Chapter 35 – Monk

It appears that one needs to defeat a monster barehanded to gain the Monk job.

Roxanne, who delivered the finishing blow, acquired the job, but my jobs didn’t increase even though I participated in the battle.

There’s no helping it; to acquire the Monk job, we’ll have to continue with the experiment.

“I’ll deliver the finishing blow. Roxanne, just encircle it, but don’t attack.”

I take on the Needle Wood that didn’t fall down after being shot with magic.

There have been instances where they’re defeated with a single shot, so it must have sustained considerable damage.

Even saying so, facing it alone is pretty dangerous.

Or perhaps, impossible.

We both surround it.

Doing so, I’ll only receive half the attacks.

Whoa.

Sometimes the branches that miss Roxanne can reach me too.

I don’t know if a Needle Wood has a front or back side.

After all, it can swing its branches and attack in any direction.

As expected of a strange wooden man.[1]

I have a hunch that we don’t have an advantage surrounding it from the front and back.

However, it does decrease the number of attacks from the monster.

In reality, I’m the only one attacking, but I’m not the only target of the Needle Wood.

No matter how you look at it, Roxanne is stronger than me.

Seems it can’t ignore her.

Roxanne, as usual, is avoiding the monster’s attacks by a paper-thin margin.

The Needle Wood’s branches are completely missing her.

What’s with those movements?

Roxanne lightly moves aside, avoiding the monster’s attack.

Once a gap is open, I give it a punch.

It swings its branch; I avoid it with large movements.

Its upper body is knocked back, but the monster aims for Roxanne.

Roxanne, again, easily avoids the thrown attack.

Since some time ago she’s been doing it repeatedly.

Occasionally it’s different; the monster’s attack hits me.

Of course it misses Roxanne.

Possibly, from the Needle Wood’s point of view, it looks like its attacks are hitting Roxanne, or maybe not.

At a glance, it doesn’t look like a close battle.

That’s if you see everything perfectly.

Since I’m the only one attacking, the battle takes a long time.

After the jab, I hit one, two straights.

I transfer force to it by rotating my hips.

It’s not like it isn’t taking damage from my fists.

I avoid a swung branch in a hurry.

There’s a chance when the opponent misses, but since I messed up my posture, I can’t follow up with a counterattack.

Next, the monster attacks Roxanne, but misses.

I simply use [Rush] here when it counts.

I take a step forward and another. I throw a straight punch while advancing another step.

Finally, the monster falls down.

I overcome this long mortal combat.[2]

Of course, this mortal combat was between me and the Needle Wood.

Since I was the only one attacking, I’m certain I delivered the finishing blow.

I cast [Job Setting].

Monk Lv1

Effects: [Mind Small Increase] [MP Minute Increase]

Skills: [Medical Treatment]

This is it.

I set the job immediately and use [Medical Treatment].

The top of my shoulders are in pain because I got hit by the monster’s attack several times.

“Certainly, the pain has subsided. From now on, if you suffer the attack of a monster, I can use a skill to heal it, so make sure to always tell me.”

I inform Roxanne.

“You can do that?”

“Yes. Keep that a secret.”

“I… I understand. Master is amazing.”

Roxanne can speak fluently in the Brahim Language, but…

Generally, I have the feeling she’s told me a lot of times that I’m amazing since a while ago, but it’s only because I have multiple jobs. [3]

I feel like a fraud.

From my chat with Roxanne, it seems the monk’s skill can only cure light injuries.

In case of large wounds like getting an arm cut off, the higher tier nourishment tablets are necessary.

But in short, it can be managed somehow or another with money. I’m relieved.

After further verification, we return through the wall in the Adventurer’s Guild.

Also we properly verified if wands have effects.

[Fire Ball], [Fire Storm], [Breeze Ball], [Sand Ball], their power probably isn’t increased.

I increased my Strength to 99 with bonus points, and swung a copper sword, but I couldn’t beat it with a single strike.

Basically, magic has more power than a sword.

I wonder how powerful Durandal is.

After returning to the Inn, I eat breakfast with Roxanne.

Then, once we entered our room.

“It’s very helpful having Roxanne around. I’m counting on your help from now on.”

I expressed my thanks to her after sitting on the bed.

Honestly, she’s really helpful.

First, having the ability to search for monsters, we could find them quickly.

I haven’t ever defeated as many monsters in a single exploration as we did this time.

To an extent, we didn’t spend a long time inside the labyrinth. We only explored the first level, but we got every monster. Furthermore, for experimentation and acquiring the Monk job, one portion was spent in pointlessly long battles.

