Chapter 20 Early in the morning, in front of the mercenary guild

Early in the morning, in front of the mercenary guild .

When the 4 people arrived, Mitsuha was already waiting . Though they came quite early so the client wouldn’t have to wait . How much is this ojou-sama looking forward to this?

And those clothes .

An unfamiliar top coat with inconspicuous colors and many large pockets . And sturdy looking blue pants . No, if you think that she could have come with a flattering dress with flashy colors then it’s 100 times better .

And on her waist is a dagger and knife . This is fine . The problem is the unknown things worn on both sides of her hips . They’re pulling her belt down, seems heavy for their size . Lastly, a small quiver and something weird that seems like a bow at first glance but has a added solid body . The strings are tight, is that range weapon?

And on the backpack on her back, there are 2 different large cylindrical objects . The cylindrical objects don’t seem heavy but are quite bulky . What’s with this large luggage? Is it that, they say women will have lots of luggage, is it that? Something like changes of clothes, makeup kits and skin care kits?

Somehow, Sven feels tired right from the very beginning .

And so, they depart .

Surprisingly, the ojou-sama started walking while carrying all her baggage by herself . There’s not much luggage over here so I could hold some, well, she at the age where she works hard . I’ll hold it if you’re tired and ask . I have to carry the prey so there won’t be much leeway when we return, but while on the way back food and consumables will disappear so I can carry them the entire time . Well . this time there’s definitely income thanks to ojou-sama so I’m relieved… no, no, it seems I had let my guard down because of how smooth this is going .

Party leader Sven has a lot of worries .

Taking small breaks in between, we have been walking for several hours . We left early in the morning so we arrived in the forest around noon . On the way, starting with merchants we passed a lot of travelers, nothing especially unusual . As expected, there is a lot of traffic unlike the countryside where Colette and the others live . But that was only until entering the path to the forest, after that there are no more people moving around . Only the cries of birds can be heard from afar . According to Sven and the others: hunters for their main job, mercenaries on their side jobs, those who come to acquire certain prey, plant, and so on for a request, and many others will come and leave the forest .

Walking for about 10 minutes after entering the forest, we unload our luggage where the forest slightly opens up . A stream is flowing nearby . Un, this is the place to make a base camp . Cause if the base camp is made too far in then carrying luggage and prey back becomes troublesome .

Because they can’t waste daylight, everyone goes to work immediately after putting away the luggage . That means, other things can wait until it gets dark and they can’t gather . Hunting animals is a pain right now, that said, we’ll hunt for medicinal herbs and wild vegetables that fetch a good price for now . Something like jinenjo(wild yams)? But that, digging is hard . I tried once when I was little but gave up after digging the about length of my pinky; about 15 centimeters .

(tl note: This is a wild yam)

I’ll follow Grit-san for the time being, and learn various things by helping him gather . The things I pick will be offered for free, of course . I’m not that greedy .

I didn’t find a yam . What feels really like edible wild plants, vegetables-ish things, small hard tree nuts and so on, we collected many things that I can’t tell whether are medicinal herbs or just food . Since it got dark, we set up the camp .

…Wait, there’s nothing like a tent; tidy up the ground and cut the grass, afterward spread a piece of cloth on it and you’re done? Since it won’t rain, there’s no need for cover, is that so . Am I also sleeping on top of that? No thanks .

After Mitsuha moves to a place several meters away, she takes a somewhat large cylindrical object out of the luggage she brought and fiddle with it for some reason .

Pann!

Together with a small light sound the cylinder bursts and spreads widely .

「W, what!」

Grit and the others came flying surprised .

「Tere rere ttete~,『Anywhere Tent』to~」

(tl note: This is a Doraemon reference)

What was there is an one touch tent bought by Mitsuha at a sale at the home center . It quite small but it’s still for adult use . It was plenty for the child-like Mitsuha .

「Urethane sheetss!」

Mitsuha talks intentionally with an odd accent . Of course, Sven and the others won’t understand . Mitsuha quickly and awkwardly unpacks another cylinder and spreads the sheet .

A tent and an insulating urethane sheet . Mitsuha’s sleeping place was completed in a moment . Sven and the others are amazed .

