Chapter 45: Eating something like cactus (???)
Translated by kuronochan
Half a month passed.
There was no trouble that had occurred after those Gargoyles.
We advanced through roads where only small growing grasses remained and passed the checking station.
After the checking station was the desert.
A wide, blue sky and brown desert had spread.
The sound of the wind moving the sand echoed comfortably like the waves.
According to the schedule, there should be boats called sandboats here.
We quickly found it after a brief search.
It is an 8-man boat as huge as a motorboat.
And what pulls it wasーー.
"Dolphin?!"
"What's that?, so cute!!"
『『『Kyuu?!』』』
The bearded captain talked to us after Laura and I shouted at the same time.
"Is it your first time seeing desert dolphins?"
"Yes."
"Un!"
"It is difficult to walk in the desert after all. It is the best when dolphins are pulling the boat."
We got in the boat.
The sand is probably a special kind.
The feeling of the boat sinking a little the instant I got in was similar to getting in normal boats.
"See, let's go!!"
『『『Kyuu?!』』』
The dolphins raised their voices and dove into the sand.
The boat advanced.
It was a comfortable speed that you could hear the sound of the wind blowing.
Cactus, camel, small dunes.
Numerous sceneries passed by and we continued to advance.
"It's very amazing, and feels good??......"
"I could remember the first time I rode a horse......"
Femil and Rorona closed their eyes and felt the wind.
Oppositely, Laura leaned out her body and horsed around.
"Fueeeen! Amazing, amazing, amazing?! The wind blowing, feels soooo gooood!!! It feels as good as wandering around naked after a morning bath!!! The summer grass and the minions are exhibitionists!!!"
As usual, a low-leveled language sense.
It's the worst right? She even thinks that's a praise you know?
◆
With this and that, we reached the town.
Stone buildings and coarse stalls made with white tarps and wooden sticks are aligned.
Blue, red, green oranges and colorful Color Cacti are being sold.
Other than those, there's a little strange......
"Roasted fish......?"
"It's the sea in the west of the town after all. It can normally be caught."
"I see."
Licia then said after I nodded.
"Well then, excuse me here......"
"You're going already?"
"I am very thankful to you, but I am someone of the Platinum Dune, and you guys are from the Golden Prairie, so......"
"Is that so."
"Yes......"
She probably has thoughts about it. Licia silently looked down.
However, she immediately raised her face and said.
"B-B-But, if anything happens, please call me anytime!
If it is impossible as Licia Velkrais of the Platinum Dune, I can support you as me, an individual!"
"Thanks."
"Hannyaa......!"
Licia's face got red after I patted her head.
◆
After parting ways with Licia, we decided to eat out.
I pointed at the colorful cacti.
"Are those cacti edible?"
"Yeah, that's right."
The middle-aged man casually grabbed a cactus.
He took off the spikes using his gloved hand.
Zakuri.
He split into halves and gave it to me.
"Here, try it."
"It's for free?"
"Yeah, that's right."
"Thank you very much."
I thankfully received it.
The cut surface of the Blue Cactus that showed a sapphire-lie glow slightly shook.
The overflowing juices overflowed.
"Oh, oh."
I quickly took a sip.
With a light slurp, the fruit juice entered inside my mouth.
I tasted a deep, sweet taste.
I took a bite.
I almost felt like the fruit juice exploded at the same time my teeth sank in.
And the flesh of this fruit has elasticity.
Gunyuu, gunyuu, it showed some resistance.
However, it was not bad because delicious juice comes out every time I bite.
I enjoyed it and finally swallowed.
"So good."
Tererettete?.
I leveled up too.
Level: 1656→1659(↑3)
HP: 22143/22143(↑22)
MP: 21874/21874(↑20)
Strength: 22399(↑24)
Vitality: 24555(↑20)
Agility: 22404(↑15)
Magic Powers: 21162(↑30)
Learned Skills.
Shakiiin(`?ω?′)
As usual, it was an incomprehensible skill.
I looked at the explanation.