Inside the [Item Box] there are two slots full of branches and a third with a single branch.

Explorer is Lv27 now, so [Item Box] can stack up to 27 of the same item in a slot.

To sum it up, this morning’s exploration earned us 55 branches. Additionally, we got 6 leaves.

Also, with Roxanne, I can let her be the vanguard and safely attack with magic.

Today, Roxanne didn’t get hit by any monster’s attack.

She effectively dodged everything.

While in the company of Roxanne I can bring out Durandal.

Any time I want, I can use Durandal to absorb MP from an enemy, so efficiency has gone up.

“Yes. Thank you. I look forward to working with you.”

Roxanne bows her head while standing at the room’s entrance.

Even if she lifts her head, it doesn’t look like she’ll move from there.

“I’ll be counting on you.”

“This is the first time I’ve defeated so many monsters. Master is amazing!”

“No. It’s my first time too. It’s thanks to Roxanne guiding me. Roxanne is the amazing one!”

“That’s not true. We defeated so many because of master’s overwhelming strength. And you did many amazing things.”

Somehow, we end up praising each other.

“Now, come sit here.”

“Y… yes.”

I beckon Roxanne.

Looks like I have to tell her to do everything.

“From now on, inside the room, you can sit whenever you like. Or, it’d be good if you were close to me whenever possible, as in sitting beside me. It’s not like I’ll push you down if you sit beside me, errr, I can’t say absolutely not, but I won’t do it much.”

Because Roxanne came next to me, I want to embrace her very much.

I can’t endure it any more.

I peek down the neck of her tunic at her unreasonably seductive white skin.

“I… It’s all right. I don’t mind it, ah…”

Because she said such a pleasant thing, I may have spontaneously embraced her.

I think now Roxanne is at fault.

Saying I don’t mind, do you mean us lying down in bed?

Ah. Or does she mean it’s all right if we just stay like this?

Dammit!

It can’t be helped. In exchange for not getting laid, I’ll calm down by playing with her dog ears.

They’re elastic and soft; they feel good.

“May I taste them?”

“Ehh. T-that… I don’t think they’ll be tasty.”

No, I’m sure they’ll be delicious.

Ahh, what am I saying?

Roxanne looks troubled as she hangs her head down.

That’s not it.

I won’t eat them.

I want to eat them, but not in that way.

“I’m not really going to eat them, just play with them.”

Just hold them in my mouth and taste their sweetness.

“Y-yes.”

“Is it ok if I touch your ears this way? If in any way you feel displeased or in pain just tell me. I’ll stop.”

“As long as you don’t do anything strange, it’s all right. Besides, well… It feels good when you caress them.”

Roxanne, whispering that while averting her gaze, is extraordinarily cute.

As expected, it’s ok for me to eat them?

However, her dog ears are reminding me of something.

A puff of baby powder, that’s not it. Something edible.

Not a cream puff, sponge cake, or marshmallows. Something more springy.

That’s it, Isobeyaki. [4]

These droopy ears have the stretchy feeling of fried mochi rice cake.

They’re floppy and dangle helplessly.

They are moderately elastic and soft, being very charming to the human heart.

Isobeyaki?

It’s a food I like, but I might not get to eat it again in this lifetime.

I wonder whether or not there’s mochi, soy sauce, and nori seaweed in this world.

“Do you know if one can find Isobeyaki in this region?”

“Isobeyaki?”

“Yes. It is a food I like from my home town”

“I don’t know about this region, but if we go to the ocean, I think we can grill and eat some fish at the beach.”

That’s the literal meaning of Isobeyaki.

Maybe, it’s translating literally into Brahim language.

So, even if it’s translated, some concepts don’t necessarily exist.

“Is that so, well, let’s try searching for it?”

“Er-errmm. …Master, will you someday return to your home town?”

Roxanne asked.

As expected she’s curious.

“My home town?”

“Yes.”

“Rather than returning to my hometown, I’ve acquired something even better.”

We chat while I keep playing with her dog ears.

This place isn’t Japan. But there’s a nice substitute for Isobeyaki.

I got the best dish. It’s soft, smooth, and springy.

“…”

“I won’t return to my hometown. Probably, I can’t return.”

Because Roxanne has gone silent, it seems I gave her too serious an answer.”

I know it’s something I must think about.

“Really?”

“Yeah. If I had to return to my home town, unfortunately, I’d have to release Roxanne.”