「Do you think things like these will sell?」

「Y, yes……」

If small animals are found during hunting, they’ll be killed for food, but we weren’t able to get any today unfortunately . It’s not that easy . Fortunately, we found a few plants that are bitter and bad but not to the point that they’re inedible . Of course, they are not things that will sell even if we take them back . Even so, if used to make soup then with a few hard pieces of bread they will fill one’s stomach . Also, a thin soup stock from pieces of dried meat will add a small accent . While thinking so Grit hit a flint to start a fire, but it doesn’t successfully ignite . The tree branches and blades of grass are completely soaked with water from the other day’s rain and didn’t dry easily in the middle of the forest . The moisture hasn’t come out yet . Grit is struggling .

「Um~, a moment please?」

When Grit raised his head, he found Mitsuha holding something in her hand .

「Can I give it a try for a moment?」

The part of me who is used to camping is struggling . It’s another case if it’s a housewife who uses fire to cook every day, but it seems difficult for an ojou-sama who likely has never properly started a fire by herself . However, she’s the employer for the time being . Furthermore, we’re hired for the purpose of gaining experience, we can’ keep her from the obstacles

「Okay, try it」

Grit hands over the flint but Mitsuha stops him .

「No, I have my own」

Saying so, Mitsuha squat down and squeezes out something a few centimeters from the tube in her hand . Rubs it on a tree branch . Then, ignites in one try with the Chakkaman(チャッカマン) in her hand .

「W, what……」

Grit’s mouth is agape .

「A victory for science!」

(tl note: I think this is a reference but I don’t know what)

Mitsuha sticks out her chest with a smug face . Her nonexistent chest, as hard as she could .

…Shut up!

「Hey, what is that…」

Seeing Mitsuha preparing a meal a short distance beside Grit who’s boiling the soup, the 4 whispers to each other . Beyond their gaze is .

Less than half the size of a normal portable stove, it’s a micro-portable stove with a gas cartridge half protruding from the main body . And a large amount of soup boiling in an aluminum pot on top . Camping dinnerware laid beside her . Empty can of condensed soup with its contents put in a pot . 5 pieces of mini Anpan bought for 148 yen . The contents of canned peaches served on an aluminum dish . That amount was obviously too much for only a girl . Just in case she prepared a lot of food, even though she was told that it wasn’t necessary to prepare her own, can something like this be called only natural?

「The remaining luggage, I wonder if it’s all food…」

「Oh, this is a bit too much to eat so can you help me? Although in return, I would like a little taste of that…」

「「「「With pleasure!!」」」」

It was an immediate answer . What black izakaya is this?

(tl note: Izakaya are casual places for after-work drinking, black is probably short for black business or sweatshop)

「It’s good……」

Filling and has a deep flavor . Ojou-sama, you cooked something like this before we notice… I thought you were a noble’s or a wealthy merchant’s wasteful daughter, but this cooking ability and execution . It’s enough skill to open a high-class restaurant .

Sven opens his eyes wide in surprise .

Too bad, that’s a double-enriched canned minestrone I bought at the supermarket .

「What is this, bread? Soft! There’s something sweet in the middle, what!」

Grit shouts .

Ilse is silently eating . Un, you won’t break it, your taciturn character .

Zepp’s presence is thin . Even though I thought he would talk a lot like Alexis . Oh, I’m outside of your range, is that so . I was a bit over conscious, I’m sorry .

「How is it, this, can I sell it? All but except bread have a long shelf life though」

To Mitsuha’s question, Sven answered after thinking for a moment .

「…Depends on the price . However, even if it is somewhat expensive, you will surely be able to sell to aristocrats, rich people, and the military」

「Is that so…」

Well, the army huh . If this becomes military supplies the weirdness will attract some attention(軍需物資になったら変なのに目を付けられそうだし), if you have to deal with so many things it’ll take time and you won’t be able to do anything else . It will be for thousands, millions . When the military starts asking questions, even Earl-sama’s might not be any to protect me…

「Such an amount is impossible, rich people should eat bad meals sometimes on the occasional trip . (金持ちはたまの旅の間くらいまずいメシ喰ってりゃいいんですよ。) I understand, I’ll do what I can to set the price at where Sven-san and the others can freely buy」

「Eh, are you sane, ojou-sama?! Even though you can make a fortune!」

「It’s fine . other things will produce profit」

Un, even if it’s 150 yen to stock, it’ll cost 6 small gold coins . Feels about 600 yen . At this price, it’s impossible for poor mercenaries to eat it for every meal while traveling . Something like a small luxury every now and then . That also selling at a price without much profit . Besides, canned food is quite heavy . Freeze dry is even more expensive… .

