#11 The first trip and samurai.

There are various kinds of tasks in the guild from demon beast subjugation, collection, investigation and there are even unusual ones such as babysitting too.

We completed several guild tasks yesterday, so our guild rank went up. We graduated from beginners and our cards became purple.

We will be given approval for black and purple tasks attached to the request board and whichever one we take would be okay.

Well, we would still fail if we’re careless and if it’s difficult, there will be some danger to our lives. We need to brace ourselves much more.

[North…ruins…Kill…cut…mega…slime?]

I try to read one of the purple task requests. I can somehow manage to read it if there are simple words thanks to Lindsey. The reward is…8 silver coins. I wonder if it’s not bad.

[Hey, this…]

[[No.]]

Rejection in unison desu ka? Really? They both have unpleasant faces, but did they have to go that far?

It appears that soft and flabby sticky objects are physically not good for both these people.

[Besides, don’t those things come to melt things like clothes? Absolutely no.]

That is….so close….

[This is a letter delivery to the royal capital. Transportation expenses included. The reward is 7 silver coins. How about it?]

[7 silver coins…we can’t split it for us three]

[It’s not particularly bad for us to spend the remaining one.]

There’s also that.

Elsie tries to confirm the details of the task. The client is Zanuck Zenfield…huh? Is it that Zanuck-san?

I check to confirm the address. As expected, it’s Zanuck-san of [Fashion King Zanuck]. There’s no doubt.

[How long is it gonna take to the royal capital from here?]

[Nnー、about 5 days by carriage?]

That’s certainly a lot. It’s likely going to be the first long trip. However, the return will be easy because we can go back instantly if I use [Gate]. Also, from then on, we can go there instantly with [Gate] if we’ve been to the royal capital even once. This’ll be useful in the distant future.

[Un, then let’s take this task.]

[Is that so? Then it’s decided.]

Elsie tears off the request form and takes it to the reception desk. Elsie finishes at the reception and says that we were told to hear the minute details of the task from the client directly.

Then, let’s go to meet him.

[Yaah, it’s been a while. Have you been well?]

[I’m been grateful for that time.]

Zanuck-san recognizes me shortly after I enter the shop and calls out to me. We are lead to the back room when we say that we were here because of the guild task.

[The content of this request is to deliver a letter to Viscount Sordric in the royal capital. They should know if you give out my name. I’d also like you to return the reply from the Viscount.]

[Is this an urgent letter?]

[Although it’s not urgent, I wonder if there’ll be trouble even if it’s a little slow.]

Zanuck-san puts the letter which is in a short cylinder above the table while laughing. It’s sealed with wax or something and pressed with a seal.

[And this here is the transportation expenses. Because I put in a little bit more, you don’t need to return them if there is some remaining. Go sightseeing in the royal capital.]

[Thank you very much.]

When we receive the letter, transportation expenses and leave the shop, we begin preparing for the trip at once. It is decided that I will arrange the carriage, Lindsey will go purchase food for the trip and Elsie will return to the inn to take out the necessary tools.

In 1 hour, we complete all of the preparations and leave for the royal capital.

I borrow the carriage by rental. There is no cover and it is said that only the cart will be supplied. Although the carriage is shabby, it’s still several times better than trudging on foot.

I can’t control the horse however these two are able to properly. I heard that any relative of a person who manages a farm seem that they are accustomed to handling horses from childhood.

This results in both of them taking turns sitting on the driver seat while I shake on the cart. I’m a little regretful.

The carriage advances smoothly on the road. While sometimes greeting other passing carriages, we go towards the north.

We exit the town of Rifflet and pass through the following town of Noran. The sun is setting right when we arrive at the town of Amanesk.

Let’s find an inn in this town for today.……Huh? Wait a minute.

Thinking about it carefully, because I can use [Gate], can’t we temporarily go back and stay at [Silver Moon] and start here again tomorrow?

It is rejected immediately when I tell both of them what I thought of. Eehー

They both tell me that it would be throwing away the enjoyment of the trip.

[Isn’t it nice to be in an unknown town, visiting unknown shops, staying in an unknown place. You don’t understand, do you?]

And, I am shocked by Elsie. We can’t just imitate inelegant people who don’t know what it’s like to have no money just because the transportation expenses are provided for. Such is life, I guess.

We decide on an inn before the sun sets completely. We take an inn with slightly better rooms than [Silver Moon]. The girls and I are assigned to two rooms. Although mine is a normal sized room, they have a slightly bigger double room.