I lift her ears with my hands and flap them around.

“No, well. That was not my intention.”

“It’s okay. I understand.”

“I think it is normal to sell a slave that is no longer necessary.”

I see. Is that common sense?

Is Roxanne anxious because she’s afraid of being sold?

“I intend to be with Roxanne forever.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

“However, because it only makes sense to aim to increase the party’s battle potential, I plan to increase the number of party members!”

I make my harem declaration in a roundabout way.

I’m just saying that I’m increasing the party members, without mention of increasing the harem members.

Even if it’s inevitable that the vanguard will be some muscular middle-aged man, the rear guard must be a collection of pretty girls, don’t you agree?

I think that’s common sense.

“Yes, that’s to be expected.”

I don’t know how much Roxanne understands. I interpret it that she gave her consent.

I’m not sure if it’s really reasonable or not to increase your party members.

Gathering more party members would mean that from now on, we will get our income by exploring labyrinths.

However, are there any other ways?

It’s troublesome.

Agriculture, cuisine, trading, transportation, etc., it’s not like I have special knowledge of things useful in this world.

Developing something based on modern knowledge, I don’t know if it would work or not.

In the past, I read the biography of James Watt.

Speaking of business, he seems to have been successful but through suing for patent infringement against his rivals.

I don’t think there’s something like the concept of patents in this world.

Assuming there’s potential, should I make Roxanne a midwife?

I think the work of midwives is mostly done by females.

When delivering a baby, one would disinfect their hands with lime water.

Scissors and other tools would be disinfected with boiling water.

The sheets and towels can be hung up and disinfected by the sunlight.

This way, you can reduce the rate of deaths from postpartum infections by a large margin.

The day would be close when miscarriage gynecology becomes standard medical care in this world.

But as a practical question, it’s not very realistic.

First, it would be difficult for Roxanne to be a midwife.

Midwives for humans, wolf people, elves, and dwarves might be different.

The rate of postpartum infections might be different even if you could help different species.

Here, does a midwife need to wash their hands in water boiled with medicinal herbs before the delivery of the baby, or some other existing custom? This one is out.

Besides a midwife, maybe form a musical band with Roxanne playing a musical instrument or singing.

It would be good if I can turn some famous music from the modern world into hits in this world.

Trendy music, oldies, children’s songs, pop, classics, etc. that I’ve listened to amount to 100 to 200 pieces. Probably I wouldn’t have any problems for a lifetime here.

But, it would be difficult since I can’t read sheet music or play a musical instrument.

It would be shameful to rely completely on Roxanne.

Since I learned that I can change the jobs of party members, in the worst case, that would become my work.

It’s really the worst case, but…

If I work on changing jobs though, I would be revealing some of my abilities.

There would be people approaching me, aiming for the ability, and I fear I’d be dragged into trouble.

If possible, for my safety, let’s abandon that.

After all, isn’t getting income from the labyrinth the steadiest so far?

That’s what my abilities are for anyways.

There are benefits to it.

I can raise levels in the labyrinth, and getting new jobs could turn out to be useful in any case.

Labyrinths aren’t especially dangerous.

After thinking about it, according to experience, it’s worthy of consideration.

However, going down as soon as possible. No, I mean going up. If one thinks about it, at present it isn’t so dangerous.

It’s ok if I carefully raise my level while going up the floors.

If one is so inclined, it’s ok to stay in the lower floors.

In a single day, the income is a few thousand Nars. It won’t be difficult to make a living.

“That’s for the future, enough about that. Now, about a place to live, other than living in a hotel, could it be cheaper to rent a room somewhere?”

While murmuring my thoughts, I asked Roxanne.

“That is so. I don’t know in detail, but if it is renting a room, a 1 year contract is 10,000 to 30,000 Nars. I think you can get a single house for 50,000 Nars.”

“I see.”

I don’t know if that is cheap or expensive, but it’s cheaper than living at the inn.

The hotel charges are 250 Nars a day. Multiplied by 365 days, it’s over 90,000 Nars. [5]

If we increase the number of party members, that will jump up.

“I’ll do the cleaning and other chores.”

“Ah, that’s right. I’ll be troubling Roxanne”

“No, it’s no problem.”

Living in a hotel, the chores and cleaning are left for the employees to do.

Because Roxanne is a slave and a maid, she can be burdened with that.

Of course I’ll do my part, but without vacuum cleaners, water service, or washing machines, in this world it’s going to be a time consuming labor.