Oh, what about calorie mate? Not for eating normally, when you catch even less prey than expected and there is no food, for a time of distress, to have just in case of an emergency . I wonder if that will sell even if a little expensive . It’s not like they have to buy every time . Un, I’ll bring some out tomorrow morning . I have lunch after all, un .

Eh, everyone seems impressed for some reason . Was it that delicious?

A conversation goes around the bonfire for a while .

I boiled hot water and made tea . Powdered black tea . Cheap, easy and delicious . My favorite . It’s also popular with everyone . Un, I can sell this .

I slipped out at an appropriate time . Un, I heard about the side of the stream, so I thought about washing my body and am properly prepared . It’s sweaty after walking for a long time, that’s why . I enter the tent and change my clothes . Thinking about such a thing, I bought a bikini swimsuit with me . No, it’s not to show off, but it’ll be hard to wash my body if it’s a one-piece type . Because the goal, in the end, is to wash my sweaty body .

I won’t use soap . I don’t want to pollute such a beautiful stream’s water and it’s troublesome to wear a bathing suit . Just lightly wash with water . I quickly finished changing clothes, and when leaving the tent with a towel, I meet eyes with Zep-san looking my way . Zep-san drops the cup in his hand with a “plop” .

「O, ojou, y, you……」

「Stupid, what are you wearing! Boys, turn around!!」

Ilse-chan, who jumps over and shouts at me, takes off her jacket and covers me .

Eh, what happened??

「What the heck are you thinking, coming in front of men naked! Even if you’re a child, you aren’t at that age anymore!!」

Grit-san shouts with a bright red face and Ilse-chan repeatedly nods next to her . Sven-san and Zepp-san fled somewhere to evacuate .

「No, this, it’s a swimsuit, you can show it…」

「Quiet! Something like that, it’s isn’t even underwear! It’s just being naked!!」

Ahh, the underwear women use here are pumpkin pants, or rather, was it called drawers, it’s like that . When trying to sell underwear to Beatrice-chan, you saw my underwear and collapse didn’t you, Beatrice-chan . … . Sorry .

And so in the end, after a long sermon, bathing was permitted under Ilse-chan escort while Grit-san monitored the men .

The next morning, I woke up together with the sunrise . It’s planned to start gathering immediately without eating however, that suddenly changed . After going straight to the gathering we’ll take a slightly messy break for breakfast/lunch before noon to be honest, then it’s hunting until evening, or so was the plan, by the time the 4 of Sven’s group woke up, Mitsuha who already woke up was boiling water and waiting . Unlike Sven who starts with making a fire, Mitsuha using a micro-portable stove that ignites instantly doesn’t feel boiling water to be much trouble .

「Here, please try eating this」

Served with black tea in my cups is the fruit favored calorie mate .

「It’s a filling food full of nutrition . Doesn’t expire quickly and has great portability」

Saying so, she offers 2 boxes of calorie mate, the 4 people timidly accept it . Each takes an inner package and starts eating .

「Delicious…」

「The amount is small, but somehow I feel nourished…」

Umu, it’s pretty popular . Eh, seconds? There’s none . Let’s quickly go gathering .

Everyone goes out to gather, Mitsuha is camp-sitting . The gathering location is nearby so there’s no problem . Eh, why doesn’t Mitsuha do it? I got tired of it, shut it!

Everyone came back before noon, maybe around 10 o’clock . I’m already fully prepared . Hot water is already boiling . All that’s left is adding noodles .

「Welcome back~ . Lunch will be ready soon~」

I feel like this is now normal, nobody calls me out .

A few minutes later, something like stewed soup was handed around . Together with a fork instead of a spoon .

「This is?」

「A secret cuisine passed down in our famly, it’s called『bag ramen』!」

「「「「Ohh！」」」」

You guys are getting better at changing moods . (ノリが良くなってきたよね、キミタチ。)

「What is this!」

「Good!」

Hey, occasionally say something different . Your vocabulary is deficient .

Un, bag ramen is cheap and light . It only needs water and warms the body when it’s cold . Cup Noodles? Those guys that eat it and says,「I, don’t have money, I eat a cup noodle everyday」 . I won’t accept that! If you are really poor then it should be bag ramen, bag ramen! Also, bread crusts!!

Well, with cup noodles, when a mercenary cram it in the luggage to carry, the styrol container will break so it’s no good, probably .

Anyway, a major product is decided .

After a break and lunch, it’s finally time, come, it’s time to hunt!