Chapter 19

Chapter 19: That time when I was also needed for the harvest this year

Because of the use of 【Wind Cutter】during last year’s harvest, it seems like they got several villagers who could use wind magic and made them practice at a near by plain. Because of that, the speed of our harvest has rapidly increased and they also a.s.signed people to be in charge with that task. Village chief, please don’t expect too much from the students.

To make it simpler, they took the number people who could use that magic and divided them into the number of fields. Since I was originally j.a.panese, I’m making use of our characteristic efficiency so in order to finish faster and harvest more than last year, we placed some workers on rotation to help those who were working slowly. Of course, those who can’t use wind cutter are just a.s.signed to collect the wheat.

By the way, since they were using the plain to practice on their own, there are a lot of uneven portions on it. It seems like they practiced quite a lot.

「Yo, Sc.h.i.n.ken, I came to help」
「Aa, that’s a huge help. This is surprisingly complicated, isn’t it? It’s hard since you’ll graze the ground if focus on not making a mistake with the distance too much. Actually, isn’t it just Caam being unexpectedly amazing?」
「Well, that’s because I did it last year」

Was what I said to gloss it over.

「Even my mother said『Mu, I’m not sure how to make slight adjustments』since she was having difficulty stabilizing the cutting end when she first started」

That reliable Arc-san? I only saw her as someone dependable but I guess she also has these cute points. She’s perfect with the bow though.

People using the magic was probably running out of magic power since they’re starting to be unsteady on their feet. I heard someone saying, “Even when I was diving in dungeons before, I’ve never seen magic used like this you know!!”. So there are dungeons in this world…

The harvest just took two days to finish. It was quick since we had a lot of people. Or as a certain square-faced, burly person used to say, “War is all about numbers!”. Human-wave tactics is truly magnificent.

By the way, I already received the【Offensive Attribute・Wind: 2】announcement a while ago.

「Oi oi, Caam-kun」

A sullen werecat ossan called out to me.

「What is it?」
「We finished the harvest this year with a lot of leeway as expected, right? Do you want to help in dismantling a pig? You should know it if your planning to hunt a wild boar next time」

Said the werewolf ossan while grinning.

「Y-yeah, sure. Please teach me」

I answered immediately replied since I thought I absolutely wouldn’t be able to run away and they took me away like an alien that was caught1. It’s like they were expecting this.

When we arrived, there was a prior visitor there.

「Yoー so you were caught too!」

Wurst called out to me. With that said, it seems like they really were teaching the youth.
The first animal was thoroughly stripped as an example for teaching. The second one was just partially dismantled and the third one was completely left as is. I kept on telling myself ‘This is work, this is just work. This is just practice, I’m just practicing’ in my head as started cutting it up. A lot of things are difficult to handle if you’re not used to this. Like the smell, for example.

Taking a short break, I saw Suzuran in my field of vision gleefully strangling a chicken. Are you looking forward to karaage that much? When our eyes met, she showed me a terrifying smile while wiping off the blood that splattered on her cheek. Her appearance is somewhat scary.

I guess their chickens have started to increase bit by bit ever since t

hey made that chicken coop. When I tried asking,

「Do you know the recipe for karaage?」

Her face paled and she hung her head down while weakly replying,

「Don’t know」

I couldn’t forget the look she had like it was the end of the world so I couldn’t help but teach it to Ricoris-san.

「Araー so Caam-kun can also cook? I’m relieved that her childhood friend’s an able kid」

She said that with a big smile.

「You can go ahead and increase the amount of seasoning and spices as needed」

While I was teaching her the basics, Ichii-san’s bloodl.u.s.t kept on piercing through my back. Once he tasted the karaage though, his bloodl.u.s.t went away.

Delicious meals will save the world! Thank you me in my previous life who learned how to cook for himself!

On a later date,

「That girl won’t learn anything other than meat dishes. Don’t you have any other good dishes?」

was what Ricoris-san consulted with me but I apologetically shook my head. Teaching Suzuran, who has an extreme aversion of any other kinds of food, meals she’s not interested in cooking is an impossible task you know.

While also taking a break, Wurst started a conversation with me.