We’ve settled on the inn so we entrusted them with the carriage and left to have a meal. The old man at the inn says that the noodles here are delicious. I wonder if there’s something like ramen.

When we enter a handy shop somewhere while taking a stroll inside the town, we hear sounds of a dispute from the roadside. Curious onlookers gather on what seems to be a commotion taking place.

[What!]

We, who had our interest caught, try to push through the crowd of people and barely manage to reach the center of the commotion. There is a foreign girl surrounded by several men.

[That child…has a strange appearance ne…]

[……It’s a samurai.]

SmPh Yae

I give a short answer to Lindey’s question.

A bright red kimono in a navy blue hakama, a white tabi in sandals with black straps, and a pair of long and short katana on the waist. A flowing black hair cut even above the eyebrows. The back is tied up in a ponytail and beyond that, it is cut straight above the shoulder well matched with a modest ornamental hairpin.

(TLN: just to be clear, the hairpin is a type of kanzashi(hair ornament) called a kushi(google is your friend) some made out of tortoise shell. it resembles a comb, but I will call it a (ornamental)hairpin for simplicity because it stays in the hair. you will know why .)

I said samurai, but rather I imagined more like Haikara-san. That’s the impression I’m getting. However, that appearance is of a samurai. (TLN: google ハイカラさん)

The men numbering close to ten surround the samurai child while sending out dangerous glances. There are people who have already pulled out their knives and swords.

[You’ve taken great care of me in the daytime, neechan. I’ve come to give my gratitude.]

[……Well, I (sessha) don’t remember taking care of you de gozaru ga]

Wow, sessha, she said! Gozaru too! This is the first time I’ve heard this in my life.

[Stop playing dumb…! Don’t think you can return safely after beating up our friend.]

[Oh, is it that fellow who I handed over to the guards during the day? It was because he was wicked. He got drunk from sake and started committing violence during the daytime.]

[Shut your trap! Do it!]

The men all attack at the same time. The samurai child evades nimbly and lightly, grabs the arm of one of the men and turning around as if it is light, throws him. The man who is flung on his back faints in agony and stops moving.

Neutralize the opponent’s force, break the stance and throw. Aikido…is it jujitsu? Just like that, the samurai child flings away two to three people, but for some reason, suddenly staggers and her movements weakens.

Using this chance, a man prepares to stab from behind with a sword. Watch out!

[Sand, come forth. A cloud to blind, Blinding Sand!]

I shout an incantation on the spur of the moment and magic is invoked.

[Guwaa, my eyes…!]

It’s a spell for blindness by using sand. It doesn’t have much of an effect, but it’s enough to get through emergency situations.

Meanwhile, I send a dropkick to a man who is holding a sword. Although the samurai child is suddenly surprised by the sudden intrusion, when she judges that we are not enemies, she returns her attention to the enemies in front.

[Aah Mou, we meddle ourselves in every trouble!]

Elsie who jumps into the circle of fighting is delivering heavy blows with her gauntlets while complaining, or rather than that, isn’t she kinda smiling?

A short time later, all the men are flattened on the ground. Elsie had joyfully knocked down more than half. Scary!

The town guards arrive so we leave the rest for them and leave the scene.

[I am grateful for your assistance. I am Kokonoe Yae to mousu. Ah, Yae is the name and Kokonoe is the surname name de gozaru.]

So the samurai girl Kokonoe Yae says while bowing her head. I had a deja vu feeling from the self-introduction.

[By chance, did you come from Ishen?]

[Indeed, I came from Edo of Ishen de gozaru.]

Edo she says. Is even that similar too?

[I’m Mochizuki Touya. Touya is the name and Mochizuki is the surname.]

[Ooh, Touya-dono, were you born from Ishen too de gozaru ka!?]

[No. Although it’s similar, I came from a different country.]

[[ Eh?]]

The twin sisters behind me raise their voice in surprise. Ah, which reminds me, I had decided to be from Ishen because it was troublesome to explain.

[That aside…in the middle of that fight earlier, it looked like you staggered. Is there any problems somewhere on your body?]

[No, there’s no problem with my body de gozaru ga, that……I’m ashamed to say that I dropped my travelling expenses before I came here, so……]

GuUuuUuU.

Yae’s stomach resounds grandly. Her face turns red and slumps her shoulders.

The hungry samurai calls de aru.