“Hey Roxanne, can you cook?”

“Yes, I think I can do some dishes.”

A slave, a maid, and a cook.

“Now that you mention it, it seems a master is responsible for providing food and living space to a slave but, putting the inn aside, is it ok to rent a house?”

“Yes. Of course.”

“Even sharing a bed?”

I try to embrace her while lowering my voice.

“Y…yes. In fact, I’d be grateful.”

That’s what she said.

Was I being a bit mean?

It would seem she was thinking I’d make her sleep on the floor. Well, that was how I should have answered.

While embracing her, I touch her soft and plentiful bouncy chest.

Those bulges under the clothes with no bra.

Oh no.

At this rate I’ll push her down onto the bed. I said I’d refrain from doing it for the time being.

Why did I say that thing.

“How many days in a year?”

“Let’s see. 360 days and a few more.”

There’s no helping it, I keep questioning.

According to Roxanne’s explanation, with one year having four seasons; spring, summer, autumn and winter have 90 days each. Looks like there are one or two days off between each season.

If it’s one day or two days, it appears to be a leap year.

Thereupon, one year with 363, 364 days plus a few days, it’s almost the same as Earth.

Did we just enter spring?

There’s no way to know an exact date.

If a year has 365 days, of course renting a place is better.

“If I’m renting a place, where should I rent it?”

“I think it should be okay to rent one in a somewhat big town.”

“I see.”

I guess villages and such would be wary of outsiders.

“However, in the case of Explorers, I heard a lot of them live in Quratar and the imperial capital.”

“Quratar? I think I’ve heard about it.”

“There’s a big labyrinth in Quratar. I’ve gone into it once. An Explorer companion had a shop there so it was convenient. In Master’s case, since you can use magic, I think any place is good to live.”

I think by magic she meant [Warp].

If considering using Warp to go to a labyrinth, certainly there’s no problem living anywhere.

“But remember one thing. I don’t want it to be found out that I can use magic. I think we should live in a place where it’s common for Explorers to live.”

Because it has a labyrinth, an Explorer living in Quratar isn’t going to be strange.

Should we pay it a visit?

I have 5 gold coins left. If it’s 50,000 Nars, I can afford it.

It doesn’t seem the [30% Discount] will activate.

If it’s a 2 year contract, it might work.

Until we save up 100,000 Nars, we should look around.

But, without knowing future circumstances, taking a 2 year contract is a big risk.

It isn’t a sure thing that the [30% Discount] would work with a 2 year one anyways.

Perhaps, we should sign a 1 year contract.

That. However, do taxes exist?

“Come to think of it, I haven’t heard anything about taxes. How do you pay them?”

“…Ah, well. T-Taxes…”

Roxanne replied with difficulty.

“Did I ask something bad?”

“I’m sorry. There’s no problem. After both my parents died, I became a burden to my aunt’s household. This year they weren’t able to pay their family’s taxes…”

“Is that so?”

It seems Roxanne was sold off because they weren’t able to provide their taxes.

I thought it was only a thing in historical period dramas, but they do sell their daughters if they can’t pay their annual tax.

I pat Roxanne’s head.

Slowly, I pat her to reassure her.

“The tax is a poll tax. It’s paid in the winter of every year to the feudal lord. Master is a free man so it is 100,000 Nars. Slaves are 10,000 Nars. I think probably someone already paid Master’s portion for this year.” [6]

“I see.”

I believe it hasn’t been paid though.

I’m glad she explained it willingly.

The tax for us two is 110,000 Nars?

Right now it just entered the spring season. There’s still time.

There shouldn’t be any problems.

While patting Roxanne’s head, I pull her closer.

“Umm. Well. I think I’m fortunate to be able to serve Master like this.”

Roxanne leans on my shoulder.

Notes:

[1] TL Note: the wooden man or 木人 is either referring to the wooden dummies used for martial arts training: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mu_ren_zhuang or the character Mokujin from Tekken which is an animated human shaped wooden dummy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mokujin

[2] ED Note: FINISH HIM!

[3] TL Note: You guys are not the only ones realizing how Roxanne keeps saying Michio is amazing time and time again.

[4] TL Note: Isobeyaki is a fried mochi rice cake wrapped in nori seaweed. But, also Isobeyaki can mean seashore/beach side grill.

[5] Vegeta: !!!

[6] TL Note: A Poll Tax, also known as a Head Tax in the U.S. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tax_per_head

Panda’s note: God damn……………he gets to play with those ears…………..anyone else jelly?