「Suzuran really likes meat, doesn’t she? I mean, even I eat vegetable from time to time, you know?」
「She can’t remember anything other than meat dishes so oba-san consulted with me but I told her it was impossible」
「I see… As expected. When you get married, except for meat dishes, you’ll have to choice but to make your own meals」
「Ha? Why did it suddenly go into a conversation about our marriage?」
「I mean, isn’t it practically already decided, you guys?」
「Well, I guess?」
「What’s with that questioning tone? She likes you that much and you don’t dislike her right? Then isn’t it already settled?」
「Well…」
「Still, it’s nice that you came out of that alive, huh? That oji-san is really scary. How did you manage to persuade him?」
「Rather than persuading, it was more of an explanation. While he was letting off his bloodl.u.s.t, I was telling him what exactly happened. I told him that she reserved a room at the lover’s inn and while we were walking on the main streets, she forcibly dragged me along and a.s.saulted me. Well, oba-san was just smiling but oji-san apologized. If I also told him something was about to break…」
「I see, it’s good that you were able to come out of ‘that’ alive as well. While he was letting of bloodl.u.s.t, I was sure you’d get killed during your explanation」
「Seriously, I’m glad I survived that」

While we were having a trivial conversation between men, the girls were doing the same but you could hear *kya kya* sounds from them.

If I’m unlucky, there’s a chance that I’ll get asked out tomorrow. At least, I want to be the one to take initiative this time. I won’t run away so I’d like it if you’d at least be gentle.
Well, I’ll get to experience it again so I’d like to think that I won’t be asking for too much but at least spare me from that rodeo without ropes please. And also, please remember to let me move to an extent. I may collapse from that but I don’t want ‘that’ collapsing as well, you know.

After that, our short break ended and we returned to processing the pig we butched.

「ErーThanks to everyone, the harvest this year only took two days to finish. Because of that, it might be a good idea to try increasing the number of the fields a bit. I don’t like long speeches in these kind of events so I’ll end it here. Well then, let us start the harvest festival. Kanpai」
「「「「「Kanpai!!」」」」」

After the village chief said his speech, various loud voices were raised all over.

「I became resilient against sake because of poison resistance so I’m not going to get drunk, am I~」

I made sure no one heard me complain as I was slowly drinking my sake. The three idiots were having nice conversation while they were enjoying their sake. In a way, the joy of drinking sake is in getting drunk.

By the way, even if I didn’t supply ice, there were already others who could. Although they’re already able to adjust the output so that it won’t turn into an offensive magic, I heard that they struggled to do that at first. Once again, they were able to realize the improvements in their lives using magic compared to before.

The three idiots must have remembered how they vomited last time since they started slowing down their drinking pace a bit. However, their faces were already red, they already have glazed eyes and their laughter has also died out so it’s still easy to understand what this change is.

After a while, the usual girls group came and brought up large platters filled with drinking snacks. They sat together at the same table and were having fun talking about all their memories in the town. Suzuran’s platter had a ratio of 5 karaages to 5 other meat dishes. As usual, this girl’s staying true to her own desires.

Getting each other drunk in that nice atmosphere, they are starting to have an indecent conversation disregarding the people from the opposite s.e.x. Or did they start doing that precisely because members of the opposite s.e.x are here? I’m not sure.

Influenced by her drunkenness, Mir asked,

「What happened in town? We were really being considerate of you guys so you could at lease tell us that much」
「I thought I was pretty much set up though」
「Even though you were getting into a nice mood with Suzuran, you still didn’t cross the line so we were all troubled. You should be thanking us」

Kuchinas.h.i.+ who was next to her was silently nodding while drinking her sake.

「Well, I’m somewhat thankful for that but there’s a need to consider the mood, time and place right?」
「And because of that, a year later has pa.s.sed and nothing has happened yet. On the contrary, it’s Suzuran who’s becoming pitiable, you know」

Kuchinas.h.i.+ quietly nodded with that as well. Suzuran continued to vigorously eat meat. We’re talking about you, you knowー.

「Well, we already crossed that line so something has already changed in our relations.h.i.+p……is what I feel but not much has changed that in our daily lives. I mean, look at her. I was the one who taught her the recipe of that karaage she’s been eating for a while now, right?」

Mir looked at Suzuran who was stuffing her cheeks with karaage.

「Y-yeah. Well, we haven’t really seen the two of you flirting」
「That’s right」
「As expected」
「Un un」
「That’s right, isn’t it」

Everyone voiced out their agreement.

Suddenly, Suzuran stood up, grabbed Wurst’s collar and forced him to stand up. She then sat at the recently vacated s.p.a.ce and leaned her body next to me. Ahー so she was actually listening to our conversation.

She swallowed what was in her mouth and said,

「Since it seems like everyone is expecting something from us. No good?」

She tilted her head while asking me that. Doing that kind of gesture is unfair.

「I don’t really dislike it though」

When I said that, the others who were watching us were grinning.

「What about you guys? Weren’t Sc.h.i.n.ken and Mir eating sweets while walking around town by themselves?」
「I don’t really dislike Sc.h.i.n.ken, you know……」

Her voice trailed off before she finished what she was saying.