【Skill?Shakiiin(`?ω?′) 】
The hair on your head and arms will be Shakiiin(`?ω?′) like cactus thorns.
You will be able to launch needles when it levels up.
This might sound a little interesting.
The main character of the youkai-anime Gegege something used something like that.
Butーー.
※You will become bald if used too much.
Fuuuck!
I cursed at the skill and decided to seal it forever.
The cactus tasted delicious, but the learned skill was the worst.
No, really, the cactus tasted good though.
"Kehmaaa?......"
"Kehma-dono......"
"Kehma-sama......"
Laura, Femil, and Rorona looked at me with wanting eyes.
Especially Laura. Her eyes looked as watery as a thrown away kitten's.
I felt bad for her, looking like she got raped or something.
The middle-aged store owner said.
"Little brother, it isn't good to enjoy by yourself, right?"
I couldn't help but smile wryly.
"You're good at business huh."
"Hahahaha!"
The middle-aged man showed a very good smile.
He really got me there, but I don't feel bad.
After all, this strategy won't work if the cactus doesn't taste good.
And if it has that much worth to it, it is natural to pay for it.
"Give me two."
"Alright!"
The middle-aged man grabbed a cactus with his gloved hand as if to grab an onigiri.
The thorns were quickly removed.
"............"
"What is it? Femil."
"I just thought what would happen to the removed thorns......"
"Well, won't they be normally thrown away?"
"But, I heard that it could be eaten, if fried with oil......"
After Femil said that, the middle-aged man said.
"It's not like I never heard about that, but I've never seen anyone doing it......"
Rorona then said.
"I mean, why does Femil-dono know about that?"
"I...... when I didn't have money, there was a time when, I visited the library for pictures of food for lunch......"
"You ate pictures?!!"
"Ahh! No! I was just looking!
After staring at them for a while, I feel like I'm eating, so I'm somewhat satisfied!!"
"Femil-dono......"
"And by looking at them during lunch, I can eat bread in dinner while remembering what I saw during lunch! I can drop two birds with one stone!"
"Femil-donoooo!!!!"
Rorona embraced Femil.
"Kya! Hey, what happened?!!"
"Kehma-dono! Hurry! Hurry and give Femil-dono some food!!"
"Hauu......"
"Uh, that sounds like, she really had a hard time huh?......"
"That's true."
I split the cactus into two and passed them to Femil and Rorona.
I also let Laura eat.
"Here, open your mouth."
"Un! ?"
Laura opened her mouth like a?n.
I let her eat the cactus.
"Fueeen, so delicious! It felt gyuutto, every time I take a bite, GYUUTTO with every bite! How can I say this......"
Laura made a fist and shouted with full strength.
"It tastes good like chimpo1!!!"
( ( Buffuu!! ) )
Femil and Rorona spewed out to shock.
"What the heck are you saying!!!"
Bashiin!!
I hit Laura's head.
"You didn't need to hit me right!!"
"If I didn't hit you because of that declaration earlier, I don't have the reason to exist in this world!!"
"I tried to say it tasted good with a good tempo! It felt gyuutto, every time I take a bite, GYUUTTO with every bite, it tastes good with a good tempo!! It's just a little mistake! Be a little indulgent okay!"
"That declaration earlier, no matter how much I think about it, it's a fatal blow you can die 100x with!!"
"Well?, thinking about it calmly, it's true that...... it's, well, a bit of that, though............"
"It's not a bit! It's out! It's a hundred out that a hundred people would say it's out if you ask them!!"
"That's not true at all! Nevermind if it's only one or two, but if you ask a hundred people there would be at least one or two that would say 'it can't be helped'!!!"
"......and your basis is?"
"My intuition!!"
"That's more unreliable than throwing the dice!!"
"Fueeee?????????????n!!"
Laura moaned with her cheeks pinched.
Really, this damn useless goddess, she'd be super useless if I don't take care of her.
But when I was thinking of that, a voice from afar echoed.
"What do you think you are doing?!!"
It's Licia's voice.
Why are you making troubles already?!!
We just parted right?!!
1. chimpo(チンポ) - cock, dick, penis