

“Ye——s”

Even though she’s being scolded by Captain Milano, she didn’t seem to reflect on it at all.

“By the way, Shiro, is there some place we can rest? We haven’t had any time to eat either since we’ve been on survey flight since early morning today”

“Well then, please come to my house”

I then led the members of the survey team back to the cave.

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When we returned to the cave, we were greeted by three Iwaos standing guards with clubs in their hands.

“Iwao, these women are guests. Stand back”

At my words, the Iwaos who was blocking the entrance opened the way.

“Shirou, these are?”

“They’re my golems”

“Golems? Shirou, you’re a man, right?”

That’s right. In this world, there are no men who can use magic. By that logic, there are probably no men who can use a golem.

“Well, I don’t know why, but they listen to what I say. Maybe it’s perverted golems who likes men?”

“Hmmmmmm…. So that kind of thing can happen too, huh…”

Captain Milano, aren’t you too easily convinced?

“What’s this?! Welcome to Monte Chris Island? It’s called Shirou’s Inn?”. Leanne made a fuss when she saw the sign.

“Do you even have guests at a place like this?”

“No, not a single one yet. You are the first people I’ve taken to this place”

“Then that would mean I’m your first woman, right? Hehehe”

The flirty girl stepped into the cave while caressing my buttocks. To think that she would sexually harassing me this soon.

“Leanne!!”

Leanne was getting scolded by Captain Milano again, but she just stuck out her tongue.

“I’m sorry Shirou. Since we’ve always been on a mission, she hasn’t seen any man for awhile. That’s why she’s a little excited…”

“Captain, you’re being too strict”

“You’ll understand when you become a mother; you don’t feel comfortable when someone tries to flirt with your son”

So Captain Milano already has a son, huh. Well considering her age, it’s nothing strange.

“If I may ask, who’s taking care of your child?”

“My husband, of course. He’s taking care of our son in our hometown”

The answer was as I expected, but with this it’s clear in this world, it’s the father’s role to take care of their children.

I served them tea made from an herb called citrus grass. [3] Cecily taught me about the herb before. It was growing in a sunny spot in the woods, so I transplanted it to a corner of the field. Herbal tea made with it has a refreshing citrus aroma and a sour taste.

“Since this is an inn, can we order a meal? Of course, we will pay for it”

“I hope you don’t mind if I bring out what I have in stock”

“Anything is fine. All we have is water and dried meat. We prefer something tastier than that”

I’m certain they only have portable food. In that case, let’s prepare something delicious for them.

In the past half month, I had built a kitchen outside of the cave. There were three stove tops and a cooking stove with a roof over it. There was also a water bucket nearby, and when the water ran low, Iwao would fetch water for us.

I still had ten loaves of bread which was made yesterday, so I could serve them with the main dish. I’ll make a simple dish by using the fish I caught morning, sprinkled with salt, dredged in flour, and sautéed in olive oil and garlic.

The fish’s head can be used for the broth together with onions, and if I add some mashed potatoes it will turn into a hearty soup. [4]

“Goku, go wash the vegetables in the river”

While I was immersed in cooking, I heard the voice of the flirty girl from the direction of the cave.

“Like I thought, the sight of a man cooking really gets me going. He has a nice ass too. Don’t you think so Louise?”

“We, well…”

When the rookie’s eyes met mine, she turned bright red and looked away. What a refreshing reaction.

“Louise, if you ask him to do it maybe he’ll let you, y’know. It’ll be your chance to graduate from virginity”

The sexual harassment comments from the flirty girl Leanne continued for awhile, but she finally shut up when Captain Milano gave her a hit in the head with a bewildered expression.

But still, Louise-chan is inexperienced, huh……. Will she become a witch if she’s still a virgin by the time she turns 30? [5] Ah that’s right, in this world, women are born as witches.

Louise was not particularly beautiful, but she had a simple face and was very likable.

Don’t worry Louise, you’re pretty. I’m sure you’ll end up with someone in no time. And if you want to graduate quickly no matter what, you can always come to me.

Probably this is how it feels to be a bewitching Onee-sans who chases after young boys, well this is because the genders in this world are reversed.

And so the smell of garlic and roasted white fish filled the air.

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1 Not a real word, I know. I was thinking of using coquet vs coquette, philanderer vs prick teaser, or maybe womanizer vs manizer, but finally settled on current one. Maybe I’ll edit it and change it later

2 Well, that sucks, I guess. Seems like the island is part of Rurugoa’s EEZ. I mean, the captain doesn’t even consider the possibility of other country contesting the ownership of the island

3 Probably that world’s version of lemon grass?

4 Reading this made me hungry. Were Shirou a chef back on earth? I thought he was just a black company employee.

5 It’s internet legend that anyone stays a virgin until 30 years old will become a wizard