「I don’t dislike her as well」

They kept glancing at each other. Reading the mood, Wurst left his seat and Speck pulled Mir and made her sit next to Sc.h.i.n.ken. Both of them stayed silent but their faces reddened while they were slowly sipping on their drinks. These guys are easy to understand.

I didn’t really bother teasing them and just continued to drink. Kuchinas.h.i.+, who looked like she prepared herself for something, sat next to Wurst. He looked surprised at first but then became embarra.s.sed as he started drinking his sake.

「IyaーThis village’s men sure are weak when it comes to women’s advances」

With Suzuran staying by my side and heartily eating meat, I looked at Speck who wanted me to agree with him and noticed Tryapka-san who was grinning beside him.

「Since when have you been there!」
「uHIYAA!」

When I shouted, Speck finally noticed her and screamed but it was already too late. She grabbed him before he was able to run away. He tried shaking her off but that just strengthened her hold on him. As expected of a carnivore.2

I don’t think that it’s impossible to tear her off if he used actually used force but Speck doesn’t seem to be able to do it. It seems like he’s gentle towards girls.

Like a king of an animal kingdom from somewhere, she kept on patting his head while saying,

「He’s cute, rightー」

Speck didn’t look like he hated Tryapka-san’s actions as much as he would have us believe since he’s still letting her do it. You really don’t dislike that, don’t you? I can’t do anything but pray that she doesn’t take him home with her.

Everyone was getting into a pleasant atmosphere and they were drinking until they couldn’t anymore. It was starting to get dark but a corner of the village’s square was enveloped in a pink aura. When the adults who were looking at us were grinning but had a look of slight concern.

「It’s a bit early but let’s call it a night」

When we entered that kind of mood, the pairs decided whose house they would going to go home to and went on their ways. In the end, I wasn’t able to protect Speck…… I’m so powerless……

With that said, it seems like Suzuran will be coming over to my house.

「First time in Caam’s room」

Well of course. I’m the one who always has to go to your place to wake you up.
Putting it nicely, you can say my room’s well-organized. however, you could also say that I have too much stuff.

I was planning to clean it but there are training kokes.h.i.+s and tools to make gla.s.s beads and knit mats on top of my desk and all sorts of materials, weapons and my rucksack are scattered in the corner of my room.

「Want to drink tea?」
「Un」
「Just sit wherever. Well, your only choices are the bed or the chair by my desk though」
Suzuran was slightly troubled but decided to sit on the chair. I guess I’m sitting on the bed. I probably won’t get pushed down if I have hot tea in my hands.

The placed dried chamomile leaves into the cups I brought and filled it with steaming hot water.

「Add as much sugar as you like」
「Sugar in tea?」
「You see, it would taste bad if just drink it as is」
「Nice smell. It’s calming」

After saying that, she started filling her cup with sugar. I’m sure that it’ll taste good if you sweeten it but aren’t you putting a bit too much?

「Hey, Suzuran. I don’t dislike doing the deed itself but I’d like it if you consider the mood a bit more from now on, for my sake. And I’ll also really appreciate it if you do it gently」 「Sorry」
「Well, it’s not really something to receive an apology for but please calm down a bit from now on. I’d be really happy if you could just keep that in mind」
「I understand. And don’t have to tell me twice because it will make me sad. Was also lectured by kaa-san. Will hate it if not gentle」

She hanged her head a bit. It seems like she was aware of her actions.

「Well, I don’t hate you so you can be at ease」

I stood up and pat her head as I said that. If you’re conscious about running wild the other day then you should have not shown that kind of behavior. She was glancing at me a bit and looked like she was expecting something. So this time, I’ll be the one to start it, huh…

Thinking that, I stood up and came closer to Suzuran. I kissed her and guided her towards the bed.

About an hour before the date changed, both of us started to calm down.

「Should go home soon」
「Aa, I’ll see you off. And also, I’ll be happy if you would always be that gentle like earlier」

After I said that, my stomach received a punch. It seems like she was really embarra.s.sed about that.
While desperately trying not to vomit, I lied down in bed in agony. After waiting for 30 seconds, I escorted her home. The adults are still not done drinking it seems. I’d appreciate it if you guys look after your children more!

「It would be nice if it goes well for those guys too」
No one was listening but I wanted to try and say that so I did.

【Skill・ Damage Resistance: 2】acquired

Ahー, so I was able to acquire that, as expected. That one really hurt, you know?

 

Footnotes:
1. Like this
2. Speck might be the one who can relate to our MC the most…